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Experts are beginning to draw up plans to deliver Covid-19 vaccines across every corner of the planet HE vaccine to immunize the planet’s 7.8-billion population from Covid-19 may still be undergoing its final phase of clinical trials. This early, however, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has advised governments to begin planning with industry stakeholders to ensure full preparedness when the life-saving doses have gained final approval and made available for global distribution.

“The potential size of the delivery is enormous. Just providing a single dose to 7.8 billion people would fill 8,000 747 cargo aircraft,” said IATA’s Director General and CEO Alexandre de Juniac by way of illustrating the immense logistical challenge ahead.

Now is the time for planning and governments must take the lead in facilitating cooperation across the logistics chain “so that the facilities, security arrangements and border processes are ready for the mammoth and complex tasks ahead,” he said.

The whole world, de Juniac added, “is eagerly awaiting a safe Covid-19 vaccine [and it] is incumbent on all of us to make sure that

all countries have safe, fast and equitable access to the initial doses when they are available.”

As the lead agency for the procurement and supply of the Covid vaccine on behalf of the Covax Facility, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (Unicef) is expected to lead what could possibly be the world’s largest and fastest operation the world has known.

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By Recto L. Mercene

“THE potential size of the delivery is enormous. Just providing a single dose to 7.8 billion people would fill 8,000 747 cargo aircraft.”—IATA’s Director General and CEO Alexandre de Juniac

Critical role

“THE role of airlines and international transport companies will be critical to this endeavor,” said Henrietta Fore, Unicef executive director.

“Delivering billions of doses of vaccine to the entire world effi-

ciently will involve hugely complex logistical and programmatic obstacles all the way along the supply chain,” said Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

“We look forward to working together with governments, vaccine manufacturers and logistical partners to ensure an efficient global rollout of a safe and affordable Covid-19 vaccine,” Berkley added.

On Monday evening, President Duterte expressed optimism that a vaccine will be available as early as September from the US pharmaceutical firm Moderna.

The other vaccine frontrunner is China’s Sinovac, while Russia’s Sputnik V is now on Stage 3 trials Continued on A2

How to attend a wedding (or not) during a pandemic

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By Claire Ballentine | Bloomberg News

event and your own family dynamic,” says Rachael Piltch-Loeb, preparedness fellow at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Read on to obtain tips on how to take safety into account, as well as how to politely decline if you find that it’s not for you.

LTHOUGH the Covid-19 coronavirus caused many to postpone their ceremonies earlier in the year, clarity on how the virus spreads and less rigid social distancing mandates are leading to a return of weddings this fall—albeit with maskwearing and smaller numbers.

That poses previously unimaginable dilemmas for a wedding guest: Will proper cleaning protocols be followed? Will there be close contact among attendees?

The good news is that most nuptials are proceeding with caution. Of those with weddings in 2020, 71 percent are incorporating health and safety measures into their celebrations, with 63 percent adjusting seating arrangements for

more distance, according to data from wedding website the Knot.

However, a slate of headlines detailing how ceremonies have spread the virus—from a hidden indoor gathering in San Francisco to a super-spreader event in Maine that led to more than 100 cases— are enough to give anyone pause.

Whether you attend is “a balance of protecting yourself and figuring out the characteristics of the

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 48.5790

Being nosy

MANY couples are offering a virtual option for those who feel uncomfortable attending in person. CHRIS J. RATCLIFFE/GETTY IMAGES EUROPE

WHEN considering attending a celebration, experts recommend something previously considered taboo: asking for lots of details.

Many couples are providing descriptions of the ceremony’s logistics on the invitations, or through updated communication and websites. If this information isn’t readily available, there’s no shame in inquiring further, as long as the query is done with respect and politeness.

“You definitely are going to want to do this via phone call. You don’t want to send a text,” says Jacquelyn Youst, etiquette expert and owner of the Pennsylvania AcadeContinued on A2

n JAPAN 0.4577 n UK 62.2200 n HK 6.2682 n CHINA 7.1086 n SINGAPORE 35.4669 n AUSTRALIA 35.2392 n EU 57.4398 n SAUDI ARABIA 12.9523

Source: BSP (September 11, 2020)

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Logistical challenge Continued from A1

and Moscow said early tests have shown “encouraging” results.

The President believes all vaccines will have the same effect so the Philippines will be buying from those that would offer it at the cheapest price.

“It doesn’t matter who, it’s the same anyway,” he said in his weekly nationwide address, adding, he would buy whoever offers the cheapest.

Industry-wide effort

PHILIPPINE Airlines (PAL) sources characterized the anticipated transport of such a huge volume of vaccine as “an industry-wide effort.”

The sources added that “it would be just like in all cargo transactions; we need to know the tonnage of shipment and delivery schedule requirements so PAL can determine the right type of aircraft and the number of flights to fulfill the shipment.”

“Once the work plan has been set up, then the airline executes,” said the official, who requested not to be named since the execution of the plan still lies months ahead.

“We also assume that the government will tap PAL, the flag carrier, as it has been doing throughout the pandemic, transporting highly critical medical supplies,” the official added.

It is also possible that due to the expenses involved in airlifting cargo, the bulk of the vaccine would be carried by ships either from China or Russia or whatever country the Philippines will source

it from, provided the vaccines are not time-sensitive, meaning they have to be consumed within a given span of time, or risk spoilage.

CEB Cargo Cebu Pacific Vice President for Marketing and Customer Experience Candice Iyog, asked about CEB’s logistical capacity, said, “CEB remains committed to keep serving every Juan to the best of our capabilities. We have been continuously operating cargo flights in and out of the country in order to ensure transport of essential goods is not hampered, especially during this time.”

She added that CEB has been utilizing about half of its fleet for operations at the moment. “Rest assured we will be supportive of these efforts and we will prepare as necessary, so we may all work together toward our industry’s recovery.”

173 countries

MEANWHILE, during an interview on CNN on Wednesday, Berkley said 173 countries have signed up to be able to avail themselves of a successful vaccine.

“The vaccine will initially be given to some 50 million healthcare workers worldwide,” he said.

Berkeley added some 20 to 30 countries would have forged a bilateral arrangement that would allow them priority access to the successful Covid-19 vaccine but with the help of Vaccine Alliance, 173 countries could avail themselves of what is called a vaccine for all.

“What is the use of a successful vaccine if some parts of the world continues to suffer from Covid-19 infections for lack of access to it?”

Berkley said.

Asked if reports are true that 25 percent of the Russian vaccine produced by the Gamaleya National Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology (Moscow, Russia) called Sputnik V would be sent to Mexico following a rollout, Berkley said: “They would have to follow international standards in order to assure it is safe.”

He added: “We have hinted that vaccines should follow international standards and we hope they [Gamaleya] did.”

Doing it right

VACCINES must be handled and transported in line with international regulatory requirements, at controlled temperatures and without delay to ensure the quality of the sensitive product.

While there are still many unknowns (number of doses, temperature sensitivities, manufacturing locations, etc.), it is clear that the scale of activity will be so vast that cold chain facilities will be required to ensure timely delivery to every corner of the planet, experts have said.

Priorities for preparing facilities for this distribution include: • Availability of temperaturecontrolled facilities and equipment and maximizing the use or repurposing of existing infrastructure and minimizing availability buildup.

• Availability of staff trained to handle time- and temperaturesensitive vaccines.

• Robust monitoring capabilities to ensure the integrity of the vaccines is maintained.

• Security. IATA said vaccines

A MEMBER of a Chinese medical delegation pushes boxes of vaccines upon arrival at Jorge Chavez airport in Lima, Peru, September 2, 2020. Experimental vaccines for the new coronavirus from the Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinopharm arrived to be injected into people as part of the third phase of a clinical trial, according to China’s Ambassador to Peru, Liang Yu. AP/CESAR BARRETO

will be highly valuable commodities and arrangements must be in place to ensure that shipments remain secure from tampering and theft.

This early, the vaccine race has been heating up to unprecedentedly

fast levels, but one source of comfort for people everywhere is that most of the big organizations and pharma groups behind them have forged a united stand. They recently pledged that no one among them will allow politics to trump science, and no vac-

cine rollout will happen that has not gone through the full process.

Meanwhile, IATA’s advice to everyone is worth preparing for: governments everywhere must gear up for the biggest logistical challenge of our time.

How to attend a wedding (or not) during a pandemic Continued from A1

my of Protocol. “Explain your situation. It’s all in the words—and mostly, your tone.”

If the couple seems especially busy or overwhelmed with the planning—as was typical, even before a global pandemic—reaching out to another member of the wedding party is an option.

In general, the more people who attend, the more dangerous it is, Piltch-Loeb explains, although there’s no exact cutoff number. She says that her first questions when attending a wedding are: first, whether it will be indoor or outdoor, and then the amount of guests.

The gold standard for a safe ceremony is “outdoors, with a mask and with respect for social distancing and hand washing,” says Jessica Justman, an associate professor of medicine in epidemiology at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.

The outdoor component is especially crucial, given that studies show the coronavirus spreads more in indoor environments with low humidity.

Other questions to ask include: Will there be sanitizing stations; will masks be provided or should I bring my own; and if it’s indoor, what is the venue ventilation like?

Some wedding parties are taking a “bubble” approach, which requires rapid testing for active, asymptomatic infections to attend, as well as harm reduction measures such as having guests drive instead of fly and minimizing contact at restaurants, shops, other social engagements in the lead up. Vendors such as DJs and photographers are also asked to comply. The goal: a stress-free, potentially mask-less experience.

“You just need to be an informed guest,” says JoAnn Gregoli, owner of Elegant Occasions, a wed-

ding planner in the New York area.

“The more information you have, the better you are.” And the more fully you can decide if the event fits into your risk tolerance, both for yourself and others.

Keep your distance

IF any of the event characteristics sound risky or go beyond your comfort levels, there’s always the option to politely modify your approach, based on your risk tolerance.

“If you get somewhere, and you’re uncomfortable, you can always stand in the back and watch from a distance,” Gregoli says.

Or ask the couple if there is a virtual option. Many couples are including a broadcast via Zoom, or another streaming platform, alongside an in-person ceremony, designed for those who are highrisk or otherwise uncomfortable.

Some weddings also now include different-colored wristbands for guests, to easily show social distancing comfort levels, says Marlie Kelleher, owner of Marlie Renee Designs, a wedding stationery service.

For instance, red could mean no touching and staying six feet away from others, while yellow might mean keep masks on at all times, and green completely open to hugs and handshakes.

One of the riskier parts of the ceremony is often the reception, Piltch-Loeb notes, when alcohol flows and boundaries blur, and masks come off during dancing.

If that is worrisome, consider dancing, or mingling in a separate area, sitting separately with family members or in a quarantine pod, or even making an early exit, before craziness ensues.

Politely decline

THERE’S no shame in telling a couple you cannot attend the ceremony. As Youst puts it: “Health comes

before etiquette.”

Most couples moving forward with nuptials in 2020 realize that not everyone will be able to attend.

“The guests who are invited to a wedding, it means you have a very special relationship with the couple,” says Esther Lee, senior editor at the Knot. “The couple cares about you.”

They should respect your decision to refrain from a choice that could endanger your health, she notes. Just be sure to thank them for the invite and convey wishes of celebrating the milestone sometime in the future, when the risk of infection is lower.

Even if you decline to attend, Youst recommends sending a gift; the amount of money spent can vary in proportion to your finances and relationship with the couple.

“Your gift represents your good wishes toward the newlyweds,” she says. “You still want to be part of the celebration. You still want to send your well wishes. You want to cheer them on.”

Many couples are now offering virtual gift options, too, including honeymoon funds, to minimize the need for physical objects to change hands.

For ceremonies that have been moved to a later date, Youst says to send a gift as soon as possible, especially since many retailers face shipping delays. It’s acceptable to hold off if the nuptials are being postponed indefinitely. Much can change between now and then.

Although not required, Kelleher suggests sending a small gift, such as a bottle of wine or flowers, on a couple’s original wedding date, if it’s been postponed.

“Even something small, just as a reminder to them that you are there and thinking of them,” she says. “It’s a very small gesture that will go a long way. People remember things like that.”

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Duque assures D.O.H. ready to provide detailed vaccine procurement road map

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

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ealth Secretary Francisco T. Duque III assured the public on Friday that the Department of Health (DOH) will provide a detailed road map for the procurement of a safe and effective Covid-19 vaccine.

D u q u e s a i d t h at t h e D O H w i l l e n s u re seamless ro l l o u t o f t h e Cov i d - 1 9 va cc i n e i n t h e c o u n t r y, d i s c l o s i n g t h a t t h e Philippines is already in close collaboration and negotiation with several international pharmaceutical companies that are currently the frontrunners in the development of vaccines.

This, as the country recorded a toal of 252,964 infections after 4,040 newly confirmed cases were added to the list of Covid-19 patients.

There were 566 recoveries bringing the total number of recoveries to 186,606 with 42 deaths reported. The death toll stood at 4,108.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, meanwhile, said that the identification of the sites for the World Health Organization’s (WHO) solidarity trial for Covid-19 vaccines may push through in the third or fourth week of this month.

In an online media forum, Vergeire said that the target start of the solidarity trials for vaccines will be in the last week of October.

She, however, noted that these are subject to change, especially, if there are “interventions,” or several factors that will lead to the change of schedule. The DOH stressed that it is the WHO that will primarily determine the necessar y adjustments and changes.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging I n f e c t i o u s D i s e a s e s ( I AT F ) , t h r o u g h i t s Resolution 68, has approved the creation of a separate sub-Technical Working Group (sub-TWG) on Vaccine Procurement that will be headed by the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service.

DOH, as a member of the sub-TWG, will determine the appropriate vaccine deployment program, including the vaccine to be procured and the required number of doses.

Prior to the rollout, the country will participate in clinical trials of advanced Covid-19 vaccine candidates.

“The FDA [Food and Drug Administration] together with the DOST [Department of Science and Technology] and the IATF-Sub-Technical Working Group on Vaccine Development are closely monitoring foreign pharmaceutical companies who will conduct local clinical trials here in the countr y to ensure the vaccine’s quality, safety, and efficacy,” Duque explained.

Once a viable vaccine for procurement is identified, the department will provide a detailed road map for its procurement and rollout, details of which would include its budget, financing scheme, pricing schemes, interim reimbursements of vaccines, clinical trial insurance for side effects, participation fees for volunteers to the testing, and other specific guidelines.

To expedite procurement, DOH, as supported by the Health Technology Assessment Council, FDA and the Philippine Medical Association, also proposed to waive the required Phase IV clinical trials, specifically for Covid-19 vaccines and medications in the Bayanihan II (Bayanihan to Recover as One Act). The bill, including the proposed provision, has passed the Congress and is awaiting signing into law.

“We acknowledge the limitations of the law in meeting the urgent needs to address a pandemic given the severity posed by the SARSCOV-2 virus, particularly in the immediate access to much-needed vaccines. Rest assured that DOH, together with the rest of government and its partners, will act swiftly given the evolving study of the virus and the uncertain development of the situation,” Duque said.

NCR mayors close cemeteries at ‘Undas’ to force staggered visits, avoid Covid-19

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F TE R M a n i l a M a yo r Fr a n c i s co “ I s ko Moreno” Domagoso ordered the closure of cemeteries in the cit y from O c tober 31 to November 3 to prevent the spread of Covid-19, other Metro Manila mayors are following suit.

In a radio inter view, Metropolitan Manila D e ve l o p m e n t A u t h o r i t y ( M M DA ) G e n e r a l Manager Jose Ar turo G arcia said that all mayors in Metro Manila have already signified their agreement with the proposal to close down the cemeteries in their respective cities d u ri n g t h e o b s e r va n ce o f Al l S a i nt s’ Day and All Souls’ Day, popularly called Undas .

Millions of Filipinos troop to the cemeteries on November 1 and 2 each year for a time honored tradition, rooted especially among Filipino Catholics.

“It [the decision to close cemeteries] will be unanimous,” Garcia said, adding that he has yet to discuss the matter “officially” with the mayors on Sunday.

