Thread by @cnnphilippines

THREAD: Government officials hold 'Laging Handa' briefing on the coronavirus pandemic and other national issues | LIVE bit.ly/31p3HW4

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Senate President Vicente Sotto III on the ₱335-billion expanded stimulus package filed by Senator Manny Pacquiao: Hindi gaano nagkakaiba (sa Bayanihan 3). Halos nagkakapareho (1/2)

SP Sotto: Ang salient features kasi ay social ameliorations, wage subsidies, capacity building, internet allowance for teachers. Baka later matawag din na Bayanihan 3 'yan (2/2)

cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/3/24…

SP Sotto on Bayanihan 3: Ang dating lang kasi ay parang Bayanihan 2 lang, extension lang. Hindi pa napagaaralan nang mabuti 'yung laman. Sa Senate version ng bill ni Sen. Pacquiao, mas mapagaaralan ng mga kasama natin 'yan

SP Sotto: Hindi nakakapagtaka kung magkakaroon ng merger 'yung Bayanihan 3 at expanded senate stimulus package

SP Sotto on the national govt's capacity to finance the stimulus package: Sa Senado, ₱335 billion ang proposal ni Sen. Pacquiao, ang House version naman ay ₱420 billion. I'm confident na ito'y kayang pondohan ng gobyerno

SP Sotto on the national govt's capacity to finance the stimulus package: ...Ito'y kayang pondohan ng gobyerno dahil kung tutuusin, last year and years before marami tayong unused na budget. Uma-average ata sa ₱400 billion. Kung ilagay lang sa lugar, kayang pondohan 'yan

SP Sotto on the Senate's plan to purchase Sputnik V vaccines for its staff: Ipapaalam pa rin sa IATF. Sa Gamaleya, si Sen. Zubiri ang nag-suggest niyan. Ang suggestion naman ni Sen. Lacson, ay 'yung Sinopharm. Hindi naman confined dun. Kung papalarin, baka may dumating na pareho

SP Sotto: Hindi po Senado ang mauuna, ang mga empleyado namin... Syempre frontline healthworkers muna sa Senado ang mauuna. Pina-plano pa lang, and hopefully dumating nang maaga

cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/3/24…

SP Sotto on LGU executives who received COVID-19 shot: They are under the jurisdiction of the DILG, nasa kamay nila kung paano nila tatanggapin ang mga nangyaring 'yun at kung ano ang plano nilang gagawin

SP Sotto on LGU executives who received COVID-19 shot: Ako personally, hindi ko alam kung ano ang situation nila, kung natapos ba ang pag-vaccinate ng mga health workers at may sobra?

RELATED: Eight more show cause orders are expected to be issued against local officials reported to have jumped the priority line for COVID-19 vaccination bit.ly/3fd5mpN

SP Sotto on govt officials playing politics over COVID-19 vaccination drive: Ang delay siguro ay hindi pagkakasundo, pangalawa sa mga nabibintang na hindi nakakilos agad, or nagaabang

SP Sotto: Pulitika ay number 4 or 5 sa dahilan kung bakit delayed tayo

SP Sotto: Kapag ganitong pandemic, kailangan natin ng decisiveness, a strong arm rule — kapag may sinabi ang government na kailangan, gawin natin

SP Sotto: Perhaps they considered Pres. Duterte na isa sa mga ganun dahil 'yun ang nangyayari sa Taiwan, Singapore, Vietnam kung ano ang sabihin ng gobyerno, sinusunod sila

Sen. Sotto on Duterte's leadership: Very decisive siya. Kung mapasunod ang mga kababayan natin sa mga bagay-bagay, kailangan din natin si Pres. Duterte para mapasunod ang mga government officials natin

SP Sotto on the proposal to abolish the IATF: It's probably said in exasperation. Nung sumang-ayon ako, ganun din. What we really mean, dagdagan niyo ng mga nakakaintindi at marunong sa medisina

cnnphilippines.com/videos/2021/3/…

SP Sotto on PH relying on another country to protect its sovereignty amid the presence of Chinese ships in West PH sea: We are forced to... Hindi ganun kalakas ang sandatahang lakas para sumagupa sa ganung kalaki at kalakas na army

