Press Release
July 14, 2020

COVID, hunger, loss of jobs are the problem, not 'oligarchs': Pangilinan

THE COVID-19 pandemic, hunger, and loss of jobs are the urgent problems that confront millions of Filipinos now, and not the so-called oligarchs, Sen. Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan said Tuesday.

"COVID, gutom at kawalan ng trabaho ng milyun-milyon nating mga kababayan ang problema hindi itong mga oligarchs, kuno," Pangilinan said.

He was responding to media queries on his reaction to the President's address to soldiers in Sulu that he has "dismantled" the oligarchy without declaring martial law.

On Monday, the Department of Health (DOH) reported the biggest single-day jump in COVID-19 deaths in the country at 162 new deaths. It warned of further infections and fatalities unless "the people learn to live with the virus."

As of July 13, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country was pegged at 57,006, second only to Indonesia in the highest number of COVID-19 cases in ASEAN. A total of 1,599 deaths and 20,371 recoveries have so far been reported in the Philippines.

Pangilinan asserted that the oligarchs problem is fabricated to cover up government's dismal response in battling the COVID-19 pandemic and its ill effects, causing sufferings among millions of Filipinos.

"Gawa-gawa lang yang problema ng mga oligarchs. Walang kinalaman ang pagsasara ng ABS-CBN sa matinding problema dulot ng COVID. Inimbento lang ang problema na oligarchs para linlangin ang taumbayan dahil sa totoo lang, wala silang maipakitang ni katiting na magandang resulta sa pagsugpo sa lalo pang kumakalat na COVID, sa gutom at sa kawalan ng trabaho ng milyun-milyon nating mga kababayan," he said.

Pangilinan then posed the question, "Saan tayo maniniwala? Sa gawa-gawa lang o doon sa totoo lang?"

The total of coronavirus infections has more than tripled since June 1 when the government began easing stringent lockdown restrictions to restart the economy. On June 1, the total number of COVID-19 cases was 18,638, as of yesterday, it was 57,006.

News Latest News Feed