In order to prevent thousands from converging at cemeteries in just t wo days, thus making social distancing difficult, the mayors are, like Manila’s Moreno, encouraging residents to spread out their visits to cemeteries across several weeks in advance of Undas , with proposals to issue cemeter y passes for cer tain dates to ensure a maximum number is obser ved for each day.

San Juan

To sustain its gains in the battle with Covid-19 and to thwar t resurgence of the disease, San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora has issued an Executive Order (FMZ-049, Series of 2020) stating that “it is necessar y and proper to regulate the influx of people trooping to all public and private memorial parks, cemeteries a n d co l u m b a r i e s to co m m e m o r ate Undas before, on or after All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.” Zamora also barred all Halloween activities, including Trick or Treat, in order to prevent the public, especially children, from gathering and leaving their homes.

Zamora mandated the temporar y closure of all memorial parks, cemeteries and columbaries, both public and private, within the Cit y of San J uan from O c tober 30 to November 3 while the National Capital Region is under communit y quarantine.

“The conduc t of trick or treat and other Halloween ac tivities shall be prohibited in all places, including in gated subdivisions, condominiums, as well as in public places such as parks, malls and the like from O c tober 30, 2020 to November 3, 2020 especially during All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. Halloween ac tivities are allowed to be conduc ted in the confines of one’s own home, provided that social distancing and other precautionar y

measures are complied with,” the EO stated.

Marikina

While he has yet to issue an order not to open to the public the cemeteries at Undas , Marikina City Marcelino Teodoro said people may visit their departed loved ones but passes will be issued to at least 30 percent of their total capacity of visitors.

“We will give a window hour for those who want to visit starting October 15 to November 30,” he said.

Teodoro will issue an executive order to formalize the closure of the four cemeteries from October 31 to November 2.

H e s t re s s e d t h a t t h e y n e e d n o t o n l y t o t e m p o r a r i l y c l o s e c e m e te r i e s, b u t a l s o give specific dates when people could v i s i t, t h a n f o r t h e m to f l o c k to c e m e te r i e s o n o t h e r d a y s.

The religious and cultural practices of people like the commemoration of Undas , according to him, cannot be forcibly stopped, but can be regulated, he said.

Cemetery administrations will also prohibit foods and tents that can congest the four cemeteries in Marikina, the mayor said.

The mayor said people may process their cemetery passes as early as October 1.

Meanwhile, he reiterated the Inter-Agency Task Force guidelines prohibiting children below 21 years old and adults above 60 from stepping out.

Therefore, they cannot be given cemetery passes.

To e n s u re t h at ve h i c l e vo l u m e i n s i d e cemeteries remains manageable, the mayor said, the cemetery administrations will also issue car passes.

The five cemeteries in Marikina City are Loyola Memorial Park, Barangka Municipal Ce m e t e r y, A g l i p a y Ce m e t e r y, H o l y C h i l d Cemetery, and Our Lady of the Abandoned.

Mandaluyong

M a nda lu yong Ci t y M ayo r M e n c h i e Ab a l o s h a s o rd e re d t h e te m p o r a r y c l o s u re o f a l l p u b l i c a n d p r i v a te c e m e te r i e s i n t h e c i t y f ro m O c t o b e r 3 0 to N o ve m b e r 3 .

The temporary closure covers the Garden of Life, San Felipe Neri Roman Catholic and Paradise cemeteries.

She also ordered the City Legal Department to draft an executive order for the temporary closure.

Instead of flocking to cemeteries, she said, families are urged to bring home the urns of their dead relatives to celebrate Undas .

The local governments of Malabon, Makati and Pa t e r o s w i l l a l s o t e m p o r a r i l y c l o s e t h e i r c e m e t e r i e s. M e a n w h i l e, t h e c i t i e s o f Ta g u i g a n d Pa s a y s a i d t h a t t h e y w i l l m a ke a n a n n o u n c e m e n t a f te r t h e m e e t i n g o f t h e M e t ro M a n i l a m a yo r s o n S u n d a y.

Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

Saturday, September 12, 2020

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PHL says 57 people under scrutiny on Wirecard case

By Siegfrid & and Claire Jiao Bloomberg News

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he Ph i l ippi nes’s a nt imone y l au nder i ng authority has identified 57 “persons of interest,” including foreigners and local bank officers and government officials, whose links to Wirecard AG are being scrutinized.

Authorities are analyzing the transactions of these people who are “not necessarily the accused or respondents in a criminal case,” Mel Georgie Racela, execu-

tive director of the Anti-Money Laundering Council, said in a virtual briefing in Manila.

Other comments: A ge nc y ’s p rob e w o n’t e xtend to t he ba n k s where of f icers worked a s possible l apses i n i nter n a l cont rol s w i l l be t ac k led b y B a ng ko Sent ra l ng P i l ipi n a s.

Authorities are building cases against domestic v iolators of the A nti-Money Launder ing Act and are waiting for evidence f rom Ger m a n aut hor it ies so it can pursue charges against

key people, including for mer Wirecard COO Jan Marsa lek.

Author it ies a re a l so look i ng at compa n ies possibly re l ated to for mer Wirecard execut ive C h r i stopher B auer, who d ied i n Ju ly i n a Ph i l ippi ne hos pit a l .

Unit Wirecard e-Money Philippines Inc. appears to have no connection to the alleged fraudu lent activ ities, said R acela, adding that there’s no need to “press the panic button” as the company is willing to cooperate with the investigation.

BSP’s signing of agreements with BIR, TOAP highlights digital PERA launch

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he Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) inked separate agreements with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Trust Officers Association of the Philippines (TOAP) during the virtual launch of the Digital Personal Equity and Retirement Account (PERA) held recently.

BSP Governor B enjamin E. Diokno and BIR Commissioner Caesar R. Dulay signed a memorandum of agreement on connectivity arrangements between the two agencies’ PERA systems for the issuance of electronic tax credit certificate. In relation to this, a ceremonial turnover of electronic tax credit certificates (TCC) to existing PERA investors showcased the recent automation of TCC issuance.

M o re o ve r, G o ve r n o r D i o k n o a n d TOA P President Atty. Ma. Cristina Barbara V. Concepcion signed a memorandum of understanding on TOAP ’s affirmation of commitment to promote digital PERA. T h e m e d “ Co n v e n i e n t a n d A f f o r d a b l e Retirement Savings through Digital PERA” or “#PERACares,” the launch of digital PERA was

From left: Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Managing Director Lilia C. Guillermo, BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno and Deputy Governor Chuchi G. Fonacier; and Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Caesar R. Dulay and Assistant Commissioner Ma. Luisa I. Belen

BSP Governor Diokno, Deputy Governor Fonacier and Trust Officers Association of the Philippines President Atty. Ma. Cristina Barbara V. Concepcion also attended by Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez; Asian Development Bank Director General Ramesh Subramaniam; BSP Deputy

Governor Chuchi G. Fonacier and Managing D irec tor Lilia C. G uillermo; BIR A ssistant Commissioner Ma. Luisa I. Belen; and personal

finance coach Randell Tiongson.

PERA is a voluntary retirement account that can be a supplementary source of benefits in addition to the retirement programs of the Social Security System and the Government Service Insurance System. PERA is structured to encourage Filipinos to invest in long-term retirement saving products by providing tax incentives.

In his speech, Governor Diokno stressed that PERA fosters a financially secure retirement, capital market development, as well as economic growth through savings mobilization.

The digitalization of PERA—which allows Filipinos to invest in PERA investment products anytime, anywhere using only their mobile phones and other devices—is in line with BSP’s thrust to bring the Central Bank closer to the people.

Par ticipants to the event also included personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Department of Education, Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines, Civil Service Commission and Department of Labor and Employment.

Construction of Makati Columbarium offering free cremation, inurnment services begins in October

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he city government is set to start next month construction work on the Makati Columbarium at the old site of the Makati Catholic Cemetery, Mayor Abby Binay said.

The mayor said the columbarium is intended to relieve the bereaved family of the burden of costly funeral expenses and, at the same time, provide an innovative solution to the shortage of interment space in Makati.

“Through this project, the bereaved family of Makatizens need not worry anymore about expensive funeral services, and we will adequately address the need for more burial space within the city,” Mayor Abby said.

“By offering free cremation and inurnment services at the columbarium, we will ensure that all Makatizens, regardless of economic stature, will have a dignified burial,” she added.

Mayor Abby assured residents that the facility will have people-friendly and environment-friendly features which promote safety, convenience and sustainability.

According to the site development plan from the city engineering depar tment, the columbarium will initially consist of t wo buildings that will house a chapel, viewing areas, cremation area, and 14,784 urn vaults.

The facility will occupy the 4,000-squaremeter property along Kalayaan Avenue where the municipal cemetery used to be.

Earlier, the city government has published notices to families of those still buried in the cemetery to coordinate with the Makati Health Department (MHD) for the transfer of the remains of their loved ones. They may call MHD at telephone number: 8870-1609 or 8870-1610, Monday to Friday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Pangilinan to DND chief: Cancel deal allowing China to build cell towers inside military camps

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EFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana should rescind the deal that allows China-backed Dito Telecommunity Corp. to build cell sites inside Philippine military camps, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan said on Friday.

“The secretary should rescind the deal as it compromises the security of our citizens and our country as whole, especially security of our data, which is the currency of this century,” the senator said in a news statement.

“Countries more technologically advanced have actually banned, or reconsidered business deals with China’s largest telco and phone manufacturer Huawei Technologies just two months ago due to possible spying. That should have been an eye-opener for us. Dapat natuto rin tayo sa karanasan nila ,” he added.

Pangilinan cited a recent news wire report dated July 16, 2020, which said that the US and British foreign ministers agreed to promote the development of “additional trusted 5G solutions,” quoting the US State Department two days after Britain decided to purge Huawei equipment from its 5G network by 2027.

Another separate report, this time on July 22, 2020, said that French authorities have told telecoms operators planning to buy Huawei 5G equipment that they won’t be able to renew licenses for the gear once they expire, effectively phasing the Chinese firm out of mobile networks by 2028.

“This deal was approved last year but recent developments in the past three or four months give us serious reason to revisit the approval,” Pangilinan said.

The senator also pointed out the possible massive security breach this deal represents given that China has been encroaching on the West Philippine Sea and disallowing Filipino fishermen access to their source of livelihood. “ Meron tayong usapin sa China tungkol sa West Philippine Sea. Meron pa sa Benham R i s e . Patuloy nilang nilalapastangan ang ating yamang-dagat at binabawalan ang ating mangingisda na maghanapbuhay sa teritoryo

natin ,” Pangilinan pointed out. “ Pero ano ginagawa natin sa usaping ito?

Parang meron tayong kapitbahay na nang-aangkin ng ating bakuran at papapasukin pa natin para magbantay ng bakuran natin ,” he added.

Pangilinan reminded Lorenzana and the rest of the military establishment are duty-bound to protect the country’s national and the Filipino citizens’ security and not compromise it with the deal.

“We have serious doubts that we have in our possession the most modern technology and equipment to monitor cyber-security threats.

Kaya dapat pawalang-bisa na yung kontrata ,” the senator said.

Dito Telecommunity, the third telco after Globe and Smart, is a consortium led by Davaobased businessman Dennis Uy. It includes Chelsea Logistics and Infrastructure Holdings Corp., Udenna Corp., and state-owned China Telecommunications Corp., which owns 40 percent of Dito.

Many have raised concerns over the Chinese stake in the consortium, as Chinese state-owned firms are obliged under Beijing laws to follow orders, like divert or intercept Internet traffic, or access state secrets, when required.

Among those who raised national security co n ce r n s e a r l i e r we re Lo re n z a n a h i m s e l f and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. Pointing to the proximity of POGO (Philippine offshore gaming operators) offices to military camps, Lorenzana late last year said these POGOs, which employ Chinese nationals, may shift their operations to spying.

For his par t, Esperon admitted that he considers the influx of hundreds of thousands of Chinese nationals in the country a national security threat.

At the same time, Filipino citizens have started a petition addressed to “the Philippine Congress to stop the entry of Dito Telecommunity into the Philippine telco industry until its risks to the country are thoroughly assessed.”

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Saturday, September 12, 2020

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www.businessmirror.com.ph

HK’s reign as world’s freest economy at risk, group warns E

Red Cross attains 80% of polio vaccine drive despite lockdown

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

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ong Kong’s long reign as the world’s freest economy is at risk due to China’s efforts to quell dissent, the Fraser Institute said, undercutting government arguments that the crackdown was improving the business climate.

T he Va n c ou v e r - b a s e d re search institution warned in its 2020 Economic Freedom of the World report that the sweeping national security law enacted in June and other measures would hurt Hong Kong’s No. 1 ranking in future surveys. The former British colony continued its 24year run atop the latest report, which was based on data from 2018, ahead of Singapore and New Zealand.

“Hong Kong’s rating in this report is unaffected by the 2019 proposal to transfer certain legal cases to the mainland and the protest and sometimes brutal suppression that followed,” the right-leaning think tank said. “However, it will be surprising if the apparent increase in the insecurity of property rights and the weakening of the rule of law caused by the interventions of the Chinese government in 2019 and 2020 do not result in lower scores.”

Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam has cited the city’s continued high rankings in the Fraser report and similar surveys to counter claims that efforts to crackdown on political unrest were jeopardizing its status as a global financial center. The security law imposed

by China gave the government vast new authority to prosecute subversion, secession, terrorism and collusion with foreign powers, including the ability to transfer cases to mainland courts.

The government dismissed the report’s assertions, saying it remained determined and committed to upholding the rule of law. “It is with regret that Fraser Institute preempts lower future scores in this area with biased comments and unfair speculations based on selective ungrounded views,” the government said in a statement Friday.

The decision to impose the security law without a public hearing or vote was arguably the most dra-

matic shock to Hong Kong’s political system since it was returned to Chinese rule in 1997. The government has already used the law to outlaw protest slogans and arrest more than 20 activists, including media tycoon Jimmy Lai. The legislation has prompted the US to roll back special trading privileges granted to Hong Kong, while technology companies have accelerated efforts to move sensitive data out of the city. On Thursday, Hong Kong police arrested 15 people on suspicion of manipulating the stock price of Lai’s Next Digital Ltd. during a campaign to support the company after his arrest last month.

Hong Kong slipped to second place in the Heritage Foundation’s 2020 Index of Economic Freedom, due to last year’s political turmoil.

The city also tumbled seven spots to 80th place in the Reporters Without Borders’ latest 2020 World Press Freedom Index. Bloomberg News

BARMM’s govt center has 35 Covid-19 positives, chief minister’s office closed for disinfection

By Manuel T. Cayon

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AVAO CITY—The Office of the Chief Minister (OCM) of the Bangsamoro government has been closed for disinfection after one of its employees tested positive for the coronavirus, and two others in close contacts were also infected.

The office, and the entire OCM building was closed on August 30 and subjected all its staff and employees in the building’s offices to swabbing, where 32 close contacts later turned positive for the virus.

Health personnel took 229 swab samples from the building between September 2 and 5. The Bangsamoro government’s Ministry of Health said many of the 32

new cases were considered essential employees of the OCM. T he infection in the OCM of f ices brought to 35 t he con f i r me d c a s e s w it h i n t he Bangsamoro government center located in Cotabato City. Of this number, 29 were residents of Cotabato City while six were from Maguindanao province.

The Ministry of Health said the new cases were all in stable condition and undergoing strict isolation in the centers immediately after receiving the result of their confirmatory test.

T he OCM assuaged residents however, t hat t he new recorded cases “shou ld not be a cause for pa nic.”

The OCM added: “Rest assured that the Bangsamoro government

is implementing aggressive containment strategy to control and avoid any further spread of the virus, which includes close coordination with pertinent offices within and outside of the Barmm [Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao].”

It disclosed that disinfection of offices in the Bangsamoro government center was being conducted in the past week as an additional preventive measure.

“Through OCM’s Project Tabang and the BARMM READi, not only have we attended to the daily needs of our affected personnel, we have also extended assistance to their families while they are in quarantine,” it said.

In addition, the Ministry of Health was conducting extensive

contact tracing related to the new confirmed cases.

