Popular approves close to $500M in SBA-backed loans
April 17, 2020
Popular announced that the Small Business Administration approved a total of $494 million in loans to its clients under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Of these, $398 million was granted through Banco Popular de Puerto Rico and $96 million through Popular Bank, Popular’s banking subsidiary on the U.S. mainland. The Paycheck Protection Program was well received in Puerto […]
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Federal gov’t faces COVID-19 crisis blindly; Lacks risk monitoring system that would include pandemics
April 17, 2020
By Eliván Martínez MercadoCenter for Investigative Journalism President Donald Trump’s administration is steering the response to the coronavirus like a pilot who flies blindfolded. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for 12 years has failed to comply with its obligation to operate a centralized digital platform to share information, as close as possible […]
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P.R. Community Foundation, Amgen lead $625K COVID-19 community prevention initiative
April 17, 2020
The Puerto Rico Community Foundation is leading the charge on a collective movement of nonprofits to “drive and strengthen” its collective response to COVID-19 community strategy. The PRFC has joined forces with the Amgen Foundation, donors such as The Chicago Community Trust, Central Florida Foundation, and The Prospect Hill Foundation, as well as individuals who […]
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U.S. Dept. of Commerce invests $4.5M in former Roosevelt Roads Naval Station
April 16, 2020
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $4.5 million grant to the Roosevelt Roads Redevelopment Authority to rehabilitate a building and make other infrastructure improvements on former Naval Station Roosevelt Roads. The EDA grant will support early-stage businesses focused on the visitor economy and is […]
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Treasury: Eligible Puerto Rico residents to get CARES Act check in late April
April 16, 2020
The $1,200 stimulus checks provided under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that some Puerto Rico residents are already receiving respond to specific circumstances that don’t apply to everybody on the island, Treasury Secretary Francisco Parés said. Furthermore, he said local residents who are eligible for the benefit could begin seeing the […]
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Liberty Puerto Rico opens access to more free channels, SiriusXM
April 16, 2020
Liberty Puerto Rico announced it has opened access to more channels for clients to access free of charge during the COVID-19 lockdown. Liberty’s television subscribers will have access to The Weather Channel until June 13, plus all of HBO and Cinemax’s premium channels from April 17-20, regardless of the bundles they are subscribed to. Additionally, […]
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T-Mobile opens locations to assist customers during COVID-19 emergency
April 16, 2020
Wireless carrier T-Mobile has opened a limited number of locations to be able to offer additional service to customers in Puerto Rico, following government guidelines. The company has taken a series of “strict hygiene measures to ensure the safety of its employees and the customers who visit these locations, which will only be served by […]
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FAA assigns $43M in CARES Act grants to 10 Puerto Rico airports
April 15, 2020
The Federal Aviation Administration has approved a combined $43 million in aid to 10 airport facilities across Puerto Rico, the agency announced. The bulk of the grant funding has been assigned to the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, which is getting $33.4 million through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Airport Grant […]
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Grupo Guayacán announces new $1K cash grant for EnterPRize 2020 participants
April 15, 2020
Grupo Guayacán announced that it will award a $1,000 cash grant to all emerging companies selected to participate in the EnterPRize 2020 business competition, to help them deal with the blow dealt by the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are facing a new reality that requires using all the tools at our disposal to support our small […]
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Uber Eats launches ‘contribute’ option to support Puerto Rico restaurants
April 15, 2020
Uber Eats unveiled an initiative to help restaurants in the region, including Puerto Rico, weather the coronavirus pandemic, encouraging customers to make a contribution to their favorite restaurants directly from the app at order checkout. The initiative is aimed at supporting businesses and workers that have been affected financially by the current crisis over the […]
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AT&T gives 3 months of free service to medical staff on FirstNet Network
April 15, 2020
AT&T announced it will provide three months of free wireless service for frontline nurses and physicians nationwide on the FirstNet network – built with AT&T in a public-private partnership with the First Responder Network Authority. The announcement was made during the third episode of John Krasinski’s digital show “Some Good News,” in which AT&T, to help nurses and physicians […]
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Report: Education Dept. ‘lacks capacity’ to manage $322M in FEMA funding
April 14, 2020
The Puerto Rico Education Department has not complied with the requirements laid out by the Federal Emergency Management Agency related to some $322 million awarded after Hurricane María in 2017, earmarked for recovery efforts. A report released last week detailing the findings of an audit commissioned by the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the […]
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No man’s land: Buying tests and supplies for the COVID-19 emergency in Puerto Rico
April 14, 2020
The Health Department has been unable to specify how many rapid tests it has conducted nor their results. Mistakes, delays, overpaying, questionable interventions, bureaucracy and deals between officials and suppliers with political ties have characterized the government’s procurement efforts to confront the epidemic. The latter adds to an already difficult situation in which Puerto Rico […]
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Study: COVID-19 spurs new challenges to ensure business continuity
April 14, 2020
Professional services firm Aon revealed the results of a recent study about labor practices during the COVID-19 emergency, which revealed new challenges related to employee management and labor practices to ensure business continuity in response to the crisis. According to the report, 56% of companies expect to resume normal operations between April and May, while […]
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Destilería Serrallés to begin producing, distributing disinfecting Superior 70 alcohol
April 14, 2020
Following the conclusion of its effort to produce and donate more than 57,000 gallons of high-concentration disinfecting alcohol to health institutions in Puerto Rico, now Destilería Serrallés will again shift gears to expand the availability of its Superior 70 disinfecting alcohol. Company President Philippe Brechot confirmed the Ponce-based manufacturer will be working with industrial alcohol […]
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