BusinessMirror April 03, 2020

‘Current account gap to widen in 2020’

By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

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HE Philippines’s current account deficit is seen to widen this year— after contracting significantly in 2019—as the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic weakens tourism industry and remittances, among others.

Fitch Solutions, in a recent report, said the current account deficit will account for 2.2 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) this year, higher than its earlier forecast of 1.2 percent, as lockdowns across the globe continue to slump economic activities.

Current account balance refers to the net inflows and outflows of goods, services, income and remittances. Last year, the Philippines’s current account deficit went down by 95 percent to $464 million—0.1 percent of GDP—from $8.8 billion in 2018 on the back of “lower trade

A LONE porter at Naia Terminal 1 sits on an empty baggage carousel. This place used to be busy, before the enhanced community quarantine forced a shutdown of air travel in most airports. NONIE REYES

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in goods deficits [and] higher net receipts in the trade in services,” according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

The slowdown in the tourism sector, which accounts for around 25 percent of the country’s GDP, owed to travel bans that were imposed in the race to stop the spread of the virus, the Fitch unit noted.

This will cause the service export receipts of the Philippines to decline to 12 percent from 2019 as transport and travel—comprising the 30 percent—grind to a halt amid the lockdown.

“The Chinese government’s order for the suspension of international tour sales on January 24 began what is proving to be a severely challenging period for the tourism sector globally. Other governments have since followed suit and the decision to lock down Manila and then Luzon has effectively brought the Philippines’s main transit hub to a

standstill,” the report reads.

Last year, a total of 1.74 million Chinese tourists visited the Philippines, making it the biggest tourism market after South Korea with 1.98 million arrivals, according to the Department of Tourism.

Fitch Solutions forecast the United States to book -1.0-percent growth this year amid the pandemic as filings for unemployment increased dramatically in the past week due to quarantine.

Remittance flows

THE report noted that this would weigh on the remittance flows from the US to other nations, including the Philippines, given that the lion’s share of money transfers came from the said country.

Overseas Filipinos’ cash remittances

See “Current,” A2

BusinessMirror A broader look at today’s business

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$5-B REMITTANCE LOSS www.businessmirror.com.ph

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Friday, April 3, 2020 Vol. 15 No. 176

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SEEN IN COVID-19’S WAKE BIR TO BIZMEN: DON’T WORRY OVER ONLINE SYSTEM ‘PENALTIES’

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

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AXPAYERS should disregard the penalties automatically computed in the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) online system provided that the payment is made on or before the extended deadline for filing and payment of taxes.

According to BIR’s March 30 advisory signed by BIR Commissioner Caesar R. Dulay, taxpayers should pay only the basic tax due.

The Electronic Filing and Payment System (eFPS) is the bureau’s online facility which automatically computes penalties for the late filing or payment of taxes due.

However, the bureau also pointed out in the same advisory that any filing and/or payment beyond the stated deadline in Revenue Memorandum Circular 30-2020 shall be subjected to the applicable penalties imposed or computed by the eFPS from the extended deadline until actually paid.

The BIR also issued the revenue regulations extending the deadlines for the filing of income tax returns (ITRs), submission of documents and payment of taxes.

Continued on A2

CARGO trucks queue up to get deliveries at Manila’s port on Thursday. Regulators have issued businessmen an ultimatum to clear the ports of processed, ready-fordelivery cargo in a bid to ease congestion, and make way for the expected arrival of supplies and equipment for fighting Covid-19. BERNARD TESTA

A

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

N economist-lawmaker said that it may take two to three years before the country can return to normal levels due to the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.

House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Joey Sarte Salceda explained that among the major negative impacts of the Covid crisis that could persist and inflict structural damage on the economy is the loss of income and aggregate demand, and remittances of almost $5 billion per year.

“We’re highly exposed because some of our best-paid OFWs are sea-based, and that relies on

tourism and global trade, which would suffer lingering effects within the next 24 to 36 months,” he said.

“Consensus estimate is that some 230,000 to 250,000 OFWs will be displaced or dislocated from their jobs. We did a value chain analysis and we find that that is in fact a net number. In our value chain analysis of major economies and sectors where there are OFWs,

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 50.7820

we found that up to 420,000 may come home to the Philippines at some point within the next six months, with 170,000 to 180,000 of them coming home because of temporary circumstances. They will return once the situation is over,” he added.

Salceda said the country’s overseas workforce is significantly exposed to what the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has now declared to be a global recession, as up to 25 percent of total remittances at any given time come from sea-based work in trade-heavy and tourism-related sectors. Transborder travel also exposes them to Covid-19 infection.

Usual estimates put the number of overseas Filipinos at 10 million.

Mandatory testing

MEANWHILE, Salceda is propos-

ing a strategy to prepare the country for the arrival of some 420,000 OFWs in the months during or immediately after the peak of the coronavirus health emergency in the Philippines, and to prevent a second wave of infections prompted by those who may come from heavily infected countries and workplaces.

According to Salceda, at least P20 billion in funding under the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act must go to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) programs for OFW welfare.

“We have to prepare to process, quarantine and test as many as 420,000 OFWs. We have constraints but we need to do this,” Salceda said.

See “Remittance,” A2

n JAPAN 0.4741 n UK 62.9341 n HK 6.5511 n CHINA 7.1534 n SINGAPORE 35.4202 n AUSTRALIA 30.8044 n EU 55.5961 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.4994

Source: BSP (April 3, 2020)

News BusinessMirror

A2 Friday, April 3, 2020

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More quarantine sites eyed; DPWH rushes Rizal sports complex, PICC

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By Samuel P. Medenilla

IX additional new large facilities in Metro Manila are now being eyed by the government to also become quarantine facilities for patients infected by the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

During a press briefing on Thursday, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles listed these facilities as: the Quezon Institute, University of Life Theater and Recreational Arena or the Ultra, now known as the PhilSports Arena; Duty-Free Philippine-Parañaque, Amoranto Stadium, Quezon Memorial Circle Complex and the Veterans Memorial Medical Center Complex.

“These will serve as addition to the facilities, which we already identified as possible quarantine and isolation facilities. Some of these are already in the process [of being converted into such facilities],” Nograles said.

Partial operations

THE government earlier announced that Philippine International Convention Center, World Trade Center and Rizal Memorial Sports Complex are now in the process of being converted by the

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and its partner organization as quarantine facilities.

Nograles said the quarantine facilities—expected to accommodate 1,950 individuals— will become fully operational by the third week of April, just after the expected lifting of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ ) in Luzon.

“As soon as the partial completion [of the three structures] is done, we could already use the sections, which are already done,” Nograles said.

He earlier said the final decision whether to partially lift, fully lift, extend the duration, or expand the coverage of the ECQ will depend on the technical working group of the InterAgency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) headed by the

Department of Health (DOH).

Isolated patients

NOGRALES earlier explained that Covid-19 patients who have severe and moderate symptoms will be prioritized in hospitals, while those with mild symptoms will be housed in areas where they could be grouped while still maintaining social distancing.

Aside from large quarantine facilities, the government is also considering converting ships and hotels into quarantine facilities.

Nograles said these are part of government efforts to isolate Covid-infected patients so they could no longer spread the illness and be properly managed.

“We are trying to isolate…separate the population of PUIs [persons under investigation], PUMs [persons under monitoring], and those positive for Covid-19 so we could identify the ‘negative’ communities,” Nograles said.

“Then, after there is no longer local transmission of Covid-19, then they [negative communities] could slowly proceed to the new normal,” he added.

The IATF spokesperson said this in preparation for the “new normal” being considered by the IATF, wherein some business operations will be allowed to resume, but on condition that social-distancing measures will still be observed.

A PWD resident of Barangay 272, Zone 25, in Tondo, Manila, gets a food ration while practicing social distancing from Barangay Chairman Roderick Bautista and his councilmen. The council gives at least 500-700 food packs every other day to constituents, funded from their own pockets and kind friends. BERNARD TESTA

PHL Covid-19 cases now 2,633; DOH reports 11 new deaths THE Covid-19 cases in the country rose to 2,633 as of Thursday, the Department of Health (DOH) said.

Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said that as of 4 pm (April 2), they recorded 322 new cases (PH2312-PH2633).

Duque also said that a total of 1,275 persons under investigation (PUIs) tested negative for the disease.

“DOH also reports one additional recovery which brings the total number of recoveries to 51,” Duque said.

Meanwhile, 11 new deaths were recorded, bringing the number of those who succumbed to the disease to 107.

“To prevent the spread of the disease and prevent the number of cases from increasing, please stay home, observe physical distancing and wash your hands frequently,” Duque reminded the public. Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

LUZON PEAK POWER CONSUMPTION DIPS 20-30% ON LOCKDOWN–NGCP

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HE enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon has caused peak power consumption in the area to drop by 20 to 30 percent, according to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).

NGCP spokesperson Cynthia Alabanza said this was based on the projected demand of the Department of Energy (DOE).

“So there’s around 3,000-megawatt difference from what we have expected if there was no quarantine and from the actual consumption in Luzon,” Alabanza said during an online press briefing on Thursday.

With this development, she said NGCP is confident there will be no supply-related power interruption for Luzon for the duration of the ECQ, which is expected to end on April 13, 2020.

She said they are also keeping a skeletal workforce on standby to ensure they remain fully operational during the 30-day ECQ.

“This gives us the ability to immediately [attend to] any disruption in transmission lines so there will be no disruption in the supply of electricity in different [electric] cooperatives and distribution utilities all over the country,” Alabanza said.

In a television interview on Tuesday, Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion III attributed the decline in energy demand in Luzon to the business disruption caused by the ECQ.

In kind

IN a related development, Alabanza clarified the NGCP will no longer make its P1-billion cash donation to the government for its Covid measures as earlier announced.

Instead, she said NGCP will use P500 million of the amount to purchase medical equipment like respirators, laryngoscopes, fullface shields and other protective equipment to be distributed to its beneficiary hospitals.

The remaining half of the donation will be use to buy food packs to be distributed in various areas in the country, which were affected by Covid-19. Samuel P. Medenilla

METRO Rail Transit (MRT) workers disinfect the MRT line during the enhanced community quarantine. The light rail system was one of the first to be shut down on March 17 when the government imposed a monthlong lockdown to arrest the spread of Covid-19. NONOY LACZA

BIR to bizmen: Don’t worry over online system ‘penalties’ Continued from A1

Aside from extending the deadline for filing and payment of annual income tax returns for 2019 from April 15, 2020, to May 15, 2020, the BIR also granted a one-month leeway from the original deadline for filing of electronic and non-electronic payment of quarterly ITRs, monthly and quarterly value-added tax (VAT) declarations, documentary stamp taxes, percentage tax on winnings and prizes withheld by racetrack operators, withholding taxes on compensation, and creditable and

final withholding taxes, as well as monthly excise tax declarations, which fall within the period of national emergency, according to Revenue Regulations 7-2020.

If the deadline falls on a weekend, the deadline shall be the next business day.

Moreover, the submission of quarterly summary lists of sales and purchases, sworn statement of manufacturers or importers of excisable products, financial statements for the year 2019, inventory lists, e-Sales reports, summary lists of machines, lists of medical practitioners, and certificates of residence

for tax treaty relief, as well as the registration of computerized books of accounts and other accounting records—the deadlines for which fall within the period of national emergency—shall also be allowed 30 days from the original deadline.

The deadline for VAT refund applications covering the quarter ending March 31, 2018, is extended from March 31, 2020, to April 30, 2020, while the tax amnesty on delinquencies returns shall be accepted until May 23, 2020.

Meanwhile, settlement of onetime transactions, submission of assessment-related documents, and

other filings and submissions not enumerated in the revenue regulations are given a 30-day extension, counted from the original due date.

The BIR is also suspending the run of statute of limitations on assessment notices, warrants of distraint and/or levy, and warrants of garnishment, by 60 days from the lifting of the declaration of a state of national emergency.

The revenue regulations provide that the new deadlines may also be further extended if the circumstances warrant such extension.

Despite the deadline extensions, Dominguez reiterated his

appeal to those who are able to file within the deadline or at the earliest possible time to do so through mechanisms that have been made available by the BIR, including online filing and payment platforms.

He pointed out that such tax payments ahead of the new, extended deadlines are crucial for the government to fund extremely urgent social protection and emergency health measures as the lethal virus Covid-19 is still spreading, as well as to sustain state investments needed to help Filipino families regain stable and reliable sources of income as soon as the pandemic is over.

Current...

Continued from A1

via banks rose by 6.6 percent to $2.65 billion in January from $2.48 billion year-on-year, supported by higher contributions from land-based and seabased workers. Bulk or 38.6 percent of the overall remittances came from the US.

The Fitch unit said that external demand was in a slump following the partial to full lockdowns in major export markets for the Philippines, including the US, China and Japan.

In addition, domestic import demand could recover “sharply” as the Philippine government pushed for infrastructure drive in the coming quarters to mobilize the economy, widening the deficit further, Fitch Solutions explained.

“While we expect external financing conditions to tighten somewhat for the Philippine economy, a relatively stable peso and strong reserve buffers will ease borrowing conditions, enabling a wider current account deficit,” the research arm of Fitch Group said.

Fitch Solutions said the peso has only depreciated 0.6 percent year-todate, slower compared to Malaysia (6.3 percent), Thailand (10 percent) and Indonesia (17.8 percent). This means that the currency has a stable demand and supply despite the economic downturn due to the pandemic, it added.

It maintains its forecast for the Philippine peso spot rate to average P51.70: $1 this year.

The peso strengthened by 3 centavos to finish at P50.85 on Thursday from P50.88 the previous day, according to data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines.

Remittance...

Continued from A1

New wave of vectors

“IF we cannot test them, that is potentially a massive wave of vectors that, if they infect others, could overwhelm the health-care system.

So they will need to be tested and isolated,” Salceda said.

Salceda is also proposing that the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases adopt a unified protocol for handling returning OFWs. “Let’s come up with a quarantine protocol. As soon as they arrive, they have to declare in a detailed manner the places where they came from within a period of time. You test them afterward.

As soon as they accomplish that truthfully, you give them cash, outright, as assistance for themselves and their families. You place them in some place for quarantine, or you send them home but you alert the police and the local authorities, down to the barangay, so that the 14-day quarantine can be imposed,” he said.

“You essentially consider them persons under monitoring,” Salceda added.

Earlier, TUCP Party-list Rep. Raymond Democrito C. Mendoza deplored the apparent lack of rapid-response protocols within DOLE and its attached agencies, and a massive failure of coordination with the task force, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and LGUs for the repatriation, quarantine and post-quarantine and financial assistance for OFWs. Mendoza was reacting to reports that repatriated OFWs are being denied accommodation and local government units are turning them away.

See related story in Nation, “IATF creates new subgroup to handle returning OFWs,” page A3.

Mendoza noted that DOLE reported that as of last count, at least 3,169 OFWs were affected worldwide, with about 1,560 OFWs displaced or forced to go on leave due to Covid-19. About 203 OFWs tested positive of Covid-19 while three have died, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

“It is appalling that OFWs sleep on the streets while government agencies are taking their sweet time to set up coordination protocol,” Mendoza said. “A simple dedicated front desk for repatriation and coordination with the IATF could have been established early on,” Mendoza added.

Mendoza also called on local chief executives to allow entry of returning OFWs.

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I.A.T.F.: WEARING OF FACE MASK NOW MANDATORY IN ECQ AREAS

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

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HE wear ing of face masks, or other similar protective equipment, is now mandatory for people, who will be going out of their homes in areas under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

C abinet Secret a r y K a rlo Nograles said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) made the decision to minimize the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

But due to the prevailing shortage in the supply of face masks, the IATF spokesman said people could also use alternative protective wear such as earloop masks, indigenous, reusable or do-it-yourself masks, face shields, and handkerchiefs.

“Allow me to stress that if we need to leave our homes, we need to wear masks. Even an improvised mask, or handkerchief, will do, as long as you have something to cover your mouth and nose,” Nograles said during a news briefing on Tuesday.

A person can get infected with Covid-19 if he or she is exposed to droplets and fomites usually coming from the cough of those who are already infected by the virus.

Nograles said concerned lo-

cal government units (LGUs) were allowed by the IATF “to issue the necessary executive order, or ordinance, to implement the requirement and impose penalties for its violation.

To further help minimize the exposure of people from Covid-19, he said, the IATF also strongly encourage “supermarkets, public and private wet markets, grocery stores, agrifishery supply stores, pharmacies, drug stores, and other retail establishments engaged in the business of selling basic necessities to extend their store operations to a maximum of 12 hours.

He said the IATF came up with the measure upon observing people tend to crowd the said establishments if these will have shorter operation hours.

The IATF also reminded LGUs strict social distancing measure in the said establishments.

“By now all of us are aware of the gravity of the threat before us.

Covid-19 is not an ordinary illness so the government is now doing everything to stop the spread of the virus,” Nograles said.

As of Wednesday, the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the country has already reach 2,311. It is expected to increase further as government improves its testing capacities for the said illness.

DENR official sees revival of native monkey farming amid global virus contagion

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

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HE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is looking into the population boom of an “aggressive” disease-carrying native monkey species in Banton, Romblon, following the reported jump of the ape population in the island municipality.

DENR Assistant Secretary Ricardo Calderon said a team was sent by him to conduct preliminary investigation in the area and verified the report.

“We have already sent a team on the island and we verified the report that there was indeed an increase in the number of monkey population on the island,” Calderon reported.

The Philippines’s long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis philippensis) is a subspecies of the crabeating macaque. Aside from being a potential carrier of a deadly virus such as Ebola, they are also known to be very aggressive as they tend to be protective of their troop.

Although there are still no recorded, or reported unprovoked attacks on the human population, so far, these monkeys that became highly dependent on food handouts by tourists sometimes go out to raid houses for morsels.

In Romblon, Calderon said, there are reports that they are not only raiding houses but are destroying farms—targeting small banana and cassava farms, including those planted by subsistence farmers.

With the increasing number of monkeys on the island, Calderon said the DENR is now mulling over to start issuing special permits that will allow the capture of these monkey for research and development and purposes.

“Monkeys are usually exported for purpose of scientific research to produce a cure to diseases, or vaccines, because monkeys are closely associated with humans,” he said.

In the Philippines, he said, there

are at least seven monkey farms with special permits to breed native species of monkeys.

“These monkey farms suddenly stopped operation because of the reported spread of the Ebola virus disease several years back, but their permits are still active,” he said, adding that he believes that with the increasing demand for a live specimen for the conduct of scientific research, these farms would soon revive their captive breeding program.

The DENR’s Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) allows farming of monkeys, recognizing their important role in scientific research to fight deadly viruses that could cause global pandemic, such as the novel coronavirus that causes Covid-19.

These farms are strictly regulated.

“They export the progeny, or the offspring of captive monkeys, to laboratories conducting scientific research in search of vaccines,” Calderon said.

He said that while the DENRBMB also issues special permits for wild animals as pets, monkeys are discouraged because of the threat of the Ebola virus. Monkeys may be imported and exported under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora or CITES. A signatory to CITES, the Philippines strictly adhere to its policy to prohibit the export of species on the endangered list. Native monkeys in the Philippines are considered a “least concern species,” which means they do not qualify as threatened, or near threatened.

“So far, there’s one permit application that I came across with for harvesting monkeys,” Calderon said. Before issuing a special permit, the DENR-BMB looks into the conservation status and conduct a background investigation of the applicants, he added.

Usually, these applicants work for monkey farms whose business is to breed monkeys and sell the offspring, usually to foreign buyers, Calderon said.

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Friday, April 3, 2020 A3

Pandemic prompts PSA to move back decade census from May 4 to May 18

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

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HE Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has delayed the conduct of the country’s decade census in light of the coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

National Statistician Claire Dennis S. Mapa told the BusinessMirror that the start of the Census of Population and Housing (CPH) has been moved to May 18 from the initial announcement of May 4.

However, Mapa said, the situation will be assessed by April 14 if there will be further changes in the

conduct of the CPH this year.

“The original start of the census is May 4, we will move it to May 18. [This is] subject, of course, to evaluation after April 14,” Mapa said in a text message to the BusinessMirror on Thursday.

On Wednesday, the PSA announced the suspension of the recruitment and hiring process for census workers and the series of training for field operations in preparation for the conduct of the 2020 CPH. The hiring and recruitment of personnel such as enumerators was temporarily suspended until the enhanced community quarantine

(ECQ) is lifted.

The PSA assured the public that they will monitor the Covid-19 outbreak and adjust field operations in the 2020 CPH as necessary. This will be done following the guidance of national and local health authorities.

“This measure is being done to help protect the health and safety of the public, PSA employees, census workers including those from the Department of Education, and other partners/stakeholders,” the PSA said.

The 2020 CPH will be the 15th census of population and 7th census of housing to be undertaken in

the country since the first census in 1903.

According to Batas Pampanga Blog. 72, the PSA is given the authority to conduct population censuses every 10 years beginning in 1980.

The CPH refers to the entire process of collecting, compiling, evaluating, analyzing, publishing, and disseminating data about the population and living quarters in a country.

It entails the listing and recording of the characteristics of each individual and each living quarter as of a specified time and within a specified territory.

Leni’s camp asks: What NBI probe?

By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM

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HE spokesman of Vice President Leni Robredo branded on Thursday as “ridiculous” the move to have the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) probe her for her efforts to assist Filipinos affected by the novel coronavirus, which an administration official perceive as acts that “competes” with that of the government.

“The PACC [Presidential AntiCorruption Commission] statement is so ridiculous, so inappropriate, so out of touch that I had to verify if it was really true. I am deeply disappointed that it was,” said lawyer Barry Gutierrez in a news statement released by the Office of the Vice President.

Gutierrez reacted to PACC Commissioner Manuelito Luna’s call for the NBI to investigate Robredo over her alleged actions that “competed,” or tended to “undermine,” the administration’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, which some groups had

considered as “wanting.”

On Wednesday, several residents at a barangay in Quezon City protested over the alleged lack of assistance from the government, with the protest peeving President Duterte, warning the residents and those who plans to carry out a similar activity that he will not hesitate to send in soldiers and shoot them.

As arrests were made, Philippine National Police chief General Archie Gamboa deemed the “root cause” of the protest is immaterial, other than the violation of the law, but added that the policemen would not be sent to hit the protesters, or even shoot them, as maximum tolerance would have to be observed.

Gutierrez said Robredo violated no laws, as what she did was just to help people who have been affected by the Covid-19, an effort that was also being undertaken by other well-meaning individuals and groups.

“Since Day One of the Covid-19 crisis, VP Leni has done all she can to help health workers, government

institutions, and ordinary Filipinos overcome the challenges they have had to face due to the restrictions on travel, the shortages in supplies, and, of course, the ever present threat of infection,” Gutierrez said.

“She has mobilized private citizens to procure PPEs [personal protective equipment] for doctors and nurses, organized free transport for those that needed to engage in essential travel, brought extraction kits to the RITM [Research Institute for Tropical Medicine], provided food to police and soldiers manning checkpoints, and set up dormitories so health workers have a place to rest near their hospitals,” he added.

Luna questioned Robredo’s act in providing free shuttle service to affected workers when the public transportation was banned, donated personal protective equipment to health workers and also provided dormitories to frontline workers.

“She has done all this without requesting additional public funds, or seeking expanded powers. She did this because she saw a

need, and she took action to meet it. She did this because it was the right and responsible thing to do,” Gutierrez said.

“Anyone who insists that bringing much-needed assistance to hospitals, health workers, and poor Filipinos is somehow a ‘competition’ has absolutely no understanding of the gravity of the crisis we are all facing,” he added.

Earlier, the NBI also invited Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto for possible questioning after he reportedly allowed tricycles in the city to ferry health workers, which is allegedly in violation of the law that gave President Duterte emergency powers.

But Sotto responded he did not violate any law as he stopped the service when he was asked by the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and he did it even before the law giving the President emergency powers was enacted.

The government’s move against Robredo and Sotto fished out nasty comments from angry netizens.

Zambales governor puts up more Pagcor donates P20 million quarantine, disinfection facilities to 4 Metro public hospitals

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By Henry Empeño | Correspondent

BA, Zambales—Quarantine and disinfection facilities are literally sprouting overnight in Zambales these days as local government units (LGUs) solidly backed the provincial government’s action plan to build local capacity and preparedness to combat the spread of the new coronavirus (Covid-19).

Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. said in a news statement issued on Thursday that LGUs have already identified 15 quarantine sites in the province and that these are now being equipped with the necessary staff, equipment and supplies to house persons under investigation (PUIs).