It reminded residents anew to provide accurate and factual information which it said was “essential to fighting this invisible enemy.” “ The threat of Covid-19 is indeed, real. Be war y of false information and hoaxes. We are reiterating our call for the strict obser vance of minimum health stand ards: a lways wear your face masks and face shields; keep a physical distance of at least 1 meter from each other; wa sh you r h a nd s f requent ly with soap or use alcohol, and as much as possible, please stay in your homes. The significance of these actions in saving and protecting lives cannot be stressed enough,” it said.

U.S. recalls 9/11 as virus changes tribute traditions

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EW YORK—Americans are commemorating 9/11 with tributes that have been altered by coronavirus precautions and woven into the presidential campaign, drawing both President Donald J. Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden to pay respects at the same memorial without crossing paths.

In New York, a dispute over coronavirus-safety precautions is leading to split-screen remembrances Friday, one at the September 11 memorial plaza at the World Trade Center and another on a nearby corner. The Pentagon’s observance will be so restricted that not even victims’families can attend, though small groups can visit the memorial there later in the day.

Trump and Biden are both headed—at different times—to the Flight 93 National Memorial near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Trump is speaking at the morning ceremony, the White House said. Biden plans to pay respects there in the afternoon after attending the observance at the 9/11 memorial in New York.

Meanwhile, Vice President Mike Pence is also due at ground zero—and then at the alternate ceremony a few blocks away.

In this May 31, 2018, file photo, visitors to the Flight 93 National Memorial pause at the Wall of Names honoring 40 passengers and crew members of United Flight 93 killed when the hijacked jet crashed at the site during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Families impacted by the terrorist attacks say it’s important for the nation to pause and remember the hijacked-plane attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people at the World Trade Center, at the Pentagon and near Shanksville on September 11, 2001, shaping American policy, perceptions of safety and daily life in places from airports to office buildings. AP In short, the anniversary of 9/11 is a complicated occasion in a maelstrom of a year, as the US grapples with a health crisis, searches its soul over racial injustice and prepares to choose a leader to chart a path forward.

Still, 9/11 families say it’s important for the nation to pause and remember the hijacked-plane attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people at the trade center, at the Pentagon and near Shanksville on September 11, 2001, shaping American policy, perceptions of safety and daily life

in places from airports to office buildings.

“I know that the heart of America beats on 9/11 and, of course, thinks about that tragic day. I don’t think that people forget,” says Anthoula Katsimatides, who lost her brother John and is now on the board of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.

Friday will mark Trump’s second time observing the 9/11 anniversary at the Flight 93 memorial, where he made remarks in 2018. Biden spoke at the memorial’s dedication in 2011, when he was vice president.

The ground zero ceremony in New York has a longstanding custom of not allowing politicians to speak, though they can attend. Biden did so as vice president in 2010, and Trump as a candidate in 2016.

Though the candidates will be focused on the commemorations, the political significance of their focus on Shanksville is hard to ignore: Pennsylvania is a must-win state for both. Trump won it by less than a percentage point in 2016.

Around the countr y, some communities have canceled 9/11 commemorations because of the pandemic, while others are going ahead, sometimes with modifications.

The New York memorial is changing one of its ceremony’s central traditions: having relatives read the names of the dead, often adding poignant tributes.

Thousands of family members are still invited.

But they’ll hear a recording of the names from speakers spread around the vast plaza, a plan that memorial leaders felt would avoid close contact at a stage but still allow families to remember their loved ones at the place where they died.

But some victims’ relatives felt the change robbed the observance of its emotional impact. A different 9/11-related group, the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, set up its own, simultaneous ceremony a few blocks away, saying there’s no reason that people can’t recite names while keeping a safe distance.

The two organizations also tussled over the Tribute in Light, a pair of powerful beams that shine into the night sky near the trade center and evoke its fallen twin towers. The 9/11 memorial initially canceled the display, citing virus-safety concerns for the installation crew. After the Tunnel to Towers Foundation vowed to put up the lights instead, the memorial changed course with help from its chairman, former Mayor Mike Bloomberg, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo. AP

VEN though some areas were placed under strict lockdown, the first of two rounds of the anti-polio immunization drive of the Philippine Red Cross achieved 80 percent of the target of the vaccination drive, the PRC said Friday.

Senator and PRC Chairman Richard J. Gordon reported that the vaccination drive against polio has reached 31,880 children ages 0-5 years in Region 3 and the provinces of Laguna, Rizal and Cavite.

With this achievement, Gordon lauded the efforts of the vaccination team saying, “In spite of the fears created by the Covid-19 virus, PRC staff and volunteers pushed on with [the] immunization program unmindful of the risks.”

The immunization teams are composed of a Team Leader, the person actually administering the vaccine, a recorder and a Health and Hygiene promotion staff.

Ten of the 104 PRC nationwide chapters participated in the program, contributing 23 members of their staff and engaging 233 volunteers to reach out to 72 communities in 20 cities and towns in Regions 3 and 4A. Gordon recognized the efforts of the staff and volunteers, attributing the success of the immunization drive to the combined efforts of “the best professionals and responsive volunteers.”

A second round of vaccination will take place within the month of September.

This program is implemented through PRC’s partnership with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, International Committee of the Red Cross, World Health Organization, United Nations International Children’s Fund and the Department of Health.

The polio outbreak in the Philippines was announced last September 19, 2019, with the first known confirmed case from a three-year-old girl in Lanao del Sur. Since then, 15 more children have been confirmed with polio, with ages ranging from below one-year-old to nine years old.

The cases were identified in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Region 12 (Soccsksargen), Region 3, and Region 4A. Polio is a highly infectious disease that mainly affects young children, who have not completed their vaccination schedules.

The disease is transmitted from person-to-person primarily through the fecal-to-oral route resulting from poor sanitation and hygiene practices, and less frequently through contaminated food, or water.

Once in the intestine, the poliovirus multiplies and it can invade the nervous system and cause paralysis or even death.

Huge fire at Beirut port sows panic after last month’s blast

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EIRUT—A huge fire broke out at Beirut’s port on Thursday, raising new panic among residents still struggling with the traumatic effects of the catastrophic explosion at the same site last month.

Some sought safety in closed bathrooms or threw open their windows to guard against shattering glass in case of another blast; others piled into cars to flee the capital. No injuries were reported.

Dark smoke and the smell of toxic fumes enveloped Beirut in the evening as army helicopters circled and sprayed water over the orange flames, helping firefighters on the ground.

It was unclear what caused the blaze at the por t, which was decimated by the August 4 explosion when nearly 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate blew up, sending out a shock wave that killed nearly 200 people and caused widespread damage.

The Lebanese army said the fire started in the port’s duty free zone amid containers of tires, oil and other flammable materials.

Fabrizio Carboni, regional director for the International Red Cross, tweeted that the warehouse on fire is where his organization stores thousands of food parcels and oil, risking the serious disruption of humanitarian operations.

Port director Bassem al-Qaisi told Voice of Lebanon radio that the fire started in a warehouse containing barrels of cooking oil and later spread to where tires were piled. He added it was too early to say if it began as “the result of heat or some other mistake.”

In a sign of the ever-widening gulf of distrust after the explosion, many Lebanese accused politicians of deliberately trying to destroy evidence at the port that led to the blast. Thursday’s fire was the second mysterious blaze there this week, following a small fire on Tuesday that also caused some panic but was quickly extinguished.

Lebanon is gripped by an unprecedented economic crisis and financial collapse, blamed on decades of mismanagement and corruption by an entrenched political class. Last month’s blast is seen as the culmination of leaders unable to to manage the country’s affairs or protect its people. So far, authorities have been unable to provide answers about the explosion, and there has been no accountability for it.

For Dana Awad, a mother of two girls, the fire brought back memories of the tremor that shook her Beirut neighborhood before the explosion.

“We opened all windows and are in the corridor right now,” Awad said as they sought

safety in a hallway. “I am still feeling the earth shake. Living a flashback.”

Jennifer Moorehead, Save the Children’s country director in Lebanon, said the fire will inevitably bring back distressing memories to many Lebanese children who are still trying to recover from last month’s blast.

“Children in Beirut have experienced a terrible shock and they need time to recover; today’s fire and panic will only make things worse,” she said.

Najat Saliba, a professor specializing in atmospheric chemistry at the American University of Beirut, tweeted warnings for the elderly and children to protect themselves or even to leave the city if possible until the smoke cleared.

The raging fire and column of smoke was eerily similar to the one that preceded the devastating explosion. Back then, curious residents stood on balconies or behind windows in offices and homes to photograph the fire, compounding the injuries from flying glass when the gigantic fireball mushroomed across the city.

On Thursday, panicked residents cracked open windows and called or texted warnings to each other. Local TV stations said companies with offices near the port asked employees to leave the area. Some hid in bathrooms, while others dropped what they were doing and rushed home.

A video on social media showed por t employees running from the fire, a chilling reminder of the dozens of workers and 10 firefighters who were killed in the blast. Lebanese troops closed the major road near the port and rerouted traffic.

A highway that runs parallel to the port was blocked with cars, some with terrified-looking women and children trying to flee. “Get out of my way!” one woman screamed at others blocking her path. A woman sitting in the car next to her covered her ears with her hands, looking traumatized by it all.

The panic was compounded by the fear that more chemicals could be in the wreckage of the port. Earlier this month, the army said it found more than 4 tons of ammonium nitrate in four containers stored near the port that it said were “dealt with.”

French and Italian chemical experts working in the remains of the port identified more than 20 containers of dangerous chemicals. The army later said these containers were moved away from the port and stored safely.

The August 4 explosion, the single most destructive blast in Lebanon’s history, killed 191 people, injured about 6,500 and damaged thousands of buildings. AP

The World BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Suicides among American kids, young adults have been soaring

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ncreasing numbers of American children and young adults died by suicide in recent years, and the Covid-19 pandemic threatens to continue the trend.Suicide rates among youth ages 10 to 24 increased by 57 percent between 2007 and 2018, new data from the National Center for Health Statistics shows, rising from almost 7 per 100,000 population to nearly 11. Comparing three-year averages from 2007 to 2009 to the time period between 2016 and 2018 brought the increase down to 47 percent.

The US suicide rate among all age groups was 14 per 100,000 in 2018.

“There are many reasons to suspect that suicide rates will increase this year too, not just because of Covid-19 but because stress and anxiety seem to be permeating every aspect of our lives,” said Shannon Monnat, co-director of the Policy, Place, and Population Health Lab at Syracuse University.

The 2016 to 2018 suicide rate among those between ages 10 and 24 was highest in more rural states including Alaska, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, and New Mexico. Alaska topped that list with 31.4 young suicides per 100,000 population.

Nor theastern states—including New Jersey, Rhode Island, New York, Connecticut, a n d M a s s a c h u s e t t s — s h o we d t h e l o we s t rates. Despite their relatively small numbers, New Jersey experienced a 39 percent rise, New York saw an increase of about 44 percent, and Massachusetts showed a jump of 64 percent.

Rates more than doubled in New Hampshire, and the majority of states showed an increase between 30 percent and 60 percent.

Recent research has documented increases in serious psychological distress, major depression, and suicidal thoughts and attempts among youth.

A survey conducted this summer by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that more than one-quarter of young adults reported having seriously considered suicide in the 30 days before completing the June 24–30 questionnaire.

“Anxiety is high in the population as a whole, thanks to political and social unrest. Children are not immune from those stressors,” said Monnat, who noted economic woes in particular.

Bloomberg News

Saturday, September 12, 2020

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India and China agree to disengage tens of thousands of border troops

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EW DELHI—The Indian and Chinese foreign ministers agreed their troops should disengage from a tense border standoff, maintain proper distance and ease tensions in the cold-desert Ladakh region where the two sides had their deadliest clash in decades in June.

India’s S. Jaishankar and China’s Wang Yi met in the Russian capital on Thursday night and concurred that “the current situation in the border areas is not in the interest of either side,” according to the joint statement issued Friday.

Since last week, the Asian giants have accused each other of sending soldiers into the rival’s territory and firing warning shots for the first time in 45 years, threatening a full-scale military conflict.

They did not set any timeline for the disengagement of tens of thousands of troops in a standoff since May but agreed that “both sides shall abide by all the existing agreements and protocol on

China-India boundary affairs, maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas and avoid any action that could escalate matters.”

Earlier this week, Jaishankar described the current situation along the Line of Actual Control as “ver y serious” and said the state of the border cannot be separated from the state of the relationship.

On Thursday, the two countries agreed that as the situation eases, they should expedite work to conclude “new confidence building measures to maintain and enhance peace and tranquility in the border areas.”

In a separate news statement,

In this photo released by the Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service, India’s Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, left, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, pose for a photo on the sidelines of a meeting of Foreign Ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Commonwealth of Independent States and Collective Security Treaty Organization member-states in Moscow, Russia, on September 10.

Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service via AP

Wang said “China-India relations have once again come to a crossroads.”

Wang “outlined China’s stern position on the situation in the border areas, emphasizing that the imperative is to immediately stop provocations such as firing and other dangerous actions that violate the commitments made by

the two sides,” the statement read.

“It is also important to move back all personnel and equipment that have trespassed. The frontier troops must quickly disengage so that the situation may de-escalate,” it quoted Wang as saying.

They met on the sidelines of a gathering of the foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation

Organization. The body comprises China, India, Pakistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Krgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

The disputed 3,500-kilometer border between the world’s two most populous countries stretches from the Ladakh region in the north to the Indian state of Sikkim. The latest standoff is over portions of a pristine landscape that boasts the world’s highest landing strip and a glacier that feeds one of the largest irrigation systems in the world.

Both sides accuse the other of provocative behavior including crossing into each other’s territory and both have vowed to protect their territorial integrity.

The two nations fought a border war in 1962 that spilled into Ladakh and ended in an uneasy truce. Since then, troops have guarded the undefined border area, occasionally brawling. They have agreed not to attack each other with firearms.

Rival soldiers brawled in May and June with clubs, stones and their fists with a clash on a high ridge June 15 leaving 20 Indian soldiers dead. China reported no casualties. AP

Putin faces test of Russian voters with top critic lying in hospital ‘Evacuate now:’ Wildfires grow

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ith his most prominent critic hit by a near-fatal poisoning that opponents and the West blame on the Kremlin, President Vladimir Putin faces a key test of support in Russian regional elections that are a prelude to a national vote next year.

About a third of the electorate is eligible to vote in the ballot that takes place over three days starting Friday to choose representatives at different levels of government in 83 regions including 18 governors.

The contest takes place against a background of unprecedented anti-government protests in neighboring Belarus and daily demonstrations since July in Russia’s far east Khabarovsk region over the arrest of a popular governor from outside the ruling party. The authorities are taking all possible measures to limit opposition gains, analysts say.

“The Kremlin sees a real threat,” said Vladimir Gelman, a political science professor at the European University in St. Petersburg. “There’s likely to be increasing pressure on Putin’s opponents.”

Putin, 67, has pushed through constitutional changes that allow him to extend his two-decade rule to as long as 2036, gaining endorsement from 78 percent of voters in a July referendum. Still, the Russian leader’s popularity plunged to a record low earlier this year after a collapse in oil prices and the Covid-19 pandemic triggered a recession that may

shrink the economy by around 4 percent in 2020.

Opposition leader Alexey Navalny was working to build support for candidates opposed to the ruling United Russia party when he fell victim in Siberia last month to what German doctors later identified as poisoning by the military nerve agent Novichok. He emerged Monday from a coma in a Berlin hospital, where he’d been flown for treatment.

Despite pressure from European leaders led

by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russia has so far failed to investigate the case, asserting it has no evidence that 44-year-old Navalny was poisoned. The Kremlin rejects accusations of state involvement in the incident.

Navalny, who’s built a following of millions with online videos exposing high-level corruption in Russia, has been repeatedly jailed for leading and organizing street protests against alleged ballot fraud.

In a video shot during his Siberia trip and released after he was hospitalized, he appealed to viewers to adopt his “smart voting” initiative that encourages support for the politician in each area with the best chance of defeating the United Russia candidate. The party lost a third of its seats when the tactic was promoted in last year’s Moscow city council elections.

Navalny made his name by branding United

Russia as the “party of crooks and thieves.” His campaign this time urges votes for around 1,150 candidates best-placed to defeat the ruling party in municipal contests in regional capitals and cities with more than 200,000 inhabitants as a rehearsal for autumn 2021 elections to the State Duma, or lower house of parliament. It’s also fielding candidates in a handful of regions including Novosibirsk and Tomsk.

