BusinessMirror May 04, 2020

Lawmaking in the time of Covid-19

By Butch Fernandez & Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

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HE Senate and the House of Representatives reopen sessions as scheduled on Monday (May 4), amid enhanced community quarantine rules in the National Capital Region (NCR), but lawmakers are confident technology will allow them to tackle all urgent business.

Hoping for a quorum of at least 12 to formally approve a change in the rules to allow teleconferencing for the rest of the sessions, the Senate will convene at its building in Pasay City, with the teleconference resolution first on the agenda, so that they can conduct subsequent sessions in virtual fashion.

They also promised to work on the postquarantine stimulus bill to revive the economy and businesses paralyzed by lockdowns; the bid to reset the school calendar to curb the risks to millions of students and teachers; and the pending tax reform bills.

WEARING a mask to protect herself from Covid-19, a woman prays at the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace in Caloocan City. According to legend, in 1412, the Virgin Mary appeared to a local woman in Faenza, Italy. Mary was holding broken arrows symbolizing protection against God’s wrath and promised an end to the plagues. BERNARD TESTA

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The House’s top agenda is the multibillion-peso stimulus bill championed by a special panel of mostly economist-lawmakers.

Even as senators were given the “workfrom-home” option amid the Covid contagion, Senate President Vicente Sotto III confirmed he will physically be present during the Monday session and during all session days until Congress adjourns sine die on June 5.

During their two-month break, at least three senators tested positive for Covid-19, a fact attributed to their exposure to many people in the final days of frenzied hearings before Congress adjourned on March 14, just three days before the enhanced community quarantine was imposed.

Sotto said the first agenda on Monday will be the approval of proposed Senate Resolution No. 372 authored by 15 senators seeking to amend the Rules of the Senate to allow, among others, the conduct of sessions, hearings and meetings through teleconferencing or the use of electronic platforms.

Once the resolution is approved, Sotto

said, senators may attend sessions and hold hearings or meetings even without being physically present at the session hall, for the sessions, or the committee rooms for the hearings and meetings.

Sotto, however, clarified that while senators will be permitted to participate in the sessions from their homes, there is still a need for him to be “physically present at the Senate in all session days, Monday to Wednesday, until June 5 because there are procedures in the session that cannot be done via teleconferencing.

Someone must preside from the Senate session hall. And being the Senate President, I have the responsibility to ensure that all sessions are conducted as mandated by the Rules of the Senate and by the Constitution.”

He expressed confidence in the teleconferencing setup, adding he went to the Senate recently to test the equipment. Besides, “the teleconferencing group or company we chose is very reliable, with no record of ever having been tapped or hacked. They’re quite high-tech,” and not reliant, he added, “on simply the now-popu-

lar means like, say, Zoom,” about which security questions have been raised.

Sotto expects majority of the senators will attend Monday’s plenary session, paving the way for early approval of the alternative mode of conducting their sessions, when needed.

He hinted that the senators can already test the alternative session mode late Monday.

“Or if not, the next day we can have a runthrough initially, and then the next few days we will be using it already.”

He indicated that initially, what is likely to happen is a hybrid teleconferencing session where some senators will be physically present at the session hall while others attend via video mode.

He added the committees will eventually be allowed to also conduct online hearings.

Sotto said he does not expect Senators Juan Angara and Aquilino Pimentel III to attend the session, as the two are still sick. However, he expects Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, also hit by Covid-19, to attend.

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‘LET POGOs PAY TAX DUE FIRST BEFORE REOPENING’ www.businessmirror.com.ph

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Monday, May 4, 2020 Vol. 15 No. 207

P25.00 nationwide | 2 sections 16 pages | 7 DAYS A WEEK

QUARANTINE SITES’ CONGESTION SPURS CURBS ON FLIGHTS

THE Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1, designed to accommodate 6 million passengers per year, is seen on Sunday almost empty except for a few passengers and employees. The National Task Force Against Covid-19 has restricted flight operations at the airport and all other international airports in the country to decongest quarantine facilities, prevent further spread of Covid-19, and ensure that returning overseas Filipino workers are well taken cared of when they arrive. NONIE REYES

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WITH a Bible in one hand, holy water in another and a gun in his holster, Police Col. Jaime Serina III, National Capital Region Police Office chaplain, admonishes police troops stationed in Tondo, Manila, to keep safe and stay strong physically and spiritually. NONIE REYES

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By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

HE chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means on Sunday said the government should ensure that Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) settle their existing tax liabilities before allowing them to resume operations, even as he affirmed officials’ assertion that the sector is needed as a revenue source for a government battered by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Joey Sarte Salceda of Albay said that allowing POGOs to resume operations “could be a source of revenues for health, if we enforce tax laws to the fullest.”

According to Salceda, the estimated tax liabilities of POGOs are now at P42 billion.

Salceda said the monthly tax take from POGOs could reach as

high as P2 billion if POGOs are allowed to resume.

“Of course, the tax and regulatory agencies will have to make that guarantee that they can enforce.

You can even use the question of whether POGOs should be allowed to reopen as an opportunity to collect tax liabilities. We can make granting the permission to reopen conditional on settling existing tax

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 50.5890

liabilities,” Salceda said.

Salceda, principal author of a fiscal regime for POGOs that would generate as much as P45 billion on its first year alone, said POGOs could be a source of “muchneeded funds for testing and hospitalization for Covid-19, provided that there is adequate enforcement of tax laws and regulations.”

“China, the principal market, is beginning to recover from Covid-19, so there is definitely a resumption of demand. That’s free money to fund health care. But Pagcor [Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation] and BIR have to be diligent in actually getting the government’s fair share of the revenues,” he added.

“They also have to follow minimum health standards such as social distancing,” Salceda added.

He said part of the public sentiment against POGOs stems from the observation that the government is not getting its fair share in taxes out of the industry.

“POGOs are not illegal under the law, so the whole discussion about whether they should be closed down for good, I think, is not the most immediate con-

cern. The most immediate concern is how to get the revenues from them,” Salceda added.

“The Senate can adopt my committee’s reform when it resumes session, if we want to increase tax take from POGOs. In the meantime, let’s get them to settle their liabilities, and if they can comply with minimum health standards, we can consider reopening them,” Salceda said.

Salceda’s House Bill No. 5267 would require POGOs to pay a 5-percent tax on gross receipts from their operations covered by the law granting their franchise.

Foreign employees working for POGOs would also be presumed to earn P600,000 and pay a 25-percent tax on their salaries, wages, annuities, compensation, remuneration, honoraria and allowances.

“The question isn’t so much whether they should be allowed to reopen or not. At some point, they will be allowed to, anyway, because they’re not illegal. The question at hand is, if the promise is government revenue, ‘how do we get more out of the industry?’”

LL inbound international commercial flights will be temporarily suspended for one week to allow what the government cited as a need to decongest the country’s quarantine facilities and prevent the further spread of Covid-19.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque clarified on Sunday that outbound flights will still be allowed after the Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa) announced in an advisory on its Facebook page late Saturday night the temporary suspension of “all commercial/passenger flights to and from the country beginning May 3.

“Yes outbound pwede [is allowed],” Roque said in a message to the BusinessMirror.

Asked to confirm the final decision on the duration of temporary suspension and if there’s a need for the IATF to meet on this matter, Roque replied: “One week. That’s the NTF (National Task Force against Covid-19) decision, no need for IATF since General [Carlito] Galvez authorized.”

In a separate statement on Sunday, National Task Force Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. announced that the NTF decided to temporarily restrict flight operations at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila and all other international airports in the country.

However, he listed the following exceptions: emergencies while en route; cargo flights; air ambulance and medical supplies flights; weather mitigation flights; and maintenance flights.

“This decision is meant to decongest our quarantine facilities to protect our people by preventing the further spread of Covid-19 and also ensure that our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are well taken care of when they arrive from abroad. As of today, there are already approximately 20,000 OFWs undergoing mandatory quarantine in Metro Manila,” Galvez said.

Government agencies led by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) have been actively repatriating tens of thousands of Filipinos displaced by the pandemic in their host countries. Most of those who returned in recent days are crew members of scores of cruise ships stranded at sea when governments imposed lockdowns and denied them berthing rights. The returning OFWs are made to undergo 14-day quarantine on arrival.

Exceptions

MEANWHILE, Galvez that added sweeper flights for foreign nationals returning to their respective countries are allowed to continue and all domestic air arrivals and departures at the Naia will remain suspended.

“The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) added that international flights wishing to land and depart must request exemption with the Caap Opcen (Operations Center) at least 36 hours before the scheduled departure from their place of origin,” he said.

The omnibus guidelines on the implementation of community quarantine in the country—released last week—allowed land, air or sea travel by uniformed personnel and government officials and employees for official business, with corresponding travel authority, especially those transporting medical supplies and laboratory specimens related to Covid-19 and other relief humanitarian assistance.

The guidelines also stated that OFWs, permanent residents of foreign jurisdictions, and stranded foreign nationals may leave for abroad through any of the airports or seaports in areas placed under enhanced community quarantine or general community quarantine without any impediment.

Repatriated OFWs or returning non-OFWs who have been issued a certificate of 14-day facility-based quarantine either from the Department of Health or local government unit, or those who may be required to undergo a mandatory 14-day home quarantine, shall be granted unhampered transit across zones en route to their final destination in the Philippines, the guidelines said.

Heeding the NTF order, the Caap earlier suspended all domestic and international commercial flights to and from the Philippines for one week starting at 8 am Sunday (May 3).

The move, which was officially announced in a notice-to-airmen (Notam), was made “to help further mitigate the spread of Covid-19,” the Caap said in a statement.

The Caap said nine international airports in the country will be covered by the Notam: Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Davao International Airport, Clark International Airport,

See “Flights,” A2

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n JAPAN 0.4744 n UK 63.1047 n HK 6.5274 n CHINA 7.1489 n SINGAPORE 35.8381 n AUSTRALIA 33.1661 n EU 55.0155 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.4610

Source: BSP (April 30, 2020)

News BusinessMirror

A2 Monday, May 4, 2020

Flights…

Continued from A1

Iloilo International Airport, Mactan-Cebu International Airport, Zamboanga International Airport, Kalibo International Airport, Laoag International Airport and Puerto Princesa International Airport.

“Cargo flights, sweeper flights, medical flights, utility flights and maintenance flights are exempted in the suspension and will remain unhampered,” the Caap said.

OFWs stay in place

DFA Assistant Secretary Ed Meñes, in answer to questions, said that from the way he understands the new directives, “some arrivals (especially those already en route) may still come in but after those, “none are expected in the meantime save for the exceptions .

Outbound flights appear to be open, all also subject to existing restrictions.”

He said, “Repatriation efforts are being adjusted to comply with the directives of the National Task Force on Covid-19.”

Meñes said, “OFWs will remain where they are in the meantime—many ship crew members are assisted by their manning agencies, some others register with the embassy then proceed to pick-up points or the airport when a flight is scheduled. For those who may already be at airports, they will be assisted as best possible under the circumstances.”

PAL flights

FLAG carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL), which was about to resume international flights, said, “We have had to cancel our special passenger flights from the USA bound for Manila, departing on the days from May 4 up to May 8.”

“If you are previously booked on any of the canceled flights, we will endeavor to rebook you to another special flight operating after the airport closure period. All such flights are subject to government approvals.”

Due to the latest developments, Gulf Air, scheduled to depart at 2 pm, and Hong Kong Air (HX) were to be the last planes out of Naia for Hong Kong.

Gulf Air had landed at past 1 pm with stranded OFWs from Bahrain.

At the same time, the government said it can no longer accommodate for now more returning OFWs, including thousands of seafarers stranded in their respective cruise ships, because of the lack of quarantine sites.

Recto L. Mercene, Bernadette D. Nicolas

Calida warns NTC vs giving ABS-CBN provisional nod

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By Joel R. San Juan

HE Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) on Sunday cautioned the National Telecommunications Commission against issuing provisional authorities (PAs) allowing broadcasting firms ABS-CBN Corp. and its affiliate, ABS-CBN Convergence Inc., to continue to operate despite the expiration of their franchises.

ABS-CBN Convergence’s franchise expired on March 17, 2020, while ABS-CBN Corp.’s franchise will end on May 4, 2020. Last week, however, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano affirmed his earlier view that the broadcast giant may continue to operate on a provisional NTC authority while its application for franchise renewal pends with Congress.

The OSG serves as the statutory counsel of the NTC.

In opposing the grant of provisional authorities to the broadcasting company, Calida noted that only Congress has the exclusive power to grant franchises to public utilities, such as broadcasting companies, in order to operate in the country under the 1987 Constitution.

“Although this legislative power may be delegated to administrative agencies through a law, at present there is no such law giving the NTC or any other agency the power to grant franchises to broadcasting entities,” Calida pointed out.

On February 26, 2020, Cayetano and Palawan Rep. Franz Alvarez, chairman of the House Committee on Legislative Franchises, sent a letter to the NTC urging it to grant a provisional authority to ABS-CBN, effective on May 4, 2020, until such time as Congress has made a decision on its franchise application.

DOJ decision

MEANWHILE, at the hearing of the House Committee on Legislative Franchises on March 10, 2020, NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba said the NTC will issue a PA to ABS-CBN allowing it to operate pending its application.

He said this decision was based on an opinion of the Department of Justice allowing ABS-CBN to operate based on equity considerations.

Also in March, lawyer Larry Gadon filed

a petition in the Supreme Court seeking to enjoin the NTC from issuing a provisional authority to media giant ABS-CBN.

Gadon argued that respondents Cayetano and Alvarez violated the principle of separation of powers when they directed the NTC, which is under the Executive Branch, to issue a provisional authority to ABS-CBN pending the renewal of its franchise which is set to expire May 4.

Gadon also asked the High Court to issue a writ of prohibition directing Cayetano and Alvarez to recall their February 26 letter to the NTC

Citing a 2014 Supreme Court decision, Calida outlined the steps when the NTC may issue a PA to a broadcasting company.

Based on the ruling, an entity must first secure a franchise from Congress and after it is granted one, it should apply for a Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) from the NTC before it can operate.

Pending approval of its CPC, however, it can apply for a PA so it can start operating during the interim.

“Hence, a PA should only be issued once a congressional franchise has been granted and an application for CPC is pending before the NTC for approval,” Calida said.

“The NTC cannot issue a PA when the broadcast company has no valid and existing legislative franchise.”

“No less than the Constitution requires a prior franchise from Congress. Hence, when there is no renewal, the franchise expires by operation of law. The franchise ceases to exist and the entity can no longer continue its operations as a public utility,” he added.

In the absence of a congressional franchise, Calida said the NTC can only issue a ceaseand-desist order and/or a recall order against a broadcasting entity pursuant to applicable laws, Supreme Court decisions, and its own rules.

Calida said the NTC cannot use the DOJ opinion as legal basis for the planned issuance as the 2003 SC ruling should take precedence over the DOJ legal opinion.

“As early as 2003, the Supreme Court held invalid a 1991 DOJ opinion stating that the NTC may issue a permit or authorization without a legislative franchise. The NTC is thus not bound by the DOJ opinion,” Calida added.

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PHL-S. Korea FTA moves despite virus T

By Elijah Felice Rosales

HE Philippines is pushing on with negotiations to conclude its free-trade agreement (FTA) with South Korea, but the trade deal’s finalization has been moved to November, from April originally, as the two sides deal with the coronavirus pandemic in their respective homelands.

FTA talks between the Philippines and South Korea are proceeding as usual, although they are taking a different course lately in consideration of the ongoing crisis. This time, negotiators are doing rounds of discussion through video conferences, shunning the traditional table meetings in the thick of the virus spread.

Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez told the BusinessMirror that the Philippine and South Korean negotiating teams last week conducted a video conference through Zoom—an online platform for video and audio conferencing, chat and webinars—to continue on with their deliberation of the trade deal’s provision on market access.

“They are proceeding,” Lopez said of FTA negotiations with South Korea.

“We just had a Zoom meeting with Korean Trade Minister [Yoo Myung-hee] last Monday regarding FTA.”

“Although timing of finalization [is now] moved to before November,” he added.

It was the third time the FTA’s conclusion was deferred to a later date. Free-trade talks between Manila and Seoul began in June last year and negotiators then, riding high on optimism from none other than their principals, were targeting to come up with a package by November.

However, the two camps failed to produce the FTA by the initial deadline and were just able to conclude the chapter on competition, leaving them with six chapters to work on, namely,

trade in goods; trade in services; investments; rules of origin; economic and technical cooperation; and legal and institutional issues.

As with any trade deal, the most difficult chapters to agree on are on trade in goods and trade in services.

They contain the delicate issues pertaining to market access, particularly the rates of tariff reduction, schedule of tariff reduction and list of sensitive products.

With the delay, the Philippine and South Korean parties in November decided to reschedule the conclusion to first half of this year, picking up from the early achievement package signed then by Lopez and Yoo detailing the progress of negotiations.

In February Lopez told reporters that the FTA is expected to be finalized by April, as optimism toward a conclusion rose after the two camps revamped their lineup of negotiators.

The trade chief appointed Trade Undersecretary Ceferino S. Rodolfo, one of his trusted aides, as head of the Philippine side, replacing Trade Assistant Secretary Allan B. Gepty.

Rodolfo, one of Lopez’s trusted aides in the Department of Trade and Industry, is often tasked to negotiate or renegotiate trade deals, as well as secure new investments for the country.

Lopez argued there is no better time to conclude the FTA than now, given the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic on both the Philip-

pines and South Korea. He said “it will still help” in the recovery especially of the export sector reeling from supply chain disruptions.

Under an FTA with South Korea, the Philippines is pushing for the reduction, if not elimination, of tariff rates on agricultural products, particularly bananas.

Bananas, cars

BANANA exports from the country are slapped with 30-percent duty by Seoul, making them less competitive compared to those shipped by Central American countries and Vietnam. Bananas from Peru are taxed zero rate at present in South Korea, and those from the Central Americas and Vietnam will enjoy similar preferential treatment by 2021 and 2024, respectively.

On the other hand, the Philippines is being asked to remove the 5-percent tariff that it applies on vehicles 3,000 cc and below made in South Korea.

Last year bilateral trade between the two Asian economies dipped almost 18 percent to $11.43 billion, from $13.92 billion in 2018, according to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority. In spite of the overall drop, exports to South Korea improved 23.07 percent to $3.2 billion, from $2.6 billion, on increased orders of electronic parts and banana.

The two states are trying to contain the spread of the deadly Covid-19 within their respective jurisdictions, albeit very differently: the Philippines resorted to impose a two-month lockdown in the whole island of Luzon, while South Korea imposed very limited lockdown on two areas and opted to focus on mass testing, including drive-through testing, on its citizens.

As of Saturday, the Philippines had nearly 9,000 cases of the respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China, with 1,124 recoveries and 603 deaths. South Korea has a higher case count at close to 11,000, but its death toll is lower at 250. The Philippine count rose to 9,223 on Sunday with 1,214 recoveries and 607 deaths.

‘Let POGOs pay tax due first before reopening’ Continued from A1

Lawmakers’ objections

FOR his part, House Minority Leader Bienvenido Abante Jr. hit plans to allow POGOs to operate in the country as it grapples with the Covid-19 outbreak, categorizing the move as “premature and unwise given our experience with this industry.”

“The reopening of POGOs, according to Pagcor, is contingent upon the payment of back taxes to the Bureau of Internal Revenue and guarantees that all of their 120,000 employees have working visas,” said the legislator.

“How can we rely on them to

fulfill these conditions when there is abundant evidence that these POGO operators have no qualms about circumventing our laws?”

Abante recalled that 44 Chinese nationals were recently arrested and detained after authorities raided an illegal POGO operation in Parañaque City, in direct violation of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) guidelines that forbid the operations of nonessential businesses.

He cited irregularities in POGO operations that were exposed in congressional hearings, such as revelations from the BIR that POGOs have incurred P27 billion in tax liabilities that remain

uncollected.

The lawmaker appealed to the IATF for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to reconsider its decisions, and said that POGOs cannot be considered business-process outsourcing companies and should not be considered an “essential industry.”

Earlier, Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon and Sen. Risa Hontiveros protested the IATF decision relenting to Pagcor’s request to allow POGOs to resume operations, including the justification that the POGOs are really business-process outsourcing operations and thus should be given exemption.

Lawmaking in the time of Covid-19 Continued from A1

Sotto also expects other “senior citizen” senators like him to answer the roll call on Monday, possibly including Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, who may attend the first day and then work from home the rest of the sessions, on advice of his doctors. Drilon has a pacemaker.

Over at the House

THE House of Representatives will reopen on Monday through its “new normal” teleconference session with the passage of anti-Covid-19 measures, including the economic stimulus package, as its top agenda.

House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez of Leyte, citing Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano’s instructions, said the House wants to pass the proposed P700-billion economic stimulus package under the Philippine Economic Recovery Act (PERA), the Covid-19 Unemployment Reduction Economic Stimulus (CURES) Act of 2020 or the social amelioration program, and the New Normal bill.

According to Romualdez, extending the life or validity of the 2020 national budget might also be considered, stressing that the Covid-19 pandemic has caused significant delays in the downloading and implementation not just of infrastructure, but other projects and programs.

He said the proposed PERA will top the

legislative agenda to mitigate the economic impact of Covid-19 and ensure business operations and support employment retention.

The House Defeat Covid-19 Committee (DCC) economic cluster has completed deliberations on the consolidated economic stimulus bill. The committee is co-headed by Reps. Joey Salceda of Albay, Sharon Garin of AAMBIS OWA and Stella Luz Quimbo of Marikina City.

Romualdez said the CURES Act of 2020 will also be pushed to fund a nationwide extensive job creation program, particularly on infrastructure projects. The DCC’s Sub-committee on Social Amelioration is co-chaired by Deputy Speaker Luis Ray Villafuerte and Leyte Rep. Lucy Torres Gomez.

The majority leader said House Bill 6623, or the proposed “New Normal for the Workplace and Public Spaces Act of 2020,” which seeks to establish policies and regulations for the new normal way of life, will also be deliberated.

Options for senators

SOTTO clarified that senators who will work from home need to inform the Senate Secretary or any member of the secretariat that they will participate in the session through electronic means so their “presence” can be recorded for quorum purposes.

Senators who will be on teleconference

may sponsor committee reports, participate during the interpellation and period of committee and individual amendments, and cast their votes, he added. However, any senator who wishes to deliver a privileged speech should do so at the Senate session hall.

“I am fully aware of the concerns of Senate employees about going to work amid the Covid-19 pandemic. I would like to assure everyone that necessary health safeguards will be enforced and social distancing and hygiene protocols will be strictly followed during the sessions,” Sotto said.

Aside from Sotto, members of the Senate secretariat who have primary functions during sessions will also be present at the Senate. Employees from the different departments and units who will play essential roles in the conduct of the sessions, such as those in the technical and public information bureaus and the Senate security office, will also be required to be at the Senate.

However, staff of offices that do not have any participation in the sessions will continue their current work-at-home arrangements, he said, adding that each senator will decide on their respective offices’ work setups.

Sotto said senators, their staff and all employees who will report for work at the Senate will go through health protocols to ensure the health and safety of everyone.

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Rescue stranded construction workers, lawmaker asks IATF

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

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LEADER of the House of Representatives on Sunday called on the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases to draw up a rescue program for thousands of construction workers stranded in their urban job sites.

Deputy Speaker Luis Raymund F. Villafuerte said the Philippine Constructor Association (PCA) expects 1.3 million workers to lose their jobs as a result of the economic standstill following last March’s implementation of lockdown measures nationwide to stop the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

Vil laf uer te said these constr uction workers stranded in their urban job sites have “no money, no food and no hope of ret u r n ing to t heir home prov inces amid the economic fa l lout from the coronav ir us outbrea k.”

And it remains uncertain at this point, he added, how many of these laborers are now stranded in their job sites and in dire need of money to buy their everyday food and other essential needs.

In his home-province of Camarines Sur, for instance, Villafuerte said that some 10,000 laborers stranded in Metro Manila and elsewhere have asked for help from the Provincial Capitol to provide them succor and bring them home.

“The IATF needs to work out a master plan with the DSWD [Department of Social Welfare and Development] and provincial governors along with mayors of

cities and municipalities where suspended construction projects are located on how to provide daily food packs to the stranded laborers until such time that they are able to go back to their provinces—which should be as soon as possible,” he said.

Villafuerte said “the provincial governments of the concer ned constr uct ion workers should take charge of providing buses to take them home, put them in isolation for the mandator y 14-day quarantine period, and work out temporar y and long-term jobs and livelihood opportunities so these laborers could stay in their provinces for good even after the threat of Covid-19 is gone.”

He proposed to the IATF to work with the DSWD, provincial, city and municipal government units hosting construction projects in setting up a 24/7 telephone hotline. Stranded laborers could call this facility and seek help from their respective provinces in providing them with food and a means to return to their families back home.

The lawmaker said plans to co-author a bill aiming to spur regional growth and create jobs in the countryside by way of a multiyear spending program on health, education, agriculture and livelihood infrastructure.

According to Villafuerte, the measure could complement House Bill 6623, which is anchored on continued physical distancing and other strict health and safety protocols in government and private offices, schools, commercial establishments and other public places.

Changing ‘Dead Man’s Statute,’ other rules on evidence may de-clog courts

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

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HE Supreme Court (SC) has started the implementation of the amended Revised Rules on Evidence (RRE) and the Amended 1997 Rules of Civil Procedure (RCP); expecting to address the case backlog in trial courts nationwide.

The proposal to amend the RRE and the 1997 RCP started in 2008 when then-Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno organized the sub-committee for the revision of these rules.

The reorganized committee’s proposed amendment to the RRE was approved on October 8, 2019, and took effect only last May 1, 2020. The amended revised RCP was approved on October 15, 2019, and also took effect last May 1.

“There are a lot of rules that have been revised and promulgated by the Supreme Court to hasten the resolution of cases, such as the special rules on admiralty cases, revision on the rules on small claims, continuous trial on criminal cases, pilot testing of remote testimony,” Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta explained.

Peralta said he believes the amended RRE and RCP “will have a significant impact in addressing the case backlog in some of our courts.”

As of December 2018, there are 8,852 pending cases at the SC and hundreds of thousands more at lower courts. A total of 741,509 cases in all courts in the country remain pending.

Privileged communication

IN an e-mail interview, Peralta noted that amendments to the RRE reflect various SC rulings on admissibility and evaluation of evidence.

Peralta said under the refined RRE, privileged communications were expanded with respect to attorney-client and physician-patient relationships.

Disqualification due to violation of privileged communication will now cover not only lawyers but also persons assisting them.

The new RRE also provided exceptions to the attorney-client privilege such as if the services or advice of lawyers are sought or obtained in furtherance of crime or fraud and communications relevant to issues among claimants through the same deceased client and those concerning a breach of duty by the lawyer or client, documents attested by the lawyer, and joint clients.

