News Roundup 11 October 2020
Oct 11, 2020 • 3 min Read
Philippines adds 17,057 recoveries as COVID-19 caseload hits 339,341 | PHILSTAR.COM – Although adding another “mass recovery” of 17,057 patients, the total coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases hit 339,341 Sunday, the Department of Health said, after the latter recorded 2,502 more infections in the country. Recording an additional 83 deaths, health officials also saw the coronavirus death toll hit 6,321 in their latest case bulletin Sunday afternoon. Accounting for the deaths and recoveries, there are still 39,945 active cases of COVID-19 in the country as of Sunday afternoon.
DOJ: Heads to roll over Bilibid riot | PHILSTAR.COM – Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Menardo Guevarra assured the public yesterday that heads will roll in the National Bilibid Prison once the investigation on the alleged riot in the state penitentiary is complete. “Very likely,” Guevarra said when asked if some officials will be held liable for the riot between members of the Sputnik Gang and Commandos, which left nine persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) dead. Guevarra said he has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to step in and conduct a separate investigation after he received an “unripe” initial investigation report of the Bureau of Corrections on Friday.
How a reenacted budget can cripple COVID response | INQUIRER.NET – A reenacted budget in 2021 will exact a “huge” toll on the economy and the government’s coronavirus response to the tune of P1.23 trillion in forgone infrastructure spending and P67 billion in unfunded programs to manage the pandemic, according to economist and Marikina Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo. The specter of a reenacted budget continues to haunt the government after experiencing its ravages in the first quarter of 2019 when state spending fell by P75 billion from lost opportunities to fund new public works projects. That resulted in sluggish growth in the first half of last year. Her findings, shared exclusively with the Inquirer, showed a startling impact. “If the 2020 budget is reenacted in 2021, that means forgone spending of P1.23 trillion, or about 6 percent of the 2019 GDP (gross domestic product),” Quimbo said. The government would be spending only for personnel services and maintenance and other operating expenses, forgoing capital outlays. The immediate fallout from a reenacted budget would be a severely weakened government effort to stem the pandemic.
Panamanian vessel rescues 15 Filipino fishermen in Zambales | Manilla Bulletin – Fifteen missing Filipino fishermen were rescued by a Panamian vessel after their boat capsized in waters nePCG Spokesperson Capt. Armand Balilo said foreign bulk carrier M/V Kumano Maru was en route to Australia from China when they rescued the fishermen at vicinity waters approximately 75 nautical miles West of Agno, Pangasinan. They were reportedly clinging on the capsized fishing boat F/B Aqua Princess. Based on PCG’s report, the boat, with 17 crew onboard, went on a fishing venture last Oct. 2 at around 9a.m. But last Oct. 7 (Wednesday), the vessel started to be battered by big waves and eventually capsized at midnight.ar Bajo de Masinloc in Zambales province on Wednesday, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said Sunday.
QC unveils molecular laboratory | The Manila Times – The Quezon City government unveiled on Saturday its own molecular laboratory which can process between 600 and 1,000 samples a day with a turnaround time of one to two days, Mayor Josefina ‘Joy’ Belmonte said. She said the City Health Department (CHD) has submitted the laboratory’s proficiency test to the Department of Health (DoH) for the final accreditation. Once the final accreditation is issued, the laboratory can start processing samples, Belmonte said.