The “poisoning could spark a major backlash that would seriously accelerate the erosion of the regime’s support,” Ivan Zhdanov, who heads Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Fund, said in an interview in its Moscow office. Supporters decided not to stage public protests after the presumed attack to avoid mass arrests that would decapitate their organization, he said.

Putin remains far more popular than United Russia. His rating increased in August by six percentage points to 66 percent, according to the independent Moscow-based pollster Levada, as economic activity resumed with the easing of measures against the spread of the coronavirus.

United Russia’s support stands at just above 31 percent, according to the state-run Russian Public Opinion Research Center, or VTsIOM. The authorities have made it hard for opposition candidates to register, particularly at a regional level. Five of 18 gubernatorial candidates

from the Communist party, seen as a powerful challenger, were rejected, for instance.

Still, incumbent governors face an uphill struggle in half a dozen far-flung regions, including in Irkutsk, where dissatisfaction has run high over disastrous floods last year and Arkhangelsk, where protests aborted plans for a landfill site.

Election monitors warn the decision to hold three days of balloting this time, including online voting, will make fraud harder to detect. Watchdog Golos said the regional elections are taking place in the “worst legal framework in 25 years.”

Navalny’s staff have complained of attacks, including in Novosibirsk when several volunteers fell ill after assailants threw a bottle containing a harmful substance into their office on September 8.

A day later, police carried out more than 20 raids targeting candidates and supporters backed by exiled tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky. The Putin critic is supporting 500 candidates in four regions, Vladimir, Ivanovo, Tatarstan and Novgorod.

Despite the pressure, the opposition may demonstrate at the election that it has potential to be a “major obstacle to the Kremlin’s control” of parliament, where United Russia currently holds a two-thirds super-majority, said Nikolai Petrov, a fellow at the London-based Chatham House think tank. “In 2021, the situation will be far more critical for the authorities.” Bloomberg News

Peru’s Indigenous turn to ancestral remedies to fight coronavirus 2019

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UCALLPA, Peru—As Covid-19 spread quickly through Peru’s Amazon, the Indigenous Shipibo community decided to turn to the wisdom of their ancestors.

Hospitals were far away, short on doctors and running out of beds. Even if they could get in, many of the ill were too fearful to go, convinced that stepping foot in a hospital would only lead to death.

So Mery Fasabi gathered herbs, steeped them in boiling water and instructed her loved ones to breathe in the vapors. She also made syrups of onion and ginger to help clear congested airways.

“We had knowledge about these plants, but we didn’t know if they’d really help treat Covid,” the teacher said. “With the pandemic we are discovering new things.”

The coronavirus pandemic’s ruthless march through Peru—the country with the world’s highest per-population confirmed Covid-19 mortality rate— has compelled many Indigenous groups to find their own remedies. Decades of under-investment in public health care, combined with skepticism of modern medicine, mean many are not getting standard treatments like oxygen therapy to treat severe virus cases.

In the Ucayali region, government rapid response teams deployed to a handful of Indigenous

communities have found infection rates as high as 80 percent through antibody testing. Food and medicine donations have reached only a fraction of the population. Many say the only state presence they have seen is from a group responsible for collecting bodies of the dead.

At a spot known as “Kilometer 20” near the city of Pucallpa, a new cemetery has sprung to life with the remains of about 400 people.

“We’ve always been forgotten,” said Roberto Wikleff, 49, a Shipibo man who turned to Fasabi’s treatments to help treat his Covid-19. “We don’t exist for them.”

Peru is home to one of Latin America’s largest Indigenous populations, whose ancestors lived in the Andean country before the arrival of Spanish colonists. Entire tribes were wiped out by infectious diseases introduced by the Europeans. Today many live and work in urban areas, but others reside in remote parts of the Amazon that have few doctors, let alone the capacity to do complex molecular testing or treatment for the virus.

Wikleff said the 10 doctors, nurses and aides who usually staff a nearby clinic abandoned their posts when the coronavirus arrived. The Shipibo had tried to prevent Covid-19’s entrance by blocking roads and isolating themselves. But in May, he and

others nonetheless came down with fevers, coughs, difficulty breathing and headaches.

A month later, he was still feeling ill and turned to Fasabi, who along with 15 other volunteers had set up a makeshift treatment center.

“I was taken there in agony,” he recalled.

The Shipibo highlight the use of a plant known locally as “matico.” The buddleja globosa plant has green leaves and a tangerine-colored flower. Fasabi said that by no means are the remedies a cure, but their holistic approach is proving effective. Unlike in hospitals, volunteers equipped in masks get close to patients, giving them words of encouragement and touching them through massage.

“We are giving tranquility to our patients,” she said.

Juan Carlos Salas, director of Ucayali’s regional health agency, said efforts to expand hospital capacity have proven only marginally successful.

The region of about a half million people located along a winding river had just 18 ICU beds at the start of the pandemic and today has around 28. A shortage of specialists means they have not been able to staff all the beds.

At the peak of the outbreak in May and June, around 15 people were dying a day, he said. Overall, about 14,000 cases have been diagnosed, likely

a vast undercount.

“We didn’t have a way of tending to patients,” he said. “We couldn’t accept more.”

He said transportation is one of the biggest hurdles in treating Indigenous groups, some of which can only be reached by helicopter or an eight-hour boat ride. Pucallpa’s bustling port where wood, bananas and other fruit are loaded onto ships for export is believed to be one main source of contagion.

Of about 59,000 rapid antibody tests, some 2,500 were administered to Indigenous groups.

“We were surprised,” Salas said. “The majority had been infected.”

Lizardo Cauper, president of the Interethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Rainforest, said that of about 500,000 Indigenous people living in the Amazon, his group estimates that 147,000 have been infected by the virus and 3,000 have died.

While the lucky recover with ancestral remedies, the less fortunate often die at home.

A government team travels from one spartan, thatch-roofed home to the next, plucking the dead from the beds and chairs where they took their last breaths. The poor are taken to the Covid-19 cemetery and interred in the burnt-orange dirt. AP

in Oregon as half a million flee

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HOENIX, Oregon—Deadly wildfires in heavily populated northwest Oregon were growing, with hundreds of thousands of people told to flee encroaching flames while residents to the south tearfully assessed their losses.

People evacuated statewide because of fires had climbed to an estimated 500,000— more than 10 percent of the 4.2 million people in the state, the Oregon Office of Emergency Management reported late Thursday.

One fire approached Molalla, triggering a mandatory evacuation order for the community of about 9,000 people located 48 kilometers south of Portland. A police car rolled through the streets with a loudspeaker blaring “evacuate now.”

Inmates were being moved from a women’s prison less than a mile from Interstate 5 in Portland’s southern suburbs “out of an abundance of caution,” the Oregon Department of Corrections said.

With two large fires threatening to merge, some firefighters in Clackamas County, which includes Molalla, were told to disengage temporarily because of the danger. Officials tried to reassure residents who abandoned their homes, and law enforcement said patrols would be stepped up to prevent looting.

The local fire department said on Twitter: “To be clear, your firefighters are still working hard on the wildfires in Clackamas County.

They are taking a ‘tactical pause’ to allow firefighters to reposition, get accountability & evaluate extreme fire conditions.”

“We haven’t abandoned you,” the fire officials said.

Meanwhile residents of the small Oregon town of Phoenix, near the California state line along Interstate 5, walked through a scene of devastation after one of the state’s many wildfires wiped out much of their community. A mobile home park, houses and businesses were burned, leaving twisted remains on charred ground.

Many of the residents were immigrants, with few resources to draw on.

Artemio Guterrez stood helplessly next to his pick-up, surveying the rubble of his mobile home. His children sat quietly in the truck bed and waited for him to salvage what he could. He was able to find a ceramic pot with a smiley face on it, some charred miniature houses from a Christmas-themed village and a cross that formed when two pieces of glass melted together.

Guterrez, a single father of four, had been at work at a vineyard nearby when he saw

thick smoke spreading through Rogue River Valley. He raced home just in time to snatch his kids from the trailer park where they live alongside dozens of other Mexican families.

They got out with just the clothes on their back.

“I’m going to start all over again. It’s not easy but it’s not impossible either. You have to be a little tough in situations like this,” said Guterrez, who had just returned from his mother’s funeral in Mexico. Entire mobile home parks with many units occupied by Mexican immigrants who worked in nearby vineyards or doing construction were reduced to ash in Phoenix and nearby Talent.

“We’re kind of like a family. We’ve known each other for years, since we came here or even before then,” Guterrez said of his neighbors at Talent Mobile Estates. “We’re living day by day.”

As the fire approached Phoenix, Jonathan Weir defied evacuation orders, even as flames 30 feet (9 meters) high shot from trees. Fearing for his life, he drove his car to the entrance of a nearby mobile home park, where his tires began melting. His home was destroyed as the fire hopscotched through the town of 4,000 residents.

“There were flames across the street from me, flames to the right of me, flames to the left of me. I just watched everything burn,” Weir told a reporter.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency estimated that 600 homes were burned by the fire that started in Ashland and tore through Phoenix, the Mail Tribune of Medford reported.

Oregon officials haven’t released an exact death count for the wildfires but at least four fatalities have been reported in the state. One person was killed in wildfires in Washington.

Oregon officials were shocked by the number of simultaneous fires, which stood at 37 Thursday, according to the state Office of Emergency Management.

Gov. Kate Brown said more than 364,000 hectares—greater than the size of Rhode Island—have burned in Oregon in the past three days—nearly double the territory that burns in a typical year.

Back in Phoenix, Marty Curtis considered herself lucky. Her house was spared and she escaped with her cat, Louie.

“You could see the flames. You could hear things popping—gas tanks and propane tanks exploding,” she said. “I have my house.

I have my life. I have my cat and I have my job—and right now, that’s all I need.”

A6 Saturday, September 12, 2020

ExportUnlimited BusinessMirror

Australian embassy launch DTI-EMB holds webinar on halal DTI, Filipino food promotion drive trade and investment opportunities C

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HE Department of Trade and Industry-Export Marketing Bureau (DTI-EMB) conducted a webinar, titled “Philippine—Brunei Trade and Investment Opportunities in Halal,” with the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC)—Singapore, Philippine Embassy in Brunei, and the Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC) on September 3, 2020.

“This activity is part of the continuing efforts of the Philippines and Brunei to implement key projects

jointly agreed under the memorandum of understanding [MOU] on halal cooperation, which was signed

by both countries in 2017,” said DTI Undersecretary for Trade Promotions Abdulgani Macatoman.

The webinar was graced by His Excellency Christopher Montero, Ambassador of the Philippines to Brunei Darussalam, and Yang Mulia Pengiran Hajah Zety Sufina binti Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Sani, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Brunei Darussalam.

Brunei Darussalam BIMP-EAGA Business Council Deputy Chairman Zailan Mohd Don shared a strategic development plan where all BIMPEAGA countries will have a specific part in the global value chain. In the plan, the Philippines will serve as the manufacturing and logistics hub and Brunei will be the Halal trading and services hub.

According to Department of Agriculture Undersecretary for Halal Food Industry Development Zamzamin L. Ampatuan, to be a successful manufacturing hub, there should be more investments in halal infrastructure like slaughterhouses. He said that there is still no AAA abattoir, or slaughterhouse facility in the Philippines, which is needed for the country to export halal meat.

Slaughterhouses are categorized as “A,” “AA” and “AAA”, where A means a slaughterhouse can cater to the city or municipality, AA for the domestic market, and AAA for international markets.

Undersecretary Ampatuan urged participants not to forget about the local halal consumer and that “successful countries who have penetrated the global halal market have satisfied their local consumer base.”

Raul M. Regondola, chairman and administrator Special Economic Zone Authority & Freeport in Zamboanga City, invited investors to put up facilities in the 100-hectare Asian Halal Center in the economic zone. To attain the center’s long-term plan to become a provider of high-quality halal food products, he is looking for investors in AAA poultry slaughtering and dressing plants, as well as cold-storage facilities.

Philippine exporters’ from food and personal care sectors, Marichu Edralin of Doxo Trading, Elizabeth Mondejar of Alter Trade Philippines, Henry and Mary Jane Raca of C and H Cosmetics Industry and restaurateur Ardy Haji Abdul Momin of Bay 91 Café, also shared how DTI helped them grow their businesses.

Vietnam seeks to boost fisheries exports to keep growth swimming

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IETNAM is trying to reverse a decline in fisheries shipments, one of the country’s biggest dollar earners, to keep its economy growing amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“We’re working on measures to not only stop the decline but also increase fisheries exports to reach about $9 billion for all of 2020,” Tran Dinh Luan, general director of the agriculture ministry’s fisheries department, said in an interview in Hanoi.

The country shipped $8.6 billion of fisheries products last year, before exports fell 5.3 percent in the first eight months of 2020. The year-to-date drop has narrowed from an 8.6-percent contraction in the first half, with shipments beginning to revive in July and August, Luan said.

Export-reliant Vietnam is trying to

maintain growth, with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc last week urging ministries and provinces to boost their efforts to prevent a contraction. The government forecasts gross domestic product growth of 2.4 percent this year—the slowest in two decades—after a 0.36percent expansion in the second quarter.

Vietnam is taking the following steps: Raising standards to meet the requirements of the European Union, its biggest export market after the US, which raised a warning in October 2017 after a number of Vietnamese fishing boats were caught trespassing in other countries’ waters. To meet EU demands, Vietnam has raised the proportion of boats equipped with GPS and other tracking devices to 81 percent from 56 percent in April;

ANBERRA, AUSTRALIA— Philippine Ambassador to Australia Ma. Hellen B. de la Vega and Department of Trade and Industry Undersecretary Abdulgani Macatoman virtually opened the “Food Philippines-Filipino Food Promotion in Australia” on Tuesday, September 8, 2020, officially kicking-off a four-month Filipino food promotion campaign, which will include a series of events to be hosted in online platforms, major retail outlets, as well as organic and health stores in Australia.

On September 8 and 9, an exclusive online business-to-business (B2B) matching activity will take place between Australian buyers and Philippine exporters. Eighteen Australian companies will virtually meet with 25 Philippine manufacturers and exporters to source Philippine food and ingredients for distribution to Australian mainstream and Asian markets.

In October, a series of cooking videos featuring Filipino cuisine will be showcased in various social-media channels in partnership with Entree.

Pinays and Filipino Food Movement Australia Inc., two FilipinoAustralian organizations involved in championing increased interest, understanding, and awareness of Filipino cuisine by the wider Australian population.

In November, an in-store promotion campaign will take place in major retail outlets, organic and health stores in Australia where trade discounts, freebies, and a special section dedicated to Filipino products will be highlighted.

The in-store promotion campaign will feature Jimalie Pty Ltd., a leading provider of premium coconut products sourced from the Philippines, as well as Filipino products

Government urges institutions to buy locally made PPE, mask

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Helping fishery producers switch to processed products, which are more suitable for online sales. “We aim to help companies increase shipments

of processed products for home cooking, instead of focusing on frozen stuff for hotels or supermarkets like in previrus times,” Luan said. Bloomberg News

distributed by DHN Trading Import and Export Pty Ltd. Meanwhile, carefully curated Christmas boxes of Philippine-made artisanal products will be given away to lucky winners of the contests that will be held all throughout the promotion period.

“In the past months, Australian media has been covering Filipino food. It is our hope that through this Filipino Food Promotion, the wider Australian community will be made aware of our culture and culinary heritage, and serve the market with some of our finest ethnic and premium products grown in the Philippines,” said de la Vega.

Macatoman urged exporters to take full advantage of the online B2B business meetings to penetrate the Australian market and help them recover from the pandemic. “Many Philippine companies are now accelerating their export strategies and are quickly adapting to the new normal B2B meetings. We would like to provide them with the online trade platform so they could continue reaching out to their existing and potential clients,” said Macatoman.

“The Food Philippines—Filipino Food Promotion in Australia is also our opportunity to showcase Philippine food, ingredients, and cuisine to the wider Australian mainstream market. We want Australians to know Filipino food brands are now available in selected mainstream outlets and that Filipino ingredients can also be used in their own cuisines,” added Macatoman.