These include two quarantine sites each in the towns of Palauig and Sta. Cruz and at least one each in the other 11 municipalities, he added.

At the same time, local officials, on their own initiative, have been establishing disinfection stations for passing vehicles at the border of their own towns, or barangays, along the provincial highway, Ebdane said.

“It is very heartening how community leaders and officials eagerly complied,” the governor said, adding that he has been inspecting proposed quarantine sites since Tuesday.

Ebdane ordered all LGU units to implement more stringent measures last Sunday, stressing that preparedness be at the core of the provincial action plan against Covid-19.

He also designated the President Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Hospital (PRMMH) here in Iba for the exclusive use of Covid-19 cases.

As of Wednesday, April 1, all regular patients at PRMMH have been transferred to the two district hospitals in San Marcelino and Candelaria towns, while some opted to continue treatment at the Kainomayan Community Hospital in Botolan.

Ebdane said that on top of the municipal quarantine sites, the provincial government is maintaining two other quarantine sites—one at the provincial hospital here and the Bahay

Pag-asa in Botolan town.

“It is important to segregate cases of Covid-19 to prevent possible spread through the sharing of the same facility,” the governor explained.

He said the provincial government also required mandatory quarantine for new arrivals in the province, among them workers and students returning to their hometown. They will be quarantined with the full support from the government for 14 days at facilities in the border towns of Sta. Cruz and Subic.

Ebdane also said that under his six-point emergency preparedness action plan, LGUs have begun doing inventory of their current stock of supplies of food and medicine, while a number of private doctors and other medical personnel have enlisted as health “reservist” in their localities.

“In times like this, cooperation is the most important contribution anyone can make. It would be easier for us to contain, and consequently eradicate the virus if the community acted as one,” he said.

As of April 1, the Zambales province has reported three confirmed cases of Covid-19 infection, among them a 90-year-old resident of Castillejos town who died on March 27. But so far, eight PUIs in the province have been discharged after testing negative, while six are awaiting results, according to the Zambales Provincial Health Office (PHO).

The PHO also indicated that as of April 1, only 3,831 persons under monitoring (PUMs) remained of the 13,258 that the province had recorded since Day 1 of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine, while 135 of the recorded 262 PUIs have completed the 14-day observation period without any progressing symptoms.

“The numbers here are small compared to other areas, but this does not mean we can relax our vigilance,” Ebdane clarified. “Zambales, in fact, has just stepped up its response to the threat,” he added.

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

F

@BNicolasBM

OUR public hospitals in Metro Manila are set to receive a total of P20 million from international gaming firm FBM, through the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor).

At least P5 million each will be donated by FBM to Philippine General Hospital, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Lung Center of the Philippines and Research Institute for Tropical Medicine.

The recipient hospitals will use the fund to purchase medical equipment and other essentials that are necessary to control the spread of Covid-19.

FBM founder Rui Francisco said the company decided to help hospitals as they recognize the importance of the well-being and safety of hundreds of Filipino families.

Francisco added that they chose the hospitals to make an impact in the community “because we know that their professionals are some of the heroes in this daily battle against the virus and they must be properly equipped to take care of us.”

“Caring is one of our main values as a brand and we take it very seriously when it comes to our people, our clients, and our games. We could not step aside from this cause. The Philippines means so much to FBM as a nation that we could not ignore its people when they need us the most,” Francisco said in a news statement issued on Thursday.

Pagcor Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Andrea Domingo said they received a letter from FBM expressing its willingness to help curb the pandemic by helping some public hospitals that are at the forefront of the war against Covid-19.

“We are very thankful that many of our licensed gaming entities are expressing eagerness to help. Because of this shared bayanihan spirit, we are reminded that we are not alone in our battles. With the help of every willing organization, we have all been doing our share to flatten the curb,” Domingo said.

With a legacy of 19 years in the gaming industry, FBM is a global gaming brand involved in video bingos, spin reel games, table games and video poker.

After conquering the leadership of the video bingo market, FBM focused its expansion campaign in Europe and Central America.

A4 Friday, April 3, 2020 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

Economy BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Cops to assist DSWD in distribution of cash aid to poor, indigent families

By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM

T

HE Philippine National Police (PNP) will help in the distribution of cash assistance to poor families affected by the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), the head of the Joint Task Force Corona Virus Shield (JTF CV Shield) said on Thursday.

President Duterte has instructed the police and the military to assist in the distribution of cash assistance to indigents and other qualified families affected by the strict implementation of the lockdown.

Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, commander of the JTF CV Shield, said the task force is already coordinating with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for the orderly and ECQ rules-based distribution of the cash assistance for qualified beneficiaries of the government’s Social Amelioration Program.

Eleazar said PNP chief General Archie Gamboa has also given him instruction to mobilize all police forces across the country for the effort.

“As such, all unit commanders and chiefs of police down to the municipal and city levels have already

been directed to start coordinating with the local offices of the DSWD in their respective areas of jurisdiction and map out plans to ensure the quick and smooth distribution of the cash assistance in their respective areas of responsibilities [AORs],” he said.

“The goal here is to ensure the security of the local social workers tasked to distribute the cash assistance, while ensuring that the rules on social distancing and home quarantine are strictly observed for the health safety of both the DSWD and police personnel, and the beneficiaries and their

respective families,” he added.

Eleazar appealed to beneficiaries to “remain in their houses and observe patience while waiting for the distribution of the cash assistance to help them cope with the adverse effects brought by this pandemic.”

He said President Duterte has given his word that the cash assistance will be distributed properly and in the soonest possible time, which are the main reasons he decided to cut the bureaucracy in the distribution by entrusting the cash assistance distribution to the DSWD, police and the military.

“On behalf of our Chief PNP, we assure the public that the President’s order will be done. In return, all we ask is for the people to respect the rules that will be implemented for the orderly and quick distribution of the cash assistance,” Eleazar said.

“On the other hand, I reiterate the warning of our Chief PNP against groups and personalities who are planning to take advantage of the cash assistance distribution to instigate disorder and spread fake news aimed at agitating the public to violate the ECQ rules and other existing laws,” he added.

Senator to ERC, gencos: Consumers should not pay for unused electricity during ECQ

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

T

HE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) and power generating companies (gencos) should relax the provisions in the power supply agreements (PSAs) so that consumers won’t have to pay for unused electricity, given the decline in electricity demand during the quarantine period, Sen. Sherwin T. Gatchalian said Thursday.

Gatchalian expressed fears Fili-

pino households will have to pay for the power they have not consumed if the ERC and gencos will not relax the provisions in the PSAs requiring distribution utilities (DUs) to purchase a minimum amount of electricity.

The lawmaker pointed out that DUs are left without an option but to pay for the same amount of electricity from gencos even when the demand is low. Since there’s a pass on provision on PSAs, Gatchalian warned that consumers will end up

being burdened paying for the electricity they did not consume.

Gatchalian said the demand for electricity plunged by 30 percent.

And while there has been an increase in residential demand, most of the economic activities have slowed down, as well as other activities in the energy sector.

For humanitarian reasons, Gatchalian appealed to both the ERC and gencos to spare consumers from this kind of burden at this critical time.

“Naging malaking dagok na nga sa

ating kalusugan ang nakamamatay na Covid-19. Bugbog na bugbog na ang mga tao sa paghahanap ng makakain araw-araw. Ipapasan pa ba natin ang pagbayad sa kuryenteng hindi naman nila ginamit,” the Senate Committee on Energy chairman said.

“During this time of crisis, we need to think of solutions to ease the burden of the people. That’s why we urge the ERC and gencos to arrive at an equitable solution for the benefit of all Filipinos,” Gatchalian added.

This developed as Meralco Vice

President Joe Zaldarriaga, guesting on Laging Handa news briefing, said that Meralco bills to be read from March 17 to April 14 will just be based on average of past three months’ consumption. This will protect meter readers from possible infection and the public as well.

Zaldarriaga added that after the ECQ, whatever is over or below the actual consumption—as subsequently read by meter readers—will just be added to or deducted from the succeeding bill, as the case may be.

ADB extends $5-million food grant to PHL amid pandemic DOTr extends fuel subsidy

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

T

HE A sia n Development Bank (ADB) has extended a $5-million grant to provide critical food supplies to up to 55,000 vulnerable households in Metro Manila and neighboring areas amid the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

The Rapid Emergency Supplies Provision Project will be implemented under the Tagalog name “Bayan Bayanihan.” The beneficiaries will include the poorest families and informal sector workers who have lost their livelihoods due to the ECQ. The project seeks to leverage ADB and private sector resources to provide essential food supplies to vulnerable households on Luzon island, including Metro Manila, to bridge the gap until other support mechanisms are activated.

“This project will ensure that tens of thousands of the poorest and most vulnerable households in the Philippines, our host country, will continue to be able to put food on the table as

they cope with the impacts of Covid-19,” ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa said in a news statement issued on Thursday. “ This unique program will combine the core strengths of the government, ADB, and domestic and global philanthropic, private entities to improve the health, living conditions, and resilience of households most affected by the pandemic,” he added.

The first deliveries of the project—2,000 50 kilogram sacks of rice—were successfully made on March 31 in the cities of Caloocan, Manila, Pasay, and Quezon, with food varieties and households chosen based on government guidelines.

More food—including rice, drinks, and canned sardines, tuna, and corned beef—will be delivered to households in Malabon on Friday.

More than 75 percent of the Philippines’s confirmed Covid-19 cases are in Manila and nearby provinces, a dense urban area that is also the largest contributor to the country’s economy.

On March 24, President Duterte

signed the “Bayanihan to Heal as One Act” to provide emergency cash assistance of P5,000 to P8,000 or $98 to $156 a month to about 18 million low-income households.

ADB’s $5-million grant will complement initiatives of the government and the private sector. Through collaboration with philanthropic, private entities, ADB aims to attract more contributions to support the expansion of the program, so more vulnerable households can be supported and for longer periods of time.

The new program builds on ADB’s support to the Philippine government in its fight against Covid-19.

On March 14, ADB approved a $3- million grant to help the government purchase emergency medical supplies and deliver immediate and effective health-care services.

On March 18, ADB announced an initial package of approximately $6.5 billion to address the immediate needs of its developing member-countries, including the Philippines, as they respond to the Covid-19 pandemic.

to bus firms providing rides to health-care frontliners

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

T

HE Department of Transportation (DOTr) is providing bus companies and partner organizations fuel subsidies for participating in its free ride initiative for frontline health workers to “sustain the continuous operation of the program.”

Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said the fuel subsidy program, initially, will benefit 60 private bus units, which will be allocated with 50 liters of fuel daily. Phoenix Petroleum Philippines Inc., which is controlled by President Duterte’s close ally Dennis A. Uy, will supply the fuel for the subsidies.

“For our buses to continue bringing our frontliners to their medical communities, we need to at least ease their burden. With that, we are grateful to our donor,” he said.

To avail of the subsidy, bus units

Govt ‘bent’ on hiking rice output, meet 93% of PHL demand

T

HE government is now “bent” on raising the local rice output to meet at least 93 percent of domestic demand this year to cushion the adverse impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the global food supply chain.

In a statement on T hursday, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said it is determined to boost local palay production further amid “tightening global food supply due to the Covid-19 pandemic.”

The DA said it is keen on hiking the country’s palay output this year to an unprecedented 22.12 million metric tons (MMT) on the back of additional funding it will receive to ensure the country’s food security.

The DA’s latest output target is 17.6 percent higher than last year’s 18.81 MMT total output and 12.86 percent over the department’s initial production goal of 19.6 MMT for 2020.

“Given an additional budget, we will be able to produce more rice, thereby increasing our sufficiency from the present level of 87 percent to 93 percent,” Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said.

“We have requested an additional

P8.5 billion for a rice resiliency project [RRP], that is part of a P31-billion supplemental budget to bankroll our Plant, Plant, Plant Program or Ahon Lahat, Pagkaing Sapat [ALPAS] Covid-19 program,” Dar added.

The P31-billion supplemental budget was approved by the government’s InterAgency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATFMEID) and endorsed to President Duterte for his consideration and approval.

The proposed P8.5-billion RRP, under the ALPAS program, is seen to supplement existing government programs on rice production such as the P10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) and the DA’s regular national rice program.

Dar said the RRP would allow the government to cover more rice areas in the upcoming main cropping season with a total estimate of 2.7 million hectares.

Of the total figure, 1.2 million hectares are funded by RCEF and planted to inbred rice while 550,000 hectares will be planted with hybrid rice seeds and the remaining 950,000 hectares to inbred varieties, according to DA.

Under the RRP, P3.19 billion worth of fertilizers would be provided to rice farmers that could result in additional palay output of 628,500 MT while P3.312 billion would be allocated for seeds and fertilizers to both non-RCEF and non-hybrid beneficiaries with a projected additional production of 430,921 MT. Last, the DA will utilize the remaining P2.177 billion for its expanded hybrid rice production program to allow the shifting of 200,00 hectares previously planted to inbred into hybrid, with an estimated additional yield of 300,000 MT of palay.

“With the funds in place, we could boost production by the end of December 2020 to reach 22.12 million metric tons of palay, equivalent to 13.51 MMT of rice or 93 percent of the country’s total demand at 14.46 MMT,” Dar said.

“Immediately after the dry season harvest, we will encourage farmers to plant right away through direct seeding and provide them with appropriate fertilizers and technical assistance to improve their production during the third and fourth quarters of 2020,” Dar added.

Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

should complete at least two roundtrip operations on a given day. A voucher will then be provided at staging areas, and may be used at seven Phoenix gas stations spread across Metro Manila.

Phoenix Senior Vice President Raymond T. Zorilla said his group made the donation to “contribute in making traveling easier for health workers, who…play a very important role in the current situation.”

“Phoenix is committed to our goal of becoming an indispensable partner of everyone whose life we touch, and we wanted to show to the people that even during a crisis like this, Phoenix is here to serve them and even extend more help to those in need,” he said.

The free bus service for health workers was launched on March 18.

So far, it has helped bring 15,403 frontline medical personnel to their hospitals and health-care institutions spread across 19 routes.

Grace period on commercial rent payment gets govt OK

By Elijah Felice E. Rosales @alyasjah

T

HE government has approved the grant of a 30-day grace period on the payment of commercial rents with the prevailing monthlong enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to provide small businesses some relief in the face of sharp income losses.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, or IATF, on Wednesday approved the proposal to give micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) a 30-day extension for the payment of their commercial rents.

No interest penalties and other fees should be imposed on them as well, the IATF declared.

According to Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez, the policy covers not only MSMEs inside malls—as some owners already waived rent fees for one month—but also those outside, including those with brick and mortar outlets.

The IATF is calling on business establishments delivering basic goods to extend their operating period to 12 hours. Lopez explained this was issued to allow consumers not to flock in grocery stores and supermarkets all at the same time.

“Supermarkets, groceries, agrifisheries stores, public markets, C stores, drug stores and all retailers of basic [goods] and essentials and medical products are encouraged to extend their operations to a maximum of 12 hours so as to lengthen the operating hours and spread the flow of consumers,” Lopez said in a text message to reporters.

Local governments will be informed by the IATF to allow business establishments to operate up to 12 hours. It is within the discretion of the management, however, how they will manage labor hours, either by implementing shifts, or paying overtime.

Local ordinances on quarantine and curfew, therefore, should be reviewed to allow businesses to carry out operations for up to half a day, Lopez bared.

“In shifts, or OT rotation, that’s their call. We are just saying they are allowed to operate 12 hours like before, and not be constrained by local ordinances,” the trade chief said.

The whole of Luzon is placed under enhanced community quarantine until April 13, as the state tries to arrest the surging number of Covid-19 cases in the Philippines.

IATF creates new subgroup to handle returning OFWs

By Samuel P. Medenilla

T

@sam_medenilla

HE Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has created a new sub-technical working group (TWG) to handle the welfare of the hundreds of returning overseas Filipino workers (OFW) amid the prevailing enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon.

In an online press briefing on Thursday, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said the sub-TWG will be composed of the Departments of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Tourism (DOT), Transportation (DOTr), Foreign Affairs (DFA), Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Health (DOH).

He said the IATF directed the subgroup “to convene to formulate guidelines to manage and ensure the welfare” of repatriated OFWs. The Bureau of Quarantine was also tasked by the IATF “to update the existing algorithm for the triage of patients with possible Covid-19 infections,” which will apply to repatriated land-based OFWs, who will go through ports of entry.

The IATF formed the OFW-focused sub-TWG amid reports that some local government units (LGU) are refusing to provide accommodation to the repatriated OFWs out of fear they may be infected by Covid-19.

Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) President Raymond Mendoza lambasted these LGUs for their harsh treatment of returning OFWs. “We are alarmed that OFWs are wandering in a new diaspora because they either cannot be deployed or worse, they cannot come home to their respective LGUs because of a lack of coordination among concerned agencies and the LGUs,” Mendoza said in a statement.

He said addressing the matter will be crucial, especially since the Department of Health (DOH) has announced that 6,378 seafarers are expected to be repatriated in the next two weeks.

Nograles said the IATF has “strongly enjoined” all LGUs to “allow the unhampered transit of OFWs who have been issued DOH or LGUs certificate of completion of 14-day facility-based quarantine or those who may be required by the DOH or LGUs to undergo a mandatory 14-day home quarantine.”

www.businessmirror.com.ph• Editor: Angel R. Calso

The World

US intel: China concealed extent of Covid-19 outbreak

C

h i n a has concealed the ex tent of its coronavirus outbreak, under-reporting both total cases and deaths it has suffered from the disease, the US intelligence community concluded in a classified report to the White House, according to three US officials.

The officials asked not to be identified because the report is secret, and they declined to detail its contents. But the thrust, they said, is that China’s public reporting on cases and deaths is intentionally incomplete. Two of the officials said the report concludes that China’s numbers are fake.

The report was received by the White House last week, one of the officials said.

The outbreak began in China’s Hubei province in late 2019, but the country has publicly reported only about 82,000 cases and 3,300 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. That compares to more than 189,000 cases and more than 4,000 deaths in the US, which has the largest publicly reported outbreak in the world.

Trump said on Wednesday that China’s reported virus data appear to be on the “light side” but that he hadn’t received an intelligence report saying the country had concealed the extent of its outbreak.

“Their numbers seem to be a little bit on the light side, and I’m being nice when I say that,” he said at a daily coronavirus briefing at the White House.

Trump added that the US and China were in constant communication and that Beijing would spend $250 billion to purchase American products.

“We’d like to keep it, they’d like to keep it,” he said of the US-China trade deal.

Communications staff at the White House and the Chinese embassy in Washington didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

‘More forthcoming’

“The reality is that we could have been better off if China had been more forthcoming,” Vice President Mike Pence said Wednesday on CNN. “What appears evident now is that long before the world learned in December that China was dealing with this, and maybe as much as a month earlier than that, that the outbreak was real in China.

While China eventually imposed a strict lockdown beyond those of less autocratic nations, there has been considerable skepticism toward China’s reported numbers, both outside and within the country. The Chinese government has repeatedly revised its methodology for counting cases, for weeks excluding people without symptoms entirely, and only on Tuesday added more than 1,500 asymptomatic cases to its total.

Stacks of thousands of urns outside funeral homes in Hubei province have driven public doubt in Beijing’s reporting.

Republican lawmakers in the US have been particularly harsh about China’s role in the outbreak.

Enhancing Beijing’s role in the pandemic could be politically helpful to President Donald J. Trump, who has sought to shift blame for the US outbreak away from his administration’s delays in achieving widespread testing for the virus and mobilizing

greater production of supplies such as face masks and hospital ventilators.

“The claim that the United States has more coronavirus deaths than China is false,” Senator Ben Sasse, a Nebraska Republican, said in a statement after Bloomberg News published its report. “Without commenting on any classified information, this much is painfully obvious: The Chinese Communist Party has lied, is lying, and will continue to lie about coronavirus to protect the regime.”

Deborah Birx, the State Department immunologist advising the White House on its response to the outbreak, said on Tuesday that China’s public reporting influenced assumptions elsewhere in the world about the nature of the virus.

“The medical community made—interpreted the Chinese data as: This was serious, but smaller than anyone expected,” she said at a news conference on Tuesday. “Because I think probably we were missing a significant amount of the data, now that what we see happened to Italy and see what happened to Spain.”

Suspect reporting

The US intelligence community’s conclusion is an attempt to divert attention from surging deaths in the US and other Western countries, Hu Xijin, editor in chief of China’s state-run Global Times, said on his account on Chinese social media platform Weibo.

There was no way for serious data faking to occur in today’s China, especially for an incident that has drawn such widespread attention, Hu said. He said China managed to curtail the death toll in Hubei, the province where the virus first emerged late last year, by sending medical workers and equipment there from other parts of the country.

“To fake the casualty data, which departments will be deployed? Who will implement the plan?” Hu asked. “It will involve many different departments in many places to get the total numbers. If one of them is faking once, they have to fake it all the time. The risk of screwing up could be very high.”

China isn’t the only country with suspect public reporting. Western officials have pointed to Iran, Russia, Indonesia and especially North Korea, which has not reported a single case of the disease, as probable under-counts. Others including Saudi Arabia and Egypt may also be playing down their numbers.

US Secretar y of State Michael Pompeo has publicly urged China and other nations to be transparent about their outbreaks. He has repeatedly accused China of covering up the extent of the problem and being slow to share information, especially in the weeks after the virus first emerged, and blocking offers of help from American experts.

“This data set matters,”he said at a news conference in Washington on Tuesday. The development of medical therapies and public-health measures to combat the virus “so that we can save lives depends on the ability to have confidence and information about what has actually transpired,” he said.

“I would urge every nation: Do your best to collect the data. Do your best to share that information,” he said. “We’re doing that.” Bloomberg News

Thousands stranded as Australia cruise-ship standoff intensifies

A

cru i s e ship operator with six vessels stranded off Australia is calling on the nation to help evacuate thousands of crewmembers as the coronavirus outbreak ravages the industr y.

Carnival Plc. said on Thursday it needs Australia’s help to bring crew to shore so they can re t u rn to t h e i r h o m e co u nt ri e s, adding the government had a dut y to ac t on humanitarian grounds.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. also has at least five vessels off the coast, and authorities in New South Wales state are concerned the health system may be overwhelmed with new virus cases should crew be evacuated too quickly, the Australian newspaper reported.

Many countries have become increasingly reluc tant to grant entr y to cruise ships after the infec tion of more than 700 people on a vessel ber thed off Japan showed how quickly the virus could spread. Australia has barred foreign cruise ships, but has been allowing domestic vessels and some ships that were at sea when the restric tions were announced to dock and disembark passengers.

Of almost 5,000 confirmed virus cases in Australia, about 10 percent are related to cruise ships. Hundreds of people have become infec ted after passengers were allowed to disembark a ship in Sydney before test results were known.

Carnival Australia said on Thursday it was seeking an “orderly process” to disembark crew members.

“It is in no one’s interests, particularly the crew, for the ships to sail over the horizon to an uncertain future,” spokesman David Jones said by e-mail. “This is based on humanitarian and compassionate grounds and in line with Australia’s international obligations as a maritime nation.”

Helicopter drop

N e w S o u t h Wa l e s Po l i c e Co m m i s s i o n e r Michael Fuller said authorities were reviewing individual cases.

“We’re doing our best to make sensible decisions that won’t have an impact on the health of the rest of the people of New South Wales,” he told reporters on Thursday.

According to the Australian, New South Wales authorities are planning to conduct a military-style operation to helicopter doctors o nto e i g ht c r u i s e s h i p s s t ra n d e d o f f t h e state’s coast, and would test more than 8,000 crewmembers for the virus.

It quoted Fuller as saying the ships would be forced to leave once those found to be infected had been extracted, with the state considering opening mobile hospitals to care for them.

On the other side of the countr y, the state government in Western Australia is urging a German- operated cruise ship to leave its wate r s a m i d co n ce rn s t h at a co ro n av i ru s outbreak on board could over whelm alreadystrained local hospitals.

Phoenix-Reisen GmbH, operator of the MS Artania, is refusing to leave the port of Fremantle until mid-April so it can first determine whether any more people on board are infected, and wants the vessel to be thoroughly cleaned, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported.

Passengers were evacuated on mercy flights to Frankfurt on Sunday, according to the operator’s web site. The ship still has 12 passengers and 450 crew on board, the ABC said. A total of 41 passengers and crew are already being treated in West Australian hospitals for Covid-19, according to the report.