On the other hand, the new RRE states that aside from physicians, medical practitioners now include psychotherapists and those persons reasonably believed by the client to be authorized to practice medicine.

“The privilege extends to confidential communication made for the purpose of diagnosis or treatment of the patient’s physical, mental or emotional condition,” Peralta said.

“There is likewise a new provision on communications obtained by third persons, which remain privileged provided that the original parties took reasonable precaution to protect its confidentiality,” he said.

Payment of fees by airport-based businesses deferred again by CAAP

By Recto Mercene

@rectomercene

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HE Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and the Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa), has extended the deferred collection of various fees and charges from its airport concessionaires.

In an online news briefing, with Department of Transportation (DOTr) officials, CAAP Director General Jim C. Sydiongco announced the fees and charges include lease or rental.

The “rental holiday” has been extended until May 25, 2020, following the extension of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) period in Metro Manila and other “high risk” areas in the country until May 15. A rental holiday was initially granted from March 15 to April 30, 2020.

Sydiongco said they may extend further the rental holiday period “as the situation progresses.”

“At present, the threat of Covid-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] remains and continues to increase that’s why we have to act and help the airline industry recover,” he added.

Sydiongco said a one-year deferment— applied on March 12, 2020—of the collection of landing and take-off fees as well as parking fees for domestic and international flights has been implemented in all CAAPoperated airports.

He added that the collection of aeronautical fees of local air carriers by the Manila International Airport Authority has also been deferred for one year and will be reflected in their March 1, 2020, billing.

Rental charges of all concessionaires operating at the terminals, including check-in counter charges, are waived for two months effective March 15, 2020, or until the scheduled end of the ECQ. Miaa General Manager Eddie V. Monreal said the government-owned and -operated corporation also waived interest charges for late settlement of account that fall due within the ECQ period.

“Miaa is also not imposing interest on the deferred collection of May 2020 rental,” Monreal said. “The [Miaa] Board has approved these agreements to unload the burden that the airline industry experiences during this time, especially [since] the recovery is seen to build up slowly even after the Covid-19 situation subsides.”

The airline industry is one of the sectors hit hardest when states established measures to address the pandemic.

Apart from the deferment of several airline charges and fees amid the Covid-19 crisis, Sydiongco said new airport measures are also being implemented to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease.

These measures include the provision of sanitation items and foot baths in every entry and exit points and observance of routine disinfection for surfaces and equipment frequently exposed. The latter includes screening equipment and trays at the security checkpoint and baggage areas.

Inbound flights suspended

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Monday, May 4, 2020 A3

THE use of all international airports for international inbound passenger flights in the

country effective May 3 was also temporarily suspended by the DOTr. The suspension exempts en route emergencies.

The DOTr said in a statement issued on Sunday the measure would allow the current system to ramp up its capacity to properly process the growing number of Filipino repatriates going back to the Philippines daily.

According to the statement, the government has already accommodated around 20,000 repatriates who are quarantined in Metro Manila, with an arrival rate of 2,000 per day.

“This measure to temporarily suspend international passenger arrivals will enable the government to decongest the processing of this number to a more manageable level, given the need to observe strict health protocols, and the fact that existing quarantine facilities are at full capacity,” the statement read.

The DOTr said the move is deemed necessary to ensure the Philippines “will not experience a second wave of Covid-19 pandemic due to the increasing number of international passenger arrivals.”

“It should be noted that most of our repatriated citizens are coming from countries [that] experienced significant Covid-19 outbreak,” the DOTr said.

“It will also allow the government’s frontline agencies that are tasked to contain the spread of Covid-19 to upgrade their testing and screening protocols, and expand the existing quarantine and treatment facilities and ensure a more comfortable quarantine arrangement for repatriated” Filipinos, the statement read.

Hearsay is now defined and differentiated from the rule requiring firsthand knowledge.

Dead man’s status

ACCORDING to Peralta, another significant amendment to the RRE was the scrapping of the “Dead Man’s Statute.”

The “Dead Man’s Statute” provides that if one party to the alleged transaction is precluded from testifying by death, insanity or other mental disabilities, the surviving party is not entitled to the undue advantage of giving his own uncontradicted and unexplained account of the transaction.

Under the new rule, the testimony of the survivor, as well as hearsay evidence of the deceased, may now be admitted.

“Acts, declarations, and traditions about pedigree now cover family relations through adoption. Records of regularly conducted business activities as exceptions to the hearsay rule no longer require for the entrant to be dead or unable to testify, and covers written and electronic documents as well,” Chief Justice Peralta said.

Peralta also pointed out that under the new RRE, witnesses may be impeached by evidence of conviction of a crime only if such was punishable by a penalty in excess of one year, or if the crime involved moral turpitude, regardless of the penalty.

Peralta pointed out under the refined RRE, documentary evidence would now include recordings, photographs, words, sounds, numbers

or their equivalent.

“The introduction and appreciation of electronic evidence were also further refined. Significant amendments include provisions implementing the Apostille Convention, to which the country is a party,” he said.

It can be recalled that the country’s accession to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents, also known as The Apostille Convention, took effect on May 14, 2019.

Likewise, Peralta said under the new RRE, erstwhile “Best Evidence Rule” is now known as the “Original Document Rule” in order to avoid confusion, since the rule only applies to documents.

Meanwhile, Peralta said the amendments to the 1997 RCP present a “multi-faceted adjustment to the rules, with the goal of improving the flow of court proceedings and avoiding delays.”

“The amendments also require judges to be more engaged as they take on a more proactive role in assessing the merits of cases and the progress of proceedings in general,” he explained.

Peralta noted that the amended RCP provides strict in the implementation of the rules governing reglementary periods in resolving motions and pending incidents.

“We have to strictly monitor the issuances of TROs and inhibition of judges. All these measures and policies will no doubt address any backlog in our courts’ dockets,” Peralta said.

PSA expects transactions under GCQ reduced 50%

By Cai U. Ordinario

T

@caiordinario

HE Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) will significantly reduce the number of transactions it handles on a daily basis under the general community quarantine (GCQ) and “new normal.”

National Statistician and Civil Registrar General Claire Dennis S. Mapa told BusinessMirror that they could reduce their transactions by 50 percent, depending on the location of the Civil Registration System (CRS) outlet.

PSA said starting May 4, CRS outlets will be open in all GCQ areas. The PSA will also be accepting applications for PSA-issued documents through Batch Requests System (Breqs) filed at local government units (LGUs) and SM Business Centers.

“Our estimate is about 50 percent [or even less] of the normal operation. But we will monitor on a daily basis the number of clients applying for civil registration documents,” Mapa told this newspaper via SMS over the weekend.

It is estimated that on a daily basis, the PSA’s Central outlet in East Avenue handles around 6,000 to as much as 12,000 transactions daily, depending on the demand.

If PSA will be reducing this number by as much as 50 percent, daily transactions will go down to 3,000 to 6,000 daily.

Mapa said limiting the number of daily transactions will help the PSA adhere to the protocols set by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging

Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) and the Department of Health (DOH).

“The number of clients that can be accommodated in the outlets will also be reduced to comply with the social distancing,” Mapa said.

To make up for the shortfall, Mapa said starting on May 4, clients can again order their documents online. This includes customers who are living in areas that are still under enhanced community quarantine.

On Saturday, PSA said 20 CRS outlets will be opened in areas where the GCQ will be in effect.

These include San Fernando in La Union, Laoag City in Ilocos Norte, and Vigan in Ilocos Sur in Region 1; Tuguegarao City in Cagayan and Bayombong in Nueva Ecija in Region 2; and Calapan City in Oriental Mindoro and Puerto Princesa in Palawan in Region 4A. CRS outlets will also be open in Naga in Camarines Sur in Region 5; Kalibo in Aklan in Region 6; Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental in Region 7; Tacloban City in Leyte and Catbalogan City in Samar in Region 8; and Dipolog City in Zamboanga del Norte in Region 9.

PSA said their CRS outlets will also be open in Cagayan de Oro City in Misamis Oriental, Ozamis City in Misamis Occidental, and Iligan City in Lanao del Norte in Region 10; and General Santos City in South Cotabato in Region 12.

The CRS outlets will be open in Cotabato City in Maguindanao in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao as well as in Butuan City in Agusan del Norte and Surigao City in Surigao del Norte in Region 13.

Agrarian Reform chief approves data sharing arrangement with DSWD

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EPARTMENT of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary John R. Castriciones has authorized Regional Directors (RD) and Provincial Agrarian Reform Officers (Parpo) to share data with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to boost the delivery of social amelioration measures.

In a statement, Castriciones said the move came after the DSWD was ordered to process and execute data sharing agreements with other na-

tional government agencies (NGAs) and local government units (LGUs) involved in the delivery of their respective social amelioration measures.

The statement said Castriciones earlier directed Undersecretary for Support Services Office (SSO) Emily O. Padilla to implement a program to support agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs). The statement said Padilla redirected its budget for social infrastructure building and enterprise development and

economic support to such program.

That program it called the “Passover Project” intends to provide ARBs with immediate food subsidies and technical assistance to ensure that they are fully capable to perform their duties as active frontliners for this emergency.

Castriciones said coordination with the DSWD would be “ best served” under the direction of the RDs and the Parpos. He added that the DAR field officials are directed to

obtain the regional and provincial datasets of identified DSWD Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) relative to their implementation of the national government’s social amelioration program during the enhanced community quarantine.

Castriciones added that the data obtained by the regional directors and provincial officers is necessary to synchronize the DSWD and DAR databases. Doing so would allow the agencies to identify ARBs who are in

most dire of need for support. The DAR is targeting to render support services to 350,000 ARBs nationwide.

He said RDs and Parpos are given the authority to directly initiate the process for data sharing agreements.

The process involves accomplishment, execution and submission of NGA/ LGU request forms to the DSWD Field Office in the same locality where they exercise jurisdiction and where the 4Ps datasets to be requested are stored.

“The concerned RDs and or PARPOs

are given the authority to identify and designate DAR personnel who shall act as the DPO [data privacy officer], as well as designated data handlers who will assist the DPO in the discharge of his or her duties,” the Secretary said.

Castriciones also said these directors and officers are given the authority to negotiate and confer with the DSWD field office for the formulation of the terms and conditions of the Memorandum of Agreement and NonDisclosure Agreement. Jonathan L. Mayuga

Agriculture/Commodities BusinessMirror

A4 Monday, May 4, 2020 • Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Govt to distribute farm equipment worth ₧2B

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

A

FTER months of delay, the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) said it will soon start distributing farm machines worth P2 billion to qualified farmers under a program backed by the rice competitiveness enhancement fund (RCEF).

PhilMech said it has ”successfully conducted the bidding” for the first batch of farm machines funded under the 2019 RCEF. The mechanization component of the RCEF receives an annual fund of

P5 billion from 2019 to 2024.

The attached agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA) had targeted to distribute the farm machines last year. However, National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Assistant Secretary for Regional Development Mercedita A. Sombilla said the delay in the release of the RCEF and lack of manpower impeded the procurement of machines.

The DA, Sombilla said, also encountered delays in the accreditation of cooperatives which is needed to ensure that they had the “economies of scale” needed in using the machines.

“The P2 billion worth of farm

equipment bidded out and awarded forms the first batch to be awarded to qualified farmer cooperatives and associations (FCAs) under the mechanization component of RCEF,” PhilMech Executive Director Dr. Baldwin G. Jallorina Jr. said in a statement. ”The next batch of farm equipment to be bidded out will amount to P3 billion. PhilMech conducted an exhaustive evaluation of qualified FCAs before the bidding was conducted starting late last year,” Jallorina added.

PhilMech said the first batch of equipment that was successfully bidded out is comprised of four-wheel

tractors, rice combine harvesters, rice reapers, precision seeders, walkbehind transplanters, riding-type transplanters, hand tractors, floating tillers, mini rice threshers, mobile rice mills and rice mills.

Except for the four-wheel tractors, rice planter/seeders and rice combine harvesters, the rest of the equipment bidded out were locally fabricated, PhilMech added.

However, PhilMech made an assurance that the four-wheel tractors and rice combine harvesters would be sourced from ”respectable and established” global brands. ”A total of 495 four-wheel tractors, 356 rice combine harvesters and 576

hand tractors are set for distribution to qualified FCAs. Also set for distribution are: 103 rice reapers; 52 precision seeders; 106 walk-behind transplanters; 118 riding type transplanters; 347 floating tillers; and 46 rice mills,” it said.

PhilMech said the next batch of equipment that it will distribute for free may include mechanical dryers and other types of farm equipment needed in the rice value chain.

The agency estimated that farm mechanization can lower the cost of cultivating palay (unmilled rice) by P1 to P2 per kilogram. At present, the cost of producing a kilo of palay in the Philippines

is P12.72 compared to P6.62 in Vietnam and P8.86 in Thailand, according to PhilMech. ”Besides evaluating the FCAs, PhilMech also conducted training for trainers who would impart knowledge on the importance of farm mechanization and maintenance procedures for agricultural equipment to the farmers and cooperatives/associations qualified to be beneficiaries under RCEF’s components,” it said.

PhilMech spearheads the implementation of RCEF, a guaranteed P10-billion annual fund to improve the rice sector under the rice trade liberalization law.

DA: Cebu City, S. Leyte lift ban on pork products from Mindanao ‘Web site selling farm produce

to boost PHL fight against Covid-19’

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HE Department of Agriculture (DA)saidCebuCityandSouthern Leytehaverelaxedtheirtraderestrictions, as they have reopened their borders to hogs and pork products that are not infected with African swine fever (ASF) from Mindanao.

The DA said Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella issued Executive Order (EO) 72 on April 28, lifting the ban on live hogs, pork, and pork by-products in Cebu City.

The DA added that Southern Leyte Governor Damian Mercado issued an EO, allowing the entry and pass-through of ASF-free hogs, pork, pork by-products, via Liloan Port, a vital link in the country’s “nautical highway.”

“We commend Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella and Southern Leyte Governor Damian Mercado for issuing respective executive orders, lifting the ban on hogs, pork, and pork by-products from Mindanao, and allowing these to be traded, processed and consumed, benefiting their constituents and processors alike,” Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said in a recent statement.

The DA said the opening of Liloan Port is key to ship surplus pork from Mindanao as it connects Southern Leyte to Visayas and Mindanao, and to Samar via San Juanico Bridge onto Matnog, Sorsogon, which is Luzon’s southern gateway.

The DA said it has received commitments from hog raisers in Davao, General Santos and Cagayan de Oro that they have surplus hogs and

T

HE Department of Agriculture (DA) will launch a web site that will allow consumers to directly buy from farmers as part of its initiative to use technology to fix the disruption in the value chain caused by the pandemic.

The DA said it will launch on Monday ekadiwa.xyz, its first digital platform that seeks to connect producers directly to the consumers. Consumers could order fresh vegetables, fruits, meat fish, among others, through the online Kadiwa web site, according to the agency.

It added that the roll out of the online platform is part of the government’s initiatives to “flatten the curve” of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) by allowing domestic food trade to continue with lesser or without physical contact.

“The DA, with the guidance of President Duterte and the InterAgency Task Force for the Managefrozen pork, aptly called “pork-in-abox,” initially amounting to 1.7 million kilograms (kg) or 1,700 metric tons (MT) ready to be shipped to Cebu, Leyte, and Luzon.

“The decision to supply pork to Luzon is not only ours in Davao region but also from other hog farmers in Mindanao,” Hog Farmers Association of Davao Inc. President Eduardo So was quoted as saying.

“It is our simple way of saying ‘Support local farmers first’ instead of prioritizing imported meat.”

Chester Warren Tan, president and chairman of the National Federation of Hog Farmers, Inc., said their members in General Santos City are ready to ship ‘pork-in-a-box’ initially at 20 to 30 20-foot refrigerated containers to Luzon.

Dar has instructed Agriculture Undersecretaries Evelyn Laviña and Zamzamin Ampatuan to coordinate with Mindanao hog raisers to facilitate the shipping of surplus pork to Luzon and Visayas.

Davao has committed to supply

around 500 MT of pork monthly, while those in GenSan and CDO can ship 3,000 MT monthly to Visayas and Luzon, according to DA. “We hope other local chief executives will consider freeing their borders and allowing unhampered movement of not only ASF-free hogs and pork, but also other farm and fishery products to maintain stable food supply and prices, thus benefiting all players in the food supply chain,” said Dar said.

Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

US beef output is down way more than shutdowns suggest

A

MERICAN beef output is down a lot more than plant closures would have you believe—a sign that slowdowns at facilities will continue to keep meat supplies tight even when some production lines reopen.

Cattle slaughter dropped 37 percent this week from a year ago, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) data show. That far outstrips the 10 percent to 15 percent in capacity that’s been halted

with meat plants closed after coronavirus outbreaks among employees.

Hog slaughter was down 35 percent, also topping the shutdown figure of 25 percent to 30 percent.

While many plants have stayed open, they’ve still been forced to slow output as producers combat a loss of labor. Social distancing measures will also likely keep output trailing normal levels even as facilities reopen under President Donald J. Trump’s executive order.

Already, some grocers are beginning to ration supplies as the virus forces unprecedented disruptions in meat processing. Kroger Co., the nation’s biggest traditional supermarket chain, on Friday said it was limiting purchases of ground beef and fresh pork “at select stores.” Wholesale prices for both the meats have surged, and it’s starting to translate into higher bills at the retail level.

This week, 425,000 cattle were slaughtered, down 8.6 percent from

No Covid-19 cases in 41 provinces, says DOH. . .

As of 4 p.m. of May 3, 2020, the DOH reported 295 new cases (P8929-P9223), the highest number of Covid-19 recorded in a day. The total number of cases in the country is now at 9,223.

The DOH also announced 90 new recoveries, bringing the total number of recoveries to 1,214.

The total number of deaths stood at 607 with four new deaths, the lowest number of deaths recorded in a day.

The DOH stressed that it is “still to early to tell whether the enhanced community quarantine [ECQ] is effective as reporting delays from symptoms to onset take

continued from a8

around 11 days.”

“But initial imputation analysis sems to suggest that ECQ is keeping [the number of] new cases steady,” the DOH added.

The number of health-care workers with Covid-19 also increased to 1,752 with 296 recoveries and 34 deaths. Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

China harassment of oil-exploring boats signal to claimants–AMTI While Malaysian vessels patrol around the West Capella, the AMTI believed that Vietnamese militia vessels are likely on the scene also, monitoring developments “and asking the West Capella to leave the Joint Defined Area,

...

its CCG escorts will most likely call off the operation when the West Capella pulls out, as they did when the Rosneft-contracted Hakuryu-5 rig finished its work off Vietnam last October,” the AMTI said.

PPE fiasco causing needless virus deaths

...

continued from a8

Roth and Pedersen said this leads to frontliners being unprotected and higher fatality rates. Last week, the Philippines’s Department of Health (DOH) said a total of 1,245 health-care workers have been infected with Covid-19.

Of this number, 27 health-care workers have died due to Covid-19.

Majority or 21 of these workers are doctors and six are nurses.

The DOH said of the total number of health-care workers infected by Covid-19, around 464 are doctors, 471 Arta nurses, 69 are nursing assistants, 41 are medical technologists, 25 are radiologic technologists, and 10 are midwives.

“In many developing countries, health workers are getting infected and belong to those getting severely sick or even dying,” Roth and Pedersen said.

“If we can’t protect our health work force and ensure infection prevention and control in our health facilities, we fail our populations and

patients,” they added.

Roth and Pedersen said giving the UN Covid-19 Supply Chain Task Force a chance could improve the situation for healthcare workers and populations in general.

The task force will create a new online supply chain coordination portal to help aggregate demand and supply data to inform procurement and logistics arrangements.

The platform will allow countries and development partners to assess their needs and procure supplies. What is important in this platform, Roth and Pedersen said, is the commitment to transparency and data sharing.

“It’s time for UN agencies and multilateral development banks to come together and invest in the public goods of pandemic supply chain management and market shaping,” they said.

Govt debt share to GDP rises to 37.2%. . . continued from a8 On the other hand, external debt inched up by 3 percent to P2.58 trillion compared with P2.51 trillion as of end-June.

Local government debt as of third quarter also went up by 2.3 percent or P105.20 billion from P102.80 billion as of second quarter. Local government debt as of September 2019 also surged by 17.3 percent from P89.7 billion in the same period in the previous year.

GSIS, SSS

continued from a8

as they have been since early January.”

“It is impossible to say exactly when and how this standoff will end, but Vietnam’s experience with similar intimidation last year offers hints. The Haiyang Dizhi 8 and

last week, according to USDA estimates. For hogs, 1.545 million were slaughtered, down 22 percent from a week earlier. There are signs slaughter rates will continue to stay low.

Top pork producer Smithfield Foods Inc. is reopening a hog-processing plant in South Dakota on Monday that had been closed since April 12, according to Kooper Caraway, president of Sioux Falls AFLCIO, which represents workers at the facility. Bloomberg News

ment of Emerging Infectious Diseases [IATF-EID], is committed to help ‘flatten the curve’ and promote safety and convenience to all Filipino families in this ‘new normal’ era,” Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said in a statement.

The DA said the online Kadiwa also “paves the way to the digital transformation and automation of the agency, in its journey towards Agriculture 4.0, which focuses on precision agriculture, internet of things (IoT), and use of big data to attain efficiencies in the food value chain, amid rising populations and climate change.”

The DA added that initial partners of the ekadiwa.xyz are Zagana Inc., AgriNurture Inc., Benjabi Ventures Corp. and Mober Inc. “Transport and delivery service providers Lalamove and Grab also signified to join the DA ekadiwa initiative,” the DA said. Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

SOCIAL Security Institutions, such as the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and the Social Security System (SSS) did not contribute to the debt stock, but simultaneously decreased their intra-sector

holdings of Government Securities by 0.3 percent compared with the second quarter of 2019.

As of end-2019, national government’s outstanding debt rose by 6 percent to P7.73 trillion from P7.29 trillion in 2018.

The Philippine Statistics Authority recently rebased the National Accounts of the Philippines. Using 2018 as the base year, nominal GDP increased by 4.9 percent for 2019, reducing the debt-toGDP ratio to 39.6 percent for the period from the previously released 41.5 percent.

Latest data from the Bureau of the Treasury data showed that the national government’s outstanding debt surged to P8.177 trillion as

of end of the first quarter of 2020, going up by 4.8 percent from P7.802 trillion in the same period in 2019.

National Treasurer Rosalia V. de Leon said the adjusted debtto-GDP ratio for this year would be 44.95 percent considering the rebasing. This is comparable to the earlier projection by the Cabinet-level Development Budget Coordination Committee of 46.7 percent debt-to-GDP ratio for the year.

Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III earlier said the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio would increase to 46.7 percent this year from 41.5 percent in 2019 as the country needs to borrow more to finance its response to Covid-19.

Bernadette D. Nicolas

The World BusinessMirror

Editor: Angel R. Calso

US allows emergency use of first drug shown to help virus recovery

W

ASHINGTON—US regulators on Friday allowed emergency use of the first drug that appears to help some Covid-19 patients recover faster, a milestone in the global search for effective therapies against the coronavirus.

The Food and Drug Administration cleared Gilead Science‘s intravenous drug for hospitalized patients with “severe disease,” such as those experiencing breathing problems requiring supplemental oxygen or ventilators.

President Donald J. Trump announced the news at the White House alongside Gilead CEO Daniel O'Day and Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn.

“This was lightning speed in terms of getting something approved,” said Hahn, calling the drug “an important clinical advance.”

The FDA acted after preliminary results from a government-sponsored study showed that the drug, remdesivir, shortened the time to recovery by 31 percent, or about four days on average, for hospitalized Covid-19 patients.

Those given the drug were able to leave the hospital in 11 days on average vs. 15 days for the comparison group. The drug may also help avert deaths, but that effect is not yet large enough for scientists to know for sure.

Dr. Sameer Khanijo, a critical care specialist, said he wants to see additional studies to clarify the drug’s benefit.

“I don’t think this is a cure yet, but I think it's starting to point us in the right direction,” said Khanijo of North Shore University Hospital in New York. “As a society it’s nice to have something that will

AI reports chilling details of Egypt press crackdown

help stem the tide of this disease.”

The FDA said preliminary results from the government study warranted Friday’s decision, though regulators acknowledged “there is limited information known about the safety and effectiveness of using remdesivir.”

The drug’s side effects include potential inflammation of the liver and problems related to its infusion, which could lead to nausea, vomiting, sweating and low blood pressure. Information about dosing and potential safety issues will be provided to physicians and patients, the FDA said.

The National Institutes of Health’s Dr. Anthony Fauci said on Wednesday the drug would become a new standard of care for severely ill Covid-19 patients. Remdesivir, which blocks an enzyme the virus uses to copy its genetic material, has not been tested on people with milder illness.

The FDA authorized the drug under its emergency powers to quickly speed the availability of experimental drugs, tests and other medical products during public health crises.

In normal times the FDA requires “substantial evidence” of a drug’s safety and effectiveness, usually through one or more large, rigorously controlled patient studies. But during public health emergencies the agency can waive those standards and require only that an experimental treatment's potential benefits outweigh

In this March 2020 photo provided by Gilead Sciences, rubber stoppers are placed onto filled vials of the investigational drug remdesivir at a Gilead manufacturing site in the United States. Given through an IV, the medication is designed to interfere with an enzyme that reproduces viral genetic material. Gilead Sciences via AP

its risks.

Gilead has said it will donate its currently available stock of the drug and is ramping up production to make more. It said the US government would coordinate distribution of remdesivir to parts of the country that need it most.

No drugs are currently FDA-approved for treating the coronavirus, and remdesivir will still need formal approval.

The FDA can convert the drug’s status to full approval if Gilead or other researchers provide additional data of remdesivir’s safety and effectiveness.

“This is a very, very early stage so you wouldn’t expect to have any sort of full approval at this point,” said Cathy Burgess, an attorney specializing in FDA issues. “But obviously they want to get this out to patients as quickly as possible.”

The FDA previously allowed narrow use of a malaria drug, hydroxychloroquine, for

hospitalized patients who were unable to take part in ongoing studies of the medication. Trump repeatedly promoted it as a possible Covid-19 treatment, but no large high-quality studies have shown the drug works for that and it has significant safety concerns.

The FDA warned doctors late last month against prescribing the drug outside of hospital or research settings, due to risks of sometimes fatal heart side effects. The agency made the announcements after receiving new reports of injury and death with the medication, which is also used to treat lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

Two small studies published on Friday add to concerns about hydroxychloroquine.

