News Roundup 11 February 2022
Feb 11, 2022 • 4 min Read
Aspiring Laguna governor Sol Aragones backs Leni Robredo for presidency | PHILSTAR.COM – Sol Aragones, who is running for Laguna governor, expressed her support for Vice President Leni Robredo’s run for the presidency on Friday. Aragones made the endorsement during a meet and greet with Robredo, Laguna Mayor Buenafrido Berris, Laguna Vice Mayor Chesska Hernandez, women and local leaders in Calauan, Laguna. “Nakita ko po ang puso niya. (“I saw her heart”),” Aragones said, referring to Robredo. “Kung anong hong nakikita ninyo sa kanya at lumalabas sa kanyang bibig, ‘yun po ay galing sa puso niya. Ang kasimplehan ng pagkatao niya, ‘yun ay dahil sa kaibuturan ng puso niya ay talagang napakabuting tao ni VP Leni Robredo,” the three-time third district Laguna Rep. said. (“Whatever you see in her and whatever she says, comes from her heart. VP Leni Robredo is a simple person because she has a good heart and she’s a good person.”) Aragones and Robredo worked together in the 16th Congress, and were known as two of the “Powerpuff Girls of the Congress.” “At saan mang larangang mapunta ka, ano man ang kahinatnan at itinaghana para sa iyo, gusto kong malaman mo na ang Powerpuff Girls ng 16th Congress, nandito’t nagmamahal para sa iyo,” Aragones said. (“Wherever you go…I want you to know that the Powerpuff Girls of the 16th Congress will always love you.”)
Presidential debates not a brawl, senseless arguments – Robredo spokesman | INQUIRER.NET – A debate among presidential candidates is not a meaningless argument as it is also not tantamount to a brawl. This was the assertion of Atty. Barry Gutierrez, spokesperson Vice President Leno Robredo, as the camp of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. shunned participation of their bet to presidential debates. “I think it’s completely disingenuous to try to portray this as some kind of principled stand. A debate is not an argument. Hindi siya away [It’s not a fight],” Gutierrez said in an ANC interview. Gutierrez also pointed out that a presidential debate serves as a venue where candidates can articulate their platform and advocacies as well as address issues related to their application to the elective government position. “Magkaroon talaga ng pagkakataon ang taumbayan makita na tabi-tabi sila, sino talaga ‘yung aangat, sino talaga ‘yung may klarong vision sa para ating bansa, sino ‘yung may malinaw na plano, sino ‘yung kayang makipagsabayan ‘pag nagkainitan. Because that’s what a president will do,” he added. (The Filipino people will have the chance to see them side-by-side, who will shine, who has a clear vision and plan for the country, who can handle the pressure. Because that’s what a president will do.) Guiterrez then quipped that “there are only so many excuses” that one can give to “dodge” engaging in political debates. “I have to admit, he’s gotten pretty creative at trying to explain a way why his candidate keeps dodging all these public fora,” Gutierrez said, referring to Atty. Vic Rodriguez, the spokesperson of Marcos Jr. “We always felt that from the start that they would try to dodge the debates,” Robredo’s spokesperson said.
Robredo will continue face-to-face campaign unless IATF protocols disallow it | PHILSTAR.COM – Vice President Leni Robredo would continue doing face-to-face campaign sorties for the 2022 national elections as long as the national government’s COVID-19 protocols allows it, his spokesperson said on Friday. Lawyer Barry Gutierrez in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel’s Headstart said that Robredo’s team intends to do face-to-face campaigning as it has been the strength of the Vice President even in the past elections — talking to people who may not back her presidential candidacy and then converting them as supporters. Currently, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) allows physical campaigning, while observing the protocols and guidelines set by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF). “That’s really been her strength even in the previous elections. In fact, one point of pride for everybody in the campaign is that, put a group of people in the same room as Leni Robredo, and they will come away supporting her, believing in her,” Gutierrez said.
PH sees below 5K new COVID-19 cases for 4th straight day | Manila Bulletin – The country continues to see less than 5,000 new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases daily, based on the latest data from the Department of Health (DOH). Based on the new case bulletin, another 3,788 more infections were found on Friday— the fourth consecutive day that the number of new cases fell below 5,000. This was also the 11th straight day that the daily infections were less than 10,000. Most of the new cases were detected in Metro Manila, Western Visayas, and Davao region. The running total of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Philippines stood at 3,630,637. Of the total, 2.5 percent or 91,147 are active cases. Majority of the currently sick patients or 83,145 have mild symptoms. Meanwhile, 3,261 are asymptomatic, 2,986 are in moderate condition, 1,443 are severe, and 312 are critical. Ninety-six percent of the country’s case count have already recovered. Since 2020, the number of recoveries was at 3,484,636. There were 5,652 new recoveries logged on Friday.
