News Roundup 17 January 2021
Jan 17, 2021 • 4 min Read
Coronavirus cases in the Philippines breach 500,000 | PHILSTAR.COM – The Department of Health on Sunday afternoon reported 1,895 new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, bringing the number of total cases to 500,577. Of the total, 24,691 are still classified as active cases, or patients who have neither recovered nor passed away and are recovering in hospitals or quarantine facilities. DOH in its latest case bulletin also reported 11 new deaths, bringing the pathogen’s death toll in the country to 9,895. A total of 465,991 have so far recovered—good for a 93.1% recovery rate—after the DOH also added 5,868 recoveries in Sunday’s update.
Senators cast fear over ‘puwede na’ approach to vaccine choices | PHISTAR.COM – Amid concerns that the national government is purchasing less effective China-made vaccines at a higher cost, two lawmakers said Sunday that the national government’s insistence on purchasing China’s Sinovac jabs would be at the expense of vaccine confidence and could lead to corruption later on. Sen. Panfilo Lacson in a statement pointed out that the differences in pricing for Sinovac vaccines, which the government has purchased 25 million doses of, “may smack of corruption,” noting that it may cost as little as $5, about P240, per dose, while costing an inflated $38, or more than P1,800, in the Philippines. Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said earlier Sunday that the vaccines would only cost P650 per dose. To recall, the senator earlier questioned the contradicting statements being issued by vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, who claimed earlier that the government chose the vaccines because they were “cheaper.” Data acquired by Sen. Sonny Angara’s office in November, however, showed that the China-made jabs were actually the second most expensive of the vaccines being acquired by the country. According to no less than the Department of Health, Sinovac vaccines would cost P3,629.50 for two doses. “If it’s true that government is now dropping the price of Sinovac vaccine from P1,847.25 per dose to only P650, the Senate has probably done our share to save our people billions of pesos in the country’s vaccination program. Netizens can pat themselves on the back,” the former police chief said in a series of tweets posted on his Twitter account. “The difference in prices of Sinovac vaccine at US$5, US$14 and US$38 reminds me of an old story about how corruption is committed in three Southeast Asian countries – UNDER the table, ON the table, and INCLUDING the table,” he added. Sen. Francis Pangilinan also slammed the “political goodwill” which he said was used as a basis in choosing the vaccine for the national government’s vaccination program instead of, he said, scientific evidence. This comes after the senator had already called on the government to call off its deal with the China-based pharmaceutical company.
Robredo refutes Duterte: ‘The world is filled with outstanding female leaders’ | INQUIRER.NET – Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday slammed President Rodrigo Duterte’s remark which belittled the capacity of women to assume the presidency, pointing out that in fact, the world is filled with outstanding female leaders. Robredo, in her regular radio program Biserbisyong Leni, noted that she already knows how lowly Duterte sees women. “Napapaligiran tayo sa buong mundo ng mga babae na napakahuhusay na chief executives. In fact, during the pandemic, ‘yung mga best-performing na mga bansa ay led by women,” Robredo said. (We are surrounded by women who are excellent chief executives. In fact, during the pandemic, the best-performing countries are those that are led by women.) For Robredo, such remarks from Duterte adversely affects the campaign to promote gender equality and the rights of women. “Kapag ‘yung pangulo kasi gumagawa ng mga ganitong statement, may epekto ito sa lahat. Hindi ito ‘yung values na pinapaniwalaan natin. ‘Yung values na pinapaniwalaan natin, ‘yung respeto sa kababaihan ay mataas, dapat ginagalang ‘yung mga kababaihan,” she said, as she underscored the significance of women’s participation in governance. (If the President makes such statements, it has an effect on everything. This is not the value we believe in. Respect for women should be high. They should be respected.) The President’s words, added Robredo, is also not helping in the campaign for women empowerment.
Leni says Duterte can help allay public fears on COVID vaccines | Manila Bulletin – President Duterte can help allay public fears on coronavirus vaccines, Vice President Leni Robredo said Sunday. Speaking on her radio show, Robredo said Duterte can help boost Filipinos’ confidence on COVID-19 vaccines when he gets vaccinated in public. “So it will be helpful if the person whom people look up to will show to them that there is nothing to worry about. I hope it is taken into consideration,” she said in response to Duterte’s recent remark he will be among the last to get a shot of the vaccine after the inoculation of frontliners and vulnerable sectors. Duterte had said in August last year he was willing to take the COVID-19 vaccine first upon its arrival in the country.