Critically ill Covid-19 patients given the pill-based drug were prone to heart rhythm problems, and for many risks mounted when it was combined with an antibiotic, the studies found. AP

Kim reappears in public, ending absence amid health rumors

In this Friday, May 1, 2020, photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (center) cuts a tape, watched by his sister Kim Yo Jong, during his visit to a fertilizer factory in Sunchon, South Pyongan province, near Pyongyang, North Korea. Kim made his first public appearance in 20 days as he celebrated the completion of the fertilizer factory, state media said on Saturday, May 2, 2020, ending an absence that had triggered global rumors that he may be seriously ill. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP

S

EOUL, South Korea—North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made his first public appearance in 20 days as he celebrated the completion of a fertilizer factory near Pyongyang, state media said on Saturday, ending an absence that had triggered global rumors that he may be seriously ill.

The North’s official Korean Central News Agency, or KCNA, reported that Kim attended the ceremony on Friday in Sunchon with other senior officials, including his sister Kim Yo Jong, who many analysts predict would take over if her brother is suddenly unable to rule.

State media showed videos and photos of Kim wearing a black Mao suit and constantly smiling, walking around facilities, applauding, cutting a huge red ribbon with a scissor handed by his sister, and smoking inside and outside of buildings while talking with other officials.

Seemingly thousands of workers, many of them masked, stood in lines at the massive complex, roaring in celebration and releasing balloons into the air. A sign installed on a stage where Kim sat with other senior officials read: “Sunchon Phosphatic Fertilizer Factory; Completion Ceremony; May 1, 2020.”

There was no definite sign that Kim was in discomfort, although there were moments where his walking looked a bit stiff. He was shown moving without a walking stick, like the one he used in 2014 when he was recovering from a presumed ankle surgery. However, he was also seen riding a green electric cart, which appeared similar to a vehicle he used in 2014.

A5

Cuomo says police to enforce social distancing in New York

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C

AIRO — Journalism in Egypt has effectively become a crime over the past four years, as authorities clamp down on media outlets and muzzle dissent, Amnesty International (AI) said in a report released on Sunday.

As the number of coronavirus infections in Egypt continues to rise, the government is strengthening its control over information, the London-based rights group said, instead of upholding transparency during the public health crisis.

“The Egyptian authorities have made it very clear that anyone who challenges the official narrative will be severely punished,” said Philip Luther, Amnesty's Middle East and North Africa director.

Amnesty documented 37 cases of journalists detained in the government’s escalating crackdown on press freedoms, many charged with “spreading false news” or “misusing social media” under a broad 2015 counterterrorism law that has expanded the definition of terror to include all kinds of dissent. An Egyptian press officer did not respond to multiple calls seeking comment, but authorities have previously denied rights violations and justified arrests on national security grounds.

Following general-turned-president Abdel Fattah el-Sissi's rise to power in 2013, most of Egypt’s television programs and newspapers have taken the government position and steered clear of criticism, or else disappeared.

Many privately owned Egyptian news outlets have been quietly acquired by companies affiliated with the country's intelligence service.

But even a pro-government voice hasn't spared 12 journalists working for state-owned media outlets, who have landed in jail for expressing various private views on social media, the report said.

One of them is Atef Hasballah, editor in chief of the AlkararPress web site. When he challenged the Health Ministry’s coronavirus case count on his Facebook page last month, he was promptly bundled into a police van and detained on suspicion of “oining a terrorist organization.”

Egypt’s public prosecutor warned in a recent statement that those who spread “false news” about the coronavirus may face up to five years imprisonment and steep fines. At least 12 individuals have been caught up in the Covid-19-motivated crackdown so far, according to Amnesty. Last month, authorities blocked a local news site that covered calls by activists to release political prisoners over fears of the coronavirus spreading in Egypt's crowded prisons. Separately, Egypt expelled a correspondent for The Guardian newspaper over an article that indicated the coronavirus infection rate may be higher than officially reported.

Monday, May 4, 2020

It was Kim’s first public appearance since April 11, when he presided over a ruling Workers’ Party meeting to discuss the coronavirus and reappoint his sister as an alternate member of the powerful decision-making Political Bureau of the party’s Central Committee. That move confirmed her substantial role in the government.

North Korea has said it hasn’t had a single virus case, but the claim is questioned by many outside experts.

It wasn’t immediately clear what had caused Kim's absence.

Speculation about his health swirled after he missed the April 15 birthday celebration for his late grandfather Kim Il Sung, the country’s most important holiday, for the first time since taking power in 2011.

The possibility of high-level instability raised troubling questions about the future of the secretive, nuclear-armed country that has been steadily building an arsenal meant to threaten the US mainland while diplomacy between Kim and President Donald Trump has stalled.

“I, for one, am glad to see he is back, and well!” Trump tweeted on Saturday.

Some experts say South Korea, as well as its regional neighbors and ally Washington, must begin preparing for the possible chaos that could come if Kim is sidelined by health problems or even dies. Worst-case scenarios include North Korean refugees flooding South Korea or China, or military hard-liners letting loose nuclear weapons.

“The world is largely unprepared for instability in North Korea,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha

University in Seoul. “Washington, Seoul and Tokyo need tighter coordination on contingency plans, while international organizations need more resources and less controversy over the role of China.”

South Korea’s Unification Ministry, which deals with inter-Korean affairs, confirmed Kim}s visit to the fertilizer factory and said it was part of his efforts to emphasize economic development. The ministry called for discretion on information related to North Korea, saying that the “groundless” rumors of past weeks have caused “unnecessary confusion and cost” for South Korea’s society and financial markets.

South Korea’s government, which has a mixed record of tracking Pyongyang’s ruling elite, repeatedly downplayed speculation that Kim, believed to be 36, was in poor health following surgery.

The office of South Korean President Moon Jae-in said it detected no unusual signs in North Korea or any emergency reaction by its ruling party, military or Cabinet. Seoul said it believed Kim was still managing state affairs but staying at an unspecified location outside Pyongyang, the capital.

The KCNA report said workers at the fertilizer factory broke into “thunderous cheers” for Kim, who it said is guiding the nation in a struggle to build a self-reliant economy in the face of a “head wind” by “hostile forces.”

The report didn’t mention any direct comment toward Washington or Seoul.

During his nearly three-week absence, state media reported that Kim was carrying out routine activities outside public view, such as sending greetings to the leaders of Syria, Cuba and South Africa, and expressing gratitude to workers building tourist facilities in the coastal town of Wonsan, where some speculated he was staying.

Cheong Seong-Chang, an analyst at South Korea's Sejong Institute, said the video footage of Kim suggested that he is recovering from some sort of medical setback that affected his walking, possibly related to his ankle.

In 2014, Kim vanished from the public eye for nearly six weeks before reappearing with a cane. South Korea's spy agency said at the time that he had a cyst removed from his ankle.

Analysts say Kim’s health could become an increasing factor in years ahead: He’s overweight, smokes and drinks, and has a family history of heart issues.

If he’s suddenly unable to rule, some analysts have said his sister, believed to be around four years younger than her brother, would be installed as leader to continue Pyongyang’s heredity dynasty that began after World War II. But others question whether core members of North Korea’s elite, mostly men in their 60s or 70s, would be able to accept a young and untested female leader who lacks military credentials. Some predict a collective leadership or violent power struggles. AP

ew York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he’s ordered police to enforce social distancing even as the state’s severe Covid-19 outbreak recedes. He spoke on a day when new reported virus deaths rose slightly to 299.

“I’ve said to law enforcement all across the state: Enforce the mask executive order,” Cuomo told reporters on Saturday when asked about a protest the day before on Long Island, where mask-less protesters demanded the state re-open.

The police didn’t intervene at the time. “It’s reckless, it’s irresponsible and it’s not about your life, it’s about other people’s lives,” he said.

Cuomo made it clear that New York—the center of the US coronavirus outbreak, with almost 19,000 dead—wouldn’t immediately follow other states in reopening or easing restrictions on business, schools or social life.

The Democrat has said he’ll not begin reopening until at least May 15, and even then will move in phases starting in areas less hard-hit by the virus.

“I disagree with people who say ‘open the economy’ even though you know there’s a public health risk,” Cuomo said. “I’m not going to put dollar signs over human lives.”

Cuomo spoke from a subway maintenance facility in Queens, rather than from his usual briefing room in Albany, the state capital, to underscore the lengths to which New York is working to protect essential workers and to prevent a resurgence of the outbreak.

Two days ago, he announced that the New York City subway would be closed between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. so that all cars could be disinfected—an undertaking he called “unprecedented.”

“It is going to be hard, but it is the right thing to do and it has never been done before,” Cuomo said.

Mass transit ridership in New York is down about 90 percent, and the roughly 10,000 people now taking the subway in those hours will be redirected to special buses.

The governor said homeless people who sleep on the subways will need to exit the trains during cleaning. “You do not help the homeless by letting them stay on a subway car and sleep on a subway car in the middle of a global pandemic when they could expose themselves or others to a virus,” he said, adding that the subway shutdown may help steer more homeless to needed help. New York City has just over 60,000 homeless people, according to the city’s Department of Social Services.

Of those, over 803 have tested positive for Covid-19 and 63 have died, the agency said.

ICU admissions down

Although Cuomo repeated his firm line on reopening and social distancing, he noted trends that continue to show that the outbreak in New York has receded significantly.

New and ongoing hospitalizations continued to drop, as did admissions to intensive care. Cuomo also noted a decline in the percentage of people testing positive for antibodies—a sign that a person had the coronavirus—to 12.3 percent, down from 13.9 percent on March 22 and 14.9 on March 27.

But deaths reported on Saturday rose slightly, to 299 from 289 the day before, after falling for six days.

“That number has remained obnoxiously and terrifyingly high, and it is still not dropping at the rate we would like to see it drop,” he said. “So that is bad news.”

It is, however, a significant drop from the peak of the outbreak. On April 9, 799 people in New York were reported to have died.

The state reported on Saturday 4,663 new coronavirus cases, for a total of 312,977—about 9 percent of total reported cases around the world. Bloomberg News

S. Korea, N. Korea in talks after gunfire exchange in DMZ

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outh Korean and North Korean troops exchanged gunfire in the demilitarized zone between the nations on Sunday morning, and the two sides are now in talks via a military communication line.

North Korea fired at a South Korean military guard post several times around 7:41 a.m. local time, prompting it to shoot back twice and send out a verbal warning, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff. No casualties or damage to equipment were reported in South Korea.

The clash occurred a day after North Korean state media reported leader Kim Jong Un’s first public appearance in almost three weeks. His absence had prompted global speculation about his health. While US officials said they were told Kim was in critical condition after undergoing a cardiovascular procedure, a top South Korean foreign policy adviser later said he was “alive and well.”

The two Koreas had previously exchanged fire within the heavily fortified DMZ, including in 2014 when Kim was unseen in public for more than a month. Hundreds of thousands of troops on both sides of the border guard the DMZ that bisects the peninsula, a legacy of the 1950-1953 war that ended in a truce rather than a peace treaty. Bloomberg News

A6

Monday, May 4 , 2020 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

editorial

Why was 1968 so different?

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overnments around the world, including the Philippines, are extremely sensitive about any criticism of their policies in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic. They should be.

People have come to expect—because we are constantly told to believe—that governments and the leaders know what they are doing.

While intellectually we know that is not true, we have no choice but to go along with the program. No matter the issue—war, taxation, spending, or health care—the average person has little voice and even less recourse when things do not go as planned.

In the current situation, it is even worse because we all know deep down that governments are making up their policies to combat the pandemic as they go along. There is no genuine solution, particularly in the short term. Governments know that. We know that. It is depressing.

Compounding the problem for ordinary citizens from whatever economic group is that the pandemic is being used as a political hammer from every side, but we are the ones getting hit in the face. And it is the ordinary man and woman—be they health-care professionals or bus drivers—that is dying. Yes, even diplomats and political leaders have been struck fatally, but they are the exception to the 240,000 that have died globally.

Everyone wants answers to the questions, and solutions to the problems. There have been some notable successes, as in Vietnam, and some incredible failures, as in Italy and Spain. Belgium, with 12 million people, went on total lockdown on March 18th and has nearly 8,000 deaths and the highest per capita fatalities on the planet.

Sweden’s relatively relaxed response was hailed initially as the best approach. Now, Sweden has 22 deaths per 100,000 population versus 7 from its Scandinavian neighbor Denmark, 5 in Iceland, and 4 per capita in Norway and Finland.

Currently, the United States has approximately 1.1 million cases of Covid-19 and some 65,000 deaths. An interesting parallel is being drawn between a pandemic that occurred in 1968 when the US population was 200 million, or about 35 percent less than today.

The A/H3N2 virus emerged out of Hong Kong in July 1968 and when it subsided a year later, 100,000 had died in the US with 1 million fatalities globally; then as now, mostly over the age of 65.

One commenter, Jeffrey A. Tucker at the American Institute for Economic Research, described 1968 this way: “Nothing closed. Schools stayed open. All businesses did too. You could go to the movies. You could go to bars and restaurants. Stock markets didn’t crash. Congress passed no legislation. The Federal Reserve did nothing. Not a single governor acted to enforce social distancing.”

“The famous Woodstock concert of August 1969—planned in January during the worse period of death—occurred during a deadly American flu pandemic that only peaked globally six months later. So, in terms of lethality, it was as deadly and scary as Covid-19, if not more so, though we shall have to wait to see.”

The media never made an issue of the disease but were focused on the Vietnam War, the moon landing, and the assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King. Tucker ended with this thought: “It was widely assumed that diseases require medical not political responses.

Which raises the question: Why was this different? We will be trying to figure this one out for decades.”

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All Zoomed out Atty. Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II

RISING SUN

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veryone’s starting to embrace the new normal in terms of communication, and that involves conducting video calls, video conferencing, and webinars almost all of the time.

Some people spend the day in a long series of video calls and teleconferences that they get all Zoomed out at the end of the working day. More people are reporting getting headaches after a video call or webinar, some say they feel more drained or exhausted. For some people who are not even comfortable with the technology, like introverts, for example, focus and productivity are a problem.

A recent article in Harvard Business Review refers to this phenomenon as “Zoom fatigue.” It happens because we need to give more focus now on conversations so we would understand what’s being said. The extra energy required to maintain

Why integrated bus terminals make more sense in the post-pandemic world Thomas M. Orbos

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this focus contributes to the fatigue.

Other people who may have spotty connections need to strain harder to listen or to speak more clearly, sometimes having to repeat themselves several times for comprehension.

There are lags or delays and, some-

times, dropped connections, which all contribute to the technologyrelated stress.

Some people find it difficult to talk to a gadget. Plus, there are many things that could be going on simultaneously: a housemate walking behind you, a message notification on your phone, the neighbor’s rooster making noise in the morning, someone calling you on your phone, another teleconference that is just about to start, the baby crying in the background, the list goes on. Video calling has its advantages but the new normal also needs some getting used to, especially for people who are not comfortable with the technology, for one reason or another.

To help in the transition, here are a few tips to try. First, reduce your screen’s brightness so your eyes don’t suffer too much. And if possible, wear eyeglasses with anti-blue light and anti-glare feature. Make sure that the room you’re in is adequately lighted and that room temperature

T

he establishment of central provincial bus terminals outside, but within the proximity, of Metro Manila to bring commuters in and out of the metropolis is one of the projects of the national government that should gain more relevance entering the post-pandemic world. Originally meant to be just a traffic decongestion measure as well as providing convenience to commuters, the setting up of central entry points to Metro Manila makes more sense now as they would provide the needed transport controls that would result in lessening the spread of infections to other areas.

It was about seven years ago when the idea of central terminals was brought to fruition through the enactment of an executive order of the past administration upon the initiative of former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman and now Sen. Francis Tolentino. It was supposed to ease up traffic congestion in Metro Manila where you have more than 60 bus stations, most of them along Edsa, the busiest of all roadways in the metropolis. The executive order signed by former President Benigno Aquino identified three key points of entry where integrated bus terminals were to be built—in the south, the southwest and the north, though present realities can

accommodate another one serving the eastern corridor. These integrated provincial terminals would have taken out of Metro Manila proper more than 5,000 provincial buses daily, not to mention the many private and public vehicles that would have ferried these commuters to and from the bus stations. Currently, only one of these planned, terminals has been built—the Paranaque Integrated Terminal Exchange, which serves the commuter demand of the southwest route of Metro Manila to and from the provinces of Batangas and Cavite. The south and north terminals, the ones that would carry more commuters serviced by more than 10,000 buses daily, are still

in the process of either being built or being approved by the national government.

Unfortunately, the progression leading to this was halted as courts granted a hold on their construction.

Citing commuter inconvenience as the primary reason for the hold, the petitioners maintained that preserving the status quo would in no way affect traffic that much. There are, of course, other reasons beyond consumer interest among which are the realestate investments of these bus companies. I have been involved in traffic management and, yes, indeed these bus terminals in the metro heartland do contribute to the traffic mess no matter how hard this is downplayed.

Now comes Covid-19 and the difficulty in controlling interregional transport as we have seen in this “lockdown” period. With our pandemic experience, having a gateway to Metro Manila is a necessary mechanism that would help in controlling any spread of Covid-19 and other similar viruses in the future. This comes with the realization that the greatest catalyst for any human borne virus would be transportation. Controlling transportation would spell the difference between a successful lockdown and an uncontrolled spread of the virus to otherwise “safe” areas. Central terminals outside, but within proximity of the metropolis, would be the automatic and ready control points where commuters and goods can be

is comfortable.

Have everything ready before the call starts: your notes, documents, paper and pen, a glass of water or a mug of coffee, etc. Go to the restroom beforehand so you don’t have to be unnecessarily distracted by the call of nature. And if you’re in for a series of teleconferences, make sure you put in breaks between them. If you are in a long meeting, turn off your video if it doesn’t need to be on. This way, you can stand up and walk around for a bit, look away, close your eyes and take a break even as you continue to listen to the conversation.

Finally, if there is an option to communicate via plain old SMS, email or chat, opt for that instead.

There might be meetings too that you could rather conduct over the phone, instead of a video call. We are all still trying to figure out the best ways to stay productive given our present circumstances. Take it slow and be kind to yourself—that would be the goal.

monitored and regulated. Central terminals would provide the ready venue for proper infection screening of commuters and cargo. It would also be the most appropriate venue for disinfection, a process that would take an ideal time and space that present terminals in the metropolis do not have or enjoy. And as proven with the Philippine Arena’s current function as a quarantine area, such terminals can doubly act as a mitigating area that would ensure the sterility of Metro Manila or vice versa.

Moreover, setting up central bus terminals would automatically make it easier to conduct a systematic way of doing contact tracing, something that governments worldwide have found challenging.

As we have taken the bitter pill of a lockdown to further prevent community spread of this virus, concerns such as corporate viability hiding behind commuter convenience, as important as it may be, should now take a backseat to the safety of the greater majority. Those opposing these terminals initially might do well to review their opposition. We are in the new normal world and safety or, more appropriately, survivability must be our primordial concern.

Thomas Tim Orbos was former DOTr undersecretary for roads and general manager of the MMDA. He is currently undertaking further studies at the McCourt School of Public Policy of Georgetown University. He can be reached via e-mail at thomas_orbos@sloan.mit.edu

Opinion BusinessMirror

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Covid-19’s impact on women’s health, rights and freedoms could harm us all

By António Guterres

Secretary-General of the United Nations

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arly signs are that the Covid-19 virus poses a greater direct health risk to men, and particularly older men. But the pandemic is exposing and exploiting inequalities of all kinds, including gender inequality. In the long term, its impact on women’s health, rights and freedoms could harm us all.

Women are already suffering the deadly impact of lockdowns and quarantines. These restrictions are essential—but they increase the risk of violence towards women trapped with abusive partners. Recent weeks have seen an alarming global surge in domestic violence; the largest support organization in the UK reported a 700 percent increase in calls. At the same time, support services for women at risk face cuts and closures.

This was the background to my recent appeal for peace in homes around the world. Since then, more than 143 governments have committed to supporting women and girls at risk of violence during the pandemic. Every country can take action by moving services online, expanding domestic violence shelters and designating them as essential, and increasing support to frontline organizations. The United Nations’ partnership with the European Union, the Spotlight Initiative, is working with governments in more than 25 countries on these and similar measures, and stands ready to expand its support. But the threat to women’s rights and freedoms posed

by Covid-19 goes far beyond physical violence. The deep economic downturn accompanying the pandemic is likely to have a distinctly female face.

The unfair and unequal treatment of working women is one reason why I went into politics. In the late 1960s, as a student volunteer doing social work in poor areas of Lisbon, I saw women in very difficult situations, doing menial jobs and carrying the weight of their extended families.

I knew this had to change—and I have seen important change in my lifetime. But decades later, Covid-19 threatens to bring back these conditions and worse, for many women around the world.

Women are disproportionately represented in poorly paid jobs without benefits, as domestic workers, casual laborers, street vendors, and in small-scale services like hairdressing. The International Labor Organization estimates that nearly 200 million jobs will be lost in the next three months alone—many of them in exactly these sectors.

And just as they are losing their paid employment, many women face a huge increase in care work due to school closures, overwhelmed health systems, and the increased needs of older people. And let’s not forget the girls who have had their education

The Covid-19 pandemic has made it clearer than ever that women’s unpaid domestic labor is subsidizing both public services and private profits. This work must be included in economic metrics and decision-making. We will all gain from working arrangements that recognize people’s caring responsibilities, and from inclusive economic models that value work in the home. cut short. In some villages in Sierra Leone, school enrolment rates for teenage girls fell from 50 percent to 34 percent after the Ebola epidemic, with lifelong implications for their wellbeing and that of their communities and societies.

Many men, too, are facing job losses and conflicting demands. But even at the best of times, women do three times as much domestic work as men. That means they are more likely to be called on to look after children if businesses open while schools remain closed, delaying their return to the paid labor force.

Entrenched inequality also means that while women make up 70 percent of healthcare workers, they are vastly outnumbered by men in healthcare management, and comprise just one in every 10 political leaders worldwide—which harms us all. We need women at the table when decisions are taken on this pandemic, to prevent worstcase scenarios like a second spike in infections, labor shortages, and even social unrest.

Women in insecure jobs urgently need basic social protections, from health insurance to paid sick leave, childcare, income protection and unemployment benefits. Looking ahead, measures to stimulate the economy, like cash transfers, credits, loans and bailouts, must be targeted at women—whether they are working full-time in the formal economy, as part-time or seasonal workers in the informal economy, or as entrepreneurs and business owners.

The Covid-19 pandemic has made it clearer than ever that women’s unpaid domestic labor is subsidizing both public services and private profits. This work must be included in economic metrics and decisionmaking. We will all gain from working arrangements that recognize people’s caring responsibilities, and from inclusive economic models that value work in the home. This pandemic is not only challenging global health systems, but also our commitment to equality and human dignity.

With women’s interests and rights front and center, we can get through this pandemic faster, and build more equal and resilient communities and societies that benefit everyone.

Strategic intent Siegfred Bueno Mison, Esq.

THE PATRIOT

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orldwide, the common strategic intent of any coordinated fight against the ongoing pandemic is to protect the welfare of the people. Wherever we may be, all efforts are geared toward that end. Thus, the goals, enumerated in Republic Act (RA) 11469 (Bayanihan to Heal as One Act), such as to “mitigate and contain the transmission of Covid-19, immediately mobilize assistance for the provision of basic necessities to families and individuals affected by the enhanced community quarantine, especially the poor; undertake a recovery and rehabilitation program as well as social amelioration program and other social safety nets to all affected sectors,” among other lofty goals, are aligned with the overall strategic intent—protect the welfare of the people. Government policies, such as emergency procurement of goods and services, social amelioration program, military and police checkpoints, mandatory wearing of face masks when outside, stay-at-home orders, were seen by many as necessary, acceptable, and reasonable, since these measures protect the welfare of the people.

Knowing and understanding how the military mind works, I am confident that those in the higher echelons of government who served in the armed forces are aware of this singular purpose of what they have been trying to do since the enactment of RA 11469. Applying US Army Field Manual 100-15, (1993) which states that “the commander’s intent describes the desired end state, the single unifying focus for the entire government machinery implementing RA 11469 is the welfare of the people. The command guidance seems simple and clear— protect the people. But as a leadership principle, clarity also requires flexibility. Author Bob Johansen, in his book Leaders Make the Future, wrote, “The best leaders will be clear about their long term intentions, but very flexible about how to get there. As with jazz, the structure sets the limits within which improvisation is encouraged.”

Different government agencies have issued several implementing rules and regulations in line with RA 11469. The objectives of the various directives coming from the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF),

directed to address the public health emergency caused by Covid-19, have one thing in common— protect the welfare of the people.

Leaders of local government units are expected to align their efforts with this strategic intent, such that ordinances and other rules of local application ought to protect one thing, pardon the redundancy, welfare of the people. All units must work together under one clear strategic intent but would exercise some amount of flexibility.

For instance, what works in Baguio City may not work in Pasig City and vice-versa owing to the cultural differences in their respective constituents. The travel restrictions in Masbate may not be effective in Cavite owing to its difference in geographical characteristics. The hard lockdown of certain areas in Manila and Quezon City may work there but not in the other districts of the same cities owing to the differences in urban density. What remains constant, however, regardless of locality or the extent of the viral contamination, or the partisan politics, is the strategic intent.

Hence, if the Department of Social

Monday, May 4, 2020

God-fearing believers, in government and in the private sector, already know what they should be doing. Their actions need not be guided by any government directive but by the God-given strategic intent, which is to love God and love others.

Welfare and Development (DSWD) distribution guidelines regarding social amelioration packages or the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) regulation extending the deadline for filing of income taxes or the Department of Finance-imposed mandatory grace period for loans maturing during the lockdown or the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) advisory to charge the employee absence during this lockdown to accrued leaves are aligned with the strategic intent of protecting the welfare of the people, then we should be all for it.

Fortunately, in alignment with the strategic intent but exercising some degree of flexibility, some private entities give or do more than what is prescribed. Despite being entitled under DSWD guidelines, a street sweeper in Marikina and a few condominium unit owners I know opted to return the food packs given by government, realizing that other Filipinos are in greater need for such assistance. A huge conglomerate, despite the BIR extension of the payment of income taxes, opted to pay taxes early in its obvious attempt to give government more ammunition in this fight against the virus. Another reputable company, way before the DOF-imposed grace period, opted to relax loan deadlines of their customers. My current employer, SM, went beyond the DOLE advisory and chose not to charge employee leave credits during this stoppage of work, among other voluntary initiatives. Community generosity is at its finest hour during these trying times, showing how we are all organically wired to truly protect each other.

God-fearing believers, in government and in the private sector, already know what they should be doing. Their actions need not be guided

DEBIT CREDIT

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he pandemic is a wake-up call for executives to focus on their supply chain resiliency. When supply chain collapses, other functions follow because their operation is tied up to supply chain performance.

Personal protective equipment, medical supplies, and hygiene products are in short supply in most parts of the country facing Covid-19. Aside from the pandemic being the reason for the shortage, the basic cause is demand for products far exceeded the supply.

