BusinessMirror April 02, 2020

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PHL manufacturing lowest in March

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HE Philippine manufacturing sector contracted to its lowest on record in March, as demand fell and delays hounded the sector amid the Luzon enhanced community quarantine during the period.

The IHS Markit Philippines Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) fell well below the 50.0 threshold mark in March, posting 39.7, down from 52.3 in February.

“The latest figure was the lowest in the series history, having dropped below the 50.0 neutral mark for the first time, and signalled a marked deterioration in operating conditions,” IHS Markit said.

The PMI is a composite index aimed to gauge the health of the country’s manufacturing sector. It is calculated as a weighted average of five individual subcomponents.

Readings above the 50 threshold signal a growth in the manufacturing sector while readings below 50 show deterioration in the industry.

Prior to the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak, the Philippines had one of the top-performing manufacturing sectors in Southeast Asia.

In March, however, the Philippines’s production industry proved to be one of the hardest hit in the region. In IHS Markit’s survey for the month, the Philippines ended as the second worst performing in

the region. Singapore performed the worst with a PMI of 18.1.

Overall, Asean’s headline PMI averaged 43.4 during the month.

This is the lowest in the survey’s eight-year history and the first time that all seven economies were below the 50 threshold mark in one given month.

“The Covid-19 pandemic took its toll on goods production in the Philippines in March, as the enforced lockdown of Luzon island led many manufacturers to halt operations until restrictions are lifted. These shutdowns led to sharp declines across the sector, with output, new orders, employment and stocks of purchases Continued on A2

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DOF-ISSUED RULES MANDATE 30-DAY GRACE FOR LOANS

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By Bernadette D. Nicolas

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By Lorenz S. Marasigan

demic,” Tugade added.

HE government will forfeit in its favor the laden containers at the ports in Manila if their owners fail to withdraw their cargo within 10 days after a joint memorandum circular has been issued, the port chief said on Wednesday.

This, as Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade called on cargo owners and consignees to withdraw overstaying cargo and help free needed space inside the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT).

“I am appealing to cargo owners and consignees to remove their overstaying cargoes inside the MICT. A healthy port means no congestion, no delays in the delivery of cargo, and stable prices of goods. A healthy port ensures a continuous flow of maritime commerce and an efficient utilization of the container yard,” said Tugade.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) chief aired the appeal after Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) General Manager Jay

Daniel R. Santiago warned of a possible shutdown of the Port of Manila if cargo owners and consignees continue to ignore calls to withdraw cleared, ready-for-delivery and overstaying cargo.

Decongesting the MICT yard of cleared, ready-for-delivery and overstaying cargo is most crucial now, said Tugade, to make way for incoming cargo needed by the government in its campaign against the coronavirus pandemic such as food items, protective equipment and medicine.

“A healthy port is what is most needed now as we find ways to efficiently deliver needed goods and services to our fellow Filipinos who are trying to break free from the clutches of the coronavirus pan-

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Abandoned cargo

ACCORDING to PPA General Manager Santiago, under the proposed joint memorandum circular, all cargo that has been discharged from the vessels for more than 30 days, and remains at the port, should be withdrawn within five days from the date of its effectivity.

Likewise, cargo discharged from the vessels for less than 30 days, and all other incoming cargo, must be withdrawn within 10 days, or will be considered abandoned.

Abandoned cargo will be forfeited in favor of the government.

“The penalty there is if they don’t withdraw their cargoes on time, the cargoes will be declared abandoned,” Santiago said. “We really need to clear these cargoes to accommodate the incoming ones as most of our needs to fight this Covid-19 pandemic are in these incoming cargoes.”

Already, yard utilization at the Manila International Container Terminal and the Manila South Harbor are almost at 100 percent, with idle containers stacked against and on top each other. According to experts, a utilization rate of about 70 percent is optimal for a productive port.

As of Friday, over 800 cleared reefer vans are inside the MICT containing perishables like food, medicines and other essentials, while more than 2,000 dry containers that are already cleared and ready for delivery remain inside the terminal.

This poses a threat of a possible port paralysis, which could easily hamper the already-limited movement of goods in and out of Metro Manila due to the limitations on production and mobility with the implementation of the enhanced community lockdown in Luzon.

“It has been a practice of importers to leave some cargoes in the ports, but the situation only aggravated when the community quarantine started—they did not withdraw their containers,” Santiago explained.

Efforts to transfer overstaying containers from the MICT to a facility inside the Manila North Harbor are in place, but the berthing space is still not enough to accommodate incoming containers.

The joint memorandum order is expected to be released soon. It will be signed by the PPA, the Bureau of Customs (BOC), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Agriculture (DA).

LL lenders shall implement the mandatory 30-day grace period for payment of all loans, including credit-card payments and pawnshop loans that fall due within the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) period, the Department of Finance (DOF) said.

The DOF issued the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of a provision in the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act directing all banks, quasi-banks, financing companies, lending companies and other public and private institutions to implement a minimum 30day grace period for loan payments without incurring interests, penalties, fees or other charges.

Other credit-granting financial institutions under the supervision of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Securities and Exchange Commission and Cooperative Development Authority, whether public or private, including the Government Service Insurance System, Social Security System and Pag-IBIG Fund, are also covered by the provision, according to Dominguez.

Citing Proclamation 929 dated March 16, the IRR said the ECQ period began March 17, 2020, and runs till April 12, 2020.

Nonstock savings and loan associations, credit-card issuers and pawnshops are also covered by the provision stated under Section 4 (aa) of Republic Act 11469 or the Bayanihan Law.

“All covered institutions shall implement a 30-day grace period for all loans with principal and/or interest falling due within the ECQ period without incurring interest on interest, penalties, fees and other charges. The initial 30-day grace period shall automatically be extended if the ECQ period is extended by the President of the Republic of the Philippines pursuant to his emergency powers under the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act,” read Section 3.01 of the IRR signed by Dominguez.

The IRR shall take effect immediately upon its publication today, April 2, in a newspaper.

Moreover, all covered institutions shall also not charge or apply interest on interest, fees and charges during the 30-day grace period to future payment/amortizations of individuals, households, micro, small and medium enterprises and corporate borrowers as stated under Section 3.02 of the IRR. All lenders are also prohibited from requiring their clients to waive the application of the provisions of the Bayanihan Law.

However, the IRR said the grant of grace period by the covered institutions shall not preclude the borrowers from paying their obContinued on A2

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Source: BSP (April 1, 2020)

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A2 Thursday, April 2, 2020

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PCSO preps ₧447-M assistance to 81 govt hospitals fighting virus T

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

planning on how to use the assistance based on the given limitations,” she said.

Upon receipt of the assistance, the hospitals are required to submit their hospital profile and Department of Health license or execute an undertaking to submit the said documents at a later time.

The PCSO said it is contributing the additional P447 million in compliance with Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea’s memorandum ordering government agencies to work together in protecting and supporting health workers and front liners; providing supplies and equipment necessary for detecting the disease and caring for those infected; deliver essential necessities such as food and medicine to the most vulnerable; and, mobilize all state assets to sustain the operations of the government.

“To our fellow Filipinos, please know, that the PCSO will always be here, ready to provide health- and medical-related assistance. Let us also do our part as individuals by cooperating and following orders so that we can flatten the curve and put an end soon to this invisible enemy,” she said.

HE Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) is set to release an additional P447 million as financial assistance to 81 government hospitals on top of P420 million it will be releasing to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

PCSO General Manager Royina M. Garma said in a statement that the board in its Tuesday meeting approved the assistance to hospitals across the country to augment the financial capability of the beneficiary hospitals catering to Covid-19 patients.

“The financial assistance is over and above the P420-million funds to be released to PhilHealth as announced last week,” Garma said.

The assistance is specifically limited to Covid-19 cases and shall be used for confinement, laboratory or diagnostic procedures, testing kits; personal protective

equipment, reagents, medical or diagnostic equipment and medicines.

The newly approved financial assistance will be charged to the agency’s Charity Fund under its Calamity Assistance Program budget.

Garma said PCSO branch managers in different provinces are already coordinating with the hospitals for the required documents of the assistance and the schedule of turnover to be held at the PCSO branch office.

“We are calling on the heads of these hospitals to also reach out to the nearest PCSO branch office in their area for the details of the assistance so that they can start

A MAN and his wife look for things that can be brought to a junkshop in Santa Mesa, Manila, on Wednesday, as the country entered the third week of a monthlong lockdown in a frantic race to arrest the spread of Covid-19. NONIE REYES

IATF weighs proposal for phased lifting of community quarantine

By Samuel P. Medenilla

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VEN if the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon is finally lifted later this month as scheduled, business operations within the area will still face significant restrictions due to the threat of the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19), officials said on Wednesday, as they also weighed proposals for a “phased or gradual” lifting.

In an online press briefing, Cabinet Secretary and Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) spokesperson Karlo Nograles noted that social distancing will remain as the “new normal” until a cure or vaccine against the pandemic disease is finally discovered.

“So we [IATF] will continue with our job of issuing guidelines to ensure there will be no massive transmission [in that scenario],” Nograles said.

Nograles issued the statement in response to a pronouncement made by Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion III in a television interview on Tuesday that he is pushing for the end of the ECQ in Luzon on April 15, 2020, and for the government to shift into a “barangay-based quarantine.”

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said he and the business leaders also support a “phased lifting or gradual lifting” of the quarantine in Luzon.

Lopez said even the business community is wary of the potential threat from the total lifting of the quarantine measures for Luzon.

“Businesses should resume so they could provide livelihood to our citizens. But again this should go with the new norm of social distancing,” Lopez said.

Too early

SENTRO ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa secretarygeneral Joshua Mata expressed concern on the new statements of business groups, which he said may

A REMINDER stands beside a long line of people wearing protective masks outside a supermarket during a community quarantine to help curb the spread of the new coronavirus in Manila, April 1, 2020. AP/AARON FAVILA

pressure the government to prematurely lift Covid-related quarantines.

“We would obviously appreciate if the lockdown is lifted. But such a decision should be taken not in the interests of business or politics. It should be taken on the basis of a well though out medical plan, which we haven’t been hearing for a long time,” Mata said.

Nograles stressed the IATF has yet to make an official decision whether the ECQ will be lifted as scheduled on April, 13, 2020, or will be extended or even expanded to other areas.

He noted the IATF is still waiting for the recommendation of its technical working group (TWG) led by DOH before it decides on the matter.

The DOH-led TWG is tasked to set the parameters for the IATF to determine if there will be a partial lifting or total lifting of the ECQ, and what areas will remain under quarantine.

Nograles said the final decision of the IATF on the matter will be based on “science” and “facts and figures.”

Business adjustment

FOR its part, the IATF’s second TWG headed by the National Eco-

nomic and Development Authority (Neda) is now making “anticipatory planning” on the economic activities, which may be allowed to resume once the lockdown in Luzon is finally lifted.

Nograles said it will study how work could resume, under the “new normal” of business operations focused on social distancing.

Mata, however, said the resumption of business operations in the aftermath of ECQ will be easier said than done since it will involve a lot of adjustments in workplaces, especially with the government emphasis on social distancing.

“It will be very difficult for a lot of companies to adjust, because the current setup [of many companies] is not designed for physical distancing. A lot of change will have to be made in the design, and layout of factory will have to be changed because of this,” Mata said.

He also said if businesses resume, companies should have access to reliable test kits at the plant level to ensure Covid-19 will not spread in their worksites.

This was affirmed by Lopez, who said testing employees will become part of a company’s culture.

Facility designation

AS of April 1, 2020, the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases nationwide has already reached 2,311.

The disease has already killed 96 people.

The mounting number of Covid-19 cases has prompted the government to start preparing additional quarantine facilities to help decongest hospitals from Covid-19 patients.

Nograles said patients with severe and moderate symptoms of Covid-19 will be prioritized in hospitals.

Meanwhile, those with mild symptoms will be housed in large quarantine facilities.

Patients under investigation— they have Covid-like symptoms but still have pending test results to determine if they are infected —will stay in separate rooms in a quarantine facility.

The IATF, Nograles said, has yet to determine how it will handle persons under monitoring (PUM).

Nograles said it is now considering ships, hotels and large venues such as the Philippine International Convention Center, World Trade Center, the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex as quarantine facilities.

DOF-ISSUED RULES MANDATE 30-DAY GRACE FOR LOANS Continued from A1

ligations as they fall due during the community quarantine period should they desire to do so.

For those with multiple loans, the mandatory 30-day grace period shall also apply to each loan with the principal and/or interest falling due within the said quarantine period.

Borrowers with loans that fall due within the ECQ period are also spared from paying an additional documentary stamp tax (DST) as a consequence of the relief granted.

No DST shall also be imposed on credit extensions and credit restructuring, micro-lending including those obtained from pawnshops and extensions thereof during the ECQ period, according to Section 5.01 of the IRR. As for the accrued interest for the 30-day grace period, the borrower may pay this on a staggered basis over the remaining life of the loan.

“Nonetheless, this shall not preclude the borrower from paying the accrued interest in full on the new date following the application of the 30-day grace period or extended grace period, as the case may be,” the IRR stated.

Penalties will also be imposed

on the violators of the provisions under the IRR.

Bankers’ group

MEANWHILE, the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP) said it supported government efforts to lick the public health crisis spawned by Covid-19, and vowed to abide by the IRR. The BAP said in a statement it “has been in close coordination with the regulators to ensure the quick turnaround” of the IRR. “We trust that the provisions under the IRR are meant to protect the collective interests of our stakeholders. The banking industry and individual banks respect the IRR and will follow the law and its implementing rules in order to achieve its objectives.”

It also welcomed “all the regulatory relief measures extended by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in order for banks to support the needs and requirements of the national government, businesses and the banking public.

“In these extraordinary times, more than ever, the Philippine banking system continues to demonstrate a strong collaboration among stakeholders through issuance of guidelines in a clear and timely manner.”

PHL manufacturing lowest in March Continued from A1

all falling at record paces,” David Owen, economist at IHS Markit, said.

Owen further said firms that remained open also saw a large delay in supplier delivery times, thereby restricting their ability to operate at full capacity.

“Exports were similarly down as surrounding countries enforced their own lockdowns whilst curtailing foreign orders. Unsurprisingly, businesses were much less positive regarding the 12-month future period. With no one knowing the full timeline of the pan-

demic, the extent of the economic impact remains largely unknown,” he added.

On a regional level, Owen said: “Restrictive measures stemming from efforts to contain the Covid-19 outbreak and substantial uncertainty surrounding the outlook also eroded firms’ output expectations during March.

“Overall, March highlighted the worst performance of the Asean manufacturing sector on record, as repercussions from the Covid-19 pandemic are realized, and indeed it is likely that they will be felt for several months to come, if not longer,” he added.

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Governments urged to allow free flow of food trade amid Covid-19 pandemic

By Elijah Felice E. Rosales @alyasjah

T

HE World Trade Organization (WTO), the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have called on governments to allow free flow of food to minimize the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

In a joint news statement issued on Tuesday, WTO Director General Roberto Azevedo, FAO Director General Qu Dongyu and WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it’s important to keep borders open for food trade, even as countries move to arrest the rising number of Covid-19 cases worldwide.

“When acting to protect the health and well-being of their citizens, countries should ensure that any trade-related measures do not disrupt the food supply chain,” they said.

“Such disruptions, including hampering the movement of agricultural and food industry workers and extending border delays for food containers, result in the spoilage of perishables and increasing food waste. Food trade restrictions could also be linked to unjustified concerns on food safety,” the director generals added.

The WTO, FAO and WHO chiefs warned this could result in a scenario where food supply chain is disrupted, which, in turn, would only do harm to the most vulnerable and food in-

secure populations.

“Uncertainty about food availability can spark a wave of export restrictions, creating a shortage on the global market. Such reactions can alter the balance between food supply and demand, resulting in price spikes and increased price volatility,” they argued.

As such, they asked governments to do what is right in containing the virus spread, but, at the same time, keep flow of food trade unhampered.

“We must prevent the repeat of such damaging measures. It is at times like this that more, not less, international cooperation becomes vital. In the midst of the Covid-19 lockdowns, every effort must be made to ensure that trade flows as freely as possible, specially to avoid food shortage,” the director generals said.

Food security, they explained, would also help prevent cases of panic buying and hoarding that many populations are prone to do in times of crisis.

“Now is the time to show solidarity, act responsibly and adhere to our common goal of enhancing food security, food safety and nutrition and improving the general welfare of people around the world. We must ensure that our response to Covid-19 does not unintentionally create unwarranted shortages of essential items and exacerbate hunger and malnutrition,” the WTO, FAO and WHO leaders concluded.

DepEd pushes online alternative for learners

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco Correspondent

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ITH regular classroom sessions out of the question during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the Department of Education is pushing for the use of DepEd Commons as an option for those who have access to Internet and gadgets such as smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers.

The DepEd also said that aside from formal studies, Alternative Learning System (ALS) learners can tap the DepEd Commons, the online educational platform for public-school teachers and learners that supports alternative learning modalities amid the enhanced community quarantine period.

Meanwhile, free eBooks and other educational content designed for children can now be accessed under the eEdu-Skills Segment of the Tech4ED project.

The educational materials were sourced from Let’s Read—Asia’s free digital library for Children and uploaded to the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s (DICT) Tech4ED platform to continually boost learning outside of the classroom.

The educational materials aim to practice the reading comprehension skills of children. Readers can select their appropriate reading level to access a sizable collection of eBooks on diverse topics. There is also a Covibook that provides an opportunity for children, parents and educators to learn more about the pandemic and discuss their feelings in earnest.

The materials can be read online or downloaded for offline consumption, and can be automatically translated to different languages, both foreign (English, Mandarin, Japanese, etc.) and local (Tagalog, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, etc.) to cater to a variety of clients.

Continuous learning

WITH ALS learners catering to outof-school youth and adult (OSYA)

learners, Assistant Secretary for ALS G.H. Ambat explained that the online platform is reinforcing the program’s objective of offering education anytime and anywhere suitable for them.

“In this time of uncertainty, we are glad that through DepEd Commons, our learners will still be able to continue learning. It is critical for us to provide them with more options to learn,” Ambat said.

Ambat added, “Through digital platforms like DepEd Commons, ALS lives up to expectation of being the second chance education program that equips OSYAs to become productive contributors to nation building.”

For Undersecretary for Curriculum and Instruction Diosdado San Antonio, DepEd Commons is a “big step” as the department looks for alternative ways to continue education for all types of learners despite the challenges.

“Allowing even our ALS learners to access our DepEd Commons is another big step in making learning happen even in the midst of the enhanced community quarantine,” he said.

Currently, DepEd is populating the content of DepEd Commons while starting to put relevant contents aligned with the needs of ALS learners. To date, DepEd Commons has a total of 2,614,605 unique users as of 10 a.m. of April 1 since its soft launch last March 14, according to Undersecretary for Administration Alain del Pascua.

“In all other areas where there are signals coming from the telecommunications company, all of these schools are being readied now to have access online so that we could provide them with the appropriate technology and platform that they would be needing,” Pascua said.

“We have longed for the time when suspension of classes will not in any way obstruct nor delay the education of our schoolchildren.

Whenever we experience typhoons, floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and armed siege, we worry about the lost days and opportunities for the next generation’s education,” he added.

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Thursday, April 2, 2020 A3

Animal rights group presses DA to close live-animal meat markets

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

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O help prevent the spread of Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus which was traced from Wuhan, China, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has asked the Department of Agriculture (DA) on Wednesday to permanently close live-animal meat markets, or “wet markets,” across the country.

PETA pointed out that markets crammed full of sick and stressed animals are breeding grounds for deadly diseases that could affect humans and cause a pandemic.

“It’s a matter of when—not if— the next pandemic will occur, as long as live-animal markets are permitted to continue endangering both

humans and other animals,” PETA Senior Vice President Jason Baker said in a news statement. The appeal forms part of an urgent letter sent by the group to Agriculture Secretary William Dar amid the growing virus infection threat in the Philippines.

Covid-19 which was traced to have started at a wet market in Wuhan has prompted the Chinese government to stop consumption and trade of animal wildlife.

President Duterte has declared the entire country under a State of Public Health Emergency and ordered a Luzon-wide enhanced com mu n it y qu a ra nt i ne, su s pending government work and classes, closing down businesses and suspending public transportation to limit movements that could worsen an uncontrollable human-to-human transmission

of the disease.

So far, the number of infected people, as well as fatalities, continues to rise. As of March 31, the number of infected persons has reached 2,084. The death toll has also reached 88.

There are already reports of human-to-animal transmission of the dreaded disease, with dogs and cats having been tested positive of Covid-19 in other countries.

The Department of Health has yet to begin mass testing to determine the extent of infection all over the country.

“PETA is urging the Philippines to take the next logical step and close these dangerous operations,” the PETA statement read.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat” and which opposes specie-

sism, a human-supremacist worldview—notes that deadly outbreaks of swine flu, avian flu, SARS, HIV, Ebola, hoof-and-mouth disease, mad cow disease and other maladies have stemmed from capturing, or farming animals for food.

It believes that live-animal markets are perfect breeding grounds for diseases, which can jump from various other species to humans, since stressed, injured, and sickly animals are commonly caged in public areas and on sidewalks—where feces, blood, and offal can contaminate buyers and sellers.

While some live-animal markets in China have closed, possibly temporarily, many continue to operate throughout Asia, including at the Balintawak Public Market and Farmers’ Market in Quezon City, the group noted.

Defense chief goes out after testing negative, Fear grips some lists ‘enemies on two fronts,’ the virus and NPA Job Order health workers in Abra

By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM

D

EFENSE Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana rallied soldiers on Wednesday against “enemies on two fronts” that he identified as the novel coronavirus and communist group, whom he scored for their “blatant disregard” of the cease-fire amid the declared state of calamity.

Lorenzana boosted the morale of soldiers as some 20 protesters who were demanding for food aid in Quezon City were arrested by the police for holding a rally along a portion of Edsa in Barangay Pagasa on Wednesday morning.

The rally was reportedly led and incited by members of the Kadamay, a left-leaning group, according to Department of the Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya who blasted the protest as another handiwork of the communist group.

The rallyists were demanding for food assistance from the government, which they said, had not been extended by the Quezon City government amid the imposed enhanced community quarantine.

As of March 31, the local government of Quezon City said it has distributed more than 952,000 food packs since the imposition of the quarantine which has restricted people’s movement.

“With the seemingly insurmountable challenge in front of us, I thank

you for the service you have rendered and continue to render to our communities during this difficult time,” Lorenzana said.

“I enjoin the whole AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] to focus on our efforts in ensuring public health and the safety of our people, providing our medical and health teams, as well as the local government units, with all the assistance we can give,” he added.

Military personnel continue to respond to the public health emergency in various operational and logistical capacities in support to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), while also enforcing the lockdown measures of the government, together with the Philippine National Police.

As chairman of the National Action Plan on Covid-19, the defense secretary had previously called for the full support of the military and the police to ensure law and order during the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon.

Lorenzana also disclosed that his Covid-19 tests showed he was negative of the virus. The test was released on Tuesday along with that of DILG Secretary Eduardo Año, whose tests yielded positive results and forced him into self-quarantine.

Before the tests were taken, Lorenzana had been on a self-imposed quarantine after admitting he had been exposed to at least one official who caught the virus.

Later, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Felimon Santos Jr., who was exposed to the same official along with Lorenzana, admitted that he turned positive for Covid-19 infection.