Royal Caribbean’s Australian operations didn’t immediately respond to phone calls and e-mails requesting comment. Bloomberg News

BusinessMirror

Friday, April 3, 2020

A5

Deaths mount in New York N

EW YORK—New York authorities rushed to bring in an army of medical volunteers on Wednesday as the statewide death toll from the coronavirus doubled in 72 hours to more than 1,900 and the wail of ambulances in the otherwise eerily quiet streets of the city became the heartbreaking soundtrack of the crisis.

As hot spots flared around the US in places like New Orleans and Southern California, the nation’s biggest city was the hardest hit of them all, with bodies loaded onto refrigerated morgue trucks by gurney and forklift outside overwhelmed hospitals, in full view of passing motorists.

“It’s like a battlefield behind your home,” said 33-year-old Emma Sorza, who could hear the sirens from severely swamped Elmhurst Hospital in Queens.

And the worst is yet to come.

“How does it end? And people want answers,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. “I want answers. The answer is nobody knows for sure.”

President Donald J. Trump acknowledged that the federal stockpile is nearly depleted of personal protective equipment used by doctors and nurses.

“Difficult days are ahead for our nation,” Trump said. “We’re going to have a couple of weeks, starting pretty much now, but especially a few days from now that are going to be horrific.”

Scientists offered more evidence on Wednesday that the coronavirus is spread by seemingly healthy people who show no clear symptoms, leading the US government to issue new guidance warning that anyone exposed to the disease can be considered a carrier.

Stocks tumbled on Wall Street and markets around the world, with 100,000 to 240,000 deaths projected in the US before the crisis is over. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost more than 970 points, or over 4 percent.

Under growing pressure, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis belatedly joined his counterparts in more than 30 states in issuing a statewide stay-home order, taking action after conferring with fellow Republican Trump. The governors of Pennsylvania and Nevada, both Democrats, and Mississippi’s GOP governor took similar steps.

Trump said his administration has agreed to ship out 1,000 ventilators — breathing machines that are vital for treating people with severe cases of Covid-19. He said the US government has a stockpile of nearly 10,000 but has kept close hold on them so they can be deployed quickly to states that need them.

Meanwhile, European nations facing extraordinary demand for intensive-care beds are putting up makeshift hospitals, unsure whether they will find enough healthy medical staff to run them. London is days away from unveiling a 4,000-bed temporary hospital built in a huge convention center.

In a remarkable turnabout, rich economies where virus cases have exploded are welcoming help from less wealthy ones. Russia sent medical equipment and masks to the United States. Cuba supplied doctors to France. Turkey dispatched protective gear and disinfectant to Italy and Spain.

Worldwide, more than 900,000 people have been infected and over 45,000 have died, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University, though the real figures are believed to be much higher because of testing shortages, differences in counting the dead and large numbers of mild cases that have gone unreported.

The US recorded about 210,000 infections and about 4,600 deaths, with New York City accounting for about 1 out of 4 dead.

More than 80,000 people have volunteered as medical reinforcements in New York, including recent retirees, health care professionals taking a break from their regular jobs and people between gigs.

Few have made it into the field yet, as authorities vet and figure out how to use them, but hospitals are expected to begin bringing them in later this week.

Those who have hit the ground already, many brought in by staffing agencies, found a hospital system being driven to the breaking point.

“It’s hard when you lose patients.

It’s hard when you have to tell the family members: ‘I’m sorry, but we did everything that we could,’” said nurse Katherine Ramos, of Cape Coral, Florida, who has been working at New York Presbyterian Hospital. “It’s even harder when we really don’t have the time to mourn, the time to talk about this.”

To ease the crushing caseload, the city’s paramedics have been told they shouldn’t take fatal heart attack victims to hospitals to have them pronounced dead. Patients have been transferred to the Albany area. A Navy hospital ship has docked in New York, the mammoth Javits Convention Center has been turned into a hospital, and the tennis center that hosts the US Open is being converted to one, too.

With New York on near-lockdown, the normally bustling streets in the city of 8.6 million are empty, and sirens are no longer easily ignored as just urban background noise.

A funeral director and a Wyckoff Heights Medical Center employee transport a body on Wednesday, April 1, 2020, in New York. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death. AP/Mary Altaffer “After 9/11, I remember we actually wanted to hear the sound of ambulances on our quiet streets because that meant there were survivors, but we didn’t hear those sounds, and it was heartbreaking. Today, I hear an ambulance on my strangely quiet street and my heart breaks, too,” said 61-year-old Meg Gifford, a former Wall Streeter who lives on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

Cuomo moved to close the city’s playgrounds because of too much crowding, but people can still use wide-open green spaces as long as they stay 6 feet apart.

Police went around in patrol cars, blaring warnings to obey the rules.

Nearly 6,200 New York City police officers, or one-sixth of the department, were out sick on Wednesday, including about 4,800 who reported flu-like systems, though it was not clear how many had the virus.

Cuomo said projections suggest the crisis in New York will peak at the end of April, with a high death rate continuing through July.

“Let’s cooperate to address that in New York because it’s going to be in your town tomorrow,” he warned. “If we learn how to do it right here — or learn how to do it the best we can, because there is no right, it’s only the best we can — then we can work cooperatively all across this country.”

Elsewhere around the country, the number of dead in Louisiana was put at more than 270. In Southern California, officials reported that at least 51 residents and six staff members at a nursing home east of Los Angeles have been infected and two have died.

Florida’s DeSantis was locked in a standoff over whether two cruise ships with sick and dead passengers may dock in his state. More than 300 US citizens were on board. Two deaths were blamed on the virus, and nine people tested positive, Holland America cruise line said.

Even as the virus appears to have

slowed its growth in overwhelmed Italy and in China, where it first emerged, hospitals on the Continent are buckling under the load.

“It feels like we are in a Third World country. We don’t have enough masks, enough protective equipment, and by the end of the week we might be in need of more medication too,” said Paris emergency worker Christophe Prudhomme.

Spain reported a record 864 deaths in one day, for a total of more than 9,000, while France registered an unprecedented 509 and more than 4,000 in all. In Italy, w ith over 13,000 dead, the most of any country, morgues overflowed with bodies, caskets piled up in churches and doctors were forced to decide which desperately ill patients would get breathing machines.

England’s Wimbledon tennis tournament was canceled for the first time since World War II. India’s highest court ordered news media and social media sites to carry the government’s “official version” of developments, echoing actions taken in other countries to curb independent reporting.

The strain facing some of the world’s best health care systems has been aggravated by hospital budget cuts over the past decade in Italy, Spain, France and Britain. They have called in medical students, retired doctors and even laid-off flight attendants with first aid training.

The staffing shortage has been worsened by the high numbers of infected personnel. In Italy alone, nearly 10,000 medical workers have contracted the virus and more than 60 doctors have died.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. But for others, especially older adults and people with health problems, it can cause severe symptoms like pneumonia. AP

Israel’s health minister has virus, top officials to isolate

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ERUSALEM—The new coronavirus is forcing more top Israeli officials into isolation after the country’s health minister, who has had frequent contact with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, tested positive, the Health Ministry said on Thursday.

The Middle East has over 78,000 confirmed cases of the virus, most of those in Iran, and over 3,500 deaths. In Lebanon, the Philippines a m b a s s a d o r, B e r n a rd i t a Cat a l l a , d i e d o f

complications from the coronavirus on Thursday, the Philippines said. Lebanon has recorded 479 infected cases, and 14 deaths.

Israel’s health minister Yaakov Litzman and his wife, who also contracted the virus, are in isolation, feel well and are being treated, the statement said. The Health Ministry director and Litzman’s staff self-quarantined, and the ministry said that requests to enter isolation will be sent to those who came in contact with the minister

in the past two weeks.

The Israeli daily Haaretz reported that the head of Israel’s Mossad spy agency and the National Security Council were asked to go into isolation because of their contacts with Litzman. Netanyahu had gone into self-quarantine previously after a top aide tested positive for the virus, but Netanyahu has so far tested negative.

Israel has gone into near-lockdown to try to contain the virus outbreak. The country has

UN: Pandemic could shrink global economy almost 1% in 2020

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NITED NATIONS—The global economy could shrink almost 1 percent this year due to the new coronavirus, a sharp reversal from the pre-pandemic forecast of 2.5-percent growth, the United Nations said on Wednesday.

The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs warned in a report that the decline could be even deeper if restrictions on economic activities extend into the third quarter of the year and if fiscal stimulus efforts don’t support income and consumer spending.

By comparison, it said, the world economy contracted 1.7 percent during the global financial crisis in 2009.

“Fears of the exponential spread of the virus—and growing uncertainties about the efficacy of various containment measures— have rocked financial markets worldwide,” the report noted, “with market volatility surpassing its peak during the global financial crisis and equit y markets and oil prices plunging to multi-year lows.”

In the best-case scenario, the report said, moderate declines in private consumption, investment and exports will be offset by increases in government spending in the seven major industrialized nations and China, leading to global growth of 1.2 percent in 2020.

In the worst-case scenario, it said, global output would contract 0.9 percent, “based on demand-side shocks of different magnitudes” to China, Japan, South Korea, the United States

and the European Union as well as a 50 percent decline in oil prices.

This scenario “assumes that wide-ranging restrictions on economic activities in the EU and the United States would extend until the middle of the second quarter,” the report said.

I t s a i d i n c re a s i n g re s t r i c t i o n s o n t h e movement of people and lock-downs in Europe and Nor th America “are hitting the ser vice sector hard, particularly industries that involve physical interactions such as retail trade, leisure and hospitality, recreation and transportation services.” Those sectors account for more than a quarter of all jobs in those countries, and as these businesses lose revenue, unemployment is likely to increase sharply, it said.

The report said the negative effects of current economic restrictions in richer developed nations will soon spill over into developing countries, which will see lower trade and investment.

The severity of the economic impact— “whether a moderate or deep recession”—will largely depend on the duration of restrictions on the movement of people and economic activities in major economies and on the size and impact of fiscal responses, it said.

“Urgent and bold policy measures are needed, not only to contain the pandemic and save lives, but also to protect the most vulnerable in our societies from economic ruin and to sustain economic growth and financial stability,” said Liu Zhenmin, the UN undersecretary-general for

economic and social affairs.

The report said fiscal stimulus packages should prioritize health spending to contain the spread of the virus and should provide income support to households most affected by the pandemic.

But the outlook remains gloomy.

“A sharp decline in consumer spending in the European Union and the United States will reduce imports of consumer goods from developing countries,” the report said. “In addition, global manufacturing production could contract significantly, amid the possibility of extended disruptions to global supply chains.”

It noted that several automobile companies h a v e a n n o u n c e d l a rg e - s c a l e p ro d u c t i o n suspensions in Europe and the United States and many firms worldwide especially in the auto, consumer electronics and telecommunications industries “are facing shortages of intermediate components as exports from China contracted at an annual pace of 17.2 percent in the first two months of the year.”

“More severe and protracted production disruptions would affect a large number of developing economies that are deeply integrated in global supply networks,” it warned.

D eveloping countries, par ticularly those dependent on tourism and commodity expor ts, also face heightened economic risks, including an increasing likelihood of “debtd i s t re s s” f o r m a ny co m m o d i t y- d e p e n d e nt economies, it said. AP

reported just over 6,200 confirmed cases and 29 people have died of Covid-19, the illness caused by the virus.

I s ra e l ’s l a rg e, i n s u l a r u l t ra - O r t h o d ox community, of which Litzman is a member, has been particularly hard hit by infections. In the early phases of the outbreak, some rabbis had pushed back or ignored government-mandated movement restrictions, but resistance appears to have diminished. AP

Saudi resists Trump’s attempt to broker an oil-price war truce

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audi Arabia showed no sign of bowing to pressure from President Donald Trump to dial back the oil-price war with Russia as the kingdom pushed crude supply to record levels.

Trump said he’d spoken to both President Vladimir Putin and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in an effort to broker a truce between the world’s two largest oil exporters. But Saudi Arabia started the month by boosting supply to more than 12 million barrels a day, the largest on record.

So far, Riyadh has insisted that it will only back away from a decision to flood the global market if all the world’s leading producers— including the US—agree to cut output. Russia, meanwhile, struck a more conciliator y tone without offering any concrete proposals.

A senior official said that while they hadn’t spoken to Saudi Arabia yet, Moscow had no plans to increase production given the current market situation. He gave no indication that Russia was willing to consider production cuts, however. It was Russia’s refusal to join Saudi Arabia and other Opec producers in deeper reductions that kicked off the price war in early March.

Trump’s decision to wade into oil diplomacy is driven by the catastrophic impact of the oil price crash on the American shale industry, largely based in Texas and other Republican-leaning states. But his mission to rein in global supply is overshadowed by the unprecedented loss of demand caused by the fight against the coronavirus. Bloomberg News

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Friday, April 3, 2020 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

editorial

Philippine banks in the time of Covid-19

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N times such as these, everyone is trying to figure out what is happening and what the future will hold. This includes disciplines from psychologists to transportation analysts and everything in between. But the truth is that almost everyone knows nothing, and almost everything is just a guess.

Obviously, at the forefront are those in all aspects of the medical profession, followed closely by those wanting to decipher the economics of the Covid-19 pandemic. One group that completely knows the situation is the conspiracy theorists. Are we sure that this is not a prelude to an invasion by a nasty group of outer space aliens intent on taking over planet Earth?

On the economic front, at least there is a little hard evidence that we can deal with. If a nation’s businesses are nearly all closed, it is easier to peek into the economic future. If the largest mall operator in the Philippines has about 85,000 direct employees and many malls are closed, the economic multiplier effect is fairly easy to calculate.

However, the two current unknowns are the questions of how long the business shutdown will last and how long it will take to get the economy running near full speed again.

The most critical foundation of an economy alongside the government is the banking system. Businesses and consumers need banks, and banks need their business and consumer-clients to make profits. Government fiscal and monetary policies can help improve economic conditions. But no government can force you to buy that new refrigerator or get a bank to loan money to a potentially failing business even in these times.

The financial services company Moody’s Investors Service is one of the “Big Three” in the field of ascertaining the health of the banking industry.

Moody’s outlooks for the Australian, Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, Korean, Malaysian, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam banking systems are now changed to “negative.” But what the “outlook” means must be fully understood.

While Moody’s is certainly considering the underlying financial stability and condition of the bank, it is the operating concerns that are potentially most important.

There are several key points for the Philippine banks. “Operating environment will weaken. The coronavirus outbreak will result in a material slowdown in economic growth in 2020.” That is self-explanatory, as lending will be reduced.

Further, as a result of the economic slowdown, “asset quality will deteriorate as economic growth slows sharply. Key asset risks stem from concentrated exposures to large domestic conglomerates.” Missing, though, is the fact that our large conglomerates are part of the mother companies that own the largest banks.

But some, if not many, second-tier borrowers from the SME level will experience problems in repaying loans. Yet the banking system is strong because of conservative lending practices, current low levels of nonperforming loans, and “capitalization will be stable at strong levels even as growth in both retained earnings and loan growth slows.”

While profits are going to be negatively affected, “Philippine banks’ credit costs have been among the lowest in Asia, benefiting from healthy economic conditions.” Also, “Government support will remain strong, prioritizing systemic stability and support for rated banks when needed.”

Philippine banks will remain strong, but it certainly would help if you start looking at new refrigerators once the lockdown is lifted.

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Better Days

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learly, the Covid-19 pandemic is unfolding at a critical juncture in our nation’s history. Thankfully, in the face of such a gargantuan crisis, Filipinos have reached deep within themselves to find ingenious ways of rising to the challenge.

Indeed, aside from our frontliners, particularly those in the health care and commercial sectors, our inventors and innovators have also been fighting the good fight.

A foremost example is the Covid-19 test kit developed by Dr. Raul Destura of the University of the Philippines National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH). These kits were presented to the public soon after the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine was implemented, but weren’t immediately rolled out pending validation by the Food and Drug Administration. Now, with FDA approval, Manila HealthTek is ready to manufacture these GenAmplify Covid-19 testing kits, and the first batch of reagents that will be used for the test kits will be able to accommodate up to 120,000 tests. The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) will allot P53.2 million to fund development for the kits.

Another instance was with the Office of Vice President Leni Robredo.

In light of the apparent lack of personal protective equipment (PPEs)

for our frontliners, Vice President Robredo sought the public’s help in creating a locally available protective suit for our health-care frontliners.

Fashion designer Mich Dulce threw her hat in, and others followed suit.

The approved design, medically reviewed by experts in California, was made by Joey Socco, using Taffeta Silver Back Lining. The pattern for the suit and its specifics were quickly made available to the public, specifically to the mananahi cooperatives who were ready to get to work.

Various 3D printer owners and fabrication facilities around the country addressed another dimension of the PPE problem. The 3D Printing For A Cause group has been using their 3D printers to make DIY face shields and masks, and as of March 23, had been able to fulfill 2,123 requests for face shields, out of 13,000. Fabrication labs such as Digihub FabLab Davao, Batangas

Open doors for the poor

Jennifer A. Ng Vittorio V. Vitug Lorenzo M. Lomibao Jr., Gerard S. Ramos Lyn B. Resurreccion, Dennis D. Estopace Angel R. Calso

Chairman of the Board & Ombudsman President VP-Finance VP Advertising Sales Advertising Sales Manager Group Circulation Manager

Sonny M. Angara

Lourdes M. Fernandez

Senior Editors

Creative Director Chief Photographer

Innovation and ingenuity against Covid-19

Rev. Fr. Antonio Cecilio T. Pascual

SERVANT LEADER

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rothers and sisters, the continued implementation of the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon to address the spread of Covid-19 has greatly impacted so many people, and our government seems to have forgotten the poor, especially our fellow people living in the streets that they consider home.

How can they remain inside their homes, like what the government officials keep saying, when they are homeless?

During the first week of implementation of the total lockdown in Metro Manila, we saw how the poor who are living in the streets were being left out. In Tayuman, in Manila, barangay officials and policemen forced those residing in the streets and those waiting in line at the St. Arnold Janssen Kalinga Center to evacuate. The Kalinga Center is an institution established by Fr. Flavie Villanueva, SVD, that gives free food and vitamins, and even offer baths for our brothers and sisters in the streets, whatever their age and gender.

Over 100 people knocking on the doors of the Kalinga Center were reprimanded because they weren’t following the rules on social distancing. They were set aside like trash, Fr. Villanueva said. The priest could no longer help but say that there is a new virus destroying the hearts of other people—the virus of apathy and abuse of power by stepping on the destitute. It is good that they were welcomed by De La Salle University, De La Salle College of Saint Benilde, and St. Scholastica’s College, and the private Catholic Schools in Manila.

State University’s LIKHA FabLab, FabLab Caraga, Jose Rizal Memorial State University’s FabLab and the FabLabs, attached personnel, and resources in UP Diliman and UP Cebu are all producing face shield components to be assembled into full units for distribution to institutions that have requested for these PPE items. Metatech Labs, a new company specializing in Internet of Things (IT) applications, is also organizing a 3D print farm for face shields, in collaboration with the UP College of Engineering. Even printing and design studios like Orange Segment are pitching in.

In Nueva Ecija, a group of young engineers designed a disinfection chamber that can be used for facilities that will be used for the Covid-19 outbreak—with a material cost of P2,500. Such chambers could definitely be put to good use once the government’s plans to convert the World Trade Center, the Rizal Memorial Stadium, and the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) into Covid-19 facilities materializes.

Meanwhile, FAME (Futuristic Aviation and Marine Enterprise)— a company that the Usaid has partnered with to equip small-scale fishing vessels with sensors and transmitters—recently posted videos of a prototype it developed for a first responder breathing apparatus, which can help people waiting in line for a ventilator. Hopefully, their prototype is picked up and will prove to be useful in the frontline.

One should also take note of how many of the country’s major

distilleries—such as those of Ginebra San Miguel, Emperador, Asia Brewery and Tanduay—have been repurposed to produce ethyl alcohol for our frontliners.

I can’t help but be impressed and inspired by all of these developments.

On one hand, they demonstrate that in certain instances we already possess some of the major components needed to effectively fight this pandemic.

On the other hand, they underscore the importance of building up our technological know-how and our capacity to innovate as a nation.

This is one of the broad aims of the Tatak Pinoy initiative I have written extensively about before. Indeed, technology has the potential to be used in many ways other than its original purpose. If we develop local technologies and innovations for our economic well-being, we also gain the ability to equip ourselves for future challenges, aside from expanding our toolset for economic development.

Covid-19 is teaching us many hard lessons. But I hope that once we emerge from this pandemic, it will finally be drilled into our heads to provide even greater support and encouragement for the science, research, technology, and manufacturing sectors.

Because of the government’s lack of action in helping our homeless brothers and sisters who were adversely affected by the lockdown, Church-run schools in Manila opened their doors to momentarily receive them. Among these schools are the Malate Catholic School, Espiritu Santo Parochial School, Holy Trinity Academy and Paco Catholic School. Truly, at the center of great need and crisis, the generous are always there to lend a helping hand.

While the enhanced community quarantine lasts, we can’t help but notice the shortcomings of our government, up to the point where we rely on donations from the private sector to help the poor. Surely there will come a time when we can hold these so-called leaders accountable for their inaction, especially those who failed to fulfill their duties in this time of crisis. For now, it is important to work together to provide the needs of our brothers and sister who are severely affected by this global pandemic.

In opening the doors of private schools and institutions for our brothers and sisters who cannot help themselves, we saw the embodiment of the major principles of the

social teaching of the Church—the principle of solidarity. In the Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, St. John Paul II explained that solidarity is not the same as shallow pity and grief from the suffering of many people. It is striving to offer ourselves for the common good because, first of all, we share a common responsibility with one another.

Brothers and sisters, let us listen to Jesus through the poor who are gravely affected by the lockdown.

With the best of our abilities, let us respond to His words in the book of Matthew 25:35-40, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me… whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it for me.”

Sen. Sonny Angara has been in public service for 15 years—nine years as representative of the Lone District of Aurora, and six as senator. He has authored and sponsored more than 200 laws. He recently won another term in the Senate.

E-mail: sensonnyangara@yahoo.com|Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @sonnyangara.

Make it a habit to listen to Radio Veritas 846 Ang Radyo ng Simbahan in the AM band, or through live streaming at www.veritas846.ph, and follow its Twitter and Instagram accounts @veritasph, and YouTube at veritas846.ph. For your comments, e-mail veritas846pr@gmail.com.

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Fighting Covid-19 and food insecurity

Friday, April 3, 2020

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Imagining the Last Judgment Tito Genova Valiente

annotations EAGLE WATCH

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he enhanced community quarantine implemented by the Philippine government has been lauded by the World Health Organization. It was deemed necessary to slow down the transmission and spread of the Covid-19. However, the emerging management of this health emergency is replete with illustrations of unevenness in accessing basic resources, and powerlessness of the most vulnerable groups to weather the situation.

Most daily wage workers and informal workers still lack adequate social protection and safety nets after being barred from going to their places of work during the ECQ period. These economic shocks have dire consequences on the most vulnerable groups, primarily the children and the older members of the households who, more than ever, need adequate nutrition, to ward off a possible attack of Covid-19.

What the numbers are telling us, how dire is the situation?

Illustrative is the case of a highly urbanized city in Metro Manila where disadvantaged households of public school children needed to make adjustments to respond to economic disruptions in 2018. Majority (63.14 percent) of these households were already struggling with various degrees of food insecurity with a quarter (24.68 percent) classified as severely food insecure. This means that these households lack access to sufficient food at all times. After the onset of high food-price inflation in 2018, between February and September, food insecurity increased from 63.14 percent to 75.97 percent.

The vulnerability of these daily wage earners is very glaring in these difficult times. They do not get any income during the ECQ period, and together with workers in the informal economy, they find themselves, and to a certain extent their respective families, with no source of income.

Thus, the impact of ECQ on food insecurity is expected to be much worse compared to the 2018 high food price inflation. In the sampled households, 64 percent have at least one member who is a daily wage earner, which translates into P2,638.31 loss in weekly income. For 14 percent of the households with at least two daily wage earners, the estimated loss in weekly income is double at P5,276.62. Although not mutually exclusive, there is also the 38 percent of the households with at least one member in elementary occupation or informal worker. For this group, the weekly income loss is about P2,076.43.

The income shock brought about by the sudden implementation of ECQ exacerbates disparities in health and nutrition. Nutrition plays a key role in immune response. While the vulnerability of the elderly has received much media attention, yet another vulnerable group is children, particularly those living in poor households. Malnutrition during childhood leads to negative impacts that worsen viral immunity and longterm susceptibility to disease.

However, there are some efforts that can help manage malnutrition among the vulnerable population, aside from boosting the disasterrelief funds of local government units (LGUs).

