COVID-19 and Typhoon Ulysses Updates: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte Press Briefing | November 17, 2020

November 18, 2020

As of November 17, 2020, 10:30 PM, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte addressed the nation through a recorded speech to provide updates on COVID-19 and the impact of Typhoon Ulysses. Below are the highlights of the briefing:

• PRRD started address with a warning to Vice President Leni Robredo, who he claimed to have made a blunder and lied about sparking criticism over his whereabouts during the recent storms. He defended himself saying he was at the virtual ASEAN Summit.
  • He further explained that he was during the Summit, he was coordinating and getting updates from the military of the situation.
  • He also reiterated that VP Leni is not in the line of authority in times of emergency as it is him and the military who are in charge.
  • He argued that there was no need for her to (allegedly) question his whereabouts as it was not her place. He also reiterated that it was not a time to grandstand because she along with the rest of the public are not aware that he was working and was in fact at the Summit.
  • He further criticized and belittled VP Leni saying that orders should not be given on the day of a storm because it would mean death. He also discouraged her from running for the Presidency.
  • He warned VP Leni against competing with him and reiterated to the public that she (allegedly) lied about not knowing about the ASEAN Summit.
• Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III reported on the impact of Super Typhoon Rolly and Typhoon Ulysses in different regions.
  • The recent typhoons have left damages amounting to Php 303.9 million, which includes the Center for Health Development (CHD), 9 DOH hospitals and laboratory facilities, 5 LGU hospitals, 20 rural health units, and 57 barangay health stations. They are currently waiting for updates on the temporary treatment and monitoring facilities as phone lines continue to be down in the affected areas.
  • In response, the DOH distributed around Php 3 million work of medicine and commodities to the Cagayan Valley Center for Health Development, a little over Php 2 million to the CALABARZON-CHD, and Php 2.1 million to the NCR-CHD.
  • Coordinations are ongoing between the CHDs and the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) to provide support in the affected areas.
  • Sec. Duque reassured that minimum public health standards are being followed as a means of providing quality health services while preventing the spread of COVID-19 in typhoon-stricken regions.
• The DOH is also coordinating with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in proposing the adoption of an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to facilitate the vaccine distribution and use for COVID-19. This will be following a Reliance and Recognition process
  • Reliance pertains to the process of FDA in assessing the vaccine evaluations done by National Regulatory Authorities from other countries, and dedication whether their findings would be applicable locally.
  • Recognition pertains to FDA’s acceptance of regulatory decisions of National Regulatory Authorities and other trusted institutions.
  • EUA may only be attained if there is a medical health emergency, serious or life-threatening disease, proof of a product’s effectiveness to prevent, diagnose, or treat a disease, positive risk/benefit balance, or when there is no adequate or approved available replacement or alternative.
  • The FDA will be conducting post-marketing surveillance activities as the EUA may be revised or revoked to protect public health.
  • Sec. Duque requested from PRRD the issuance of an executive order for FDA to grant EUA for various vaccines that will be entering the country and their respective applications.
• Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana reported that a total of 310,000 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) have already returned home.
  • 2,863 more Filipinos are expected to arrive from Sabah.
• On the Department’s response to the recent typhoons, Sec. Lorenzana shared that personnel are currently clearing the damages left while two ships carrying relief goods are already on their way to Catanduanes and Cagayan.
  • The designated C-130 is on its way to Camarines and another round will be done for Cagayan Valley.
• Sec. Lorenzana also brought up the NDRRMC’s proposal to declare a state of calamity for the entirety of Luzon and nearby islands.
  • PRRD responded that he already signed the proclamation officially putting Luzon under a state of calamity.
• Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año reported that they are in constant coordination with LGUs from six regions and 19 provinces following the impact of Super Typhoon Rolly and Typhoon Ulysses.
  • As of November 16, around over 200,000 families are in evacuation centers, while the total number of families affected are over 690,000 as reported by these LGUs. They are also monitoring if there are any outbreak or surges in COVID-19 cases.
  • He assured that minimum health standard protocols are being implemented well by evacuation centers.
  • The Senate has also promised to provide additional funds for the rehabilitation and recovery of evacuation centers that have been impacted by Typhoon Ulysses.
  • In totality, there are 73 casualties and 19 missing, which is significantly lower than Typhoon Ondoy which amounted to almost 500 deaths.
  • Sec. Año also reported that they have been tirelessly working since news broke out about Cagayan being submerged in floodwater. Since then, they have been coordinating with the local government, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and Philippines National Police (PNP) to prioritize saving residents who are left on the roof of their homes.
  • There will be a meeting between the NDRRMC, National Irrigation Administration (NIA), DILG, PAG-ASA, and other agencies to study how water should be released from the dams for incoming typhoons.
• Following the updates from his Cabinet members, PRRD said that he is overly satisfied with the performance of the government’s uniformed personnel.
• PRRD appealed to Congress for the need to build stronger typhoon-resistant structures that local residents can go to in times of emergency, especially with high concerns placed on education as schools serve as evacuation centers.
  • He tasked National Task Force Chief Implementer Carlito Galvez, Jr. and the Department of Finance to assemble a committee to focus on this initiative.
• Presidential Adviser on Peace Process and NTF COVID-19 Chief Implementer Carlito Galvez, Jr. reported on the ongoing process of vaccine selection and evaluation.
  • There are currently 17 possible sources for the vaccine from different countries. These are already in the Phase 3 trial, and three of them are set to arrive in the Philippines in December and January.