Meanwhile, Lorenzana welcomed the mass surrender of 54 New People’s Army rebels and their supporters in Central Luzon and in Southern Luzon on the eve and during the 51st anniversary celebration of the NPA. The rebels surrendered to military forces under Col. Andrew Costelo of the 703rd Infantry Brigade and Maj. Gen. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos of the 2nd Infantry Division.

Lorenzana condemned the NPA’s “failure to honor the declaration of the cease-fire, attacking troops from the 2nd Infantry Division in Rodriguez, Rizal, who were in the area doing community work.”

The defense secretary reminded security forces to “remain vigilant and ready to defend themselves and the communities in their respective areas of responsibility” against groups such as the CTG [communist terrorist group] who “take advantage of the nationwide state of calamity to advance their selfish cause.”

“The challenge posed by Covid-19 is indeed a unique one, but together with all the instrumentalities of the government, our bureaus in the One Defense Team and all our other stakeholders, I firmly believe we can rise once again to the occasion,” Lorenzana said.

SBMA seeks help to trace contacts of Subic patient

By Henry Empeño Correspondent

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UBIC BAY FREEPORT—The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) on Wednesday reached out for help from Olongapo City and other areas in tracing the contacts of a government diver stationed in this free port who recently tested positive for the new coronavirus (Covid-19) infection.

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said it is important for local community authorities to be aware of the situation in order to avert further virus transmission among his contacts, as the patient initially denied recent history of travel when interviewed during medical consultation.

“We are in a bind here because while the patient is a crew member of one of the NAMRIA ships berthed in Subic Bay, we have learned that he has relatives and a family in two Olongapo barangays and that he has visited them recently,” Eisma said.

“What also compounds the problem is that in the intervening period between his confinement and possi-

ble date of infection, he had traveled to Mindoro via Manila and Batangas to visit his family and friends there,” Eisma added.

According to information gathered by the SBMA Incident Management Team, the Covid-19 positive case is a crew member of BRP Palma, one of the four survey ships of the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority berthed in Subic Bay. NAMRIA is under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

The patient first complained of fever and body pains on March 10, after cleaning the ship’s hull with fellow divers near Grande Island.

Thereafter he consulted doctors at Baypointe Hospital on March 12, and again on March 13. In the afternoon of March 13, he picked up his sister in Olongapo and, with her, consulted again at St. Jude’s Hospital in the city.

In the next two days he stayed on his ship, the hydrographer BRP Palma, which was docked at Subic’s Bravo Wharf.

But on March 16, he consulted doctors at the Our Lady of Lourdes

International Medical Center in Olongapo. Here, he denied history of travel and, thus, was admitted on suspicion that he had dengue fever.

When dengue tests proved negative the following day, he finally admitted travel but denied going out of his vehicle. Swab samples taken on March 21 yielded positive results of Covid-19 infection on March 29.

Tracing back the time from when he first showed symptoms, doctors here said he might have contracted the virus by February 27.

This made matters worse, as the patient’s ship commander said his subordinate has been regularly taking “ship liberties” during evenings ever since their ship returned to Subic in December last year until March 7.

The ship commander, however, denied knowing his subordinate’s whereabouts during those nights out because the latter did not sleep on the ship.

It was also ascertained that before he fell ill, the patient has traveled to Mindoro on March 6, stayed with friends and family in Mindoro on March 7 and 8, then went back to his ship in Subic on March 9.

By Marilou Guieb Correspondent

S

OME hospital workers in Abra, Cordilleras region are gripped with so much fear in contracting Covid-19, which probably give them a reason not to serve their own town mates afflicted with the viral disease.

Abra has two confirmed cases, both of whom had to be referred to the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC) for treatment and confinement.

One of them, a returning seafarer, has tested negative and was discharged on Tuesday, March 31, and was brought home to Abra where a place for his continuing self-isolation has been prepared. His cousin, the second Abra case, from Sallapaden, is still in the Baguio hospital.

Dr. Alex Bayubay, Development Management Officer of the provincial health office, said that the Abra Provincial Hospital explained that their workers refuse to come to work in the presence of Covid-19 patients for fear of getting infected themselves.

“The provincial hospital is not admitting Covid-19 cases because their helpers, those on job orders, don’t like to come to work for fear of getting infected and stigmatized in their place,” Bayubay said.

The issue was raised during the online media briefing on Tuesday of the Department of Health-Cordillera on Covid-19.

Dr. Ricardo Runez, head of the BGHMC, appealed to health workers to be ready to accept Covid-19 patients as it is part of their mandate.

“We can’t just deny [these patients] and refer them to BGHMC. Time will come when we will also exhaust our resources here,” he said. He appealed to provincial health offices and hospitals to be ready, too.

Cases are expected to rise as BGHMC has just been certified by the RITM to perform independent testing by real-time polymerase chain reaction. From an average testing rate of about 40 a day, Runez said they can now increase that to about a hundred tests a day as 5,000 kits have just arrived from the RITM. BGHMC has 40 beds dedicated to Covid-19 patients and the old Sto. Nino Hospital that was not operational for 18 years is presently being prepared for reopening to exclusively accommodate Covid-19 patients. It will be renamed Baguio City Critical Care Center.

Department of Health –Cordillera officer in charge Regional Director Dr. Amelita Pangilinan said that the Abra situation has worried her, especially with the second case.

TheBroa

Business

A4 Thursday, April 2, 2020 | www.businessmirror.com.ph

Pandemic locks down PHL, UN in pursuit

F

By Cai U. Ordinario

IVE years ago, world leaders united to attack the global challenge of poverty and inequality. Five years later, some of them closed down their borders and truncated actions to attain what they’ve agreed to achieve by 2030: Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

And this is because of a virus that’s way smaller than the eye of a needle. This, even for Jeffrey Sachs, isn’t easy.

Sachs, president of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), admitted in a recent webinar that even SDG efforts at the UN have been suspended due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

“We’re in a very early stage in this. So right now all attention is in this emergency and fighting the epidemic. We’re [going to] have to consider the implications for the longer term shortly,” Sachs said.

“But frankly, right now, this has overwhelmed all processes, I would say. So all normal processes at the UN or normal SDG processes really are, in a way, suspended right now to get through this absolute emergency,” he added.

In 2013, when Sachs told a reporter that eradicating poverty is easy, he didn’t foresee—neither did the leaders who agreed on the SDG document in October 2015—that addressing the pandemic caused by a droplet, as small as 30 microns, would make that difficult.

SDG status

A RECENT report of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (Unescap) showed the pre-pandemic region has been struggling to meet the SDGs. Ev e n b e fore C o v id -19, a s much as 80 percent of the measurable SDG targets required efforts to accelerate progress.

This includes 17 targets where the region is regressing.

Further, the SDG effort is plagued by insufficient data. Unescap said about 40 percent of the targets that are data-challenged pertain to goals related to the environment.

The 17 SDGs and 169 targets seek “to realize the human rights of all and to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls,” the UN General Assembly averred in their 70th session called Resolution 70/1. “They are integrated and indivisible and balance the three dimensions of sustainable development: the economic, social and environmental.”

“The Goals and targets will stimulate action over the next 15 years in areas of critical importance for humanity and the planet,” the UN GA said in 2015.

Some of the targets were expected to expire this year while majority should have been met in the next decade.

However, the Unescap said 20 percent “of indicators is off-track [and] conditions in 2030 will be worse than they were in 2015 unless immediate actions are taken to reverse current trends.”

“It is clear that some trends in every development pillar in the Asia-Pacific region must be reversed,” the Unescap added.

Targets included

A S for t he Ph i l ippines, based on a present at ion of t he 2nd Vo l u nt a r y N a t i o n a l R e v i e w

( V NR) on the SDGs to the U N l ast yea r, Soc ioeconom ic Pl a n n i n g S e c re t a r y E r ne s to M. Per ni a sa id ef for ts to meet t he SDGs were inc luded in t he cou nt r y ’s Ph i l ippine Develop ment Plan (PDP) and even complement t he cou nt r y ’s longter m aspirat ion enshr ined in “A mBisyon Nat in” (Ou r A mbit ion) 20 40.

In the latest VNR, the Philippines outlined the country’s progress on meeting the following goals: SDG 4, on quality education; SDG 8, on decent work and economic growth; SDG 10, on reducing inequalities; SDG 13, on climate action; SDG 16, on peace, justice and strong institutions; and, SDG 17, on partnerships for attainting these goals.

In terms of SDG 4 and using 2017 data, target for primary enrollment rate is at 94.2 percent; primary completion rate is at 92.4 percent; secondary net enrollment rate is at 76 percent; and, secondary completion rate is at 84.3 percent. All these targets should reach 100 percent by 2030.

Academic achievements

BASED on a March 2020 report by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) that used 2018 data, some of these rates improved; others did not.

For one, the primary enrollment rate slowed to 94.1 percent, the 2018 data suggests. Still, primary completion rate improved to 97.2 percent. Junior high-school enrollment rate improved to 81.4 percent while senior high school remained low but still improved to 51.2 percent. Secondary completion rate for junior high school was at 88.4 percent.

Challenges remain in achieving SDG 4 and these include gaps in the implementation of the K to 12 curriculum and low quality in tertiary or Higher Education Institutions (HEI) given the low performance in licensure exams.

“Quality measures are vital, especially with the huge government investments in making tertiary education accessible. Pedagogical methods also need to be improved in tune with technological advancements,” the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said.

Yawning facts

IN terms of SDG 8 using 2018 data, the country’s annual growth rate of gross domestic product (GDP) per capita increased to 4.6 percent while unemployment rate averaged 5.3 percent in 2018.

However, in terms of 2019 data, the country has regressed in this goal with annual growth rate of real GDP per capita at only 4.3 percent and annual growth rate of real GDP per employed person at only 2.7 percent in 2019. The unemployment rate, nonetheless, has improved to 5.1 percent in 2019.

However, Neda said the government aims to address its challenges through the Green Jobs Act, which promotes decent jobs in environment-related industries; inclusive

business models that involve marginalized sectors; expanded maternity leaves that help women in the workplace; and, social protection such as the conditional cash transfer program.

The popular Quezon Memorial Circle park is now empty following the enhanced community quarantine enforced by the government to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus in suburban Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines on March 24. AP/Aaron Favila

Sustained growth

IN terms of SDG 10, the Neda reported that targets such as the growth rate of household income per capita between the first semester of 2015 and in the same period for 2018 for the bottom 40 percent was at 28.3 percent while the rate for the total population was at 21.2 percent.

Further, the population of people living below 50 percent of median income averaged 19 percent in the first semester 2018, not far from the 20-percent baseline in 2015.

However, using full-year data in 2018, PSA said household income per capita among the bottom 40 percent of the population averaged 10.4 percent and the rate for the whole population was at 6.5 percent. The large disparity, PSA said, was based on the adoption of the 2015 Census of Population and Housing results for the weights of the Family Income and Expenditure Survey.

“Income inequa l it y among Filipinos has declined due to sustained robust economic growth and the implementation of policies and programs that aim to empower marginalized individuals and communities,” the report stated. “However, greater effort must be exerted in ensuring social inclusion given the persistence of spatial and sectoral disparities.”

Timely information

MEANWHILE, the Neda said efforts to meet SDG 13 include reducing the number of persons directly affected by disasters. As of 2018, the country was able to bring this down to 682,315 individuals.

However, the number of deaths attributed to disasters increased to 351 people per 100,000-population in 2018 from just 116 in 2016; those missing increased to 38 in 2018 from 29 in 2016.

Based on PSA data, which contained revised data made on the baseline data due to the updates and further validation of the reported data, the numbers are starkly different.

PSA said the number of persons directly affected by disasters per 100,000-population declined to 5,218 in 2018 from 8,853 in 2016.

The revisions also affected the number of deaths attributed to disasters per 100,000-population, and missing persons per 100,000-population, which have dropped to below 1 in 2018.

“Critical knowledge and data gaps persist,” Neda said. “Moreover, appropriate indicators to measure adaptive capacity and resilience are still lacking. More support is needed to generate accurate, timely, and local-specific climate risk information, and raise greater awareness and understanding on the use of such information especially by the LGUs and communities.”

Reporting, monitoring

FOR SDG 16, the Neda said the goal includes the target of reducing the proportion of persons who had at least one contact with a public official and who paid or was asked to pay bribe to a public official. Based on their monitoring, this has declined to 1.9 percent in 2017 from 2.5 percent in 2016.

The goal also includes efforts to curb violence, as the number of homicide and murder cases went down to 9,458 in 2018 from 12,992 in 2015. Neda also said the average number of index crimes decreased to 139,459 in 2016 from 201,010 in

2015. To note, it was in 2016 when President Duterte announced his war on the illegal drug trade.

Based on the latest monitoring of PSA, the number of victims of intentional homicide by sex and age, as well as the number of cases was even lower at 6,866 in 2018.

The monthly average index crime rate was at 6.2 percent in 2018 from 11.3 percent in 2016.

The Neda explained that this is part of the challenges of the government since crime statistics are obtained from police blotter reports that may be “incomplete and inadequate in capturing actual incidents.”

“The victims’ level of trust and confidence in the government and their empowerment to report the incidence is a significant factor on the quality of reported data,” Neda said.

“Priority must be given to establishing a more reliable monitoring and reporting mechanism for these statistics such as the Crime Victimization Survey that can capture data on actual crime incidents,” it added.

Optimal use

THE VNR report stated that the

Philippines improved in terms of meeting SDG 17.

One of the indicators, total government revenue as proportion of GDP, averaged 16.4 percent in 2018, better than the 15.8-percent baseline in 2015. Likewise, the share of domestic budget funded by domestic taxes was at 69.8 percent from 69.7 percent in 2015.

Foreign direct investment as proportion of total domestic budget was also higher at 13.7 percent in 2018 from 9.9 percent in 2015.

The same data may also be found in the PSA database for this goal.

However, when it comes to other indicators such as the volume of remittances as a proportion of GDP, the Neda estimates this remained at 9.7 percent in 2018 as it was in 2015. But based on 2019 estimates, PSA estimated this declined to 9.3 percent.

The latest PSA data also showed that debt service as proportion of export of goods and receipts from services and primary income reached 8.4 percent in 2019, higher than the 6.3 percent in 2018 included in the VNR by Neda.

“Achieving the SDGs requires effective and cohesive partnerships among various actors, such

as national and local governments, the development community, civil society, the private sector and other organizations to make optimal use of available resources,” Neda said.

“Collaborative efforts to develop the data infrastructure [Sections V and VI] and supporting mechanisms to implement SDG-supportive initiatives at the international, national, and local levels are also necessary,” it added.

New recourse

GIVEN the existing challenges, PSA’s Wilma A. Guillen and Bernadette B. Balamban said the stakes could be even higher after 2020.

In an e-mail to BusinessMirror, Guillen and Balamban said the Luzon-wide lockdown and its effects would likely affect the results of the next SDG monitoring, slated in the fourth quarter of this year.

Guillen and Balamban said if the data paint a grim picture for meeting the SDGs, there is no other recourse but to reconsider the targets for the next 10 years.

Ef for ts to meet t he SDGs would likely require “catch-up plans and increased budget support,” said Guillen, PSA Assistant

aderLook

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Editor: Dennis D. Estopace | Thursday, April 2, 2020

A5

t to achieve sustainable development goals For SDG 17, Mitra said the closure of borders is a threat. However, UNDP has still observed institutions working together and working around the crisis.

He said funds are being raised to mobilize public, corporate and individual resources to accelerate Covid-19 response. Coalitions are also being formed, Mitra said. This shows the challenges posed by Covid-19 can be addressed, he added.

Daunting task

THE UN said in “Shared Responsibility, Global Solidarity: Responding to the socioeconomic impacts of Covid-19,” the hard truth is that the world could have prepared better for the crisis.

The UN said if only countries were investing in the SDGs and its precursor, the Millennium Development Goals, the world would have been more prepared for a pandemic like Covid-19.

Years of neglect and underinvestment have compromised health systems worldwide, the UN said, adding that this has contributed to the ill-preparedness of countries when the pandemic finally struck.

“Instead, most countries have underinvested in health systems; facilities are insufficient for the level of the unexpected demand and rely heavily on imports,” the UN said. “Most countries are characterized by weak, fragmented health systems that do not ensure the universal access and capacity needed to face the Covid-19 health crisis.”

This is one reason why getting back on track to meet the SDGs is no simple task.

Struggles ahead

National Statistician for Social Sector Statistics Ser vice, and Balamban, Poverty and Human Development Statistics Division Chief Statistical Specialist.

Indeed, t he impact of t he unique public health emergency due to Covid-19 would be felt across several SDGs, UNDP Philippines Resident Representative Titon Mitra said.

Mitra admits that Covid-19 is a real setback to efforts that seek to meet the SDGs. If the world fails to meet the SDGs, many people will be worse off than they are now.

“The implications are similar globally, but will be felt to varying degrees dependent on the nature of the economy and government responses,” he said in an e-mail to the BusinessMirror.

Getting worse

SOME SDGs, Mitra said, may be affected more immediately than others. He listed the following: SDG 1, on eradicating poverty; SDG 3, on good health and wellbeing; SDG 8, on decent work and economic growth; and, SDG 17, on partnerships.

In terms of SDG 1, Mitra said with Covid-19, the conditions of

vulnerable people worsened given the work displacement and limitations on mobility. It will be more difficult for those with already unstable jobs; single parents, persons with disability; and, the elderly.

With limited or no incomes, Mitra said the already vulnerable population of the country would be “pushed to the edge of, and over, the poverty line.” If this occurs, it will become more challenging to meet SDG 1 by 2030.

In terms of SDG 3, Mitra said Covid-19 has shocked health-care systems worldwide.

It has made universal and inclusive access to health care even more important, he said adding that, sadly, not all countries are equipped with such a system.

Accelerate progress

“THE Covid-19 pandemic is having a wide range of unprecedented effects on all aspects of our lives, driving home the links between seemingly disconnected elements of development and the importance of a holistic approach as reflected in the SDGs,” Smita Nakhooda, Senior Results Management Specialist of the Strategy, Policy, and Partnership

Department (SPD) of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), told the BusinessMirror.

“UN analysis of available data on progress towards SDG targets suggested that the region was not on track to achieve any of the 17 SDGs by 2030, and substantial efforts to re-orient development,” Nakhooda said. “The full effects of the pandemic on the SDGs remain to be seen, but the hope would be that recovery efforts emphasize opportunities to accelerate progress towards the goals.”

ADB Principal Knowledge Sharing and Services Specialist Susann Roth and Health Specialist Najibullah Habib said governments should take the time to go back to basics in terms of health care and people’s well-being in light of Covid-19.

They wrote in a recent Asian Development Blog that this means investing in health systems and resilient supply chains to ensure long-term benefits for all.

Roth and Habib said governments must focus on efforts to provide high-quality health care such as health promotion and disease prevention, as well as decentralized and cost-effective primary health-care services.

In order to do this, 23 economists from the Ateneo Center for Economic Research and Development (Acerd) and the Ateneo de Manila University Economics Department said universal healthcare funds should be front-loaded.

This is estimated to cost P67 billion and will be drawn from the 2020 national budget.

New alliances

MEANWHILE, Mitra said in terms of SDG 8, the danger is the loss of jobs. Globally, Covid-19 could render 25 million jobless, including some 1.8 million in the Philippines, as estimated by Neda.

With job losses in the formal and informal sectors, Mitra said this could make social safety nets inaccessible for millions of people. The inability to access safety nets such as unemployment benefits would force many to consider working even in hazardous conditions.

“Fearing the loss of earnings or jobs, an unintended consequence is that people may be obliged, where they can, to come to work despite the risks of contracting and spreading the infection,” Mitra said. “We then have an even larger public health crisis on our hands.”

SACHS said efforts to meet the SDGs have been a struggle for many countries around the world.

However, he said, addressing the Covid-19, if done right, would also lead to the achievement of the SDGs. Sachs said ensuring that no one is left behind in the fight against Covid-19 strikes at the heart of the SDGs. “The SDGs were chronically underfinanced, underperforming, and under-attended to even before Covid-19. It’s a struggle. I won’t say there is a silver lining to a global disaster, there isn’t one. But, it will put attention on the critical dimensions of life, death, extreme poverty, and vulnerability which are the very essence of the sustainable development goals that will surely force us to attend to these life and death issues,” Sachs said.

Mitra added that despite the challenges that the SDGs are faced with and given the crisis at hand, the world cannot abandon the goals. For one, the SDGs can bring much-needed vitality to the global economy, he said.

In the Philippines alone, UNDP estimates that achieving the SDGs in the country could open $82 billion worth of market opportunities in food and agriculture, cities, energy and materials, and health.

The SDGs can create as many as 4.4 million new jobs by 2030.

Allocating funds

MITRA emphasized that meeting the SDGs is not just about having enough money to finance the efforts. Meeting the goals would require effective implementation of projects, he added.

Due to the Covid-19 crisis, the Duterte administration has already allocated funds for various projects.

Mitra said these projects should be well-targeted so that efforts to respond to Covid-19 could also address inequalities, poverty, health issues, and other pertinent development challenges that the SDGs aim to address.

Mitra added that building back economies after the crisis means re-thinking opportunities and finding better and smarter ways to address problems and these will help meet the SDGs. Some of these include lowcarbon energy and production, greener supply chains, low emission transport, and decent jobs with appropriate entitlements and working conditions.

“This is not necessarily about more funds for the SDGs but better targeting and allocations-quality over quantum,” Mitra said. “When picking the right mix of policies and investments, a basic rule should be: first, do no harm. And then, do a lot of good.”

This is important to remember considering that while the SDGs remain important, there is no doubt that responding to Covid-19 will be prioritized by the government, Acerd Director Alvin P. Ang told the BusinessMirror.

“The environmental related are mostly addressed so by the time Covid-19 is managed, SDGs may need to be adjusted,” Ang said.

“Those pertaining to labor, poverty and vulnerability may have to be highlighted. The Philippines will most likely be doing the same.”

Fighting Covid-19

EFFORTS to move forward in meeting the SDGs mean turning to science and technology.

The UN said the science and technology sector is crucial in not only fighting Covid-19 but in “mitigating its potential impacts on achievement of the SDGs.” Senior Fellow Alan Gelb and Policy Fellow Anit Mukherjee of the US-based research institution the Center for Global Development said digital technologies have been used for government-to-people (G2P) transfers. But to address the Covid-19 challenge and meet the SDGs, using digital technologies for G2P needs to be expanded.

They added that data obtained through technology can be harnessed to improve service delivery needed for both Covid-19 and the SDGs. Gelb and Mukherjee said this also means “increasing state capacity in an increasingly interconnected, digital world.”

The world and the Philippines’s efforts toward achieving the SDGs should not interfere with its response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

UN Secretary-General A nt ó n io G ut e r re s s a i d i n a statement that the SDGs or the Global Agenda 2030 should instead be used as the road map for the Covid-19 response.

Economic recovery

GUTERRES said Covid-19 should usher in the birth of a new economy—one that is inclusive and sustainable. As such, this new economy will be more resilient to future pandemics, climate change and other future global challenges.

“While in the short term, there is locking down to our most local circumstances of our own flats, and our own streets, and in our own neighborhoods. We really are all in this together,” Sachs said.

“We will not be safe if the epidemic is not controlled everywhere. We will not have an economic recovery if parts of the world are in chaos and so even though it feels very immediate and very local, we absolutely need to be global,” he added.

