Coronavirus has claimed lives of 21 Filipinos in UAE, says envoy
According to the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, a total of 1,867 Filipinos worldwide have contracted COVID-19 as of Tuesday. There were 214 deaths and 513 recoveries so far globally.
After 7 weeks of lockdown: Meager cash aid puts households below official poverty line
Meanwhile, 37% of 18 million low-income households are still waiting to receive social amelioration after seven weeks of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). The group said that, already so late in the game, the government urgently needs to pick up its pace if it really intends to aid millions of struggling Filipino families.
1.5-year-old baby boy youngest Filipino in UAE to survive coronavirus
An 18-month-old baby boy, who was born premature, became the youngest Filipino coronavirus (COVID-19) survivor in the UAE, the Philippines Embassy in Abu Dhabi announced on Tuesday.
Duterte’s attacks vs NPA meant to cover up COVID failure, corruption—Sison
Sison said it is convenient for Duterte to scapegoat and attack the NPA to deflect attention to the government’s failures on containing the virus and to deliver food and cash assistance, mass testing and medical treatment to the people. “At the same time, he has used Covid-19 as the reason for grabbing emergency powers, the immediate amount of more than 375 billion pesos and the license to realign the 2020 budget,” Sison said.
WATCH: UAE-based Filipinos discuss effect of mandatory PhilHealth payment suspension
Filipinos in the UAE used social media over the weekend to join their kababayans (compatriots) worldwide in expressing strong opposition to the latest circular. They said it was not only a huge burden for them but the move was also insensitive to their plight in the time of COVID-19 pandemic.
POGOs not an essential sector, only 0.23% of gov’t annual tax revenues
IBON also explained that POGOs contributed little to the country’s employment because they employ mostly Chinese citizens. January 2020 data from PAGCOR show that more than half or 57.3% of the 188,239 POGO employees are Chinese citizens and 25% from other nationalities; only 17.7% are Filipinos.
Covid 19, the Neo-liberal Policies and Chinese Imperialism (Part II, Section II)
Duterte refuses to assert the Philippines’s sovereign rights to Spratlys, claiming China will declare war on his country if he did. What a dereliction of duty! He should resign or be booted out from power if he is such s wimp of a president that he cannot even defend the integrity of the country. China consequently warned US ships from patrolling in the vicinity of the Spratly’s Group of islands, insisting they lie within its territorial jurisdiction.
ECQ disrupts livelihood of 19M: Millions of working people left behind by poor gov’t response
Research group IBON estimates that the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) has disrupted the livelihoods of 18.9 million working people. Some 7.7 million working Filipinos and their families have not received emergency subsidies and are being pushed into deeper poverty, and that what support has been given has not even been enough to cover the almost seven week-long military lockdown.
Lola, nananawagan ng tulong
“Nais ko pa pong mabuhay,” ani Lola Nene. Ipinaliwanag niya na wala pa silang natatanggap na tulong mula noong nag-umpisa ang lockdown at wala namang kita ang kanyang tricycle driver na asawa. Sinabi rin niyang wala nang makain ang kanyang pamilya, lalo na ang mga bata.
Gov’t should deliver cash subsidies it owes 3.8M poor families in GCQ areas
Based on DSWD data, IBON noted, some 1.3 million beneficiaries or one of three target SAP beneficiaries in Luzon GCQ areas alone remain unserved as of April 29. Meanwhile, 8.4 million households across the country are reported to have not yet received any emergency assistance. Of these, 4.6 million households are in the retained ECQ areas and the remainder 3.8 million households are under the downgraded GCQ areas by May 1. Also, some Php50.3 billion in SAP funds have yet to be paid out nationally, Php19 billion of which is for GCQ areas.