  • He thanked different members from the private sector who donated funds to help secure more vaccines, which will be distributed to their marginalized essential workers.
  • If procurements will be advanced, signing of agreements could be done by the end of the year.
  • Sec. Galvez recommended entering a multilateral arrangement with the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) as the country’s finance manager. There are also other modes of financing which includes Private-Public Tripartite Agreement without the cost witht the government.
  • For the private sector, they will be purchasing the vaccine directly from the companies with the regulation of the DOH on which vaccine should be given.
  • He also recommended for the FDA to issue an EUA through a proposed executive order.
  • If the proposed steps are taken, he assured that around 30 million to 50 million doses will be secured by 2021.
• PRRD said that there will be no biddings for the vaccine anymore as he has full faith and trust in the Task Force. He also reminded Sec. Galvez to prioritize giving the vaccine to the marginalized sector first.
  • Sec. Galvez confirmed that frontliners, those in the marginalized sector, and vulnerable communities will be the first ones to receive the vaccine. Next would be the soldiers, servicemen, and essential workers, including their respective families.
• Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque reverted back to the situation in Cagayan. He recommended a synchronized opening of the Magat Dam because the Cagayan River is 400 meters wide, but in one of the municipalities a bottleneck occurs as their waterway is only 118 meters.
  • Residents were greatly affected because the river already overflowed.
• PRRD said that there should be a proper perspective to resolve this matter because the main cause of the floods is the amount of rain that poured. He further explained the process of how rainwater seeps into various mining sites, loosening the ground further and impacting  and sinking residential areas.
  • With the public saying mining and illegal logging as the causes of the floods, PRRD explained that Filipinos cannot afford concrete houses and thus, rely on wood. He also added that the land areas need to be increased to sustain the country’s growing population.
  • He further explained that because wood is available, many have become rich because they used it for profit by selling them to foreign buyers.
  • He also added that dams are also not a good alternative because once a higher waterway is built, the water released will be pouring down on the nearby residents in lower-lying areas.
• PRRD said that despite the future of the recent typhoons, the country is able to manage as it does not compare to Typhoon Ondoy. He further explained how the different agencies were able to perform despite the situation.
• PRRD then circled back to VP Leni’s alleged questioning of his whereabouts during the typhoon and not knowing about the ASEAN Summit. He proceeded to belittle VP Leni’s intelligence and capabilities again and questioned her motives for allegedly claiming that PRRD was sleeping on the job.
  • PRRD then explained how busy he is as his tasks are handed to him in bulk and along with it was the delivery of the Philippine address at the Summit.
  • He retorted at VP Leni asking her of her whereabouts during the Mawari Siege. He claimed that no government official was seen there except for Sec. Roque.
• PRRD then proceeded to read the names of government workers who were dismissed and suspended.
  • From the Department of Transportation:
    • Atty. Jenno Antonio C. Villanueva – dismissed by the DOTr
    • Atty. Rommel Lloyd Martinez – dismissed by the DOTr
    • Edgardo Catarongan – dismissed the Executive Office upon the recommendation of the Land Transportation Office (LTO)
    • Romeo Buhay – suspended for one year for his involvement in the fixing activity in LTO Bacoor District Office
    • Joelito T. Mandaya, office head at LTO-Mati, Davao Oriental – dismissed by the DOTr
    • Ebitha Odilao-Rodriguez, Compostela Valley, Davao Oro – dismissed from the service
    • Mar Jose Magistrado – dismissed from the service
    • Jose Graciano Robles – suspended by the DOTr
  • From the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board:
    • Jean Gunda – dismissed by the DOTr for Grave Misconduct and receiving personal use of fees
    • Melanie Diaz – dismissed for allegedly receiving Php 200,000 in exchange for a franchise.
    • Manalo Labor – dismissed by the DOTr
    • Atty. Samuel Jardin – suspended by the Office of the Ombudsman
    • Edmundo Cabral – dismissed by the DOTr
    • Gerardo Del Rio – dismissed by the DOTr
    • Col. Vladimir Custer S. Kahulugan, Regional Director LTFRB-Region V – dismissed for bribery
    • Andres Tabunda – dismissed for falsification, making it appear that persons have participated in an act of proceeding when in fact, did not so participate.
  • From the Philippine Aerospace Development Corporation:
    • Commodore Gilbert Rueras – dismissed from the service
    • Emmanuel Virtucio, chairperson-OTC – dismissed for illegal extraction and bribery
    • Ciriaco Bermejo, Office of Transportation Security – dismissed by the DOTr
    • Romeo Buhay – preventive suspension
    • Greg Arellano, Erwin Susmerano, Francisco Ranches – suspended for massive and illegal conversion of Chinese driver’s license, but PRRD said they should be dismissed as well
    • Joselito Caballero – dismissed by the Ombudsman
    • Oliver Todoc – suspended by the Ombudsman
  • PRRD said many more are pending and warned officials that even if the ruling is only a suspension, he can reverse it and change it to dismissal.
• Sec. Roque updated PRRD on the students who did not attend school to protest. He added that these students will not be submitting academic requirements until help is given to the typhoon victims.
  • PRRD responded that this should not be their worry as the government is working on it. He sarcastically retorted for them to stop going to school and simply wait until all Filipinos have been vaccinated or until another typhoon hits the country so they can assess the government’s response. This will also save their parents money, time and resources.
• PRRD ended his speech with an offer to stop providing government funds to the University of the Philippines as it is only used to recruit communists.

EMERGENCY / RESCUE NUMBERS:

DOH Advisory

As of November 17, 2020, 4:00 PM, the Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 410,718 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 1,148 of which are new cases, bringing the number of active cases to 28,313. There are 186 people who recovered from the disease, increasing the total number of recoveries to 374,543. However, 23 more died, increasing the local death toll to 7,862.

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