Indeed, being alone together in this crisis should not be a hindrance to do good, not only to prevent the spread of a highly infectious disease, but also to get back on track in pursuing the SDGs. Maybe this temporary setback will also allow people to gain some perspective on how the future could look like where no one is left behind.

A6 Thursday, April 2, 2020 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

editorial

Let’s not allow Covid-19 to devastate the poor

O

N March 10, Tomas Pueyo published a widely read article dubbed “Coronavirus: Why You Must Act Now.” Some take aways from the article: The coronavirus is coming to you. It’s coming at an exponential speed: gradually, and then suddenly.

It’s a matter of days, maybe a week or two. When it does, your health-care system will be overwhelmed. Your fellow citizens will be treated in the hallways. Exhausted healthcare workers will break down. Some will die. They will have to decide which patient gets the oxygen and which one dies. The only way to prevent this is through social distancing today. Not tomorrow. Today. That means keeping as many people home as possible, starting now.

A few days later, he published a sobering second article: “Coronavirus: The Hammer and the Dance.” His summary: “Strong coronavirus measures today should only last a few weeks, there shouldn’t be a big peak of infections afterwards, and it can all be done for a reasonable cost to society, saving millions of lives along the way. If we don’t take these measures, tens of millions will be infected, many will die, along with anybody else that requires intensive care, because the health-care system will have collapsed.”

President Duterte placed the whole of Luzon under “enhanced community quarantine” (ECQ) on March 16 following unsuccessful measures to contain the virus by sealing Metro Manila’s borders. “Upon further study of worldwide trends and measures and the need for extreme caution during such a time as this, I have come to the conclusion that stricter measures are necessary. I can’t go into a guessing game. I have to act,” the President said, explaining his decision to place Luzon under quarantine until April 13.

Entering the third week of the Luzon-wide quarantine, the scenario looks grim. We can’t see anything that would trigger the lifting of the lockdown.

Infections keep rising, but we still don’t know the prevalence of Covid-19 in our communities. Dr. Jomar Rabajante of the Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Physics at the University of the Philippines in Los Baños predicts that Metro Manila’s epidemic will peak in mid-April, when there could be in excess of 2,500 cases in a single day.

That’s a grim scenario. Given the magnitude of the problems created by this pandemic, the national government needs all the help it can muster. Last week, Dr. Jesus Lim Arranza amplified in his column the appeal of exporters to the government to include a member of the business sector in the InterAgency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to ensure that investor welfare is considered in the crafting of lockdown policies (See, “Exporters press for business sector representative in IATF,” in the BusinessMirror, March 25, 2020).

On March 29, some Cabinet members and private-sector leaders sat down together to discuss the effects and efficacy of the Luzon-wide ECQ. They want to know what will trigger the lifting of the lockdown? As the minutes of the meeting show, there were no easy answers, although priorities were identified: We need to flatten the curve; we need to feed the poor; we need to avoid economic collapse; we still need to observe social distancing; another lockdown will be more damaging, although there’s the possibility to extend the ECQ for at least two more weeks.

It may not be the silver bullet, so to speak, but public-private cooperation during the Covid-19 pandemic is of utmost importance. Our people understand the need to stay at home to prevent more infections, but they need to eat. Government and private businesses must work hand in hand to feed the poor. Food riots have started in Italy. We want to prevent social unrest among our people, especially our poor workers who can’t do any economic activity because of the lockdown.

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The task of voter education James Jimenez

spox

T

he killer virus raging throughout the country like an uncontrollable fire brings prominence to another aspect of the work the Commission on Elections does: Voter Education.

As the nation groans under the burden of this prolonged extreme community quarantine, the most critical voter education question is: how are our elected officials performing, and how did I—as a voter—contribute to that performance?

Without hyperbole, our ability to weather the assault of the virus, as well as our ability to protect ourselves against future calamities, depends on the answers we give. If we have good leaders, we can expect to be well taken care of during these difficult times and, therefore, have a better chance of living through this; if we have lousy leaders, well, good luck.

And since all of us must have voted for someone, or at least supported someone, in the last elections, we all have a personal stake in this matter. We either chose very well, or we missed an opportunity to elect or support the person most suited to lead us now.

It is important to emphasize the lesson that the quality of governance we are experiencing—whether good or bad—is a direct consequence of how we voted on election day. This virus is not anyone’s fault; but how well we survive it—or if we survive it at all— is something that someone can be held responsible for. And there is enough blame—or praise—to go around. And yet, even this very simple connection can be a very difficult concept to grasp.

Apart from those who are blinded by their hyper-partisanship, there are those who will cling to idea that pedigree guarantees competence— people who think that just because

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T. Anthony C. Cabangon

T

he 20th century—in particular the last half—was the most amazing in all of human history by whatever standard you might choose to measure. If you chart global population growth, quality of life, and technological advances, the line is relatively flat with a slight upward trend until you hit the early 1900s.

But that trend exploded after World War II. We have witnessed the end of diseases that were a plague to humanity for millennia. The equally long dream to walk on the moon was achieved. Goods and living conditions that were only available to the ultra rich a hundred years ago became commonplace.

Half of the world’s population holds in its hand a device that provides communication, information, and even entertainment that was not possible to even the richest of the rich a mere 25 years ago.

The last half of the 20th century saw the world live under the abstract threat of nuclear annihilation. Yet, the “era” of colonization stretching back to Ancient Rome also ended.

Never in human history were there a

greater number of people “free” and living under self-rule. Also, never in history were ideas and education allowed to flow freely to virtually all social and economic groups. The rights of those classes of people— particularly women and children— traditionally denied by governments were defined, and strong efforts were made to uphold.

Yet the 21st century ushered in a period that is almost a contradiction to the “glorious days” of the 20th century.

War between nations has become increasingly less defined and more brutal. Maybe in response—or maybe not—organized terrorism by many different global groups has shattered the dreams of peace that we thought would come with the end

someone has the right surname, or is connected to the right people, they will be good leaders. Others will think that a candidate’s generosity gives them the right to occupy public office. And then there are also those who simply don’t care enough that they probably can’t even be bothered to vote.

The task of voter education now is clear: wake people up so that they realize that a family name guarantees nothing; that candidates never give money away for free, that the recipients of their generosity will inevitably have to somehow pay them back for the largesse; and that their refusal to care practically guarantees them a government that cares even less for them. And, truth be told, rarely are these lessons so easy to explain as they are now, when there are so many examples to point to: well-known politicians seeming to show a callous disregard for ordinary people; government officials apparently scrimping on relief goods; and an over-all response framework that seems, at times, tone deaf to the plight of ordinary people.

Until a cure or a vaccine is found, the coronavirus will continue to be a threat to the survival of our way of life. But we cannot simply aim to survive from day to day, like mindless animals. Despite our confinement in

our homes, despite the forced isolation we must endure, we must all look forward to the day when some degree of normalcy returns. And in looking forward, we must be very conscious of our responsibility to ensure that the future is better than our present. Whether you like how we are—as a nation— responding to the coronavirus, we must all hope that future threats are met and handled better. We must insist that there be higher standards of preparedness, responsiveness, and efficacy in how government addresses large scale calamities. The best way to ensure those higher standards are set and met is to elect the best crop of leaders that we can. And to do that, we must all—while we’re stuck at home, scrolling through our social-media feeds —become voter educators ourselves.

Despite the quarantine, we must not forget that we all have a responsibility to our neighbors—both those who actually live close to us and our extended online circle of friends— to help them prepare, when the time comes, to exercise their right of suffrage even more intelligently than they already have. It is our duty to speak up and remind people that we can and should expect more from our leaders. And it is our right to be vocal about the indisputable fact that we deserve better.

The most important lesson of 2020 is that nations, like people, cannot be dependent—or must be less dependent—on others for survival and the ability to prosper. Nations, like individuals, must be able to close and lock their windows and doors when necessary.

little doubt that globalization of production and trade was far from foolproof not only because too many fools were running it. It is the old thought that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. For a variety of reasons, not least of which was a lack of truthfulness and transparency by the Beijing government, the global supply/demand chain was shattered.

The most important lesson of 2020 is that nations, like people, cannot be dependent—or must be less dependent—on others for survival and the ability to prosper. Nations, like individuals, must be able to close and lock their windows and doors when necessary.

But to do that, countries must adopt a variation of Warren Buffett’s “I buy on the assumption that they could close the market the next day and not reopen it for five years.”

Initially, after the pandemic subsides, there will be an attempt to return to the good old days of 2019.

But that will be like getting back with your “ex” after being betrayed and now keeping your guard up and thinking about relationship options.

Everything changed. Stay safe.

of the Cold War. This new century also brought a gradual but steady disturbing realization in the people that the economic utopia promised by governments in the last decades of the 1900s was unsustainable and in fact might have been somewhat of a magician’s illusion. While focusing, on the one hand, on supposed wealth creation, the other hand was concealing the trick.

The world economy has always had periods of economic upheaval, but the 2008 Global Financial Crisis was not an event. It was the result— that affected literally everyone on the planet—of a total and complete systemic failure. Most times, a problem can be corrected by changing the guy running the machine. In this case, it turned out that the machine was broken, regardless of who was pushing the buttons.

The year 2020 has proven with

E-mail me at mangun@gmail.com. Visit my web site at www.mangunonmarkets.com. Follow me on Twitter @mangunonmarkets. PSE stockmarket information and technical analysis tools provided by the COL Financial Group Inc.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Opinion

Perfect economic storm

The mystery of the Passion of Jesus

BusinessMirror

A giver of new life

Msgr. Sabino A. Vengco Jr.

Val A. Villanueva

Businesswise

C

ovid-19 undoubtedly brought about catastrophic human miseries around the world. But its economic fallout is even more mind-boggling and distressing. The economic ambiguity the pandemic has triggered will set back the world’s economy by about $1trillion in 2020.

On March 30, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) published a report that noted a “…slowdown in the global economy to under 2 percent for this year, and that will probably cost in the order of $1 trillion, compared to what people were forecasting back in September.”

We are now witnessing how the world financial markets are tumbling over concerns about supply-chain interruptions from China, and oil price uncertainty among major producers.

Richard Kozul-Wright, director of the Unctad Division on Globalization and Development Strategies, warns that “few countries were likely to be left unscathed by the outbreak’s financial ramifications.”

He says: “One doomsday scenario in which the world economy grew at only 0.5 percent, would involve a $2 trillion hit to gross domestic product,” adding that “collapsing oil prices has been a contributing factor to that growing sense of unease and panic.”

On Friday, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva relayed another piece of bad news for the economy: “The global economy is now in a recession—a period of economic decline where output falls for two successive quarters—that could be as bad or worse than the 2009 downturn.”

She said: “Countries needed to boost spending as a safeguard against bankruptcies and possible market debt defaults. This is a very big crisis and it’s not going to be sorted out without a very massive deployment of resources.”

Panic seems to be too light a word to describe what many people are feeling, given Covid-19’s monetary complications. On Saturday, or two days before the Unctad report, Thomas Schaefer, Finance Minister of Germany’s Hesse State, was found dead on railway tracks at Hochheim, near Frankfurt. The Wiesbaden prosecution’s office said 54-yearold Schaefer apparently committed suicide. According to State Premier Volker Bouffier, Schaefer was suspected of having been “deeply worried” over how to cope with the economic fallout from Covid-19.

Personally, what I find most disturbing is the confluence of recent economic events that make for a perfect economic storm. The world is now virtually at a standstill. While many people can buy essential goods that some businesses are still able to provide, economic managers around the world fear that the pandemic will last longer than initially expected.

What is happening is that more companies are closing down or trimming their work force since their manpower has to be shielded from the virus. The result: disruptions in the supply chain. This is compounded by the decrease in demand. People are in quarantine, and many of the goods and services they have been accustomed to getting easily pre-Covid-19 are fast dwindling. We are in a situation where countries are closing their borders and shutting off air traffic. The world is now effectively frozen. No supply and no demand are a perfect combination for economic stagnation. The economy must keep moving, but it is the speed with which health experts can contain or stop the virus that will dictate when the wheels of commerce will again roll to capacity.

The urgent desire for governments to open up immediately is understandable. A new battle has begun between public health and commerce. Health experts are saying that it is important to flatten

Personally, what I find most disturbing is the confluence of recent economic events that make for a perfect economic storm. The world is now virtually at a standstill. While many people can buy essential goods that some businesses are still able to provide, economic managers around the world fear that the pandemic will last longer than it was initially expected. the curve first, but even that seems remote at the moment.

As of March 30, US-based John Hopkins University Global placed at over 35,000 the global death toll from Covid-19, which emerged in Wuhan, China in December 2019, and spread to at least 177 countries and regions. Confirmed cases have risen to 737,929, while 165,655 people have recovered. The trend is still shooting upward with the United States tallying the most number of Covid-19 patients.

“From an economic perspective, the key issue is not just the number of cases of Covid-19, but the level of disruption to economies from containment measures,” Ben May, head of global macro research at Oxford Economics, said in a report this week, adding that, “[w]idespread lockdowns such as those imposed by China have been enacted in some virus hot spots, such measures—if taken disproportionately—could induce panic and weaken the global economy even more.”

Here at home, Bangko Sentral Governor Benjamin E. Diokno on Sunday predicted that the Philippine economy could go into recession this year. “We’re looking at negative to maybe 1 percent [growth] given this development,” he said.

The country now has 2,084 coronavirus cases, with the Department of Health reporting 538 new cases on Tuesday, the biggest single-day increase so far. The DOH also confirmed that 10 more patients have died, raising the death toll in the country to 88.

But more than the economic cost, I believe that we shouldn’t lose focus on Covid-19’s human toll, because such could lead to societal breakdown.

The disease has spawned joblessness, hopelessness and has orphaned a lot of people. Those who have been stripped of material possessions could easily turn against those who have been spared. I can just picture countless souls emerging from the current crisis with no cash, no jobs, and no access to medical nurturing. It is not hard to imagine the desolation and anger that these people could be feeling. If our government resorts to using military forces to crush (God forbid!) riots or attacks on property, social order may collapse.

Our leaders must then strike a perfect balance between commerce and health. Are we ready to open up—completely or partially—people movements and economic activities on April 15, or do we need more time?

If the pandemic lingers, how long will it take for the situation to somehow “normalize”?

In my opinion, the government’s main purpose is to deter social collapse. They shouldn’t be blinded by the glare of the treasures of financial markets. It has to strive to keep social linkages resilient under these unexpected, abnormal, and arduous times.

For comments and suggestions, e-mail me at mvala.v@gmail.com

Thursday, April 2, 2020 A7

Alálaong Bagá

T

he Holy Week (Semana Santa) begins with the Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, which takes us into an extended meditation on the passion and death of Jesus Christ. Saint Matthew’s account (26:14-27:66) presents Him as the Messiah according to the testimony of Sacred Scriptures and as the redeemer of all humankind. Meditating on the Passion of Jesus is vital for Christians because the Passion inaugurates our New Covenant with God.

A doer of God’s will IN his afflictions Jesus was not a victim of circumstances; he was freely fulfilling God’s will, the divine plan for the salvation of the world. The passion narrative, a collection of episodes on Jesus’ last days from specific theological perspectives, starts off with the betrayal by Judas (26:14-16), hinging on the 30 pieces of silver, the worth of the services of the rejected shepherd (Zechariah 11:12) and the legal indemnity for the life of a servant (Exodus 21:32).

Jesus is portrayed as the shepherd and servant rejected by his people, a tragedy that played out in the garden of Gethsemane. The distress of Jesus “sorrowful even to death” recalls heart-rending longing and suffering for God (Psalm 42:6. 12; Jonah 4:9).

The reference to the cup Jesus was

to drink insinuates that His passion is His lot in the world foreknown

by God (Psalm 11:6; Lamentations 4:2; Isaiah 51:17. 22). The day’s passion story ends with animosity, as it begun with treachery, when the enemies of Jesus insisted that His grave be secured lest His followers claim later His resurrection. Despite themselves, His opponents were the agents through whom God’s plan unfolded.

Jesus Himself interpreted the unfolding events as simply the fulfillment of the Scripture; He was not defeated by the inevitable, He was in charge of His destiny. He was obediently carrying out His Father’s plan.

The time of His death and resurrection is the kairos time (26:18), the decisive moment bringing to fulfillment the promises of God (26:54, 56).

IN the institution of the Eucharist (26:26-29), the Old Testament covenant sacrifice is alluded to by the reference to Jesus’ “blood of the covenant” (Exodus 24:8). By the covenant sacrifice God had forged a common bond with the people, and the people in turn were expected to respond with a new quality of life. Also, God had promised, “Because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your captives free” (Zechariah 9:11).

Matthew gives us an image of Jesus whose life’s blood was about to be poured out in sacrifice as establishing the New Covenant between God and humankind. In this new love relationship, all prisoners of sin and death will be liberated, and in their new freedom humanity is called to be faithful to God. In the Eucharist, we celebrate and participate in this New Covenant in the blood of Jesus as we are freed from the power of evil and darkness.

Ushering in the day of the Lord

During the trial, the silence of Jesus recalls the suffering servant in Isaiah who was “silent and opened not his mouth” like a lamb led to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:7). The spitting, mockery and brutality exercised on Jesus evoke the maltreatment and injustice done to the innocent one (Isaiah 50:4-7). “Yet it was our infirmities that he bore, our suffering that he endured… He was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins” (Isaiah 53:4-5). On the cross,

Jesus was truly the just and innocent one offering his life in expiation for others. And his “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

(27:46), so often misunderstood as a cry of discouragement and despair, is but the opening line of Psalm 22, a prayer beginning with a lament but concluding in triumphant joy and confidence in God! The abuses, the derision, the division of his garments, the casting of lots for his clothing were details from the psalm to ensure that we see Jesus as the innocent one whose misery “God has not spurned or disdained” (Psalm 22:25).

Alálaong bagá, the passion of Jesus out of his fidelity to God was not in vain or a defeat. The suffering servant’s trust in God is rewarded there and then by a theophany. The earthquake, the darkness, and the saints rising and being seen underscore the good news that the death of Jesus has ushered in the long-awaited triumphant Day of the Lord (Amos 8:9). The sanctuary curtain of the temple torn from top to bottom symbolizes that the new way of relating with God is now no longer through the rituals of the temple but through and in Jesus Christ.

His passion and death brought salvation and new life to the world.

Join me in meditating on the Word of God every Sunday, from 5 to 6 a.m. on DWIZ 882, or by audio streaming on www.dwiz882.com.

Conquering the virus: whole-of-government or whole-of-society approach?

Dr. Rene E. Ofreneo

LABOREM EXERCENS

I

N their response to the Covid-19 threat, a number of countries have adopted a holistic whole-of-government program of slowing and containing the virus spread. Whole-of-government means different government agencies, with varying mandates, work together to combat the common enemy. Covid-19, a public health issue, is also an economic, employment, food, security and growth issue. Hence, the major departments involved in the Philippines’s Inter-Agency Task Force to prevent the spread of the dreaded virus are the Departments of Health; Trade and Industry; Agriculture; Labor and Employment; the Interior and Local Government; and the National Economic and Development Authority.

Naturally, in a whole-of-government approach, the President or Prime Minister is on top of the totem pole. In crisis situations, this governance setup is ideal for strong-willed political leaders. Narendra Modi, India’s Hindu nationalist, is hailed by his right-wing admirers, for his ability to lock down a country with a population of 1.3 billion. Earlier, Xi Jinping, referred to by many as China’s new Mao Tse Tung, was able to lock down the whole of China for over two months and put Hubei and its Wuhan capital under very strict quarantine conditions for three months. Of course, Xi was able to do this with the help of the monolithic Communist Party of China (CCP), which he also heads.

In the Philippines, our own strongman, President Duterte, was able to order a Luzon-wide lockdown for one month, from mid-March to mid-April, without encountering any major opposition. The administration was also able to push, effortlessly, for a multibillion-peso supplemental budget for “Bayanihan to Heal as One” one week after the lockdown order.

In contrast, the United States and a number of European countries, which are all experiencing exponential rates of Covid-19 infections and related deaths, have had difficult political and policy debates on whether to lock down or not their countries and on whether to close the economy or not. It is extremely painful to see how the pandemic has managed to ravage these countries amid their unsettled political and policy debates.

Is the whole-of-government approach a good way of responding to the pandemic?

It is. For the epidemic is not merely a health or medical issue. Nor can it be remedied by one department or ministry alone.

But the whole-of-government approach need not be adopted in an authoritarian manner. Authoritarian leaders are not infallible. China and the world paid a high price in the earlier effort of Xi and his CCP to cover up the emergence of the virus in early December 2019 and to keep the virus a secret till January 2020.

In the case of India and the Philippines, a lockdown without sufficient preparations and without consultations with all relevant stakeholders can generate difficult social, economic and other related medical problems.

As things have turned out, these two countries have encountered problems along the way: limited hospital facilities, shortages in testing kits, lack of protective gear for the health workers, no sustainable program of survival for the most vulnerable during a drawn-out lockdown, no protection for the “invisible” segments of society (e.g., rural migrants, unregistered slum dwellers, etc.), disruption of the flow of food and other vital supplies needed by communities, and so on and so forth.

And yet, in other Asian countries with strong governments, the wholeof-government appears to be working. At least, this seems to be the case in Singapore and Vietnam. The big difference lies in the early decision

by these countries to adopt tough lockdown and isolation measures, maintain transparent communication throughout the containment period, and deliver efficient and timely testing, isolation and monitoring services.

This is also the situation in the case of South Korea. As we wrote earlier, the Korean government, led by a democratically elected labor lawyer, reacted to the Covid-19 threat quickly and decisively by communicating the risks posed by the epidemic to society and by producing and deploying in a rapid manner the necessary test kits. Moreover, South Korea got the active support of labor and civil society groups in the fight against coronavirus. These groups pushed for the quick development of needed testing kits, PPEs and other medical needs, with some help from Korean industry. They are also doing volunteer work in the “hot spots.” They also made sure no one is excluded; thus, the migrants are covered by Korea’s protective mantle.

The Korean model, in a way, goes beyond the whole-of-government approach. It is a broader whole-ofsociety approach. As elaborated by both the WHO and the UN Development Program, whole of society means partnership building between government and all stakeholders of society in addressing health, education, energy, agriculture, sports, transport, communication, environment, employment, industry, finance and social and economic development. This entails not only dialogue but also formulation of a unified or common agenda on how the government and the broad civil society can collaborate and work together in solving these issues. As the WHO puts it, whole-of-society approach means government engaging the private sector, civil society, communities, academia, media, voluntary associations, families and individuals to strengthen the resilience of communities and society as a whole.

Affirmative action due to the foregoing partnership building can take place at all levels of governance— global, national, local/provincial, and community. Unavoidably, partnership can be multi-sectoral and intersectoral.

Is there a good model for a wholeof-society approach in dealing with the pandemic?

There is: Cuba.

But first, some news on Cuba’s global contribution in the fight against Covid-19. According to Al Jazeera, a global rival of CNN media outfit, tiny Cuba has 29,000 doctors and nurses currently working in 59 countries. As part of its “internationalist” mission, Cuba has been assisting Bahamas, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Grenada, Suriname, Jamaica and other Latin American countries to fight Covid-19 by sending medical contingents and medicine (for free in depressed Central American countries). Italy and Spain, the most afflicted by Covid-19, have asked for the services of Cuban doctors and medicine, mainly because Cuba has established a good reputation in China.