This is where supply chain man-

agement comes in as it deals with the flow of products and information from the supplier to consumer. What is happening now is the Covid-19 disrupts the flow of goods across the supply network. That means the capacity to produce adequate supply is insufficient to satisfy the surging demand due to travel bans, limited

by any government directive but by the God-given strategic intent, which is to love God and love others.

After all, love seems to be the underlying premise or core foundation of any government response to this pandemic. In the Bible, Mark 12:3031 tells us, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

There is no commandment greater than these. This strategic intent can be as simple to understand yet difficult to implement in our lives.

Pressures from a mortally thinking society can make this mandate of love difficult to do and subject to different interpretations.

All of us, government included, may have various ways of implementing the clear strategic intent, coming from the law (RA 11469) and from the Bible. There lies the beauty of flexibility, and, unfortunately, its ugliness as well. Reports of physical violence against persons for not obeying quarantine restrictions, verbal abuse and utter disrespect of some individuals against law enforcers, hoarding of essential goods, blanket application of travel restrictions, and selling of quarantine passes are just some of the disheartening news, not aligned with our strategic intent, as a Filipino and a human being. In the Bible, Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 tells us, “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.

For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”

No need for media to share the good and expose the bad, the Main Man is always watching over us.

A former infantry and intelligence officer in the Army, Siegfred Mison showcased his servant leadership philosophy in organizations such as the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Malcolm Law Offices, Infogix Inc., University of the East, Bureau of Immigration, and Philippine Airlines. He is a graduate of West Point in New York, Ateneo Law School, and University of Southern California. A corporate lawyer by profession, he is an inspirational teacher and a Spirit-filled writer with a mission.

For questions and comments, please e-mail me at sbmison@gmail.com.

After the pandemic, the US will need more immigrants

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resident Donald J. Trump recently announced an executive order “temporarily suspending immigration to the United States.” It turns out that the new restrictions are narrower than this might suggest— which is a good thing. Immigration policy needs short-term adjustments and cries out for long-term reform, but broad or indefinite clampdowns certainly aren’t the answer.

The president was describing the order in terms most likely to appeal to anti-immigration hardliners. In fact, temporary farmworkers, medical professionals and workers in the technology sector will continue to be allowed in. The main provision is a 60-day ban on new green cards for foreign nationals living outside the US. This will affect parents, adult

children and siblings of naturalized Americans, and the spouses of existing green-card holders. (Spouses of naturalized citizens can still get visas, and immigrants living in the US who’ve applied for green cards will be allowed to stay.) At the moment, those applications aren’t being accepted anyway, with most US consulates largely shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. In effect, the order merely formalizes the existing freeze.

The question is, what happens after 60 days? The administration is telling supporters that it hopes to extend the ban indefinitely. By itself, that would reduce by one-third the annual number of immigrants granted permanent residence.

Some anti-immigration activists want to use the Covid-19 crisis to end

both “chain migration,” which allows immigrants to sponsor relatives to come to the US, and the diversity visa lottery, which grants green cards to up to 50,000 foreign nationals a year regardless of family connections. These steps would cause the numbers of foreigners settling in the US to plummet.

With unemployment soaring, some tailored, temporary restrictions on immigration can be justified, especially to protect workers in sectors hit hardest by the downturn. But once the crisis subsides, the US will need to bring in more foreign talent, not less, to fill labor shortages in critical fields, notably health care, and to promote innovation.

America’s immigration system does need reform—but not to cut numbers as an end in itself. On the contrary, the

Covid-19 brings supply chain management into spotlight Marvin Bunyag

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work force, lack of raw materials, and other bottlenecks choking the production and movement of goods.

The supply chain is the network of companies that manage the efficient flow of products from product development to conversion to transportation to consumption to product returns to sustainability.

Almost everything. Most supply chains today are global and complex as raw materials are sourced overseas, therefore, any disruption in one network has a ripple effect on the entire supply chain.

The concept of supply chain management remains unfamiliar in the Philippines because it is not widely promoted by academics and businesses, unlike in developed countries where universities and industries have come together in developing curriculum and talent. No wonder their supply chains are more innova-

tive than ours. The Philippines has a lot of work to do.

Supply chain processes within procurement, production, and logistics are often viewed as support services rather than strategic enablers to run an efficient, profitable business. With the pandemic ravaging the world, many have realized the uninterrupted flow of goods is the source of economic health for the company and the nation.

The pandemic disruption to the supply chain is unprecedented. We have never seen this before. It brings massive obstruction to normal business operations such as longer lead times due to travel ban or canceled production because of the lack of raw materials or workers. Companies are reeling from the effect of the virus as demand drops while struggling to get the materials from overseas.

The crisis amplifies which prior-

ity generates income for the company that needs attention and protection by which resiliency must be built upon. Aside from preserving employees’ health and safety, which must always come first, companies will immediately revisit their inventory, suppliers, demand, and any constraints that put their supply chain at risk.

By looking at the current situation, it is clear the pandemic is directly crippling transportation and production capacity causing economic impact not just within the company but also on a national level.

Companies should make the supply chain the center of the business because it is the revenue-generating and a major cost-saving driver for the company’s financial health.

Covid-19 calls for innovation and resiliency among companies to mitigate the impact on their cash flow.

goals should be to increase immigrant admissions overall, while prioritizing skills over family ties, strengthening border security, and providing a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants already in the country. The White House and Congress seem incapable of reaching any such compromise.

Sensible reform this side of November’s election already looked unlikely; the pandemic has made it all but unthinkable. Pending a change of government, congressional leaders should at least insist that the president follows the law as it stands. If the White House attempts to widen its executive order and unilaterally restrict legal immigration, it should demonstrate a clear national-security rationale, and be made to defend its case in court. Bloomberg

That means firms should take a serious approach and pay close attention to how their supply chain will respond to risks and what resources are available to help stabilize existing processes. Visibility across supply networks is key. Mapping out the supply chain is one common practice to gain visibility as it exposes location and other information of tiered suppliers.

Companies that innovate and invest in their supply chain are well prepared for the next disruption than those who just watch and see and do nothing or little in their supply chain.

Marvin Bunyag is an APICS-CPIM certified and a founder of ExploreSCM Supply Chain Insights. He created SCM Knowledge platform for supply chain learners.

This column accepts contributions from the business community. Articles not exceeding 600 words can be e-mailed to boa.secretariat.@ gmail.com

A8 Monday, May 4, 2020

PPE fiasco causing needless virus deaths

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

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EAK supply chains for personal protective equipment (PPE) needed in the battle against the coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic are causing prolonged lockdowns and the death of thousands of health-care workers, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

In an Asian Development Blog, ADB Principal Knowledge Sharing and Services Specialist Susann Roth and Principal Procurement Specialist Jesper Pedersen said these are also causing the proliferation of overpriced but substandard PPEs. Roth and Pedersen said this is the reason countries need to work together. By banding together, countries would be able to prevent these supply chains from failing, especially at this time.

“To respond to the need for better global coordination, the United Nations set up the UN Covid-19 Supply Chain Task Force in April 2020, led by the World Health Organization with the support from the greater UN system,” Roth and Pedersen said.

“The international community of development partners needs to support this newly set up task force and coordinate supply demand at the country, regional and global level,” they added.

Roth and Pedersen said years before Covid-19 came into existence, many health security experts have already predicted the failure of the PPE market in case of a pandemic.

They urged governments and health facilities to build stockpiles and develop“intelligent surge capacities”to deploy supplies and equipment amid a crisis.

Despite these warnings, Roth and Pedersen said, countries failed to create their pandemic plans and yield their stockpiles. This has led to depleted stockpiles, 4 percent to six month backlogs in supply, and 50 percent to as much as 100 percent increase in prices.

China harassment of oil-exploring boats signal to claimants–AMTI

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By Rene Acosta

@reneacostaBM

HINA’S harassment of Malaysia’s ongoing oil exploration in its coastal waters—but which Beijing deems as within the vast maritime area that it disputes in the South China Sea—has reinvented the norm and set new rules against any future development in the area by other claimant states, a think tank has said.

The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) of the Center for Strategic and International Studies warned that China’s action has sent signals, both to firms and other claimant countries, that no oil and gas exploration can be conducted from now on in the South China Sea without its imprimatur.

“Southeast Asian governments and commercial operators will have to come to grips with the reality that new oil and gas exploration anywhere in the South China Sea without Beijing’s permission will

probably face the same level of high-risk intimidation,” the AMTI said as it tracks the current standoff involving China, Malaysia and Vietnam in the SCS. Aside from the implied new rules, the AMTI also raised the possibility of a collision of ships from the involved states and the longstanding fear of a miscalculation in the South China Sea, where US warships are just nearby, conducting their freedom of navigation operations.

The current standoff where

Chinese and Malaysian vessels are playing what the AMTI called as the “game of chicken” is a reminiscent of Beijing’s harassment of Vietnam’s oil and gas exploration within its maritime waters, which ended upon Hanoi’s termination of its drilling projects.

“Vietnamese and Chinese ships spent four months last year doing the same after Hanoi refused Beijing’s demands to halt oil and gas work. The current drama will likely end the same way that episode did.

But the danger of accidental escalation is very real,” the US-based think tank said.

The current standoff, which is seen to last at the end of the exploration contract this month, began when the West Capella, operated

by London-managed Seadrill and contracted to Malaysia’s Petronas, began drilling in two oil and gas fields identified as Arapaima-1 in block ND1 and Lala-1 in block ND2 within Malaysia’s coastal waters.

The AMTI said that from March up to early April, Chinese fishing entities continuously operated

near the drilling ship West Capella while commercial satellite imagery showed China Coast Guard (CCG) ships also harassing the rig and its supply vessels.

In return, Malaysian navy and law-enforcement ships patrolled the area.

Undeterred, China sent the stateowned survey vessel Haiyang Dizhi 8, the same ship that surveyed “up and down” the Vietnamese coast last year, escorted by Chinese Coast Guard vessels 1105 and 4203. A Chinese maritime militia vessel sailed along the paramilitary ships.

The AMTI said the Chinese ships were tailed by Vietnamese law enforcement vessels as they passed through the country’s exclusive economic zone.

The Chinese research vessel and its escorts arrived in Malaysia’s extended waters on April 15 and positioned itself 80 nautical miles from the West Capella where it began surveying the next day.

“Since then, the Haiyang Dizhi 8 along with its escort of multiple CCG and militia ships has been surveying a swath of the Malaysian

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No Covid-19 cases in 41 provinces, says DOH

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Govt debt share to GDP rises to 37.2%

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OR two consecutive weeks, no Covid-19 cases have been reported in 41 provinces in the country, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Sunday.

According to a Situationer Report of the DOH, as of May 2, 2020, no cases were reported in the following provinces: Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Apayao, Aurora, Basilan, Batanes, Biliran, Bohol, Bukidnon, Camarines Norte, Camiguin, Capiz, Compostela Valley, Cotabato, Davao del Norte, Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental, Dinagat Islands, Eastern Samar, Guimaras, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Kalinga, Maguindanao, Masbate, Mountain Province, Negros Oriental, Northern Samar, Pangasinan, Quirino, Romblon, Sarangani, Siquijor, Sorsogon, South Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Tawi-tawi, Zamboanga del Norte ang Zamboanga Sibigay.

“These are a mix of Covid-free provinces and those whose last reported cases were two weeks ago [yet]. Most of the provinces without cases since the start are island provinces,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a text message to BusinessMirror.

continental shelf near the West Capella’s location. It has approached as close as 8.5 nautical miles from the drilling ship,” the AMTI said.

“Its track has occasionally crossed into Bruneian waters or the Joint Defined Area also claimed

by Vietnam as part of its extended continental shelf. But the survey has mostly stayed within Malaysia’s 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone and continental shelf,” it added.

The AMTI, citing satellite imagery, said that on April 22, the Haiyang Dizhi 8, which is towing a sensor array, was being surrounded by eight other ships ranging from 40 to 60 meters in length, all within five nautical miles of it.

“None are broadcasting AIS [automatic identification system], but most, if not all, are likely militia vessels escorting the survey ship. AIS data and satellite imagery from this time also show two CCG ships, the 4203 and an unidentified Zhaoduan-class cutter, patrolling 10 nautical miles away to the west and south,” it said.

A HANDWASHING station near Market! Market! in Bonifacio Global City is installed by the Bureau of Fire Protection in Taguig City as part of preventive measures against the spread of Covid-19. ROY DOMINGO

Palay farm-gate price breaches ₧18/kilo T HE average farm-gate price of dry palay as of mid-April has breached the P18-perkilogram level, the first time in almost a year since quotations plunged due to higher rice imports, Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data showed.

Latest PSA weekly price monitoring report showed that average farm-gate price of dry palay has reached P18.28 per kilogram, 4.58 percent over the previous week’s P17.48 per kg.

This is now the highest average farm-gate price of dry palay in almost a year since the P18.35 per kg

recorded in the second week of May 2019, based on historical PSA data analyzed by the BusinessMirror.

The national quotation for dry palay has been continuously increasing in recent months.

However, PSA data showed that the latest quotation was 2.19 percent lower than the P18.69 per kg recorded in the same period of last year.

But with the recent increase, the latest average quotation has trimmed the gap with the previous year’s figure, which has been as high as a double-digit percentage since 2019.

From April 8 to 14, the highest average price of dry palay was

recorded in Pampanga at P25 per kg while the lowest average quotation was in Maguindanao at P14 per kg, PSA preliminary data showed.

PSA data showed that the average wholesale and retail prices of both well-milled rice and regular-milled rice continue to tread the same upward trend of palay farm-gate prices.

The average wholesale price of well-milled rice during the period reached P39.17 per kg, up from P38.59 per kg from the previous week but down from last year’s P40.03 per kg. At the retail level, average quotation for well-milled

rice was pegged at P42.47 per kg, slightly higher than last week’s P42.40 per kg.

“The average wholesale price of regular-milled rice reached P34.91 per kg this week and P34.14 per kg in the previous week. Its price level in the same period a year ago was noted at P36.25 per kg,” PSA said.

“The average retail price of regular-milled rice was recorded at P37.39 per kg this week and P36.86 per kg in the previous week. During the same week of the previous year, its price level was posted at P39.38 per kg,” PSA added.

Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

HE share of consolidated general government (GG) debt to the country’s GDP rose to 37.2 percent as of third quarter of 2019 from 36.3 percent in the same period in 2018.

Based from the data of the Department of Finance, the country’s consolidated general government debt stood at P6.79 trillion as of September 2019, 10.4 percent higher than the P6.15 trillion recorded as of the same quarter the previous year.

Howe ver, gener a l gover n ment debt as of end-September 2019 declined by 0.4 percentage point from the debt-to-GDP ratio of 37.6 percent recorded as of end-June.

Consolidated general government debt as of third quarter 2019 was also up by 0.3 percent from the second-quarter level of P6.77 trillion.

General government debt includes the outstanding debt of the national government, Social Security Institutions and local government units minus intrasector debt holding of government securities including those held by Bond Sinking Fund (BSF).

Debt-to-GDP ratio is used to gauge a country’s ability to pay off its debt.

Of the total debt, P4.21 trillion or 62 percent came from domestic borrowings while the remaining P2.58 trillion or 38 percent consist of external loans.

National government debt, net of the BSF, reached P7.32 trillion as of end-September 2019, increasing by 0.2 percent from the second-quarter level of P7.31 trillion.

This is also 9.9 percent higher than P6.66 trillion in the same period in the previous year.

As of third quarter 2019, domestic debt dropped by 1.3 percent to P4.73 trillion from P4.796 trillion as of second quarter.

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www.businessmirror.com.ph

Companies BusinessMirror

Monday, May 4, 2020

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Meralco cuts 2020 network capital expenditure to ₧9.34B

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By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

he Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) has reduced its network capital expenditure (capex) to P9.34 billion this year, from P17.84 billion, as various projects were stalled by the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

“Because of the ECQ, the design, engineering, and construction, and even procurement of our capex project have been delayed that we had to recast our budget from P17.84 billion to P9.34 billion. This is only for the network side,” said Meralco First Vice President and Head of Networks Ronnie Aperocho.

The ECQ limited the deployment of people and transport of materials and equipment. “We expect network

capex to be lower than budget for a number of reasons. It’s hard to get capex program going because of the lockdown.”

Only 27 percent, or P2.54 billion, of the revised network capex was utilized in the first quarter.

This year’s reprogrammed network capex include P2.88 billion for new connections, P2.39 billion for asset renewals, P2.27 billion to address load growth, P58 million for

electrification project, P45 million for “Build, Build, Build” (BBB) and Private-Public Partnership (PPP) and P75 million for immovable and movable nonnetwork assets.

Aperocho said the balance of P8.5 billion would be carried over to next year.

To date, Meralco has installed and replaced over 100,000 meters, replaced more than 800 electric poles and more than 200 substation equipment covering new connections and asset renewals.

Separately, as part of the Meralco Electrification Project, 56 sites were energized this year with a total of over 1,100 meters installed. As work had to be suspended due to the ECQ, a total of only 173 poles in support of the government's BBB projects and 96 poles for Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) road-widening projects have been relocated.

For government projects, Apero-

cho said Meralco has allotted close half a billion for BBB and PPP “because we expect the timely completion of these projects.”

He said the transportation department has already requested Meralco to resume the pole relocation works related to four priority projects: PNR North 1, MRT 7, LRT 1 Cavite extension and the Unified Common Station.

“Design and engineering works for these projects have already resumed. In fact, for MRT line 7 project, we were able to install 40 poles and conducted span cables during ECQ,” said Aperocho.

“We’re currently coordinating with the Department of Transportation for the release of more IDs for our working personnel and contractors, and with the DOE [Department of Energy] to grant us exemption from prearranged power interruption which are necessary for us to relocate our facilities,” he added.

Accor tapping domestic travelers for initial PHL recovery plan

by Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo Special to the BusinessMirror

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CCOR, a leading global hospitality management group, has already drawn up a recovery plan for its properties in the Philippines, remaining confident in the country’s tourism potential post-coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

In an interview via e-mail, Patrick Basset, chief operating officer for Accor, in Upper Southeast and Northeast Asia, and the Maldives told the BusinessMirror, “Indeed we have a recovery plan for the Philippines which will be focused on the domestic market and our [food and beverage] offerings in the first phase of recovery, local regional markets in Asia in the second phase, and long-haul markets in the third phase.”

He added, “We will be looking to promote the benefits of our lifestyle loyalty program ALL—Accor Live Limitless, and offer unique add-ins for guests booking via our ALL platform. We have 62 million loyalty members globally and 19

PBSP allots P300M for test kits, PPE

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he Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), together with The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and the Bayanihan Musikahan campaign allocated $6.03 million (around P300 million) to increase the testing capacity, provide personal protective equipment, and support community-based coronavirus disease (Covid-19) care centers.

“We are looking at our current projects to see how we can shift our work to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic and the effects of quarantine on various sectors,” said PBSP Executive Director Reynaldo Antonio D. Laguda.

PBSP, through its Advancing Client-centered Care and Expanding Sustainable Services for TB (ACCESS TB) Project, secured 160,000 Xpert Xpress cartridges intended for the detection of SARSCoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. Xpert Xpress is one of the most accurate polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based tests and is most likely to yield faster results compared to other available test kits. These tests will run on GeneXpert machines deployed in 16 DOH-supervised TB culture centers and labs and three private labs supported by the ACCESS TB project. These 19 facilities which are certified biosafety lab 2 have passed assessments and are licensed to perform Covid testing.

Basset

million loyalty members in the Asia Pacific region, so this gives us a very strong distribution network to activate new offerings in the various phases of recovery.”

Basset said Accor remains on track with the expansion of its Philippine portfolio from eight hotels with 2,363 rooms to 23 hotels with over 6,300 rooms by the year 2025. (See, “Accor Group expanding network with 15 more hotels in the PHL,” in the BusinessMirror , February 21, 2020.)

“We are confident in the potential of the tourism industry in the Philippines and believe that there

will be further growth once the region recovers from the effects of Covid-19 [corona virus disease].

Our recent signings [with the PTC Holdings Group and the Hann Development Corp.] demonstrate our strong commitment to developing the hospitality offering and advancing the country’s tourism industry,” he said.

Also, he said, “Accor continues to seek out partners in emerging destinations such as Davao, Cebu, Baguio, and several islands in the Visayas to allow travelers to explore the incredible variety of experiences on offer—whether it be the Unescolisted World Heritage sites, vibrant food culture, beautiful islands, volcanoes, waterfalls and more in one of the most underrated tourism spots in Asia.”

Last August, Accor inked a partnership deal with PTC Holdings to develop the first Pullman Living Manila and Novotel Living Manila stand-alone apartments in the world. These will be located in Makati. Accor also signed an agreement with the Hann Development Corp. to bring the former’s Angsana and

Banyan Tree brands to New Clark City in Tarlac.

Accor reported its first quarter revenue dropped by 15.8 percent to €768 million ($835.51 million) from the same period last year. Revenue per available room also fell by 25.4 percent, reflecting the sharp deterioration in the environment due to the pandemic, with Asia-Pacific posting the largest drop at 33.7 percent, followed by Europe (-23.2 percent), and North America (-22.2 percent).

“The first quarter was certainly challenging for our properties in the Philippines and we felt the impact of a rapidly changing environment with additional regional travel restrictions and border closures,” said Basset. However, he could not estimate the actual financial impact on the properties.

He noted though, as a group, “We expect April and May to be the most difficult months of the year, with very low occupancy rates and strong uncertainty about timing and lockdown relaxations.”

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‘Virus has little effect on flagship projects’

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

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LAGSHIP infrastructure projects of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) are expected to move forward—with some projects seen to experience minimal delays—as these, according the agency’s chief, are key to continued economic growth.

Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said the projects, including massive deals such as the Metro Manila Subway, the Mindanao Railway, and the Bulacan Airport, will continue to progress once the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) situation eases, and construction works have been permitted by the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

“Flagship projects, which are included in the IATF’s list, will be continued following the mandate of economic managers that these are key to the continued growth of the economy. What’s important is we fol-

low the safety and health protocols of the IATF,” he said.

Railway projects, according to Philippine National Railways (PNR) General Manager Junn B. Magno, are expected to experience minimal delays. He, however, noted that there is already a catch-up plan to mitigate the effects of Covid-19 and the lockdowns.

“We are ramping up our workforce. We will follow and apply the same health and safety guidelines to our sub contractors, and we already have catch-up measures to reduce delays. The delays don’t look too big.

We can still catch up with project delivery,” he said.

For instance, Tugade said his group is evaluating methods on how to accelerate the repair works for the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3, which should be delivered by 2021.

“Our priority is mitigation. We will go all out in deploying new rails and we are on time. We will do a catchup plan so that whatever delays

caused will be recovered,” he said.

Likewise, with the lifting of the enhanced community quarantine in Davao del Norte, engineers for the Mindanao Railway are now being readied to work on the structural survey for the said project.

For the privately-funded airport deals, Tugade said his group is just waiting for the Covid-19 situation to improve, but he assured that these will be prioritized by that time. He mentioned two deals that are in the pipeline, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Rehabilitation Project and the Bulacan Airport Project.

“For Naia, the checking and counterchecking [of their proposal] is ongoing. For Bulacan, we are just waiting for the groundbreaking.

We can continue with that following the safety and health mandates by the IATF. We should understand that there are roadblocks today because of Covid-19. We will cotninue with it once situation is better,” Tugade said.

5 firms recognized as ‘best workplaces’ F ive companies representing various industries, such as business-process outsourcing and logistics, were named best workplaces by Great Place to Work Philippines.

The winners were Synchrony Global Services Philippines, DHL Express, Canva Manila, Icon Hilton and Ingram Micro.

Michael Zolin, CEO of Synchrony Global Services Philippines, commended the employees for developing a caring culture that made them a valued partner in the company’s operations.

“It has just felt that caring and open and wonderful ever since I got here, and I realized I walked into something very special, and that has been the main focus of my nine years here: Keeping that caring culture, grow it, and enhance it,” Zolin said in a statement.

Global logistics leader DHL Express was cited for its commitment to deliver its employee promise of having a “culture of motivated people,” and mastering the art of inspiring its work force, making it natural for all to have the customers at the heart of everything they do.

Web-based graphic design firm Canva Manila made it to the top 3 for its team members’ firm belief and practice of the core value of “Empowering Others,” achieved through good communication, mentoring and knowledge sharing—essential ingredients in a workplace culture where everyone thinks and acts like an owner.

Fourth placer Icon Hilton was cited primarily because of the “Hilton Effect”—a strong, positive impact on team members of the family-type atmosphere in the workplace.

Major wholesale technology and supply chain distributor Ingram Micro (IM), represented in the country

by Ingram Micro Manila Global Business Services Center, was the fifth awardee. It was awarded for its overarching theme, “IM Engaged Human Capital Strategy.”

Antoniette Mendoza-Talosig, managing partner of Great Place to Work Philippines, said the awards is a key milestone for the company and for the companies who for many years have waited and worked hard to achieve this gold standard of recognition.

“We are also proud of the Philippine Great Place to Work-Certified companies who have embarked in their own journey of culture-building. The leaders and employees of these companies are our nation’s trailblazers in building great places to work for all,” she said in a statement.

Employee surveys, culture audit assessments, analysis, reporting and deliberations among participating companies were the tools used in selecting the winners.

The Philippines Best Workplaces 2020 is Great Place to Work Philippines’s inaugural awards, and has been livestreamed on May 1 with the event theme “Tiwala’t Tagumpay: High-Trust Culture Drives Business Success.”

For the past three decades, Talosig said Great Place to Work has published hundreds of best workplaces lists all over the world.

“From conference rooms to grand hotel ballrooms, year on year, we have celebrated with thousands of business leaders and their employees who have created great workplaces,” she said in her livestreamed message.

"We celebrate our inaugural Philippines Best Workplaces 2020 list in an unprecedented way. We are virtually joined by business leaders and employees who are at the confines of their homes," she added. Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

Solon bats for ‘sound’ e-commerce policies

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

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he House Committee on Trade and Industry has called for “sound” policies for e-commerce as more people are turning to online shops and sellers to buy goods as part of their "new normal" due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

Valenzuela Rep. Weslie T. Gatchalian, the panel chairman, made the statement after research done by the House Committee on Trade and Industry found that it may take a year for consumers to return back to their normal habits.

“Even with the eventual lifting of the ECQ [enhanced community quarantine] on May 15 and the subsequent downgrading to GCQ [general community quarantine] of some areas, consumers will not risk or will be hesitant to spend hours inside malls, brave the traffic, dine in restaurants or walk leisurely around commercial establishments and travel,” said Gatchalian.

“Consumers will still find comfort in continuing to utilize online transactions despite resumption of work, businesses, regular patterns of communal affairs and economic activities,” he said.

The lawmaker noted that prior to the ECQ, the Department of Trade and Industry had already been promoting e-commerce.

With this, the lawmaker said the government should intensify initiatives to encourage and help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) start or expand their online businesses.

“We must also craft sound policy regulations that we need to put in place,” he said.