The Food Philippines-Filipino Food Promotion in Australia is jointly organized by the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) Sydney, DTI’s overseas office in Australia, and the DTI Export Marketing Bureau.

S the country now produces 60 million face masks and 3.2 million pieces of medical-grade coveralls, the government has called on institutions and organizations to buy personal protective equipment (PPE) and other items from Filipino manufacturers.

In a news statement, Trade Undersecretary and Board of Investments (BOI) Managing Head Ceferino Rodolfo reiterated that local production of PPE and critical products in the country’s fight against Covid-19 has been increasing.

Aside from face masks and medical-grade coveralls, the country now manufactures 6,050 pieces of ventilators and 60,000 pieces of infrared thermometers per month.

“I urge all organizations to ‘buy local’ and source their PPE from factories based in the Philippines, wherever it’s possible. Every time someone buys an item of PPE made here, they not only help protect people, they help save thousands of jobs and keep food on the table of families across our nation,” Rodolfo said.

At the onset of the Covid-19 outbreak in the Philippines, only the Bataan-based Medtecs International Corp. Ltd., produces medical-grade face masks while coveralls and PPEs, among others, are being imported.

The BOI then initiated the repurposing of manufacturing facilities to produce critical Covid-19 products domestically. PNA

OurTime BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Angel R. Calso • Saturday, September 12, 2020 A7

Teresita Cabatic: ‘A teacher can help bridge Closed to you the gap between old and new generations’

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By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

By Nick Tayag

HERE is no doubt that teaching is the noblest profession.

Retired teacher Teresita Estacamento Cabatic is confident that she has done a wonderful job imparting knowledge to the youth.

“Now, as a retired teacher, I can proudly say that teaching gave me a lot of satisfaction. I did my best to achieve my full potential when I became a Master Teacher. It meant a lot to me because I was respected even in our barangay and I gained different awards with the help and guidance of the Lord,” the former teacher at the Bataan National High School said.

For Cabatic, the greatest satisfaction of being a teacher is to see her former students become successful, especially when they achieve their dreams. Moreover, she said she is happy to see her former wards being productive and responsible. Seeing them become model citizens brings the greatest joy to this retired educator.

Cabatic, a former Filipino teacher, said she felt great satisfaction teaching the native tongue because the subject represents the country’s cultural soul. “Teaching Filipino made me comfortable primarily because it is our own language,” she said.

“Who else will love the Filipino language better than the Filipinos themselves?”

Furthermore, Cabatic said it was part of their job to broaden the students’ vocabulary in Filipino, to make them understand, love and appreciate more our country and our people.

She said she also encountered many challenges in teaching the subject.

One of the challenges was teaching students that use different languages because these students come from different provinces. Moreover, she observed that the conservative approach of traditional teachers does not appeal to the millennial generation or those students raised as digital natives.

To generate interest in the subject, Cabatic and her fellow teachers use real life situations so that students can be coaxed to participate in the discussions and other activities, ranging from singing to anything they want. “I encouraged them to perform and explore as long as it was part of the lesson. In other words, both the students and their teacher have the chance to “grow.”

Cabatic said she was glad when a bill was filed in Congress seeking to revive the teaching of Good Manners and Right Conduct.

She observed that the current generation has still a lot to learn from the older generation of Filipinos when it comes to imbibing virtues like respect for elders, punctuality and close family ties.

Cabatic said the youth must also be taught to value hard work, so they will avoid cutting corners to achieve success.

MY SIXTY-ZEN’S WORTH

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RETIRED educator Teresita Cabatic says the conservative approach of traditional teachers does not appeal to the millennial generation.

Finally, she believes that there’s a gap between the old and the new generations. The two generations should be open to diverse ideas to achieve a common ground, she said.

It is only when we remove the barrier that exists between the old and the new generations that progress will be achieved. A teacher is in the best position to do this, she added.

Cabatic has won several awards

during her teaching tenure. In 2005, she won the “Dakilang Guro Award sa Bataan National High School.” In 2006, she was awarded the “Dakilang Guro Award-Panlalawigan.” She was a nominee in “Natatanging Guro sa Filipino” in 2008. She placed Third Runner-Up for the “Most Outstanding Campus Journalist” during 33rd Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC) in 2012.

CEBU CITY SENIOR CITIZENS TO GET AID THROUGH LANDBANK CASH CARD

By John Rey Saavedra

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EBU CITY—Senior citizens here will soon get their financial assistance from the Cebu City Hall through a cash card to be issued by a government depositary, Mayor Edgardo Labella said on Tuesday.

In a presser, he said the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) has affirmed the intention of the city government to distribute the cash aid for the city elderlies through their cash card.

“In principle, LandBank agreed to course through the financial aid for the senior citizens with their cash

card system. We will no longer distribute cash physically to them because we can really see the problem although there are places where the distribution is orderly many really violate the protocol against mass gathering,” Labella said.

The mayor said issuance of cash cards for the elderlies will be for free.

He designated Roberto Varquez, a Cebu City Hall consultant, to lead the transition for the distribution of aid to senior citizens via cash card.

On Tuesday, Varquez met with city attorney Rey Gealon, Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia, the chair of

the committee on budget in the City Council, and other department heads to set the parameters in the new procedure in giving out the cash assistance for senior citizens.

Varquez, for his part, expressed confidence that they can start distributing the cash card in the first week of December.

This, he said, if the necessary requirements and the senior citizen’s information will be consolidated in the database which are needed for the printing of the cash card that can be used to withdraw the cash aid through the automated teller machines (ATM).

Labella said he is bent on modernizing the financial assistance distribution to senior citizens to prevent them from jam-packing during giving out activities in the barangays or in sports gymnasiums.

The new system will also avoid transmission of Covid-19, which poses a threat to elderlies, especially those who have comorbidities due to old age.

Also on Tuesday, the city’s Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs distributed P3,000 financial assistance to the elderly through houseto-house delivery in different barangays here. PNA

Moderna vaccine stimulates immune systems of elderly

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ODERNA Inc. presented new safety data from an early trial that provides the first evidence that its Covid-19 vaccine stimulates the immune systems of older people.

In a phase 1 trial, Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine produced “consistently high levels” of neutralizing antibodies—a key component of the body’s protective response—in older adults, the company said in a statement. Antibody levels in people more than 55 years old were comparable to those seen in younger adults, the company said.

The results from Moderna’s early-stage trial, which include data from 20 people in the older age group, were presented last week to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. The findings are important because older adults often don’t respond as well to vaccines

as younger adults.

The trial used the same dose of the vaccine that’s now being given to subjects in a final-stage trial.

The dose elicited antibody levels higher than those typically seen in people recovering from the virus, Moderna said.

The shares rose as much as 8.1 percent in New York.

‘Big deal’

THE case for Moderna’s vaccine becoming one of the best shots to fight the coronavirus “got stronger,” Moderna Chief Executive Officer Stephane Bancel said in an interview.

The findings in older people are “a big deal,” he said.

Moderna’s vaccine uses genetic material called messenger RNA to instruct the body’s own tissue to make viral proteins that induce the immune response. Bancel attributed the consistent effects of the vaccine, in part, to biodegradable coatings Moderna has developed that allow

higher doses of messenger RNA while limiting side effects.

While the vaccine is associated with a variety of issues including chills, fatigue, fever, headache and muscle pain, there were no serious adverse events in the 100-microgram dose that’s being used in the finalstage trial, according to a copy of Moderna’s slide presentation from the meeting.

Moderna is “totally on track” for enrolling all 30,000 patients into its phase 3 trial by September, Bancel said. “Now we are really going at full speed.”

The company earlier said that it had already enrolled more than 13,000 patients in the trial. Results are possible by late fall.

An emergency use authorization, which allows medical products to be deployed without final safety and efficacy data, might make sense for a coronavirus vaccine, but only for limited groups of high-risk people, Bancel said. Those might include

health-care workers or elderly people with pre-existing conditions, Bancel said, noting that federal regulators will ultimately decide what to do.

Broad emergency authorization of an experimental vaccine for healthy Americans wouldn’t be appropriate, Bancel said. Regulators need time to review all the data to make sure the vaccine gives sufficient benefit without unexpected risks, he said. He expects a review for full approval of a coronavirus vaccine to take months once the data is in.

Bancel said that Moderna plans to publish all its vaccine trial data in a major journal so that doctors can decide about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine for themselves.

The company wants to produce the highest quality data so the public has confidence in its mRNA technology, he said.

“We don’t want to cut corners,” he said. Bloomberg News

N our childhood, two of the first English words we learned were “close” and “open.”

In our more mature years, understanding the deeper significance of close and open can often make a difference in our relationships with loved ones and other people.

Just across our street is a house where a family of four live. The husband and wife used to be very neighborly. The homely wife would often come out of the house and gaily chat with the neighbors. When the seafarer husband was at home in between assignments, he would be invited by neighbors for a round of drinks. His peculiar loud, boisterous laugh could be heard throughout the neighborhood until the wee hours of the morning.

As the years went by, we could see that the family was becoming more and more materially prosperous. He bought three brand-new cars at one time. Then neighbors began to notice that when the husband was at home, he would no longer go out and join them for a round of drinks. Even the wife became choosy with whom she wanted to chat with.

To accommodate their three vehicles, the family demolished their front garden and built a large garage, spanning the entire frontage of the house, which they then completely enclosed with a high iron gate. From the outside, it looks more like a fortress than a house. There is not even a pedestrian gate. Bill collectors and mail delivery men have to knock on the wide iron gate and wait for a long while, before the owner would open one side of the iron gate and peep out. The family had closed its gate on the people in our neighborhood.

Noting all these, the rest of us in the same street just shrugged our shoulders or shook our heads. Praning is the word they use to describe their new attitude.

So enclosed was the house fortress that for a long while we didn’t have any clue of what’s happening inside. But that was up to a few days ago when the tranquility of our neighborhood was disturbed by the arrival of several barangay personnel in a van who suddenly banged on the iron gate at the said residence. Who and what could it be now, we wondered, strenuously stretching our necks like giraffes from inside our fences.

To cut to the chase, we learned from nosey neighbors that a daughter was found Covid positive and so everybody inside that house had to be quarantined. Barangay tanods in two shifts were assigned to watch over them round the clock. For at least two weeks the fortress house will serve as a virtual prison as the whole family is forbidden to go out.

When neighbors walk by their quarantined house, they would veer toward the opposite side of the street and take brisker steps, as if the infection would get them if they came near the house. Pariah, that’s how they’re now perceived.

They closed their gate on the neighborhood and now it’s the neighbors’ turn to shut the gates of neighborliness in their face. It is ironic because the fear of home invasion virus that caused them to lock themselves from the rest of the neighborhood, but another kind of virus has somehow found a way to sneak in.

But there’s another kind of gate closing that we need to guard against. It’s closing the gate of the mind, especially as it pertains to religious beliefs. I know someone who has become rigidly dogmatic in practicing his Catholic faith since he joined an extremely conservative Catholic organization. Before the pandemic, he used to go to mass every day and pray the Angelus faithfully at noontime and at 6 in the evening. He proudly wears his scruples on his sleeve. He would berate any subordinates caught cursing or looking at nude pictures.

He will not tolerate anything that is outside the confines of his dogmatic beliefs: homosexuality, premarital sex, abortion, legal separation, just to mention a few.

He will cut you off when there is a discussion that is going against his dogmatic beliefs. For example, divorce and homosexuality are closed topics for him. For him there are no ifs and buts. His intolerance toward gays is surprising because during

his 20s, he used to be not only tolerant but also friendly with gays, gamely picking up their lingo and mimicking the way they speak, although as far as I know he was not a homosexual. He suddenly stayed away from a very close friend when the guy separated from his wife (by mutual agreement) and subsequently fell in love with another woman. My “morally ascendant” friend would pretend to be civil to him when they happened to meet but he would secretly express his disapprobation in so many words, almost to the point of condemnation, because “he is living in sin.”

It’s a drastic turnabout because he used to be very open about life and everyone. He would frequent beer gardens, flirt with the girls, and dabbled in black magic, astral travel and out of body experiences. He even smoked grass. Now he has moved to the extreme opposite, enclosed in an iron fortress of moral self-righteousness. Indeed, a little dogmatic knowledge can be dangerous.

Having convictions is not a bad thing, but strong beliefs do not automatically exclude an open mind. Being open-minded means having the ability to consider other perspectives and trying to be empathetic to other people, even when you disagree with them.

In the workplace, if you are not open to other ideas and perspectives, it is difficult to see all of the factors that contribute to problems or come up with effective solutions. It is important that we acquire that ability to step outside our comfort zone and consider other perspectives and ideas even if they come from people we dislike.

This doesn’t mean that being open-minded is necessarily easy. Being open to new ideas and experiences can sometimes be confusing or unsettling at times when we learn new things that conflict with existing beliefs. However, being able to change and revise outdated or incorrect beliefs is an important part of learning and personal growth.

According to the Austrian born Jewish philosopher Martin Buber, dialogue is the only effective form of communication in contrast to one-sided expression of opinions. His most known saying is “all real living is meeting.” The word “meeting” assumes a conversation and a necessity to listen to the other. It cannot happen when the gates of the mind and heart are closed and shut tight.

I came across Buber’s work in my Philosophy class. I gravitated to his thinking because he showed love and hope for humanity. His existential philosophical piece, entitled “I-Thou” is a philosophical discussion on how we relate to others, consciously and unconsciously, and what makes us human.

In the I-Thou encounter, we relate to each other as authentic beings, without judgment, qualification, or objectification. I meet you as you are, and you meet me as who I am. What is key is that you bring an open and sincere heart and mind to the other.

Rather than looking down at someone as a single mother, a homosexual, or a pedicab driver, we can perceive the other as a human person with a name and a personal story to share. It is this type of connection to others on several levels that can only lead to true relating and compassion for one another.

Even between a man and wife, an open honest dialogue can reveal something they never said or heard before, and from which they may emerge irrevocably changed for the better.

Dialogue is what seems to be missing in our way of grappling with this run-away pandemic. Our leaders have barricaded themselves into thinking that only they know best. But people are tired of their old approaches. We need new ideas, new approaches to get this rampaging virus under control. Politics should be set aside at this critical moment. We need to listen more to each other, especially to our scientific community. Let’s not be closed. But rather, let’s work closely together.

It is a happy paradox that the more we open our gate and allow the other to enter, the closer and more loving we become to one another.

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BusinessMirror

Saturday, September 12, 2020 • Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Digital eye strain and what you can do about it

ONE of the ways to take care of dry eyes is to use artificial tears or lubricants.

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F you’re like most people these days, your eyes on fixed on a gadget or two all day. Whether you’re working or learning from home, nearly everything (in our country, at least), is now being done remotely.

All that screen time has resulted in aching backs, stiff necks and red eyes. So what’s causing the redness or irritation in your eyes? It’s probably what doctors calls “dry eye.”

Eyes need to stay moist. If you need to blink frequently when you’re in front of a screen, you likely have “dry eye” and lack tears, which are not just made up of water but also oil and mucus.

We recently talked to pediatric ophthalmologist and strabismus specialist Dr. James Abraham Lee of the American Eye Center about digital eye strain and dry eye, and he offered some tips on how to deal with the condition since our screen time these days has indeed increased.

“Dry eye is usually caused by environmental factors and our own habits. For example, if there is an electric fan or air-conditioning unit in front of your working table, you’re likely to get dry eye,” said Lee. Digital eye strain, he explained, is characterized by blurry vision, headaches and dry eye. This is because of prolonged use of muscles in the eye to focus on the screen. The nearer the object or screen is, the more the eyes need to focus, resulting in spasms.

The best tip Lee can offer as a doctor is for the person to rest their eyes from time to time. He used the “20/20/20” rule of looking at something 20 feet away for 20 second every 20 minutes. This rule was popularized by vision ergonomics specialist Dr. Jeff Ashnell. Lee also advised those who work and study from home to maintain a distance of 18 to 24 inches from the screen, and to observe proper posture when seated. He also said using a bigger screen, like a TV, would help.