At the height of the epidemic in China, Cuban medical “brigades” got good results in treating a number of Wuhan patients by using the Cuban antiviral “Interferon Alpha 2B Recombinant (IFNrec).” This Interferon is a product of Cuba’s advanced bio-medical industrial development.

This industrial development was an offshoot of the decision by the government of Fidel Castro in mid-1960s to overcome US economic blockade by developing Cuba’s capacity to manufacture essential drugs and transform each “barrio” as a model of wellness, self-reliance and resiliency. Today, Cuba is considered by the WHO as the most prepared country in handling an epidemic with the active participation of the whole population. There is, in fact, a doctor in every “barrio” that calls on all residents on a regular basis.

Nonetheless, coronavirus has also washed into Cuban shores, no thanks to infected visitors, mostly tourists.

As of March 23, there were 46 patients.

The first fatality was a 61-year-old Italian. Like other countries, Cuba tightened its borders. But one significant measure it undertook: asking each “barrio” to discuss Covid-19 and how each citizen can help arrest its spread without freezing economic movement. This is truly whole-ofsociety approach!

Finally, when Latin American countries refused the British cruise ship Braemer, carrying around 700 passengers, to dock out of fear of Covid-19, Cuba, in a gesture of international solidarity, did not only receive the ship but also attended medically to each of the passengers, mostly British.

This is solidarity of the highest order!

A8 Thursday, April 2, 2020

Last planes out: sweeper flights to bring home stranded tourists F

By Recto Mercene

@rectomercene

LAG carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) will fly to London on Saturday in response to “an urgent public need” to fly out passengers stranded by the enhanced community quarantine prompted by the urgent need to contain the deadly coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

The PAL flight is part of the last batch of recovery flights out of the Philippines this weekend to ferry the rest of the estimated 3,000 European tourists trapped in the country’s tourist spots when the government imposed a monthlong travel ban between Luzon island and the rest of the country.

Earlier, 2,000 tourists from the EU were able to leave the country via recovery flights that were allowed to come in on March 18 and during succeeding days. The

special flights were made possible through close coordination between the stranded passengers’ embassies and the Departments of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and of Tourism (DOT), and and local government units that helped stranded tourists travel to Manila and Cebu for the flight home.

Their delayed flights were able to leave last Monday.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. said on Twitter the tourists who will be leaving in

sweeper flights are stranded in Palawan, Siargao, Dumaguete, Iloilo, Bohol, Caticlan, Surigao, Tacloban, Mindanao and Bacolod, and bound for flights to to Cebu and Manila.

On Saturday, PAL flight PR0-720 will leave Ninoy Aquino International Airport for London’s Heathrow airport at around 8:10 a.m., and fly back to Manila at around 1:35 p.m. the following day.

PAL spokesman Cielo Villaluna said “despite the cancellation of regular international and domestic flights until April 14, PAL is operating this special one-off service to the UK to help stranded travelers fly home.”

The Manila-London flight will carry only British nationals in compliance with current Covidrelated restrictions imposed by the United Kingdom’s immigration authorities.

The return flight from London to Manila, on the other hand, will be allowed to carry only Filipino passengers and their foreign spouse and children, and accredited officials of foreign governments and international organizations, to

comply with current Philippine travel entry restrictions.

PAL’s special London service will utilize an Airbus A350-900, which can seat 295 passengers.

Austrians, Swiss, French passengers

Earlier, over 200 Austrian tourists were fetched by sweeper flights organized by the Austrian Embassy in Manila for stranded Austrian and European tourists.

Several European tourists spent their days sleeping in the open air outside of the airport’s Terminal 1 last week after most of them checked out of their respective hotels following the lockdown announcement. They have since

appealed to their respective governments to be taken out of the country.

The two B777s used for chartered Austrian sweeper flights were delayed by the Lionair accident Sunday night, but were eventually able to depart Naia Monday morning.

The Swiss government and its Embassy in Manila spearheaded efforts to bring home 230 Swiss and 100 EU citizens on a chartered Qatar Airways plane.

The European Union (EU) in the Philippines said one recovery flight left Naia for France last Monday and two more recovery flights were scheduled last Tuesday.

Earlier, Norwegian Ambassador Bjørn Jahnsen thanked Locsin

and Undersecretary for Civilian Security and Consular Concerns Atty. Brigido “Dodo” Dulay, who made it possible for the Europeans to board their flights at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport last March 28.

Dulay was in Cebu last weekend to supervise the departures of the Europeans. He said 209 Swedes, Norwegians and Danes flew out of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport for Copenhagen via Phuket on a special flight of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Many of the foreign ministers expressed their thanks to Locsin for his efforts to allow the trapped foreigners to board the recovery flights.

DPWH personnel spray disinfectant on motorists at a checkpoint area at the boundary of Batangas going to Laguna as they impose total lockdown in both provinces to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. ROY DOMINGO

The doctor is online: MakatiMed, PayMaya in ‘teleconsult’ tie-up F INANCIAL technology (fintech) player PayMaya and Makati Medical Center have partnered to offer “teleconsultation” services to provide digital consultations as health-care institutions seek ways to keep providing services without exposing the public to infection risk from the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

Through teleconsultation, a patient may seek medical advice from doctors via mobile and videoconferencing. By partnering with PayMaya, Makati Medical Center allows patients to avail themselves of this service, as payments will be coursed through the mobile app.

The patient and the doctor will have a teleconference session via the Zoom app, and once finished, the patient will receive a text message containing the details on how to pay for the service via PayMaya.

Each doctor will have a unique QR code for the payment.

“As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention. And at times like this where we are facing an unprecedented crisis, our response must be innovative as well. Hopefully, as we pilot this teleconsultation service, we are able to provide much-needed expert medical advice to our patients who

are staying home while we continue being on the frontline fighting the Covid-19 pandemic here in the Philippines,” Makati Medical Center Interim Co-CEO Saturnino P. Javier said.

To access the service, the patients only need to download the Zoom and PayMaya apps and register. They may then arrange for a scheduled consultation with their chosen doctor via Zoom.

“We are one with Makati Medical

Center in looking for solutions that will help address people’s needs during this critical time. By enabling their teleconsultation with digital payments, we allow them to lower the risk of acquiring or spreading the virus among doctors and patients while helping them continue to provide muchneeded health-care services despite the public health situation,” PayMaya President Shailesh Baidwan said.

Lorenz S. Marasigan

A doctor in a community hospital in Parañaque City sees her patient outside the hospital to avoid posing risks to other patients. These doctors not only tend to patients under investigation for Covid-19 but also look after those requiring medical attention for other ailments. NONIE REYES

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Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, April 2, 2020

B1

Century Pacific income up 11% in 2019

By VG Cabuag

F

@villygc

ood canner Century Pacific Food Inc. on Wednesday said its net income grew 11 percent last year to P3.1 billion, from the previous year’s P2.83 billion, mainly due to the strong sales of its branded business.

Consolidated revenues of the maker of Century Tuna and 555 Sardines brands expanded at a slower pace at 7 percent to P40.6 billion, from the previous year's P37.88 billion.

The branded business, comprised of the marine, meat and milk business units, saw sales go up by 12 percent to P31.2 billion, accounting for 77 percent of overall revenues.

In contrast, the commoditylinked tuna and coconut unbranded business, whose revenues accounted

for the balance of 23 percent, saw sales fall by 6 percent year-on-year on the back of lower commodity prices.

Favorable commodity price trends led to improved profitability for the company overall, with consolidated gross profit growing faster than sales, up by 20 percent year-on-year, translating to a 250-basis point rise in overall gross profit margin to 24 percent.

Amid the ongoing threat from the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) leading to the enhanced

Opening of bids for exploration of Mindoro-Cuyo basin deferred

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

T

he Department of Energy (DOE) has suspended the deadline for the submission and opening of bid applications to explore petroleum reserves in Mindoro-Cuyo basin.

“In line with the enhanced community quarantine [ECQ ] throughout Luzon, the opening of applications for Nominated Area No. 5 [Offshore Mindoro], which was originally scheduled

URC extends support to other parts of PHL

on March 31, 2020, is hereby postponed until further notice,” according to a DOE notice.

The agency said that even with such postponement, “there would be no extension for the deadline for the submission of applications, which remains on 31 March 2020, in accordance with DOE DC2017-12-0017.”

The Mindoro-Cuyo basin is a nominated area submitted by an undisclosed firm.

The identity of the nominating party “cannot be disclosed to

protect the integrity of the bidding process,” the DOE had said.

The nomination of an area for exploration is one of the two ways for which investors can participate in the DOE’s Philippine Conventional Energ y Contracting Program (PCECP). The process for this option begins by requesting the DOE for an Area Clearance.

PCECP was established to help reinvigorate petroleum exploration and development activities in the Philippines.

The other option is choosing

an area from the 14 Pre-Determined Areas (PDAs) offered by the DOE. The nominated area is subject for counter challenge by other prospective bidder. Deadline for the submission of documents by counter-proponents is set at 60 calendar days from date of publication by the nominating party.

The nominating party published the existence of its application last January 31. Challengers had until March 31 this year to make a counter offer.

FNI appeals suspension of mine operations

U

niversal Robina Corp.

(URC) has expanded its efforts to communities in other areas of the country, to help mitigate the spread of the deadly coronavirus in the country.

URC Sugar and Renewables Division is donating relief goods as well as sanitation and hygiene products to various checkpoints and Disaster Relief and Rescue Management offices in Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Batangas province, Panay Island and Tuguegarao City.

URC, along with the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation (GBF), has donated cases of Great Taste Coffee, Nissin Noodles, Vitasoy Milk, Magic Crackers and other food products to local government units helping lead efforts to slow the spread of Covid-19 across the Philippines.

These donations have so far reached policemen, soldiers and barangay officials manning checkpoints, in some cities in Metro Manila as well as Tarlac, Laguna, Batangas and Pampanga.

URC and GBF have also been distributing snacks, biscuits, candies, soymilk and instant coffee to several hospitals and checkpoints. These include the Philippine Lung Center, East Avenue Medical Center, the Philippine Heart Center, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, and the Department of Health’s Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Units in the National Capital Region and Region 4A. “Since this problem is not just unique to Metro Manila, we are trying to extend our efforts across the Philippines. We’re all in the same boat, and we all must do whatever we can to help those in the frontline giving their all to keep all of us safe,” said Irwin Lee, URC president and CEO. The Gokongwei Brothers Foundation earlier created a P100-million fund to support the government’s efforts to contain the virus.

community quarantine throughout Luzon, the company assured the public of the continued supply of its products.

“In these challenging times, we recognize the critical role we play in ensuring enough of our products are available to those who need them the most. Thanks to the support of the Department of Trade and Industry and the Inter Agency Task Force, we are able to maintain a smooth flow of goods and operate with enough capacity, despite the use of a skel-

eton workforce,” said Chief Finance Officer Oscar Pobre.

“We will continue working closely with the government to ensure unhampered operations of our company and our supply chain partners. We also remain in close touch with partner local government units for the supply and donation of various food products. Finally, the health, safety, and financial protection of our employees remain paramount and we continue to provide them with care and financial aid,” he added.

Standard Chartered pledges Covid-19 aid

By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad @TyronePiad

S

tandard Chartered Bank is allotting $50 million to aid different sectors severely affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

In a statement on Wednesday, the British banking giant said that all the group’s board and management team members will make personal contributions to the Covid-19 assistance fund.

The first half of the aid is allocated for the emergency relief of the bank's most affected markets.

The remaining $25 million “will help communities over the medium term to recover from the economic impact of the virus,” Standard Chartered added.

To date, the bank has donated a total of $1.85 million to Covid-19 relief programs.

Standard Chartered earlier committed $1-billion loan relief for companies that are manufacturing and distributing pharmaceutical and health-care products.

This also covers those producing ventilators, face masks, protective equipment, sanitizers and other consumables.

The $1-billion commitment is eyed to be given in form of loans, import/export finance or working capital to aid the daily business operations, the banking giant said.

“Our industry teams are looking across our client base and, given our understanding of clients’ cur rent ma nufact ur ing processes, we’re assessing which companies might want to consider adding [anti-virus] items to their production line,” Simon Cooper, Standard Chartered CEO of Corporate, Commercial and Institutional Banking, said in an earlier statement.

The bank added that all financing will be given to companies that received regulatory approval to manufacture such goods.

The multinational banking institution has already activated its business continuity plan following the announcement of Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine few weeks ago.

Its offices in Makati and Quezon City are currently operating with skeletal work force and on flexible working arrangement beginning March 17.

This was in line with the call of Bankers Association of the Philippines to keep the banks’ physical branches operational amid the lockdown in Luzon for transactions that could not be accomplished online.

Standard Chartered reminded its customers that its digital channels are readily accessible for transactions, including cash management, trade, foreign exchange and securities services.

Mega Global Corp. commits ₧50M to help fight virus Photo taken from the web site of Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc.

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

& Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

G

lobal Ferronickel Holdings Inc. (FNI) on Tuesday said it is has requested the local government of Surigao del Norte for exemption from the temporary suspension of mining activities in the province.

The company said its operating arm, Platinum Group Metals Corp.

(PGMC), sought the exemption via an appeal it filed with the Office of the Governor of Surigao del Norte and the Office of the Municipal Mayor of Claver. Business operations in the province have been suspended to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

In particular, FNI is appealing an executive order of the provincial government that has affected the firm's loading of ores to foreign vessel that are already in its mine site.

“The appeal is in response to Executive Order No. 20-011, s. 2020,

dated March 28, 2020, of the Provincial Governor of Surigao del Norte temporarily suspending the company’s mining operations starting April 1, 2020, until the government deems it safe to resume normal operations,” the firm said.

PGMC said the vessels have gone through the 14-day quarantine protocols after leaving their ports of origin, and have been cleared by the Bureau of Quarantine.

FNI, the country’s second-largest nickel producer, explained that Surigao del Norte's order came a few days after Caraga region issued a harmonized guidelines that allow the entry of foreign and domestic vessels for loading ore in mine sites provided they follow necessary quarantine protocols.

The protocols, according to FNI, include that no crew are allowed to disembark from the vessels and that there will be no human physical contact between the crew and ground personnel.

“We are hoping that those in the export sector like us will be allowed

to continue operations to lessen the impact of Covid-19 on the national economy,” said FNI President Dante R. Bravo.

“PGMC falls under the category of export businesses exempt from the closure of establishments according to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Department of Trade and Industry,” Bravo added.

The FNI assured the local community of Claver that it has put in place post-quarantine measures to insulate individuals from Covid-19.

FNI added that all its work will be done within the mine site and personnel involved in the operations will remain within the premises during the quarantine period.

“The significant cost we will save from this exemption will go a long way in supporting our contribution to address the impact of this pandemic to our community and in taking care of a great number of families dependent on our operations for survival,” Bravo said.

M

ega Global Corp., makers of Mega Sardines, has extended a helping hand in the national effort to combat Covid-19, undertaking various initiatives intended to ease the burden of its employees, local communities, health-care institutions, and the government amid the pandemic.

Since the start of the health crisis, the Philippines's largest sardine fishing and canning operator has taken steps through the Mega Tiu Lim Foundation to provide around P50 million in aid to the community and to its employees.

Internally, Mega Global has implemented a safety net to ease the struggles of its workers who have kept company operations running smoothly despite the challenges and risks posed by the enhanced community quarantine to the mobility of people and raw materials.

Mega Global also recognizes the selfless efforts of our country’s frontliners during this time of crisis.

From health-care professionals, security officials, public servants, supermarket staff, to those working tirelessly to provide our basic needs, heroes come in many different uniforms.

As a staple brand, Mega Global relies on the unseen frontliners, the merchandisers and supermarket staff to help them continue to keep shelves stocked with essential food products. To help support these frontliners, they provided care packages for merchandisers and for those who work tirelessly from different groceries and supermarkets nationwide.

Mega Global opened Mega Malasakit Kitchen which provides 500 meals daily to support the unseen frontliners like those manning checkpoints,

supermarkets, and barangay health offices. This program is partnered with different groups such as Lin’s Kitchen, Doña Maria, Ideal Macaroni, Lemon Square Lava Cake, 3J Plasticworld and Mtg. Corp., Fishta Seafood, Fish ‘n Chix, and Rizons ICA Batch ’97.

“These are very difficult times for the whole world, but Mega Global recognizes that it has a moral responsibility to provide support to the greater community. We have been busy with our own efforts and in helping others with their initiatives," said William Tiu Lim, CEO of Mega Global Corp.

"We are making sure that our frontliners are taken care of, our logistics is still unhampered, and we are calibrating operations for maximum output.

Through our humble contributions, we are confident that we can keep the bayanihan spirit alive. In good times and in bad, Mega Global will always be here to keep the Filipino community strong,” he added.

There is no telling when the Covid-19 pandemic will end, but Mega Global believes that each day is an opportunity for everyone to do their part. The company has donated canned goods to various charity drives, LGUs, and other organizations. Aside from the current programs of the company, it pledges to help hospitals with medical equipment in Metro Manila and Zamboanga.

“Rest assured, that no matter how uncertain times may seem, Mega Global will always be one with the Filipino as they face and overcome any challenge. We commit to do the best we can to keep on catching, producing and distributing our canned food products to the Filipino people in these times," added Tiu Lim.

B2

Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, April 2, 2020

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

April 1, 2020

Net Foreign Bid Ask Open High Low Close Volume Value Trade (Peso) Stocks Buy (Sell) FINANCIALs

ASIA UNITED BDO UNIBANK BANK PH ISLANDS CHINABANK EAST WEST BANK METROBANK PHIL NATL BANK PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK UNION BANK BRIGHT KINDLE COL FINANCIAL FERRONOUX HLDG IREMIT MEDCO HLDG NTL REINSURANCE PHIL STOCK EXCH SUN LIFE VANTAGE

44.5 104.1 62 20.1 7.95 39 19.42 38.9 17 112.3 52.75 0.59 15 2.75 0.87 0.26 0.63 158.1 1560 1.01

45.5 105.2 62.05 20.5 7.97 39.95 19.54 44.9 17.1 113 52.8 0.6 15.5 2.82 0.94 0.28 0.67 168.8 1580 1.11

44.95 103.5 61.5 20.8 7.7 39.7 20.2 44.9 17 107.5 53.5 0.59 15.2 2.65 0.94 0.255 0.67 168.7 1580 1.01

45.5 107.2 62.45 20.8 8 39.95 20.95 44.9 17.2 112.3 53.5 0.59 15.2 2.85 0.94 0.28 0.67 168.8 1580 1.11

44.5 99.6 61 19.72 7.65 38.9 19.42 44.9 17 106 52.6 0.59 15.2 2.6 0.94 0.255 0.61 157 1580 1.01

45.5 105.2 62.05 20.7 7.95 39.95 19.42 44.9 17.2 112.3 52.8 0.59 15.2 2.82 0.94 0.27 0.67 168 1580 1.11

7500 3653740 3068010 8900 76400 2984000 1364900 400 5300 218290 1540 14000 200 414000 2000 90000 457000 90 75 13000

337900 378147144 190170708.5 184097 605699 117555555 26853342 17960 90510 24018976 81293 8260 3040 1098980 1880 23500 304990 14931 118500 13230

324250 -82894524.5 -69950552.5 -97172 230690 -29964760 -4629807 3440 3193891 -42747 -1610 -670 5040 7900 -11110

INDUSTRIAL AC ENERGY 2.04 2.07 2.13 2.14 2.03 2.04 11912000 24871660 1.01 1.08 1.1 1.1 1 1 14000 14400 ALSONS CONS ABOITIZ POWER 27.75 28 26 29 25.3 28 2314000 64382295 17.14 17.16 16.6 17.18 16.54 17.14 2413400 41248296 FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG 47 49 47.5 49.9 47 47 710100 33752065 231.2 232.6 223 236.2 220.4 231.2 378950 87621522 MERALCO MANILA WATER 9.66 9.7 9.6 9.78 9.56 9.66 1635900 15819442 2.56 2.59 2.53 2.61 2.5 2.56 2381000 6053500 PETRON PETROENERGY 2.36 2.38 2.42 2.45 2.02 2.38 350000 736290 PHX PETROLEUM 10.1 10.5 10.2 10.5 10.2 10.5 14200 145658 18.88 18.9 19 19 18.82 18.88 412400 7791166 PILIPINAS SHELL SPC POWER 7.9 8.05 8.1 8.14 7.71 8.05 237600 1873824 13.02 15.08 15.1 15.1 15.1 15.1 100 1510 VIVANT AGRINURTURE 6.15 6.25 6.31 6.58 6.2 6.25 250800 1618473 2.24 2.3 2.19 2.4 2.13 2.29 1797000 4074200 AXELUM BOGO MEDELLIN 85 94.5 73 89.45 73 89.45 280 24492.5 13.5 13.56 13.5 13.56 13.4 13.5 1549500 20916974 CENTURY FOOD 4.88 5 5.05 5.05 4.88 4.88 2318000 11460100 DNL INDUS EMPERADOR 7.99 8 7.97 8.1 7.91 8 233500 1865953 48.6 50 50 51.6 47.7 50 389870 19344312 SMC FOODANDBEV ALLIANCE SELECT 0.5 0.51 0.52 0.53 0.5 0.5 378000 192880 1.19 1.2 1.18 1.23 1.16 1.19 9760000 11700290 FRUITAS HLDG GINEBRA 32.05 32.2 32 32.2 32 32.2 1379900 44359060 103.1 103.2 107 109.6 103 103.2 2526960 267016685 JOLLIBEE LIBERTY FLOUR 29.95 39.9 29.95 29.95 29.95 29.95 100 2995 4.75 5.89 4.9 5.16 4.9 5 8000 40210 MACAY HLDG 4.63 4.7 4.7 4.8 4.62 4.7 865000 4065560 MAXS GROUP PEPSI COLA 1.8 1.81 1.8 1.82 1.71 1.8 5803000 10444940 4.7 4.79 5 5.02 4.54 4.7 3664000 17734910 SHAKEYS PIZZA ROXAS AND CO 1.39 1.41 1.35 1.42 1.35 1.39 41000 57380 4.35 4.51 4.11 4.55 4.1 4.51 161000 674990 RFM CORP SWIFT FOODS 0.102 0.11 0.102 0.111 0.1 0.111 2070000 209620 104 104.2 103.3 107.4 102 104 2577990 268788410 UNIV ROBINA VITARICH 0.88 0.9 0.88 0.92 0.87 0.9 23162000 20632120 48.2 55.9 45.5 45.8 45.5 45.8 110 5008 CONCRETE A 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.04 1.05 2825000 2999990 CEMEX HLDG EAGLE CEMENT 7.39 7.4 7.5 7.5 7.36 7.4 116900 866148 5.17 5.19 5.22 5.31 5.19 5.19 191500 997505 EEI CORP HOLCIM 11.74 12.2 12.28 12.28 12.2 12.2 500300 6103678 6.25 6.27 6.4 6.42 6.2 6.27 1375600 8647264 MEGAWIDE PHINMA 8.26 8.95 8.95 8.95 8.2 8.95 10500 87395 0.7 0.71 0.73 0.73 0.66 0.7 122000 84230 TKC METALS 0.56 0.59 0.57 0.61 0.51 0.59 232000 131240 VULCAN INDL CROWN ASIA 1.83 1.92 1.8 1.92 1.76 1.92 25000 46550 1.92 1.95 1.99 1.99 1.9 1.95 932000 1802320 EUROMED MABUHAY VINYL 3.08 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.1 18000 55800 4.02 4.3 4.28 4.3 4.28 4.3 14000 60160 PRYCE CORP CONCEPCION 20.55 28.95 28.95 28.95 28.95 28.95 100 2895 0.8 0.81 0.82 0.82 0.79 0.81 536000 431070 GREENERGY INTEGRATED MICR 4.55 4.65 4.5 4.69 4.5 4.52 67000 305440 0.96 0.99 0.96 1.01 0.93 0.99 544000 524430 IONICS 0.75 0.77 0.73 0.78 0.71 0.78 255000 188490 SFA SEMICON CIRTEK HLDG 6.4 6.44 6.69 6.69 6.31 6.4 1100500 7106431