“We need to establish sound policy regulations for e-commerce considering the growing demand for the industry, for both the sellers’ and consumers’ protection, the trend for the new normal likewise promotes online transactions and shopping services” Gatchalian added.

Malaysian financial giant Maybank recently said in its April 20 report titled “Consumer Behavior During a Pandemic,” that the lockdown has increased online consumer activity. It also said that newfound habit of ordering food online was expected to spread to a wider array of goods and services offered on the internet.

Moreover, Gatchalian said e-commerce is now growing in popularity because of the restrictions on mobility imposed by the Luzonwide ECQ due to Covid-19.

“As we find ourselves faced with a global pandemic that has severely affected many businesses around the world, we see the need to further accelerate the government’s efforts to encourage MSMEs to engage in ecommerce,” he said.

However, he asked the government to ensure that consumer rights are fully protected, while sellers and online platforms take full responsibility for unlawful transactions.

The legislator cautions the public about abusive and unscrupulous online sellers.

Gatchalian, citing the latest data from the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG), said in Metro Manila alone, close to 650 arrests have been made during the ECQ, on cases of overpricing, hoarding, ghost sellers, substandard items and the like, and this number is increasing. Similar arrests were likewise made in other CIDG-Regional Field Units like Mindanao.

“Covid-19 has forever changed retailing: going online is now the new normal. In fact, even brick-and-mortar stores have resorted to selling their products online,” he added.

Meanwhile, Gatchalian said he will push for the passage of House Bill 6122 which seeks to create a legal framework for this emerging market.

According to the lawmaker, e-commerce is “here to stay” and calls on all stakeholders— MSMEs, consumers, online platforms—to participate and give their inputs as the committee will soon hear the measure.

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Companies BusinessMirror

Monday, May 4, 2020

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

April 30, 2020

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

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

45.65 100 58.5 19.74 7.84 39.05 8.54 16.4 23.65 43.95 105.1 16.6 103.4 53.8 15.5 2.73 0.94 0.34 511 0.57 165.5

48.7 101 58.95 19.8 7.85 39.1 8.79 17.9 23.8 44 116 17.1 104.4 53.9 15.88 2.8 0.95 0.35 639 0.64 168.9

48.7 100.1 59 19.82 7.63 38.15 8.5 16.7 23.5 42.5 98 17 105.9 54.6 15.42 2.74 0.95 0.345 639 0.64 165

48.7 101 59.15 19.82 7.85 39.1 8.5 16.7 24 43.9 116.4 17.1 105.9 54.7 15.5 2.74 0.95 0.36 639 0.64 168.9

48.7 98.6 58.5 19.72 7.63 37.65 8.5 16.7 23.5 42.5 98 16.5 103.1 53.6 15.42 2.73 0.95 0.33 639 0.64 165

48.7 101 58.5 19.74 7.85 39.05 8.5 16.7 23.8 43.9 105.1 16.6 103.4 53.9 15.5 2.73 0.95 0.34 639 0.64 168.9

2000 2716910 2638530 87500 130300 7605700 10700 200 152900 14400 630 45200 306480 1900 3300 32000 4000 2030000 10 20000 1230

97400 271723034.5 155180668.5 1730350 1012808 291702180 90950 3340 3641100 621890 68596 758198 31830289 102510.5 51070 87480 3800 705100 6390 12800 207225

INDUSTRIAL

AC ENERGY ALSONS CONS ABOITIZ POWER BASIC ENERGY FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG MERALCO MANILA WATER PETRON PETROENERGY PHX PETROLEUM PILIPINAS SHELL SPC POWER AGRINURTURE AXELUM BOGO MEDELLIN CNTRL AZUCARERA CENTURY FOOD DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EMPERADOR SMC FOODANDBEV ALLIANCE SELECT FRUITAS HLDG GINEBRA JOLLIBEE MACAY HLDG MAXS GROUP PEPSI COLA SHAKEYS PIZZA ROXAS AND CO RFM CORP ROXAS HLDG SWIFT FOODS UNIV ROBINA VITARICH CONCRETE A CONCRETE B CEMEX HLDG EAGLE CEMENT EEI CORP HOLCIM MEGAWIDE PHINMA TKC METALS VULCAN INDL CHEMPHIL CROWN ASIA EUROMED MABUHAY VINYL CONCEPCION GREENERGY INTEGRATED MICR IONICS PANASONIC SFA SEMICON CIRTEK HLDG

2.29 0.93 27.4 0.171 18.82 57.35 254.4 10.64 3.18 2.38 11.5 18.46 7.89 8.38 2.96 74 13 14.3 3.63 5.29 7.9 58.95 0.55 1.43 32 143.1 6.5 6.6 1.9 6.74 1.67 4.35 1.38 0.116 125.8 0.85 58.85 60 1.11 8.17 5.37 11.22 6.55 8.52 0.83 0.72 162.1 1.74 2.79 3.53 23.75 1.29 5.91 1.17 3.87 1.22 9

2.3 0.98 27.6 0.179 19 57.7 258 10.68 3.19 2.45 11.58 18.5 7.98 8.43 2.97 86 13.46 14.32 3.72 5.5 7.91 59 0.56 1.44 32.35 143.2 6.65 6.61 1.91 6.78 1.68 4.49 1.45 0.118 125.9 0.86 60 65.3 1.12 8.21 5.38 11.5 6.6 8.88 0.85 0.73 180 1.79 2.8 3.66 24 1.3 5.92 1.19 4.93 1.23 9.03

2.32 0.93 27.4 0.18 18.54 57.15 264.2 10.9 3.2 2.44 11.16 18.4 7.88 8.24 3.02 87 11 14.5 3.74 5.56 7.9 59.05 0.55 1.47 32.4 148 6.15 6.75 1.91 6.96 1.64 4.4 1.42 0.118 122.2 0.86 60 62.95 1.13 8.16 5.44 11.2 6.64 8.5 0.86 0.74 180 1.75 2.86 3.6 26.5 1.34 5.85 1.2 4.3 1.26 8.9

2.33 0.93 27.85 0.18 19 58 266 11.04 3.22 2.47 11.8 18.68 7.98 8.6 3.06 87 13.48 14.56 3.74 5.56 7.94 61 0.56 1.49 32.4 149 6.65 6.9 1.91 6.99 1.69 4.49 1.42 0.118 126 0.86 60 68.65 1.14 8.22 5.44 11.5 6.71 8.88 0.88 0.74 180 1.75 2.9 3.6 26.5 1.34 5.92 1.2 4.3 1.29 9.15

2.26 0.92 27.2 0.171 18.44 57.15 254.4 10.64 3.15 2.38 11.14 18.32 7.88 8.21 2.93 87 11 14.3 3.61 5.29 7.86 58.95 0.54 1.43 31.05 143 6.15 6.4 1.9 6.71 1.61 4.35 1.42 0.109 122.2 0.83 55 62.95 1.11 8.05 5.3 11.2 6.5 8.5 0.85 0.71 180 1.74 2.75 3.6 24 1.28 5.78 1.17 3.81 1.2 8.5

2.3 0.92 27.4 0.179 19 57.35 254.4 10.64 3.19 2.45 11.58 18.5 7.98 8.43 2.96 87 13 14.3 3.74 5.29 7.9 59 0.56 1.44 32.35 143.1 6.5 6.61 1.91 6.78 1.68 4.49 1.42 0.118 125.9 0.86 60 68.65 1.11 8.17 5.37 11.5 6.55 8.88 0.85 0.73 180 1.74 2.79 3.6 24 1.3 5.91 1.19 4.3 1.22 9

3975000 7000 1605400 50000 740300 2610 344280 5678500 1492000 27000 273700 781500 36600 399300 1706000 40 3300 303300 11000 2187200 1029700 190540 239000 11703000 3400 1930300 9400 1791800 128000 1059900 1377000 14000 17000 790000 1907400 8018000 310 190 7190000 425800 1097900 578300 2090800 6300 241000 653000 270 97000 1312000 13000 15100 2872000 164700 8153000 8000 1954000 3424900

97400 -66787594 -77297244.5 -245344 -166215 -17403940 -1875255 48215 -126120 -15145613 -74404.5 -

9115840 6450 44168515 8720 13,945,306( 149994.5 89554478 60886890 4753920 64730 3132340 14,464,076( 290241 3359895 5070540 3480 41894 4348414 40670 11,754,598( 8134725 11261932.5 131610 16939190 107835 278959709 60910 11983088 244220 7287932 2294750 61490 24140 91180 238123566 6850010 18450 12017.5 8071170 3469706 5899528 6572410 13793373 54774 205230 473030 48600 169690 3675740 46800 364005 3742750 964713 9699600 32930 2410240 30548473

123450 -2326865 1,245,090.0004) -54428.5 -44672460 -49651592 1959210 4,781,031.9999) 188720 -206700 3435692 -3610 9,611,040.9996) -7900000 1284300 -86400 9600 -54518287 -8610 -442180 17170 2561828 57000 -51167917 91790 3777 -448740 -1435219 -361265 -2141880 -2793479 161950 -358955 92540 -12260 167592.9999

HOLDING & FRIMS ABACORE CAPITAL 0.58 0.59 0.59 0.6 0.58 0.58 3232000 1892060 ASIABEST GROUP 7.7 7.8 7.8 7.98 7.63 7.7 26200 205503 AYALA CORP 582 582.5 582.5 586.5 580.5 582 342060 199386850 ABOITIZ EQUITY 41.5 41.95 41.5 43 41.5 41.5 1125100 47124850 ALLIANCE GLOBAL 6.4 6.46 6.36 6.5 6.28 6.46 5550300 35416203 AYALA LAND LOG 1.96 1.97 1.81 1.96 1.81 1.96 3448000 6542330 ANSCOR 5.97 6.1 6.09 6.1 5.97 6.1 2100 12730 0.53 0.55 0.54 0.54 0.54 0.54 1000 540 ANGLO PHIL HLDG ATN HLDG A 0.56 0.57 0.54 0.59 0.53 0.57 9738000 5486380 ATN HLDG B 0.56 0.6 0.55 0.61 0.55 0.56 116000 65530 COSCO CAPITAL 4.98 5.08 5 5.15 4.98 4.98 1742000 8770050 4.12 4.14 4.18 4.2 4.12 4.12 10548000 43669580 DMCI HLDG 8.59 8.6 8.6 8.6 8.26 8.6 10800 92512 FILINVEST DEV 453 453.8 464 469 447 453 173940 78917472 GT CAPITAL JG SUMMIT 50.85 50.9 51 51.8 50.8 50.9 3001690 153329129.5 JOLLIVILLE HLDG 4.51 6.24 6.24 6.24 6.24 6.24 1000 6240 LODESTAR 0.48 0.485 0.49 0.495 0.48 0.48 40000 19500 LOPEZ HLDG 2.61 2.62 2.67 2.68 2.62 2.62 4070000 10735930 LT GROUP 7.73 7.75 7.81 7.89 7.72 7.75 1309600 10149537 MABUHAY HLDG 0.49 0.54 0.475 0.54 0.475 0.54 220000 110250 METRO PAC INV 2.57 2.58 2.56 2.61 2.56 2.57 46462000 119755470 0.82 0.83 0.8 0.83 0.8 0.82 110000 88970 PRIME MEDIA SOLID GROUP 0.99 1.03 1.01 1.03 1 1.01 15000 15050 SYNERGY GRID 170 174.5 160.1 170 160 170 510 84460 845 845.5 843 846 834.5 845 242720 204843605 SM INVESTMENTS 97 97.5 97.9 97.9 97 97 305520 29715196.5 SAN MIGUEL CORP 0.63 0.65 0.63 0.65 0.63 0.65 26000 16560 SOC RESOURCES TOP FRONTIER 141 142 142 142 142 142 800 113600 WELLEX INDUS 0.176 0.188 0.189 0.189 0.188 0.188 60000 11290 ZEUS HLDG 0.159 0.162 0.145 0.163 0.14 0.162 9990000 1607180

-434660.0001 54600 -44059190 -8822800 -3018251 -61050 -923240 -17823780 10318 -41991488 -91371996.5 -5728370 2160445 -10200 -20393080 -5100 35196045 -19198838 -

PROPERTY ARTHALAND CORP 0.56 0.57 0.56 0.57 0.55 0.57 953000 529940 AYALA LAND 31.95 32 31.8 32.2 31.3 31.95 18012900 574228090 ARANETA PROP 1.05 1.07 1.04 1.05 1.04 1.05 268000 280820 BELLE CORP 1.37 1.44 1.35 1.44 1.35 1.37 194000 263940 A BROWN 0.57 0.58 0.58 0.59 0.56 0.58 1622000 916650 CITYLAND DEVT 0.74 0.77 0.73 0.77 0.73 0.77 3000 2270 CROWN EQUITIES 0.13 0.133 0.133 0.133 0.12 0.133 470000 58590 5.9 5.98 5.9 5.9 5.9 5.9 2000 11800 CEBU HLDG CEB LANDMASTERS 4.06 4.08 3.98 4.06 3.98 4.06 3216000 12929760 0.36 0.365 0.355 0.365 0.355 0.365 2240000 804550 CENTURY PROP 0.29 0.31 0.295 0.295 0.29 0.29 1460000 423450 CYBER BAY DOUBLEDRAGON 16.14 16.16 16.18 16.2 16.04 16.16 260100 4202432 6.9 6.98 6.96 6.99 6.9 6.9 127700 886179 DM WENCESLAO 0.95 0.96 0.96 0.97 0.94 0.95 7155000 6836350 FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE 0.82 0.85 0.8 0.85 0.8 0.82 62000 50720 8990 HLDG 10.9 11.06 10.7 10.9 10.68 10.9 7700 82884 PHIL INFRADEV 0.86 0.87 0.84 0.87 0.84 0.87 462000 395290 CITY AND LAND 0.69 0.73 0.74 0.74 0.74 0.74 2000 1480 MEGAWORLD 2.58 2.59 2.63 2.66 2.58 2.58 20779000 54234960 MRC ALLIED 0.167 0.168 0.166 0.169 0.164 0.168 5910000 979400 PHIL ESTATES 0.31 0.325 0.325 0.325 0.3 0.31 230000 69800 1.49 1.51 1.51 1.51 1.49 1.51 9000 13510 PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND 15.04 15.1 15.5 15.82 15.02 15.04 4544900 68665726 1.51 1.52 1.5 1.54 1.5 1.52 109000 165080 ROCKWELL SHANG PROP 2.7 2.71 2.73 2.74 2.7 2.71 169000 457000 1.86 1.94 1.9 1.97 1.85 1.94 152000 292600 STA LUCIA LAND SM PRIME HLDG 30.7 31 31 31.05 30.05 31 13148900 404748825 4.02 4.04 3.95 4.1 3.95 4.04 124000 501350 VISTAMALLS SUNTRUST HOME 1.28 1.29 1.27 1.3 1.26 1.28 3756000 4810080 VISTA LAND 4.31 4.39 4.13 4.41 4.08 4.31 4178000 17951150

139522700 63000 -172820 -2957530 -7200 -1304868 -147597 717760 1072 -10440 -1915350 -16600 -26714356 -129510 -7529790 1851460

SERVICES ABS CBN 17.96 18 17.1 18.2 17.1 18 1087400 19273438 GMA NETWORK 4.83 4.87 4.8 4.89 4.78 4.87 240000 1153260 MLA BRDCASTING 8.12 10.22 10.22 10.22 10.22 10.22 2000 20440 GLOBE TELECOM 2196 2222 2250 2256 2196 2196 64440 142429590 PLDT 1288 1299 1269 1305 1263 1299 362915 467545715 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.041 0.043 0.043 0.044 0.041 0.043 31200000 1308500 DITO CME HLDG 2.2 2.21 2.24 2.27 2.18 2.2 44179000 98054670 0.081 0.083 0.083 0.083 0.083 0.083 70000 5810 ISLAND INFO NOW CORP 1.91 1.92 1.9 1.98 1.88 1.92 7696000 14850670 0.197 0.199 0.192 0.2 0.185 0.199 4030000 788010 TRANSPACIFIC BR 2.36 2.38 2.38 2.44 2.35 2.36 1937000 4604210 PHILWEB 10.56 10.66 10.7 12.2 10.5 10.6 1850500 20993480 2GO GROUP 3.34 3.35 3.35 3.35 3.3 3.34 549000 1830530 CHELSEA 48.3 48.35 50 50.05 47.35 48.35 406500 19754825 CEBU AIR INTL CONTAINER 89.55 89.6 88 92.8 87.55 89.6 3754000 336732318.5 LBC EXPRESS 13.5 13.7 13.7 13.7 13.6 13.6 4900 66780 MACROASIA 5.05 5.06 5.3 5.38 5.01 5.05 17353800 90050593 METROALLIANCE A 2.72 2.76 2.75 2.87 2.6 2.76 7268000 19862860 METROALLIANCE B 2.55 2.75 2.75 2.75 2.75 2.75 38000 104500 PAL HLDG 7.2 7.25 7.3 7.3 7.25 7.25 6100 44367 HARBOR STAR 0.89 0.9 0.89 0.91 0.88 0.89 364000 325160 1.13 1.19 1.13 1.13 1.13 1.13 1000 1130 ACESITE HOTEL BOULEVARD HLDG 0.027 0.029 0.029 0.029 0.028 0.029 12500000 354700 DISCOVERY WORLD 1.52 1.77 1.55 1.55 1.54 1.54 17000 26260 WATERFRONT 0.4 0.415 0.4 0.415 0.4 0.415 340000 137550 CENTRO ESCOLAR 6.13 6.48 6.25 6.26 6.25 6.26 2000 12510 7.03 8.38 7.8 8.39 7.8 8.39 62300 486117 IPEOPLE STI HLDG 0.345 0.35 0.345 0.35 0.34 0.345 5710000 1975500 BERJAYA 2.32 2.38 2.41 2.42 2.32 2.32 365000 851910 BLOOMBERRY 5.51 5.6 5.6 5.65 5.36 5.6 5239800 28717231 PACIFIC ONLINE 1.73 1.74 1.74 1.75 1.7 1.73 60000 103890 LEISURE AND RES 1.49 1.54 1.44 1.55 1.44 1.54 434000 651010 PH RESORTS GRP 2.81 2.89 2.94 2.94 2.81 2.91 7000 20130 PREMIUM LEISURE 0.31 0.315 0.31 0.32 0.31 0.315 4460000 1396950 ALLHOME 6.18 6.2 5.8 6.35 5.8 6.18 6339700 39515995 1.88 1.89 1.95 1.95 1.88 1.89 2612000 4961790 METRO RETAIL 46.25 46.3 46.85 46.85 45.8 46.3 4469100 206763050 PUREGOLD 67 67.05 65.55 69.5 65.55 67 709490 47573889 ROBINSONS RTL 123.5 127.9 125 125 123 123.5 53640 6626576 PHIL SEVEN CORP 1.34 1.35 1.36 1.39 1.33 1.35 15019000 20371120 SSI GROUP 14.58 14.7 14 14.7 14 14.7 2334700 33643662 WILCON DEPOT 0.315 0.32 0.31 0.34 0.31 0.32 2890000 937250 APC GROUP EASYCALL 7.9 8 8.13 8.64 7.8 7.91 302900 2472348 GOLDEN BRIA 312.4 338.2 339.8 339.8 312.4 312.4 320 106992 IPM HLDG 4.21 5 4.5 5 4.5 5 2200 10750 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.25 0.255 0.255 0.26 0.25 0.255 7490000 1920550 SBS PHIL CORP 5.5 5.83 5.14 5.14 5.14 5.14 100 514

-27729910 26574705 853410 -243220 -750 193250 -8430 -167000 -8261965 24333427.5 -16568410 900 6250 -98999.9999 93557 -5340 -10500 -1950186 -356010 -130943975 220840 -552317 -374780 6904960 -18744 -

MINING & OIL ATOK 10.1 10.3 10.9 10.9 10.3 10.88 1500 16040 APEX MINING 0.94 0.96 0.95 0.96 0.94 0.95 726000 689950 ABRA MINING 0.001 0.0011 0.0011 0.0011 0.001 0.001 21000000 22100 ATLAS MINING 1.85 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.9 2000 3800 BENGUET A 1.02 1.09 1.02 1.02 1.02 1.02 40000 40800 COAL ASIA HLDG 0.197 0.204 0.193 0.204 0.193 0.204 160000 31100 2.7 2.74 2.73 2.74 2.73 2.73 200000 546900 CENTURY PEAK DIZON MINES 6.71 6.88 6.72 7 6.72 6.87 1700 11620 FERRONICKEL 0.89 0.9 0.9 0.91 0.87 0.9 3210000 2865480 GEOGRACE 0.203 0.207 0.2 0.207 0.2 0.203 440000 89990 47150 0.081 0.082 0.082 0.083 0.081 0.081 9620000 781230 LEPANTO A LEPANTO B 0.083 0.09 0.085 0.09 0.083 0.084 6280000 529130 9400 0.57 0.59 0.58 0.59 0.56 0.59 62000 35910 MARCVENTURES NIHAO 0.91 0.96 0.96 0.96 0.91 0.91 154000 144460 NICKEL ASIA 1.7 1.73 1.72 1.74 1.67 1.7 8291000 14165400 -3193420 OMICO CORP 0.395 0.44 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 20000 8000 ORNTL PENINSULA 0.495 0.5 0.495 0.5 0.495 0.5 20000 9950 PX MINING 2.29 2.32 2.31 2.31 2.29 2.29 454000 1044310 -207030 SEMIRARA MINING 12.08 12.1 12.18 12.18 12.08 12.1 1365700 16570168 4534228 UNITED PARAGON 0.0042 0.0044 0.0042 0.0042 0.0041 0.0041 4000000 16500 6.79 6.94 6.95 6.99 6.79 6.94 25500 175381 ACE ENEXOR ORNTL PETROL A 0.0084 0.0086 0.0085 0.0085 0.0085 0.0085 8000000 68000 PHILODRILL 0.0083 0.0085 0.0084 0.0084 0.0084 0.0084 1000000 8400 PXP ENERGY 4.34 4.35 4.32 4.48 4.32 4.35 884000 3885800 -498280

PREFFERED AC PREF B1 496 500 500 500 500 500 30 15000 ALCO PREF B 99.1 101 100 100 99 99 7520 750530 AC PREF B2R 490 504 504 504 504 504 100 50400 CPG PREF A 99 99.5 99.5 99.5 99.5 99.5 1250 124375 DD PREF 99 100 99 99.95 99 99.95 510 50965 FPH PREF C 490 504 495 495 495 495 500 247500 970.5 980 981 981 970.5 970.5 26900 26383650 GTCAP PREF B MWIDE PREF 100 100.1 100 100.1 99.8 99.8 2940 293996 PNX PREF 3A 98.9 99.4 99.5 99.5 99.4 99.4 4890 486225 PNX PREF 3B 103.4 104.5 101 103.4 100.1 103.4 5000 501434 PNX PREF 4 997 1000 999 1000 998 998 1040 1038900 PCOR PREF 3A 1005 1012 1012 1012 1012 1012 110 111320 PCOR PREF 3B 1022 1039 1020 1020 1020 1020 100 102000 SMC PREF 2D 74.4 74.9 74.9 74.9 74.9 74.9 600000 44940000 SMC PREF 2E 75 75.1 75 75.1 75 75.1 2570 192907 75000 SMC PREF 2F 75.25 75.5 75.5 75.5 75.5 75.5 77380 5842190 SMC PREF 2G 75.2 75.3 75.3 75.35 75.25 75.25 17400 1310001 SMC PREF 2H 75 75.15 75.1 75.15 75.1 75.15 5000 375625 SMC PREF 2I 74.7 75 75 75 75 75 4900 367500 15000

PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR 15.7 16.36 15.58 16.5 15.58 15.7 1060800 16832122 -13580600 GMA HLDG PDR 4.64 4.89 4.83 4.83 4.83 4.83 13000 62790

WARRANTS LR WARRANT 0.78 0.79 0.78 0.82 0.78 0.8 99000 79900

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES ITALPINAS 2.15 2.16 2.29 2.32 2.11 2.15 9703000 21132500 657280 KEPWEALTH 7.79 7.8 7.7 7.87 7.51 7.79 231200 1787747 76750 XURPAS 0.62 0.63 0.64 0.64 0.61 0.63 674000 418550

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS

FIRST METRO ETF 86.6 87.2 86.25 88 86.25 86.6 17630 1534671.5 18220

www.businessmirror.com.ph

SEC okays new rule easing registration of domestic firms

T

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

he Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has relaxed the requirements for the registration of domestic corporations by accepting articles of incorporation authenticated by incorporators to make it easier to set up a local company.

“By easing the requirements for company registration, we hope to further encourage the formation of businesses and attract more investments that will subsequently generate more employment opportunities and support our econ-

omy’s overall growth,” said SEC Chairman Emilio B. Aquino said.

The SEC approved the Guidelines on Authentication of Article of Incorporation in Applications for Registration of New Domestic Corporations under SEC Memo-

randum Circular No. 16, Series of 2020 during its meeting last week.

Under the guidelines, the SEC will accept for registration articles of incorporation that are accompanied by a certificate of authentication signed by all incorporators in the prescribed form.

Both the articles of incorporation and the certificate of authentication will no longer have to be notarized or consularized, but the incorporators may also do so.

If executed outside the Philippines, the articles of incorporation may be apostilled or notarized or authenticated by a Philippine diplomatic or consular officer.

In the case of a domestic corporation with more than 40 percent foreign equity, the application for registration of investments of

non-Philippine nationals using SEC Form F-100 must be apostilled or notarized or authenticated by a Philippine diplomatic or consular officer only if the same is executed outside the country.

The registration of a corporation, which has procured its certificate of registration through fraud or misrepresentation, shall be revoked.

Those responsible for the fraud or misrepresentation may be fined ranging from P200,000 to P2 million. When the violation is injurious or detrimental to the public, the penalty shall be a fine ranging from P400,000 to P5 million.

Liability for such offenses shall be separate from any other administrative, civil or criminal liability provided under the Revised Corporation Code and other laws.

Accor tapping domestic travelers for initial PHL recovery plan Continued from B1

But based on future travel trends, he said, “We are confident that domestic travelers will be the first market to bounce back so our focus will be on reaching the local market for staycations or domestic trips to resort destinations such as Cebu and Boracay. We then anticipate demand from local regional markets in the Asean region to pick up once international travel

restrictions are eased.”

In the Sentiment Survey of Horwath HTL-Tajara Hospitality published in April, Philippine hotels projected occupancy over 40 percent by the second half of 2020, with the domestic market responsible for their recovery. (See, “PHL hotels seen cutting room rates, to rely on locals to revive industry,” in the BusinessMirror , April 22, 2020.)

“As one of the largest international hotel operators in the world, Accor can use its global network to

STOCK-MARKET OUTLOOK Last week

Share prices recovered last week with the prospects of the lifting of the enhanced community quarantine later in the month, which provided hopes for investors for the return of economic activity even under a “new normal.”

