News Roundup 31 August 2020
Aug 31, 2020 • 3 min Read
COVID-19 cases in Philippines surpass 220,000 | PHILSTAR.COM – The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Philippines surpassed 220,000 Monday, with 3,446 more infections tallied by the Department of Health. To date, the novel coronavirus has sickened 220,819 people in the country—the highest in Southeast Asia. Of the figure, 59,699 were active cases or those still infected. The DOH also announced 165 recoveries, raising the number of people who have been cleared of COVID-19 to 157,562. The department on Sunday logged 22,319 recoveries as part of its time-based recovery policy. Meanwhile, the death toll reached 3,558 with 38 new deaths.
Palace: Metro Manila mayors favor GCQ with shorter curfew hours | PHILSTAR.COM – Metro Manila mayors, whose areas account for more than a third of the Philippines’ economic output, want to remain under the lenient general community quarantine (GCQ) and are in favor of shorter curfew hours, Malacañang said yesterday. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) were expected to discuss the mayors’ recommendation and the updated quarantine classifications on Monday night. “The president will make the announcement but for now, there is no fixed recommendation yet from the IATF although the recommendation of mayors is (for Metro Manila) to remain under GCQ although there would be easing of measures,” Roque told state-run Radyo Pilipinas.
Barricades at COVID-19 patients’ homes stir uproar in Pampanga | INQUIRER.NET – Village officials in Porac and Guagua towns built barricades in front of houses of COVID-19 patients, prompting a protest by Gov. Dennis Pineda, who called the measure “inhumane.” Reports said the officials locked up two suspected COVID-19 patients and their family members by barricading fences with galvanized iron roofs. Pineda did not name the villages where the alleged discrimination happened but he asked villagers to report any similar treatment of COVID-19 patients. The barricades were put up to prevent virus-stricken villagers from leaving their homes. Village officials claimed that the patients ventured out and mingled with the neighbors against their advice. “But that was no excuse for such inappropriate behavior,” Pineda said, adding that the province has an ordinance prohibiting discrimination against health workers but none for COVID-19 patients. Some residents also protested what they described as “wrong behavior” by village officials. “People sick with COVID-19 should receive care, prayers and financial help,” a villager posted on social media.
COA calls out PAO on questionable contracts, supplies payments | Manila Bulletin – Despite the absence of documentary requirements, the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) entered into 44 contracts of lease worth P10,847,260.01 in 2019, the Commission on Audit (COA) has reported. COA revealed in the 2019 annual audit report for PAO that the agency also violated Presidential Decree No. 1445 when it released P5,299,629.55 in December 2019 as payment for supplies that were delivered and accepted a month later. COA said documents for five new contracts of lease and 39 renewals entered into by PAO with various lessors of offices were not supported by pertinent documents. Among the missing documents were invitation to bid for at least three prospective lessors and their quotations, notice of award and other similar papers were not submitted to COA during audit.
Robredo to Palace: Be open to suggestions | The Manila Times – Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo on Sunday hit the administration for being too sensitive to criticisms, days after she delivered an 11-point recommendation for economic recovery. “Iyon iyong mas nakakapag-alala, na galit sila kapag sinabihan silang kulang iyong response. At kapag sinabihan mong kulang iyong response, sasabihin nila parang sinisiraan sila. Nakakatakot iyon. Mas mabuti pa na inaamin mong may problema (It is worrying that they are angered when you tell them that the response is lacking. And if you tell them the response is not enough, they accuse you of besmirching them. That is frightening. It would be better if they admit the problem),” she said in her weekly radio program on Sunday. Robredo was reacting to the statement of Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. denying that the government response is lacking.