SP Sotto on PH relying on another country to protect its sovereignty amid the presence of Chinese ships in West PH Sea: Sa buong mundo, 'yung kapitbahay natin nasa top 10. Tayo baka nasa 70 or 80... Iba 'yung ilalaban talaga, 'yung mutual defense treaty

cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/3/26…

SP Sotto on mutual defense treaty: Ang nakalagay doon, kahit isang maliit na barko na pagaari ng gobyerno na nagkaroon ng aggression from other country, the treaty kicks in automatically. Comfortable ako. I rely on that

SP Sotto: I stand corrected. The top powerful armies: the US is number one, two is Russia, pangatlo ang China. So paano tayo? Okay na kasangga natin 'yung number 1

SP Sotto: Looking back, noong araw pa ang number one trader ay China pero bat hindi nila naisip na sakupin tayo? Kahit bago pa dumating ang mga Kastila, sinakop tayo. Nanjan ang mga Amerikano, Hapon, ganun pa rin, sinakop tayo. Walang planong sakupin tayo kaya comfortable ako

SP Sotto: Tama 'yung diskarte ni Pres. Duterte, na baka ito ay maging kaaway natin, tama diskarte niya to keep your enemy close

Philippine Ambassador to China Chito Sta. Romana on Chinese vessels around Julian Felipe Reef: According to them, they're seeking shelter from bad weather so we're waiting. They assured us na hindi ito permanenteng sitwasyon | @eimorpsantos

bit.ly/3fkst1Y

PH Ambassador to China: Matagal na nating pinrotesta ‘yung construction ng artificial island sa Subi Reef. Ito ay continuation | @eimorpsantos

PH Ambassador to China says 'high degree of surveillance' is needed amid new Chinese construction on Subi Reef | @eimorpsantos

PH Ambassador to China on Subi Reef construction: There will be diplomatic discussions that are being planned to discuss these issues of concern these issues of concern | @eimorpsantos

When are the Chinese ships expected to leave Julian Felipe Reef?

PH Ambassador to China: Around Pag-asa Island, nangyari na ito. Nagcomplain tayo, dinaan sa diplomacy, pumunta pa nga ang Presidente. From our experience, then, the numbers diminish | @eimorpsantos

PH Ambassador to China says he does not want to give a time frame on when the Chinese vessels will leave Julian Felipe Reef, but "I expect it in the coming month, we'll see an improvement in the situation." | @eimorpsantos

@eimorpsantos The OCTA fellow urges the government to impose a stricter lockdown or an MECQ amid COVID-19 spike: We should consider tighter restriction. bit.ly/3fiq2N7

@eimorpsantos Dr. Ong: Kung babasehin natin sa healthcare system, our hospital capacity is already being challenged. Once of the solutions could be tighter restriction in community mobility.

@eimorpsantos Dr. Ong. If we maintain the NCR Plus bubble, it could take longer for us to see a sudden decrease. bit.ly/3w3IwqN

@eimorpsantos Dr. Ong: Based on last year's performance nung nagkaroon tayo ng two-week timeout, it significantly decreased the number of new cases within the next four months. Nagkaroon ng MECQ bandang July or August. We saw a steady decrease until December.

@eimorpsantos Dr. Ong: We might need an MECQ again for two weeks.

@eimorpsantos Dr. Ong: We did increase hospital capacity pero kung titingnan 'yung uptick ng number of cases, malaki ang increase talaga, surge level. Ang projection namin for hospitals we only have two weeks bago mapuno ang capacity.

@eimorpsantos Dr. Ong: 'Yung stand ng OCTA Research Team we must consider much tighter restriction to slow down the increase. We can open up the economy after. Last year after MECQ, nag-open ang economy for five months.

@eimorpsantos Dr. Ong: Tuloy tuloy lang sana ang vaccination. Patuloy din nating sundan ang minimum public health standards.