The Department of Public Works and Highways says the P30 billion set aside for several projects under the Build, Build, Build program is untouched and ready for use to boost the government’s efforts to contain the coronavirus disease.
Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said the agency was still identifying the non-priority projects from which to draw the funds from.
President Rodrigo Duterte said earlier he was open to dropping several big infrastructure projects this year to free up funds to fight COVID-19.
Villar says his department is ready to release at least P30 billion in funds intended for the non-priority projects in case additional money was needed to respond to the COVID-19 crisis.
“The government plans to spend over P1 trillion on various construction projects to fill the country’s needs for longer and wider roads, convenient train systems and bigger airports and seaports may now be shelved with the COVID-19 pandemic wreaking havoc on the local and global economy,” Palace spokesman Harry Roque said.
Docking allowed
The Department of Foreign Affairs said Friday foreign cruise ships with Filipino crew on board will be allowed to dock in Manila and the ships may be used as quarantine facilities for sailors.
“The use of the cruise ship as a quarantine site will be determined by the cruise ship’s suitability as a quarantine facility and the cruise ship owners’ willingness and capability to financially sustain the operation of the quarantine program in their ship,” Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
“While the DFA works hand-in-hand with various foreign governments and cruise ship companies with regard to the repatriation of [Filipino workers abroad], the quarantine facilities and program will be determined and facilitated by the Department of Health and Bureau of Quarantine,” Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Decision on dole slammed
The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines on Friday slammed the decision of the Labor department to discontinue the cash donation to workers.
The labor group says millions of income-less employees displaced by the quarantine lockdown will have nothing to buy food with or anything that will let them survive until the crisis is over.
The group said the government stopped all work in establishments and businesses on March 15, but extended the lockdown for another 15 days to fight COVID-19.
TUCP president and TUCP Party-list Rep. Raymond Mendoza said the Labor department suspended the 5,000-peso financial assistance under the COVID Adjustment Measures Program for formal-sector workers effective April 15, 2020, following near-depletion of the program’s P1.6-billion budget.
Guidelines approved
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has approved the recommended guidelines on the preferred method for cleaning and disinfecting critical areas amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
She signed the proposal by the city’s incident management team on COVID-19, saying there must be clear processes in disinfecting public areas.
“Failure to properly disinfect the environment carries not only the risk associated with breach of host barriers but also the risk for person-to-person transmission of environmental pathogens,” Belmonte said.
Hazard pay
The Makati City government announced Friday it will give hazard pay and special risk allowances to all qualified city hall front liners who have reported for work during the Enhanced Community Quarantine period.
This was after members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod came up with a city ordinance authorizing the allocation of P124,453,000 to fund the compensation.
“In this time of crisis and confusion, I am very proud that we have frontliners who have stepped up to the challenge,” Mayor Abigail Binay said.
“Apart from our healthcare professionals and allied workers, our DRRM Office team, supported by the essential work force of various offices, have worked day and night to ensure that basic services and the distribution of food packs and financial assistance continue unhampered.”
Lone hospital
The Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital is the only medical facility in Central Luzon that is able to process coronavirus tests using the polymerase chain reaction.
The machine was donated to the provincial government of Pampanga by the Century Group of Companies and was personally brought to the capitol by Century Group chairman Wilfredo Keng.
Keng turned over the machine to Governor Dennis Pineda during simple rites held Friday. The testing machine will be shared by other hospitals in Central Luzon.
The Century Group also brought personal protective equipment, including 10,000 disposable face masks, 1,000 pieces of sterile gloves, 500 protective suits, 100 protective goggles and 50 thermal scanners.
The donation came with 1,000 test kits that are still kept in a freezer at the V. Luna Medical Center in Quezon City.