-1034630 19254955 13147896 8970310 27526272 -8687540 -2809780 26909.9999 -6887522 204550 -1510 -1020960 -517490 -332 -2518060 -151044 2655641 8000 603290 44220800 -53627438 -5000 -3308090 -489730 -9866480 84800 -200839.9999 -56954636 209830 -57973 -264060 -1318820 -1074632 -17800 -55800 -151220 8850 -17440 12441

HOLDING & FRIMS

ABACORE CAPITAL ASIABEST GROUP AYALA CORP ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL AYALA LAND LOG ANSCOR ANGLO PHIL HLDG ATN HLDG A ATN HLDG B COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV FORUM PACIFIC GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP MABUHAY HLDG METRO PAC INV PACIFICA HLDG SYNERGY GRID SM INVESTMENTS SAN MIGUEL CORP SOC RESOURCES TOP FRONTIER WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HLDG

0.51 5.5 461 38.65 6.82 1.62 6 0.52 0.5 0.52 4.93 3.85 8.02 0.134 403 3.61 55.55 2.83 7.61 0.425 2.55 2.9 135 817 91.9 0.6 152 0.168 0.128

0.52 5.55 463 38.75 6.97 1.68 6.32 0.53 0.52 0.56 5 3.9 9.4 0.18 407.8 3.7 56 2.86 7.99 0.51 2.56 2.99 158 826 92 0.62 152.5 0.188 0.138

0.52 5.52 468 37.7 6.85 1.76 6 0.53 0.52 0.56 4.93 3.8 8.4 0.18 408.2 3.6 53.5 2.82 8 0.415 2.44 2.99 150 811 94.85 0.61 151.9 0.184 0.128

0.53 5.69 474.8 38.75 6.97 1.8 6 0.53 0.52 0.56 5 3.92 9.4 0.18 410 3.61 56 2.86 8 0.51 2.55 2.99 158 830 94.85 0.65 152.5 0.188 0.128

0.51 5.51 459.6 35.5 6.74 1.57 6 0.52 0.52 0.56 4.65 3.79 8 0.18 402 3.6 52.4 2.82 7.51 0.415 2.43 2.75 150 801 91.4 0.6 151 0.184 0.128

0.51 5.51 463 38.75 6.97 1.62 6 0.52 0.52 0.56 5 3.9 9.4 0.18 403 3.61 56 2.86 7.99 0.51 2.55 2.75 158 826 92 0.6 152.5 0.188 0.128

1428000 56900 970910 1437600 2087000 1957000 30500 154000 13000 31000 2456000 5491000 20500 10000 197300 70000 3097460 34000 1260200 2000 50193000 2000 660 454990 293870 132000 610 110000 10000

737200 314292 453336258 53896535 14374236 3205570 183000 81000 6760 17360 12061430 21231650 167218 1800 79650806 252200 167678081 96680 9792434 925 125771830 5740 101430 375206560 27135336 79970 92805 20280 1280

138770 -119706758 -10415650 -3290089 225160 2400 388060 4864210 28618 -19270566 -241370 -66646891.5 -70940 -401249 28797290 3100 -77211640 7952714.5 63970 -

PROPERTY ARTHALAND CORP 0.6 0.61 0.61 0.61 0.57 0.6 1575000 943140 31 31.15 30.8 31.6 30.3 31.15 17857100 554754335 AYALA LAND ARANETA PROP 1.02 1.1 1.02 1.02 1.02 1.02 3000 3060 1.3 1.31 1.33 1.34 1.3 1.31 255000 331980 BELLE CORP A BROWN 0.52 0.53 0.51 0.53 0.51 0.53 378000 198640 0.7 0.77 0.79 0.79 0.77 0.77 9000 6950 CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES 0.126 0.135 0.127 0.127 0.127 0.127 30000 3810 5.5 6 6.06 6.1 5.99 6 219500 1328771 CEBU HLDG CEB LANDMASTERS 3.75 3.79 3.7 3.95 3.7 3.8 460000 1720720 CENTURY PROP 0.36 0.37 0.365 0.375 0.355 0.355 1100000 401350 0.236 0.295 0.236 0.236 0.236 0.236 10000 2360 CYBER BAY DOUBLEDRAGON 16.14 16.16 16.18 16.18 15.9 16.16 253500 4067400 6.9 7 6.9 7 6.9 7 5000 34700 DM WENCESLAO EMPIRE EAST 0.295 0.31 0.3 0.31 0.3 0.3 300000 90600 0.91 0.94 0.92 0.94 0.9 0.91 9257000 8529710 FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE 0.75 0.77 0.77 0.77 0.75 0.75 193000 145190 11.82 11.96 11.98 12 11.78 11.96 341900 4055694 8990 HLDG 0.7 0.71 0.68 0.72 0.68 0.7 423000 294460 PHIL INFRADEV MEGAWORLD 2.6 2.62 2.5 2.62 2.35 2.62 36475000 91807340 0.14 0.142 0.141 0.142 0.139 0.14 7430000 1044860 MRC ALLIED PHIL ESTATES 0.32 0.375 0.38 0.38 0.35 0.35 2850000 1082500 1.5 1.7 1.7 1.71 1.7 1.7 25000 42560 PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND 14.56 14.6 15 15 13.5 14.56 1924800 27689746 0.255 0.29 0.28 0.28 0.28 0.28 50000 14000 PHIL REALTY ROCKWELL 1.44 1.45 1.48 1.5 1.44 1.44 512000 744640 SHANG PROP 2.6 2.98 2.75 2.99 2.75 2.85 232000 661300 1.98 2 1.98 2.01 1.96 2 1157000 2313770 STA LUCIA LAND SM PRIME HLDG 28.3 28.45 28.4 29.85 28.05 28.3 11654300 334364935 3.44 3.58 3.51 3.64 3.32 3.55 132000 461910 VISTAMALLS SUNTRUST HOME 1.2 1.21 1.12 1.24 1.12 1.2 892000 1075320 4.06 4.08 4.01 4.18 3.9 4.06 985000 3998410 VISTA LAND

43360500 160100 918156.9997 37500 -1730918 14000 -1144040 607724 10096160 -1700 -1654636 -250980 -60649740 -1954440

SERVICES ABS CBN 15.84 15.9 15.86 15.94 15.76 15.9 102000 1615508 5 5.2 5.29 5.29 5 5 356800 1815023 GMA NETWORK MANILA BULLETIN 0.37 0.38 0.37 0.375 0.37 0.375 200000 74450 1980 2000 1912 2000 1912 2000 79425 158138405 GLOBE TELECOM PLDT 1155 1159 1115 1179 1105 1159 275320 317150420 0.038 0.039 0.04 0.04 0.038 0.039 2900000 111600 APOLLO GLOBAL DITO CME HLDG 1.59 1.6 1.75 1.78 1.57 1.6 100339000 168551260 0.07 0.073 0.09 0.09 0.08 0.081 2310000 185380 ISLAND INFO NOW CORP 1.54 1.55 1.41 1.62 1.41 1.54 3886000 5947540 TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.153 0.16 0.16 0.16 0.15 0.16 830000 128180 1.5 1.55 1.56 1.56 1.48 1.55 943000 1431140 PHILWEB 2GO GROUP 5.98 6.09 6.19 6.19 6 6.09 21000 128899 15 17.44 15.9 15.9 15.9 15.9 100 1590 ASIAN TERMINALS CHELSEA 2.69 2.7 2.9 2.91 2.7 2.7 2383000 6587730 45.5 45.55 46.5 46.9 44 45.55 260400 11964960 CEBU AIR INTL CONTAINER 75.75 77 73 77 72.5 77 1394050 104875753.5 10.5 11.5 11.6 11.6 10.5 10.5 1400 14920 LBC EXPRESS 0.68 0.89 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 5000 3500 LORENZO SHIPPNG MACROASIA 4.57 4.6 4.77 5.35 4.4 4.6 4409000 20760160 1.5 1.51 1.55 1.61 1.45 1.51 971000 1453100 METROALLIANCE A METROALLIANCE B 1.48 1.58 1.48 1.59 1.48 1.59 3000 4660 6.3 6.6 6.6 6.6 6.5 6.6 6200 40605 PAL HLDG HARBOR STAR 0.74 0.77 0.75 0.77 0.73 0.77 478000 358930 1.11 1.36 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25 7000 8750 ACESITE HOTEL BOULEVARD HLDG 0.026 0.027 0.027 0.027 0.026 0.026 3000000 79500 1.71 1.9 1.96 1.96 1.7 1.71 5000 9040 DISCOVERY WORLD 0.365 0.38 0.395 0.395 0.35 0.38 1290000 471000 WATERFRONT STI HLDG 0.395 0.4 0.395 0.4 0.39 0.395 4490000 1783200 2.02 2.2 2.2 2.28 2.2 2.28 4000 8880 BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY 5.96 6 5.9 6.05 5.78 6 1804700 10751388 1.6 1.8 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6 2000 3200 PACIFIC ONLINE LEISURE AND RES 1.35 1.43 1.43 1.43 1.35 1.43 33000 47110 3.8 4.08 4 4 4 4 1000 4000 PH RESORTS GRP PREMIUM LEISURE 0.3 0.305 0.305 0.305 0.29 0.3 1910000 571650 4.94 5 4.74 5.35 4.74 4.94 13340000 67991650 ALLHOME 1.46 1.47 1.38 1.49 1.38 1.47 2118000 3063590 METRO RETAIL PUREGOLD 38 38.05 36.95 39.8 36.5 38 4609100 177123870 55.95 57.2 57 57.2 55.15 57.2 143460 8141957.5 ROBINSONS RTL PHIL SEVEN CORP 130.1 135 135 135 130.1 130.1 240 31469 1.3 1.35 1.26 1.35 1.2 1.3 1256000 1593650 SSI GROUP WILCON DEPOT 12.84 12.92 13.1 13.1 12.84 12.84 695800 8987814 0.25 0.255 0.246 0.255 0.246 0.255 830000 208020 APC GROUP 4.85 5.3 4.7 5.45 4.7 4.84 41000 211000 EASYCALL GOLDEN BRIA 330 362 365 365 365 365 40 14600 2.13 2.5 2.1 2.13 2.1 2.13 6000 12750 PAXYS PRMIERE HORIZON 0.196 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.195 0.196 820000 161890 5.4 5.6 5.5 5.6 5.5 5.6 200 1110 SBS PHIL CORP

21893845 40140545 5282800 673810 -343350 -40434 -35530 -962855 20727329.5 2318710 -250 -628800 -1701401 -12908600 598259.9997 -2401335 -3502321.5 24719 -91110 -2238258 12450 -

MINING & OIL

ATOK 10 10.82 10.86 10.86 10.86 10.86 9300 100998 APEX MINING 0.7 0.71 0.71 0.71 0.7 0.71 356000 252260 0.001 0.0011 0.001 0.0011 0.001 0.0011 13000000 13900 ABRA MINING ATLAS MINING 1.72 1.88 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.9 61000 115900 0.207 0.24 0.24 0.24 0.2 0.2 340000 74380 COAL ASIA HLDG CENTURY PEAK 2.43 2.6 2.6 2.61 2.6 2.61 100000 260440 260440 6.2 6.35 6.2 6.35 6.08 6.35 3500 21523 DIZON MINES FERRONICKEL 0.58 0.59 0.55 0.6 0.55 0.59 3242000 1877820 -393860 GEOGRACE 0.182 0.187 0.187 0.187 0.183 0.183 20000 3700 0.075 0.076 0.074 0.075 0.072 0.075 5170000 385930 LEPANTO A LEPANTO B 0.071 0.083 0.083 0.083 0.083 0.083 10000 830 0.58 0.59 0.57 0.62 0.57 0.59 209000 123990 MARCVENTURES NIHAO 0.86 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.86 0.86 10000 8820 1.53 1.54 1.53 1.56 1.52 1.54 2550000 3931670 -1091060 NICKEL ASIA ORNTL PENINSULA 0.47 0.475 0.46 0.475 0.46 0.475 100000 46650 2.03 2.05 2.04 2.06 2.02 2.02 130000 262790 -96980 PX MINING 11.44 11.7 11.3 11.74 11.18 11.44 2006800 22830456 2224712 SEMIRARA MINING UNITED PARAGON 0.0033 0.0038 0.004 0.004 0.0032 0.0032 11000000 41500 5.11 5.22 5.11 5.25 5.11 5.11 4600 23520 ACE ENEXOR PHILODRILL 0.0067 0.0076 0.007 0.0077 0.007 0.007 22000000 154700 4.04 4.05 4.14 4.18 4.04 4.04 333000 1359910 -35030 PXP ENERGY

PREFFERED AC PREF B1 498 506 500 500 498 498 10000 4980020 ALCO PREF B 98.5 100 100 100 100 100 7000 700000 485 496 488 488 485 485 500 243100 -238220 AC PREF B2R CPG PREF A 97 100 100 100 100 100 80 8000 97.3 97.8 97.8 97.8 97.8 97.8 18780 1836684 DD PREF FPH PREF C 450.4 480 480 480 480 480 40 19200 980 989 980 980 980 980 1170 1146600 GTCAP PREF B PNX PREF 3A 98.1 98.5 98.5 98.5 98.5 98.5 1680 165480 102 104 100 102 100 102 16000 1603408 PNX PREF 3B 996 999 999 999 996 999 2110 2107675 PNX PREF 4 PCOR PREF 3A 1015 1016 1015 1016 1015 1015 7615 7730125 -456750 1022 1030 1022 1022 1022 1022 7500 7665000 -459900 PCOR PREF 3B SMC PREF 2C 75.2 76.4 75.5 75.5 75.5 75.5 14550 1098525 73.75 74 74 74 73.75 73.75 500 36975 SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E 73.1 74.4 74.4 74.4 74.4 74.4 20 1488 74.3 74.7 74.8 74.8 74.7 74.7 4730 353481 SMC PREF 2F 74.05 75 74.9 75 74.9 74.9 60000 4495000 SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I 73.25 74.5 74.5 74.5 74.5 74.5 9000 670500

PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR 13.98 14.5 13.9 13.98 13.9 13.98 11600 162146 -22346 GMA HLDG PDR 4.89 4.9 5.24 5.24 4.9 4.9 187800 927026 -372260

WARRANTS LR WARRANT 0.69 0.75 0.66 0.66 0.64 0.64 4000 2620

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES ITALPINAS 2.01 2.02 2.08 2.09 2.01 2.02 296000 605620 KEPWEALTH 6.05 6.09 5.7 6.5 5.7 6.05 521100 3146366 0.46 0.47 0.47 0.48 0.46 0.47 1420000 669800 XURPAS

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS

FIRST METRO ETF 81.7 81.8 81.45 82 80.5 81.8 42080 3427934.5 81450

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Sarangani power project boosts Alsons net income

A

By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

LCANTARA-led Alsons Consolidated Resources Inc. (ACR) ended 2019 with a net income of P938 million, up 67 percent from P563 million recorded in 2018, mainly due to sustained revenues.

The publicly listed firm recorded P6.8 billion in revenue last year from P6.66 billion the previous year. The key revenue and income driver for the company continues to be the 210-megawatt (MW) Sa-

rangani Energy Corporation (SEC) coal-fired baseload power plant located in Maasim, Sarangani Province.

The SEC plant began operating at full capacity with the commence-

ment of operations of the plant’s second 105 MW Section in October 2019. SEC currently delivers power to around 6 million people in Sarangani Province, General Santos City, and other parts of Mindanao.

ACR has a portfolio of four power facilities with an aggregate capacity of 468 MW serving over 8 million people in 14 cities and 11 provinces including key urban centers such as Cagayan de Oro, General Santos, Iligan, and Zamboanga City.

It is currently building a P4.5billion 14.5 MW run-of-river hydroelectric power plant at the Siguil River basin in Maasim, Sarangani Province. This is expected to begin commercial operations in 2022 and

will provide power to Sarangani Province, General Santos City and key municipalities of South Cotabato.

Another project in ACR’s pipeline is the 105-MW San Ramon Power Inc. (SRPI) baseload coalfired power plant in Zamboanga City, which is slated to begin operations in 2023.

Apart from power generation, ACR is also engaged in property development. The company is in partnership with Ayala Land Inc. in the development of Azuela Cove, a 26-hectare township project in Davao City. The first two Ayala Land Premier towers were successfully launched in 2018 and are currently under construction.

Pilmico donates flour for soup kitchen’s bread P

ILMICO Foods Corp. donated sacks of flour for almost 60,000 pieces of bread that are being distributed by Duterte’s Kitchen to the frontliners in healthcare institutions and checkpoints who are fighting the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

The Aboitiz Group food subsidiary will continue to supply the soup kitchen with these bread until April 14 to be given to medical staff at the Philippine General Hospital, East Avenue Medical Center, Las Piñas Doctors’ Hospital, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, and Ospital ng Muntinlupa, as well as personnel at checkpoints in Antipolo City, Las Piñas City, Muntinlupa City and Cavite.

Likewise, informal settlers near and around BF Homes in Las Piñas, including those whose homes were razed by fire last March 5, were provided with such food items.

“Our hardworking frontliners in the field deserve our confidence and

support, and we in the Aboitiz Group are behind them for the long-term,” said Sabin M. Aboitiz, president and CEO of Aboitiz Group.

“With our donation of bread flour, we hope to be able to meet their immediate nutritional needs to ensure the continuation of their valuable service moving forward,” he added.

The f lour donation was cosponsored by the Philippine Military Academy Makatarungan Class 1978, Rotary Club of Makati Central, businessman Arben Santos, Cusinex Corp., and the Philippine Association of Flour Millers Inc. Pilmico is the integrated agribusiness and food firm of Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. It is composed of four divisions: Flour, Feeds, Farms and Trading.

Founded in Quezon City in 2016, Duterte’s Kitchen is a donation-driven, nongovernment organization that aims to address hunger among poor Filipinos. Roderick L. Abad

PDIC grants payment relief for banks’ clients

By Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM

S

tate deposit insurer Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) is granting payment relief for corporate and closed banks’ clients while the entire Luzon is under enhanced community quarantine period to contain the pandemic.

The payment relief is applied retroactively beginning March 15 and shall be effective for the entire duration of the quarantine period as determined by the President, according to a statement from PDIC. “Borrowers who have scheduled payments, including downpayments are not obligated to settle their accounts during this period. Borrowers who have loans with monthly amortizations, are given a one month extension in the term of their loan. They can thus, settle their payments due, without penalty charges, one month from the lifting of the quarantine period,” said PDIC. Moreover, all subsequent amortization schedules will be adjusted by one month.

Meanwhile, borrowers who have loans under quarterly, semestral and annual amortizations or lump-sum payments have a one-month grace period reckoned from the lifting of the community quarantine to settle their accounts without penalty charges.

For real property buyers with

payments, including downpayments due during the quarantine period, they are also not required to pay the amounts due during the period.

Those who pay monthly installments are given one-month extension in the term of their obligation and thus may settle payments without penalty charges within one month from the lifting of the quarantine period. Their subsequent amortization schedules shall also be adjusted by another month and they shall also be given one-month grace period from the lifting of the quarantine period to settle their respective amortizations or lump-sum payments without penalty charges.

Lessees of PDIC and closed bank properties whose lease payments are due during the quarantine period are also give one-month grace period from lifting of community quarantine to pay without penalty charges.

However, they may opt to pay the amount due within the remaining term of the lease contract, divided pro-rata without penalty charges.

While 400 of its clients have issued postdated checks to cover payments for loans, property acquisitions and lease, PDIC said these checks will not be transacted consistent with the payment relief terms.

These shall be deposited one month after the lifting of the quarantine period because these checks will be used by clients to cover their basic needs at this time, PDIC said.

mutual funds

April 1, 2020

NAV One Year Three Year Five Year Y-T-D per share Return* Return Stock Funds ALFM Growth Fund, Inc. -a 177.58 -33.03% -11.39% -9.18% -29.5% ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 0.8653 -46.5% -15.35% -10.7% -37.39% ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 2.3882 -42.04% -16.25% -11.68% -35.07% Climbs Share Capital Equity Investment Fund Corp. -a 0.6004 -36.26% n.a. n.a. -33.07% First Metro Consumer Fund on MSCI Phils. IMI, Inc. -a 0.6096 -29.92% n.a. n.a. -28.22% First Metro Save and Learn Equity Fund,Inc. -a 3.8456 -30.14% -9.13% -8.4% -27.83% First Metro Save and Learn Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a,6 0.5968 -32.06% -13.18% n.a.

-30.08% MBG Equity Investment Fund, Inc. -a 66.72 -47.81% n.a. n.a. -35.43% PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. -a 35.1978 -32.5% -10.32% n.a. -31.36% Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 378.56 -30.66% -9.75% -8.26% -28.95% Philequity Alpha One Fund, Inc. -a,d,8 0.7942 n.a. n.a. n.a.

-22.9% Philequity Dividend Yield Fund, Inc. -a 0.9087 -30.92% -9.68% -7.56% -29.39% Philequity Fund, Inc. -a 26.6263 -31.48% -9% -7.43% -29.74% Philequity MSCI Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a,1 0.6932 -33.45% n.a. n.a. -31.91% -7.35% -31.36% Philequity PSE Index Fund Inc. -a 3.5854 -32.07% -9.73% Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a 598.69 -32.04% -9.72% -7.57% -31.35% Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 0.5511 -40.43% -13.55% -11.29% -35.27% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Equity Fund, Inc. -a 2.8211 -34.96% -10.51% -8.53% -32.98% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Stock Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.6882 -32.06% -9.84% n.a. -31.24% United Fund, Inc. -a 2.5385 -31.8% -7.74% -6.45% -30.51% Exchange Traded Fund First Metro Phil. Equity Exchange Traded Fund, Inc. -a,c 80.2292 -31.92% -9.23% -6.76% -31.4% ATRAM AsiaPlus Equity Fund, Inc. -b $0.8398 -16.71% -3.66% -3.7% -18.34% Sun Life Prosperity World Voyager Fund, Inc. -a $1.1257 -10.25% 0.68% n.a. -18.35% Balanced Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ATRAM Dynamic Allocation Fund, Inc. -a 1.4146 -18.18% -6.32% -6.26% -9.48% ATRAM Philippine Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 1.867 -19.63% -6.43% -4.69% -14.4% First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund Inc. -a 2.2261 -16.17% -3.6% -5.53% -15.41% First Metro Save and Learn F.O.C.C.U.S. Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a,5 0.1759 n.a. n.a. n.a.