Another tip Lee has for students and people who work at home is for them to keep the screen at eye level with the proper brightness, meaning not too bright or too dim. Another thing we can do to relieve dry eye or digital eye strain is to blink regularly.

Blinking is the body’s way of replenishing the tears.

Note that the rate of blinks we make in a minute decreases when we’re in front of a screen so that tears evaporate. Lee said it is also important for people who are 40 years old and above to use their reading glasses, which help the eyes’ focusing muscles. The less effort your eyes need to make, the less strain.

Also, always keep an over-the-counter eye lubricant like Systane (Lee likes Systane Ultra UD) on

hand. “You can use one drop of an eye lubricant three to four times a day or as needed to refresh your eyes,” said Lee. Juliana Ong is a student and entrepreneur who runs two online businesses (@yumini.mart and @ kakaninkusina on Instagram). She is always on her phone and of course, sometimes she has backache and eye strain. Lee advised her to always maintain proper posture and use an eye lubricant.

Rowena Wendy Lei runs a blog, called “Animetric’s World”, and is a wife and mom to two kids who are both gamers. She’s a longtime Systane user and has encouraged her kids to use the brand.

Alcon, the global leader in eye care, is the maker of Systane. The company recently announced the results of survey, conducted by research firm Ipsos among 1,005 nationally representative US adults, to see the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on consumers’ screen time. The survey showed that nearly 80 percent of Americans reported their screen time increased during the pandemic. Three out of five (60 percent) of those who have increased their screen time are concerned about the impact this will have on their

eyes. Among those with increased screen time, nearly half (45 percent) reported their eyes feel dry because of it. Systane has eye lubricant products to address different needs. Systane Ultra High Performance is for fast symptom relief and extended protection. It’s the most popular Systane product. Systane Balance Restorative Formula is for the temporary relief of burning and irritation due to dry eye. Systane Ultra UD is a one-dose lubricant that is preservative-free, meaning you can use them more than 3-4 times a day.

This is perfect for children, those with sensitive eyes and dogs.

We have been using Systane Ultra High Performance and Systane Ultra UD on our dog because none of the artificial tears prescribed by the veterinarian would work on her irritated eyes. I asked Lee and he said it works perfectly on dogs. He uses it on his dog. There is one more tip that I picked up from Dr. Lee: applying a warm eye mask helps your eyelid produce oil, which can help alleviate the feeling of dryness in the eye area.

Remember that you only have one pair of eyes so you better take care of them while you can. ■

ITALY INVESTIGATES APPLE, GOOGLE, DROPBOX OVER CLOUD STORAGE ITALY’S competition watchdog has launched an investigation into Apple, Google and Dropbox over their cloud storage services.

The competition and market authority said on Monday it has opened a total of six investigations into Apple iCloud, Google Drive and Dropbox’s online storage service in response to complaints about unfair commercial practices and violations of the country’s consumer rights directive. In one case, it’s also looking into “vexatious clauses” in a contract.

The regulator said it’s looking into whether the three companies either failed to, or did not adequately, indicate how users’ data would be collected and used for commercial purposes. It is also examining whether Dropbox failed to provide clear and accessible information on how users could get out of contracts or pursue out of court dispute settlements.

Apple, Google, and Dropbox did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Italian probe follows wider efforts by European Union regulators to clarify the fine print tech companies use in their terms and conditions of service so consumers can better understand how their information is being used.

Facebook updated its terms of service last year to clarify how it makes money from user data in response to pressure from European regulators. AP

FROM left: Dr. Benito Atienza, president, Philippine Medical Association; Dr. Loysa Orense, president, Vireo Loadworks Inc.; and Dr. Hector Santos, secretary general, Philippine Medical Association

BANTAI COVID LAUNCHED

THE Philippine Medical Association (PMA) in partnership with Vireo Loadworks Inc., the Quezon City Government and the Quezon City Medical Association recently launched the BantAI Covid in a press conference held via Zoom. “The Artificial Intelligence [AI]-powered BantAI Covid was conceptualized to help the fight against the dreaded coronavirus pandemic,” said Vireo President Dr. Loysa Orense.

Joining them during the event via Zoom were Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte; Dr. Susan Mercado, Philippine Red Cross; Dr. Jaime Almora, president of the Philippine Hospital Association; Atty. Bu Castro, ethics committee, Philippine Medical Association; and Dr. Teodoro Herbosa, special adviser, National Task Force Against Covid-19.

The AI-assisted system utilizes the SMS platform in contract tracing, triaging, monitoring, and providing telemedicine and referrals to hospitals and quarantine facilities to suspected and probable cases of Covid-19 with Quezon City as its very first successful project.

Bringing the theater at home SPEAKERS are designed to render sound as it was intended to be heard.

For a variety of reasons, however, most wireless or Bluetooth speakers are no match for traditional speakers of a similar price when it comes to sound quality.

Faced with this challenge, Huawei has developed the Sound X, a HiFi wireless speaker with flawless audio quality.

The overall design of the Huawei Sound X was inspired by the golden roof above the Vienna Music Hall, featuring a sleek black body. Its coating utilizes a special insulated structure that ensures quality signal reception and transmission, enhancing audio quality without sacrificing high-frequency performance.

At first glance, certain aspects of the Sound X’s design seem quite standard.

The mesh design of the lower part of

the speaker, for instance, is a signature feature of traditional speakers designed to transmit a more powerful sound. Dig deeper and you can see how the Sound X sets itself apart from other speakers. The bass unit in the upper part of the Sound X delivers powerful amplitudes that vibrate the whole speaker, giving it its peerless

HiFi sound. That’s why a solid shell is adopted to keep it stable enough to deliver such high-quality sound.

The speaker is coated with premium, impact-resistant polycarbonate material to protect the product when it needs to be moved, while also furnishing a unique exterior design.

A defining design feature of the Huawei Sound X is its open, visible bass unit. When music is played, sound waves cause the speaker to vibrate, creating a lasting visual impression to heighten the emotional resonance of the music.

In addition, when a hand or other object gets too close to the subwoofers, the music playback will automatically pause, preventing them from being damaged by collisions during playback. The recessed design they adopt is a further insurance policy in this regard.

In addition, the Sound X’s sound holes put air molecules in motion when the speaker vibrates, and also help clear the speaker of any dust that would otherwise accumulate due to its open bass unit design. Huawei has spared no effort in tweaking and fine-tuning the Sound X’s software. It has cooperated with Devialet

and armed the speaker with the French audio brand’s exclusive Speaker Active Matching (SAM technology), which is, among other outstanding features, capable of adapting the output signal to match the specific characteristics of the speaker, and minimizing sound distortion. As a result, listening to audio on the Sound X provides for total immersion, transporting you to the scene that the music evokes in your mind’s eye.

Huawei Sound X has Hi-Res certification from the Japan Audio Society—the highest certification a HiFi speaker can have in the industry.

The new normal shouldn’t be an auditory wasteland by any means—and the Huawei Sound X welcomes anybody into its oasis of pure acoustic bliss, offering multimedia sound that resonates with the senses as well as the soul.

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Saturday, September 12, 2020

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Epic tries new gambit to restore Fortnite in Apple App Store

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BY MALATHI NAYAK Bloomberg News

PIC Games Inc. made another pitch to a judge to block Apple Inc. from removing Fortnite from its App Store in what the game maker calls “retaliation” for offering in-app purchases through its own marketplace.

Friday’s request for a court action comes after Epic was denied an order last month that would have temporarily stopped Apple from delisting Fortnite.

The case is shaping into a major antitrust showdown over tolls of as much as 30 percent that Apple charges developers when users make in-app purchases. Epic has filed a separate suit with similar claims against Google.

Apple’s App Store business also faces antitrust scrutiny by lawmakers and regulators in US and Europe looking to rein in power of big technology companies. Some app developers complain that Apple’s standard App Store fees and others policies are unfair and designed to benefit the iPhone maker’s own services.

“To be clear, Epic does not seek to force Apple to provide distribution and processing services for free, nor does Epic seek to enjoy Apple’s services without paying for them,” Epic said in a filing in federal court in Oakland, California.

“What Epic wants is the freedom not to use Apple’s App Store or in-app purchase, and instead to use and offer competing services.”

Apple released a statement maintaining it isn’t backing down, adding that there’s no chance of the companies working together as things stand.

Epic “repeatedly submit Fortnite updates designed to violate the guidelines of the App Store,” Apple said.

“This is not fair to all other developers on the App Store and is putting customers in the middle of their fight.” Their simmering dispute intensified August 13 when Epic told customers it would begin offering a discounted direct purchase plan for items in Fortnite.

Apple then removed the app from its App Store, cutting off access for iPhone and iPad users to a game played by more more than 350 million people.

Fortnite players have spent almost $1.2 billion through Apple’s App Store and nearly $9.7 million

Local youth market a growth driver for mobile phone brand

BY RIZAL RAOUL S. REYES

though Google Play on in-game purchases, according to mobile-app market data firm Sensor Tower. That generated revenue of about $354 million for Apple and $3 million for Google.

Epic said in its filing that its competing payment portal gives Fortnite gamers “the option of lower prices” on in-app purchases.

Launching its own marketplace “was a necessary first step on the long road to freeing consumers and developers from Apple’s decade-long monopolistic grip over app distribution and in-app payment processing on iOS,” the company said.

In August, US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez

Rogers issued a mixed ruling following Epic’s initial face-off with Apple in her court. While she declined to order Apple to restore the Fortnite app, she agreed to temporarily block the iPhone maker from limiting Epic’s ability to provide Unreal Engine, key graphics technology for developers, for other apps.

That provisional order remains in place until September 28, when the judge has scheduled the next hearing on whether to issue a longer-lasting injunction while the litigation plays out.

The case is Epic Games Inc. v. Apple Inc., 20-cv-05640, US District Court, Northern District of California (San Francisco). ■

TV host-entrepreneur Maggie Wilson hosts GoDaddy reality mini-series EMPOWERING everyday entrepreneurs, GoDaddy in collaboration with AXN has announced its new five-episode reality mini-series, called Project GO, to be hosted

by TV host and entrepreneur, Maggie Wilson-Consunji. The coproduced show is designed for Filipino entrepreneurs and innovators to compete for a chance to win P1 million in prize money to help grow their entrepreneurial business.

Project GO will feature up-and-coming Filipino entrepreneurs and showcase their innovative ideas.

The shortlisted contestants will be going head-to-head for a chance to win the prize money. The pilot episode will premiere this November on AXN, the general entertainment channel owned by KC Global Media Asia.

As the entrepreneur behind Acasa Manila (formerly Casa Consunji), Maggie knows well the challenges of being an entrepreneur, especially now that the pandemic has impacted businesses worldwide.

However, these challenging times did not deter her from staying afloat. She successfully pivoted her business and

MAGGIE WILSON-CONSUNJI

expanded her offerings, and is committed to growing her business in the future.

“I tapped into my creativity to keep my business going. I ventured into producing

videos, widening my range of offerings, and have been more collaborative in nature, while strengthening my presence online with the help of GoDaddy,” Wilson shares as she talks about being more flexible with how she runs her business.

The Covid-19 pandemic has pushed Wilson to innovate in dealing with her clients. Maggie believes that Project GO can help inspire entrepreneurs like her.

“By watching the show and listening to the contestant stories, we hope it can strengthen your entrepreneurial spirit, equip you with resources, enhance your creativity and help to transform you into ‘entrepreneurs of today,’” Wilson explains.

“I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to be working with GoDaddy again, and I’m also excited to hear the business ideas that will be highlighted on the show.”

Open auditions began from August 8 to September 2, with people from universities, institutions, and small and mid-size enterprises all responding to the challenge, sharing stories of how they translated their innovative and creative ideas into tangible ventures. GoDaddy’s sponsorship is

designed to extend support and assistance to entrepreneurs and small business owners as they work to keep their businesses active with the current economic challenges caused by the pandemic. With 20 million customers worldwide, GoDaddy is the place people come to solidify their idea with online presence, build a professional web site, attract customers, and manage their work.

According to Tina Shieh, marketing director for GoDaddy Asia, “GoDaddy empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to bring their business ideas to life and reach more customers with a strong online presence.

With the Covid-19 pandemic affecting economies and lives around the world, we hope to inspire Filipino entrepreneurs through Project GO to follow their dreams, and to continue moving forward and jumpstart their businesses.”

In addition to Project GO, GoDaddy offers information to help create and manage their business online with tools and expert guidance available on GoDaddy’s web site (ph.GoDaddy.com).

More information is also available at www.axn-asia.com/ProjectGO.

Amazon adds 7,000 more UK jobs as pandemic e-commerce booms LONDON—E-commerce giant Amazon is adding 7,000 more permanent jobs in the UK by the end of the year, in the latest sign that demand for online shopping and services is booming amid the pandemic.

The company said on Thursday that the jobs will be created at Amazon warehouses, sorting centers and delivery stations across the United Kingdom as well as its corporate offices. That’s on top of 3,000 new employees it has already added this year. The extra staff will raise its permanent British workforce to more than 40,000 by the end of 2020.

Retailers and other traditional industries in Britain affected by the coronavirus crisis have been forced to lay off workers,

and there are fears unemployment could spike as the government phases out a salary support package.

On the other hand, surging demand for deliveries means e-commerce is a bright spot for hiring. “This huge expansion announced in the UK by Amazon comes as little surprise, given the massive surge in sales the tech giant has experienced, as the e-commerce sector boomed during the pandemic,” said Susannah Streeter, an analyst at financial services firm Hargreaves Lansdown.

More than 50 Amazon sites in the UK will take on the new staff. A new warehouse that opened in May and two more scheduled to open in the autumn will each hire more

than 1,000 new workers. The warehouses, in northeast and central England, are outfitted with state-of-the-art robotic technology. The new roles include engineers, graduates, human resources and technology professionals, and health and safety and finance specialists.

They also include teams that will pick, pack and ship customer orders, which “will help Amazon meet growing customer demand and enable small and medium-sized enterprises selling on Amazon to scale their businesses,” the company said in a statement.

It’s also creating more than 20,000 temporary jobs ahead of the Christmas shopping season. AP

THE youth market, which accounts for more than 50 percent of the country’s total population, has become a major attraction for tech gadget manufacturers.

In this regard, premium online-driven smartphone brand Infinix has introduced its newest smartphone model Note 7 aimed at the mid-market segment that is searching for a high-performance yet affordable and stylish alternative.

Moreover, the launch also coincided with the brand’s comeback in the Philippine market and kicks off a series of exciting new product reveals in the coming months.

Infinix, which has been focused on sales and distribution on e-commerce platforms since its first entry into the Philippine market in 2015, is banking on renewed optimism among Filipinos being one of the top Internet and social media natives around the world, and one of the most discerning smartphone consumers.

“We are very proud to launch Note 7 to global markets. Note 7 carries forward the DNA of Infinix by offering the most premium smartphone experience and powerful features through stylish designs, trendy technologies, and high-quality hardware to software experience.

“Note 7 is the device that combines Infinix’s technological innovation strength with our deep insights into our target consumers’ real needs to deliver an overall enhanced experience for all types of content consumption and user scenarios. We are confident that both our fans and new users will be amazed by the the phone when exploring and perusing unlimited new wonders with cutting-edge technology in the newest yet most price-friendly Note 7 in its price segment,” Benjamin Jiang, managing director of Infinix Mobile, said in a press statement.

Jiang said the Infinix Note 7 comes with a lot features to suit the lifestyle of the youth market. For comfortable viewing, it has a 6.95” HD Infinity-O display and a MediaTek Helio G70 CPU performance, ideal for mobile gamers.

Meanwhile, the 48MP Quad AI camera boasts of the highest pixel count in its price range. Moreover, the XOS 6.0 operating system based on the latest Android 10 system elevates users to a new level of experience, according to Jiang.

Jiang pointed out the Note 7 packs a powerful punch with its dual stereo speakers featuring DTS and audio optimization to produce crisper, louder and more balanced sound regardless of content format— movies, games, music and more.

He also stressed the Note 7 is capable of operating longer hours with a 5,000mAh battery and industryleading 18w Super Charge 3.0, reaching 18W charging speeds that gives users’ worry-free, full-day guarantee of capturing their day and night life on the move. “It is also faster and more intuitive with a sidemounted fingerprint sensor for unlocking the phone with a tap in an instant, upgrading the fluidity of the smartphone experience,” he said.

