News Roundup 05 December 2020
Dec 05, 2020 • 3 min Read
Coronavirus cases in the Philippines exceed 438,000, deaths now at 8,526 | PHILSTAR.COM – The Department of Health on Saturday confirmed 1,733 more COVID-19 infections, bringing the national caseload to 438,069. Of the total number of cases recorded in the DOH’s latest bulletin, 29,961 are classified active, which means these patients are still undergoing treatment or quarantine. The health department marked another 133 patients as recovered, bringing the total number of those who beat the virus to 399,582. However, another 17 succumbed to the disease, pushing the country’s death toll to a grim 8,526.
Duque, Galvez dared to get COVID-19 vaccine first to boost confidence in shot | PHILSTAR.COM – Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. were dared to be inoculated with the coronavirus vaccine first to boost the public’s confidence in the shot, which could be authorized for use by the first quarter of 2021. President Rodrigo Duterte earlier offered to get Gamaleya Institute’s Sputnik V shot in public, expressing confidence in the coronavirus vaccine candidate which has already been approved for use in Russia, despite criticism from experts that the shot’s development has been rushed.
CHR to gov’t: Sustain info drive on pandemic health protocols | INQUIRER.NET – Rather than using a “yantok” (rattan stick), law enforcers should continue and ramp up information campaigns on the health hazards of stepping out of one’s residence amidst the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 )pandemic, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) said Saturday. CHR spokeswoman Atty. Jacqueline De Guia, in a statement, also cautioned the government on the unnecessary use of force of law enforcers, which may lead to “humiliation and trauma” of the public. “Violence, even in its slightest suggestion, is not the best way to address the pandemic,” De Guia said. “Rather, [the] government should continue to employ information dissemination to make the people understand the hazards of going out in the midst of a pandemic, as well as implement programs guided by the sound advice of science and health professionals,” she added. De Guia said that while the CHR recognizes the “unknown nature” the pandemic has pushed the government to enforce “different, novel” ways in enforcing health protocols, the Commission has “repeatedly stressed the importance of respecting the human rights and dignity of all as we address this health crisis.” “We stress that the pandemic is not a peace and order issue, but a public health agenda,” De Guia said.
Digital technology is new platform in spreading God’s word — CBCP | Manila Bulletin – Digital technology has helped the Catholic Church in spreading the word of God amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, an official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said. “Ngayon, nata-transform ang digital technology (Today, digital technology is being transformed) for witnessing the Good News of the Kingdom of God,” said CBCP Vice President and Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David during an interview over Church-run Radyo Veritas. “Kailangan ng Simbahan na mas maramdaman sa social media. We are able to communicate it in a creative way dahil bagong plataporma ito [The presence of the Church should be felt more on social media. We are able to communicate it in a creative way because it is a new platform],” added David. The prelate said that “digital technology” has also become the public’s “lifeline” in communicating with their relatives as physical distancing protocol is being implemented by the government due to the pandemic.
CPP-NPA leader arrested in Pampanga | The Manila Times – A leader of the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) was arrested in Mexico, Pampanga on Friday, police reported. Philippine National Police Chief Debold Sinas identified the suspect as Jose Esperila Bernardino, a wanted CPP-NPA leader and regional committee head. Bernardino was the subject of a warrant issued in 2018 for the crime of rebellion.