-23.02% NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils., Inc. -a 1.7323 -9.67% -1.95% -2.43% -11.76% PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a 3.1365 -14.83% -4.5% -4.46% -17.22% Philam Fund, Inc. -a 14.1022 -15.33% -4.46% -4.43% -16.85% -5% -3.83% -16.37% Solidaritas Fund, Inc. -a 1.7778 -17.32% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.019 -21.81% -5.78% -5.25% -21.86% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2028, Inc. -a,d,2 0.8403 -16.4% n.a. n.a. -17.27% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a,d,2 0.7421 -26.14% n.a. n.a. -25.52% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a,d,2 0.7228 -27.87% n.a. n.a. -27.23% Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a 0.7251 -26.61% -7.82% -7.41% -25.62% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Cocolife Dollar Fund Builder, Inc. -a $0.03767 4.23% 2.08% 1.37% -1.46% PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -a $0.8683 -11.76% -2.79% -2.66% -16.34% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $3.3253 -8.68% 0.47% 0.22% -14.97% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a,7 $1.0046 -6.48% -0.42% n.a.

-11% Bond Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 360.52 3.87% 2.86% 2.3% 0.76% ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a 1.9158 2.09% 0.69% -0.36% 0.73% Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a 3.1461 4.72% 5.08% 5.06% 0.96% Ekklesia Mutual Fund Inc. -a 2.2371 3.62% 2.32% 1.87% 0.54% First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund,Inc. -a 2.3567 3.69% 2.23% 1.19% -0.1% Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a 4.3512 7.77% 1.48% -0.5% 2.56% Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.7534 4.09% 2.66% 1.28% -0.92% Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a 0.9588 4% 1.31% 0.09% -0.57% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.0522 5.69% 3.97% 2.34% -0.77% Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. -a 1.6935 5.47% 3.59% 1.99% -0.45% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $466.76 2.89% 2.3% 2.42% -0.31% ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a Є213.96 -0.98% 0.65% 0.56% -2.63% ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b $1.1538 -0.88% 1.14% 1.33% -4.42% 0.81% First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.0254 0.79% 0.66% -1.55% PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc -a $1.0461 -1.89% -0.69% -0.89% -4.48% Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $2.3273 2.88% 1.86% 1.76% -3.18% Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc. -a $0.0591308 1.82% 1.28% 1.25% -1.96% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $3.0977 4.01% 1.7% 1.8% -2.44% Money Market Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 126.74 3.71% 2.98% 2.25% 0.76% First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a,3 1.0337 2.73% n.a. n.a.

0.72% Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a 1.253 4.93% 2.97% 1.59% -0.29% Sun Life Prosperity Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.274 3.47% 2.97% 2.48% 0.74% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.0396 1.71% n.a. n.a.

0.23% Feeder Fund Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Global Multi-Asset Income Fund Inc. -b,d,4 $0.86 n.a. n.a. n.a. -13.13% a - NAVPS as of the previous banking day. b - NAVPS as of two banking days ago. c - Listed in the PSE. d - in Net Asset Value per Unit (NAVPU).

1 - Launch date is January 3, 2019. 2 - Launch date is January 28, 2019. 3 - Launch date is February 1, 2019. 4 - Launch date is November 15, 2019.

5 - Launch date is September 28, 2019. 6 - Renaming was approved by the SEC last October 12, 2018 (formerly, One Wealthy Nation Fund, Inc.).

7 - Adjusted due to stock dividend issuance last October 9, 2019. 8 - Launch date is December 09, 2019.

"While we endeavor to keep the information accurate, the Philippine Investment Funds Association (PIFA) and its members make no warranties as to the correctness of the newspaper’s publication and assume no liability or responsibility for any error or omissions. You may visit http://www. pifa. com.ph to see the latest NAVPS/NAVPU."

Editor: Eleanor Leyco-Chua

Health&Fitness BusinessMirror

Thursday, April 2, 2020 B3

What does Covid-19 do to your lungs?

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The Internet has become the source of information for everyone, especially the social media. Most of us has been reading a lot about this pandemic, we have shared many facts and tips we think are helpful to fight this virus. We also want to dissect every piece of article we read to fathom how a virus can kill thousands of people and how come there is still no cure for this flu-like disease?

Amid the increasing number of Covid-19 cases, the lockdown, the curfew and other distancing protocols, many people not only in the Philippines but around the world are not taking this pandemic seriously so they disregard the safety measures set by authorities because maybe they do not understand what this virus can do to their lungs, to their health.

The webmd.com in one of its articles online briefly outlined the harmful effects of Covid-19 when a person gets infected.

The webmd.com says “Covid-19 can cause a range of breathing problems, from mild to critical. Older adults and people who have other health conditions like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes may have more serious symptoms.”

Here’s what the new coronavirus does to your lungs according to webmd.com

Coronavirus and your lungs

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Co-

vid-19, is part of the coronavirus family.

When the virus gets in your body, it comes into contact with the mucous membranes that line your nose, mouth, and eyes. The virus enters a healthy cell and uses the cell to make new virus parts. It multiplies, and the new viruses infect nearby cells.

Think of your respiratory tract as an upside-down tree. The trunk is your trachea, or windpipe. It splits into smaller and smaller branches in your lungs. At the end of each branch are tiny air sacs called alveoli. This is where oxygen goes into your blood and carbon dioxide comes out.

The new coronavirus can infect the upper or lower part of your respiratory tract. It travels down your airways.

The lining can become irritated and inflamed. In some cases, the infection can reach all the way down into your alveoli.

Covid-19 is a new condition, and scientists are learning more every day about what it can do to your lungs.

They believe that the effects on your body are similar to those of two other coronavirus diseases, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).

Mild and moderate cases

As the infection travels your respiratory tract, your immune system fights back. Your lungs and airways swell and become inflamed. This can start in one part of your lung and spread.

Monika Wisniewska | Dreamstime.com

ince the announcement of the lockdown in Luzon, the number of infected people and recorded deaths has created panic, worries and anxiety among Pinoys as the number of Covid-19 cases in the country continues to rise.

About 80 percent of people who have Covid-19 get mild to moderate symptoms. You may have a dry cough or a sore throat. Some people have pneumonia, a lung infection in which the alveoli are inflamed.

Doctors can see signs of respiratory inflammation on a chest x-ray or CT scan. On a chest CT, they may see something they call “ground-glass opacity” because it looks like the frosted glass on a shower door.

Severe cases

About 14 percent of Covid-19 cases are severe, with an infection that affects both lungs. As the swelling gets worse, your lungs fill with fluid and debris.

You might also have more serious pneumonia. The air sacs fill with mucus, fluid, and other cells that are trying to fight the infection. This can make it harder for your body to take in oxygen. You may have trouble breathing or feel short of breath. You may also breathe faster.

If your doctor takes a CT scan of your chest, the opaque spots in your lungs look like they start to connect to

each other.

Critical cases

In critical Covid-19—about 5 percent of total cases—the infection can damage the walls and linings of the air sacs in your lungs. As your body tries to fight it, your lungs become more inflamed and fill with fluid. This can make it harder for them to swap oxygen and carbon dioxide.

You might have severe pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). In the most critical cases, your lungs need help from a machine called a ventilator to do their job.

Covid-19 complications

It can take time to feel better after you have pneumonia. You may feel more tired than usual for a while. You might also find that you can’t exercise like you used to.

Some people had a cough even after they recovered from Covid-19. Others had scarring in their lungs. Doctors are still studying whether these effects are permanent or might heal over time.

Source: www.webmd.com

Aboitiz Foundation installs handwashing sinks in Cebu, leads donation drive in Manila C EBU CITY—The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (Rafi), the corporate social responsibility arm of the Aboitiz family, has partnered with the Cebu City government and the Metropolitan Cebu Water District for #HUNAW (Cebuano for “to wash one’s hands”), a handwashing campaign launched as an intervention to fight the severity of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

We are addressing something basic here yet proven to be the most effective way to prevent getting and spreading the virus. Unfortunately, there are some areas with low water supply and without clean handwashing facilities, this is why we are installing sinks with the support of the local government unit and the water district. More than that, we are deploying handwashing trucks that can reach impoverished communities,” said Riella B. Guioguio, Rafi chief operating officer.

The World Health Organization advises that the two most basic ways to prevent the spread of the highly contagious virus are maintaining social distance and proper handwashing.

With #HUNAW, Rafi aims to provide such facilities and raise awareness of the importance of

proper handwashing through the deployment of portable sinks called “Hunawan Stations” at bus terminals, parking lots, jeepney stops, and other places where people convene around the city.

A prototype Hunawan Station is currently installed outside the Rafi Building in Cebu City for a trial run. The #HUNAW campaign is set for

an initial run of one month which started last March 26. Rafi will also deploy a roving “Hunawan Truck” with a sink facility and loudspeakers to Cebu City’s underserved areas to address the hygiene concerns in densely-populated informal settlements.

Rafi continues to conduct further site assessments to identify additional areas to set up Hunawan Stations and deploy the Hunawan Truck. The Foundation is also looking for partners—organizations and individuals—to help further amplify its campaign to combat the spread of Covid-19.

Cebu City has been placed under enhanced community quarantine effective March 28 as a preemptive measure to mitigate the spread of the Covid-19 virus. As of March 25, Rafi has already activated its Humanitarian Disaster Preparedness and Response team to serve as the conduit of local and international donations on identified Rafi interventions. Including grants, the running total of this effort already stands at P6 million.

To date, these interventions include the provision of PPE kits (hazardous material suits, face masks, and face shields) to 2,000 health

I

prevent the disease.

TB-Free Araneta City has become a trigger for people to be more conscious of their health and its effects to the community one moves in. Before, TB equals stigma; now, through education, consciousness has been changed.

In its first year of the campaign, Araneta City has led free x-ray screenings to benefit the employees, agency personnel and its tenants.

The education drive was achieved through TB orientation sessions and a massive city-wide advertising campaign. Those positive with TB were referred to Barangay Socorro Health Center for treatment. With the able assistance of ACI’s HR Department and the Clinic, they availed of the SSS sickness benefit for them to be compensated for their two-week absence.

To date, 80 percent of the TB cases are cleared and are now reporting to work.

During the March 24 World TB commem-

oration this 2020, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said those with TB are at higher risk of getting Covid-19. “Old age, malnutrition, heavy smoking, weak immune system, being a person living with human immunodeficiency virus [PLHIV], and chronic conditions like diabetes and renal disease increase the risk for people to become vulnerable to both Covid-19 and TB,” he also said. He added that when a person goes to a hospital for respiratory symptoms and qualifies with the criteria set by the DOH for testing, but tests negative for Covid-19, that patient should be considered presumptive for TB. JAAF remains steadfast in its commitment to an Araneta City TB-free workplace, fully achieving it by 2022.

“What Araneta City is doing is nothing new. How can we not end TB when screening, medication and patient care are available for us

By Greggy H. Romualdez

Staying mentally fit during the enhanced community quarantine

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ost of the world is on lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In the Philippines we call it an enhanced community quarantine. Other governments have their distinct terminology or catch-phrase to capture their respective efforts to keep people at home and curb the spread of the virus.

With billions of individuals unable to go out and live their daily lives, the World Health Organization (WHO) pointed out that this crisis is causing stress among the global population and has identified the need to support the mental and psycho-social well-being of various groups during this outbreak.

Here are some tips on how we can latch on to our sanity, and help others stick to theirs while confined to our homes.

Start an exercise routine—With a lot of time in our hands, now is the perfect moment to start that exercise program we’ve always put on hold. We don’t need a gym or fancy equipment to get us started. We can start with simple bodyweight exercises. Start with 20 jumping jacks, 10 push-ups, 20 air squats and 30 second planks. Depending on your current fitness level, repeat from anywhere between three to five cycles. Or adjust the numbers up or down as needed. Exercise equals endorphins.

Let’s keep generating those happy hormones during lockdown with constant exercise.

Provide support to others—According to the WHO, assisting others in their time of need can benefit the person giving support as much as the helper. For example, check-in by phone on neighbors or people in your community who may need extra assistance. Working together as one community can help create solidarity in addressing Covid-19 together.

Avoid passing on rumors/unverified information—Passing on

forwarded messages with doubtful provenance

may spread fear and panic to others. If you receive information and have doubts, one way to check its veracity is too google the key words and cross reference with reputable mainstream media news sites and government agencies such as the Department of Health (DOH). If you fail to find the information elsewhere online, it is most likely untrue or just a rumor.

Minimize watching, reading, or listening to news that causes you to feel anxious or distressed—The

WHO has advised that we seek information only from trusted sources and mainly to take practical steps to prepare your plans and protect yourself and loved ones. There will be a deluge of false information that may be unsettling and cause us to panic and act irrationally. Stick to the facts. Not rumors and false information.

Keep in touch with friends and loved ones—Staying home need not

mean being off the grid. Try staying connected with your social networks through noncontact channels, such as e-mails, messaging apps, video calls and videoconferencing. Hearing from friends and loved ones during these challenging times can give us the much needed mental boost during isolation.

Do not refer to people with the disease as “Covid-19 cases,” “victims” “Covid-19 families” or the diseased—As a final note, the WHO stressed

that we should not be using the above-mentioned terms and instead say they are “people who have Covid-19,” “people who are being treated for Covid-19,” and people who are recovering from Covid-19.” We must remember that after people recover, their lives will go on. It is important to separate a person from having an identity defined by Covid-19, to reduce stigma, according to the WHO. Stay safe and protected. Together we can pull through.

practitioners (in partnership with Amro), health kits for 600 families (via nongovernment organization World Vision), and food and hygiene products to over 150 senior citizens and 1,175 children.

Kind individuals and organizations who wish to join the fight against Covid-19 may visit www.rafi.org.ph and Rafi’s Facebook Page, or e-mail covid19donationhub@rafi.ph for more details.

Donations in Manila

Aboitiz family members in Manila have also been conducting their own donation drives to provide much needed personal protection equipment (PPE) to medical frontliners in the fight against Covid-19.

Around 6,000 masks, 16 boxes of disposable gloves, 60 gallons of alcohol and 20 gallons of hand sanitizers were sent to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Alabang, which is the main facility handling the Covid-19 testing. PPE donations were also sent to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) in Manila, including 6,000 masks, 86 gallons of alcohol, 50 gallons of hand sanitizers and 200 face shields.

Araneta City bridges gap for a TB-free community in time of Covid-19 crisis n celebration of the World TB Day last March 24, Araneta City looked back at the significant milestones it has achieved with TB-Free Araneta City, one year since into the campaign. Araneta City, led by its social development arm J. Amado Araneta Foundation (JAAF), supports a TB-free workplace and a TB-free world.

According to the World Health Organization, more than 70 people every day—or three persons per hour—lose their lives to TB in the Philippines.

Because of this, JAAF partnered with Gerry Roxas Foundation and Barangay Socorro of Quezon City in launching the TB-Free Araneta City as an awareness-raising campaign in 2019. It became a bigger conscious advocacy with the intention of seeking to promote participation of communities, families, and workplaces to detect, treat and

FITNESS RULES

Filipinos? We just connected the dots, bridged the gaps, through the help of our partners, and made it accessible to our people, our partners, and our community. We hope through this clear model, others in the private sector will soon follow suit.” Diane Romero, JAAF executive director further elaborated. Through public-private cooperation, fruitful things happen.

The success of TB-Free Araneta City is largely due to Mrs. Judy Roxas, JAAF president, championing the project. Strong management support, through the Araneta City's chairman, Jorge L. Araneta, was another key to successful project implementation.

The TB-Free Araneta City Campaign is part of the bigger program of USAID’s TB Platforms for Sustainable Detection, Care and Treatment project, implemented by the URC Philippines, in support of the DOH’s National Tuberculosis Program.

Clean and disinfected surroundings, your first defense vs diseases

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s news reports as of late all point to increasing cases globally of the new coronavirus (Covid-19), so has seemingly varying opinions over how to protect yourself from contracting the dreaded virus. The World Health Organization (WHO) strongly recommends frequent cleaning of hands with alcohol or proper washing of hands with soap and water. Additionally, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) as well as the Center for Disease Control (CDC) both recommend environmental cleaning and the cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched objects and surfaces, utilizing both a regular household cleaning spray and a disinfectant.

For the latter, one that contains ethanol as the main antimicrobial agent.

Among other measures, one of the easiest and most accessible ways to prevent the contracting of Covid-19 is by keeping your home and office environment clean and disinfected. Specifically, the CDC emphasizes the routine cleaning and subsequent disinfection among household and community members of surfaces, such as tables,

desks, doorknobs, light switches, toilets, faucets and sinks. And during the cleaning process, the CDC also recommends that dirty surfaces should first be cleaned using detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection. The use of disposable gloves is also recommended while cleaning and disinfecting. Or, have dedicated gloves for this purpose if using reusables.

Not to be missed out as well are surfaces, such as carpets, rugs, and drapes, where appropriate cleaners for each should be used prior to disinfection.

So, keep note: always ensure that frequently touched surfaces are constantly kept clean and disinfected.

And the next time you head to the supermarket, don’t forget to buy the right cleaning agents such as disinfectant sprays and multipurpose cleaners and always check the label if appropriate for use.

During these challenging times, access to accurate information is key.

Watch this video to stay informed: https://www.facebook.com/LysolPH/ videos/2506003989663128/

B4

Parentlife BusinessMirror

Thursday, April 2, 2020

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Part II: Getting real with Covid-19 MY son’s message to the heroic health professionals around the world, which I posted on the social-media group Community Quarantine.

Today’s Horoscope

By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Michael Fassbender, 43; Christopher Meloni, 59; Emmylou Harris, 73; Linda Hunt, 75.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Get rid of what you no longer need. A clean sweep will be good for the soul and clear the way for new beginnings. Reevaluate what matters to you and the best way to go about getting what your heart desires. A direction that allows you to use your attributes uniquely will lift your spirit. Your lucky numbers are 8, 12, 23, 26, 31, 37, 44.

MOMMY NO LIMITS

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Do what you can to help others, but not at your own expense.

Someone with a significant age difference will offer you a point of view that will be insightful and encourage you to make a worthwhile change. ★★

MAYE YAO CO SAY

mommynolimits@gmail.com

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Your focus should be on beauty, comfort and relationships. A shift in your surroundings or to the way you present yourself to others will give you the boost you need to follow through with your plans.

Success is within reach. ★★★★

L

AST week, I shared that getting real with Covid-19 is about going back to basics... prevention and reality check. We need to have a reality mindset that you can get Covid-19. I initially shared prevention measures given by our pediatrician. This week, let me also share her suggested home-care measures in the event that we gets sick or a person in our home does: â– IF ANYONE FEELS UNWELL (FROM COVID-19 OR OTHERWISE). Anyone with a fever, cough, or cold should stay home, rest and take plenty of fluids.

This person should wear a mask, practice hand and respiratory hygiene strictly, and stay isolated in a room with an assigned bathroom/toilet/sink. Also provide his/her own towels, beddings, utensils and dinnerware. Continue measures to disinfect hightouch areas in the room and everywhere at home.

Do not bring this person to the Emergency Room immediately. Patients who have mild symptoms may not be tested for Covid-19 due to limited test kits. Many Covid-19 patients have been sent home to recover in order to keep hospital beds available for the critical ones. â– AVOID DIRECT OR CLOSE CONTACT. Designate one or two home members as caregivers. These assigned caregivers should have no high-risk medical conditions (see below). While caring for the sick, they should wear a mask and practice strict handwashing after touching soiled objects, and these should be disposed in the trash after use. For additional protection, an outer coat or apron can be worn by the caregiver then thrown in a laundry bin after he/she leaves the room. â– WHAT ELSE CAN I DO? For any fever, you may give paracetamol (a.k.a. acetaminophen). Concern has been raised that ibuprofen can worsen the course of Covid-19. This concern remains to be proven. While most outpatient clinics are closed now, get phone advise from a doctor on what other medications can be given. Keep the doctor updated through the next days of the illness. â– WHO ARE AT HIGH RISK FOR SEVERE COVID-19? The elderly and those with chronic conditions. Those with

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Be hesitant when it comes to helping others and giving in to situations that aren’t in your best interest.

Emotional manipulation will put you in a vulnerable position. Focus on learning and, being responsible and disciplined when it comes to health and welfare. ★★★

we should start to see how valuable teachers’ jobs are.

Even if you choose to move pass the religious aspects, what stuck to me is his message of “new sight.�

We can also see today as a possibility for positive transformation of our culture. We see community groups mobilizing to bring food to health workers, or creating useful social-media groups to bring valuable information and support to the community. Most of all, we see the truly heroic health professionals risking their lives and even their families’ lives to ensure patient care. I could not help but cry when I saw the forwarded message of Bishop Ampo as he related the recent passing of Dr. Greg Macasaet, an anesthesiologist and dedicated frontliner in the fight against Covid-19. He also shared that Dr. Israel Bactol, a young and promising cardiologist also got exposed to the virus and died. There are still many health professionals on the list who were recently exposed.

May we continue to pray for the safety of all, especially those in the frontlines of this battle against Covid-19. I hope we can all set our energy to thinking of ways how to help. My son, Marcus, wrote this a few weeks ago:

heart disease, diabetes, or lung disease are at higher risk for becoming severely ill from Covid-19. â– WHEN DOES ONE NEED TO GO TO THE E.R.? If the sick person has any difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, pain or pressure in the chest, bluish lips, seems confused, excessively sleepy or difficult to wake up, bring the patient to the ER for proper immediate care. Aside from our physical health, getting real with Covid-19 also means adopting ways on how to keep our overall well-being. For me, this means keeping our spirit and mind both positive and active.

During this period, we read many posts on Covid-19 news, reminders and states of people who have caught the virus. It gets difficult to understand why such pandemic is happening. It saddens us to see people losing family members to this virus. Then, there is also the economic side to worry about.

Amid all this, we can only take each day one day at a time. We can only push ourselves to appreciate the good in the face of this chaos. As Cardinal Tagle challenged us in his homily last March 22 during his livestreamed mass at the Pontificio Collegio Filippino in Rome, Italy, he asked, “Do we see new life?...Do we see good?� He posed a reality that all of us must admit, that we have some form of “blindness.� He challenged us, “What did we fail to see?� He advised us, “Let Jesus restore us to sight� and “We need more light in the Lord...not just ordinary light.�

Cardinal Tagle shared his thoughts on our daily lives that now when we need to be in face masks, we should try to find the smile in each other’s eyes.

He also pointed out that now when parents have no choice but to spend their days with their kids at home,

Dear doctors of the world, Thank you for trying to stop Covid-19. You have risked your lives for others. We hope your work will pay off. I also hope that you are healthy and you should be proud of yourself. Even if you don’t stop Covid-19, you still inspire me to be a better person.

Marcus Co Say

long after we’ve beaten Covid-19. In the most vulnerable communities, the impact will span generations,� said Robert Jenkins, Unicef global chief of education. “Based on lessons learned with the school closures in response to Ebola, the longer children stay away from school, the less likely they are to ever return. Giving children alternative ways to learn and also, by doing so, rebuild a routine is a critical part of our response,� said Jenkins.

To help curb the disruption to

children’s education and keep children learning safely, Unicef has allocated additional funding to accelerate work with governments and partners in more than 145 low- and middle-income countries.

The initial global allocation of $13 million—nearly $9 million of which is from a contribution made by the Global Partnership for Education— will be catalytic by supporting national governments and a wide range of education partners in each country to develop plans to enable a

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Share your thoughts, and the input offered will be enlightening. An opportunity will arise that will allow you to make a change you’ve been thinking about for some time. You can rely on someone who has always given you sound advice. ★★★

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Avoid melodrama.

Don’t cause a scene. You are better off being low-key and secretive about what you plan to do. Discipline and hard work will be in your best interest.