Jiang noted the launching of the Note 7 is a major event for Infinix’s Note series, as it vows to introduce to consumers a broad range products for daily use scenarios—from nonstop picture-taking, work and social media leveraging, to gaming, movies and entertainment consumption.

A9

INFINIX Note 7

BusinessMirror

A10 Saturday, September 12, 2020 • Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Globe subscribers raise homeschool kits for Baseco kids ON September 4 to 6, Globe Platinum customers attended the first Electric Weekend, an exclusive three-day event featuring free fitness workouts led by instructors from Electric Studio. Classes over the weekend raised 373 World Vision school kits for the children in Baseco Compound, Manila, so they can continue their education at home.

Knowing that home workouts have become a way of life for people looking to stay fit and healthyamid the Covid-19 pandemic, Globe Platinum offered its customers the chance to join the Electric Weekend.

They were invited over to SHOOR (www.shoor.com. ph), where they can choose from up to three classes facilitated by instructors from the country’s first indoor cycling gym and premium fitness boutique, Electric Studio.

To kick off the event, participants brought out their jabs at Electric Rhythm Boxing, a high intensity, music-driven shadow boxing workout. A 45-minute Pure Electric indoor cycling class kept the momentum the next day with full body movements, music, and free weights. On Sunday, a 60-minute Electric Strength Training toned the core and upper bodies of the participants and capped the weekend activities.

All those who attended the Electric Weekend received a Globe Platinum bag containing workout tools they could use in any of the classes. Those living in Metro Manila who did not have their own indoor bike were also able to join the Pure Electric class on Saturday by borrowing an indoor bike for free and having it delivered to their home.

By joining the event, not only were Globe Platinum customers able to indulge in an exhilarating workout session but they also helped children from Baseco Compound in Manila continue their education at home. For every class they joined or class challenge they completed, Globe Platinum matched it with a school kit donation to World Vision, the global organization working with the most vulnerable families to ease the challenges of distance learning during the pandemic. When they registered to a class, participants were able to share words of encouragement to the beneficiaries, who will receive an entire backpack complete with school supplies and homeschool learning modules approved by the Philippine Department of Education. After this firstever Electric Weekend, children from Baseco have a better chance to reach their potential and become a future hero of our nation.

For Globe Platinum, Electric Weekend is just the beginning. It is part of the telco’s #ForFutureHeroes campaign that gives more purpose to the perks customers will enjoy while they stay safe at home.

To learn more about how Globe Platinum lives its promise to empower customers to move themselves and others forward, visit glbe.co/forfutureheroes.

WeChat and TikTok taking China censorship global, study says

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BY JAMIE TARABAY Bloomberg News

HE most popular Chinese-owned social media from WeChat to TikTok are increasingly censoring content in the US and elsewhere, taking practices honed for years behind the Great Firewall to an international audience.

ByteDance Ltd.’s TikTok often buries or hides words that reflect political movements, gender and sexual orientation or religion in most countries where it operates, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute said in a report released Tuesday. Most of the content censored on WeChat supported pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong, as well as messages from the US and UK embassies regarding a new national security law enacted by Beijing at the end of June that has provoked protests across the city.

TikTok, which began as a place where teens lipsync to music, has become a forum for political protest including the Black Lives Matter movement, said Fergus Ryan, one of the authors. Hashtags related to LGBTQ+ issues were also suppressed in several languages, according to the report. Other topics censored in the past included criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The findings may lend ammunition to the Trump administration, which banned TikTok and Tencent

Holdings Ltd.’s WeChat after accusing the apps of bending to Beijing’s will in censoring content, potentially influencing the November elections.

While social media services, like Facebook scrub content such as hate speech, Washington accuses services like TikTok of blocking content considered sensitive to the Communist Party.

WeChat has long complied with controls back home, while TikTok—which operates only outside China—has pushed back against claims it’s influenced by that country’s government.

“TikTok is a more curated experience where the platform has a huge amount of power to decide what content to serve up to users,” said Ryan. “Most of these hashtags are categorized in TikTok’s code in the same way that terrorist groups, illicit substances and swear words are treated on the platform.”

A Tencent representative declined to comment.

The Australian institute cited TikTok as saying some terms “were partially restricted due to relevant local laws.” It was also cited as saying it “strongly supports our LGBTQ creators around the world, and is proud that LGBTQ content is among the most popular category on the platform with billions of views.”

“As we’ve said before, TikTok user data is stored in the US and Singapore, with strict controls on employee access,” a TikTok spokesperson said. “We have never shared user information with the Chinese government, and wouldn’t do so if asked.”

Washington’s moves against TikTok and WeChat underscore how the concept of an internet decoupling is becoming reality. The Trump administration’s ban on TikTok and WeChat takes effect in mid-September, when both apps are likely to get taken off app stores but may continue to be accessible to many American users. WeChat can be a powerful vector in countries like the US where the Chinese diaspora is substantial, because it is often a major source of information for that population.

But principles like free speech do not form part of those apps’ core values, rather they’re more likely to over-censor to align with local government wishes, according to the report.

ByteDance is now embroiled in sensitive discussions about a TikTok takeover in the US with suitors including Microsoft Corp. and Oracle Corp., a deal estimated to fetch upwards of $20 billion. But uncertainty around the deal escalated sharply last week after China asserted its right to approve or block the sale of technology abroad, complicating an already complex process under scrutiny from the White House. The law underscored how Beijing wants to retain some control over content moderation and that it considers ByteDance’s algorithms to be a matter of state security, Ryan said.

“The rubber really hits the road with the algorithm,” he said. “TikTok’s algorithms are extremely sophisticated and powerful.” ■

High time for govt to tap digital technology for good governance

BY RIZAL RAOUL S. REYES EXPERTS recently urged government to digitalize the operations of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to eliminate corruption at the country’s biggest government-owned and -controlled corporation.

In a recent virtual forum hosted by Stratbase ADR Institute in partnership with Transparency International Philippines and Democracy Watch, anti-corruption advocates discussed the risks and made recommendations to ensure that the massive funds being spent for the people’s health insurance will not fall prey to an organized corruption.

In his talk, Victor Andres Manhit, president of Stratbase ADR Institute, said government must now immediately tap digital technology to fight corruption and promote good governance.

“Now that the value of technology as a productivity tool for communication, collaboration and efficiency

has been proven, our government must now harness digital technologies as a weapon against corruption,” he said.

“Fast development of our digital infrastructure now becomes a critical element of our recovery strategy,” Manhit added.

In her presentation, Prof. Heidi Mendoza of the Ateneo School of Government and a former commissioner of the Commission on Audit (COA) gave emphasis on the case of Philhealth specially on its data governance.

When the COA was allowed to view the IT system of PhilHealth, they were given the database of claimants from 2011 to 2015. When they compared the database with the information available from the Philippine Statistics Office, the auditors discovered inaccuracies and discrepancies, such as that a lot of the claimants were already dead, with at least 300 hospitals still claiming reimbursements for patients who are already dead.

President Duterte also ordered government agencies to improve connectivity and Internet services in the country by removing red tape in the approval of telecommunication projects.

Last month, the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Anti-Red Tape Authority, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, Department of Transportation, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, Department of Health, and the Food and Drug Administration issued a joint memorandum circular to remove five prerequisites for the construction of passive telecommunications towers and reduce the timeline of permit issuance from 200 days to only 16 days.

Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara said at the close of August that there is an urgent need to digitize PhilHealth database and upgrade its

information technology (IT) system to reduce fraud and improve efficiency.

Angara, who chairs the Senate committee on finance, called for a strengthening of the anti-fraud mechanisms in PhilHealth to include a special audit on its funds, following the most recent controversy faced by the state health insurer involving its allegedly overpriced IT system and the controversial P27-billion Interim Reimbursement Mechanism.

“They [PhilHealth] should likewise look into strengthening their manpower complement by hiring more medical reviewers, anti-fraud officers, data scientists, data analytics personnel, and even experts in artificial intelligence and big data,” Angara said.

The senator has been pushing for the digitization of both the government and private sector as part of the national digital transformation program to improve efficiency in the delivery of services and prepare the country for the requirements of a rapidly changing world.

BusinessMirror

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56 percent of Filipinos prefer a mix of online and physical classes, according to survey ONE of the world’s leading apps for free and easy communication, Viber has revealed from a recent survey that most of its Filipino users want schools to adapt a blended learning approach in the next school year, allowing students and educators to participate in either online or face-to-face classes as appropriate.

The survey comes out in time for the Department of Education’s announcement of the opening of classes in public schools on October 5, and as a number of private schools have began to resume classes after months of lockdown due to Covid-19.

According to the survey done in the Philippines, which garnered a total of 10,137 responses, 56 percent of users said that classes should be done both in classrooms and online. The same poll also revealed that 85 percent of participants choose to use Viber to communicate with parents of students, discuss different topics with teachers, and keep in touch with students throughout the school year. Fifty-six percent of respondents also shared that they will be using both Viber desktop and mobile/tablet for educationrelated activities.

The Philippine numbers are part of Viber’s global poll, which was conducted in 24 countries across AsiaPacific, Western and Eastern Europe (including the UK, France and Germany), the Middle East, and North America, with approximately 185,00o respondents.

Worldwide results showed an overwhelming preference for the platform to be used alongside major e-learning products to facilitate communication, with 70 percent of users saying they will use Viber during the coming school year to connect with all three groups: parents, teachers and students. On average, 22 percent said they’d use both Viber on desktop and mobile/tablet for educational purposes.

Viber’s versatile nature has led it to be widely used for different educational purposes even prior to the pandemic. Now, the platform has become an invaluable tool in fostering education in a way that preserves normalcy as much as possible to ensure that children receive access to resources they need.

With kids now spending more time online than ever, Viber empowers them to communicate with their classmates, teachers and loved ones without compromising their safety through its topnotch endto-end encryption and additional security features.

“A year ago, the future of education becoming 100 percent remote seemed like a vision for the next 10 or even more years. Then the pandemic hit and it happened overnight. As a parent, I have always used Viber to communicate with my kids. Throughout the last few months, we have seen many parents, students and teachers using Viber to communicate for educational purposes, whether online or physically,” says Djamel Agaoua, CEO of Rakuten Viber.

New features will also be released in the coming weeks, such as quiz mode for polls (which is already rolling out in some territories), reminders in My Notes, and Media Gallery enhancements to help students and educators with their learning activities.

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Saturday, September 12, 2020 A11

Return of the Poco W

HEN Poco launched in 2018, it disrupted the market with the Poco F1, receiving rave reviews and was quickly dubbed the “flagship killer.”

It swiftly propelled the brand’s popularity, and tech enthusiasts expected a lot of great things from Poco.

Surprisingly though, the independent smartphone brand under Xiaomi Group became quiet after such a rousing introduction, leaving Poco fans anxious about its next “kingslayer.”

Well the wait is finally over. Poco released not one but two new phones in the local market, the Poco F2 Pro and the Poco X3 NFC launched just a few days ago.

Its vision of bringing ultimate performance and latest technologies to a larger user base by delivering only the innovations that matter is best summarized by the Poco X3’s tagline: “Exactly What You Need.”

Marketed as the true mid-range champion, the Poco X3 is priced starting at P10,990 and the Philippines is one of the first countries to have a commercial release.

The Poco X3 is designed to meet the needs of young tech/gaming enthusiasts who prioritize performance and the most useful high-end specs, and is the first to use Qualcomm’s newest and most powerful 4G processor to date, the Snapdragon 732G. It offers sustained peak performance and AI capabilities that will impress even the most demanding gamers thanks to its architecture based on the KryoTM 470 octa-core CPU and Adreno 618 Elite Gaming series GPU. The device embeds LiquidCool Technology 1.0 Plus, combining an enlarged copper heat pipe with multiple layers of graphite that work together to reduce the heat of the phone’s processor by up to 6 degrees. The phone can be further optimized for gaming using Game Turbo 3.0, the utility that tunes the phone in accordance with game requirements.

Additionally, the phone’s Z-axis linear motor ensures superb haptic feedback with over 150 vibration modes for different scenarios.

The phone is also the first in its price range to have a 120Hz refresh rate and a 240Hz touch sampling rate on its edge-to-edge 6.67” FHD+ DotDisplay.

The 120Hz makes it one of smoothest screens while the 240hz touch sampling rate further reinforces the phone’s extraordinary display capabilities. This great display is only matched by a pair of flagship-grade stereo speakers.

As for the cameras, the Poco X3 has a rear quadcamera system consisting of a 64MP main camera, 13MP ultra-wide angle camera, 2MP macro camera and a 2MP depth sensor. The phone’s main camera is a flagship Sony IMX 682 sensor featuring an ƒ/1.89 aperture and 1.6μm 4-in-1 Super Pixel that produces detailed and ultra-clear pictures. The 13MP ultra-wide angle camera boasts a 119° field of view propped up by ƒ/2.2 aperture and a 1.0μm pixel size. For selfies, the device has a 20MP camera with ƒ/2.2 aperture and 1.6μm 4-in-1 Super Pixel.

Top-level specs are no use without a battery that lasts, which is why the Poco X3 NFC is equipped with a large 5160mAh battery that can last over two days under moderate usage. The handset supports 33W fast charging which not only means that the device can be charged to 100 percent in only 65 minutes, but also that a mere 30 minutes will fill it up to 62 percent.

The Poco X3 NFC will come in two storage options the 6GB+64GB variant will be available at P10,990,

while the 6GB+128GB is priced at P12,990 and two colors: Shadow Gray and Cobalt Blue. Will it be as great in real-life use as it is on the spec sheet? I’ll have a full review once I get our hands on a retail unit soon.

POCO F2 PRO, TOO COOL TO BE TRUE?

WHAT I was able to try out for a few weeks was the Poco F2 Pro, the successor to the Pocophone F1, sharing the same core principles of better hardware and greater value. Does it deserve to be the rightful heir to the throne?

The Poco F2 Pro offers everything you need in a phone—a gorgeous design, flagship processor, an AMOLED display, a large battery, terrific cameras, you even get a 3.5mm jack—but does it also justify the huge price difference of the original?

One of the biggest gripes about the Poco F1 was its pedestrian design—it wasn’t bad but it wasn’t a standout either. That changes with the F2 Pro that now has a metal and glass build and svelte curves that give it the look of other 2020 flagships.

Exploring the phone, up top, you have the 3.5mm jack right beside the pop-up camera and IR blaster.

The phone has the power and volume buttons on the right, and the red accent on the power button is a nice touch. On the bottom is the speaker, USB-C charging port, and SIM card tray. Both the front and back are covered by Gorilla Glass 5, and I actually like the matte textured finish that makes it easier to hold the phone and also hide those fingerprint smudges.

As far as weight, the F2 Pro is a bit on the heavy side, probably due to its massive battery and perhaps the added mechanism of the retractable camera and the aluminum chassis. But the weight is distributed quite well and its still very comfortable to hold even during prolonged use.

The F2 Pro has a massive 6.67-inch (2400 x 1080) FHD+ Super AMOLED display. But unlike most 2020 phones the F2 Pro utilizes a retractable selfie camera.

It’s nothing new, but in a year of punch holes and cutouts, the F2 Pro stands out, giving you a true allscreen experience.

The screen delivers an immersive experience and supports HDR10+, and you get vibrant colors with superb visibility under sunlight out of the box. You still have options to further customize the colors to your preference. You also get the latest TÜV Rheinland Full Care Display Certification, DC dimming, Sunlight Mode as well as a dedicated reading mode that switches the panel to warmer.

While I have no complaints about the screen, I still wished it had a 120Hz or even 90Hz panel that’s become one of the main selling points of its competitors.

There’s a new name on top of the DXO Mark ratings and it’s the Mi 10 Ultra from Xiaomi. The company has been delivering great cameras across its portfolio recently, and the F2 Pro is no exception.

It has a 64MP Sony IMX686 primary sensor, a 13MP wide-angle lens with a 123-degree field-of-view, 5MP macro lens, and 2MP portrait module.

