News Roundup 26 October 2020
Oct 26, 2020 • 4 min Read
Group scores DepEd for buying vehicles as teachers struggle with daily needs | PHILSTAR.COM – Education officials on Monday defended the agency’s purchase of service vehicles for its field engineers, in what a teachers group scored as an “insensible” use of funds amid challenges in blended learning due to the coronavirus pandemic. Some 166 new units of Mitsubishi Strada GLS 4×4 MT were recently turned over to DepEd per a report by TopGear Philippines last week. This was on top of the 88 that the agency received in December 2019, which brings the total to 254 vehicles, figures matching with those in an October 1 memo by Undersecretary for Administration Alain Pascua. The Alliance of Concerned Teachers in a statement questioned the deal, calling it the agency’s “own kind of dolomite scam” pertaining to the environment department’s criticized multimillion-peso artificial sand project in Manila Bay. “We were anguished with this insensible use of education money,” said ACT secretary general Raymond Basilio, “especially when our teachers shoulder the costs for bond paper, ink, devices and internet connectivity needed just to make modular and online learning happen amid the pandemic.”
PH COVID-19 cases now 371,630 | INQUIRER.NET – The Philippines now has 371,630 COVID-19 cases after the Department of Health recorded 1,607 new infections on Monday. Of the number, 9.8% or 36,333 are considered active. DOH said 93.6% of the active cases are mild and asymptomatic cases. DOH likewise reported 245 new recoveries, bringing the total number of recoveries in the country to 328,258, and 62 more deaths, driving the toll to 7,039.
Minority leader to ‘loose cannon’ Parlade: Prove claims vs Makabayan or shut up | INQUIRER.NET – Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. should file a case against lawmakers belonged to the Makabayan bloc, whom the government has accused of having links with the communist armed movement if he has enough evidence in hand. But if he has none, House Minority floor leader and Abang Lingkod Rep. Stephen Paduano said on Monday that the military official, whom he described as sounding like a loose cannon, should just shut up. Paduano explained in a statement that Parlade’s recent adventurous identification and warnings for those who may be associated with the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) may do more harm than good for the government’s anti-insurgency efforts. “He better file a case in court or shut up if he has no evidence to show,” Paduano said in a statement. “He sounds like a loose cannon and his words can do more harm than good to the government’s anti-insurgency efforts.” The warning from the Minority leader came after Parlade revealed earlier that former Bayan Muna representative and now party chairperson Neri Colmenares, along with Makabayan bloc lawmakers are currently under surveillance for their ties with the CPP.
Gordon wants PhilHealth’s P1.1B debt fully paid within three days | Malaya Business Insight – THE Philippine Red Cross will accept the P930 million expected to be paid by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp (PhilHealth) today but wants the P170-million balance to be paid within three days, the agency’s chairman, Sen. Richard Gordon, said yesterday. PhilHealth’s spokesman, Rey Baleña, said: “We will pay. We will fast-track payments but subject to completeness of requirements and in compliance with COA rules… We will fast-track the processing. There is a need to match every availee to our database… and validate further those with no match. Everything has to be in order before we pay using contributors’ money.” Last Friday, PhilHealth said it will pay Red Cross today, “subject to completeness of billing requirements submitted by the PRC, and in compliance to COA rules.” The state insurer made the announcement after receiving a legal opinion it sought from the Department of Justice.
Quinta cuts off electricity in Bicol | The Manila Times – Typhoon “Quinta” cut off power supply in some parts of the country after making landfall Sunday night. Six electric cooperatives (ECs), four of them operating in the Bicol Region, reported power interruptions based on the monitoring of the National Electrification Administration-Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department (NEA-DRRMD). Electricity within the coverage areas of the Ticao Island Electric Cooperative, Inc.; Sorsogon I and II Electric Cooperatives; and First Catanduanes Electric Cooperative, Inc. were cut off. In the case of Cagayan II Electric Cooperative, Inc., power supply has been partially restored in the municipalities of Claveria, Sanchez-Mira and Santa Praxedes. Meanwhile, the Northern Samar Electric Cooperative, Inc. said electricity has been partially restored in the municipality of Palapag, while restoration works were ongoing in the towns of San Jose, Rosario, Mapanas, Gamay, and Lapinig.