An emotional argument won’t solve anything. Choose peace over discord. ★★★

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): A change will be eye-opening. Get involved in networking events and activities that will keep you well-informed and ready to take advantage of any opportunity that comes your way. Mix business with pleasure, and you’ll get good results. ★★★

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): A move, home improvements or better position can be yours if you are willing to wheel and deal. Negotiate contracts, and put investments in place. Don’t give in to anyone trying to take advantage of you. ★★★★

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Speak up about what you want and how you plan to bring about change. A creative project will give you the financial boost you need to take a step back and evaluate what you want to do next. ★★

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Expect to be confused by the choices you are offered. Wise investments will lead to financial gain; however, you must avoid letting your proceeds slip through your fingers by making unnecessary purchases. Keep your plans a secret. ★★★

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Get out and mingle. The contacts you make will encourage you to get involved in something that you’ve always wanted to pursue. Personal gains, love and romance will enhance your life. An adjustment to the way you live is favored. ★★★

UNICEF SCALES UP SUPPORT IN 145 COUNTRIES TO KEEP CHILDREN LEARNING AS COVID-19 FORCES MAJORITY OF SCHOOLS WORLDWIDE TO CLOSE AS nationwide school closures disrupt the education for more than 1.5 billion students worldwide, or 87 percent of total enrolled learners, Unicef has announced that it will significantly scale up support in all countries to help children continue their learning while keeping schools safe.  “Schools in the majority of countries worldwide have closed. It is an unprecedented situation and unless we collectively act now to protect children’s education, societies and economies will feel the burden

rapid, system-wide response.

The initiative will enable countries to prepare alternative learning programs in the case of school closures and help schools keep children and their communities safe by providing vital information on handwashing and other hygiene practices.

The funds will also help support children’s mental health and prevent stigma and discrimination by encouraging students to avoid stereotypes when talking about the virus.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Emotional matters will lead to uncertainty. Don’t feel you have to make a move or change if you aren’t ready. Hang on to your cash, regardless of the temptation or pressure someone puts on you. Sit tight, and avoid stress. ★★★

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Your ideas will be prolific if you get out and socialize with peers or unique individuals. Don’t let problems at home stop you from networking. A moneymaking deal will change your life. Romance and personal improvements should be priorities. ★★★★★ BIRTHDAY BABY: You are smart, spontaneous and changeable.

You are unique and entertaining.

‘fantasy sports’ BY SUSAN GELFAND The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg

ACROSS 1 On the ocean 6 Lead-in to a texter’s view 10 It’s near the funny bone 14 Castle protectors 15 Indian flatbread 16 Dark film genre 17 Made an extraordinary boxing play?

20 ___ Lanka 21 Dog breed from Japan 22 Fire truck items 23 Track official 25 Tool for cutting onions 26 Made an extraordinary volleyball play?

30 Seeped 31 Yours and mine 32 One may respond to touch 35 Poodle pest 36 Quick trip 38 On the house 39 TV’s Danson 40 Arctic floater 41 Furnish food 42 Made an extraordinary baseball

play?

Stadium souvenirs Opened wide Hard cover, often?

Walk with a swagger Fury Made an extraordinary football play?

Sit at a red light Pupils’ places Valerie’s role on The Mary Tyler Moore Show 60 Brewed beverages 61 x and y, commonly 62 Cannes coins DOWN 1 Rocker’s blasters 2 Docent’s presentation 3 Cleaned 4 And so on, briefly 5 Red-faced, perhaps 6 One of the Gandhis 7 Damon of Ford v Ferrari 8 “Very funny!�

9 Unified 10 Use a key 45 47 48 49 51 54 57 58 59

11 12 13 18 19 24 25 26 27 28 29 32 33 34 36 37 38 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 48

Like baggy pants More pleasant Boats like Noah’s Just made, with “out�

Vandyke beards cover them Swedish retail giant Potted plant foundation Velvety Flag holder Scones’ start Sprint Magazine design specialist Hammer end Sassy Strong sprays Rainbow’s curve Destiny Oath taker’s book Take, in chess Throbs Exit Smear, as paint Lamp cover Electric car manufacturer What female llamas do to show

49 50 52 53 55 56

disinterest River of Hades Pilgrim’s pronoun Give a makeover Periods of note Narc’s org.

Wed. follower

Solution to yesterday’s puzzle:

Show BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Thursday, April 2, 2020

Meghan to narrate Disney nature film in first post-royal job

BABY RUTH VILLARAMA’S documentary Jazz in Love

LONDON—Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, has her first post-royal job: narrating a Disney documentary about elephants. Disney announced on Thursday that the duchess, who is married to Britain’s Prince Harry, is lending her voice to Elephant, to be released on April 3 on the Disney+ streaming service. It’s one of a series of animal- and nature-themed features released to mark Earth Month.

The film follows an elephant family on a 1,000mile (1,600-kilometer) journey across the Kalahari Desert. Harry and Meghan shocked the world in January by announcing that they were quitting as senior royals, relinquishing official duties and seeking financial independence. Since late last year they have been based on Vancouver Island, and officially ended royal duties on March 31.

The grandson of Queen Elizabeth II married the American actress Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle in May 2018, in a ceremony watched by millions around the world. The couple later said they found scrutiny by the British media—which they said tipped into harassment—intolerable. AP

The rise of relevant indie filmmakers REELING

TITO GENOVA VALIENTE

titovaliente@yahoo.com

MENCHU LAUCHENGCO-YULO

HELP DISPLACED CREATIVE WORKERS THROUGH OPEN HOUSE’S LIVE ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT

COVID-19 has robbed many workers of their livelihood, and this is no less true in the performing arts sector where live performances have been canceled to secure the health and safety of both audience and employees. With a number of freelance workers in the industry in urgent need, the most vulnerable of them displaced and deprived of the protection of the state due to the contractual nature of their work, Artists Welfare Project, Philstage, SPIT, Third World Improv, Theater Actors Guild, and Ticket2Me created the online fund-raising project Open House.

With Open House, you can stream live online classes, shows and workshops featuring some of the industry’s biggest names for free. But everyone is encouraged to donate suggested amounts in the form of tickets to simulate the tradition of live theater and help raise funds for the project.

Viewers may visit bit.ly/DonateOpenHouse to donate. All proceeds go directly to production workers like dressers, stage managers, lighting and sound technicians, stagehands, musicians, and more through the Artists Welfare Project.

Every P2,000 donation to Open House will go a long way in supporting a displaced worker in the performing arts community and his or her family for one month during the enhanced community quarantine.

Check in with the Open House Facebook page for even more programs from April 2 to 8. Catch Lisa MacujaElizalde’s ballet barre class, storytelling for kids with actresses Melody Remorca and Mikkie Bradshaw-Volante, SPIT’s Covid-Chismis show, Theater ATBP quiz night with Reb Atadero and Tanya Manalang, a voice class by Karla Gutierrez of the Philippine Opera Company, and the launch of Philstage Roundtables featuring an all-female lineup of theater directors: stalwart Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, Red Turnip Theater’s Jenny Jamora, Rak of Aegis director Maribel Legarda, Ateneo Blue Repertory’s Missy Maramara, and University of the Philippines’s Jose Estrella, as moderated by ANC’s Lexi Schulze.

This will be followed by another Philstage roundtable, featuring sound designers Arvy Dimaculangan, Glendfford Malimban, Jethro Joaquin, Teresa Barrozo, and TJ Ramos, as moderated by actress and host Issa Litton.

Ampalaya Monologues will also have a special program, along with Stephen Viñas conducting a theater jazz workshop.

Closing the week will be the first TAG Live! presentation of the Virgin Labfest favorite “Ang Goldfish ni Prof. Dimaandal” starring award-winning actress Sherry Lara, Chrome Cosio, Peewee O’Hara, Mosang, Wenah Nagales, and Paolo O’Hara, as directed by Roobak Valle. A talkback will follow after the performance.

Donation opportunities may be undertaken anytime.

More information is available at www.facebook.com/ OpenHouseFundraiser.

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RT is long and time is fleeting. Indeed, art is gracious even in bad times and sad times.

This is an adage that is now being proven by filmmakers whose fierce independence in terms of creativity has surfaced to counter the depressing mode and mood of the present lockdown.

For a long time now, these so-called indie filmmakers have been viewed as free spirits— characters who would fight so that their works would have a public airing. Snob, bohemians, avantgarde (in the period when the term is so 1950s) and irrelevant—these are just some of the criticisms hurled at them. Strange that this society would rather pander to mainstream filmmakers and TV personalities whose sense of fun has always been at the expense of the marginal, the not-so-attractive population, and the disabled.

But here we are: the present virus pandemic has made these filmmaker viral and important.

What indeed can artists, filmmakers in this sense, do in this period when we are all quarantined?

The ballet dancer can dance perhaps but I have not heard of someone doing so. Theater people were caught up in their celebration of World Theater Day but all the world heard were loud congratulations posted online. Was there a theater presentation to subvert this dominant and all-pervasive feeling that a new virus has stopped the world?

The singers went pandemic. As early as the end of February, in Italy singers were singing from windows. By the time the deaths increased in Northern Italy, opera singers were doing their thing from porches and balconies, their “Nessun Dorma” pleading that no one shall sleep because people are dying each day and night.

Locked separate from each other, it appears there is one form that can unite us easily and that is cinema.

In our country, it was accomplished documentarian

Baby Ruth Villarama (Sunday Beauty Queen), who informed me of the creation of a “Lockdown Cinema Club.”

The initiative is a result of a community chat group involving producers (Alemberg Ang, Camille Aragon and Patricia Sumagui), production designers, art department individuals, cinematographers (Lupon ng Pilipinong Sinematograpo), directors (Directors’ Guild of the Philippines Inc., DGPI) and writers composed of those who have undergone writing workshop from Ricky Lee. The ad hoc organization is working together to curate for free screening short films from the Philippines and other places in Asia.

If Bette Davis had the Hollywood Canteen where she and other movie actresses of the 1940s worked as waitresses to serve military men on leave from the battlefields of Word War II, or Bob Hope entertaining the soldiers in Vietnam, then we have this intrepid band of artists with a cinema club that confronts the lockdown instead of denying such existence.

The club works in a very simple way: it screens films that are aimed at entertaining people who have practically nothing to do. Some of them are working from home; some of them have stopped working altogether. Then it asks for donations with clear instructions on how kind and generous souls can share their financial support to the advocacy.

For the first week, short films were made available.

The list includes Cambodian, Indonesian, Thai, Malaysian, Singapore and Philippine short films.

John Torres, Giancarlo Abrahan, Pam Miras, Arden Rod Condez, Lav Diaz, Sheron Dayoc, Erik Matti, Jerrold Tarog, Jaja Arumpac and Xeph Suarez are just some of the names whose short films are available for viewing.

Initially, the endeavor targets some 1,000 film workers who are out of work because of the present quarantining of communities. From Google Sheets and other technological assistance, the group was able to locate and map names of the film workers. As long as it is vetted, Villarama says, they add that name to the list.

In a related effort, Ricky Lee opens an online scriptwriting workshop to encourage people to join the bayanihan efforts. Directors who are affiliated with the DGPI contribute resources.

The group believes in transparency and, thus, publishes details of its fund and the disbursements.

As of March 30, 2020, the collective had already raised P2,116,350.67. Not bad for a group doing what its

members love doing naturally.

As of the said date also, the total amount disbursed for assistance amounted to P718,000. The group has still a little bit more than a million—specifically P1,398,350.67.

For its beneficiaries, the breakdown is as follows: Camera Department, 557; Art Department, 356; Assistant Director and Production Management, 147; and Sound and Post-Production Department, 43. The listing, it is assumed, continues.

Of this number of beneficiaries, 359 individuals have been given subsidies of P2,000 each.

In an updated report from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) comes a list of film companies and film workers cited for dedicating “their craft in the spirit of solidarity in this trying time.”

Excluding Lockdown Cinema Club (LCC) DGPI and Ricky Lee, the list includes TBA Studios (producer of Heneral Luna and Women of the Weeping River), Cinema One Originals, Regal Entertainment Inc., Kip Oebanda (who screens Bar Boys), Lester Valle with his documentary Walang Rape sa Bontok, Joselito Altarejos with his Dulot Ko Saimo Wanda, Gio Potes and his film Mark & Lenny, Law Fajardo showing his Imbisibol, and Khavn de la Cruz offering his Edsa XXX: Ganito Kami Noon, Ganito Pa Rin Kami Ngayon. Please note that this list is part of a developing post.

Not mentioned yet by the NCCA in this list is the work of maverick producer, filmmaker and cultural worker, Elvert Bañares, who streams his own experimental films, some of them shown and acclaimed abroad, with the same purpose of seeking donation to help our “frontliners, our heroes.” In Bañares’s films, there is always this embedded sense of the dystopia making his works appropriate for these troubled and disturbing days.

As of this writing, Jay Altarejos has set up @2076Kolektib, which screens his films Pink HaloHalo, Tale of the Lost Boys and Kasal. Altarejos uses the platform to call on the freeing of political detainees, a medical and not military intervention, and free mass testing. Again, this is art serving the masses.

Villarama has chosen for this week one of her most sociologically adept documentaries—Jazz in Love, a tribute to gay marriage, or an impending gay marriage between a young Filipino and a German.

The community where the relationship takes place accepts the German for any foreign visitor is a promise of comfort and wealth. ■

GMA Network takes part in Earth Hour 2020 GMA Network, through its environmental corporate social responsibility initiative “Kapuso ng Kalikasan,” recently joined the Earth Hour 2020 in unity with World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines’s response to the growing need for environmental action.

Held on March 28, the leading network took part in encouraging Filipinos to switch their lights off from 8:30 to 9:30pm.

GMA likewise switched off nonessential lights in certain areas in its Quezon City headquarters, as well as in its regional stations

on that day.

Also known as the world’s largest grassroots movement for the environment, the Earth Hour is an effort to bring together millions of people around the world in a show of commitment to the planet.

WWF-Philippines used this year’s celebration as an opportunity to launch is newest campaign nationwide, dubbed #ChangeTheEnding, which shows the public that there is now a great need for awareness on the importance of nature and a healthy planet, and for long-term solutions to the current environmental crisis.

B6 Thursday, April 2, 2020

Quality food for stellar heroes: Wendy's takes part in COVID19 efforts

Philippine National Red Cross and Wendy’s Staff join for a photo

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NSPIRED by the service and commitment shown by the frontliners in the fight against COViD-19, Wendy’s Philippines matches their efforts by providing these modern-day heroes with quality and freshly made meals.

For the past week, especially at the height of frontliner deployment and preparations, Wendy’s turned over meal deliveries to the Philippine General Hospital Emergency Personnel. The meal packs were received by

Dr. Arnold Esperanza and Dr. Ave Nebrija, assistant doctors of Dr. Romer Tanghal, the Emergency Room Officer. These were followed by the same service given to a number of doctors and health workers all over the City; and just recently, Wendy’s provided FAMBOX meals to the Philippine National Red Cross in its long term efforts to recognize the unwavering service of these men and women.

These continuing endeavors are just

some of the few programs under UCARE or UDENNA Foundation CommUnity Care program that aims to maximize efforts of UDENNA companies to feed, protect, and transport the community, hinged on the belief that all efforts, no matter how small can lead to better lives for the Filipino.

Joey Garcia, President of Eight-8-Ate, the parent company of Wendy’s in the Philippines said, “The past few weeks have seen various food service groups and quick service restaurants join hands to ensure that those put in harm’s way are properly fed; and the mandate to all Wendy’s stores is to provide as best as we can to those nearest their areas of service.”

“Wendy’s Philippines has been one of the pillars of quick service restaurants or QSR in the Philippines and we commit our continued efforts in helping out in the fight against COVID-19.” Garcia further added.

Check out Wendy’s Philippines www. facebook.com/wendysphilippines.

Gadget Health Check: Best tips you can do to keep your smartphone sanitized

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CCORDING to a study published in February 2020 under the Journal of Hospital Infection, viruses such as the COVID-19 are capable of surviving up to nine days on smooth surfaces, and that includes a smartphone screen.

“We touch our smartphones more than anything especially now that we try to stay connected to our loved ones who are away from us and keep updated on the latest news. In light of the current health situation, we strongly encourage our consumers to practice proper smartphone sanitation in order to protect themselves from contracting the virus,” says Zen Han, OPPO Philippines’ VP of National Sales.

Sanitation is key in keeping clean and safe, making it particularly relevant for Filipinos who are very active smartphone users.

Wash or sanitize your hands. To avoid transferring any harmful bacteria, make sure to sanitize your hands before and after you clean your phone.

Ready a soft, lint-free or microfiber cloth. Avoid abrasive cloths such as towels and paper towels.

Using such may damage the surface of your screen.

Use 70% Isopropyl Alcohol. Isopropyl Alcohol is a highly effective disinfectant against viruses particularly the ones with 70% concentration.

Anything beyond it may evaporate too quickly. When

cleaning your phone with alcohol, make sure to use cotton balls or felt-tips swabs when cleaning harder to reach areas like ports and mics and to avoid liquid spilling on such parts that may cause damage to internal components.

If Isopropyl Alcohol is not readily available, you may use hand soaps with alcohol content. Add a few drops on the screen and gently wipe the whole phone with a microfiber cloth. Make sure to avoid getting moisture in any openings. Wipe off the soap with a damp microfiber cloth afterwards, and then dry your phone off with a clean, dry microfiber cloth.

Avoid using harsh home cleaning products.

Window and household cleaners with strong chemical components like ammonia or hydrogen peroxide may damage your smartphone screen.

Use UV light sanitation. UV-C light in particular, also used in hospital-grade disinfecting procedures serve as a potent solution that targets certain bacteria. UV devices can be used as well to sanitize your smartphone.

These simple ways have been proven to significantly cut down the number of bacteria found on a smartphone’s surface, as demonstrated by Dr. Lena Ciric, a microbiologist from University College London in this study.

Healthy habits for mature adults that can lower their risk of acquiring Covid-19

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HE coronavirus can affect anyone but it’s older adults, ages 60 and up, who are more at risk of getting seriously sick from it. Is there a cure for it? None at the moment, but over 80,000 worldwide have already survived it.

That’s why mature adults are particularly encouraged to keep calm and follow recommendations from the experts.

Since families have been among the most significant hotspots of transmission, avoid sharing utensils or any means that may acquire another’s saliva. Younger and healthier family members should be encouraged to practice distancing from mature household members as they may be asymptomatic carriers. Separate towels, bags, ballpens and anything that may carry unwelcome viruses.

Avoid hospitals except in emergency cases. If possible, call ahead before visiting your doctor. According to St. Luke’s Medical Center’s oncologist Denky Dela Rosa, MD, senior citizens who have the following conditions are at higher risk: asthma, emphysema, bronchitis, tuberculosis, or any lung disease, diabetes, heart and kidney problems especially those undergoing dialysis, cirrhosis, hepatitis, or any liver problems, an autoimmune system like lupus. Those who are taking Prednisone, Dexamethasone, Decilone, or Medrol, and those diagnosed with any cancer at any stage are also most vulnerable and are strictly advised to self-quarantine.

Maximize the use of technology by connecting with family and friends to minimize anxiety. Find time to clear your mind through prayers and meditation.

Do some light exercises and sunlight

Federal Land, Inc. celebrates another milestone with the first concrete pouring of The Grand Midori Ortigas, the company’s first residential development in Ortigas Center. Similar to its Makati development, The Grand Midori Ortigas is designed by world-renowned Japanese firm Tange and Associates and is set to fuse Filipino ingenuity and Japanese discipline. Leading the ceremony are (left to right): Mr. Kenneth Samson, VP for Sales and Marketing at EEI Corporation; Mr. Jessie Parada, VP for Operation at EEI Corporation; Mr. Richard Naval, Construction Management Group External Head at Federal Land, Inc.; Ms. Cherie Fernandez, Project Development Business Group Head at Federal Land, Inc.; Mr. Shintaro Yamaji, Director at Orix Metro Leasing and Financial Corporation; Ms. Aura Montenegro, Head of Marketing at Orix Metro Leasing and Financial Corporation; and Ms. Anne Marie Therese Zapata, Head of Manila Branch Division at Orix Metro Leasing and Financial Corporation.

Save the Children Philippines calls on parents, guardians and children: Keep internet a safer place during COVID-19

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AVE the Children Philippines urged parents and guardians to ensure the online safety of children as many of them spend more time on digital platforms due to limited mobility under the governmentmandated Enhanced Community Quarantine that aims to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Atty. Alberto Muyot, Chief Executive Officer of Save the Children Philippines said the internet helps children and youth continue learning and ease boredom by interacting with friends and classmates on social media, but they can be exposed to inappropriate content, cyber-bullying and online abuse and sexual exploitation.

“Parents and guardians should also monitor children’s use of the internet since they are easy prey for online predators.”

As an alternative to the internet, parents and guardians should conduct face-to-face activities such as board games, read along, and other activities that promote bonding with their children, he said.

The National Baseline Survey on Violence Against Children in 2016 revealed that nearly one in two children aged 13-17 experience cyber violence while one in four children are being exposed to sexually explicit content.

Save the Children Philippines is part of a consortium implementing the SaferKidsPH program together with The Asia Foundation, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

SaferKidsPH, an Australian Government initiative, which has lined up recommendations to ensure safety in using the internet.

For information on COVID-19, check the source of your information before sharing.

Reliable sources include the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Department of Health (DOH).

Do not post or send your phone number, credit card details, home address, and the name or location of your school to anyone you meet

online or to any social networking site.

Never meet in person with anyone you first “met” online. If someone asks to meet you, tell your parents or guardian right away.

Never respond to mean, nasty, suggestive or rude emails or posts. Delete all unwanted messages, unfriend or unfollow people who continuously post content which you find bothersome, distasteful and inappropriate.

Do not hang around a chat room if someone says or writes something which makes you feel uncomfortable or worried.

Do not download and install any software on your phone, tablet or computer without checking first with your parents or guardians.

Some applications may be harmful to your devices and compromise your privacy.

Do not share your password with anyone, including your best friend. The only people who should know your password, other than yourself, are your parents or guardians.

Tell your parents or guardians if you see bad language, distasteful pictures and inappropriate video while you are online Use the privacy settings on social networking sites. Keep them as high as possible.

Lifestyle complex to rise in Panglao

Entertainment Journalists Cristy Fermin & Lolit Solis count on So Sure’s affordable protection for their leaky bladder

exposure. Read positive books and articles.

Or go for activities that stimulate your cerebellum, the part of the brain that coordinates balance, posture, and movement.

This part of the brain works closely with the cerebrum, the thinking center of the brain.

When these two work properly, learning and movements are seamless and easier. You can go writing, drawing, catching a ball, or sewing.

Be proactive and keep your immune system strong. Get ample sleep, exercise, and eat well. Plan your meals to include immune system boosters such as citrus fruits, garlic, broccoli, spinach, turmeric, green tea, papaya, poultry, and shellfish and zinc sources like beef, oyster, asparagus, and malunggay. Go for a quick sunlight exposure just at your doorsteps between 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. for your daily dose of Vitamin D. Load up on water. And of course, keep in mind your dietary limitations as advised by your doctor.

So Sure Bladder Leakage Pads, a product that’s designed to manage a mature adult’s leaky bladder may be of big help to some older members of the family. Others who

have overactive bladders and cannot make it to the toilet because of weak bladder control.