Include cooked healthy meals in relief packages

What can be done at the discretion of LGUs is to incorporate cooked healthy meals in their distribution of relief packages. The infrastructure to accomplish this can be borrowed from existing programs. Some LGUs have centralized kitchen operations or organize cooking in school canteens because of Department of Education and Department of Social Welfare and Development schoolbased feeding programs. Similar to those packing relief goods, cooks will also need to observe proper hygiene and physical distancing; however, utilizing resources already available to LGUs can go a great length in protecting a community’s health.

The vulnerability of these daily wage earners is very glaring in these difficult times. They do not get any income during the ECQ period, and together with workers in the informal economy, they find themselves, and to a certain extent their respective families, with no source of income.

Prioritize rations for poor households with children AT present, almost 2 million malnourished Filipino children benefit from government-sponsored school feeding programs. In the distribution of rations, LGUs can prioritize these households through barangay registries or with data from public schools and ensure that these families have adequate and healthy meals for their children.

Provide access to fresh meat and vegetables

Since 14 million (66 percent) households do not have a refrigerator, they cannot stock fresh ingredients. The Valenzuela City government issued food vouchers that can be used to buy fresh ingredients, while the Pasig City government deployed mobile palengkes ensuring food security and at the same time helping sustain the income of market vendors. Important to sustaining these efforts is providing stimulus for agriculture and food manufacturing and making these ingredients part of the food rations.

Through government subsidy for public-private sector coordination among large scale food producers and distributors, food supply for the year can be ensured, preventing not only physical hunger but also social unrest that comes with deprivation.

Strengthening primary health-care systems

With the implementation of the Universal Health Care law, primary health care is more important than ever. Basic health system can help prevent the overburdening of hospital facilities during epidemic by providing services such as vaccination on preventable diseases.

Food insecurity is a persistent challenge our country faces, even in normal times. The current epidemic will continue to deal big blows to our society and economy. We must have social protection in the form of food subsidies outlined above so that every Filipino is healthy enough to return to work and school, and build up our country once again.

Authors: Daniel Joseph P. Benito, Leslie A. Lopez, Eden Delight Miro, Joselito T. Sescon, Vanessa T. Siy Van and Lean Franzl L. Yao The Community Welfare, Wellness & Well-being Laboratory aims to build a research portfolio of translational value to young Filipinos’ welfare, wellness, and well-being that bridges the gap between research, policy, and practice. The CW3 team is composed of researchers from various department and programs of the Ateneo de Manila University (Development Studies, Economics, Health Sciences, Sociology and Anthropology and Mathematics) as well as UP Los Baños College of Human Ecology.

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hat art can come out of this lockdown? Who is the artist that can create the images for this crisis?

Online, a group of artists, activists and cultural workers have set up “Latag: Videos and Photos on Covid PH Lockdown.” The group in its updated description speaks of Latag as aiming to “host a space where members can share photos and videos taken by the anxious Filipino public.” Continuing, it admits to presenting the situation in its rawest sense as the word Latag indicates.

Latag clarifies that members are allowed to share the content with others with the rule that proper copyright practices be respected and followed. In the same regard, Latag states how visual artists and filmmakers “may use or rework the shared material for their own creative and critical response to the Covid-19 lockdown.”

“Critical” and “creative” are two concepts that provide the keys that are expected to unlock the truths— and lies—as we face the pandemic.

Many years ago, when the Internet and social media were not even specks in the universe, there was an artist, a genius, who was ahead of his time. He was creative—conjuring beauty and great forms of harmony—and (not “but”) critical of the wellspring and directions of his own creation. He was Michelangelo.

Through a book that details the days and months leading to and during Michelangelo’s making of the work “The Last Judgment,” I see an artist responding with such a raw energy to transcendence. It is from that abstraction of social structures and history that all monumental works of art spring and break away from.

We have been served in humanities classes the gifts of Michelangelo.

Films have implied about his tendency to realize in his paintings of nude men what he struggled against when he was in solitude and in denial.

Already common knowledge is how Michelangelo had lived against all human processes—from combative

popes to cardinals plucked from regular life, from a religion that is burnished to open city gates to women closeting spirituality and sexuality to adjudicate empires.

Against Michelangelo’s stupendous genius, there were only two sets of pejorative attacks against him: his sexuality and his eccentricity. We know what happened to these two: they were either dismissed for being uncorrelated to the works that came out of those hands and mind or they remained as whispers ending in dustbins of specialist’s history.

And yet exciting, enthralling art persists. They do continue not because they reflect or refract the historical conditions of their setting but because we learn from them the secrets of wisdom in civilizations that lesser mortals, like kings and emperors and popes, strived hard to contain.

This is the Michelangelo I would encounter in James A. Connor’s The Last Judgment. Michelangelo and the Death of the Renaissance.

In the said book, Connors examines Michelangelo’s fresco Last Judgment. It is an interesting choice because the artist’s work on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel has always been seen as monumental, with the Last Judgment, its theme morbid and less elevating, playing the second or third choice among art writers.

Some 28 years had already passed when Michelangelo began to work on the depiction of the Last Judgment.

Popes were on wars and Rome was

not yet the celebrated center of the faith. The city had been sacked many times and there were thoughts that it deserved the misfortune because it had been profligate and corrupt.

The artist went from favor to disfavor. He was first a sculptor but then the Church was so powerful to demand that he be a fresco painter.

He studied colors and techniques and the result was a work that would astound the world in the future. In that year, Michelangelo knew somewhat that he was telling a new narrative and the Pope knew about that shift in the story of the world, humanism and the entire universe.

In The Last Judgment, Michelangelo hides a message: the Sun, not the Earth, is the center of what we would know as our Solar System. This truth was slowly creeping and no one was brave enough to come out because the Church and its Inquisition were always ready to pounce upon any individual, brand him as heretic, and execute him.

Michelangelo thus covers the truth in placing Christ as the “Sol Invictus” or the Unconquered God in the middle of the wall, with all the figures of the sinners and saints revolving around him. Instead of the bearded man, we see a young man with full musculature, an Apollo.

Connors writes: “The Jesus of the Last Judgment was not a nice Jesus or a pleasant Jesus, but one coming from the clouds of heaven, the Son of God at the end of the world…His face is dispassionate, almost blank, as if the condemnation of the evil and the consignment of thousands of souls

to eternal fire did not affect him.”

As for Mary, the Mother of God, the book states: “Next to him is his Mother, seated at his side, no longer kneeling before him to intercede on behalf of the poor souls in purgatory, but leaning toward him, trying to get as close as possible.”

For Connors, the face of Christ in Last Judgment is “particularly terrifying in its ambiguity…”

It is interesting how the truth could be hidden by those who are in the authority to espouse them over lies or ignorance.

There is a vast gap between the end of Renaissance and the beginning of our own Dark Ages on this side of the world and yet there is a parallelism. The concept of sin has been abstracted; the notion of Hell even so. In our period, the dichotomy is not between the impurities in our soul but the infections in our bodies.

As in the age of Michelangelo, we ask the question: In what space do we locate the artist and his art?

Did Michelangelo find solace in the feeling that he had asserted his truth in a painting that marked the end of all humankind?

Latag, the online group of artists and advocates, says that “ultimately, this group is a space for people to comfort to come together, converse and comfort each other amid the pandemic.”

Ultimately, truth shall comfort us even when authorities are asserting their lies. Art confronting the world, unfiltered, becomes our truth.

E-mail: titovaliente@yahoo.com

One does not have to be rich to help others Manny F. Dooc

TELLTALES

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here’s a statement attributed to Joseph Stalin: “A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is only statistics.” Currently, we are dealing with tragic and humongous statistics in terms of the number of people infected with Covid-19, and number of deaths caused by it. Countries around the world have been outpointing each other on this score and the grim race shows ghastly results. As of this writing, more than 830,000 people have been confirmed to have the virus and close to 50,000 people have died. This is the most challenging medical crisis facing every country, which has also caused unprecedented economic recession all over the world.

And the most powerful country in the world appears to be foundering, until their leaders started to put their act together by passing the $2-trillion stimulus package to fund the mounting efforts to combat the pandemic and spur the economy. For a while, President Donald J. Trump had the impression that he had seized the bull by its horn and characteristically sounded more optimistic in his pronouncement. For instance, he announced that he would ease the Covid-19 guidelines by Easter and normalize business in the US, until Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top American expert on infectious diseases, presented his model, warning Trump to be prepared for 100,000 to 240,000 deaths. Premature withdrawal of the social distancing guidelines by Easter and reopening the US back to normal business will pose great risks to its people.

Fauci has become the rational

and reassuring voice. Americans get nervous and worried when Trump appears on TV without Fauci in the background. Numbers don’t lie. The data culled by Fauci and his team presents a very clear case that pulling back the instituted measures would cause thousands and thousands of avoidable deaths. The death-estimate model convinced Trump to drop his wishful messaging. Confronted with the cold data, he realized that the next two weeks would be “most painful to America” and that strict enforcement of the social distancing guidelines is now a “matter of life and death.” nnn

Everyone gets a chance to show how he cares for his fellow human beings, particularly the doctors who risk their lives to save us from this lethal virus. A lady doctor rushing to get to a hospital was chased by a motorcycle cop. She was very scared

when she pulled her car on the side of the road, worried that the trooper would give her a ticket. But she burst into tears when, after finding out that she was a doctor on her way to the hospital, the cop gave her a medical mask instead of a ticket for speeding. That kind gesture is replicated in many parts of the Philippines. A young Filipino couple who works in a BPO prepared 30 packs of sandwiches that was distributed to health workers who take their rides near the couple’s rented apartment, and the couple promised to do this regularly. A former habal-habal rider gives a free ride to health workers without charging them anything.

One does not have to be rich to help others. As Mother Theresa once said, “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one.” nnn

It’s common knowledge that every hospital, particularly in Metro Manila, is crowded and overburdened by patients seeking Covid-19 treatment.

Tents are now put up since hospitals are filled to their capacity. Even the hallways are now being used, with plastic sheets or tarpaulins to provide protection and privacy.

The situation is hapless and hopeless and the existing facilities are now stretched to their limits, rendering the hospitals unconducive to treatment and recovery. This poses a threat not only to the patients but to their attending health workers as well.

If we look around, we have vacant buildings, both public and private, which may be rehabilitated and fitted out or may be converted into medical or quarantine facilities. Let’s help the government to identify them to facilitate their immediate conver-

sion, if found appropriate. For instance, SSS has a vacant two-story building in Cubao along Edsa at the back of the Farmers market, and condo units in Aurora Boulevard near Katipunan. The Insurance Commission owns a vacant lot adjacent to its head office along UN Avenue, which can house tents or temporary structures for medical use. I’m sure other government offices have similar available spaces. An ideal vacant private building is my former office building, the seven-story Philam Life Head Office Building in UN Avenue, Manila. Persons Under Investigation and Persons Under Monitoring and those exhibiting mild-to-moderate symptoms can be accommodated there to free up hospital beds, which should be devoted to more serious cases. It is just across the Manila Doctors’ Hospital and very near to PGH and Manila Medical Center. These top medical institutions can easily partner with or serve as extension facilities once this gets converted into a medical or quarantine center.

Proper placement and accommodation of confirmed and suspected cases is an effective way to prevent the spread of the disease. Isolation and quarantine will prevent carriers and sick people from contaminating others. Buildings are definitely better than tents and other makeshift structures. The old PhilamLife Building is now owned by the SM Group. The Sy family is a known philanthropist and has already made significant contributions to government’s efforts to overcome this pandemic. Their combined wealth makes them the richest family in our country. As an old proverb says: “May your charity increase as much as your wealth.”

A8 Friday, April 3, 2020

No martial law, IATF says, but solons push 2-wk ECQ extension

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By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla & Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

ESPITE the recent reported peace and order issues in the government’s nationwide campaign against the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19), the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) sees no need for the country to be placed under martial law.

However, leading lawmakers are urging the Executive to extend by a fortnight the monthlong enhanced community quarantine (ECQ ) that ends April 13, saying a second, worse wave of virus infections would damage the economy even more than the initial lockdown.

As far as the IATF is concerned, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said martial law is still not an option to maintain public order during the Covid-19 outbreak.

“That is still not being talked about [by the IATF] for now,” Nograles said during an online press briefing on Thursday, a day after police battled with and arrested protesters from an urban poor enclave in Quezon City who had poured out

onto the streets to remind the government to feed them as promised during the lockdown.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means on Thursday called on the national government to extend for another two weeks the ECQ over Luzon, saying “the damage to the economy will be much bigger if we have to start all over again.”

House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Joey Sarte Salceda said historical, scientific, and economic evidence points to a more cautious approach to the pandemic is “evidence-based, logical, lifesaving.”

He said his team’s modeling shows two critical factors in fighting the disease—mobility and “isolation tendency.”

EASTERLIES AFFECTING THE EASTERN SECTION OF THE COUNTRY NORTHEASTERLY SURFACE WINDFLOW AFFECTING EXTREME NORTHERN LUZON as of 4:00 am - April 2, 2020

DIPLOMACY IN COVID’S TIME Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Junever M. Mahilum-West, temporary Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) Leader of the Philippines, joins her fellow Asean-SOM leaders and US government officials in a teleconference. The risks diplomats face from personal encounters was highlighted on Thursday when the DFA announced with regret that the Philippine Ambassador to Lebanon, Bernardita M. Catalla, had succumbed to Covid-19. DFA PHOTO

“We are monitoring two factors.

The ECQ has significantly reduced mobility. You can see that in reduced energy consumption and in reduced demand for fuel. So, people are no longer moving around carrying the virus as much as they would have,” he said.

Mass testing

“The second critical factor is what we call isolation tendency. It’s how

much you isolate confirmed and suspected cases from the rest of the population. And that only increases once you know who are Covid-positive in the first place, through mass testing,” Salceda added.

Also, the lawmaker said most reputable sources in the medical community have never suggested “to shorten the lockdown,” but have done quite the opposite, proposing at least six-week lockdowns to avoid prematurely lifting restrictions and triggering a massive wave of new infections.

In his letter to President Duterte, Salceda, later followed by Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez in a separate statement to the media days later, strongly recommended mass testing to “confront the enemy.”

“We have not yet confronted the enemy or have fully grasped its dimensions. We do not yet fully know the size of its territory or the magnitude of its full impact. We must increase our testing by at least 10,000 specimens per day, contact trace and isolate with the best logical and technological means available [mobile tracking, GPS, mapping, etc.],” he said.

Salceda added that the government must also identify infection clusters with data from mass testing and intensified contact tracing, and confront the virus where it is.

“Simply said, we can only make a risk-stratified stabilization or normalization if we do mass testing of at least 200,000. Based on

our capacity and possible increments, we cannot do that before April 14, thus we cannot lift ECQ and we will need the next 14 days to have a better grasp of situation,” he added.

On Wednesday, President Duterte ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to use force against those who will take advantage of the health crisis to cause public disorder as well as those who will attack health-care workers.

He made the pronouncement in response to a group of Quezon City residents, who protested earlier that day after they allegedly did not receive food packs from the government.

Legitimate concerns

Some of the protesters were arrested, thus prompting labor coalition Nagkaisa and militant labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno to express their alarm on the incident.

Rather than silencing critics, Nagkaisa said government should “welcome criticisms to immediately know its lapses and weakness so remedial measures can be adopted.

As such, government should stop wasting time and energy, not to mention political capital, in shutting down its critics.”

For its part, KMU said the protest would have never happened if the government was already effectively able to provide for the needs of the people during the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon.

Duque tells smokers, vapers: Quit now, you’re at risk from Covid-19

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EALTH Secretary Francisco T. Duque III appealed to smokers and vapers to stop immediately for they may be at a higher risk for severe illness from Covid-19 Although the World Health Organization (WHO) has yet to establish with finality whether people who vape are at a higher risk, Duque said that it is important for vapers to quit.

“We know that smokers, they are still at risk. Why? Because it weakens the lungs and its bodily functions. This will make it difficult for them to to heal if [they] are infected by Covid-19,” Duque said at the regular virtual press conference of the Department of Health (DOH).

Instead, he urged them to take care of their health by eating vegetables, fruits and exercise everyday.

Earlier, the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) warned that the pandemic is an opportune time for smokers and vapers to quit their habit.

“The World Health Organization clearly states that smoking and vaping are undoubtedly harmful.

Given the available evidence about Covid-19, people who smoke or vape should quit now to reduce their risk of infection and severe lung damage.

Furthermore, smokers and vapers, who are asymptomatic carriers of the virus, can easily transmit the virus to those around them through secondhand smoke or aerosol exposure,” said Dr. Ulysses Dorotheo, executive director of SEATCA. The Covid-19 virus attacks the lungs, and medical experts agree that weakened lungs and immune systems predispose one’s body to higher risks of severe respiratory illness caused by Covid-19.

People who smoke, vape, or have substance use disorders could be particularly vulnerable to Covid-19, according to the US National Institute on Drug Abuse.

More than 40 countries already ban the sale of e-cigarettes and HTPs, including five Asean countries: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Singapore and Thailand. Tobacco use remains one of the world’s leading causes of preventable premature death.

In the Asean region where half of all adult men smoke, tobacco use kills about 500,000 people annually. Worldwide, tobacco kills more than 8 million people annually.

Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

12 Chinese doctors due in PHL on April 5 to help fight Covid-19

By Recto Mercene

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@rectomercene

HE Chinese Embassy in Manila on Thursday released the 12 names of their doctors arriving on April 5 to lend their expertise in addressing the country’s Covid-19 problem.

The embassy named the Chinese medical experts as: ■ Mr. Zheng Huiwen, DirectorGeneral Level Executive Official accompanying the Delegation; ■ Mr. Weng Shangeng, Vice President, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University (FAHFMU); ■ Ms. Cai Xiaoying, Deputy Director Level Executive Official accompanying the Delegation; ■ Mr. Zhuo Huichang, Associate Chief Physician, Critical Care Medicine, FAHFMU; ■ Mr. Xiao Xiongjian, Physician-in-Charge, Critical Care Medicine, FAHFMU; ■ Ms. Li Hongru, Associate Chief

Physician, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Fujian Provincial Hospital (FPH); ■ Mr. He Jinyi Nurse, Hospital Infection Management Department, FPH; ■ Ms. Ye Ling Chief, Physician, Clinical Integration of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine (respiratory), Fujian People’s Hospital Affiliated to Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (FPHAFUTCM); ■ Mr. Lin Guoqing, Associate Chief Physician, Internal Medicine of Traditional Chinese Medicine, FPHAFUTCM; ■ Ms. Hou Yangqing, Nursein-Charge, Critical Care Medicine, FPHAFUTCM; ■ Ms. Wu Bingshan, Deputy Director Technician, Microbiology Laboratory, Fujian Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention (FPCDCP); and ■ Mr. Cai Shaojian, Associate Chief Physician, Infectious Disease Control, FPCDCP.

The announcement comes two days after the Department of Health (DOH) clarified reports that it was “blocking” the entry of Chinese doctors into the country, which the Department of Foreign Affairs facilitated. The DOH said it had, in fact, sought Beijing’s help.

The Chinese government recently donated 100,000 test kits for Covid-19 and thousands of personal protective equipment. President Duterte has said earlier he will likely accept the offer of help from Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who has touted Beijing’s success in controlling the deadly virus, which forced a two-month lockdown of its ground zero, the manufacturing hub of Wuhan city.

China, however, has been accused by critics of trying to change the “narrative” and deflect attention from the fact the virus originated with it, and that its government suppressed initial warnings from concerned medical sectors until it was too late.

Companies BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Demand for office space seen falling by nearly half

By VG Cabuag

R

@villygc

eal-estate broker Leechiu Property Consultants Inc. said demand for office space could decline by almost half this year due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, which prompted the government to place Luzon under enhanced community quarantine.

David Leechiu, president and CEO of the company, said office supply could also go down at almost the same pace, as the ECQ has resulted in the stoppage of construction work.

“Things will start to return to normal by August,” he said during the company's online briefing.

Office demand by year-end would be between 800,000 square meters to 1 million square meters of office space—the same space needed by Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) and business process outsourcing firms (BPOs).

In contrast, last year there

were 1.7 million square meters of office space transactions, or a reduction of between 41 percent and 52 percent.

This still means that there won't be a glut in office space as there will be an equal reduction in both supply and demand.

BPOs and POGOs, he said, “are the essential catalysts to sustain this equilibrium.”

The company recorded 157,000 square meters of office transactions in the first quarter of 2020, down by 47 percent year-on-year.

“Never theless, there are

636,000 square meters of live requirements being transacted today, and we expect this demand to grow by another 25 percent.

Many of these transactions to be completed beginning second half of 2020,” said Leechiu.

The strong comeback of the POGO sector once travel bans are lifted, with growth coming from all over Asia would drive Philippine office demand, he said.

Delays in fresh office supply may be felt some two to three years later since most of the companies are al-

ready in the thick of building their office buildings and can only suspend work, but they will push through with the construction. It takes about four to five years to complete a building.

“Thus, we are recalculating 2020 Philippine supply and reducing it by 44 percent to 842,000 square meters from our initial 1.49 million square meters,” said Leechiu.

He noted, however, that 2018 and 2019 were “exceptional” years in the property market of the country as it grew at “breakneck speed.”

SPEx: Malampaya remains operational

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

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hell Philippines Exploration BV (SPEx), operator of the Malampaya deep-water gasto-power project, on Thursday assured unhampered operation of the gas facility which supplies up to 40 percent of the Luzon grid’s power requirements.

Amid the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon, SPEx said the

gas facility should be operational 24 hours a day to sustain the operations of hospitals and vital facilities.

SPEx said critical personnel are ferried to the offshore platform, as well as the needed materials and supplies to safely operate and maintain the facility.

“We’ve taken measures to ensure that we can keep the offshore platform and the onshore gas plant staffed even with the current, difficult circumstances,” said Don Pau-

lino, SPEx Managing Director and General Manager. "Our commitment to the country remains, our operations will work round-the-clock to produce Malampaya natural gas and power up to 40 percent of Luzon’s electricity.”

SPEx added that stringent measures are in place to ensure the health and well-being of its workforce, such as screening of workers and implementing specific coronavirus disease 2019 proto-

cols for hygiene and social distancing measures offshore, as well as medical evacuation.

“We need power to keep hospitals running; sustain the operations of pharmacies, banks, groceries, and other vital facilities; enable internet services that keep us connected; and to light our households.

Now, more than ever, energy is needed to power our nation,” said Shell companies in the Philippines Chairman Cesar Romero.

Friday, April 3, 2020

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San Miguel expands chicken mobile stores

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an Miguel Corp. (SMC) on Thursday said has expanded its Manukang Bayan on Wheels program to widen food availability and accessibility in several Metro Manila areas during the enhanced community quarantine period.

SMC president and COO Ramon S. Ang said the presence of food trucks in strategic and accessible locations around the country will make it easier for consumers to buy fresh chicken and other refrigerated meats minus the long queues in wet markets, groceries, and supermarkets.

“We thought of expanding our Manukang Bayan on Wheels to somehow lessen the time people spend lining up at stores to buy chicken,”Ang said.

“We understand that these are not normal times and people put themselves at risk when they go out to get necessary supplies, so wherever possible, we are bringing the supplies directly to them,” he added.

Ang said this initiative will also help allay fears of a food supply shortage. “As I’ve said before, there is no reason to panic as we have enough food supplies to last way beyond the quarantine.”

Initially, reefer vans selling poultry and other refrigerated meats are located in parts of Quezon City, Marikina, Pasig and Taguig.

Ang said the company is looking to

expand the coverage of these rolling stores in more locations in the coming days as long as there is a need for it.

San Miguel will also make available more food products as it expands distribution channels to online retailers for those who cannot go out of their homes to purchase food.

For most of last week, the company had mobilized 1,129 trucks to bring food directly to consumers in various barangays nationwide. It has served a total of 144 metric tons of meat products to date. This is on top of ongoing efforts to offer food to consumers straight from its facilities all over the country.

Ang earlier said SMC food facilities will be in operation 24/7 to ensure stable food supplies in the country for at least six months. On a daily basis, SMC’s food facilities can produce 1.96 million kilograms of fresh meats of poultry, beef, and pork; 524,000 kg of processed meats such as canned meat, nuggets and hotdogs; and 2.11 million kg of flour/ baked goods such as flour, biscuits, pandesal and nutribuns.

Stable supply of raw materials has also enabled the company to give food donations to local government units, government hospitals, nongovernment organizations, church groups and other government agencies in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces. VG Cabuag

Security Bank responds to effects of pandemic

Nintendo snaps winning streak of 27% gain fueled by new game

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intendo Co. shares fell for the first time in 12 days, snapping a winning streak that had been propelled by the launch of its latest game during the worldwide coronavirus lockdown.