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) gained 235.73 points to close at 5,700.71 points.

“The market lauded IATF’s move to transition select provincial areas from ECQ to general community quarantine [GCQ], as its first step to get the Philippine economy restarted,” said online broker 2TradeAsia, referring to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

The market was mostly up during the four-day trading week, which was shortened by the May 1 Labor Day public holiday on Friday.

Average daily trading for the week was at P4.57 billion, lower than the year-to-date average, while foreign investors were still net sellers at P2.67 billion.

Most of the subindices ended on the green, with the exception of the Financials index, which dropped a measly 0.02 points to close at 1,188.67 points. The broader All Shares index was up 95.10 to 3,445.83, the Industrial index gained 265.45 to 7,474.93, the Holding Firms index added 182.51 to 5,544.29, the Property index surged 206.46 to 2,921.92, the Services index increased 73.25 to 1,373.82 and the Mining and Oil index rose 116.12 to 4,708.57.

For the week, gainers led losers 129 to 87 and 23 shares were unchanged.

Top gainers were Chemical Industries of the Philippines Inc., Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc., Concrete Aggregates Corp. A shares, Bogo-Medellin Milling Co. Inc. and SFA Semicon Philippines Corp.

Top losers were Da Vinci Capital Holdings Inc., Lepanto Consolidated Mining Co. B, SOCResources Inc., Philippine Trust Co., Abra Mining and Industrial Corp., and Ever-Gotesco Resources and Holdings Inc.

This week

Share prices may continue its upswing this week as more companies reveal their first quarter financial performance as investors were cautioned to see negative figures.

“Expect ‘ugly,’ but look forward to recovery measures down the road,” 2TradeAsia said, referring to a slew of data to be announced this week.

“For listed companies, cash flow enforcement seems to be the tall order for now, and ensuring working capital is in place to survive the months ahead,” it said.

This week many big firms will report their financial performance, including Cebu Air Inc., Metro Pacific Investments Corp., PLDT Inc., International Container Terminal Services Inc. and other banks. Inflation data for April will be announced on Tuesday along with the manufacturing output data, while the country's first quarter GDP figures will also be revealed later in the week.

“Currently, the PSEi is standing at its 5,700 resistance level. The goal now is to sustain ground above the said level in order to have a new trading band of 5,700 to 6,100 and to have a better chance of beating its recent peak of 5,946.05, recorded last April 15, 2020.

Doing so next week would be challenging given that investor sentiment is still weighed by recession worries here and abroad due to the pandemic,” said Japhet Louis O. Tantiangco, senior research analyst at Philstocks Financials Inc.

Stock picks

Broker Regina Capital Development Corp. advised investors to trade the range on the stock of ICTSI as it is close to its support of P74.84 per share.

“Technicals are mostly on the sell-side. ICTSI will unlikely maintain its downward trend for very long,” the broker said.

ICTSI shares closed Thursday at P89.60 apiece.

Meanwhile, it advised to buy the stock of Universal Robina Corp., the food group of the Gokongwei family, when prices went down.

“URC appears to be on its way down and is set to test its support of P117. After previously breaking down past P128.80, URC is now trading in between its P117 and P125 range.

Technicals appear to be supportive of a further downtrend,” it said.

URC shares closed last week at P125.90 apiece. VG Cabuag

help put a spotlight on the Philippines and promote the destinations here,” said Basset. “According to the latest numbers from the Department of Tourism [DOT], South Korea, China, United States, Japan, and Taiwan make up the country’s top 5 visitor source markets. Accor’s global presence and long-term visibility in these markets offer the advantage of trustworthiness and reputation for travelers as well as stakeholders.”

Last year, the Philippines wel-

mutual funds

comed some 8.26 million foreign guests, up 15.36 percent from 2018.

The DOT has targeted foreign arrivals to reach 9.2 million this year, which will likely be unmet due to global travel restrictions in the wake of Covid-19. It estimated foreign arrivals from January to March at 1.32 million, down 40.2 percent from the 2.2 million in the same period in 2019.

Accor has 5,000 hotels and residences across 110 destinations.

April 30, 2020

NAV One Year Three Year Five Year Y-T-D per share Return* Return Stock Funds ALFM Growth Fund, Inc. -a 185.99 -29.39% -11.55% -8.02% -26.16% ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 0.9611 -40.19% -13.83% -8.77% -30.46% ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 2.5021 -39.31% -16.14% -10.63% -31.97% Climbs Share Capital Equity Investment Fund Corp. -a 0.6445 -31.14% n.a. n.a.

-28.16% First Metro Consumer Fund on MSCI Phils. IMI, Inc. -a 0.6613 -23.87% n.a. n.a.

-22.14% First Metro Save and Learn Equity Fund,Inc. -a 4.0537 -26.23% -8.75% -7.09% -23.92% First Metro Save and Learn Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a,4 0.6299 -28.13% -12.79% n.a.

-26.21% MBG Equity Investment Fund, Inc. -a 74.44 -41.42% n.a. n.a.

-27.96% PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. -a 37.2562 -28.47% -10.08% n.a.

-27.35% Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 399.93 -26.48% -9.46% -7.05% -24.94% Philequity Alpha One Fund, Inc. -a,d,5 0.8438 n.a. n.a. n.a. -18.09% Philequity Dividend Yield Fund, Inc. -a 0.955 -27.19% -9.4% -6.22% -25.79% Philequity Fund, Inc. -a 27.9583 -27.73% -8.82% -6.17% -26.23% Philequity MSCI Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.7392 -29.03% n.a. n.a.

-27.39% -6.02% Philequity PSE Index Fund Inc. -a 3.7938 -28.08% -9.57% -27.37% Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a

634.2 -27.97% -9.55% -6.21% -27.28% Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 0.5778 -38.25% -13.54% -10.23% -32.14% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Equity Fund, Inc. -a 2.972 -31.3% -10.41% -7.21% -29.39% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Stock Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.728 -28.09% -9.7% n.a.

-27.26% United Fund, Inc. -a 2.6991 -27.76% -7.46% -5.11% -26.12% Exchange Traded Fund First Metro Phil. Equity Exchange Traded Fund, Inc. -a,c 85.0373 -27.81% -9.07% -5.39% -27.29% ATRAM AsiaPlus Equity Fund, Inc. -b $0.8916 -13.64% -1.89% -4.04% -13.3% Sun Life Prosperity World Voyager Fund, Inc. -a $1.2324 -5.11% -10.61% 3.19% n.a.

Balanced Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ATRAM Dynamic Allocation Fund, Inc. -a 1.4937 -13.18% -5.37% -5.06% -4.42% ATRAM Philippine Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 1.9592 -15.32% -5.7% -3.62% -10.17% First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund Inc. -a 2.327 -11.82% -3.23% -4.53% -11.57% First Metro Save and Learn F.O.C.C.U.S. Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a,1 0.1845 n.a. n.a. n.a.

-19.26% NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils., Inc. -a 1.7651 -7.99% -2.17% -1.93% -10.09% PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a 3.306 -10.01% -3.68% -3.27% -12.75% Philam Fund, Inc. -a 14.7704 -11% -3.89% -3.37% -12.91% Solidaritas Fund, Inc. -a 1.8341 -14.33% -3.09% -13.72% -4.84% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.1239 -18.86% -5.69% -4.31% -19.15% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2028, Inc. -a,d 0.8957 -10.23% n.a. n.a.

-11.81% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a,d 0.7917 -20.58% n.a. n.a. -20.54% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a,d 0.7681 -22.82% n.a. n.a. -22.66% Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a 0.7706 -21.42% -6.78% -5.9% -20.95% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Cocolife Dollar Fund Builder, Inc. -a $0.03791 4.98% 2.21% 1.33% -0.84% -2.59% -11.29% PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -b $0.9207 -7.13% -0.93% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $3.5721 -4.22% 2.36% 1.29% -8.66% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a,3 $1.0568 -2.93% 0.94% n.a.

-6.38% Bond Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 362.38 4.15% 3.02% 2.42% 1.28% ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a 1.9287 2.32% 0.87% -0.2% 1.4% Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a 3.1675 4.93% 5.2% 5.11% 1.64% Ekklesia Mutual Fund Inc. -a 2.2715 5.16% 2.79% 2.19% 2.09% First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund,Inc. -a 2.4171 7.1% 2.96% 1.78% 2.46% Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a 4.4832 11.2% 2.11% 2.52% 3.46% Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a,6 1.2771 6.66% 3.64% 1.96% 1.62% Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.8624 6.99% 3.6% 1.87% 1.96% Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a 1.0192 10.94% 3.32% 1.51% 5.69% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.1136 7.92% 4.5% 2.81% 1.23% Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. -a

1.7224 7.68% 4.05% 2.43% 1.25% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $467.67 2.88% 2.26% 2.34% -0.12% ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a Є213.68 -1.11% 0.5% 0.54% -2.75% ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b $1.1782 0.9% 1.76% 1.67% -2.4% First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.0256 1.19% 0.93% 0.96% -0.78% PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc -b $1.045 -1.72% -0.74% -1.01% -4.58% Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $2.3811 5.25% 2.59% 2.12% -0.94% Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc. -a $0.0595391 2.24% 1.47% 1.37% -1.29% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $3.1505 5.85% 2.1% 2.08% -0.78% Money Market Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 127.32 3.83% 3.09% 2.32% 1.22% First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.0369 2.73% n.a. n.a.

1.03% Sun Life Prosperity Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.2774 3.37% 3% 2.52% 1.01% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.0413 1.67% n.a. n.a.

0.4% Feeder Fund Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Global Multi-Asset Income Fund Inc. -b,d,2 $0.9 n.a. n.a. n.a.

-9.09% 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

GSIS eases lending rules

By Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM

T

he Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) relaxed requirements so any member could avail an emergency loan of up to P40,000 as the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) was extended to May 15.

GSIS President and General Manager Rolando L. Macasaet said members are now qualified to borrow from the state pension fund even if they have more than six months of unpaid amortizations.

“We waived the loan amortization requirement to serve the needs of members who have due and demandable loan accounts,” he said.

“Before, members are not qualified for the emergency loan if they have GSIS loan accounts that have not been paid for more than six months and are thus considered to be due and demandable.”

Aside from this, members are now considered eligible to avail of the loan if they have at least 3-month premium payments between September 2019 and February 2020. Previously, active GSIS members must have updated premium payments within the last six months prior to application to qualify for the loan.

Macasaet said the GSIS reduced the eligibility period for premium payments for both government and personal share to three months within the last six months before the application date, so a member may qualify for the emergency loan.

“We are not considering the period of the ECQ from March to May 2020 in checking the premium eligibility of the member under the enhanced terms of the emergency loan,” he added.

The emergency loan is payable in three years with an interest of only 6 percent per annum. The relaxed eligibility requirements and increased

loanable amount will be implemented for the duration of the crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The GSIS announced last week that it has raised the cap on emergency loans to P40,000 to benefit their members and pensioners who have just borrowed from the program and barely paid the amortizations, like those affected by the Taal Volcano eruption in January this year.

For those who have no prior emergency loan, Macasaet said the loanable amount is P20,000.

Borrowers were previously not allowed to renew loans if their payment is not up-to-date and their balance is bigger than the loanable amount.

With the enhanced terms, they could borrow up to P40,000 to pay off their previous emergency loan balance and still receive a maximum net amount of P20,000, he added.

Beginning May 4, GSIS members and pensioners may submit their emergency loan applications online.

Macasaet clarified that loan applications would still be subject to the approval of the Authorized Agency Officer (AAO) of the respective government agency where a member works.

Members must satisfy three requirements under the enhanced terms of the emergency loan: active service and not on leave of absence without pay; no pending administrative case and/or criminal charge; and, a net take-home pay of not lower than P5,000 after all required monthly obligations have been deducted.

Once the loan is approved, the proceeds will be directly credited to the Unified Multi-Purpose ID (UMID) card or the borrower’s temporary eCard account.

Old age and disability pensioners are qualified to apply for the loan if their resulting net monthly take home pension after loan availment is at least 25 percent of their basic monthly pension.

Perspectives The evolving security team

O

ver the last few years there’s been a broad attempt to elevate the importance of cybersecurity at the board level.

In 2020 many board members are well aware of the cyber agenda. While they understand the importance of cybersecurity, one of the biggest challenges for security professionals is translating that knowledge into an actionable appreciation for what it actually means to the business.

The landscape as we see it AT many companies, the cybersecurity team remains a collection of technical, operational compliance professionals, but a transformation is underway into a more strategic, forward-looking resource that employs its worldview to impact business dynamics.

Many Chief Information Security Officers and their teams in many industries are working to adjust to the changing dynamics of the business and become a trusted and relevant voice at the strategy table. They are also working to visualize the organization’s specific operational priorities and partner with internal business heads to incorporate those insights into the company’s cyber security plan as expeditiously as possible.

Another critical security team focus, especially in financial services and health care, is satisfying regulatory requirements in a manner that is efficient from both time and cost perspectives.

The skill sets of security professionals continue to evolve.

Overall, the core team needs to increase its general business acumen and product knowledge so they can better articulate cyber risk in relation to enterprise risk.

What we believe you should do about it Security teams need to get off their own island, listen to different perspectives and communicate more with

business heads about what the organization really needs to worry about in this evolving ecosystem.

For companies that are undergoing a digital transformation—which is most of them—the cyber security team should look to insert itself into the middle of those conversations from a strategic perspective and present themselves as the connective tissue between the business, digital and security. Have common goals.

Identify the type of data the business is planning to place on the cloud.

Understand the type of interactions that will be required between the development and production environments—then map those expectations within the security plan.

Work very closely with corporate communications and the teams that are intimately involved with customer experience.

Be part of the messaging strategy.

Even if a worst-case scenario materializes, ensure the organization continues to instill trust in consumers.

Ascertain what artificial intelligence (AI) is able to handle and what truly requires the nuance of human thought.

Challenge yourself to automate the basic controls in your security environment. Shoot for at least 50 percent.

Finally, advocate for cybersecurity to be a prominent feature in the organization’s environmental, social and governance agenda to demonstrate your comprehensive view of cyber security governance and ability to handle a broad array of incidents.

The excerpt was taken from KPMG article, “All hands on deck: Key cyber security considerations for 2020.” © 2020 R.G. Manabat & Co., a Philippine partnership and a member-firm of the KPMG network of independent member-firms affiliated with KPMG International Co-operative, a Swiss entity. All rights reserved. Printed in the Philippines.

For more information on KPMG in the Philippines, you may visit www.kpmg.com.ph.

Monday, May 4, 2020 B3

Unctad to govt: Ensure poor can access financial system

T

he government should boost financial inclusion efforts, especially for the vulnerable sector of the country, amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, according to a United Nations report.

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) said governments should be able to secure financial access for all to the ease cash aid distribution.

In the Philippines, the Department of Social Welfare and Development is tasked to provide between P5,000 ($100) and P8,000 ($160 in current exchange rates) in cash assistance on two tranches to 18 million households in April and May. “Governments are providing

liquidity back-stop measures to both businesses and households; but the challenge goes beyond envisaging Marshall-like plans and sound financial systems,” Unctad said. “The most vulnerable and hardest hit by the Covid-19 crisis will also be the ones more likely to have higher barriers to benefiting from this support.”

The households that need the financial assistance the most are usually the ones that do not have bank

account or access to payment, credit and other financial services, it noted.

Citing 2017 data, the Unctad noted that only 63 percent of adults in developing economies own a bank account, which is markedly lower than 93 percent in developed countries.

According to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ Financial Inclusion Survey in 2017, only 22.6 percent (22.8 million Filipinos) have a bank account.

Unctad urged governments and financial regulators to lower the cost to access credit services to make them affordable and accessible to more individuals. In addition to reducing intermediation costs, banks and financial institutions could also look into lessening documentary requirements.

Unctad said government and regulators should also improve consumer protection in financial services, noting that the revised UN Guidelines for Consumer Protection could be used as a reference given that it outlines concrete policies ad-

dressing the needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged consumers.

“Governments may adopt measures elaborated in the guidelines, with a view to reinforcing and integrating consumer policies concerning financial inclusion and the protection of consumers in accessing and using financial services,” Unctad said.

The government and financial regulators were also advised to employ regulatory framework pushing for cost efficiency and transparency for remittances.

This is in addition to managing risks amid the uncertainties brought by the pandemic, according to the Unctad.

As the focal point in the UN on the services economy, consumer protection and trade, the Unctad said it continues “to support countries in their efforts to achieve stable and inclusive financial services for all, including in extraordinary circumstances like now.” Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

Banks ‘seriously’ looking at lending to small businesses–BAP president

By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad @Tyronepiad

B

anks can help the economy recover from the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic by boosting efforts in extending loans to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP) said.

BAP President Cezar P. Consing, in a recent webinar, said that loans from MSMEs only comprise a relatively small portion of the banking system but can aid a bigger part of the economy.

“The MSME loans account only about 10 percent of the banking system. And yet, MSMEs account for probably 60 or more percent of the employment in the country,” Consing said.

Providing loans to MSMEs “is something I know the banks are looking at seriously because they know with only 10 percent of the loan portfolio in the system, we could really help out up to 60 percent of the employment,” he added.

With this, the BAP chief lauded the recent move of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to ease the financial burden on loans granted to MSMEs. “I think the move for the part of BSP a little over a week ago to make MSME loans eligible for reserve requirements is actually very exciting,” Consing said.

The BSP is set to issue guidelines on the matter.

This was also around the time the Monetary Board decided to slash BSP’s

overnight reverse repurchase facility by 50 basis points to 2.75 percent, bringing overnight lending and deposit facilities to 3.25 percent and 2.25 percent, respectively.

Including MSME loans as part of banks’ compliance with reserve requirements and reducing policy rates can secure adequate liquidity in the financial system and help reduce borrowing costs, the BSP said.

“It is especially exciting that you can combine [MSME loans] with Philguarantee [Philippine Guarantee Corp.] playing a role in covering some of the risk,” Consing explained.

Philguarantee President and CEO Alberto Pascual recently announced that the state-owned lender approved an MSME credit guarantee program to provide P120-billion support in working capital loans to MSMEs currently dealing with pandemic-induced financial stress.

The credit guarantee represents 0.6 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.

“The guarantee program will also complement access to lending as it encourages more banks to provide assistance loans to MSMEs,” Pascual said in a statement.

Apart from this, Land Bank of the Philippines also announced launching a lending program aimed at supporting MSMEs, microfinance institutions and cooperatives by providing more flexible terms and conditions.

Japan’s largest bank replaces execs in Security Bank board

S

ecurity Bank Corp. announced the election of two new directors representing strategic partner MUFG Bank Ltd. (MUFG), Japan’s largest bank, during its recent Annual Stockholders’ Meeting. SBC also announced the designation of a new vice chairman during the organizational meeting of its Board of Directors.

The stockholders of 68-year-old SBC elected MUFG nominees Hiroshi Masaki and Takeshi Takeuchi as directors to occupy the two seats held by the largest bank in Japan.

Masaki is currently the executive officer and head of the planning office for Asia of MUFG and a balikbayan to SBC, having served as senior vice president and deputy head of the alliance segment from 2016 to 2018. Meanwhile, Takeuchi is currently the deputy head and managing director of the of MUFG Bank’s Internal Audit Division and managing director of internal audit for the Americas of MUFG Union Bank.

The two newly elected directors will replace Takahiro Onishi and Masaaki Suzuki.

SBC Chairman Alberto S. Villarosa

was quoted in a statement as expressing “sincerest gratitude” to Onishi for his four years of service as executive vice president and director. Villarosa also thanked Suzuki “for his valuable contributions as director during the past year.

In 2016, SBC and MUFG entered into a strategic partnership wherein the latter bought a 20-percent stake in the bank “to provide long-term funding and create business collaboration opportunities.”

Meanwhile, SBC said it appointed Cirilo P. Noel as vice chairman together with Anastasia Y. Dy. Noel was first elected as director in April 2018 and currently serves as chairman of the Finance Committee, vice chairman of the Executive Committee and member of the Audit and Transformation Committees.

Security Bank has a total of 309 branches and 839 ATMs nationwide as of March 31.

Security Bank is among the six largest private domestic universal banks in the Philippines by total assets at P793 billion as of December 31, 2019.

ING Bank Manila Economist Nicholas Antonio T. Mapa earlier told the BusinessMirror that the central bank and national government should aid the finances of MSMEs so the economy can recover from the pandemic.

“BSP and the national government, meanwhile, can look for emergency loan assistance to

SMEs and even consumers who need to normalize cash flows after such a disruption,” he said.

Mapa added that demand for new loans might increase after the lockdown as businesses try to pick up their pace toward recovery.

MSMEs account for over 90 percent of the businesses in the country.

B4

Monday, May 4, 2020

Show BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Comedy in the time of quarantine

Today’s Horoscope

By Eugenia Last

z

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Rory McIlroy, 31; Erin Andrews, 42; Will Arnett, 50; Randy Travis, 61.

Happy Birthday: Look for possibilities. Your options are vast, and you shouldn’t sell yourself short or act in haste. Time is on your side, and the best opportunities will come if you are willing to wait for the best deal this year. Intelligence and intuition will play major roles in how your life unfolds and the gains you make. Your lucky numbers are 5, 13, 20, 24, 33, 46, 49.

From left: Jeffrey Tam, Ai-Ai de las Alas and Michael V.

a

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Do your best to get along. Being forward-thinking, having a positive attitude and using a diligent approach to whatever you decide to do will give you the leverage you need to get ahead. HHH

b

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Slow down, take a deep breath and look over your options.

Don’t let anger or anxiety take over or cause you to miss out on something that has potential. Getting along will be half the battle when dealing with your peers. HHH

W

ITH everyone hoping to experience some kind of normality after the extended lockdown season is over, the reality remains that things will not be the same for a long period of time. Normality seems most likely to be moving further away after every extension of the quarantine period, and it is being felt hard in the entertainment industry where the future is certainly unclear.

But many remain hopeful that there will be work, perhaps in a different structure and a more unfamiliar set up. The group that remains really upbeat with their hopes and sentiments are the comedians.

Recently, the industry’s funny men and women have bonded together and formed a group, calling themselves “Covidyante.” The group put up a social-media account to become “punchliners” for frontliners, the main beneficiaries of the many fund-raising activities the group has lined up as the country—the world rather—faces its most daunting challenge since the Second World War. Among the members are Jeffrey Tam, Isko Salvador (more popularly known as Brod Pete), Ai-Ai de las Alas, Pooh, brothers Gene and Dennis Padilla, Jayson Gainza, Ogie Alcasid, Michael V, comedy couple Jerald Napoles and Kim Molina, Moymoy Palaboy and Ryan Bang.

Tam, a world-class magician who has performed in many shows overseas, has also teamed up with his magician friends from around the globe to cheer up his social-media followers through special live sharing sessions and magic updates. Among those who have joined Tam are Singapore’s Jeremy Pie, Portugal’s Goncalo Gil da Coasta, Argentina’s Mariano Goñi, and Germany’s Christian Schenk.

“Magic is universal, and like comedy, it somehow helps us defocus and look for a little breather when things seem bleak and depressing. Comedy and

c

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): An opportunity should be looked at carefully. If you are too quick to dismiss a possibility, you may have regret.

Personal gain is within reach, but first, get the lowdown on what’s involved in getting what you want. HHHHH

d

CANCER (June 21-July 22): A change will be an excellent way to learn and experience something that will broaden your outlook and give you a chance to explore different options. The busier you are, the less time you’ll have to let negativity interfere. HH

e

laughter also help us cope better, reminding us that there is always the other side, the brighter side, the happier side. This period may be difficult, but we continue to remain hopeful,” he intoned.

De las Alas, for her part, thinks of the most creative (and sometimes craziest) ideas and activities to perk up her family’s quarantined days. Recently she took her razor and scissors to experiment on her husband Gerald Sibayan’s hair. “He wanted me to give him a haircut. I wanted him to look like Korean star Park Seo-joon [whose popularity soared by way of K-dramas, like Itaewon Class], I tried but I think I overdid it. It was OK with him, he said it will grow back fast. The important thing is we both had fun and laughed our hearts out during the session. I knew he was so nervous but he just camouflaged it with laughter so as not to make me feel bad and guilty.”

The May-December marriage of de las Alas and Sibayan is stronger than ever. Sibayan has just become a certified pilot and his wife is mighty proud of him. De las Alas has also discovered a way of earning extra income while being home-quarantined.

She is now busy baking her very popular ube-cheese

pandesal and she is surprised by the many orders she is getting.

A few of our comedian-friends are worried, particularly for the live comedy circuit. The comedy bars have become the grassroots where promising talents are discovered. These talents are paid per night per show, just like many of the players in the entertainment industry. We reckon there will be new platforms, and real talent endures.

In fact, just a few days ago, GMA Network launched its YoüLOL comedy channel on YouTube to provide laugh-out-loud entertainment to every one who is locked-down at home. Michael V. shared that the channel will feature his parody music videos, and that the viewers will be able to participate in some segments. The cast of Bubble Gang will also have a segment, called “Barangay Bubble,” where subscribers will request challenges from the cast. “You can never lock down comedy!” said Michael V. Will the comedy scene ever be the same after the lockdown is lifted? Nobody knows for sure. It’s definitely not going to be easy, but it’s not impossible.

There is always a silver lining. n

GMA unveils stronger afternoon lineup this May Beginning today, May 4, GMA (www.gmanetwork.com) strengthens its afternoon lineup with the return of the wellloved Korean drama Strong Girl Bong-soon.

Leading the lineup is one of the country’s highest-rating daytime dramas Ika-6 Na Utos starring Sunshine Dizon, Ryza Cenon and Gabby Concepcion at 2:30 pm. The original soap dwells on the tribulations of Emma, the rightful wife, and her vengeance against her husband Rome and his mistress Georgia. With Georgia’s devious antics to make Emma’s life a living hell and to keep Rome all to herself, will Emma ever regain the perfect life she once had?

After all the drama and intense catfight scenes, Ika-6 Na Utos is followed by the heart-warming family series Onanay at 3:30 pm. It tells the unique story of Onay, played by Jo Berry, a woman born with achondroplasia or a bone growth disorder which impeded her growth.

Despite society’s prejudices against her condition, Onay remains to be a doting mother to her two beautiful daughters—Maila (Mikee Quintos) and Natalie (Kate Valdez).

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Make well-thoughtout changes that are based on truth and intelligence. You’ll get much further if you go about your business, take care of your responsibilities and offer kind gestures to those you love. HHHH

f

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Concentrate on what makes you happy. Make changes that will allow you to head in a direction that excites you. Refuse to let anyone or anything stand between you and what you want. Take advantage of an opportunity to bring about change. HHH

g

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Be aware of what everyone around you is doing. Don’t reveal personal information. Dig in and set your plans in motion. Take the initiative, and do the work yourself.

