News Roundup 21 May 2021
May 21, 2021 • 4 min Read
COVID-19 cases in Philippines hit 1,171,403 | PHILSTAR.COM – The total number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines hit 1,171,403 on Friday after the Department of Health reported 6,258 new infections.
- Active cases: 55,531 or 4.7% of the total
- New recoveries: 2,586, bringing total to 1,096,109
- New fatalities: 141, pushing death toll to 19,673
Pandemic slashes OFW deployment by 75% | PHILSTAR.COM – The first year of the COVID-19 pandemic saw a 75-percent drop in the deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), an impact assessment report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) revealed yesterday. The IOM report, based on interviews with over 8,000 returned OFWs, said the 75 percent drop in deployment in 2020 was also the country’s lowest labor export output in over three decades. The report, part of the IOM’s global response to COVID to better understand the challenges as well as the needs of migrant workers, also reflected Philippine government statistics that nearly 800,000 OFWs had returned to the country by the end of December 2020. It showed that 67 percent of the assessed OFWs’ decision to return was due to COVID-19, while a significant 83 percent of OFWs were unemployed for an average of three months post-arrival. It also reported that almost half of the OFWs interviewed had a 60 percent drop in their household income upon their return.
State agents kill three-man NPA hit squad in Laguna encounter | INQUIRER.NET – Members of a three-man hit squad believed to have been deployed by the communist rebel group New People’s Army (NPA) were slain in an encounter with arresting officers in Laguna, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said. According to reports released to PNP Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, the unit based in Calabarzon was the subject of an arrest order being enforced in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, on Friday morning. The communist rebels opened fire when the team composed of officers from the PNP’s Special Action Force, Intelligence Team, Police Regional Office 4’s Regional Mobile Force Battalion, Sta. Rosa Police, and soldiers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines tried to approach their dwelling in Buena Rosa Subdivision. “The three suspects died on the spot. SOCO examiners recovered the slain CPP-NPA terrorists’ weapons consisting of a 5.56mm Elisco M-16 rifle, and two cal.45 pistols with magazine assemblies loaded with live ammunition,” PNP said. The three were identified by Eleazar as Rommel Rizza alias Bernie/ Jomar, who is supposedly the commanding officer of the Regional Special Operations Group (RSOG) and Special Partisan Unit (SPARU) of the Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee; along with two other SPARU officials identified as Blue/Billy, and an alias Dean. SAF acting director Brig. Gen Felipe Natividad said that based on intelligence reports, the unit was allegedly tasked to do a liquidation mission, “possibly in the Metro Manila”. Rizza is facing complaints and arrest orders for murder and kidnapping charges, based on warrants issued by Mauban, Quezon Regional Trial Court Branch 64 Presiding Judge Rodolfo Obnamia, Jr.
Robredo spox: ‘If Palace can’t set aside politics, that’s their problem’ | Manila Bulletin – Office of the Vice President (OVP) Spokesman Ibarra Gutierrez said that Vice President Leni Robredo has always been open to working with the administration but pointed out that it was Malacañang’s problem if it cannot set aside politics. Gutierrez made the statement after Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said Robredo’s stand on vaccines should be made clear first before they consider having President Duterte do an infomercial with her on coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines. In a statement, Gutierrez said Vice President Robredo’s stand on vaccination has always been clear but claimed that it was the Palace’s problem if they will give it another meaning. “Bukas siya (Robredo) na makipagtulungan para maengganyo ang mas marami nating kababayan na magpabakuna (The Vice President is open to working with the administration to encourage more people to get vaccinated),” he said. “Kung hanggang sa simpleng bagay na ito hindi kayang isantabi ng Malacanang ang pamumulitika, sa kanila na iyon (If Malacañang can’t help but politicize even the simplest things such as this one, that’s their problem),” he added. According to Gutierrez, Robredo has always been on standby in case the government needs her help. “Matagal nang kumikilos si VP Leni, at lagi siyang handang tumulong. Kung handa na rin sila, nariyan lang siya (Vice President Robredo has been doing her job and she’s always been ready to help. When Malacañang is ready, she’s just there),” he said.
