News Roundup 16 June 2020
Jun 16, 2020 • 2 min Read
Philippines logs 364 new COVID-19 cases as tally climbs to 26,781 | PHILSTAR.COM – The country saw 364 new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections Tuesday, raising the national caseload to 26,781, the Department of Health said. The DOH reported 301 new recoveries—the highest single-day increase since the outbreak began in the Philippines. This pushed to 6,252 the total number of COVID-19 survivors. Meanwhile, five more people died from the severe respiratory illness, raising the fatality count to 1,103.
Ex-MMDA chair Fernando: Why push bicycles on EDSA? | INQUIRER.NET – Marikina Rep. Bayani Fernando, who was also a former chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and mayor of the city, has opposed plans to establish bicycle lanes on EDSA even as commuters seek means to travel while the nation’s capital region remains under general community quarantine. During the online hearing of the House committee on Metro Manila development, Fernando said bicycles are free to use other roads and should not be allowed in already-congested roads like EDSA. “Kahapon o makalawa, nakita ko sa headline na gagawa ng – ginagawa na yata ngayon ang – bicycle lane on EDSA. Ang ano ko’y, ang dami naman nating roads, bakit ba sa EDSA natin pinagpipilitan?” Fernando said. (Yesterday or two days ago, I saw in the headlines that a bicycle lane will be constructed – or is being constructed – along EDSA. For me, we have so many roads, why are we insisting on bicycles on EDSA?) Fernando cited his experience when he visited Wuhan City in China where bicycles were once prevalent as a mode of transportation. This, however, was no longer the case as years passed, he said.
Pasig City gov’t starts house-to-house distribution of aid to senior citizens | Manila Bulletin – The Pasig City government on Tuesday (June 16) started the house-to-house distribution of assistance to senior citizens under the city’s hospice program. In a post on his official Facebook page, Mayor Vico Sotto said around 200 elderly beneficiaries received medicines, milk, and diapers from the local government on the first day of the distribution. At the same time, Sotto said food packs, P1,000-worth of food coupons, and the senior citizens’ social pensions were also distributed. The mayor personally accompanied the team delivering the assistance to oversee the distribution. To date, Sotto said Pasig’s hospice program, which primarily provides medical assistance to indigent residents in the city, has more than 2,400 elderly beneficiaries.
Oil firms hike pump prices anew | The Manila Times – Oil companies on Monday announced another hefty increase in the prices of petroleum products. The price adjustment will take effect today, Tuesday. The price of gasoline will go up by P1.25 per liter, diesel by P1.10 per liter and kerosene by 75 centavos per liter.