Positive change will depend on how much you are willing to do. HHH

h

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Take a stance. If you show inconsistency or anger, you will not get the support you need to follow through with your plans. If change is what you want, be prepared to be the one to make it happen.

HHH

i

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Keep your life simple, and stick to the truth. Do something that requires physical energy. An activity that presents a challenge will keep you preoccupied and help you avoid trouble. Don’t count on others. If you want something done, do it yourself. HHHH

j

The show also features the very special participation of Superstar Nora Aunor and Cherie Gil. Meanwhile, replacing the first season of Alyas Robin Hood at 4:10 pm is the hit Korean series Strong Girl Bong-soon, with Park Bo-young as the title character who is born with superhuman strength.

She desperately wants to become an elegant woman for her crush Kenny In (Ji Soo) who is a police officer. When the CEO of a gaming company, Mikael Ahn (Park Hyung-sik), witnesses Bong Soon’s extraordinary strength, he hires her as his personal bodyguard. Who will win Bong Soon’s heart—her first love or the man who loves her?

Finally, the country’s top-rating variety program Wowowin airs simultaneously online through its official social-media pages and on television at 4:30 pm.

Without compromising the fun and amazing prizes at stake for those watching at home, host Willie Revillame continues to bring inspiration and support among his fans and televiewers live from the Wil Tower.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Take care of unfinished business, and move on to activities you enjoy. The changes you make at home should lower your overhead and ease stress. Invest in something that will help you bring in more cash.

Negotiations look promising. HHHHH

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AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Don’t feel you have to follow the crowd. Think and do for yourself in order to avoid disappointment.

Spend more time addressing personal issues that can encourage a healthier and happier lifestyle. Personal improvement, romance and exercise are encouraged.

HHH

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PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Keep an open mind, but don’t make a presumptuous move because someone else does. You can offer support without investing or buying into someone’s plan. A personal problem will surface if you aren’t forthright. Be honest, and do your own thing. HHH Birthday Baby: You are hardheaded, aggressive and demonstrative.

You are loyal and responsive.

‘keeping quiet’ by evan kalish The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg

ACROSS 1 Highfalutin sort 5 Unwanted e-mail 9 Lose traction 13 Rabbit relative 14 Northeast Corridor Amtrak option 15 Rum’s partner in a classic drink 16 Coll. near Beverly Hills 17 Lustrous quality 18 Yoked animals 19 Current problem?

22 Bigwigs 23 Zoo facility for birds 27 Youth baseball organization 30 Intends to say 32 Form 1099 org.

33 Pie ___ mode 34 Produces a sketch 35 Deg. from Wharton 36 Following 38 Tsp. or tbsp.

39 A female deer 40 Intel collectors 41 Purpose of corporate bonding

exercises 5 Military offensive 4 46 Detectives 50 Crowd-rallying cry, or a hint to a 40-Down letter in 19-, 27- and 41-Across 53 Not leisurely 56 Priest : Bible :: imam : ___ 57 Tunes holder introduced in 2001 58 Assemble-it-yourself furniture store 59 Like a noble gas 60 Volleyball barriers 61 Cab 62 Ooze 63 Word in a simile with “ABC” or “pie” DOWN 1 “Quiet!”

2 Snack within “spinach omelet” 3 Synthetic fiber 4 Pastry that looks like a paw 5 Flaky metamorphic rock 6 Jury member, it’s said 7 Actor Baldwin 8 Cars with stick shifts

9 Halifax, Nova ___ 10 Bagel topper 11 1950s presidential nickname 12 Calligrapher’s tool 14 Broad neckwear items 20 Waters down 21 “___ had it up to here!”

24 Banded gemstone 25 Pregame reading 26 About 687 days, on Mars 28 Defamation in a paper 29 Notable time 30 New York MLB mascot 31 Bother continually 34 Information 35 Cry of mock innocence 36 Sleep concern 37 Collectible statuette 39 1988 Democratic also-ran 40 See 50-Across 42 Tropical drink 43 Surreptitiously email 44 E-flat equivalent 47 Impatient personality

48 Owlery sounds 49 Like a bubble bath 51 Opposite of “all” 52 Stump, formerly 53 Dressing room evaluation 54 Letters before an alias 55 On the Basis of ___

Solution to Friday’s puzzle:

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Monday, May 4, 2020

There’s nothing ordinary about The Ordinary

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HE Ordinary is definitely one of the brands that has revolutionized the beauty industry.

With well-formulated skin-care products at very reasonable prices, The Ordinary gave us access to ingredients like retinol, niacinamide, azelaic acid and many others without the extras. Some of the products have only one ingredient.

This may be a little late but here’s a rundown of products from The Ordinary that I’ve used. I’m always asked what The Ordinary is about and what the products are for. I have tried quite a lot of the products. Some I love, others I didn’t, while some are just okay.

Niacinamide 10 percent + Zinc 1 percent was the first The Ordinary product that I tried. I was having bad breakouts (this was maybe three to four years ago) and this was recommended by a friend. The formulation is oil-free, alcohol-free and silicone-free.

This serum, which has since become The Ordinary’s best seller, addresses skin texture and smoothness, calms breakouts and reduces excess oils.

Niacinamide and zinc are two of the best skin-care ingredients when you’re battling acne. But don’t expect this to zap your pimples overnight. What it will do is that with consistent use (application twice a day), your skin texture will improve over time and it will slightly lighten, too.

It will minimize congestion and breakouts. The consistency of this is slightly watery. My only problem with Niacinamide 10 percent + Zinc 1 percent is that it does not work well with other products, especially heavier ones and those that are oil-based. It has the tendency to pill. If I were to choose only one The Ordinary product, this would be it.

The second product I tried from The Ordinary was the Vitamin C Suspension 23 percent + HA Spheres 2 percent.

I am not sure if they still make this but I stopped using it for a while because my skin tingled whenever I’d apply it. I’m not a big fan of Vitamin C formulations because they’re not stable. I just tried this because my friend

recommended it.

The Ordinary Buffet was the third product I tried. I really love this. It’s more expensive than most of The Ordinary’s products and targets aging. It combines many technologies, such as “Matrixyl 3000 peptide complex [with palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7], Matrixyl synthe’6 peptide complex [with palmitoyl tripeptide-38], SYN-AKE peptide complex [with dipeptide diaminobutyroyl benzylamide diacetate], Relistase peptide complex [with acetylarginyltryptophyl diphenylglycine], Argirelox peptide complex [with acetyl hexapeptide-8, pentapeptide-18], Probiotic complex [with lactococcus lactis lysate], in a base of 11 skin-friendly amino acids and multiple hyaluronic acid complexes.”

By this description alone, you’d know why Buffet is priced way above most of The Ordinary’s products.

It’s still inexpensive compared to “branded” skin care.

This is still one of the best serums I have tried.

Alpha Lipoic Acid 5 percent is a formula that treats scars, pigmentation and dullness, as well as lines and wrinkles. My daughter, who has acne-prone skin, also uses it. It’s meant to be used two to three times a week (at night) because it’s very potent. For an acid, it surprisingly has an oily texture.

If you’re using this, you need to wear sunscreen during the day. I use this over a moisturizer. It’s one of my favorite products right now. There’s a light and very tolerable tingle when you use this. I read online reports and was surprised to learn that there were many bad reviews because I really like it and it works

for me. Before using, I suggest you test this on the skin behind your ears first.

Another favorite is The Ordinary Argireline Solution, which claims to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, particularly those around the eyes and on the forehead. I use it all over my face twice a day. I like it because it is light and easy to apply. I’m not sure if it’s doing anything for my wrinkles and fine lines but I do like its texture and how my skin feels so soft the morning after I use it.

The Ordinary AHA 30 percent + BHA 2 percent Peeling Solution is the closest you get to a chemical peel at home without having to go to the dermatologist. Known as the “blood of my enemies” online, this product contains Tasmanian Pepperberry derivative to help reduce irritation associated with acid use, hence the blood-like color.

This peeling solution has alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) to exfoliate the skin’s topmost surface for a brighter and more even appearance, and beta hydroxy acids (BHA) that exfoliate the skin with an extended function to help clear pore congestion. The formula also improves the appearance of skin texture and reduces the look of fine lines with continued use.

By the definition of its functions, you’d have an indication that this formula is pretty strong. It is so strong that you’re only supposed to use it once a week for 10 minutes. I love this product. I’m unable to use it regularly but when I do, my skin is happy.

Alpha Arbutin 2 percent + HA is a serum for hyperpigmentation and dark spots. It’s meant to be used twice a day. I expected to like it but after about five days of using it twice a day, I broke out so I stopped using it.

Another The Ordinary product that made me break out was The Ordinary’s 100 percent Cold-Pressed Virgin Marula Oil, “a daily support formula that moisturizes the skin and improves skin radiance.”

I really loved how it made my skin so supple and glowy, until the pimples started appearing after only a couple of days. For someone with dry skin, this would probably work. As a hair oil, though, it’s topnotch.

Hyaluronic Acid 2 percent + B5 “uses uses three forms of HA with varying molecular weights, as well as an HA crosspolymer, to offer multi-depth hydration and visible plumping without drawing water out of the skin solely to improve temporary surface hydration.” I expected it to be very hydrating but it wasn’t. I finished the entire bottle hoping my opinion would change but it didn’t.

The Ordinary is a brand that has mostly solid products.

Their foundation was one of the things I didn’t like. They should stick to what they’re good at, and that’s skin care. ■

CLEANING AND PAMPERING YOUR HANDS AS communities around the world struggle with Covid-19, handwashing is consistently mentioned— even by World Health Organization guidelines—as one way to keep ourselves not only clean but safe and healthy.

Constantly washing our hands comes at a price though, resulting in dry skin. Excessive washing can strip hands of moisture leaving your skin feeling dry and tight.

The good news is that The Body Shop has a range of moisturizing hand wash that is the perfect addition to your bathroom and as protection to harmful bacteria.

These 100 percent vegan hand washes lather up instantly and provide extra moisture while keeping hands clean and fresh. Here’s how you can pamper your hands from The Body Shop.

■ Drench your hands with the dewy scent of roses with British Rose Hand Wash that leaves your skin feeling fresh and smelling florally fresh infused with the essence of Community Trade handpicked roses from England and Community Trade organic cane sugar from Paraguay.

■ The conditioning and purifying properties of Tea Tree Hand Wash will help hands wash away bacteria and feel squeaky clean. This refreshing hand wash is enriched with Community Trade tea tree oil from Kenya.

■ Get an uplifting burst every time you wash your hands with Pink Grapefruit Hand Wash. Wake up your senses with its zesty citrus scent that leaves skin cleansed and smelling irresistible enriched with Community Trade sugar from Paraguay.

Join The Body Shop in lathering up to prevent and fight harmful bacteria and viruses. The Body Shop’s Hand Wash collection is available in all The Body Shop stores. The Body Shop now accepts SM Advantage Card for points earning and redemption, SM and Sodexo premium pass in all The Body Shop stores nationwide. It is also available on Lazada, Shopee under The SM Store, as well as ShopSM.

Losing face: The rise of the mask, and what’s lost behind it

BY TED ANTHONY The Associated Press PITTSBURGH—On Saturday afternoons, the Strip District neighborhood of Pittsburgh becomes a jampacked hub of old-fashioned shopping. People stride along Penn Avenue, hopping from greengrocer to butcher to fishmonger to Italian market, smiling and gesturing and jabbering as they go.

Not this weekend. As strange, spaced-out lines formed outside favorite establishments, the chatting was muted, the sidewalk sidesteps were awkward and tentative, and the facial expressions were, well, not really facial expressions at all. Just like much of the planet during these jumbled coronavirus days.

Smile, they say, and the world smiles with you.

Unless you’re wearing a mask. Then the world can’t see your smile, much less smile back.

The rise of the protective face mask—first in China (where smog and SARS gave rise to its use years ago), then elsewhere in Asia, into Europe and now marching across North America—has abruptly excised half of the face from our moment-to-moment human interactions.

With it has come a removal of crucial visual cues that people have used for millennia to communicate, understand each other and negotiate space in the public arena—to find common ground.

“Our minds light on the face like butterflies on a flower, for it gives us a priceless flow of information,” Daniel McNeill wrote in The Face, his 1998 book on its significance throughout human history.

A partial inventory of the information that’s lost when the mask goes up: Smiles. Frowns. Lip

movements. Crinkle lines at the mouth’s edge. Cheek twitches that indicate approval or disapproval.

Reflexive gestures that collaborate with the eyes to say: Hey, I mean no harm. Or: Hey—back off.

“It’s not just covering us up. It’s blocking something. It’s a barrier to communication. Is she smiling? Sarcastic? Is she happy to see me? I can’t figure it out,” says Christie Cawley, a Pittsburgh business adviser whose consultancy, tHRive, helps nonprofits with business skills.

“With the masks, when people are making eye contact, you don’t know if they’re friendly or not,” Cawley says. “It’s a whole communications channel that we naturally have as humans, and it’s kind of dulled—turned off a little bit.”

On Sunday night, new regulations from Pennsylvania’s governor took effect saying that most businesses still open in the state must bar anyone without a mask from entering. Other governments— states and nations—have imposed similar restrictions, which sit atop people’s already palpable desire to shield their mouths and noses from taking in the insidious virus that causes Covid-19.

However legitimate, that still creates a potentially disorienting situation: Instead of a fellow human coming openly toward you, we’re encountering each other with visual cues removed, like astronauts or deep-sea divers or hazmat-removal teams.

“Different levels of smiles lead to perceptions of warmth, competence, trustworthiness, attractiveness, etc.,” says Fan Liu, an assistant professor of decision sciences and marketing at Adelphi University whose research focuses on nonverbal communication.

“These perceptions and characteristics

significantly influence our daily social lives.”

Nonverbal cues, she says, play a central role in communication that we don’t always realize. “When these cues are cut off, people are more likely to focus on outcome rather than process,” Liu says, and some nuances of human interaction may be lost.

No wonder. There’s a reason why history’s greatest artists didn’t make their names painting shins or elbows or thumbs.

The face is the gateway to who we are, the front door to our humanity and individuality. We mouth off. We have face time (and FaceTime). We pay lip service and give each other lip. We grin and bear it.

Are all these going by the wayside ... at least for now?

There’s a reason, too, why masks suggest something surreptitious and nefarious. Covering pieces of the face is often presented as shorthand for mistrust or menace across modern culture, from historical literature (The Man in the Iron Mask) to comic books (Batman), from TV (The Lone Ranger) to movies (The Mask) to music (“The Stranger”).

Such potent cultural cues can be activated, however subconsciously, when we cover our faces— even for the most legitimate (and protective) of reasons. A mask, in short, can be alienating no matter who is behind it—and particularly when there’s a power imbalance in the conversation.

Leah Lizarondo, co-founder and CEO of Pittsburgh’s 412 Food Rescue, says her team’s ability to show empathy has been impeded by its new contactless, mask-forward methods of dropping off food. She recalls meal distributions at Pittsburgh school-bus stops over the past month—done with masks and, she laments, less humanity because of it.

“There’s something extremely surreal about dealing with someone when you can’t really smile. It’s exactly the opposite of what you want this exchange to be. You don’t want it to be a transactional exchange.

You want it to be a relationship,” Lizarondo says.

“We’re trying so much to create analogues to that empathy. I’m not sure we’re there yet.”

Which raises the question: If this continues for weeks and months, what would those analogues be?

If half of the facial radio signal is obscured by facemask static, how do the messages punch through?

Will new methods of socially distanced nonverbal communication emerge?

“The important point is not to rely on any one visual cue. Furrowed eyebrows could mean that a person’s angry, someone’s confused, someone doesn’t have glasses on and they’re squinting,” says Mary Inman, a psychology professor at Hope College in Michigan. “So we need to take time and ask people for clarification,” says Inman, who studies people’s perceptions of discrimination. “It’ll slow down communications a little bit, which could be a good thing.... If we go to [wearing] full masks continually, then we will be needing to slow down and clarify.”

You can bet on one thing: Until that happens, things may be awkward. For now, though, we still have the eyes. Have you heard? They’re windows to the soul. But, alas, only to a point.

“The face is the focal point. Now we’ve lost the focal point of that kind of communication. It is going to add a layer of distance between us,” says Dan Everett, a linguist and sociology professor at Bentley College in Massachusetts. “It’s sort of like we’re dogs without tails now.” ■

B5

B6 Monday, May 4, 2020

Enjoy Little Golden Moments

10 FLP scholars pass 100 percent in bar exam; two place in Top Ten

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LL the 10 fourth-year law scholars of the Foundation for Liberty and Prosperity (FLP) and the Tan Yan Kee Foundation (TYKF) passed the last bar exam with two placing in the Top Ten, Kenneth Glenn Manuel of UST (6th place) and Jun Dexter Rojas of PUP (9th place).

For placing in the Top Ten, FLP and TYKF will reward them with P100,000 each. This is in addition to the yearly P200,000 scholarship grants they already received, divided into P100,000 for tuition, P20,000 for books and P80,000 in stipends at P8,000 per month for 10 months.

The eight other scholars who passed were Leo Francis F. Abot (ADMU), John Anthony F. Almerino (USC), Micah Celine S. Carpio (De La Salle U), Arvin Paolo D. Cortez (ADMU), Mikael Gabrielle E.

Ilao (UCordilleras), Alimar Mohammad Malabad (San Beda -Manila), King Anthony Y. Perez (UCebu), and Ma. Vida Malaya M. Villarico (PUP). Two others who were FLP scholars in prior years, Tess Marie P. Tan (USC) and Julienne Therese B. Salvacion (San Beda - Manila) were also successful.

FLP’s first batch of scholars who took the bar exams in 2018 also registered a 100 percent passing with two placing in the Top Ten, Sean James Borja (ADMU), 1st place and Katrina Gaw (ADMU), 5th place.

The FLP Legal Scholarship Program is funded by a financial grant from the TYKF and is implemented with the assistance of the Philippine Association of Law Schools (PALS).

It is open to all third and fourth year students of law schools that obtained a percentage of passing above the overall

average percentage of passing in bar exams based on the statistical data from the Office of the Bar Confidant of the Supreme Court.

To qualify, an applicant must (1) be incumbent 3rd or 4th year students in one of the eligible law schools, (2) be among the top 20 of the batch in their respective schools, (3) have a cumulative average not lower than 85% or 2.25 for the immediately preceding school year, (4) have no dropped subject and no grade lower than 75% or 3.0, and (5) have enrolled and completed the full load for each school year; and submit an essay on the philosophy of liberty and prosperity under the rule of law and how he/she will apply the philosophy in his/her legal career.

The FLP was founded in 2011 to perpetuate the core judicial philosophy of retired Chief Justice Artemio V. Panganiban — that jurists and lawyers should safeguard liberty and nurture prosperity under the rule of law. For more information, please visit www. libpros.com.

Its Board of Trustees is composed of retired CJ Panganiban (chairman), former Education Sec. Edilberto C. de Jesus, Asian Development Bank Consultant Joel Emerson J. Gregorio, Ms. Evelyn T. Dumdum, Atty. Tanya Karina A. Lat, Prof. Elenita C. Panganiban, retired Supreme Court Justice Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez, former BSP Gov. Amando M. Tetangco, Jr., and Ms. Maria Elena P.S. Yaptangco (members).

The Tan Yan Kee Foundation is the corporate social responsibility arm of the Lucio Tan Group of Companies. It approaches corporate social responsibility from a holistic commitment framework targeting education; culture and sports; health and social welfare including environmental concerns; research; and manpower development.

Its Board of Trustees is composed of Dr. Lucio C. Tan (chairman), Harry C. Tan (vice chairman), Joaquin Bernas, Frank Chan, Shirley Chua, Emil Q. Javier, Artemio V. Panganiban, Marixi R. Prieto, Carmen Tan, Tan Eng Chan, Tan Hui Bin, Mariano Tanenglian, Amando M. Tetangco Jr. and Cesar E. A. Virata (members). For details, please visit www.tanyankee.org.

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HESE days we all need small golden moments to pick us up. Thankfully, OREO’s got our back. The world’s favorite cookie has recently announced that its beloved chocolate cookies will now come in a golden vanilla color and taste. So you can enjoy golden snack moments to brighten your day or someone else’s. See the playful twist from the black-colored chocolate OREO cookies to golden vanilla ones with Golden OREO. Golden Goodness, your favorite OREO cookie now comes in a Vanilla cookie flavor with the same delicious vanilla crème center. Golden OREO gives you a new snack experience to enjoy, to have more playful snacking moments with your family and friends.

Golden OREO comes from Mondelez Philippines, one of the biggest snacking companies in the country and in the world.

The Company’s Purpose is to empower people to snack right, with the right snack, for the right moment and made the right way. The launch of Golden OREO further expands the company’s existing snacks portfolio which ranges from cookies to chocolates, cheese and cheese spreads, and beverages. Golden OREO also marks the Company’s first entry into the light-colored cream biscuit market, which has a strong presence in the Philippines.

“We are the world’s favorite cookie, and we want to add golden moments to Filipinos’ days,” shares Criselle Villafuerte, Marketing Manager for Biscuits of Mondelez Philippines.

She adds “We’re all about making the snacks products that people love and which bring them comfort. To help brighten up your day, we’re adding a playful twist to the worldfamous OREO cookie by turning it golden.

What’s great is you can enjoy our delicious vanilla crème center in a new vanilla-flavored cookie, that’s just as exciting as our beloved chocolate cookie.”

The launch of Golden Oreos comes after the introduction of different OREO snack formats in the country, to address consumer’s needs for the right snack, at the right moment.

These include OREO Wafer Roll, Mini OREO and OREO Chocolate Coated. Whether you want to a quick bite, or enjoy a heightened snack experience, OREO has the right snack just for you.

Golden OREO is now available in most convenience stores and leading supermarkets nationwide. You can enjoy it in two sizes: 133g for sharing at P41.50* and the 9-piece multi-pack at P76.50*. This is a special limited edition flavor. Don’t forget to also follow the Official Facebook Page of OREO for playful moments.

Filing of applications for 9 August 2020 civil service exams suspended

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HE Civil Service Commission (CSC) suspends the filing of applications for the 9 August 2020 Career Service Examination-Pen and Paper Test (CSE-PPT), both for Professional and Subprofessional levels, until further notice.

Originally set from 11 May to 10 June 2020, the application period is suspended in view of the declaration of Enhanced Community Quarantine and General Community Quarantine in the country.

It can be recalled that the CSC has suspended the conduct of the 15 March 2020 CSE-PPT, which was supposed to be held in 66 testing locations nationwide with

an estimated total of 293,845 individuals nationwide registered to take the test.

It has also earlier suspended the filing of applications for the 21 June 2020 Fire Officer Examination, Penology Officer Examination, and Basic Competency on Local Treasury Examination.

Interested applicants are advised to keep themselves posted on subsequent exam announcements/advisories to be published on the CSC website (www.csc. gov.ph) or on the CSC Facebook Page (www. facebook.com/civilservicegovph) or the official Facebook pages of CSC Regional Offices.

Philippine Airlines to fly additional repatriation flights from Los Angeles, New York

PLDT, Smart make DepEd Commons and other education services free to subscribers

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LDT and Smart recently provided the Department of Education (DepEd) with a package of digital services to help support the academic sector offer continuous learning amid the challenges of the nationwide enhanced community quarantine.

Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones spearheaded the call for support from the telcos in providing free access to DepEd Commons (https:// commons.deped.gov.ph), the Department’s online education delivery platform designed as alternative mode for teaching-learning process during class suspensions and other similar circumstances.

“In this time of crisis, it is important that we make it possible to overcome this challenge with solid partnershlps wlth the prlvate sector. We are thankful on our partners’ generosity in support of the continuity of public education by providing us free data for DepEd Commons access amid the COVID-19 situation,” Secretary Briones said.

For starters, access to the DepEd Commons site was made free to students and teachers using Smart even without data load. This gives them access to a multitude of educational resources for use in various grade levels of curriculum.

DepEd Undersecretary for Administration Alain Del Pascua explains, “DepEd Commons was designed as a direct solution to give access to online review materials and Open Educational Resources (OERs) during class suspensions and other similar circumstances. OERs in DepEd Commons are authored by public school teachers who are subject experts, properly cited and acknowledged. Teachers can retain, reuse, revise, remix, and redistribute the content by blending it with a learning management

system to deliver a distance learning modality.”

“We are facing many challenges in ensuring the continuity of education especially in this extremely difficult situation that we are in. In partnership with PLDT and Smart, DepEd is steadily moving forward in bringing educational resources to the teachers and the learners wherever they may be,” DepEd Undersecretary for Administration Alain Del B. Pascua said.

The package also includes 10 mother tonguebased literacy apps that can be downloaded for free from Google Play under #LearnSmart. These interactive apps help develop literacy, numeracy, and higher-order thinking skills among children from Kinder to Grade 3.

"With digital learning becoming more mainstream given the COVID-19 pandemic, online teaching has come to the fore, changing the local educational climate and norms of teaching forever," said PLDT CRO and Smart President Al Panlilio.

"Through this whitelisting, concerned parties with Smart subscriptions may continue to log on to the DepEd Commons platform through a device without load credits."

PLDT has also extended its services to include free access to #CyberSmart resources that equip teachers with knowledge on cybersecurity and safety, data privacy and protection, and combating fake news.

To reach out to teachers and students who are unable to go online, Smart will also provide 10 units of the School-in-a-Bag, a portable digital laboratory designed to facilitate continuous learning in times of emergencies and disasters.

These services also augment the collective

bayanihan efforts of the PLDT group and MVP Group of Companies to assist the different government agencies in implementing the necessary programs to control the spread of the virus and still service the general public amid the ECQ. These include the provisioning of emergency hotline numbers and call center facilities for key government agencies such as the UP-PGH, the Department of Health, the Lung Center of the Philippines, and toll free for calls made by PLDT, Smart, Sun, and TNT subscribers to emergency hotline numbers.

PLDT and Smart are also providing free Smart Wi-Fi to different COVID-19 facilities, public hospitals, and thoroughfares, and whitelisted several government and news websites of the Department of Health, the National Task Force-endorsed StaySafe.ph, and the Philippine Information Agency, among others.

Most recently, the PLDT Group equipped the DOST, AFP, and IATF’s RapidPass Project with QR code-scanning powered by Smart postpaid lines and mobile devices.

"We believe that technology and education are equalizers of opportunities. As such, this partnership between PLDT-Smart and the Department of Education plays a crucial role in providing fair and equal opportunity in the economic and social mobility of our youth. For our part, PLDT-Smart will continue to play this role vigorously in connecting and enabling everyone in these trying times," said Panlilio.

To know more about the efforts of the PLDT Group in beating the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit https://beta.pldt.com/covid19/

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HILIPPINE Airlines will carry out more special flights to Manila from both Los Angeles (LAX) and New York (JFK).

The airline had said earlier this month that it would operate a few repatriation flights from New York and Los Angeles to Manila, but it has now added more recovery flights on these routes.

