News Roundup 24 November 2020
Nov 24, 2020 • 4 min Read
Before disavowing OVP’s community learning hubs, Briones called it a ‘good initiative’ | PHILSTAR.COM – Education Secretary Leonor Briones had apparently called the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) community learning hubs “a good initiative” before she distanced herself and the education department from the project geared at students without internet access. Citing official correspondences between their office and Briones, OVP spokesperson Barry Gutierrez said the education chief even requested for additional details of the project to “evaluate the feasibility of implementing such a program at scale.” Gutierrez also said that their office had been in coordination with the education department at both the local and national levels “every step of the way,” contrary to Briones’ claim that they only coordinated with local government units. He added that in areas where the local education department expressed reservations, such as in Caloocan City, the implementation of community learning hubs did not push through. He also said that it was clear in their communication with the education department that the hubs are not meant to be sites for classrooms or face-to-face instruction, but are meant for students who find home-based learning not conducive to get tutorial support in completing their modules and accessing resources, including the internet.
CHR to Duterte: Instead of sexist jokes, respond to women’s needs amid calamities | INQUIRER.NET – The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has urged President Rodrigo Duterte to respond to the needs of women and children amid the recent typhoons and the COVID-19 pandemic, instead of entertaining sexist jokes during a briefing. According to CHR Commissioner Karen Gomez-Dumpit on Tuesday, sex jokes and the objectification of women should not be tolerated nor excused, as it undermines the push for gender equality especially if it comes from the country’s high ranking government officials. “As Gender Ombud, we cannot let pass these sex jokes and sexist remarks without exercising our constitutional mandate to advise government in the fulfillment of its obligations. We remind the President and other high ranking officials of their obligation not to perpetuate nor tolerate violence against women,” Dumpit said in a statement. “We remind them that as officials, instead of making jokes at the expense of women during a government briefing, they have to respond immediately to the gendered and intersectional needs of women facing multiple disasters. They have to send the message that they respect women’s human rights, including freedom from discrimination, in their disaster response,” she added.
Drilon says PITC should return P33.4 B to government | Manila Bulletin – Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Tuesday said the Philippine International Trading Center (PITC) should return to the government the public funds totaling P33.4-billion parked in the agency so it can use the funds for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines and other social programs. Drilon said he believes the government can utilize the public funds parked in the PITC since it needs a huge amount to finance the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines, to address the country’s 6.5 million housing backlog, feed 5.5 million hungry Filipinos and or support the 4.6 million unemployed Filipinos. “Huwag na po tayong umutang. Isoli na lang po ng PITC ang P33.4-billion. (The government should stop borrowing. PITC should just return the P33.4-billion),” Drilon said in his privilege speech during the Senate plenary session. The senator noted that it appears that government agencies are using the PITC to skirt end-of-the year validity appropriations, thus, the funds are obligated before the appropriation expires.
Check your facts, Ping told: Solon denies Velasco allies got fatter infra budgets | Malaya Business Insight – A house leader who is a trusted lieutenant of Speaker Lord Allan Velasco yesterday told Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson to first verify his information as he denied the senator’s claim that congressional districts of lawmakers allied with the new leadership were given bigger allocations under the proposed P4.5-trillion national budget for 2021. “We (the new House leadership) didn’t increase or decrease district allocations of any member,” senior deputy speaker Salvador Leachon of Oriental Mindoro said in a text message. If Lacson’s allegations that infrastructure allocations of several congressional districts got fatter turn out to be true, Leachon said Lacson should “look at the concerned districts if at all they’re allied with the current (House) leadership.” “For sure, they’re not (allied with the Velasco leadership), granting they’re (Lacson’s allegations) true,” said the lawmaker who is a stalwart of the ruling party PDP-Laban. While the bulk of the House-approved version of the 2021 budget was approved under the leadership of former speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) was approved on third and final reading under the leadership of Velasco who took the helm from Cayetano after winning the support of the majority.
