News Roundup 12 July 2020
Jul 12, 2020 • 4 min Read
Most Filipinos support ABS-CBN franchise, many see rejection as blow to press freedom — survey | PHILSTAR.COM – An overwhelming four out of five Filipinos believed that Congress should renew ABS-CBN Corp’s legislative franchise, while more than half of Filipinos saw the eventual non-renewal as a blow to press freedom in the country, survey data suggests. Past surveys indicated that the network is generally highly trusted by Filipinos, SWS said in its report of the new data. The survey interviews were conducted over the 12 hearings of the House on the renewal of the franchise, but before the July 10 vote by the Committee on Legislative Franchises — voting 70-11, with an abstention and two inhibitions — to deny the network’s application for a fresh franchise. According to a new Social Weather Stations report, 75% of Filipinos agreed that “Congress should renew the franchise of ABS-CBN so that it can broadcast its programs again.” Only 13% were against the sentiment while 10% were undecided. Furthermore, 56% agreed that “Congress’ non-renewal of ABS-CBN franchise is a major blow to press freedom” while 27% disagreed and 15% were undecided. The survey interviewed 1,555 adult Filipinos via mobile phone and computer-assisted telephone interviewing with sampling error margins of ±2% for national percentages, ±6% for Metro Manila, and ±5 for Balance Luzon, ±5% Visayas, and ±5% in Mindanao.
Rage grows over ‘painful stab at press freedom’ with ABS-CBN franchise denial | INQUIRER.NET – The outrage against the rejection of a new 25-year franchise for ABS-CBN grew louder on Saturday as more groups added their voices of protest against the House committee vote that finally closed all the network’s free-to-air radio and television stations. The Malacañang Press Corps, which covers President Rodrigo Duterte and the Office of the President, deplored the “blatant and arrogant abuse of power” as shown in the House franchise committee’s 70-11 vote on Friday. “This is a warning to the press: Do not offend the powers that be. One less watchdog is one step toward tyranny,” the group said in a statement. More, not fewer, media organizations are needed, especially during a pandemic to inform the public of the dangers of the coronavirus and to make government accountable for its missteps in handling the health crisis, it said. The group said it supported ABS-CBN’s workers. “We stand in solidarity in their fight against this state-backed repression of private media,” it said. “History is never kind to tyrants,” it added.
Virus airborne transmission: DoH agrees with WHO | The Manila Times – Airborne transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is only limited to specific closed settings such as restaurants and hospitals, the Department of Health (DoH) said on Saturday, agreeing with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) earlier acknowledgment that the virus might be spread in the air under certain conditions. The statement came after the WHO recently said airborne transmission of Covid-19 is “possible” in closed spaces and inadequate ventilation, such as restaurants, nightclubs, places of worship and workplaces where people might be singing or talking, aside from aerosol transmission in hospitals. “In these outbreaks, aerosol transmission, particularly in these indoor locations where there are crowded and inadequately ventilated spaces where infected persons spend long periods of time with others, cannot be ruled out,” the WHO said.
VP writes Roque to give suggestions on COVID-19 response | Manila Bulletin – Vice President Leni Robredo has sent a letter to presidential spokesperson Harry Roque giving suggestions to improve the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. Robredo said her letter to Roque discussed local stranded individuals (LSIs) to the government’s testing program and the Department of Health’s (DoH) “fresh” and “late” classification system in reporting COVID-19 cases. ”Lahat ng suggestions ko sinulat ko. Natutuwa ako kasi mayroong mga iba na mukhang kino-consider naman (I wrote all of my suggestions. I’m happy because some of them are being considered),” she said. For instance, Robredo cited the DoH’s move to veer away from its classification system and instead present a new method of reporting COVID-19 cases in the country. Robredo had been a vocal critic of DoH’s classification of new coronavirus cases, saying that she does not understand its logic. The Vice President said she likewise recommended the procurement of 10 million testing kits must cover the LSIs.