Its shares dropped 1.5 percent on Thursday after rising 27.3 percent in the previous 11 sessions. As well as benefiting from a broad surge in interest in games with millions stuck at home in many countries, shares in Nintendo have also been boosted by the release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons for its Switch console on March 20.

Having delayed a planned release in 2019, the timing of the colorful social simulator couldn’t have been better: the slow paced village life and virtual interactions have proved the ideal distraction and been hailed as “the perfect way to spend quarantine.”

The same was the case on Amazon, while on Japan’s leading flea-market site Mercari Inc., the standard Switch model released in 2017 was selling second hand for a third higher

than retail price.

“Like many other game names that are outperforming because of the virus, we don’t think the trend will be sustainable,” said Amir Anvar-

zadeh, a strategist at Asymmetric Advisors in Singapore. “This has in my view brought more selling opportunity as the firm faces heavy competition going forward.” Bloomberg News

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Gift to virus-weary world

Animal Crossing had sold more than 2.6 million copies as of March 29, Japan gamemarket researcher Famitsu said Wednesday.

While Japan hasn’t enforced lockdowns, the government has shut schools and called on people to work from home and avoid going out in the evenings.

“Animal Crossing has been selling amounts I’ve never seen before,” said Hideki Yasuda, an analyst at Ace Research Institute in Tokyo.

“The Switch itself is also seeing demand that you wouldn’t expect from a console now in its fourth year.”

Demand for the console is outstripping supply, which has been impacted by the outbreak. In Japan, electronics retailer Yamada Denki Co.’s website showed all 14 color and model variations of the console as sold out.

PROTECTING FRONTLINERS. SM Foundation recently began distributing over P170 million worth of personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies to over 50 hospitals nationwide to be of service in the fight against the coronavirus disease 2019.

These include ICU-grade ventilators; test kits including the local Manila Healthtek kits developed by the University of the PhilippinesNational Institutes of Health, and PCR kits approved by the Food and Drug Administration from South Korea; and personal protective equipment for healthcare workers. The Philippine General Hospital, the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), the Lung Center of the Philippines were among the recipients. Photo shows Medical City Manila medical frontliners in their new PPE outfits.

ecurity Bank on Thursday said it has implemented several measures to help their customers access its services while Luzon is under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

The bank said most branches will be open to serve its customers. Bank cars, it said, have been deployed to ferry employees from selected points to their branches of service.

“It is crucial for us to keep in touch with our clients, especially during the enhanced community quarantine, because we know how important banking services are,” the bank said in a statement.

As it understands that the availability of cash is crucial for its customers at this period, the bank said it has waived all ATM transaction fees until further notice. “This means that any Security Bank account holder may withdraw at any ATM without fees or charges. We closely monitor our 846 ATMs.” To ease the plight of borrowers and help them maintain a good financial standing during this time of public health crisis, the bank said it has extended due dates for all loan

and credit card products without any interest or penalty.

“This will allow our clients to preserve their good credit profile without burdening them to settle due payments immediately,” it added.

The bank said it has also partnered with 88Tuition, a Singaporebased learning company, to provide parents and guardians free access to quality video-based education materials for kids.

“Free access to learning courses is available for primary and secondary students until June 30. This is our way of helping parents across the country manage their work and other responsibilities while ensuring that their kids are safe, productive and actively engaged at home,” the bank said.

The bank said it encourages its clients to use its online banking services. It advised customers to take “extra precaution” in online banking and be vigilant against phishing attacks and other malicious or fake emails and websites.

“Remember, we will never ask for your sensitive information such as bank account details, credit card information and passwords,” it said.

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Companies BusinessMirror

Friday, April 3, 2020

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

April 2, 2020

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

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

45 99.95 60.55 20.15 7.54 37.85 8.01 16.02 19.1 40.55 80.3 16.9 110.4 53.25 0.53 14.9 2.69 0.87 0.26 157.1 1520

45.5 100 60.85 20.35 7.56 37.9 8.5 18 19.12 42.5 102.9 17.1 111.6 53.7 0.59 15 2.81 0.93 0.28 168 1629

45 100 60.5 20.5 7.8 38.7 8.5 16.02 19.44 42.5 77 17.1 109 52.6 0.59 14.9 2.8 0.86 0.27 168 1639

45.5 101.8 62 20.5 7.92 39 8.5 16.02 19.44 42.5 77 17.1 112 53.75 0.59 14.9 2.81 0.86 0.28 168 1639

45 99.6 60 20 7.54 37.6 8.5 16 18.8 42.45 77 16.8 108.1 52.6 0.52 14.9 2.69 0.86 0.27 168 1580

45.5 100 60.55 20.15 7.54 37.9 8.5 16 19.12 42.45 77 16.8 111.6 53.7 0.52 14.9 2.81 0.86 0.28 168 1580

5100 3178100 3130890 27100 306400 4228500 100 304400 351300 600 450 14600 146440 1740 82000 5400 22000 1000 60000 20 105

230050 318512053 189618895.5 547265 2369601 160419390 850 4876410 6704820 25490 34650 246568 16154184 92321 43480 80460 60790 860 16400 3360 170900

85950 -176467597.5 -75024059.5 -115795 -266347 -56865210 -2605862 25626 -4329870 7450 -

INDUSTRIAL AC ENERGY 1.97 1.98 2.04 2.04 1.96 1.97 5062000 10038090 0.95 1.01 1.01 1.01 0.94 1.01 76000 76530 ALSONS CONS ABOITIZ POWER 26.95 27 27.9 27.95 26.6 27 2089300 56645655 0.131 0.166 0.163 0.166 0.163 0.166 120000 19830 BASIC ENERGY FIRST GEN 17 17.02 17 17.1 16.9 17.02 2471100 42056970 FIRST PHIL HLDG 48.05 48.95 49 49 48 48.05 60000 2935350 232 233 231.2 234 222.2 232 126520 28868664 MERALCO MANILA WATER 9.46 9.5 9.65 9.75 9.44 9.46 1531600 14606078 2.56 2.6 2.56 2.6 2.51 2.6 1535000 3933310 PETRON 2.24 2.35 2.55 2.55 2.2 2.3 39000 92340 PETROENERGY PHX PETROLEUM 10.4 10.5 10.4 10.4 10.4 10.4 35000 364000 18.44 18.5 18.88 18.88 18 18.5 139200 2570088 PILIPINAS SHELL SPC POWER 7.8 7.9 7.9 8.03 7.73 8 30100 236679 13.8 15.08 15.06 15.06 15.06 15.06 100 1506 VIVANT 6.31 6.45 6.25 6.55 6.25 6.48 212100 1369351 AGRINURTURE AXELUM 2.34 2.4 2.29 2.4 2.23 2.4 1337000 3147860 74.05 95 99 99 99 99 10 990 BOGO MEDELLIN 13.72 13.8 13.6 13.8 13.6 13.7 1484900 20341310 CENTURY FOOD DEL MONTE 3.23 3.49 3.4 3.54 3.18 3.53 75000 248310 4.85 4.9 4.95 4.95 4.81 4.9 2761000 13509310 DNL INDUS EMPERADOR 7.94 7.98 8 8 7.86 7.98 12525400 100173350 SMC FOODANDBEV 49.5 49.6 50.2 50.2 48 49.5 323920 15863255 0.5 0.52 0.52 0.52 0.5 0.5 32000 16470 ALLIANCE SELECT FRUITAS HLDG 1.17 1.18 1.16 1.17 1.13 1.17 4595000 5318260 32 32.2 31.5 32 31.1 32 377600 12082860 GINEBRA 101.9 102 102.9 103.2 102 102 1284860 131839911 JOLLIBEE LIBERTY FLOUR 30.35 36 30.3 30.35 30.3 30.35 600 18200 4.64 4.69 4.71 4.71 4.63 4.69 94000 439050 MAXS GROUP PEPSI COLA 1.78 1.81 1.8 1.82 1.78 1.81 396000 710600 SHAKEYS PIZZA 4.74 4.75 4.79 4.89 4.7 4.75 525000 2498060 1.38 1.45 1.36 1.45 1.34 1.45 551000 770220 ROXAS AND CO RFM CORP 4.35 4.4 4.35 4.4 4.3 4.4 60000 260250 0.102 0.108 0.102 0.108 0.102 0.108 60000 6420 SWIFT FOODS 101.2 101.5 101.5 103.5 99 101.5 1519130 153867476.5 UNIV ROBINA VITARICH 0.87 0.89 0.9 0.9 0.86 0.87 861000 756250 1.02 1.03 1.06 1.06 1.02 1.02 2975000 3083450 CEMEX HLDG DAVINCI CAPITAL 3.9 5 4 4 4 4 2000 8000 7.33 7.35 7.4 7.4 7.31 7.35 523200 3851092 EAGLE CEMENT 5.1 5.11 5.19 5.19 5.1 5.11 125500 649769 EEI CORP HOLCIM 11.76 11.84 11.62 12.2 11.62 11.84 692300 8303164 6.15 6.2 6.38 6.38 6.02 6.19 413200 2554381 MEGAWIDE 0.68 0.75 0.7 0.75 0.68 0.75 88000 62730 TKC METALS VULCAN INDL 0.56 0.58 0.54 0.57 0.54 0.56 480000 262700 1.89 1.91 1.91 1.91 1.91 1.91 25000 47750 CROWN ASIA EUROMED 1.91 1.92 1.95 1.95 1.88 1.91 664000 1261980 LMG CHEMICALS 4.5 4.7 4.6 4.6 4.6 4.6 2000 9200 4.02 4.3 4.3 4.3 4.3 4.3 12000 51600 PRYCE CORP CONCEPCION 25 28.9 28 28 27.85 27.85 1200 33525 0.79 0.81 0.8 0.81 0.75 0.81 373000 294670 GREENERGY 4.5 4.53 4.51 4.52 4.49 4.52 275000 1240400 INTEGRATED MICR IONICS 0.94 0.98 0.98 0.99 0.93 0.99 390000 372030 0.74 0.76 0.77 0.77 0.73 0.76 193000 144150 SFA SEMICON CIRTEK HLDG 6.16 6.17 6.3 6.3 6 6.16 756100 4661580

-782989.9997 -42999995 1324408 -63440 -8555086 -5975150 -249770 -29380 -894232 -666172 21060 4873422 -42080 -2363330 -96187378 210794 240050 11574400 -41864963 -140780 30 -927080 140000 172999.9999 -57439863.5 -426960 -3627648 331907 -3889040 -476889.0001 2240 28500 5340 -333740 -4460 653178

HOLDING & FRIMS ABACORE CAPITAL 0.51 0.52 0.51 0.52 0.5 0.52 844000 428710 5.52 5.6 5.56 5.85 5.5 5.52 81900 455884 ASIABEST GROUP AYALA CORP 448.6 450 451 470 446 450 961900 437339628 37.8 39.1 38.4 39.1 37.4 39.1 328300 12616105 ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL 6.8 6.95 6.95 6.95 6.7 6.95 2263400 15421069 AYALA LAND LOG 1.56 1.59 1.63 1.63 1.53 1.56 1365000 2138380 5.9 6.27 6 6 6 6 24800 148800 ANSCOR ANGLO PHIL HLDG 0.49 0.52 0.5 0.5 0.45 0.49 36000 17640 0.495 0.51 0.5 0.5 0.495 0.5 702000 349940 ATN HLDG A 0.54 0.56 0.56 0.56 0.55 0.55 74000 41200 ATN HLDG B COSCO CAPITAL 4.99 5 5.19 5.19 4.85 5 1795200 8965886 3.75 3.76 3.85 3.85 3.74 3.75 4928000 18559980 DMCI HLDG GT CAPITAL 403 403.2 403 409 400.2 403.2 126590 51051624 HOUSE OF INV 3.46 3.7 3.61 3.7 3.61 3.61 15000 54240 52.75 53 54 54 51.5 53 4232930 223502547.5 JG SUMMIT LODESTAR 0.405 0.415 0.405 0.41 0.405 0.41 300000 122000 2.79 2.9 2.86 2.86 2.79 2.79 239000 669610 LOPEZ HLDG 7.56 7.57 7.5 7.7 7.4 7.57 484700 3671015 LT GROUP METRO PAC INV 2.47 2.48 2.46 2.52 2.46 2.47 29252000 72615730 0.75 0.78 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 130000 97500 PRIME MEDIA SOLID GROUP 0.8 0.83 0.83 0.83 0.83 0.83 1000 830 152.1 169.9 152 169.9 150 169.9 900 143378 SYNERGY GRID 805.5 820 800 820 795.5 820 256030 207133690 SM INVESTMENTS SAN MIGUEL CORP 91.9 92 92 92 90.8 92 146570 13391508 0.57 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 84000 50400 SOC RESOURCES 135.3 152.5 152.5 152.5 135.1 152.5 1290 195952 TOP FRONTIER ZEUS HLDG 0.123 0.127 0.123 0.124 0.122 0.124 590000 72570

2040 -136745134 1592550 -7164284 -1118380 145800 -2162258 -2506060 2774486 -39800 -105934898 -669610 -1760943 -23580770 -3442785 -1525496 -19477 -

PROPERTY ARTHALAND CORP 0.58 0.59 0.62 0.62 0.58 0.59 2406000 1409720 31 32.3 30.5 32.3 30.1 32.3 10361500 321908125 AYALA LAND ARANETA PROP 1.02 1.09 1.09 1.09 1.09 1.09 40000 43600 1.3 1.31 1.3 1.3 1.2 1.3 565000 723330 BELLE CORP A BROWN 0.51 0.53 0.51 0.53 0.51 0.52 430000 223080 0.117 0.135 0.116 0.117 0.116 0.116 1970000 228640 CROWN EQUITIES 3.74 3.9 3.88 3.9 3.7 3.9 316000 1226730 CEB LANDMASTERS CENTURY PROP 0.36 0.365 0.36 0.36 0.355 0.36 1900000 675600 15.96 16.14 16.16 16.16 15.9 16.14 53200 856350 DOUBLEDRAGON 6.85 7 7 7 7 7 31400 219800 DM WENCESLAO FILINVEST LAND 0.9 0.91 0.92 0.92 0.89 0.9 9682000 8727490 0.74 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.73 0.74 182000 134980 GLOBAL ESTATE 8990 HLDG 11.8 11.9 11.9 11.9 11.8 11.8 87500 1034798 0.69 0.7 0.69 0.7 0.68 0.7 117000 81070 PHIL INFRADEV 0.64 0.74 0.54 0.59 0.54 0.59 5000 2750 CITY AND LAND MEGAWORLD 2.62 2.63 2.55 2.63 2.5 2.63 32672000 84292660 0.146 0.147 0.141 0.148 0.14 0.147 12020000 1749250 MRC ALLIED 0.31 0.38 0.38 0.38 0.38 0.38 50000 19000 PHIL ESTATES PRIMEX CORP 1.5 1.73 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7 1000 1700 13.68 13.7 14.2 14.48 13.22 13.68 4692400 63949134 ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL 1.42 1.44 1.45 1.56 1.41 1.42 397000 564330 SHANG PROP 2.72 2.85 2.98 2.98 2.7 2.85 110000 299020 1.87 2 1.96 2.04 1.88 2 816000 1545100 STA LUCIA LAND SM PRIME HLDG 29 29.6 27.9 29.6 27.5 29.6 9894400 277417945 3.4 3.54 3.55 3.55 3.41 3.54 88000 307220 VISTAMALLS 1.17 1.18 1.17 1.2 1.15 1.18 469000 553050 SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND 4.04 4.09 4.03 4.12 4.02 4.09 587000 2380540

-21835360 519000 -36000 440330 -1570690 22137850 -29400.0001 -7798482 -153150 5226195 322680

SERVICES ABS CBN 15.64 15.8 15.9 15.92 15.56 15.8 176100 2754014 4.92 5.05 4.95 5.05 4.89 5.05 842900 4151116 GMA NETWORK MANILA BULLETIN 0.36 0.37 0.37 0.37 0.365 0.365 20000 7350 1997 2000 2000 2000 1973 2000 52545 105006625 GLOBE TELECOM PLDT 1090 1100 1146 1146 1090 1090 148800 167517485 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.036 0.04 0.038 0.039 0.038 0.039 1500000 57500 1.57 1.58 1.52 1.62 1.5 1.58 36402000 56803280 DITO CME HLDG ISLAND INFO 0.076 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.073 0.076 3610000 287930 1.51 1.52 1.54 1.54 1.46 1.51 1674000 2502550 NOW CORP 0.154 0.155 0.159 0.159 0.153 0.155 800000 123760 TRANSPACIFIC BR PHILWEB 1.55 1.58 1.5 1.59 1.5 1.58 705000 1094040 5.9 5.99 6 6.2 5.95 5.99 14600 87624 2GO GROUP CHELSEA 2.53 2.57 2.68 2.68 2.49 2.57 4192000 10570470 CEBU AIR 45.45 45.5 46 46.5 44.9 45.5 130600 5934545 72 72.9 73.15 74 72 72 2135640 155630570.5 INTL CONTAINER LBC EXPRESS 11.04 12.44 13 13 11 11 5400 65014 4.29 4.3 4.52 4.57 4.27 4.3 2645000 11594240 MACROASIA 1.43 1.48 1.5 1.5 1.4 1.43 751000 1086220 METROALLIANCE A METROALLIANCE B 1.43 1.58 1.59 1.59 1.58 1.58 14000 22250 6.2 6.6 6.6 6.65 6 6.6 5500 35810 PAL HLDG HARBOR STAR 0.74 0.76 0.76 0.78 0.74 0.74 412000 310550 0.024 0.025 0.025 0.026 0.024 0.025 34700000 850200 BOULEVARD HLDG 1.61 1.87 1.96 1.96 1.89 1.89 5000 9550 DISCOVERY WORLD WATERFRONT 0.38 0.39 0.38 0.38 0.38 0.38 300000 114000 6.07 6.69 6.07 6.07 6.07 6.07 1000 6070 CENTRO ESCOLAR 0.39 0.395 0.4 0.4 0.39 0.395 7220000 2849200 STI HLDG BERJAYA 2.06 2.14 2.06 2.2 2.02 2.14 164000 339640 5.9 6 5.92 6.04 5.87 6 3870800 23072255 BLOOMBERRY LEISURE AND RES 1.3 1.35 1.35 1.35 1.35 1.35 24000 32400 PREMIUM LEISURE 0.295 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.295 0.3 2040000 611200 4.89 4.9 5 5.22 4.85 4.9 6627000 32925010 ALLHOME METRO RETAIL 1.43 1.44 1.47 1.47 1.42 1.43 711000 1025230 36.4 37 38 38.1 36.4 36.4 3899900 144929220 PUREGOLD 54.9 55.6 57 57 54.8 54.9 860000 47234245 ROBINSONS RTL PHIL SEVEN CORP 131 132 130.1 132 130 132 132480 17233691 1.27 1.3 1.29 1.3 1.24 1.3 775000 990740 SSI GROUP WILCON DEPOT 12.7 12.98 12.84 12.98 12.8 12.98 85900 1108458 APC GROUP 0.26 0.265 0.25 0.265 0.25 0.265 1620000 421200 4.82 5.09 4.71 4.8 4.71 4.8 10000 47640 EASYCALL PRMIERE HORIZON 0.192 0.195 0.196 0.2 0.191 0.192 630000 121760

16506840 -47222125 -2528640 -386430 203990 -53508 -115820.0002 -862205 25010796.5 1285870 6650 -2562350 9629582 -9450 -23600 -4487560 -112510 -11614515 -41125508 -3496471 -38110 390682 41600 -

MINING & OIL ATOK 10.3 10.86 10.86 10.86 10.86 10.86 6000 65160 APEX MINING 0.69 0.71 0.7 0.7 0.68 0.69 76000 52220 0.001 0.0011 0.001 0.0011 0.001 0.001 11000000 11200 ABRA MINING ATLAS MINING 1.91 1.98 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.9 5000 9500 0.206 0.239 0.205 0.205 0.205 0.205 70000 14350 COAL ASIA HLDG 2.5 2.6 2.55 2.61 2.55 2.61 325000 835110 450749.9999 CENTURY PEAK DIZON MINES 6.1 6.31 6.07 6.33 5.96 6.3 4500 28080 0.58 0.59 0.56 0.59 0.56 0.58 1323000 758830 -102030.0001 FERRONICKEL 0.073 0.077 0.076 0.076 0.076 0.076 4230000 321480 LEPANTO A LEPANTO B 0.072 0.087 0.09 0.09 0.088 0.088 60000 5380 0.56 0.58 0.58 0.58 0.58 0.58 13000 7540 MARCVENTURES NIHAO 0.86 0.9 0.89 0.89 0.87 0.87 10000 8840 1.54 1.55 1.52 1.62 1.51 1.55 4457000 6988370 -1918670 NICKEL ASIA 0.455 0.47 0.475 0.475 0.46 0.46 70000 32650 ORNTL PENINSULA PX MINING 2 2.03 2.06 2.06 1.97 2 611000 1221350 -937629.9998 11.44 11.68 11.6 11.72 11.24 11.44 1440100 16549398 2288934 SEMIRARA MINING 0.0035 0.0039 0.0037 0.0037 0.0037 0.0037 1000000 3700 UNITED PARAGON ACE ENEXOR 5.06 5.18 5.2 5.2 5.02 5.18 133300 690721 0.0082 0.0089 0.0083 0.0083 0.0082 0.0083 20000000 165100 ORNTL PETROL A ORNTL PETROL B 0.0084 0.01 0.0084 0.01 0.0084 0.01 9000000 81200 0.0071 0.0086 0.0074 0.0075 0.0074 0.0075 2000000 14900 PHILODRILL 3.97 4 4 4.1 3.96 4 205000 818680 -130940 PXP ENERGY

PREFFERED AC PREF B1 498 506 498 498 498 498 780 388440 CPG PREF A 96 99.5 99.5 99.5 99.5 99.5 400 39800 97.6 97.8 97.8 97.8 97.7 97.7 530 51789 DD PREF FGEN PREF G 101 107 102 102 100.1 100.1 10000 1006220 98.1 99.5 99.5 99.5 99.1 99.1 1110 110241 MWIDE PREF 101.6 105 107 107 107 107 860 92020 PNX PREF 3B PNX PREF 4 996 996.5 996.5 999 996 996.5 3060 3049105 1000 1039 990 990 990 990 780 772200 PCOR PREF 2B 1015 1016 1015 1016 1015 1016 15720 15957920 PCOR PREF 3A SMC PREF 2C 75.15 75.5 75.5 75.5 75.5 75.5 48070 3629285 73 73.75 73.5 73.5 73.5 73.5 3100 227850 SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E 73.1 74.35 73.5 74.35 73.05 74.35 7910 580138.5 74.5 74.7 74.8 74.8 74.5 74.5 6100 455120 SMC PREF 2F 73.75 75.1 74 74 74 74 3800 281200 SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H 74 74.8 74.05 74.05 74 74 6200 458957.5 73.4 74.5 74 74 74 74 150 11100 SMC PREF 2I

PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR 13.98 14.48 13.98 13.98 13.94 13.98 106500 1488470 -1349070 GMA HLDG PDR 4.74 4.9 4.9 4.9 4.9 4.9 10000 49000 -49000

WARRANTS LR WARRANT 0.7 0.75 0.7 0.76 0.7 0.75 54000 40370

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES ITALPINAS 1.91 1.96 1.96 1.98 1.9 1.96 673000 1288430 KEPWEALTH 6 6.04 6.19 6.19 5.92 6 51700 310926 0.46 0.47 0.46 0.47 0.46 0.46 480000 224350 XURPAS

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS

FIRST METRO ETF 80.5 80.55 80 80.5 79.9 80.5 51700 4150969 10400

www.businessmirror.com.ph

AboitizPower terminates deal to buy wind farm in Vietnam

A

By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

boitiz Power Corp. announced a decision to terminate its planned acquisition of Vietnam’s Mekong Wind due to an undisclosed condition that was not met on time.

The power firm said Thursday that it decided to exercise its right to terminate the transaction that involves a 100-percent acquisition by subsidiary Aboitiz Power International Pte. Ltd. of Mekong Wind Pte. Ltd. from Armstrong Southeast Asia Clean Energy Fund Pte. Ltd. (AAM).

The deal was not completed “due to a condition precedent being unmet by the agreed longstop date.”