These special US-Manila flights will be allowed to carry only Filipino nationals/ Philippine passport holders, their foreign spouses and children, and “accredited officials of foreign governments and international organisations, to comply with current Philippine travel entry restrictions”, the carrier said in a statement posted on its website.

The New York to Manila flights (PR 5127) are scheduled for May 4, 6, 8, 9 and 10. They will depart New York (JFK) at 1915 local time and arrive in Manila at 2345 local time the next day.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles to Manila flights are scheduled for May 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. They will depart Los Angeles (LAX) at 2315 local time and arrive in Manila at 0445 local time two days later.

Philippine Airlines has carried out repatriation flights to Melbourne and London in the last few months. The carrier,

along with other carriers operating in the Philippines, has cancelled all domestic and international flights until May 15 after the Philippine government extended its lockdown of Manila.

On April 28, the airline flew a total of 17 sweeper and repatriation flights which include 10 domestic and 7 international.

PAL's international special flights include London, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Kuala Lumpur, Riyadh, and Milan.

While some of these flights had passengers to and from the Philippines, some which include Milan only had passengers on its way back.

The 10 domestic sweeper flights were necessary to transport the stranded foreign nationals from different parts of the {hilippines to Manila in order for them to take their respective international flights.

In the Philippines, PAL has been on the forefront of repatriating Filipinos through special flights since the CoviD-19 pandemic situation had gotten worse, prompting all local airlines to suspend regular passenger operations. The airline also continues to operate all-cargo flights in order to keep the supply line of important items like medical supplies and essentials flowing.

Visit www. philippineairlines.com for more information.

Marketing BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Monday, May 4, 2020 B7

Transparency is key

in crisis management PR Matters

By Abigail L. Ho-Torres

Take the hit now, reap the benefits later

Just recently, news anchor Arnold Clavio, in a now-deleted Instagram post, showed supposed evidence of the government di-

n Events: Girlsclub Asia Nominated for Best Community Websites in the 24th Annual Webby Awards, empowering Asian women

Manila, Philippines—Girlsclub Asia announced today that it has been nominated for Best Community Website in the 24th Annual Webby Awards. Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by The New York Times, The Webby Awards, presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS), is the leading international awards organization honoring excellence on the Internet.

IADAS, which nominates and selects The Webby Award Winners, is comprised of Internet industry experts including Instagram Cofounder Kevin Systrom, Mozilla Chairman Mitchell Baker, 23andMe Co-Founder and CEO Anne Wojcicki, PBS CEO Paula Kerger, Headspace Founder Andy Puddicombe, The dtx Company Founder Tim Armstrong, News Not Noise Founder Jessica Yellin, R/GA US Chief Creative Officer

Tiffany Rolfe, The Ringer Founder Bill Simmons, and Target CMO Rick Gomez, Girls Who Code Founder & CEO Reshma Saujani, and Pineapple Street Media Cofounder Jenna Weiss-Berman.

“Nominees like Girlsclub Asia are setting the standard for innovation and creativity on the Internet,” said Claire Graves, Executive Director of The Webby Awards. “It is an incredible achievement to be selected among the best from the 13,000 entries we received this year.”

As a nominee, Girlsclub Asia is also eligible to win a Webby People’s Voice Award, which is voted online by fans across the globe. From now until May 8th, Girlsclub Asia fans can cast their votes at vote.webbyawards.com/ PublicVoting#/2020/websites/general-websites/community Winners will be announced on Tuesday, May 19, 2020, and honored in an Internet Celebration on Tuesday, May 19, 2020. Winners will have an opportunity to deliver one of The Webby Awards’ famous 5-Word Speeches. Past 5-Word Speeches include: Steve Wilhite’s “It’s Pronounced “Jif” not ‘Gif’; NASA’s “Houston We Have A Webby”; and Solange’s “I Got Five On It.” Girlsclub Asia is an online community with a mission to unite and empower Asian women who share a love and passion for the arts.

We bring together notable

arne9001| Dreamstime.com

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F you’re a fan of police and law procedurals, you’ll know that secrets rarely stay hidden. The truth often comes out, and always at the most inopportune time. It’s not that different from the stink of a dead rat, buried within old walls or ceilings: the source of the smell may be invisible, but there’s no hiding the stench.

During a crisis, hiding crucial information from your publics will cause more harm than good.

This is not to say that a company, brand, or even the government should release anything and everything about it, or the issues surrounding it, into the wild. It all boils down to knowing the extent of information release and the proper timing to do so.

A few weeks ago, my colleague Ron Jabal, in a column aptly titled “In Desperate Need of Crisis Leaders,” posed some very important questions: “Do we have accurate and updated information about the [Covid-19] crisis? Are policy responses and measures taken developed and conducted in a transparent manner? Do we feel secure, safe, and content with how our leaders are communicating with us during this time?”

I will not answer those questions, as I am not here to pass judgment on how the government has so far responded to this global pandemic. Those are very valid questions, though, as we are all living in very unusual, uncertain, and scary times. What you don’t know is scary, especially when it can spell the difference between life and death.

Which is why I’d like to bring to the fore the importance of transparency in crisis management and communication—something that many of us sometimes forget in the thick of our firefighting.

recting a hospital in Metro Manila to conceal information about the number of Covid-19-related deaths in the facility. East Avenue Medical Center denied that there was such a directive, and the Department of Health launched an investigation into the allegation.

But the post had already gone viral, sparking outrage in the digital sphere. Why such a reaction from the public? One: the public does not want the government lying to them. Two: there’s no room for such secrets when the world is battling an invisible enemy that has already taken thousands of lives. Public outrage is justified when citizens feel that they are not being given the information that they need to make informed decisions about their and their loved ones’ lives.

In the article “Don’t Hide Bad News in Times of Crisis” on Harvard Business Review, Harvard professor and author Amy Edmondson advised leaders, companies, and governments to be transparent anyway, regardless of the reputational hit, as their transparency would reap them bigger benefits in the future.

“Hiding bad news is virtually a reflex in most organizations, but thoughtful leaders recognize that Asian women from all over the world who are making an impact in a wide range of creative fields.

Founded in March 8th, 2019 (women’s day!) by Filipina artist and designer, Aya Ng (also cofounder of Girls, Girls, Girls Exhibit), Girlsclub Asia now features 430 creatives across 33 countries.

“I recognize that this would not be possible without the talent, time, and energy that the Girlsclub Asia community has so kindly contributed to this effort.

The beauty of our platform is that we are able to bring together different women from all over the world. Even though every one of us comes from a different place, with a different language, culture, and creative voice, it’s amazing to see that art unites all of us and that Asian women support each other,” Aya Ng, Founder of Girlsclub Asia

n Campaign Spotlight: Serious Tissues launches to support NHS frontline workers, branding by Above+Beyond

London, UK—Change Please, the social enterprise that trains homeless people to work as baristas, has come up with a new initiative called Serious Tissues— a 100 percent recycled toilet paper brand sold to support NHS frontline workers. The brand launches on April 30, with the

speaking up early and truthfully is a vital strategy in a fast-moving crisis. Reputation must be seen as a long-term game. Taking the reputational hit today from the release of bad news is likely to earn—for leaders, organizations, and nations alike—dividends in the form of future reputational gain, bringing the benefits that come when internal and external constituents trust what you say and have confidence in your commitment to solving the problems that lie ahead,” she explained.

“When the bad news starts pouring in—whether reporting crimes in a city, medical errors in a hospital, or new patient cases in a pandemic—this actually means you’ve jumped over your first hurdle to success. With accurate information, people can turn their attention and skills to the challenges of developing novel solutions to the newly visible problems. Rather than living with false confidence that all is well, leaders and subject matter experts alike can instead get to work on what needs to be done,” she added.

Delicate balancing act

According to Peter LaMotte, senior vice president of integrated marketing communications name, branding, visual identity and tone of voice all developed by independent creative agency, Above+Beyond.

The TOV and branding reflects the urgency of the situation with a simple leading headline, “Sh*t just got serious” and bold branding across 100 percent recycled packaging. To support the launch, Above+Beyond has also created a range of assets for social media.

Serious Tissues has been in development by the Change Please team for close to a year, with the original intention to focus on tackling climate change with a commitment to plant trees all over the world. But the outbreak of coronavirus has presented a more immediate need. So, the team have brought forward the launch of Serious Tissues from the summer to start making a difference right now. Rather than focusing on climate change, every penny of profit will go toward helping patients and the amazing NHS staff and volunteers who are dealing with this crisis on behalf of all of us.

100% of the profits from Serious Tissues will be in aid of the NHS Charities Together Covid-19 Urgent Appeal. The Appeal is being coordinated by NHS Charities Together—the umbrella organisation of 170 NHS Charity trusts across the country. The funds will be used where they are most needed and distributed by local

firm Chernoff Newman, transparency no longer means just providing relevant stakeholders sanitized morsels of information during a crisis. For transparency to be deemed genuine, people should be given access to information that they want or need, “not what feels ‘right’ to the business itself.”

“Gone are the days when CEOs or other high-level executives might smooth over the facts of a crisis or offer carefully selected bits of information, rather than the whole story, and expect the problem to just go away. In an era of all-encompassing, 24/7 news coverage—combined with the seemingly infinite reach of social media—a business seen to be actively dodging its own pledge of transparency can create a crisis of confidence as bad as the original triggering event itself,” he wrote in the article “The Importance of Transparency During a Crisis,” published on The CEO Magazine web site.

Being transparent is a delicate balancing act, considering that not all information can, realistically, be released for public consumption. LaMotte laid down some tips on how businesses, and even governments, can preserve proprietary information while still providing different stakeholders with the information that they require.

n Commit to rapid response.

Respond quickly and honestly, enhancing public perception that you are addressing the situation.

n Share information across all platforms. The tonality and

content of responses should be informative, without a hint of defensiveness. Establish and stick to a posting schedule on socialmedia channels, so people will see that you’re working on addressing the issue.

n Acknowledge your mistakes. Admit your mistake NHS charities. They will provide well-being packs to help the workers through the demanding long shifts they’re putting in to fight the disease, as well as helping with the cost of travel, parking and accommodation for staff and volunteers, any unexpected requirements over the next few months and will support the recovery of NHS staff and volunteers after the pandemic.

Former Head of Strategy at FCB Inferno, Chris Baker, is one of the Founders of Serious Tissues. An expert in social change, Chris has worked on award-winning campaigns for the likes of Unicef, The Big Issue, Barnardo’s, NSPCC, Project Literacy, Home Office and the UK and Australian Governments.

Chris said, “The world has changed rapidly in the past 100 days, so we’ve quickly mobilised and changed our focus from climate change to fighting this terrible pandemic. There are close to 20 million families in the UK. If we can get 5 percent of those to switch to Serious Tissues, that means £10 million going to the NHS Charities Together Covid-19 Urgent Appeal. Above+Beyond totally understands the brand and the urgency and shares our desire to help the NHS frontline heroes—it’s been an awesome partnership.”

Tom Bedwell, Managing Director, Above+Beyond, said: “You can tell things are serious when

and own up to it, as this buys you more goodwill with stakeholders than placing the blame on someone or something else.

Attempted cover-ups are usually as bad as or worse than the original issue.

n Guide employees in being transparent (but not reckless).

Prep your employees on your rapid response and transparency efforts so they are up to speed on what they can or cannot post on social media or tell their personal networks.

n Prepare for transparency.

Have a crisis management plan ready. It should contain clear-cut guidelines on how and when to respond when a crisis occurs, and just how much information can and should be disclosed. Focus on understanding the issue and how to address it, and share all relevant information.

Instead of hiding the truth, choose transparency, especially in a crisis situation. There may be some blowback at the onset, but the benefits of maintaining your integrity will overshadow that eventually. It takes wisdom and courage to choose transparency.

Be that wise, courageous person or organization. You owe it to your stakeholders.

PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the United Kingdombased International Public Relations Association (Ipra), the world’s premier organization for PR professionals around the world.

Abigail L. Ho-Torres is AVP and Head of Advocacy and Marketing of Maynilad Water Services Inc. She spent more than a decade as a business journalist before making the leap to the corporate world.

We are devoting a special column each month to answer our readers’ questions about public relations.

Please send your questions or comments to askipraphil@gmail.com. your toilet paper is trying to help.

Change Please has a track record in transforming the lives of the homeless people involved in its barista scheme, so we jumped at the chance to get involved with Serious Tissues: a super simple concept, with the potential to make massive change. While we’ve developed a brand with a light touch and cheeky tone of voice, the ambition is huge, and we’re very proud to be playing our part in it.”

When the pandemic is over, the brand intends to return to tackling climate change, committing to planting a tree for every roll of toilet paper they sell. Every year, ten million trees are cut down to make toilet paper across the world, a statistic that beggars belief when we consider the importance of trees in capturing carbon and mitigating climate change.

Regular toilet rolls come primarily from trees. Serious Tissues don’t.

They are 100 percent recycled, made from paper recycled from offices and homes and as such, they offer a far more sustainable option in the bathroom while still offering the strength and softness of product that we are all used to, with the Premium range comparing favorably to anything available in the supermarket.

Serious Tissues are available to buy online, either as a one-off or a subscription. There is a choice of either standard or premium rolls.

B8 Monday, May 4, 2020

Sports U.A.A.P. SEASON 83 IN JANUARY 2021?

By Ramon Rafael Bonilla

A

JANUARY 2021 opening of Season 83 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) looms as the government continued to ban mass gatherings that could go well beyond the scheduled May 15 lifting of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila.

UAAP Executive Director Rebo Saguisag told the 2OT podcast over the weekend that restrictions set by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases make it look improbable to set the Season 83 opening in September.

“The government will bar us from holding mass gatherings. As you know, the lifting of the ECQ was moved from April 14 to April 30, then extended again to May 15,” Saguisag said.

“People have to understand that Season 82 was due to end on May 31,” he said. “We can extend the season, but you have to also understand that Season 83 will be too tight,

BusinessMirror

and it’s not fair.”

The UAAP decided to abruptly end Season 82 last April 7 resulting to the cancellation of competitions in volleyball, football, athletics, tennis, baseball, softball and 3x3 basketball.

Saguisag said the UAAP is studying all options on when to start Season 83.

“By canceling Season 82, we feel that it gives us [wiggle] room for Season 83 to work on, rather than having two missed seasons,” he said.

“We’d rather lose the battle to win the war.”

The athletes’ competitiveness is also a factor, Saguisag said.

“The season usually starts in September. Even if it’s [ECQ] lifted, you have to consider the time to condition the players to avoid injuries,” he said.

All sports events in the country—like elsewhere in the world—were canceled because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

ATHLETES HELP OUT DURING PANDEMIC

NAZARETH School of National University’s Kevin

GAME of Thrones actor Hafthor Bjornsson, who plays Gregor “The Mountain” Clegane, lifts 501 kilograms (1,104 pounds).

Quiambao, University of Santo Tomas’s Mark Nonoy and University of the Philippines’s (UP) Ricci Rivero, all basketball players, and Ateneo’s Maxine Esteban, a champion fencer, has done their share in helping out during the crisis.

The 6-foot-8 Quiambao, a member of the Season 82 boys’ Mythical Team, distributed packed meals to military frontliners, barangay officials and community volunteers in Barangay Bayanan in Muntinlupa.

Quiambao, 19, and a member of the national 3x3 youth team, pooled funds from his own pocket, friends and family to produce 150 packed meals of spicy pork ribs, boiled egg and steamed rice.

“It’s our way of appreciating the sacrifice of the frontliners,” Quiambao said. “It makes me proud as a Filipino and that I have become an instrument of the Lord to help in any way I can.”

Nonoy, on the other hand, is observing the ECQ in his hometown of La Carlota in Negros Occidental. And to help during the pandemic, the Season 82 men’s Rookie of the Year also

distributed packed meals to military and barangay frontliners in Barangay II (Poblacion).

“I wanted to help and this is my simple way of honoring frontliners,” said Nonoy, who used his savings as well as pooled contributions from family and friends to fund the packed meals.

Like Nonoy, Rivero is with his family at the comforts of their ancestral home in Isabela.

To make the ECQ worthwhile, Rivero— together with brothers Prince and Rasheed, father and NU juniors assistant coach Paolo, and good friend John Vic de Guzman, have gone around the province distributing relief goods to medical frontliners and people in need.

“It’s been a while since I stayed in Isabela this long since I came to Manila and I wanted to maximize the chance to give back and support my kababayans here who needs help,” Rivero, 21, said.

The Riveros also donated respiratory care and hygiene essentials to the medical staff of Dr. Villaroman Hospital and Isabela Doctors Hospital.

For Esteban, she donated her entire 2019

WORLD RECORD!

a motion for partial summary judgment by the US Soccer Federation. He threw out the Equal Pay Act allegations but left intact the Civil Rights Act claims.

“The history of negotiations between the parties demonstrates that the WNT [Women’s National Team] rejected an offer to be paid under the same pay-to-play structure as the MNT [Men’s National Team], and the WNT was willing to forgo higher bonuses for benefits, such as greater base compensation and the guarantee of a higher number of contracted players,” Klausner wrote.

“Accordingly, plaintiffs cannot now retroactively deem their CBA worse than the MNT CBA by reference to what they would have made had they been paid under the MNT’s pay-to-play terms structure when they themselves rejected such a structure,” he said.

Klausner left intact claims the USSF discriminated in its use of charter aircraft, and in the money it spent on commercial airfare, hotel accommodations, and medical and training support services.

A trial is scheduled for June 16 in federal court in Los Angeles.

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THE US’s Megan Rapinoe lifts the trophy as her teammates celebrate their Women’s World Cup victory over The Netherlands at the Stade de Lyon in Decines, France, in July. AP

F1 hoping to kick off season with doubleheader in Austria

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ARIS—Formula One hopes to finally start the season with a doubleheader in the naturally isolated environment around the venue for the Austrian Grand Prix.

Despite the first 10 races having been canceled or postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic, the targeted start date is July 5 in Austria. F1 still envisages holding 15 to 18 of the 22 scheduled Grands Prix.

One way to make up for lost time is having consecutive weekends on one circuit, like the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. F1 Manager Director of Motorsports Ross Brawn says this is a “real consideration” so long as iron-tight safety regulations are met.

“One of the logistical challenges is getting everyone tested and cleared to enter the racing environment,” he told an official F1 podcast.

“We can contain everyone within that environment, and therefore once we are there it is appealing to have another race the following week.”

The Red Bull Ring’s location in the Styrian mountains makes it naturally isolated.

“It’s pretty challenging to find the right sort of races early on where we can control the environment well enough to ensure the safety of everyone,” Brawn added. “Austria fits that bill very well. It has a local airport right next to the circuit, where people can charter planes into.

It’s not too close to a metropolis.”

It is unclear where F1 would race after Austria, if it even

allowance as a national athlete from the Philippine Sports Commission for her “A Small Thing Goes A Long Way” fund-raising drive for medical frontliners and vulnerable communities.

Wanting to reach exactly P500,000, the 19-year-old national fencer decided to add her allowance and her incentive for sharing a bronze medal in team foil event in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

“First off, I want to thank all our donors, without whom this project would not have been possible,” Esteban said.

Esteban said they bought sacks of rice and personal protective equipment which they donated to the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Medical Center, University of Santo Tomas Hospital, National Children’s Hospital, Cardinal Santos Medical Center, Metropolitan Medical Center and San Juan City Hall.

Esteban, a Management Engineering sophomore, and her sisters are also working on 10 paintings that they intent sell or auction to raise more funds for frontliners.

Women’s soccer loses equal pay bid A FEDERAL judge threw out the unequal pay claim by players on the US women’s national soccer team in a surprising loss for the defending World Cup champions but allowed their allegation of discriminatory working conditions to go to trial.

Players led by Alex Morgan sued in March 2019, claiming they have not been paid equally under their collective bargaining agreement to what the men’s national team receives under its labor deal. They asked for more than $66 million in damages under the Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

In a 32-page decision Friday, US District Judge R. Gary Klausner granted in part

OPAVOGUR, Iceland—The Mountain is at the top of the deadlift world.

Game of Thrones actor Hafthor Bjornsson, who played Gregor “The Mountain” Clegane in the HBO series, set a deadlift world record by lifting 501 kilograms (1,104 pounds) on Saturday.

Bjornsson, the 2018 World’s Strongest Man, made the successful attempt at Thor’s Power Gym in his native Iceland.

“I believe today I could’ve done more, but what’s the point?” the 31-year-old Bjornsson told ESPN. “I’m happy with this.”

Eddie Hall set the previous record in 2016 at the World Deadlift Championships, with the Englishman lifting 500 kilos (1,102 pounds). AP

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph / Editor: Jun Lomibao

goes ahead.

The British GP is set to follow on July 19 and organizers are talking to the government about the viability of holding that race without fans. Silverstone would also reportedly be able to hold consecutive races.

The season could then continue later in the summer in Hungary, where the Hungaroring circuit is nestled in the countryside outside Budapest; and Belgium, whose Spa-Francorchamps track is within the Ardennes forest. The idea is then to move into Eurasia, Asia, and the Americas before concluding with Bahrain and Abu Dhabi in the Gulf.

“It’s important for us to try and get the season going. One reason is to excite the fans,” Brawn said. “But it is [also] a very important livelihood for thousands of people.”

Guenther Steiner, the team principal of the Haas F1 team, cautiously argued in favor of giving Austria the green light.

“I think Austria is a very good place to start,” Steiner said Friday in a video interview. “They have got the disease well under control at the moment and we just need to make sure that we don’t bring it back.”

Steiner also thinks consecutive races could be held there.

“I think it’s realistic. I don’t know so much about what is coming after,” he said. “Let’s hope we can get official [clearance] and we get also a good follow-up plan.” AP

“We are shocked and disappointed with today’s decision, but we will not give up our hard work for equal pay,” Molly Levinson, spokesman for the women’s players, said in a statement. “We are confident in our case and steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that girls and women who play this sport will not be valued as lesser just because of their gender.”

Players intend to ask the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn Klausner’s decision, a move that could delay the trial into 2021 or later.

“If you know this team at all you know we have a lot of fight left in us. We knew this wasn’t going to be easy, change never is,” defender Becky Sauerbrunn wrote on Twitter.

While the Americans are the most successful women’s team, with four World Cup titles including the last two, the US men did not even qualify for the 2018 World Cup. The USSF argued the women actually made more than the men both overall and by game average, and the women claimed they should have the same bonus structure as the men.

“Merely comparing what WNT players received under their own CBA with what they would have received under the MNT CBA discounts the value that the team placed on guaranteed benefits they receive under their agreement, which they opted for at the expense of higher performance-based bonuses,” Klausner wrote.

“This issue is insufficient to create a genuine issue of material fact for trial,” he added.

Klausner also said the women could not go forward with their claim that the USSF discriminated against them by scheduling more games on artificial turf than the men had. He said there was not sufficient evidence to show that decisions on field surface were made for discriminatory reasons.

He rejected the USSF’s argument that the men had a competitive need for charter flights that the women lacked, allowing that part of the suit to go forward. The federation has argued that the men, who have struggled in World Cup qualifying, have more need for charters than the women in order to arrive more rested for their qualifiers.

“This rationale does not fully explain the gross disparity on money spent on airfare and hotels for the teams,” Klausner wrote.

In addition, the USSF has said spending in these areas has been equal since the women’s union agreed to a new labor deal in 2017. AP

Rick Olivares bleachersbrew@gmail.com

Bleachers’ Brew

Webinar on Cone, Triangle Offense LAST Saturday evening, I was one of the moderators of the Hoop Coaches International webinar that featured women’s coach Patrick Aquino and multi-titled Philippine Basketball Association tactician, Tim Cone.

The webinar is the brainchild of Coach Ariel Vanguardia who I became friends with while he was calling the shots for the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (PBA). Later still, when he joined the Westsports Malaysia Dragons in the Asean Basketball League among others, I covered him and even stayed at the players’ dorm in Kuala Lumpur for about a week.

After coaching the Phoenix Fuel Masters in the PBA, Coach Ariel has really dedicated himself to promoting coaching. He was able to bring in Vance Walberg who developed the world famous dribble drive offense that is in vogue today.

However, with The Last Dance documentary, one of the world’s hottest topics today (with the world in global lockdown), as it has aired four episodes on Netflix, last Saturday evening’s webinar with Cone took special meaning.

Cone still runs the fabled offense made famous by the Chicago Bulls. Maybe not as much as he had adapted the system to include elements of the dribble drive offense and what Steve Kerr runs with the Golden State Warriors, but it is still there.

The offense seems to have taken a beating especially when the New York Knicks did such a poor job running it. All of Phil Jackson’s disciples who ran it—Jim Cleamons in Dallas, Kurt Rambis in Minnesota and Derek Fisher in New York have failed. Miserably.

So seeing Cone’s success in the PBA is a treat for those who fell in love with the system.

While it is opined that Cleamons, Rambis and Fisher did not have system designer Tex Winter with their teams, I can also say that Jackson wasn’t a part although in New York, he was team president.

I am going to lift something for Cone mentioned when asked what characteristics a coach must possess, and among his answers was patience, being process-oriented and an ability to learn. Sadly, I don’t think that was present with Cleamons’s, Rambis’s and Fisher’s teams.

When Cleamons was in Dallas, that was the year when teammates Jim Jackson and Jason Kidd were feuding. And the triangle calls for the ball being taken out of the hands of one player for a spell. Can you imagine Kidd without the ball?

And they had Sam Cassell, too. The closest thing they had to Michael Jordan was Finley. So as Cleamons joined the Mavericks, I wondered who’d go to the wall for him. After a 24-58 season, it was over for him.

It was the same for Rambis in Minnesota.

This wasn’t a very good team with only Kevin Love and Al Jefferson as the name players.

One of the interesting questions posed to Cone last night was which among his three teams— Alaska, B-Meg or Barangay Ginebra run the offense best and who among his imports—Sean Chambers for the Milkmen, Marqus Blakely for B-Meg and Justin Brownlee for the latter fit the offense best?

I could be wrong but I was under the impression that while Alaska ran it for a longer period of time, B-Meg executed it better. Chambers though was best import to play through it.

The cool thing about the triangle was that there were no set plays as it was a read and react type of offense. Hearing Phil Jackson talk about it where in anyone set, there are at least 33 ways to score is incredible.

When Cone showed his teams running the system, it was great to see them make the proper reads and try to score. Even watching the clips where they miss in spite of a spot-on execution was a thrill.

It may be 22 years since The Last Dance and nine years since it was run with aplomb in Los Angeles with the Lakers, but it was sure nice getting a refresher course from Tim Cone in a most excellent webinar organized by Coach Ariel.

Am looking forward to next.

FORE! Golfers play the first

hole at the city-owned Cleveland Heights Golf Course over the weekend in Lakeland, Florida.

The city of Lakeland has reopened some parks and recreation areas with some rules to avoid spreading the coronavirus. AP