The cameras of the Poco F2 Pro are quite impressive, and it took pretty good pictures overall.

Photos come out vibrant with nice-looking colors thanks to its post-processing software. The camera holds up even in low-light conditions, and while it’s not the best, it does a pretty good job at preserving details.

It can also capture videos in 8K, making it one of the few smartphones that could take 8K videos. But the one thing I liked best among its video modes is VLOG. This lets you shoot several short videos and the Poco F2 Pro will immediately put it together in one artsy video—perfect for those quick Facebook and Instagram stories.

As for the front-facing 20MP camera, it also does a decent job for selfies, and the pop-up camera always made me smile whenever I see those LED lights and hear the sound effect.

The F2 Pro is powered by the Snapdragon 865 chipset, and as a result, it is not only one of the fastest phones in the market today but also among the most affordable options.

The Snapdragon 865 makes the Poco F2 a very powerful and reliable device for day-to-day use.

I never encountered any lag or slowdowns, and it handles even the most demanding games with ease.

Performance was quite snappy, apps loaded fast, and the phone could handle multiple functions even photo and video editing without slowing down.

Ensuring an extended user experience, the Poco F2 Pro packs a 4,700mAh battery, and sports a swift 30W fast charge, which can fuel the device to 64 percent in just 30 minutes and 100 percent in 63 minutes.

It comes with a 33W in-box charger so you get the optimum charging speed they promised.

Poco is definitely back with the F2 Pro. It might not be the Poco F1 heir we were expecting (or hoping for) because of its higher price tag, but considering its more premium build and design, better cameras, AMOLED screen and other extra features, the Poco F2 Pro is still one of the best value-for-money smartphones you can buy at the sub-P30,000 price range.

The Poco F2 Pro has two variants—8GB+256GB (P29,990) and 6GB+128GB (P26,990)—and is available in Neon Blue, Phantom White, Electric Purple and Cyber Grey. ■

Apple to hold Sept. 15 online launch event to reveal new watch

BY MARK GURMAN Bloomberg News APPLE Inc. said it will hold an online event September 15, where the company is expected to unveil its latest Apple Watch. The event will be streamed from the company’s web site starting at 10 am Pacific Time. The technology giant usually organizes a slick hardware-focused show every fall from its Cupertino, California-based headquarters

or another location in Silicon Valley. This event will be only online due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

That follows Apple’s developers conference in June, which worked well as a virtual event.

The event announcement on Apple’s web site doesn’t have its typical tag line that hints at what is to be announced. But the invitation to media says “Time Flies,” indicating the announcement is related to the Apple Watch, not iPhones.

The new iPhones won’t launch until October,

Bloomberg News has reported.

The company is preparing new high-end and low-end Apple Watches as well as a redesigned iPad Air with an edge-to-edge screen. It’s also working on a smaller HomePod and the first pair of Applebranded over ear headphones for release as early as later this year. The new iPhones, coming later, will have redesigned cases, updated cameras, and 5G capabilities. Apple also plans to announce the first Mac running its own processors, replacing Intel

Corp., before the end of the year. The next updates to iPhone and iPad software are due to be released this month, with Apple Watch, Apple TV and Mac software updates coming in the fall.

The company’s shares have surged this year on rising demand of iPhones, iPads and other tech gear needed to work and study from home during the pandemic. It’s also facing increased antitrust scrutiny and complaints from App Store developers including Epic Games.

A12

Sports BusinessMirror

Saturday, September 12, 2020

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph / Editor: Jun Lomibao

SERENA GETS DOOR N

Davis, Lakers down Rockets for 3-1 West semifinals lead

EW YORK—Serena Williams already was struggling to keep up in a fastpaced US Open semifinal when she stopped behind the baseline after a third-set point and leaned over.

She held that pose for a bit, then clutched at her lower left leg and asked for a trainer.

While Williams took a medical timeout for a tape job for what she later said was an Achilles issue—her latest bid for a 24th Grand Slam singles title seemingly slipping away—her opponent, Victoria Azarenka, sat in a sideline seat, eyes closed, calm and composed as can be.

After a delay of about five minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium, action resumed, and while Williams raised the force of her shots and volume of her shouts, it was Azarenka who finished off a 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory Thursday to return to a major championship final for the first time in seven years.

“Maybe,” Williams said, “I took a little too much off the gas pedal at some point.”

The loss left her just short of the recordtying No. 24 yet again.

She was beaten in the finals of four of the preceding seven Slams, including at Flushing Meadows in 2018 and 2019.

“I mean, it’s obviously disappointing. At the same time, you know, I did what I could today,” said Williams, who has six US Open singles trophies. “I feel like other times I’ve been close and I could have done better. Today I felt like I gave a lot.”

With her 39th birthday a little more than two weeks away, the question will become: How many more chances will Williams get? She did confirm afterward she’ll head to Paris—the French Open starts September 27.

As for the Achilles, Williams said she stretched it while chasing a ball during one of the lengthy baseline exchanges with Azarenka, but wouldn’t blame it for the defeat.

“I don’t think that had anything to do with it,” said Williams, who repeatedly hopped on her feet at the baseline when play returned.

“Ultimately, it didn’t affect my play at all.”

In Saturday’s final, Azarenka will face Naomi Osaka in a meeting between two-time major champions who have both been ranked No. 1 in the past and have been by far the two best players since tennis resumed last month after a pandemic-forced hiatus.

Azarenka won the Australian Open in 2012 and 2013 and lost to Williams in the US Open finals those two years.

She’s finally back in a title match at a major.

“How is it different? I mean, mentally, I’m in such a different place. I think seven years ago, after I won the Australian Open and stuff, and playing kind of consistently with good results, it was kind of I wouldn’t say expected but kind of expected for me to be in the final. I don’t think that was the case this year,” said Azarenka, a 31-year-old from Belarus who is ranked 27th.

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SASO—DESPITE 70—STAYS IN THE HUNT

UKA SASO remained victim to the JFE Setonaikai Golf Club course’s par-five holes but with some stroke of luck, a two-under 70 in the second round of the Japan Ladies Professional Golfers Association Konica Minolta Championship on Friday pushed her two strokes behind new leader Hee Kyung Bae. The 19-year-old Saso set blistering pace with three straight birdies she capped with a birdie-4 at No. 6, but faltered with a bogey-6 at No. 9.

That bogey slowed the reigning Asian Games champion down as she managed a lone birdie coming home at the 14th hole.

“But it feels more fun this year, more fulfilling, more pleasant for me,” she said. “It feels nice. Nicer.”

This was Williams’s fourth consecutive three-setter in New York and although she was far better at the outset Thursday, racing to a 4-0 lead inside of 15 minutes, Azarenka eventually did get going.

Evidence of Azarenka’s brilliance: She compiled 12 winners and merely one unforced error in the second set, then continued her baseline mastery in the third, especially with her backhand.

That carried her to her first win against Williams in 11 career Grand Slam matchups between the pair.

After going a full calendar year without a single tour-level victory, Azarenka has won 11 matches in a row. Osaka’s streak is at 10 after

her 7-6 (1), 3-6, 6-3 win over Jennifer Brady in a hard-hitting semifinal filled with fast serves and strong forehands.

Two weeks ago, Azarenka and Osaka were supposed to play in the final of the Western and Southern Open—a hard-court event moved from Ohio to New York this year as part of a two-tournament “controlled environment” with the US Open amid the pandemic—but Osaka withdrew because of an injured left hamstring.

“Going to be super fun,” said Azarenka, who sat in her assigned suite in Ashe to watch some of Osaka vs.

Brady. “She plays incredible.”

Osaka had her left leg wrapped for her high-quality semifinal on the court where she beat Williams for the 2018 title. AP

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SERENA WILLIAMS (right) loses to Victoria Azarenka at the US Open. AP

Then came the par-5 18th which she again bogeyed to settle for nines of 36-36, par for the Okayama course but two shots off Bae, who is out for vindication after missing the cut at the NItori Ladies and Golf5 Ladies.

Bae, 28, carded a 67 for a 136 total to catapult herself atop the leaderboard, highlighting her round with six birdies stained by a lone bogey-5 at No. 12.

First round joint leaders Min-Young Lee and Serena Aoki yielded to the conditions made tough by rain in morning play.

Ayako Kimura grabbed the

lead at 9-under overall with a birdie on No. 12 but the veteran who tied for 40th in the same tournament last year, bogeyed three of the next four holes and blew a four-foot birdie bid on the 18th.

Kimura closed out with a 71 to fall to joint second at 138 with the International Container Terminal Services Inc.backed Saso, Rieru Shibusawa (66), Sayaka Takahashi (68) and Yuna Nishimura (68).

Teresa Lu, the 2015 champion, matched par 72 for a 139 to tie

Hikari Tanabe (70), Momo Yoshikawa (68), Saki Nagamine (70) and last week’s Golf5 Ladies champion Sakura Koiwai (71).

Bae, who hit just two fairways but still shot a 69 in the first round, rebounded with a scorching long game, nailing three birdies in the last five holes in a backside start. She sank two more birdies in the last four holes

at the front to wrest control in the ¥200 million tournament that serves as the Tour’s first major championship.

The frontrunners, however, have to contend with a slew of chasers who stood two or three strokes behind—and several fancied bets staying within striking distance.

The champion on Sunday will bank ¥36 million.

YUKA SASO finds herself two strokes off the lead halfway through the tournament in Okayama, Japan.

Tour de France rookie Hirschi wins longest stage

SWISS rider Marc Hirschi, 22, makes his veteran rivals eat dust. AP

S

ARRAN, France— Tour de France rookie Marc Hirschi won the longest stage of this year’s race with a bold solo breakaway Thursday on a previously unused sharp ascent, making up for two previous near misses.

The Swiss rider powered away on the Suc au May climb, new to the 117-year-old Tour. He extended his lead by racing with hair-raising speed down the other side and held off pursuers over the last 25 kilometers to win Stage 12 by a comfortable margin in Sarran.

It was the 22-year-old Hirschi’s inaugural victory at his inaugural Tour, after podium finishes on Stages 2 and 9. On the ninth stage, he also launched an early solo breakaway only to be caught by four riders near the end and then lost a sprint when he was overtaken in the final meters.

“It’s hard to find words. It’s my first pro victory,” Hirschi said. “I would never have believed that I could win here, a stage, at this age.”

The Tour’s top contenders, including yellowjersey wearer Primoz Roglic, were more than two minutes behind when Hirschi finished the 218-kilometer stage into the Massif Central, one of five mountain ranges scaled by this Tour.

French rider Pierre Rolland placed second, 47 seconds behind. Hirschi covered the distance in just under five hours and nine minutes.

Roglic kept the overall lead, still 21 seconds ahead of Egan Bernal, last year’s winner from Colombia. French rider Guillaume Martin remained third overall, 28 seconds behind Roglic.

The stage paid homage to France’s all-time favorite cyclist, Raymond Poulidor, by whizzing through his hometown where he died last November, Saint-Leonard-de-Noblat in westcentral France.

Poulidor’s repeated failures to win the Tour conquered French hearts and earned him the moniker “Eternal Runner-up.”

Poulidor finished a record eight times on the Tour podium from 1962 to 1976 but never won and never wore the yellow jersey. He died at age 83.

Roadside spectators yelled “Allez Poupou!”—Poulidor’s nickname—as Tour riders raced through his town, past his portrait.

The stage was rolling and largely flat for the first hour after the start in Chauvigny but got

progressively harder as it veered southeast into the lumpy Massif Central.

The four relatively modest climbs of note were a foretaste of harder ascents that await on Friday. Stage 13 is a start-to-finish roller-coaster of seven noted climbs. The 191 kilometers (119 miles) end with a short but furiously steep ascent of the Puy Mary, the remains of a oncegiant volcano that is liable to force top contenders into battle.

The final kilometers to the finish at 1,589 meters (5,213 feet) in altitude kick upward at a gradient of 15 percent, plenty steep enough for the strongest riders to open consequential time gaps over any rivals who struggle.

Roglic said he is bracing for “some fight and real racing.”

“It’s a hard stage,” said the Slovenian former ski-jumper who won last year’s Spanish Vuelta and placed fourth at the Tour of 2018.

Meanwhile, the Tour organizer confirmed Thursday that four teams which had staff members test positive for Covid-19 this week won’t automatically be sent home if another staff member is positive in the next battery of tests.

Health rules for the race say teams can be sent home if they have two or more positive tests in a seven-day span.

But race organizer ASO confirmed that the day-counter will be reset to zero when teams

are tested again on the Tour’s second and last rest day next Monday.

That clarification lifts a weight off Cofidis, AG2R La Mondiale, Ineos Grenadiers, and Mitchelton Scott, the teams that each saw a staff member test positive on the first rest day.

Because they will all essentially be starting afresh in the next round of testing, a single positive test on Monday will not automatically trigger their exclusion, ASO said.

Any team that registers two or more positives could, however, still be sent home. The battery of tests will be the last before the Tour finishes on September 20 in Paris. AP

AKE BUENA VISTA, Florida— Anthony Davis was the biggest player on the floor, and the Houston Rockets had no answers.

Davis had 29 points and 12 rebounds, LeBron James finished one assist shy of a tripledouble and the Los Angeles Lakers topped the Rockets, 110-100, on Thursday night to take a 3-1 lead in their Western Conference semifinal series.

James had 16 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists for the Lakers, who outrebounded the Rockets, 52-26. Alex Caruso scored 16 points and Rajon Rondo had 11 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for the Lakers, who held on after frittering away most of a big second-half lead.

“Turnovers,” Davis said. “We had too many turnovers.”

That was one of the few complaints the Lakers could make after Game Four.

Russell Westbrook had 25 points and James Harden had 21—on 2-for-11 shooting—for the Rockets, who got 19 from Eric Gordon and 14 from Austin Rivers.

The scoring margins were massive: Houston got outscored 62-24 in points in the paint, 17-3 on second-chance points, 19-2 on fast-break points.

“We know we’re in a big hole now, but the next game is the game we’ve got to win,” Rockets Coach Mike D’Antoni said. “We’ll go out and if we lay it on the line like the way we did in the fourth quarter, we’ll be fine.”

The Lakers were up by 23 midway through the fourth, well on their way to a blowout win.

That’s when Houston’s offense woke up.

Westbrook made a corner 3 with 3:01 left, Harden got a steal and a pair of free throws on the next possession, and the Rockets put together a 18-2 run to get within 103-96. The Lakers turned the ball over on four consecutive possessions during that stretch, giving Houston life.

“I think we did a good job getting more aggressive, and that led to a lot more opportunities offensively,” Harden said.

Harden was then asked why the Rockets were flat through three quarters.

“Good question,” Harden said, later adding, “there’s nothing we can do about it now.”

The Lakers, on their biggest possession of the night, went to Davis—who was guarded by Gordon, who stands about half-a-foot shorter than Davis. It led to an easy score for Davis with 1:47 left, and the Lakers had a bit of breathing room.

Caruso’s 3-pointer off a pass from James with 34.6 seconds left made it 108-100, sealing the win.

“Obviously, we’ve got to be better,” James said.

“We’ve got to close out games the right way.”

This is how easy things were for the Lakers: In the third quarter, James grabbed a defensive rebound, turned and fired a 70-foot pass—soccer throw-in style—to Davis, the ball sailing over the five Rockets who were jogging back on defense.

Davis caught the pass in stride and laid it in for a score, the ball never touching the ground.

And this is how difficult things were for the Rockets: They went 4 for 20 from the field over a 16-minute stretch spanning from late in the first quarter to early in the third, getting outscored 41-23 and seeing their deficit growing from three to 21.

The Lakers won Game Three by holding Houston to 38 points in the second half—and clamped down again in the first half of Game Four.

It was 57-41 Lakers at the break, meaning Houston had scored 79 points in its last 48 minutes of basketball.

For context: The Rockets had 79 points in a two-quarter span on five different occasions this season. The stretch in the fourth made it interesting, but the Lakers never lost the lead.

“Overall, it’s a heck of a win for our group,” Lakers Coach Frank Vogel said. “Again, we’re not going to be comfortable playing against this team with the firepower they have.” AP THE Lakers’ Anthony Davis (right) tries to stop the Rockets’ James Harden. AP