When sought for further comment, AboitizPower President Emmanuel Rubio said in a text message that “we can’t disclose details as we are still bound by

our confidentiality agreement.”

“Aboitiz Power International is in discussions with AAM to revisit the acquisition at a future date,” the company said, adding that the termination of the transaction has no impact to existing operations and financial performance.

Mekong Wind holds a 99-percent direct interest in Dam Nai Wind Power, which owns and operates the 39.4-megawatt (MW) onshore wind power facility in Ninh Thuan Province, Southern Vietnam.

Dam Nai Wind is one of the first wind power projects in Vietnam to have been successfully brought online with commercial operations having commenced in late 2017.

Ninh Thuan Province boasts some of the most attractive sites for wind energy in the country.

The supposed deal was worth $46 million. The transaction was targeted for completion in the fourth quarter of 2019. Aboitiz had planned to expand the wind project by as much as 50 MW. The company had said that it was in the lookout for opportunities abroad, including Myanmar and Indonesia.

“Together with our partners, we are exploring some projects in Indonesia. If ever there would be partners then we have to look for synergies, we’ve been exploring projects that we can be 100 percent or majority, those are the preferences,” said Rubio.

“We are looking for projects that are eligible for FiT [feed-in-tariff] and they are wind and solar projects, some operating, some for development,” he added.

MFT Group to donate emergency quarantine facilities

M

FT Group of Companies, together with its healthcare arm—Mondial Medical Technologies—will help build Emergency Quarantine Facilities (EQFacility) to be donated to three state-run hospitals that are almost exceeding its full capacity due to the rising number of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) patients under its care.

This is in support of a larger undertaking spearheaded by a group of architects to build EQFacilities across the country.

With these facilities, MFT Group and Mondial aim to address the shortage of rooms, thus enabling more hospitals to accommodate Covid-19 patients and prevent other person under monitoring or investigation (PUM or PUI) to be sent home.

“We have all seen how our brave frontliners are facing this medical crisis head on, albeit with no full gears on. That’s why it is only fitting that, in our own capacity, MFT Group, and our subsidiary Mondial, do our part in looking for new opportunities to help them and support their needs with a common goal of saving more lives,” said MFT Group CEO Mica F. Tan in a statement.

MFT Group will donate these temporary quarantine facilities to the Philippine Heart Center in Quezon City and to the Fernando Air Base Hospital in Lipa, Batangas.

For its part, Mondial will donate the EQFacility to Ospital ng Maynila.

MFT Group CEO Enrique F. Tan said, “It is quite alarming to hear reports about suspected Covid patients asked to go home, because hospitals could no longer accommodate them. We are thankful that our partner firm Plaza + Partners paved the way for us to become a part of this project.”

“This is the reason we, at Mondial, chose to help build EQFacilities to prevent people who need to undergo quarantine from being forced to go home, as this might spread the virus, when, in fact, we should all help stop it,” Tan added.

With Mondial’s expertise in the health-care space, this initiative also targets at providing superiorstandard medical solutions to institutions that would need it most, especially during this pandemic.

The EQFacilities, designed by WTA Architecture and Design Studio, can be constructed in 5 to 7 days. The design, which can be replicated by others free of charge, is a horizontal structure that makes use of protective skin of transparent, translucent, and opaque plastic enveloping each wooden structure.

According to William Ti, principal architect of WTA Architecture and Design Studio, the 15-bed emergency quarantine facility can be fitted with partitions to segregate the patients.

It also includes a testing area and testing box, toilets with toiletries, sanitation and disinfection areas, and a nurse’s lounge.

EasyJet founder fights with board over jet order

E

asyJet Plc’s founder escalated his feud with the board, calling for the ouster of a director in a bid to pressure the discount airline into canceling a 4.5 billion-pound ($5.6 billion) aircraft order.

Stelios Haji-Ioannou, EasyJet’s biggest owner with a 34-percent stake, proposed a general meeting to remove director Andreas Bierwirth, according to a letter sent late Wednesday to the airline’s chairman, John Barton. He threatened to challenge one non-executive director every seven weeks, tying up the board with a series of cumbersome and divisive general meetings until it succumbs.

Haji-Ioannou, who has long opposed buying new aircraft, this week turned up the heat on a low-simmering campaign to halt the purchase of more than 100 Airbus SE narrow-body jets.

The 53-year-old entrepreneur, emboldened by the coronavirus crisis that’s suddenly turned large spending commitments into a millstone, on Sunday demanded the deal for A320-family planes be terminated.

“The board is focused on managing the unprecedented challenges facing the airline and

the aviation sector as a whole,” EasyJet said in response to Haji-Ioannou’s letter. “We believe that holding a general meeting would be an unhelpful distraction from tackling the many immediate issues our business faces.”

EasyJet shares fell 0.5 percent at 9:50 a.m. in London. The stock has declined 63 percent this year. The airline said Thursday in a stock exchange filing that the board was considering the contents of Haji-Ioannou’s letter and “further announcements will be made as appropriate.”

Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday that EasyJet is considering options including raising new debt and equity to provide a buffer against the downturn, which has forced the British airline to ground its fleet.

The United Kingdom carrier is exploring various fundraising scenarios, including commercial and government sources, as well as a delay in plane orders to conserve cash if needed for a longer-term downturn, people familiar with the matter said, asking not to be named because the discussions are confidential. The airline would prefer loans to selling new shares, one of the people said. Bloomberg News

mutual funds

April 2, 2020

NAV One Year Three Year Five Year Y-T-D per share Return* Return Stock Funds ALFM Growth Fund, Inc. -a 179.86 -31.48% -11.01% -8.95% -28.6% ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 0.8788 -45.52% -14.91% -10.43% -36.41% ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 2.4179 -40.71% -15.91% -11.46% -34.26% Climbs Share Capital Equity Investment Fund Corp. -a 0.6048 -35.33% n.a. n.a. -32.58% First Metro Consumer Fund on MSCI Phils. IMI, Inc. -a 0.6097 -29.06% n.a. n.a. -28.21% First Metro Save and Learn Equity Fund,Inc. -a 3.8948 -28.61% -8.75% -8.17% -26.9% First Metro Save and Learn Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a,6 0.6052 -30.44% -12.78% n.a.

-29.1% MBG Equity Investment Fund, Inc. -a 68.33 -46.15% n.a. n.a. -33.87% PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. -a 35.7641 -30.77% -9.84% n.a. -30.26% Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 383.49 -29.09% -9.36% -8.03% -28.02% Philequity Alpha One Fund, Inc. -a,d,8 0.8118 n.a. n.a. n.a. -21.19% Philequity Dividend Yield Fund, Inc. -a 0.9217 -29.3% -9.25% -7.3% -28.38% Philequity Fund, Inc. -a 26.9944 -29.9% -8.59% -7.18% -28.77% Philequity MSCI Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a,1 0.7051 -31.66% n.a. n.a. -30.74% Philequity PSE Index Fund Inc. -a 3.6422 -30.34% -9.26% -7.06% -30.27% Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a 608.34 -30.29% -9.24% -7.28% -30.24% Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 0.5562 -39.6% -13.29% -11.12% -34.67% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Equity Fund, Inc. -a 2.858 -33.35% -10.13% -8.29% -32.1% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Stock Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.6993 -30.31% -9.36% n.a. -30.13% United Fund, Inc. -a 2.5694 -30.28% -7.37% -6.22% -29.67% Exchange Traded Fund First Metro Phil. Equity Exchange Traded Fund, Inc. -a,c 81.5189 -30.17% -8.75% -6.46% -30.3% ATRAM AsiaPlus Equity Fund, Inc. -b $0.8428 -17.13% -3.55% -3.63% -18.05% Sun Life Prosperity World Voyager Fund, Inc. -a $1.1269 -10.71% 0.71% n.a. -18.26% Balanced Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ATRAM Dynamic Allocation Fund, Inc. -a 1.414 -17.63% -6.34% -6.27% -9.52% ATRAM Philippine Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 1.877 -18.64% -6.26% -4.59% -13.94% First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund Inc. -a 2.2398 -15.15% -3.4% -5.42% -14.89% First Metro Save and Learn F.O.C.C.U.S. Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a,5 0.1787 n.a. n.a. n.a.

-21.79% NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils., Inc. -a 1.7391 -9% -1.82% -2.35% -11.41% PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a 3.1553 -13.87% -4.31% -4.35% -16.73% Philam Fund, Inc. -a 14.1734 -14.46% -4.3% -4.34% -16.43% -4.78% -3.7% -15.78% Solidaritas Fund, Inc. -a 1.7904 -16.31% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.043 -20.6% -5.53% -5.1% -21.24% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2028, Inc. -a,d,2 0.8467 -15.13% n.a. n.a. -16.64% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a,d,2 0.7515 -24.63% n.a. n.a. -24.58% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a,d,2 0.7326 -26.31% n.a. n.a. -26.24% Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a 0.7321 -25.27% -7.52% -7.24% -24.9% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Cocolife Dollar Fund Builder, Inc. -a $0.03776 4.42% 2.16% 1.42% -1.23% -15.8% PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -a $0.8739 -11.64% -2.58% -2.53% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $3.3408 -8.67% 0.62% 0.31% -14.58% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a,7 $1.0099 -6.22% -0.25% n.a. -10.53% Bond Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 360.48 3.81% 2.86% 2.3% 0.75% ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a 1.9162 1.94% 0.69% -0.36% 0.75% Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a 3.1465 4.67% 5.09% 5.06% 0.97% Ekklesia Mutual Fund Inc. -a 2.237 3.65% 2.31% 1.87% 0.54% First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund,Inc. -a 2.3556 3.64% 2.22% 1.18% -0.15% Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a 4.3442 2.51% 1.45% -0.66% 7.59% Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.7535 4.08% 2.66% 1.28% -0.92% Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a 0.9582 4.02% 1.29% 0.08% -0.63% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.0532 5.79% 3.98% 2.34% -0.74% Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. -a 1.6938 5.57% 3.6% 1.99% -0.43% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $466.76 2.9% 2.3% 2.42% -0.31% ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a Є213.96 -0.99% 0.65% 0.56% -2.63% ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b $1.1544 -0.85% 1.16% 1.34% -4.37% 0.66% First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.0254 0.79% 0.81% -1.55% PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc -a $1.0435 -2.04% -0.77% -0.94% -4.72% Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $2.3388 3.45% 2.03% 1.86% -2.7% Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc. -a $0.0591315 1.82% 1.28% 1.25% -1.96% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $3.0969 4.06% 1.69% 1.79% -2.47% Money Market Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 126.73 3.67% 2.98% 2.25% 0.76% First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a,3 1.0338 2.73% n.a. n.a.

0.73% Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a 1.2531 4.91% 2.97% 1.59% -0.29% Sun Life Prosperity Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.2742 3.46% 2.98% 2.49% 0.76% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.0397 1.71% n.a. n.a.

0.24% Feeder Fund Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Global Multi-Asset Income Fund Inc. -b,d,4 $0.85 n.a. n.a. n.a. -14.14% 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."

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Banking&Finance BusinessMirror

Retirees to receive monthly pension 7 days early–GSIS

S

tate-run Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) announced it has already deposited the monthly pension of all of its more than 500,000 retirees earlier than the usual to ease their burden during the coronavirus pandemic.

The state pension fund has allotted P5.7 billion for the monthly pension of about 511,000 pensioners nationwide.

Instead of the usual crediting date of every 8th of the month, GSIS President and General Manager Rolando L. Macasaet said pensioners should have started receiving their monthly pension yesterday, April 2.

“We already deposited their pension yesterday. So by April 2, all our pensioners should be able to receive it,” Macasaet said in a statement on Thursday.

“We know that most of our retirees rely on their pension for their daily upkeep and maintenance medicines. We hope that this will somehow help ease the burden of our senior citizens during the crisis,” he added.

Pensioners receive their monthly pension electronically through their

eCard or UMID Card which are issued by either the Union Bank of the Philippines or Land Bank of the Philippines. They may also withdraw the cash from the nearest automated teller machine (ATM).

Last week, the GSIS announced it has extended the deadline for the Annual Pensioners Information Revalidation (Apir) to May 15, 2020, allowing all old-age and survivorship pensioners born in March and April do not need to personally report to GSIS during their birth months. They may instead renew their active status on May 15, 2020.

Under normal circumstances, all old-age and survivorship pensioners are required to personally report to any GSIS office or through the GSIS kiosk during their birth month to continue receiving their pension.

Pensioners residing abroad can revalidate their status via Skype.

“We do not want to expose our pensioners to any unnecessary risk, especially in light of reports that elderly people are the ones highly vulnerable to the [coronavirus disease 2019]. We want them to stay home for the time being,” Macasaet said.

Bernadette D. Nicolas

Deadline of payments of taxes in Taguig City moved to May 20

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aguig City announced it has moved the deadline for the payment of city taxes and other obligations to May 20, in response to the impact of the lockdown against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) on citizens.

Through Executive Order 4, Mayor Lino Edgardo S. Cayetano extended the deadlines of “all business taxes, real property taxes, transfer taxes, amusement taxes and other taxes, fees, charges and other financial obligations, due and payable to the Taguig City Government during the period of the enhanced community quarantine.”

The executive order implements City Ordinance 9 Series of 2020, signed on March 20. The ordinance authorized the city mayor to extend deadlines for taxes and other payables due to the city.

The executive order specifically applies the extensions to the payment of local business taxes due on April 20; real property taxes due on March 31; amusement taxes due on April 20; transfer and corresponding city taxes, as well as other taxes and fees, that fall due while the enhanced community quarantine is in effect. The order also extends to rents, charges, and other financial obligations to the city government.

It further ensures that the dues would not incur penalties, surcharges and interests.

The order to extend the deadline to May 20 is in consideration of

the decision, earlier, of the national government to extend the filing of income and other corporate taxes from April 15 to May 15. This will, hopefully, allow our citizens ample time to efficiently settle their obligations with the national government first, before paying their obligations to the city.

“We want to ease the burden the pandemic has given to Taguigeño stakeholders,” Cayetano was quoted as saying in the statement his office issued. “At this point, the safety, security and health of the families of the city take precedence over taxes.”

“We owe this extension to them, as much as we owe them the medical and relief assistance they have received from City Hall since the enhanced community quarantine began,” he added.

As of April 1, the local government claims to have distributed food packs to 85,035 families in Taguig. These food packs, it said in a statement, contain rice, canned goods, noodles, coffee, cereal drink and bottled water. A food pack is good for three to four days for a family of five.

Taguig City said it has also distributed 54,904 kits to senior citizens, persons-with-disabilities and other vulnerable sectors in the city. A kit comes with vitamins good for 30 days, masks, antibacterial soap and instructional materials containing important information on proper handwashing, how to disinfect their homes and information on Covid-19.

Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

‘Barefoot banker’ Andres Panganiban passes away

A

ndres Panganiban, founder of the New Rural Bank of San Leonardo in Nueva Ecija, passed away on April 1 at 67.

A banker since 1976, Panganiban worked as credit investigator for Security Bank, for the Bahamas-based Amherst Financial Group Inc. (AFG) and later as credit analyst for Chase Manhattan Bank in 1980.

The second youngest in a brood of 12, Panganiban was born to a family of businessmen at a fishing village in Malabon, Rizal. He attended grade school at Tonsuya Elementary School in Malabon, obtained secondary education at Saint Joseph Academy in Caloocan City and finished business management

and obtained masters degrees at the Ateneo de Manila University.

He founded the nongovernment organization Asia-Pacific Mission for Migrant Filipinos in Hong Kong and was its executive director until 1991.

After the ouster of President Ferdinand Marcos, Panganiban returned to the Philippines and, on June 10, 1994, launched the NRBSL on a P5-million pooled capital. By the end of 1994, NRBSL had P32 million in resources, P4.5 million in deposits and P P6.3million in loans.

Panganiban wrote his experiences in undertaking banking for the poor in a book titled “Barefoot banking: Microfinance in the Philippines,” published in 1998.

Dennis Estopace

Friday, April 3, 2020 B3

Moody’s warns vs prolonged lockdown’s impact on banks

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By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

@Tyronepiad

evising its outlook for the Philippine banking system from stable to negative, Moody’s Investors Service warned that the impact of a prolonged lockdown on companies’ ability to pay debt would cascade to the banking sector’s profitability.

In a report on Thursday, the debt watcher said that the enhanced community quarantine placed all over Luzon has been constricting economic activities, which would materially impact economic growth this year, including the banking industry.

“The number of confirmed coronavirus cases is increasing so restrictions on activity may remain in place for a prolonged period, further weakening the economic outlook,” Moody’s said.

The credit-rating agency warned that even if one of the big conglomer-

ates default on bank loans, this could degrade asset quality in the overall banking system because the borrowings were “heavily concentrated” on the them.

While Moody’s said that most large companies could withstand the disruptions, the prolonged lock down, however, would be a bane for smaller firms’ debt payment capacity.

It added that quality of loans to small businesses and medium-sized enterprises might degrade due to “limited buffers against stress.”

With asset quality at risk, Moody’s said that Philippine banks’ credit costs would escalate, potentially dragging the sector’s bottom-line figures in the process.

“Philippine banks credit costs have been among the lowest in Asia, benefiting from healthy economic conditions, and this has supported profitability despite low pre-provisioning profit as a percentage of assets compared to banks in other emerging markets in the region,” it noted.

Moody’s, meanwhile, said that capitalization will remain stable given that rated local banks have an average Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratio of 13.7 percent as of end-2019.

“However, any material downgrade of credit ratings of borrowers would increase the capital that banks need to set aside for those exposures, which would erode capitalization,” the debt watcher added.

The credit-rating agency was expecting that support from the government will remain strong amid the pandemic.

RCBC’s Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort agreed that current

economic slowdown locally and across the world prompted Moody’s to change its outlook on the Philippine banking sector.

“The revision of the outlook by Moody’s could be due to slower economic growth locally and worldwide largely due to the coronavirus outbreak, as other major global credit rating agencies also made outlook revisions on the banking industry of other Asean/Asian countries,” Ricafort said.

“The Philippine banking industry has been one of the most profitable industries in the country and has strong financial position and well capitalized, with capital ratios way above the minimum requirements set by both local and international regulators,” he added.

As of April 2, Moody’s rated the baseline credit assessment of BDO Unibank Inc., Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. and Bank of the Philippine Islands with baa2; Land Bank of the Philippines, ba1; Philippine National Bank, China Banking Corp., Security Bank Corp., Union Bank of the Philippines and Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., baa3; and, United Coconut Planters Bank, b2.

UnionBank deploys mobile kiosks as lockdown continues

U

nion Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) announced it has rolled-out the country’s first-ever 5G mobile banking kiosk to different areas in the country to help make banking services more accessible to customers, amid the enhanced community quarantine implemented in Luzon.

UnionBank said its “Bank on Wheels” is the “Philippines’s first 5G-powered air-conditioned banking kiosk in a mobile van that enables customers to conveniently and comfortably avail of banking services like balance inquiries, withdrawals, bills payments, funds transfer and even account opening, without leaving their communities.”

With 5G technology, UnionBank can leverage on higher bandwidth and faster internet connection-20 times faster than other networks available-which means better and more reliable digital services for the bank’s clients. The van is scheduled to go to the cities of Mandaluyong, Makati and Quezon for the release of GSIS pension.

UnionBank Senior Executive Vice President Henry R. Aguda was quoted in a statement as saying the bank “is in constant pursuit of ways

Security guards stand outside a UnionBank “Bank On Wheels,” that brings banking services to clients ordered to stay at home during the Covid-19 pandemic. Photo courtesy of Unionbank

to bring its services closer to its customers as aligned with its advocacy to promote financial inclusion in the country.”

This is important as a lot of Filipinos are currently under lockdown, he added.

“Banking services are among

the most essential services for many people,” Aguda said. “However, access to these services has been very limited because of the health crisis that we are currently facing. By deploying a mobile banking kiosk that is powered by 5G technology, not only are we able

to make banking more accessible to customers, we are also able to do so in a way that is faster and more efficient.”

“It’s all part of UnionBank’s goal of enabling inclusive prosperity for everyone, even in these very challenging times,” Aguda said.

Social distancing and associations: Lessons learned

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ssociations are “face-toface” communities.

Their members personally meet, greet, celebrate and learn from each other on a regular basis.

They organize all sorts of events year round—from small board and committee meetings, to large conventions and exhibitions. Not only are these events part and parcel of the services that associations provide to their members, more importantly, they generate a large chunk of revenues for associations to keep going.

So what happens when health authorities impose social distancing rules?

Social distancing or physical distancing is a form of infection control action intended to stop or slow down the spread of a contagious disease, in this case COVID-19. As social organizations, associations view social distancing as antithesis to their “business as usual” operation. So what can they do during these social distancing times? Here are some strategies that associations here and abroad have undertaken to cope,

Association World Octavio Peralta explore opportunities, and keep afloat during this difficult time: Going digital. Virtual meetings and educational course offerings such as webinars, podcasts, live streaming (Zoom and Cisco’s WebEx), Twitter chats, YouTube, Facebook and other social media, are some of the ways associations reach out to their members and provide content as well as emotional support.

This pivot to digital also enhances the work of associations in community building and increases their audience to include non-members (especially the Millennials) willing to pay for online services.

Managing risks better. The current situation has also shown how associations need to learn more about event cancellation insurance cover-

age to know the nuances of different “force majeure” contract language, and understand the opportunities that are available so they can make the best informed decision for their members.

Diversifying revenues. In-person event cancellation has also put associations in a very delicate position as it has a direct impact on their cash flow and revenue generation efforts. To be sustainable after an event cancellation, and to prepare for the next uncertain episode that could adversely affect business activities, it is essential that current business models undergo a thorough assessment of risks and opportunities.

Communicating adequately and quickly. Another crucial action for associations to do is to communicate with boards, advisors, supporters, and staff so that everyone involved has the critical information they need to make the best decisions. Members and other stakeholders count on the association’s experience and expertise on their behalf. In addition to keep-

ing all parties working on the event informed, keeping registrants and potential attendees, members and non-members updated, can go a long way in maintaining the association’s reputation and brand.

Building right relationships.

This crisis has also unravelled the power and the importance of relationships. Associations need to have the right partners in place and have good relationships with people and organizations as the association navigates through these uncertain times.

The column contributor, Octavio “Bobby” Peralta, is concurrently the secretary general of the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific and the Founder & CEO of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives. The PCAAE is holding the Associations Summit 8 on November 25 and 26, 2020 at the Philippine International Convention Cente, which is expected to draw over 200 association professionals here and abroad. The two-day event is supported

by Adfiap, the Tourism Promotions Board, and the PICC. E-mail inquiries@adfiap.org for more details on AS8.

B4

Friday, April 3, 2020

Show BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Rediscovering music

Today’s Horoscope

By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: : Cobie Smulders, 38; Adam Scott, 47; Eddie Murphy, 59; Alec Baldwin, 62.

MOOPHS

GAB FAB

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Don’t sit back. You have a greater edge than you realize. Be persistent, and forge into the future with optimism and the desire to take over.

Set your goal, and refuse to let anyone sidetrack you along the way. Turn this year into one of transformation.

Embrace positive change, and channel your energy into something that is driven by passion. Your lucky numbers are 4, 12, 23, 27, 32, 35, 46.

JET VALLE

@jetvalle

M

Y column for this week is about music.

My love for music is something I have rediscovered, thanks to the lockdown.

Usually, my free time is spent on going out, sometimes eating and many times drinking, reading books, or binging and binging on Netflix. But now, with more hours of nothing to do, I willed myself to discover new music.

I don’t claim to be a musicologist, I am just a music lover with eclectic taste leaning toward modern rock, electronica and the “old-schoolâ€? pop diva music of Madonna, BeyoncĂŠ and Kylie Minogue.

So, how do I listen to music? I just have three easy steps. I am not saying this is the way to listen to music but this is how I listen to music. However you listen is totally fine. We may hear things differently. You may have your own system, but this is my method.

Anyway, I usually listen to a whole album while reading liner notes. For you millennials out there, liner notes are the credits and information in the hard copy of the album you’re listening to. In the age of the Internet, however, there is Google. Anyway, liner notes are just bare facts that can give you an overall structure and some stories of the songs in album.

Objective information about the song, like when, where and how it was written, maybe the key or speed and genre of the song. Information much needed when coming up with an opinion about the song.

After listening the first time with the liner notes by my side, I then listen to it again. Over and over again and try to experience it at different levels. This is so you can listen in many ways—it can be objectively then emotionally, then analytically. Tip: by the third listen, try to drop all preconceptions of the song, the artist, the genre.

