News Roundup 07 December 2021
Joseph Guerrero in News and Updates
Dec 07, 2021 • 4 min Read
DOH reports 356 new COVID-19 cases; lowest since July 2020 | Manila Bulletin – The Department of Health (DOH) logged 356 new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases on Tuesday, Dec. 7—- the lowest single-day tally in 17 months. The new figure was the lowest since July 2, 2020 when the Philippines recorded 294 cases at that time. Since the pandemic started last year, the Philippines has already logged a total of 2,835,345 cases, of which, 13,026 patients are still battling with the viral disease. Of the active cases, 5,314 have mild symptoms, 3,900 patients have moderate symptoms, 2,326 are severe, 587 patients are in critical condition, and 899 are asymptomatic. The DOH also recorded 871 more recoveries, raising the total number of patients who survived from COVID-19 to 2,772,728. However, 92 new deaths were confirmed. The total death count related to COVID-19 jumped to 49,591.
Philippines has attained ‘substantial population immunity’ vs COVID-19 — expert | PHILSTAR.COM – The Philippines has achieved a substantial population immunity against COVID-19 as infections and hospitalization numbers drop despite the higher mobility and the easing of movement restrictions, an expert said. Fr. Nicanor Austriaco, an OCTA Research fellow and a University of Santo Tomas biological sciences professor, said the Philippines is experiencing the lowest COVID-19 case numbers in 20 months, with an average of about 500 cases per day. The country’s hospitalization numbers are also at its lowest in 20 months, with the Makati Medical Center announcing for the first time that it has no COVID-19 patients, he added. “But this is also interesting because we are experiencing the highest mobility in 20 months… Many of our people are moving around now, the most in 20 months since the beginning of the pandemic and the lockdown in March of 2020,” Austriaco said during a meeting of the government’s pandemic task force last Monday. “And so what these three mean together is that it suggests that we have attained substantial population immunity from natural infections and vaccinations in the urban areas of the Philippines because the pandemic has raged and spread primarily in our cities and in our first class municipalities,” he added. “And so the fact that the virus is struggling to find new Filipinos to infect, suggests that we have attained substantial population immunity.”
Robredo visits PMA, shares leadership insights | INQUIRER.NET – Vice President Leni Robredo shared leadership insights with the Corps of Cadets during a visit to the Philippine Military Academy on Tuesday morning (Dec. 7). During lunch, she talked to the cadets behind closed doors, and details about their interaction have not been disclosed. Fort Del Pilar remains in lockdown to protect its cadets from contracting the coronavirus. The Vice President was briefed on the academy’s developments by its superintendent, Lt. Gen. Ferdinand Cartujano. The cadets also performed a silent drill for her. Later in the day, Robredo was scheduled to attend the wedding of her close aide, lawyer Paolo Salvosa. She has been in the summer capital since Monday (Dec. 6) and met with Mayor Benjamin Magalong and other city officials and Baguio Bishop Victor Bendico. Robredo also spoke at the University of the Cordilleras, which was founded and is operated by Salvosa’s family, and attended a news conference organized by the University of Baguio.
Hontiveros: Who is ‘mystery shopper’ behind Udenna’s purchase of Malampaya stake? | INQUIRER.NET – A “mystery buyer” is allegedly behind the Udenna Corporation’s purchase of a majority stake in the Malampaya gas field project, Senator Risa Hontiveros claimed on Tuesday. In a virtual press conference on Tuesday, Hontiveros called out Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi for filing libel and cyber libel cases against journalists and media organizations who reported the filing of complaints against him and Udenna chief executive officer Dennis Uy before the Office of the Ombudsman. According to Hontiveros, instead of filing the cases, Cusi should just answer the questions as to whether selling the shares of Chevron and Shell B.V. — giving Udenna’s UC Malampaya 90 percent of the stake in Malampaya — is beneficial to the country. “Sec. Cusi, ito lang naman po: Ibinebenta na ba natin ang Pilipinas sa Tsina? Por kilo na ba ang bentahan ng ating mga strategic assets? Mula sa rollout ng Dito telecoms, tapos ang COMELEC deal, at ngayon naman, dito mismo, sa Malampaya at sa Recto Bank kung saan nabigyan din ng DOE ang Udenna ng service contracts,” the Senator asked. “Ang gusto natin, syempre, masang Pilipino ang makikinabang sa kita ng mga resources na iyan. Pero may midnight sale yata ng likas yaman at iba pang serbisyo bago mag 2022, na hindi natin alam. Sino kaya si mystery shopper?” she added. Hontiveros explained that the reason why she has suspicions that a so-called “mystery shopper” is behind UC Malampaya’s purchase is because the company has no background in energy exploration.