Needs vary from one individual to another.

Good thing, So Sure made its pads available to fit comfortably for urine leaks.

Talk show host Cristy Fermin makes sure her sleep is undisturbed to keep her mood up for her daily grind. She trusts So Sure 450mm pads because they absorb heavy amounts of urine and guide it through the inner layers of the pad while keeping her fresh. “What I like most about it is its ability to eliminate urine’s strong scent. I love waking up every day free from odor and irritation”, she says.

Entertainment journalist Lolit Solis’ bladders tend to overreact and sometimes, sneezing, laughing, or coughing result in light drips. She uses So Sure 340mm pads made of high quality, super absorbent cotton that keeps her sensitive area free from moisture and bacteria. According to her, “incontinence can no longer affect my daily living and busy work schedule because I have discovered So Sure that provides me my much-needed protection against discomfort and embarrassment”.

A

NEW hub of seaside living and recreation is rising in the tourist island of Panglao in Bohol with the soon-to-open Bellemar Lifestyle Center, a four-hectare project of Bellevue Hotels and Resorts.

Literally meaning “beautiful sea,” it is set to open in the first quarter of 2021, and will exude architectural aesthetics reflective of Bohol’s prominent Spanish heritage.

For its first phase, it will have nine commercial pavilions housing a diverse range of local and international food and beverage and retail brands, technology, amusement, services, health and wellness establishments, as well as government offices. It will also host a mall and a 2,000 sq. m. supermarket, the first in Panglao.

The second phase will include Bellevue’s fifth property, further expanding the reach of the hotel group’s signature world-class Filipino hospitality.

Located near the popular Alona white sand beach and Panglao town proper, the development seeks to bridge the commercial gap in a market that has yet to have a

commercial center by providing activities throughout the day.

Bellemar will be the group’s second property in Panglao, which is situated near Bellevue Resort Bohol, the first five-star resort in the tourist island and recipient of the prestigious Asean Green Resort Award (2016 to 2018) and the Department of Tourism’s Anahaw Zero Carbon Resorts for Sustainable Tourism Awards.

Panglao municipal mayor Leonila Montero welcomed the development, saying the project will further boost the town as the tourist capital of the province, being host to the new ecofriendly international airport, luxury beach resorts, gourmet restaurants, scuba diving spots, and other attractions.

In photo at the recent Bellemar tenant conference held at its Alabang hotel are Bellevue Hotels & Resorts managing director Patrick Chan, chairman Johnny Chan, Panglao mayor Leonila Montero, Bellevue Bohol managing director Dustin Chan, Bellevue marketing director Jel Villarin.

Envoys&Expats BusinessMirror

B7 Thursday, April 2, 2020

www.businessmirror.com.ph

SFA briefs foreign govts on PHL repatriation aid for their people F OREIGN Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. briefed more than 100 members of the diplomatic community through an online videoconference and informed them of the government’s plans of repatriating foreign nationals while the enforcement of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) is in effect.

FOREIGN Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. in an online videoconference with the local diplomatic corps DFA/NILO K. PALAYA

At the briefing broadcast live from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Locsin informed members of the diplomatic corps that, as the last of the sweeper flights mounted and funded by the Philippine government ended yesterday, foreign governments are to

erwise, they will have to stay in the Philippines until the end of the ECQ period. If that would be the case, he advised foreign missions of the steps they should take in the coming days and weeks with regard to assisting their nationals who are still in the Philippines while the ECQ is enforced.

take full responsibility in mounting sweeper flights from the provinces and back to their countries starting March 27.

The secretary also informed them to advise their nationals to return to their home countries while there are still available flights; oth-

France thanks PHL for flying nationals home T

HE Republic of France thanked the Philippine government for helping repatriate some 406 French nationals affected by the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon.

In a statement on March 25, the embassy said, “The Embassy of France addresses its warmest gratitude to the Filipino authorities, most notably the [foreign affairs, tourism and transportation departments], the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, as well as the administrators of the Cebu-Mactan International Airport and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, for the active

and constant support that they extended in the organization of this flight and in the success of this operation.”

It added, “The embassy also thanks Qatar Airways for having provided [a] special flight with great efficiency at such short notice, particularly in the context in which air traffic had been profoundly affected by the impact of the [coronavirus disease 2019.]”

Through a special flight at a negotiated rate guaranteed by Qatar Airways and organized by the French government, a significant number of French tourists stranded in the Philippines were able

In the remote conference, he assured the diplomatic community that the DFA will continue doing its best to assist them in the performance of their duties in the country, particularly during the implementation of the ECQ. He also enjoined them to continue working closely with the

DFA especially during this time of crisis: “To enable [our] government to promptly assist your nationals, your missions should be aware of their exact locations where they can be picked up and brought to evacuation sites on short notice,” informed the secretary. “This means, your missions will have to know their location at any given time,” Locsin has been very active in ensuring that the DFA extends its assistance to the diplomatic community at the present, especially to countries that have foreign nationals who were stranded in various regions in the Philippines due to restrictions on land transfers and cancellations of flights.

Through the DFA’s coordination with other government agencies and local government units, foreign nationals aboard sweeper flights, as arranged with various governments, eventually flew back to their home countries.

In the past few days, the DFA has assisted Germany, France, Russia and many other countries with their repatriation flights that brought hundreds of foreign tourists in the Philippines back to their home countries.

On March 28, a flight organized

by Denmark transported their nationals stranded in the Philippines.

“Some say the DFA shouldn’t put itself out so much for foreign tourists. They are wrong. They came because [the] government promised that IT IS MORE FUN IN THE PHILIPPINES…until it is not.

We aim to keep it, if not fun, then STILL caring when things turn bad.

[The] DFA keeps its lines open,” said Locsin in a Twitter post following the briefing.

“I’m ordering all our consular offices to [personally] assist in evacuating stranded tourists. It’s the least we can do as host of the country we claimed is more fun to be in,” added the secretary. DFA

Singapore sends new sets of kits, ventilators

to return to their home country. “[From] March 24 to March 25, 406 French citizens contacted... were able to return to their country from Cebu and Manila,” the embassy confirmed.

Due to the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine, domestic flights have been suspended, leaving a number of Filipino and foreign tourists stranded in different parts of the country.

The embassy assured its continued efforts to ensure tourists from France and other European countries would be able to return home “at the soonest possible time.” Joyce

Ann L. Rocamora/PNA

Envoy: OFWs in China facing ‘economic difficulties’

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HEY may be free from the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid 2019), but overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in China are experiencing “economic difficulties,” Ambassador Jose Santiago “Chito” Sta. Romana said on March 30.

In a “Laging Handa” public briefing, Sta. Romana bared that Filipino workers, especially those under a “no work, no pay” scheme, are reaching out to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for financial assistance.

“On one hand, health-wise, [they are okay; but they are experiencing economic problems and difficulties because they either don’t have work, or have] stopped working, while waiting for the situation to normalize completely,” he said over a phone patch interview.

The Philippine ambassador to China explained that Filipino teachers were only paid with living allowances, and not their salaries, because classes have been suspended.

Undocumented Filipino household workers who wanted to return home are also having trouble processing their exit visas, he said.

The DOLE earlier assured that all Filipino repatriates from countries

Learn from China

AMBASSADOR Jose Santiago Sta. Romana DFA

with confirmed Covid-19 cases will be given financial, livelihood and employment assistance.

Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III said his agency has prepared a “reintegration program” that consists of P20,000 worth of financial assistance, livelihood assistance, and alternative employment opportunities, especially for those who have decided to stay in the Philippines for good.

Bello said scholarships will also be provided to children of Filipino repatriates.

STA. ROMANA explained that the Philippines can learn from China’s approach to the Covid-19 health crisis by adopting early detection by testing and early isolation of infected patients.

“It’s important to have early detection and early isolation. There should be a segmentation of patients, so they don’t infect each other,” the Filipino envoy said.

He explained China was also losing health workers, which was why the People’s Liberation Army had to send in thousands of doctors to man temporary hospitals.

China also deployed volunteer doctors from its different provinces to help in Wuhan City, considered as “ground zero” of the pandemic.

The country is expected to lift the mass quarantine in the said city on April 8.

Meanwhile, he also bared that Chinese doctors have been tapped by the Health Department to assist Filipino doctors. In a separate phone patch interview, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario S. Vergeire also denied the claim of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. that the Department of Health is blocking the entry of Chinese doctors. Azer Parrocha/PNA

AMBASSADOR Gerard Ho Wei Hong (short sleeved polo) leads the turnover and inspection of new equipment to the Philippines. DOH, DFA

T

HE Philippines recently received new testing kits and ventilators from the Republic of Singapore.

In simple turnover ceremonies, Chief of Presidential Protocol and Presidential Assistant on Foreign Affairs Robert EA Borje received the 40,000 testing kits and two ventilators from Ambassador Gerard Ho Wei Hong. The Temasek Foundation based in the city-state donated the

medical equipment.

Borje also received, on behalf of the Philippine government, four ventilators donated by the Filinvest City Foundation.

On the same day, the Bureau of Customs cleared the ventilators and test kits for release and immediate turnover to the Department of Health for distribution to frontline hospitals.

According to the Embassy of Sin-

gapore, the additional test kits will “supplement its earlier donation to allow more people to have an early diagnosis, while the ventilators will be crucial for the survival of severe coronavirus disease 2019 [Covid-2019] cases.” It also said Singapore will continue to work on ways where “we can contribute to the Philippines’s effort [in containing and defeating] Covid-19. Department of Health, Singapore Embassy in Manila

MAIDEN VOYAGE Austrian Airlines’ aircraft B772 landed on March 30 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport—its first-ever flight to the Philippines. Following two of its sweeper flights from the islands to Manila, more than 200 Austrian and European Union citizens looked forward to taking the plane to Vienna, which was scheduled to depart Manila on March 30. AUSTRIAN EMBASSY FACEBOOK

B8

Sports TOKYO GAMES IN 2021: CHALLENGE FOR NBA

Thursday, April 2, 2020

KIYOMI WATANABE has a free ride to the Tokyo Olympics but she wants to earn a Games ticket via the qualifying tournament.

OLYMPICS DELAY GOOD FOR FILIPINO JUDOKAS

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HE one-year delay in the staging of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics has benefited Filipino judokas Kiyomi Watanabe, Shugen Nakano and Keisei Nakano, all of whom are hoping to qualify for the Games.

“Having the Olympics next year is best for everybody. Our athletes need to rest also a bit because they’ve been very active in joining the qualifying events, every now and then they get hurt,” Philippine Judo Federation President David Carter told BusinessMirror via Viber on Wednesday.

“This is a good chance for them to recuperate. Also, this gives them another chance to improve their rankings,” he added.

Watanabe has already qualified for Tokyo 2020 through the continental quota of the International Judo Federation (IJF). But Carter said the Filipino-Japanese still intends to make it to Tokyo via direct qualification to give Shugen Nakano and Keisei Nakano a chance to also make the Games.

Tokyo 2020 offers 14 events on the judo program—seven each for men and women.

Watanabe, 23, who was born in Cebu but moved to Japan by her Japanese dad and Cebuana mom when she was eight, has won four straight Southeast Asian Games gold medal in women’s half middleweight.

She also owns an Asian Youth Championships gold medal and a silver from the Jakarta 2018 Asian Games, losing to Japanese Nami Nabekura in the final.

All three Filipino judokas are based in Japan and according to Carter, they are all safe and healthy.

IJF President Marius Vizer, meanwhile, said the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Japanese government and Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee have made a “wise decision” with their rescheduling of the Games.

Judo is one of many sports whose Olympic qualification were heavily disrupted by cancellations and postponements stemming from the coronavirus pandemic. The Tokyo Olympics were rescheduled for July 23 to August 8, exactly a year from the original 2020 program.

“The Executive of IJF have met and we are discussing all issues related to the next strategy, in cooperation with the IOC sport department and we will let you know soon as possible,”Vizer said.

The IJF has already cancelled all events until April 30, with the Ekaterinburg Grand Slam in Russia, the Tbilisi Grand Prix in Georgia and the Antalya Grand Prix in Turkey.

By Tim Reynolds The Associated Press

K

NOWING when the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics will be solves one problem for USA Basketball.

And it creates a few others.

Let’s assume that the 2020-21 National Basketball Association (NBA) season is over by next July, a premise that also assumes some sort of normalcy returns to the sports world and that the global coronavirus pandemic slows to the point where games can be played again. That would also mean that NBA players and coaches would be available, schedule-wise, to participate in the Tokyo Olympics next summer as planned.

That’s good news. That is, until free agency is added to the equation.

The NBA summer of 2021 is supposed to be another free agent extravaganza, one where plenty of the league’s biggest names and top USA Basketball candidates like LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Chris Paul, Bam Adebayo, Kyle Lowry and more could be on the market. This summer would have been so much easier for USA Basketball from that standpoint, with Anthony Davis one of the few big-name stars who could become free agents when this season ends.

US Coach Gregg Popovich and Managing Director Jerry Colangelo would have had probably anyone they wanted this summer.

Next summer, that might be more of a

BusinessMirror

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph / Editor: Jun Lomibao

That won’t be ideal, and will add to the challenge.

Among the lessons that needed to be learned from last summer’s Basketball World Cup in China, where the Americans finished seventh, include: The world is no longer afraid of the Americans, and that players are no longer afraid to say no to USA Basketball. Colangelo and the US staff needed to cycle through about 50 names before getting to a 12-man roster for the the tournament in China, with most players backing out for a variety of reasons along the way. The Americans cut only two; a few got hurt, and everybody else made the decision for themselves.

Popovich left China saying that gold medals were no longer guaranteed for the US Kobe Bryant, who was an ambassador for that World Cup, was in Beijing for the final games last

challenge. The Olympics are now set to start July 23, 2021. That means training camp, in theory, would start around July 3 or 4, right around what could be the peak of the freeagent shopping period.

This has been an issue before. Deron Williams couldn’t participate in contact portions of practice with the 2012 US Olympic team during its training camp in

Las Vegas until he signed his new contract with the Brooklyn Nets. Training camp started before the moratorium on player signings ended that summer, so the Americans and Williams were in a delicate situation. He signed the deal on an iPad at the first possible moment, got on the court the next day and everything was fine.

But expect lots of that next summer: Players who are about to sign new huge-money deals won’t risk going all-out in practice with the Olympic team before those contracts are finalized. Once they sign, sure.

Beforehand, not happening.

August and said the same thing.

“It’s not a matter of the rest of the world catching up to the US. It’s that the rest of the world has been caught up for quite some time,’’

THE National Basketball Association summer of 2021 is supposed to be another free agent extravaganza, one where plenty of the league’s biggest names and top USA Basketball candidates like LeBron James could be on the market.

Nascar industry steps up to produce PPEs

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HARLOTTE, North Carolina—The five 3D printers at Nascar’s Research and Technology center–two delivered in February and installed less than two weeks ago—are typically focused on composite parts and working on an updated stock car.

But when racing came to a stop March 13 amid the coronavirus pandemic, a handful of Nascar engineers wondered if the printers could be used to address the shortage of personal protective equipment for health-care workers.

They contacted suppliers and came up with designs for face shields the printers could make.

They met with Novant Health, which serves medical facilities in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

Now the printers are running 18 hours a day with approximately eight engineers volunteering their time to oversee production from approximately 7 a.m. until midnight every day.

The newest printer, about the size of an outdoor shed, can print three face shields every 2½ hours.

“That’s the one we try to keep running almost nonstop,” Eric Jacuzzi, senior director of Nascar’s aerodynamics and vehicle performance, told The Associated Press. “We have people that are actually having their teenage children help

with cutting the clear facial part as part of their volunteer work at home, six of us running the machines, and more people reaching out to help.”

Nascar is donating the face shields as part of the charitable community acts the series does every year. The sanctioning body has followed Ford, Chevrolet and Toyota—Nascar’s three manufacturers—as companies from the automotive industry that have pivoted production to PPE during the global crisis.

Ford this week said beginning in April it will work with GE Healthcare to build air-pressured ventilators, with a target of manufacturing 50,000 units in the next 100 days from a Michigan components plant. Ford is also providing engineers and facilities to assist 3M’s production or air-purifying respirators.

General Motors partnered with Ventec Life Systems to build ventilators and has vowed to produce more than 50,000 face masks per day.

Ventec and GM said the FDA-cleared ventilators are scheduled to ship “as soon as” April, they can raise production to 10,000 critical care ventilators per month and have the capability to increase output.

GM also said it was donating resources at cost.

Toyota is building face shields and collaborating with medical device companies to

speed the manufacturing of ventilators.

Others across motorsports have also stepped up.

Brad Keselowski last year started Keselowski Advanced Manufacturing, which is equipped with a combination of 3D printers and CNC machining. Keselowski said he has “joined forces with groups endeavoring to meet the face shield production needs of those in healthcare.”

Joey Logano, Keselowski’s teammate at Team Penske, has established a $1 million Response and Recovery Fund through his foundation.

“Right now, the world is experiencing a situation like we’ve never seen before,” Logano said, noting the foundation “will help provide funding and necessary supplies for organizations in need during this scary time.”

Across the street from Nascar’s R&D Center at Roush Fenway Racing, the organization is manufacturing open-sourced plastic aerosol boxes to protect medical professionals as they treat Covid-19 patients. Roush Fenway also donated N95 masks to two North Carolina hospitals. Steve Newmark, president of Roush, told AP some employees are now working with Roush Industries on additional PPE designs and needs.

SAFETY splash shields are shown at the Nascar Research and Development Center in Concord, North Carolina. AP

CORE Autosport, a sports car team in IMSA, retooled its race shop to manufacture face masks for medical professionals. It had sold thousands of emergency medical masks by Tuesday.

Technique, which supplies chassis kits for Nascar teams, retooled its Michigan factory to double its production to 20,000 face shields by

A century ago, sports rises from ravages of war and disease

By Tim Dahlberg

T

Bryant, who died in a January helicopter crash, said in China last summer. “It’s to the point now where the US, we’re going to win some and we’re going to lose some. That’s just how it goes.”

The one-year delay is going to cause issues for some other nations, as well.

If Greece qualifies for the Olympics—the tournaments that will decide the last four spots are going to be rescheduled at some point, with Greece one of the 24 nations still in that mix—then reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo will have a massive decision to make. And he’ll have to make it probably around the same time that he signs a new NBA contract worth something around $200 million. Rudy Gobert can be free in the summer of 2021, as well, which could impact France. Marc Gasol will be a year older, which might weigh on his decision to play for Spain or not.

But for the Americans, next summer could be particularly problematic. And again, that’s if next season in the NBA is even over by July.

Until USA Basketball knows what will happen there, it remains stuck in limbo and unable to resume the process of building the next Olympic roster.

All that is clear so far is the road to another gold medal for the red, white and blue won’t be easy.

The Associated Press

HE world in 1919 was hardly a place for fun and games.

A war like no other had ravaged Europe, killing untold millions and leaving the continent devastated.

The Spanish Flu pandemic was waning but still wreaking its horrors, with some 50 million people dead worldwide, including 675,000 in the United States.

But hundreds of thousands of troops from various countries were still in Europe. The war was over but they were bored, with little to do until the time came to be shipped home.

And so was born an international competition like no other.

The Inter-Allied Games would bring together nations weary of war in some traditional—and not so traditional—sports.

A century before the Tokyo Olympics were postponed as coronavirus spread across the Earth, sports helped in the healing.

Italians played basketball for the first time, while Americans won medals by throwing grenades like the baseballs they tossed at home.

There was golf and tug of war, and a black American was a big star, 17 years before Jesse Owens stared down Adolf Hitler in Berlin.

Fourteen countries competed on the outskirts of Paris, including a team from the Kingdom of Hejaz (now part of Saudi Arabia) that brought four camels used in the opening parade. Women were not invited to compete, but French tennis phenom Suzanne Lenglen—who would win her first Wimbledon title the next month—played demonstrations and beat every man she met on the other side of the net.

And it was all done in a stadium built in 90 days—mostly

by American troops—and named after Gen. John Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Force in Europe. The

GENERAL John J. Pershing makes a speech during the ceremony of planting an oak tree named after him to celebrate his 75th birthday and the 17th anniversary of the battle of Saint Mihiel, in Saint Mihiel, France, on September 15, 1935. In the aftermath of World War I, 14 countries competed in the Inter-Allied Games in 1919, in a stadium named for Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Force in Europe. AP

stadium not only sat 25,000 but had dressing rooms, showers and a special bungalow built for Pershing to host friends and dignitaries with a private entrance to the stadium.

“Here were these people who came together in the spirit of sport and really showed that it could be a healing property,” said Doran Cart, senior curator of the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri. “They wanted to continue the feeling of camaraderie with the allied nations and keep the troops occupied. Sports were seen really as an activity everybody could take part in.”

Silent films from the time show the parade of athletes circling the track on opening day, then jumping hurdles and running relays. A boxing ring was set up in the middle of the stadium, and the swimming was outdoors.

All the competitors were amateurs, as was the order of the day, and collected small medals as their prizes. Various countries also donated prizes, with the winner of the rifle shooting competition getting a statue from Pershing of an American doughboy in action during the war.

Though ostensibly an international competition, the games had a distinctly American flavor. They were the brainchild of Elwood S. Brown, who headed athletics for both the American Army in Europe and the YMCA. Brown saw them as a way to keep troops out of trouble after the war was over while showing that America was as good on the playing field as it was on the battlefield.

In a 1918 letter proposing the games, Brown said they would be a way of “demonstrating to our allied friends America’s best in sport, her great play spirit and incidentally her finest in physical manhood.”

Indeed, Americans built the stadium, won most of the medals, and even fed the other competitors with military

the end of this week.

NHRA’s Don Schumacher Racing and its manufacturing arm have teamed with 3D printer Stratasys to produce headbands to be used with medical face shields. DSR has committed both of its 3D printers to roundthe-clock production. AP

rations left over from the war that had ended in an armistice just eight months earlier. Just to make sure the US team was loaded, about 40 athletes who never served in the war were put on a ship to France to compete in their specialties.

They joined 1,000 other athletes and 7,000 troops from various countries in a mini-Olympics that drew big crowds. After years of war, they competed in the day and socialized at night.

Off the field, the hottest spot was the YMCA Inter-Allied Hut, which quickly drew the name “the melting pot.” Cinema shows were held nightly in the hut, and there were four formal dances. The hut was staffed by 21 YMCA secretaries and 95 other American women who worked in shifts as “floaters,” with duties as dancing partners and game players.

A total of 39,000 liters of ice cream and 200,000 gallons of lemonade were served without charge by the YMCA to soldiers who had gone years without seeing such luxuries. The men ate and drank so much that trainers were worried they would get sick.

Americans swept the grenade throw—using a baseball form unfamiliar to other countries—as well as many of the track and field contests. France finished second in the medal count, though a colonel writing about the games noted that the country would have done better “had not a large percentage of its army been killed or wounded in the war.”

American Norman Ross was the biggest winner, with five gold medals in swimming. Ross would go on to win three gold the next year in the Olympics.

Solomon Butler, a student at the University of Dubuque, won the long jump, and accounts of the time described gasps and “loud cheers for the American Negro.” Butler, who was knighted by the King of Montenegro, would be a favorite in the 1920 Olympics in Belgium the next year, but was injured before the medal round.

The games would be a one-off, though there was an attempt at the end of World War II to hold a similar competition. They are largely forgotten today, and the site of Pershing Stadium is used for baseball games now.