News Roundup 04 February 2022
Feb 04, 2022 • 4 min Read
Philippines logs 8,564 new COVID-19 cases | PHILSTAR.COM – The Philippines on Friday registered 8,564 new COVID-19 cases, the fourth consecutive day the daily tally fell below 10,000. Friday’s tally brought the total number of COVID-19 infections to 3,594,002. Of the figure, 151,389 were active cases. According to the Department of Health, 77% of the newly-reported cases occurred from January 22 to February 4. The regions with the highest number of additional infections during that period were Metro Manila (907), Western Visayas (782) and Davao region (753). The country’s death toll rose by 46 to 54,214, while recoveries increased by 10,474 to 3,388,399. The agency said that 24.3% of 37,932 samples on February 2 tested positive for COVID-19, way above the five-percent threshold set by the World Health Organization. Six testing laboratories did not submit data to the agency.
Robredo to certify FOI, transparency measures as urgent if elected president | PHILSTAR.COM – If elected president, Vice President Leni Robredo said she will certify as urgent two measures to promote transparency in government, a move that might make the bills pass through Congress that has previously stalled on these proposals. Robredo is pushing for the full disclosure of all government transactions without prior requests and for the enactment of a Freedom of Information bill that would allow citizens access to information from the government. The vice president committed to certify these bills as urgent after being asked by veteran journalist Ed Lingao during the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas’ presidential forum how she plans to push bills for more government transparency, when these were not even passed when her party, the Liberal Party, was dominant. Robredo is running as an independent presidential bet, although she still maintains chairmanship over the LP. Her promise to certify these measures, particularly the FOI bill, as urgent runs counter to the approach of Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, the last president from the LP, who opted not to certify the proposal as urgent, saying he saw no emergency need for it. Without a signal from Malacañang on the urgency of the FOI bill and legislators battling over contentious provisions like the right of reply, which gives people the right to respond to supposedly false claims, the measure did not pass during Aquino’s term despite it being among the key campaign promises of the late president. Proponents of right of reply wanted the reply to be given the same space and placement as the article they are replying to, a requirement that could be costly and could also affect editorial independence.
Robredo to turn over shelter starter kits for ‘Odette’ survivors in southern Negros Occidental | INQUIRER.NET – Vice President Leni Robredo will be in southern Negros Occidental on Saturday, Feb. 5, for the ceremonial turnover of shelter starter kits to 250 families whose homes were destroyed by Typhoon Odette in December last year. This was disclosed by former Gov. Rafael Coscolluela, campaign manager of Robredo for Negros Occidental and provincial chair of the Robredo People’s Council (RPC). Coscolluela said the Office of the Vice President would undertake the project with the Negros Volunteers for Change led by Millie Kilayko. From the Bacolod-Silay Airport, the vice president’s party will proceed to Sipalay City, where the turnover program for 50 family recipients will be held. She will then travel to Barangay Mambugsay in Cauayan town for a similar turnover ceremony for 45 families, Coscolluela said. Also to receive housing materials from Robredo are 50 families from Kabankalan City, 45 from Hinoba-an, and 30 families each from Candoni and Ilog towns.
‘Open debate on runoff elections, pass anti-dynasty law’ — Robredo | Manila Bulletin – The Philippines should now start opening the conversation on whether or not runoff elections will work in the country, presidential aspirant Vice President Leni Robredo said. “Kailangan pag-usapan na natin, magwo-work ba dito sa atin yung runoff elections. Ang model sa ibang bansa merong runoff elections. Para sa akin buksan na natin ‘yung discussion. Buksan natin ‘yung debate (We need to start discussing if runoff elections work for us. The model of other countries has runoff elections. For me, let’s start opening the conversation. Let’s start opening the debate),” Robredo said during the KBP Presidential Candidates Forum on Friday, Feb. 4. Runoff elections is a second election used in other countries if the top vote-getting candidate did not achieve the minimum percentage of votes required during the first election. The Vice President brought this up when she was asked on her opinion on Anti-Turncoatism Bill and the needed reform for political parties amid voters’ perception that all political parties in the country are all of the same feather. Robredo said it’s high time for the Anti-Dynasty Law, which she co-authored, to be passed into law. She cited this as among the ways to improve and strengthen the political parties and the politics, as a whole, in the country.
