News Roundup 27 February 2021
Feb 27, 2021 • 3 min Read
PH reports 2,921 more Covid cases; 37,093 active infections | INQUIRER.NET – The Philippines on Saturday reported 2,921 new coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases while active infections soared to 37,093, which is 6 percent of the total count of Covid-19 cases. The newly-reported cases surpassed the record-high figure of 2,651 additional infections that was announced by the Department of Health on Friday. The DOH case bulletin on Saturday also showed that the new cases have increased the country’s total Covid-19 cases to 574,247. The health department also documented 293 more recoveries and 42 additional fatalities of the disease, bringing the total count of recoveries and deaths to 524,865 and 12,289, respectively.
NBI forms composite team to probe PDEA-PNP shootout — Guevarra | INQUIRER.NET – The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has formed a composite team to investigate the shootout in Quezon City between agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and police officers that left four dead, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Saturday. In a message to reporters, Guevarra said the team is led by NBI deputy director Atty. Antonio Pagatpat, and is assisted by agents of the NBI’s investigation, intelligence, and forensic divisions. Guevarra also shared what happened during the meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday night, where PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas and PDEA Director-General Wilkins Villanueva were also present. “The President personally told PDEA chief Villanueva and PNP chief Sinas to discontinue their joint investigation of the shootout incident,” Guevarra said. This, as Duterte ordered that the NBI will be the sole agency to probe the shootout, citing it was to “ensure impartiality.” “I requested that both the PDEA and the PNP be directed to extend their full cooperation to the NBI,” the Justice Secretary said.
PGH doctors want further assessment of Sinovac vaccine before being administered | PHILSTAR.COM – Doctors from the Philippine General Hospital are calling for further assessment of the coronavirus vaccine manufactured by China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd. before it is given to healthcare workers. The PGH Physicians’ Association said Saturday in a statement that Sinovac’s CoronaVac should undergo further study by the Health Technology Assessment Council (HTAC) “to facilitate individual informed decision-making.” The HTAC is an independent advisory body created under Republic Act No. 11223 or the Universal Health Care Act which is mandated to study the clinical and economic value of new healthcare interventions and technologies coming into the country that are funded by the government. PGH doctors are not the only ones calling for the HTAC to assess CoronaVac, with the Healthcare Professionals Alliance Against COVID-19 also saying that the government should await the recommendation of the body before using the vaccine.
Pangilinan calls for vigilance on disbursement of P100-B coco levy fund | Manila Bulletin – Senator Francis Pangilinan on Saturday called for vigilance on the government’s disbursement of the P100-billion coco levy fund to make sure that it will benefit the country’s coconut farmers. President Duterte on Friday, February 26, signed the Coconut Farmers ad Industry Trust Fund Act (Republic Act No. 11524) which spells out how the over P100 billion fund collected from coconut farmers during the Marcos administration will be spent. “This is a new battleground. As the Edsa People Power Revolt was a win for the people, this is a win for the coconut farmers, even if it is partial and unfinished. Those who contributed to the fund must benefit from it,” Pangilinan said in a statement. “This is the fruit of almost half a century of struggle against the injustice suffered by our coconut farmers. Our coconut farmers and their families must now reap the benefits of their hard-earned money,” he added. He said government officials tasked to oversee and control the over P70 billion pesos in cash and P30 billion in assets must ensure that funds “will be utilized and spent judiciously and according to the provisions of the law.” Under the law, the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) shall manage the Trust Fund based on a development plan approved by the President, and maintain it for a period of 50 years.
Photo: Patapat Viaduct, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, Philippines
Photo Source: By Perry A. Dominguez – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21623349