This segues to my third step. Try to discover something in the song that stands out. It can be the lyrics, or the bass line, the switching of the notes, the vocals, and other techniques used by the artist and his/her producer. After listening again, try to get the standout things and see how they are used in the song.

Imagine like you’re eating something for the first time—once you know the ingredients or recipe, you will try to identify each flavor and how it all comes together. Try also listening to the song again with only that standout thing you discovered about the song in your mind. You will know by then what makes that

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Give your all, and get what you deserve. Courage, dedication and personal gain are heading your way. You will leave a lasting impression if you get involved in games of chance that require intelligence and a competitive drive. ★★★★★

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Show consistency, finish what you start and pay attention to detail. Refuse to let an emotional situation take over or cause you to make a poor decision. A chance meeting with someone who interests you will lead to new options. ★★

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Getting things done on time is crucial. Don’t dilly-dally when taking care of your responsibilities is required. How you help others will influence your reputation as well as the favors someone grants you. Step up and make a difference. ★★★★

aspect of the song stand out. Why it beguiles you, why it captivates you.

To continue the third step—after learning about the song, then listening to it over and over again, and then listening to that standout element about the song and trying to understand it, the most fun would be getting the intention of the song. This may be hard too, as sometimes a song may sound fun but actually has a heartbreaking message. Or vice-versa.

Is the song about love or something deeper? You’d be surprised to see that a song can be used in a lot of ways. Remember Sister Act? Obviously the film scorer did an interpretive listening of Motown songs and interpreted them so that they would be about God. You’d be really surprised how some shallow songs can be interpreted into something more profound.

Anyway, with the lockdown, I was able to “discover� a number of new music artists (some have already been around, with me finding out about them only recently) in the genre I love, such as Twenty One Pilots, lovelytheband and Hozier. But what surprised me was discovering the artists I may have dismissed.

I used to shun bubblegum pop, especially the most recent ones. But I gave some of them a listen since I already had the time, and I conclude that some of these pop music artists are actually good and deserve my respect. There’s Taylor Swift, who has actually matured into a very decent songwriter (you would see how she honed her songwriting craft from the catchy

and super-perfect pop song “You Belong With Me� to her more recent works).

Dua Lipa with her mixture of various genres (my favorite is the disco-sounding “Don’t Start Now.�

Justin Bieber who I can now comfortably place alongside the other Justin—as in Timberlake. And now, I am actually now more open to hip-hop—the most undeniable musical force these days.

On the local front, I have discovered the wonderful world of Tarsier Records. While it has been in existence for some time, it’s only now that I gave a listen to the different releases of this indie music label.

Standing out for me from their roster is Moophs.

Check the artist out on Spotify or via his YouTube page. Moophs has a couple of songs available there and I really like “Catching Feelings,â€? a cool collaboration with IĂąigo Pascual, and “Loved You Better,â€? a Sam Concepcion-sung ditty that actually surprised me as I still see Sam as that lanky tweener who I think won a singing competition on TV (I may be wrong here). There’s also a song he did with Xela, a female singer in the mold of an Ariana Grande. Their song “Space Travelâ€? can be played alongside songs very popular with the kids nowadays and you would actually think it’s an international production.

While many people are saying music is dying, I beg to disagree. There is still a lot to discover. Go use this lockdown time wisely and productively, and listen to more music. â–

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Keep an open mind, but don’t give in to someone pressuring you to do something that doesn’t suit your needs.

Emotions will be difficult to control. Rely on common sense, and you will avoid a costly mistake. Make physical fitness a priority. ★★★

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Spend wisely, negotiate carefully and choose to work alone.

Joint ventures will leave you in a vulnerable position. Make practical changes that will encourage learning whatever you need to know to advance. ★★★

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Keep busy, focus on the present and refuse to get caught in someone’s melodrama. A change that offers a better quality of life or that eases stress should be on your to-do list. ★★★★

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Live up to your potential, not that of someone who is asking or expecting too much for too little.

Know your worth, and protect your integrity as well as your reputation. Listen to your intuition, and surround yourself with people you love. ★★

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Expect to face opposition. Don’t let frustration take over when you should be concerned with maintaining what you’ve worked so hard to achieve. Let your actions and accomplishments be your calling card.

Stand by your word, and finish what you start. ★★★★★

GMA Music releases ‘The Clash Singles’ GMA Music releases a compilation album featuring this generation’s promising singers.

The two-volume compilation album, called The Clash Singles, is a collection of songs performed by the graduates of the first season of GMA’s alloriginal Filipino reality singing competition.

The tracklist for Vol. 1 includes “Ngayon� and “More Than Before� by Golden Canedo; “Ano Ba� by Jong Madaliday; “Silent Rumblings� by Kyryll; “Lilipad Na�

by Garrett Bolden; “Larawan Mo�

by Anthony Rosaldo; “Una Ka� by

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Take advantage of an opportunity. A change that concerns you will turn out better than anticipated. Look for ways to spend less and bring in more money. Getting your finances in order will ease stress. ★★★

Mirriam Manalo; and “Pakiusap�

by Bryan Chong.

The theme songs of GMA programs Kara Mia, titled “Nakikita Ba Ang Langit?� by Golden Canedo, and Wagas, titled “Pwede Ba� by Psalms David, are also included in this volume.

Meanwhile, The Clash Singles Vol. 2 contains the following: “Tayo Pa Rin� by Golden; “I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing� by Melbelline Caluag; “Handa Na Maghintay� by Garrett; “Todo�

by Jong; and “Maghintay Ka Lamang� by Anthony.

The theme song of top-rating

afternoon series Prima Donnas, titled “Huwag Kang Susuko�

by Golden; Dahil Sa Pag-ibig’s’ “Ililigtas Kita� by Mirriam; “Bihag ng Pag-ibig� from Bihag, performed by Lyra Micolob; and XOXO’s “Kumapit Ka Lang� and “Umiibig Na Ba Sa ‘Yo,� the theme songs of Tadhana and Wagas, respectively, are also part of this volume.

The Clash Singles Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 are now available for streaming and downloading on Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music and other digital stores worldwide.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You’ll have big plans when it comes to financial matters. Set your sights on what you want to achieve, and make changes that will be conducive to reaching your goal. A stable and innovative partnership will contribute to your success. ★★★

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Confusion will set in if you let someone play with your emotions. Refuse to make a change under pressure. If you feel someone is pushing or manipulating you, back away. Protect your health, reputation and financial well-being. ★★★

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): A change can be put into play, but first iron out any inconsistency or confusion that prevails.

Look at the fine print, pay attention to detail and make decisions based on facts and common sense. ★★★ BIRTHDAY BABY: You are insightful, determined and commanding.

You are inquisitive and regaling.

‘ms. jones’ BY BEVERLY SEINBERG The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg

ACROSS 1 Lead-in to “final�

5 Door directive 9 ___ chauvinist 13 Osiris’s wife 14 Grimm beginning 15 Fluttered, like a flag 16 (What just happened?!)

17 Michelin measure of quality 19 Beehive sound 20 Going ___ (fighting) 21 Heir’s concern 22 Summed 24 Microwave 25 Companion of Wynken and Blynken 26 When the Rose Parade airs 30 Heat “unit� for chili 31 Shad eggs 32 Org. that sells stamps 36 Boo-Boo Bear’s buddy 37 Uninteresting, as food 39 Roberts who has written 225+ romance novels 40 “As ___ on TV�

41 Butter on the farm?

42 43 47 50 51 52 54 55 58

“Don’t ___ it!�

Due-date extensions Partner of gown or trade Verb that sounds like a vowel Archaeologist’s dig site First name of TV’s Monk One may get bald with age Soft touch Washington chopped one down, in a myth 60 Currency in Chihuahua 61 Forum robes 62 Perfume ingredient 63 Common April forecast 64 Image of a folder, e.g.

65 Z, in sorority names 66 Acceptable DOWN 1 Relieved or exasperated sound 2 Biblical birthright seller 3 Run poorly 4 AOL or MSN 5 Theater wall hanging 6 Like many teens’ rooms 7 Ella Fitzgerald’s forte

8 9 10 11 12 15 18 20 23 24 26 27 28 29 33 34 35 37 38 42 44 45

She/___ pronouns LeBlanc of Friends Birdlike Slow, musically ___ out (barely defeated) Narrow-waisted insects Brought up First among men?

Not before or after National park known for its red cliffs Often-blue birds Spiky succulent A 5-Down may be in one Catch a radio show, say As it were Poke Comic ___ (informal font) Viva competitor Doily fabric Cheese that may be baked Sounds from the MGM mascot It has the same consonants as “purest�

46 “I found it!�

47 Spiny succulents

48 49 53 54 56 57 59 60

Committee type Rival of Ragu Turkmenistan neighbor Factual Where the Himalayas are Award for Oklahoma!

Celebrity news site Way to go, for some athletes

Solution to yesterday’s puzzle:

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Relationships BusinessMirror

Friday, April 3, 2020

B5

Feeling overwhelmed? Approach coronavirus as a challenge to be met, not a threat to be feared

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BY BETHANY TEACHMAN University of Virginia

OU have a choice to make when it comes to the coronavirus pandemic.

Do you treat this time as an insurmountable threat that pits you against everyone else? This option entails making decisions based solely on protecting yourself and your loved ones: stockpiling supplies regardless of what that leaves for others; continuing to host small gatherings because you’re personally at lower risk; or taking no precautions because the effort seems futile.

Or do you treat the coronavirus as a collective challenge that will require shared sacrifices to achieve a difficult but not impossible goal? That option would mean taking recommended precautions: practicing social distancing, handwashing and restricting travel. These actions might not be your most desired or convenient path as an individual, but they contribute to the broader social good, reducing the spread of Covid-19.

As a professor of psychology and licensed clinical psychologist who studies how people think differently when they’re anxious, I recognize this global pandemic has all the ingredients to fuel a threat-oriented mindset. The trajectory of the coronavirus is uncertain and unpredictable, the very features that fuel anxiety and threat-processing in the brain. The way people process threatening events matters a lot for how well they’ll manage this period of uncertainty. Some identification of threat is useful and will mobilize you to action, but a rigid overestimation of threat makes you panic or immobilizes you.

LETTING THE THREAT DICTATE YOUR RESPONSE WHEN you perceive a situation as a dire threat, it changes how you process information.

No longer do you consider the pros and cons of your choices evenhandedly, looking at the situation from multiple perspectives. Instead, your attention narrows, selectively focusing on cues that reinforce your sense of danger and vulnerability.

Your interpretations become biased, so that you assume the worst when a situation is ambiguous—as almost all situations are.

And you preferentially remember information that confirms a prior belief that the world is a dangerous place and you don’t measure up.

Why is this a problem? After all, the world really is in the grip of an objectively dangerous pandemic.

Paying attention to this threat seems vital for staying safe. The issue occurs when you believe that your personal resources are insufficient to meet the demands of the situation. If you feel the threat is insurmountable, then you give up. Why try if you’re doomed to fail? And if you feel that your resources— be it food, money, time, energy—are inadequate or threatened, then you have nothing to share with others, and hoard what you can for yourself.

Feeling threatened can make you hyperfocused on monitoring for signs of danger, which can in turn mean consuming terrifying stories about Covid-19 almost nonstop. It’s important to stay informed, but prior research makes clear that people are more prone to mental health problems, like anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder, if they don’t limit media exposure. In turn, reading about Covid-19 all the time increases the perception of threat, further fueling the need to monitor for danger signs in a vicious cycle that makes the world seem ever scarier.

BETTER TO CONCEIVE A THREAT AS A CHALLENGE IT’S better for your mental health to see this time as a collective challenge—one that is extremely difficult but which can be met if everyone works together.

When you size something up as a challenge, it’s easier to rise to the occasion. Instead of withdrawing from the problem, you shift to problem-solving.

People with this mindset draw on others to help, and they offer their own support to those in need.

Research has shown that working collaboratively and helping others has great mental health benefits for the helper. Research on cognitive behavior therapy shows that shifting one’s outlook to perceive something as a motivating challenge rather than an insurmountable threat can be a successful way to treat anxiety disorders.

Cognitive therapy promotes questioning your thoughts instead of assuming the first one that pops into your mind is the most helpful. An individual

becomes a scientist, weighing the evidence for and against ideas to reach more balanced conclusions. You become an explorer, thinking flexibly to consider new approaches to solving problems. If you sniffle once, you don’t immediately assume you have Covid-19— you maintain precautions, but also consider whether this month is when your allergies usually act up and see if allergy medicine works.

It would be ludicrous not to acknowledge the real threats the world faces right now, and the disproportionate impact this difficult time has on already marginalized communities. But you need not define this threat as insurmountable and get stuck there. Choose instead to work together—albeit remotely—and accept the coronavirus challenge. The shift from threat to challenge might just make it a little easier to stay home, to close the browser and stop reading about Covid-19 24/7, to wash your hands for a full 20 seconds and to buy just what you need at the store so others can do the same. THE CONVERSATION

community.) There has been talk in the past that the Quezon City government, then headed by Mayor Herbert Bautista, had already paid the informal settlers twice, to be relocated to Bulacan, where their new community is located. I can’t verify that to a hundred percent certainty, but there must be dire reasons for these settlers to be staying put in this community instead of choosing to accept free houses and lots in Bulacan.

For one, of course, their jobs are probably here.

Whenever I pass Agham Road, I would often notice some dump trucks, which collect garbage around Quezon City parked there. This led me to believe that some of those truck drivers and garbage collectors actually live in Sitio San Roque and, thus, actually work for the local government.

That the residents in that community should have already been relocated elsewhere is no reason for the Quezon City government to neglect them. And ignoring them doesn’t make them disappear.

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard of the local government’s inadequate food rations to the poor in the Quezon City since the ECQ was imposed by Malacañang. I’ve lived in this city my entire life, and there are numerous pockets of informal settlers here, who apparently are only useful to the powers-that-be whenever elections come around.

Amid this ECQ, however, they are the first to be overlooked when basic services are to be extended.

The photos and videos of the mayor handing out food packs are very telling; they are outside houses with metal gates and painted cemented walls. It seems the mayor may have lost her way.

Of course, LGUs can only do so much. Despite the largesse many urban cities like Quezon City have, they are bound to run out of funds. And if their leaders aren’t smart enough, they will not know how to fund their operations and projects other than borrowing funds from financial institutions.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development also needs to step up and help address the food and other basic concerns of the impoverished in all our communities, not just those in Quezon City.

That they don’t even have a timeline when their aid will be released, judging from how its spokesman recently evaded this question on a radio program recently, is telling of how this administration is addressing this health and now food crisis in Metro Manila.

Meanwhile, I found it quite ironic that among the concerns raised by Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala,

chairman of Ayala Corp., ALI’s parent company, in the recent business tycoons’ meeting with the InterAgency Task Force formed to address the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), is the “need to feed the poor,” as per someone’s leaked notes about the meeting, and splashed all over Twitter. Or perhaps it was even prophetic, considering that the first recorded food riot amid the ECQ happened on ALI’s own property.

And while it’s been reported that the company has already given lots of help to the government in addressing the Covid-19 outbreak, it could do well to also look at its own backyard.

No food, no joy SOMETHING LIKE LIFE

MA. STELLA F. ARNALDO

@akosistellaBM

AS I write this on a Wednesday, the very first food riot has just occurred in Quezon City, amid the Luzonwide enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). Or should I say, lack of food riot?

As the news of the event unfolded on my Twitter feed, it showed about 200 people massed up along Edsa, on what is the property of Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) where its Vertis North mixed-use development is located. They were protesting because until that day apparently, they had yet to receive any food packs from the Quezon City local government, headed by Mayor Joy Belmonte.

The protestors were from Sitio San Roque—patron saint of the sick and invalid, by the way—which is actually a squatters’ area on the property where the Vertis North community is now being built and expanded. The site’s entrance, if I’m not mistaken, is actually along Agham Road, across the Philippine Science High School and a few government agencies.

From the upper floors of the Seda Hotel, guests can actually see the tops of the makeshift houses of these informal settlers in Sitio San Roque. And there are still thousands of them. (This is the reason the hotel often draws its shades in the various rooms situated on the side facing the Quezon City Memorial Circle; when one looks down, one can see the said

Unido Holdings Inc. Group thanks health-care workers UNIDO Holdings Inc. Group, the company behind Landers Superstore, Kuya J Restaurant, Popeyes Philippines, Grand Convention Center and Urban Deca Homes, donated food to frontline healthcare workers in several hospitals in Metro Manila and Cebu as a way of showing support and gratitude to the modern-day heroes working against the spread of Covid-19 cases.

Delivered in partnership with the Philippine Army, the food packs from Landers, Popeyes and Kuya J Restaurant were given to medical personnel in Metro Manila and Cebu hospitals, including Manila Doctors Hospital, Philippine General Hospital, Quezon City General Hospital, Veterans Memorial

Medical Center, Family Health Care Hospital, Asian Hospital and Medical Center, Ospital ng Muntinlupa,

Army General Hospital, Chong Hua Hospital, and University of Cebu Medical Center in Cebu.

B6 Friday, April 3, 2020

ABS-CBN delivers first P100 M worth of goods to LGUs for Filipinos affected by quarantine

Republic Cement taps Batangas women's group to sew masks for community

Members from the Asosasyong Katuwang sa Pangkabuhayan ng Bilogo (AKAP) with some of the 1,000 masks they made for the 20 Barangays in Taysan, Batangas.

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EPUBLIC Cement tapped is local partner women’s cooperative, the Asosasyong Katuwang sa Pangkabuhayan ng Bilogo (AKAP) to sew 1,000 cloth masks for the benefit of local frontliners and residents in the 20 barangays of Taysan, Batangas.

AKAP was organized in December

2016 but the Republic Cement Batangas Plant as one of its beneficiaries of the livelihood initiatives under its Social Development and Management Program (SDMP). Currently the group is composed of all women in different roles including production, purchasing, marketing, and finance and bookkeeping.

Through this project, Republic was able to provide a source of income and livelihood to community members affected by the current pandemic.

Members were provided materials and the means to produce the masks in their homes, in accordance with the community quarantine rules in the area. Distribution was then coordinated with the Barangay Health Workers (BHW) of the LGU. The BHW Federation President led the distribution to Taysan residents.

Republic Cement is supporting its host communities in Batangas through providing various means of support during this difficult time including but not limited to providing N-95 masks and food to frontliners at checkpoints as well as rice to support the food needs of the community.

To date, Batangas province has reported 5 cases positive with COVID-19.

A Game of Trees: Pinoys plant via GCash Forest

S

OME 200,000 families all over Metro Manila will soon receive food and basic necessities after ABS-CBN turns over the first P100 million worth of food and products purchased using donations to the network’s “Pantawid ng Pag-ibig” campaign to 16 local government units (LGU) this weekend.

The goods will be repacked and delivered by the LGUs to homes of Filipinos who are unable to make a living while the nation’s capital is under enhanced community quarantine.

The P100 million is part of the P285.3 million raised by ABS-CBN as of March 26, in cash donations and pledges, to help people who have lost their sources of income or livelihood due to the quarantine implemented by the government to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The Kapamilya network expresses its gratitude to all donors from all over the world, as well as the private corporations that ensured stocks of their products for “Pantawid ng Pagibig.” These items include rice, canned goods, noodles, biscuits, milk, coffee, shampoo, soap, detergent, and vitamins.

Also playing a key role in this multisectoral initiative are the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and logistics companies Air 21 and Entrego, which deliver the items from ABSCBN warehouses to the different LGUs. Millions of donations poured in during ABS-CBN’s “Pantawid ng Pag-ibig: At-Home

DOT remains committed to assisting the OWWA in finding accommodations for the repatriated OFWs

T

Rainforestation is the process of restoring ailing forests with native rainforest species instead of commercial or fruit-bearing trees. Ipo Watershed’s plant nursery brims with native species like Yakal, Kupang, Narra, Lauaan and Dau. DENR, GCash, BIOFIN and WWF aim to plant 365,000 new trees starting July 2020. (Gregg Yan)

W

HO says saving nature isn’t all fun and games?

The Philippines is losing around 52,000 trees daily. Logging, slashand-burn-farming and land development are erasing 47,000 hectares of forestland yearly – thrice the size of Quezon City. Just 7.168 million hectares remain, covering 24% of the nation’s land area.

But gamification, the process of turning otherwise serious activities into games, might help reverse this.

A partnership between GCash, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), plus the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) aims to harness Pinoys’ natural love for games to plant 365,000 trees starting July 2020.

Earth has roughly three trillion trees, forming the last remaining forests which harbour 80% of all known terrestrial plant and animal species. Forests not only mitigate climate change by absorbing and storing greenhouse gases while releasing life-giving oxygen, but ensure the availability of fresh water, a resource which is becoming scarcer each summer.

“Water comes not from faucets, but from nature, particularly healthy watersheds,” explains WWF-Philippines project manager Paolo Pagaduan. “Given current trends of deforestation, we might face a future where there isn’t enough water for Filipinos. To secure a clean and reliable source of water, especially during the dry summer months, we need to revitalize our watersheds. No water means no life.”

While currently reeling from the global COVID-19 pandemic, Metro Manila also suffered a dramatic water shortage this time last year. In March 2019, 10,000 Metro Manila households lost water access as La Mesa Dam dropped to its lowest water level in 12 years. Manila’s residents were forced to walk and line up for hours just to secure water for washing, bathing and brushing their teeth.

It is estimated that for 2020 and 2021, Metro Manila’s water demands will overtake supply by as much as 13% during peak days, meaning more dry faucets and unserved households – but taking care of our lifegiving watersheds can avert this.

Rainforestation is the process of restoring ailing forests with native rainforest species instead of commercial or fruit-bearing trees. Ipo Watershed’s plant nursery brims with native species like Yakal, Kupang, Narra, Lauaan and Dau. DENR, GCash, BIOFIN and WWF aim to plant 365,000 new trees starting July 2020. (Gregg Yan)

Ipo Watershed, Watersheds are zones which naturally collect and store water. They are typically heavily-vegetated because trees absorb rainwater which drains into streams, rivers and lakes.

Ipo Watershed, together with the Angat and Umiray watersheds, supplies 98% of the water consumed by Metro Manila. Situated northeast of the sprawling Metropolis, it covers 7236 hectares in Norzagaray and San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan, plus Rodriguez in Rizal. It is home to several species of charismatic animals, including the Philippine Brown Deer, Philippine Warty Pig, Tarictic Hornbill, Grey-headed Fish Eagle and Osprey.

Sadly, the watershed’s forests have been in full retreat. Though protected by several proclamations including a Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title for the Indigenous Dumagat tribes of the watershed, the area is pockmarked by patches of burnt soil. From 85%, forest cover plummeted to 40% in recent years, mostly due to slash-and-burn or kaingin farming and charcoal-making.

Gamification, Pinoys have always loved games – ranging from cockfighting to countless hours spent playing Pokemon Go and bumping into things. So too can this natural love for play be used for conservation.

“Over 20 million people use GCash and the majority of them are millennials,” explains Mabel Niala of Mynt, mother company of GCash. “The challenge is to channel the passion and energy of the country’s 35 million millennials for good.” GCash is the Philippines’ top cashless service and services a fifth of its population, plus 75,000 partner merchants and 75 nonprofits.

Using their mobile phones, Pinoys can plant trees through GCash Forest, part of a larger programme called GCash for Good.

Users earn Green Energy Points by reducing their individual carbon footprint. Paying bills online for instance, eliminates the need to drive to a bank and consume paper for receipts and forms. More points can be garnered for walking to work, taking the stairs and avoiding single-use plastic items.

GCash Forest interfaces seamlessly with existing mobile fitness apps to accurately measure not just energy saved, but exactly how much carbon emissions are reduced.

Each green energy point corresponds to a gram of carbon saved. Points are then used

to nourish a virtual tree in GCash Forest.

When users reach 20,560 points, his or her virtual tree will be fully-grown. WWF, BIOFIN, GCash and its allies will then plant the user’s tree species of choice this July 2020.

The partnership between GCash, BIOFIN, WWF and DENR was formalized in June of 2019 and aims to bolster Ipo Watershed with 365,000 new trees starting July. “We are depleting our natural wealth at an unimaginable rate. While the Philippines is megadiverse, it is also a hotspot given the extent of the threat to our natural environment. There is no one magic bullet that can turn the situation around. We need diverse actors to engage and find diverse solutions. And we need unusual partnerships – which in time will become usual partnerships. GCash, WWF and DENR are now embarking as one to reduce our carbon footprint and help the Philippines meet its reforestation targets.

UNDP through BIOFIN is delighted to bring these actors together to stem the tide on our rapid loss of forest cover,” concludes UNDP Resident Representative Titon Mitra.

