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The Rundown: Pemberton pardoned, Manila Bay project criticized, physical distancing reduced

Outcry erupted last week as President Rodrigo Duterte granted absolute pardon to United States (US) Marine Lance Cpl. Joseph Scott Pemberton, who was convicted for the killing of Filipino transwoman Jennifer Laude in 2014.  Government officials and civic society groups also questioned the effectiveness of a P389-million “beach nourishment” project for Manila Bay to fill…

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The Rundown: Duque and PhilHealth execs to face charges, new PhilHealth chief appointed, US marine’s release blocked, voter registration resumes

Investigation on corruption allegations in the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) took another step forward as the Senate Committee of the Whole recommended last September 1 the filing of criminal charges against officials allegedly involved in fraudulent schemes within the agency. With the top PhilHealth post left vacant amid the controversy, President Rodrigo Duterte has…

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The Rundown: Metro Manila back to GCQ, Masbate tremor, Philhealth ‘sabotage’

Last Monday August 17, strict quarantine measures over Metro Manila were again eased as the government reverted the region’s status back to a General Community Quarantine (GCQ) to aid the ailing economy. Despite the containment effort, however, COVID-19 cases continue to rise, approaching 200,000 cases nationwide. As of Monday, August 24, the Department of Health…

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The Rundown: PhilHealth suspends hospitals payments, DepEd moves class openings, Bayanihan Two, vaccine hopes

The number of COVID-19 cases nationwide continue to swell at an increasing pace, crossing the 150,000 mark this week. The Department of Health has documented 164,474 COVID-19 cases as of today, August 17. After another set of time-based recoveries were recorded yesterday, the active cases tally now stands at 49,034 and the death toll at…

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The Rundown: MECQ imposed over Mega Manila, PhilHealth probed for corruption, economy enters recession

Despite the gloomy monsoon weather engulfing the country in the first week of August, the cold rain showers dwarf the storms pummeling the economic and health sectors.  The persistent rise of COVID-19 cases, which is approaching the 130,000 mark as of August 9, has stretched the country’s health system to its breaking point, resulting in…

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The Rundown: COVID-19 tally tops 60,000, Anti-Terror Law takes effect, lockdown restrictions eased

While the country grapples with a continuing rise in COVID-19 cases, which were recorded to have reached 67,456 today, July 19, the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) relaxed some restrictions on travel and outdoor activities. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque brushed off concerns, however, claiming that the government’s response to the pandemic is…

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The Rundown: Anti-Terrorism Law signed, COVID-19 infections soar, ABS-CBN probed on tax payments

There is still no respite for the nation as COVID-19 cases surged past the 40,000 mark last July 3, Friday, with what was then the highest daily increase at 1,531 new cases recorded. On the same day, President Rodrigo Duterte signed the contentious Anti-Terrorism Bill into law, raising concerns over the preservation of civil liberties. …

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The Rundown: New COVID-19 hotspots, ASEAN Summit, Pride March suppressed, economy still gloomy

As June comes to an end, the country’s COVID-19 case count continues to rise sharply, maintaining worries on the state of national preparedness. Cases of the disease surged past 31,000 last June 23—100 days since the start of quarantine measures. The number continues to rise alarmingly close to the 40,000 end-of-the-month total projected by experts…

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The Rundown: Cyber libel, task force internal issues, GCQ extension, duplicate beneficiaries

As the Philippines’ COVID-19 tally went well beyond the 25,000 mark, the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 was met with the issue of the alleged removal of its Special Adviser, shortly after the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) in Metro Manila and various other parts of the country was extended for 15 more days. These…

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The Rundown: Fake Facebook accounts, citizens stranded, Independence Day ‘mañanita’

Facebook users across the country were caught in grips of paranoia in the past week as duplicate accounts bearing their names popped up across the platform. All the while, debate on the Anti-Terrorism Bill of 2020 continued to gather steam surrounding the country’s Independence Day celebrations. The LaSallian recaps the mysterious surge of suspicious Facebook…