FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte at the Malacañang Golf (Malago) Clubhouse in Malacañang Park, Manila on November 30, 2020. KARL NORMAN ALONZO/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte is not “blackmailing” the United States, the Philippines’ longtime ally, in a bid to secure US-made vaccines for the country but is just exercising independent foreign policy, Malacañang said on Monday.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made this comment after Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson called out Duterte for threatening to end the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) if the US fails to supply 20 million doses of US-made vaccine to the Philippines by January next year.
President Rodrigo Duterte (pic) said the government might be forced to place the Philippines under a lockdown again in case the new coronavirus strain first detected in the United Kingdom enters and spreads in the country
Several countries confirm fresh cases of new COVID-19 strain inquirer.net - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from inquirer.net Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Absolute ban on travelers from UK urged amid new coronavirus variant By ERWIN COLCOL, GMA News
Published December 28, 2020 12:35pm A party-list lawmaker is calling for an absolute ban of travelers, including Filipinos, coming from the United Kingdom (UK) after a new coronavirus variant was detected there. Travel ban on flights from the UK should be absolute, covering all travelers, all airlines coming from the UK, with passengers originally coming from the UK, and including all Filipinos coming from the UK, said BHW party-list Representative Angelica Natasha Co in a statement over the weekend. The new coronavirus variant detected in the UK, SARS-CoV-2 VUI 202012/01 (Variant Under Investigation, year 2020, month 12, variant 01), was reported be 70% more transmissible than SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
Vaccine likely to work on new COVID strain, expert eases fears manilastandardtoday.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from manilastandardtoday.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.