The project was inspired by the Ant Financial’s highly-lauded Ant Forest, which was launched in August 2016. Ant Forest encouraged users to grow a virtual forest, which would later translate into a real forest.

By August 2019, over 122 million trees were planted in China. “GCash Forest is the localized version of this app. We’re proud that it is the pilot site in Asia,” shares GCash CMO and Head of App Product Chris Manguera.

Today there are over 2.3 million registered users of GCash Forest and plans are well underway for expansion.

“We have always said that the G in GCash stands for good and that our objective is to use technology to give back to the world. This initiative is about more than reforestation or securing vital fresh water for the residents of Metro Manila,” concludes Niala. “It’s about empowering millennials and other mobile users to fight the biggest issue of our era – climate change. But we need to spread the word more, so we call on all Pinoys to try the GCash Forest app today.”

What kind of ending can we expect from this Game of Trees? Though it will affect all Pinoys, it all boils down to the choices of its gamers.

Together Concert” last March 22 where over 100 Kapamilya artists performed from their own homes, shared words of support and encouragement for our frontliners, and urged the public to help our less-fortunate Kapamilyas. The digital fund-raising concert was streamed on iWant and other ABS-CBN platforms online and aired live on ABS-CBN, S+A, ANC, MYX, DZMM TeleRadyo, DZMM Radyo Patrol 630, MOR 101.9, and on The Filipino Channel (TFC) for those abroad.

ABS-CBN continues to call on the public and the private sector for donations as it aims to also reach localities outside Metro Manila, where more Filipinos are in need of help.

Those who would like to donate may deposit to ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation Inc.-Sagip Kapamilya bank accounts: BPI peso account 3051-11-55-88, Metrobank peso account 636-3-636-088081, PNB peso account 1263-7000-4128, BDO peso account 0039301-14199, and BDO dollar account 1039300-81622.

HE Department of Tourism (DOT) remains committed to assisting the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) in finding accommodations for the repatriated OFWs. Administrative Order (AO) No. 2020001-B or the amended guidelines for accommodation establishments during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) of the DOT classifies these repatriated OFWs as “Distressed OFW” and under Section 4 of the aforementioned AO is qualified to be billeted by accommodation establishments operating during the ECQ. Moreover, under section 8 of the AO, these establishments must abide by the conditions for room occupancy, as coordinated with the Department of Health (DOH) and approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID): (a) OFWs and Health Workers shall be accommodated in single occupancy rooms. Only one person shall be accommodated in each room. (b) Other guests may be accommodated in double occupancy rooms, provided the following are

observed: 1. Distance between the beds should be at least two (2) meters; 2. A divider should be placed between the beds; 3. A bathroom schedule must be observed. Only one person shall be permitted to use the bathroom at any given time. 4. Guests shall disinfect the bathroom after every use using the provided sanitation kit. 5. There shall be no sharing of food or any personal or non-personal belongings. 6. All trash, food and non-food, shall be separated. (c) Each room shall be provided with a sanitation kit which guests shall use to regularly disinfect commonly accessed surfaces and items such as door knobs, light switches, the bathroom sink, etc. (d) When in the Accommodation Establishment, guests shall be confined to their rooms. Mingling with occupants of other rooms shall not be allowed. (e) Guests shall use the same bed and the same room they are billeted in throughout the entire period of their stay.

For inquiries, OFWs or their loved ones may contact the OWWA hotline at 1348.

Singapore Ambassador Gerard Ho and Chief of Presidential Protocol and Presidential Assistant for Foreign Affairs Robert Borje were at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to turnover a donation of 40,000 COVID-19 diagnostic tests and two ventilators, from the Temasek Foundation to the Philippines. These additional test kits will supplement Singapore’s earlier donation to allow more people to have an early diagnosis, while the ventilators will be crucial for the survival of severe COVID-19 cases.

Singapore will continue to work on ways in which we can contribute to the Philippines’ effort to contain and defeat COVID-19. In the meantime, practise social distancing, good hygiene habits, and stay safe!

Araneta City's response during the COVID period

A

MID the outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) that is currently in effect in Luzon, Araneta City has implemented several programs that will help our employees, tenants, and our community in these trying times.

Araneta City advanced last week its employees’ salary for the end of March and will continue to pay through the end of the ECQ on April 14. Sick or Vacation Leave credits will remain intact regardless of whether they are able to work from home. Employees who need to come on site are provided with assistance such as hazard pay, food, and temporary accommodation. Also, everyone will be given half of their 13th month pay in advance instead of the usual mid-year schedule.

Meanwhile, to help mitigate the impact of COVID-19 to our retail tenant-partners as well as their employees, we are waiving the rent of all retail tenant-partners that are prevented to open for business because of the ECQ.

We are hoping that the waiver will enable our tenant partners to attend to their own needs, especially those of their employees.

Araneta City is also extending help to our immediate community in Quezon City by donating food packs to neighboring families affected by the ECQ. Later on, we will launch the #TogetherWeHeal Donation Drive in coordination with the J. Amado Araneta Foundation (JAAF) to help more indigent families in Metro Manila who are displaced or affected by the health crisis. Also, JAAF has pledged to donate test kits that would provide additional support to the operations of the Quezon City General Hospital to assist our government in the speedy diagnosis of cases.

Araneta City believes in the power of bayanihan.

We are doing our part in helping end the threat of this disease. We recognize the resilience of the Filipino people, and we are confident that together, we can get through this challenge. Our thoughts and our prayers are with the country. Please be safe.

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph / Editor: Jun Lomibao

Sports BusinessMirror

Friday, April 3, 2020

FORBES HONORS YULO, DIDAL W

ORLD gymnastics champion Carlos Yulo and 2018 Asian Games skateboarding gold medalist Margielyn Didal were named to the Forbes “30 Under 30” in Asia, a distinction given to young achievers who made impact in their respective fields.

Forbes on Tuesday released the list that assembled the 300 honorees in 10 categories including Arts; Finance; Media, Marketing and Advertising; Retail and E-Commerce; Enterprise Technology; Industry, Manufacturing and Energy;

Healthcare and Science; Social Entrepreneurs; and Consumer Technology.

Yulo and Didal landed in the Entertainment and Sports category after their remarkable feats that also earned them high recognitions in the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Annual Awards.

Yulo, 20, who bagged the floor exercise gold medal in the 2019 world championship in Germany, received the President’s Award from the PSA last February.

Turning 20 this month, Didal, who won gold in women’s street event in Asian Games Indonesia in 2018, was one of the five Athletes of the Year of 2018 along with golfers Yuka Saso, Bianca Pagdanganan and Lois Kaye Go and Rio 2016 Olympics weightlifting silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz.

“This year’s Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list-makers inspire optimism in what is promising to be a tough year ahead. They are resilient and energetic bunch who are facing

NO SMOKING GAMES

challenges head-on and actively working for a future that matches their aspirations,” editor Rana Wehbe said.

Yulo is currently in Japan after returning from a competition in Baku, Azerbaijan where he incurred a hand injury. The Manileño has a lot of time to heal and prepare for his first Olympics in Tokyo, which was moved to next year.

Didal, meanwhile, had her confirmation of an Olympic spot postponed after the Games

A

YULO

DIDAL

were postponed. She is among the top skaters after ranking third in Asia and 14th in the world.

The top 16 athletes will automatically earn a berth in Tokyo, but the qualifiers were canceled because of the new coronavirus pandemic.

Ramon Rafael Bonilla

GRASS AIN’T GREEN IN JUNE F

By Howard Fendrich The Associated Press

OR the first time in its nearly century-and-a-half history, Wimbledon was canceled for a reason other than war, scrapped in 2020 on Wednesday because of the coronavirus pandemic.

With Britain under a nationwide lockdown, the All England Club announced its decision to call off its storied twoweek grass-court tennis tournament, something that hadn’t happened to the sport’s oldest Grand Slam event in 75 years.

“It has weighed heavily on our minds that the staging of The Championships has only been interrupted previously

by World Wars,” club Chairman Ian Hewitt said, “but, following thorough and extensive consideration of all scenarios, we believe that it is a measure of this global crisis that it is ultimately the right decision to cancel this year’s Championships, and instead concentrate on how we can use the breadth of Wimbledon’s resources to help those in our local communities and beyond.”

Wimbledon was scheduled to be played on the outskirts of London from June 29 to July 12. Instead, the next edition of the tournament will be June 28 to July 11, 2021.

Eight-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer surely spoke for many tennis players, officials and fans with a oneword message on Twitter: “Devastated.”

Also Wednesday, the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) announced that the men’s and women’s professional tours would be suspended until at least July 13, bringing the number of elite tennis tournaments affected by the new coronavirus since early March to more than 30. The top tours already had been on hold through June 7. Lower-level events on the Challenger Tour and ITF World Tennis Tour also are called off for the first two weeks of July now.

Wimbledon first was held in 1877 and has been contested every year since, with the exception of two stretches: from 1915-1918 because of World War I, and from 1940-45 because of World War II. Now the prestigious tournament—known for its carefully manicured grass, its Royal Box at Centre Court, its rules about wearing white, its strawberries and cream and, alas, its rain delays—joins the growing list of major sports events called off in 2020 because of the Covid-19 outbreak.

That includes the Tokyo Olympics—which have been pushed back 12 months—and the NCAA men’s and women’s college basketball tournaments.

Wimbledon is the first Grand Slam tournament wiped out because of the coronavirus; the start of the French Open was postponed from late May to late September.

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The Associated Press

HE National Basketball Association (NBA) playoffs on cruise ships?

Tiger versus Lefty, The Sequel?

Formula One drivers intentionally exposed to the coronavirus?

In these challenging times when sports around the world are largely shut down because of the pandemic, some bizarre ideas have been floated to get things going again. These aren’t even worthy of April Fools’ Day gags.

Sure, we could all use the diversion that sports provides. I mean, as wonderful as it is to hear the late Keith Jackson again, how many times can we watch replays of college football games from the 1980s?

But the idea that athletes should potentially risk their own health to give us more TV options is reckless at best and Tiger King-level wacko at worst.

Until the virus has been largely contained, and relying on medical experts to tell us when that is, we all need to stay at home to reduce the risk of infection.

BAN on smoking in restaurants in Tokyo, which was introduced in stages ahead of the Olympics and Paralympics, has been fully implemented by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government from this week.

An order to tackle the health hazards of secondhand smoking ahead of the Olympic and Paralympic Games was first announced in July 2018.

It has been implemented in stages over the past year, ahead of Tokyo 2020 which was due to take place this summer, but has been pushed back a year because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

NHK reports that the ban applies to all restaurants with employees in the city, regardless of their floor size or business scale.

The order still allows smoking in restaurants with no employees, but managers must report it to public health centres.

Any smokers and building managers who are found breaching the order are subject to a fine of up to $470. Restaurants across Tokyo have put up signs about the ban, and left ashtrays in the street outside their premises.

Insidethegames

Miami, Jets, Bills hope to capitalize on Brady’s departure

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SHOWN is one of the main public entrances to All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club with the statue of former Wimbledon winner Fred Perry in the background. AP

Shortly after the news came from Wimbledon, the US Tennis Association issued a statement saying it “still plans to host the US Open as scheduled,” from August 31 to September 13 in New York.

As of now, the French Open is set to begin six days after the men’s final at Flushing Meadows, where a facility housing indoor practice courts is now a temporary 350-bed hospital and Louis Armstrong Stadium is being used to prepare 25,000 meal packages per day for patients, workers, volunteers and schoolchildren in the city.

Wednesday’s decision by the All England Club means Novak Djokovic and Simona Halep will not get a chance to defend their Wimbledon titles from 2019.

“We are going through something bigger than tennis and Wimbledon will be back!” Halep wrote on social media. “And it means I have even longer to look forward to defending my title.”

Serena Williams retweeted the club’s message about the cancellation and wrote: “I’m Shooked.”

The move takes away what might have been one of Federer’s best chances to try to add to his men’s-record 20 Grand Slam titles. Federer, who turns 39 in August, is recovering from knee surgery and planned to return in time for the European grass-court circuit that now has been erased from the calendar.

In a statement last week, the All England Club said that postponing the two-week event would not come “without significant risk and difficulty” because of the grass surface that is affected by weather conditions. The club also said then that it had ruled out “playing behind closed doors” without spectators.

Hundreds of thousands of people have caught Covid-19 around the globe, and tens of thousands have died. For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, which can include fever and cough, but also milder cases of pneumonia, sometimes requiring hospitalization.

The All England Club said it would work to help with the emergency response to the pandemic, including distributing medical equipment and food and offering the use of their

Say no to bizarre ideas to get sports going again

By Paul Newberry

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That certainly means saying no to some of these ideas: n ESPN basketball analyst Jay Williams suggested that the NBA playoffs should be staged at sea, with teams from from each conference boarding two large cruise ships to hold games in tightly controlled conditions.

“There’s testing before everybody goes on the ship,” Williams said. “You allow the player and their immediate family...to go with them.”

Williams wasn’t done, but he lost us at cruise ships.

We’re not even sure where to start with this idea, especially since these mammoth vessels have become synonymous with spreading the virus rather than providing a safe haven. There’s also the little matter of trying to hoop it up on a ship that’s potentially swaying back and forth in stormy waters. And, oh yeah, there would likely be some lengthy injury reports listing “seasickness” as the ailment.

Hey, here’s an alternative: the NBA postseason on Gilligan’s Island. Hopefully, they still have the court that was used when the Harlem Globetrotters paid a visit.

n Talk of a rematch between Tiger Woods and

Phil Mickelson began innocently enough when a fan asked on Twitter if they might be willing to hit the course, accompanied only by a bare-bones camera crew (and presumably their caddies), for an 18-hole round that everyone else could watch at home.

“We need live sports,” Chris Yurko pleaded.

Then came the tantalizing response from Mickelson, “Working on it.” Followed by another that said, “I don’t tease. I’m kinda a sure thing.”

Before long, Vegas bookies were setting lines on a possible match-up. Golf.com reported that National Football League quarterback Tom Brady and retired rival Peyton Manning might pair up with Woods and Mickelson in a team format. In a sign of how desperate everyone is for live sports, no one seemed to care that Woods-Mickelson I, which was held in Las Vegas in November 2018, was a technically-impaired dud.

OK, we’ll grant that this proposal makes a lot more sense than playoff basketball on cruise ships. The risk of infection on a wide-open golf course with only a few people around would be minimized. Not to mention, the match could double as a fundraiser for pandemic relief.

facilities in other ways.

Regular day-to-day life has come to a halt in many ways in many parts of the world in recent weeks, and sports has reflected that.

The National Basketball Association, National Hockey League and Major League Baseball are on hold indefinitely; the Kentucky Derby and Indianapolis 500 were pushed back several months until September; England’s Premier League and other club soccer competitions are currently suspended; and the European soccer championship—scheduled to end in London on the same day as the Wimbledon men’s final—was postponed from 2020 to 2021.

“I have been fortunate to go to Wimbledon every year since 1961, and I am certainly going to miss it this year,”said Billie Jean King, who won a total of 20 trophies at the All England Club—six for singles, 10 for women’s doubles, four for mixed doubles. “Right now, we need to make sure we are taking good care of ourselves and our loved ones.

These are challenging times for all of us and now is the time for us to do what is right for our world and what works for our sport.”

Still, it would send the wrong signal for two of the world’s most prominent athletes to break a quarantine that so many people are observing.

And, yes, there’s a chance someone could fall ill no matter how many safeguards are taken.

So, Phil, maybe get back to us when it’s safe to play a real golf tournament. n Finally, let’s consider perhaps the most ludicrous idea of all.

Helmut Marko, an adviser with the Red Bull Formula One team, proposed holding a training camp that would expose drivers to the coronavirus so they could build immunity to the disease while the season is on hold. That way, he said, the team’s drivers could recover in time for races later in the year.

“It would be ideal, because these are all young, strong men in really good health, if the infection comes then. Then they would be equipped, if it starts up again, for a really hard world championship,” Marko told Austrian public broadcaster ORF. We don’t even know where to begin with this off-the-wall plan, which has already been shot down by the higher-ups at Red Bull. In what was surely a dazzling display of understatement, Marko conceded that the proposal to actually infect drivers with a potentially lethal virus “was

not accepted positively.”

Duh! Some have brought up the morale-boosting role that sports—most notably, Major League Baseball—played during World War II by carrying on with hugely depleted rosters.

President Franklin Roosevelt famously gave the green light for baseball to continue in a letter to Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis that said “everybody will work longer hours and harder than ever before. And that means that they ought to have a chance for recreation and for taking their minds off their work even more than before.”

But as challenging as those times were—much more so than today, to be sure—it doesn’t translate at all to a pandemic. We’re told that strict social distancing is the best way to defeat this enemy. That applies to everyone, including our most famous athletes.

We shouldn’t ask them to put their lives on the line just to keep us entertained.

IAMI—The biggest free agent deal for the Miami Dolphins this offseason has been one they didn’t make.

The Dolphins spent more than $237 million last month and signed seven potential starters.

But none will help their chances of overtaking the Patriots in the American Football Conference (AFC) East as much as Tom Brady did by bolting from New England to Tampa Bay. The 6-foot-4 Brady loomed large in the division for two decades, dominating the Dolphins and the other perennial also-rans, the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets.

And now he’s gone. This is no April Fool’s joke: Just like Elvis has left building, Tom has left the division—the entire conference, in fact.

“It’ll certainly be different,” Brady said.

The Dolphins, Bills and Jets sure hope so.

Each is eager to seize center stage.

The Patriots have won the division 17 times in the 19 seasons since Brady became their starting quarterback. The exceptions were 2002, when the Jets finished first with a 9-7 record, and 2008, when Brady suffered a season-ending knee injury injury in Week 1 and Miami took the division title.

The Bills and Dolphins haven’t won a postseason game since Brady made his first career start in 2001. The Jets haven’t been to the playoffs since the 2010 season.

So what do they think about playing in a division without the three-time National Football League Most Valuable Player.

“Ha, ha. I mean, I’m not going to frown about it, you know?” Bills safety Jordan Poyer said. “He has been there for 20 years, and it’s going to be different faces in the East now. Whoever wants it is just going to go get it. Obviously with Tom Brady gone, that’s a huge, huge deal.”

Fans agree.

“Pretty crazy to not imagine him as a Patriot,” said Buffalo Sabres Captain Jack Eichel, who grew up in the Boston area a Patriots fan. “But hey, go Bills. Go Bucs.”

Even during a pandemic, Brady’s uniform switch was front-page news, with lots of subsequent talk that the Patriots are now “just another team.”

The Patriots understand.

“Especially now, you have a lot of time to be on Twitter and stuff, so a lot of what I’ve seen is just people tweeting me like, ‘Enjoy what you guys had, it’s over, you guys won’t win a game,’” New England safety Devin McCourty said. AP TOM BRADY: It’ll certainly be different. AP

Motoring BusinessMirror

B8 Friday, April 3, 2020

Henry Ford Awards Best Motoring Section 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 2011 Hall of Fame

Editor: Tet Andolong

In the wild is where the Ranger Raptor belongs

Just two of the units we drove through the Mui Ne sand dunes.

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to steer. While slowly attacking deep varying slopes, at the same time getting skewed to certain degrees, the vehicle went on, effortlessly. Interestingly, while it looked like the vehicle was getting all the punishment throughout these stages, behind-thewheel, the feel was somewhat different. More like the Ranger Raptor is telling you to sit back, relax and let it take charge as you maneuver.

There was also an oppor tunity to stretch the truck’s legs in an open and dusty path. On Baja mode, we unleashed the Ranger Raptor’s acceleration might. But more than the power we felt, it was how the suspension’s ability to control the rebounds from rough paths that impressed us. It managed to provide excellent control, par ticularly on steering. Last, the long steep hill where we just stepped on it and let the truck took charge in climbing while on 4H and gravel mode settings. We went back to the staging point awe-struck and wanting more of the exciting experience.

Story & photos by Randy S. Peregrino

IKE any other beast, its only place to roam around freely is in the wild. In the case of the Ranger Raptor, with its purposebuilt to rule every terrain, where else can it play around, but only in its natural habitat—the rugged dirt terrains and dunes. So, Ford Motor Co. recently flew us to Vietnam, together with motoring scribes from Thailand and the host country, to test the Ranger Raptor in a grueling three-day off- and on-road drive series from Da Lat province to the coast of Mui Ne.

The armada of Ranger Raptors at the Da Lat pine tree forest.

Sensitive Damping (PSD) shock absorbers. Fox Racing Shox exclusively manu f a c t ur e s t h e s e f i t t e d w i t h forged aluminum upper arms and cast-aluminum lower arms.

Moreover, there are ac tive safety features, such as Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Trailer Sway Control (TSC), Hill Star t Assist (HSA), Hill Descent Control (HDC) and Load Adaptive Control (L AC).

Extreme off-roading dexterity

Paint the desert with sand splashes on Baja mode.

Emergence from the deep

“The drive was designed to showcase the Ranger Raptor’s unparalleled of f-road capability and versatility, along with its on-road smoothness and driving comfort. The Ranger Raptor reflec ts the exper tise in vehicle design and engineering from our Ford Per formance team—making this drive a truly memorable off-road experience,” said Ford Thailand and Asean Markets Communications Direc tor Kamolchanok Praser tsom.

The ultimate off-roader

WhaT Else could you ask for from this truck? You’re getting the brand’s flagship off-road performance DNA in-

jected in a well-tested Ranger pickup platform making it 50mm taller and 150mm wider. Plus, this off-roader pioneered the new radical 2.0-liter bi-turbo diesel engine dishing out 200hp and 500 N-m of maximum torque—lighter and more powerful enough to defy the “no replacement for replacement“ statement. More so, this motor is mated to a smoothshifting 10-speed auto gearbox. Upshifting and downshifting are made quicker apart from the wider ratiospan for enhanced acceleration.

T he updated Terr ain Manage ment System ( TMS), meantime, offers six dif ferent modes for various

On dry dirt, the Baja mode is the way to go.

dwellings. To make it more exhilarating, you have the extreme “Baja” mode for that Baja Deser t Rally-like approach where gear selec tion is fur ther optimized. Fur ther, the new geometr y frame design with various grades of high-strength low-alloy

steel, and hardened side-rails plus unique underbody protec tion, can absorb high-speed of f-road impac ts and deflec t of f-road obstacles. Of course, let us not forget the vehicle’s crown jewel—it s race-bred suspension equipped with Position

Our initial test ground was at the Doi Hong View Point in the outskir ts of Da L at. The location is a vas t space of pine tree forest. Among the stations, several were ex treme.

On the downhill path, HDC func tion was up to the test and per formed as expec ted. Then the succeeding rough tracks enabled us to switch to 4H set ting to feel the suspension control on faster pace along rough patches.

Next was the series of deep and slanted slopes wherein the Ranger Raptor’s 283mm ground clearance, wider stance, 32.5-degree approach angle, and 24 - degree depar ture angle was put to the test. During the pre- drive demons tr ation, we witnessed the vehicle’s struc tural integrity with all four suspensions oppositely twisted going through a 45-degree slope on a slanted position, as well as plunging and reemerging from deep thalwegs.

During our drive, 4L mode and electronic differential lock were enabled. Slowly, we progressed while carefully paying at tention to the guide, coaching us on what direction

Sand dunes adventure

T h e f o l l o w i n g d a y, t h e c o n v o y headed to a 204-kilometer drive to Mui Ne. The long-distance journey somehow allowed us to experience comfor t in driving. Surprisingly, ever y thing was blissful. Then we reached the f amous sand dunes at trac tion site. Af ter a shor t briefing, we went ahead for a quick tour before the ac tual drive sessions.

With sand mode and 4H engaged, we went on through sof t deser t trails with var ying gradient s. While t r a v e r s in g , c o n s t a n t a n d s li gh t counter-steering was necessar y to maintain the course. There were even instances of let ting the truck dive while the sand does the braking and then immediately stepping on it to propel the truck for the next climb. But on Baja mode, the Ranger Raptor was like a beast unleashed while let ting it ran and play freely with us on a saddle, of course.

Truth be told, the entire expanse of fine sands with strong winds is as real as it get s in terms of what a deser t should be. So, even the drive session was as shor t as less than 15 minutes; it was rather fun and adventurous for most of us.

New features, the same price

C urrently, in t h e P hilip p in e s , the Ranger Raptor is now of fered with a c amer a-based Autonomous Emer genc y Br ak ing wit h p e de strian detec tion, and lane -keeping assis t func tions. Moreover, there are high-mount USB and new LED headlamps. All that for the same price. How about that?