Senator Cynthia Villar on Sunday clarified her earlier statement and said that it was government leaders and not medical frontliners who need to work harder against the spread of COVID-19.

Villar received backlash after commenting on the health professionals’ request to revert Metro Manila back to Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) due to the surge of COVID-19 cases. She said she was not in favor of placing Metro Manila under ECQ due to its economic impact and noted the importance of ‘working harder’ — seemingly referring to the health professionals.

In a statement, the Senator stressed that she was not referring to health professionals and other medical workers.

“We have to work harder and better, but I am not referring in particular to the medical workers–our frontliners. We are referring to all of us and DOH and Philhealth in particular. There is so much room for improvement in the government’s response to curb the transmission of the disease,” she said in a statement.

Villar said she is aware of the sacrifices of health frontliners. Meanwhile, she also urged the public to follow health protocols imposed by health experts.

“We all want to be safe and COVID-free. All of us are doing a difficult balancing act to keep people safe and alive. We all need to keep our jobs, the economy, to do our respective roles to sustain this. All of us have to work harder and better,” she said.

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Lito Lapid on Tuesday said he has filed a bill that seeks to penalize repeated and unjustified cancellation of food and grocery deliveries and provide protection to delivery riders who end up paying for the cost of unclaimed items.

Senate Bill 1677 proposes to impose a jail time of one month and one day up to six months for repeated acts of unjustified cancellation of confirmed orders. The penalty will apply if a customer cancels for at least three times in a period of one month.

The customer will also need to pay a fine of P100,000.

The bill likewise requires the service providers to establish a reimbursement scheme in favor of the delivery riders/drivers which will cover the entire amount of money advanced to purchase the items, in case of cancelation of confirmed orders. Reimbursements to the riders must be made within a day from cancellation.

Service providers who fail to set up a reimbursement scheme will be meted out a fine of P500,000.00 and will have to double the amount of money not reimbursed to their delivery riders/drivers.

To prevent pranks and facilitate collection against canceling customers, the bill also requires the implementation of Know-Your-Customer (KYC) rules which will entail the submission and verification of proof of identity and residential address, subject to compliance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012.

“Sa hirap ng buhay ngayon lalo’t nasa gitna tayo ng pandemya, lahat naman tayo ay gustong kumita. Kaya humahanga tayo sa mga gaya ng service riders na gumagawa ng paraan para kumita sa legal na paraan at malaki pa ang naitutulong nila para hindi na lumabas ng bahay ang ating mga kababayan. Kaya para masiguro na hindi na sila maloloko pa ng mga biglaang pagkansela ng order, dapat masiguro na ang mga umoorder ay magbibigay ng totoong pangalan at address,” Lapid said in a statement.

MANILA, Philippines – Several senators have lauded President Rodrigo Duterte for signing the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 despite oppositions coming from different sectors.

“Much credit goes to PRRD (President Rodrigo Roa Duterte). With all the pressure coming from different directions against the signing of the Anti-Terrorism Bill into law, at the end of the day, it is his strong political will that mattered the most,” Senator Panfilo Lacson said in a statement Friday.

“I cannot imagine this measure being signed under another administration. If only for this, I take my hat off to the president,” he added.

Lacson, one of the principal authors and sponsor of the measure in the Senate, vowed that he would “exert extra effort in guarding against possible abuse in its implementation, notwithstanding all the safeguards incorporated in this landmark legislation.”

Senate President Vicente Sotto III also expressed elation over the enactment of the controversial bill.

“I am glad that the president has sifted through the rubble and saw the importance of the law!” he said in a message to reporters.

Senator Francis Tolentino also called the signing of the law as “very timely” and “historic” as the nation needed the measure.

“It just goes to show that a stable peace and order climate should go hand [in hand] with economic rejuvenation post COVID-19,” he added.

The new law repeals the Human Security Act of 2007 and penalizes those who will propose, incite, conspire, participate in the planning, training, preparation and facilitation of a terrorist act; as well as those who will provide material support to terrorists, and recruit members in a terrorist organization.

The measure allows suspected terrorists to be detained for up to 24 days without warrant. It also authorizes the Anti-Money Laundering Council to freeze the assets and accounts of individuals or groups tagged as terrorists.

Before it was enacted, the bill was met with widespread opposition from different groups who raised concern over its provisions that could be abused by authorities, stifle dissent and spur human rights violations.

But Sotto said the law has enough safeguards to prevent enforcers from abusing their authority.

“It’s full of safeguards but strong against terrorists. Unlike the old law, it was subject to abuse by the terrorists,” Sotto said.

Lacson has repeatedly defended the measure, saying it has enough protection to ensure the rights of those detained.