Edge Davao Volume 13 Issue 59 | Friday, June 19, 2020

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VOL.13 ISSUE 59 • FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2020

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A police officer checks the travel authority and medical certificate of locally stranded individuals (LSIs) at the border of Davao City and Bukidnon on Wednesday night. Edge Davao

DepEd 11 says teaching methods to vary based on local conditions, resources STORY ON PAGE 2

WORLDWIDE COVID-19 NUMBERS BOARD

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PHILIPPINES

WORLDWIDE

CONFIRMED: 8,406,660 • DEATH: 451,429 • RECOVERED: 4,417,386

CONFIRMED: 27,238 • DEATH: 1,108 • RECOVERED: 6,820

As of June 18, 2020, here’s the Top 5 list of countries with most number of COVID-19 cases 1. U.S.A CONFIRMED: 2,234,471 DEATH: 119,941 RECOVERED: 918,796

2. BRAZIL CONFIRMED: 960,309 DEATH: 46,665 RECOVERED: 503,507

3. RUSSIA CONFIRMED: 553,301 DEATH: 7,478 RECOVERED: 304,342

4. INDIA CONFIRMED: 367,264 DEATH: 12,262 RECOVERED: 194,438

5. GREAT BRITAIN CONFIRMED: 299,251 DEATH: 42,153 RECOVERED: --

SOURCE: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 59 • FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2020

AREA-BASED DepEd 11 says teaching methods to vary based on local conditions, resources

By MAYA M. PADILLO he regional office of the Department of Education (DepEd 11) said the changes in teaching modalities in the incoming school calendar will be area-based. This means, learning methods will depend on the capacity and resources available in areas where schools are located.

T A police officer checks the travel authority and medical certificate of locally stranded individuals (LSIs) at the border of Davao City and Bukidnon on Wednesday night. Edge Davao

NPA extortion eyed in burning of heavy equipment in SoCot

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uthorities are eyeing extortion by suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels as motive behind the burning of three heavy equipment in a quarry site in Tboli town, South Cotabato province on Monday afternoon.

Maj. Irish Hezron Parangan, acting chief of the Tboli municipal police station, said Tuesday workers of the Gemma Construction and Supply Inc. were extracting gravel along a riverside in Barangay Edwards amidst heavy rains around 3 p.m. when four gunmen came and torched their heavy equipment.

He said the three com-

pany drivers were not harmed but the backhoe, payloader and dump truck were totally destroyed.

Citing accounts from one of the drivers, Parangan said a lone gunman carrying a sack initially approached and asked them to leave the site.

He said three more suspects then appeared, poured gasoline on the heavy equipment and set them on fire.

The suspects, who were wearing ski masks and armed with handguns, hastily left the site after the incident, he said.

Parangan said the cir-

FNPA, P9

400 private schools at risk of closure over lack of enrollees

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ome 400 private schools are at risk of closure due to the lack of enrollees amid the coronavirus pandemic, a survey by the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations of the Philippines (COCOPEA) found.

According to a report, 80 percent of 500 private schools surveyed by COCOPEA may soon close.

“Eighty percent no’ng mga natanong ang nagsabi na hanggang katapusan na lamang ng Agosto ang kanilang resources… Pagkatapos niyan, they are already considering closing down operations,” COCOPEA managing director Joseph Noel Estrada said.

Around 370,000 private school teachers have also taken pay cuts or have gone on no work, no pay status since the pandemic started.

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT)

said an estimated 319,000 students have so far enrolled in private schools for the upcoming school year, compared to four million enrollees recorded last year.

“Right now, it is projected that around two million students would transfer to public schools. So ibig sabihin no’n, kung kalahati ng estudyante ‘yung mawawala… ito ay nangangahulugan din ng pagsasara ng mga eskwelahan,” ACT Secretary General Raymond Basilio said. “‘Pag nagsara ‘yung eskwelahan, the layoff, retrenchment ng mga private school teachers natin ‘yung kasunod,” he added.

Basilio noted that parents’ lack of income due quarantine restrictions may be behind the low number of enrollees.

Estrada urged the government to consider a subsidy for private school

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Jenielito Atillo, spokesperson of DepEd 11, stressed that for schools situated in the hinterlands where internet is not available, they will be employing modular, radio, tvbased instructions, or distance learning modalities in learning delivery.

“Sa kadtong mga areas nga lisod ang internet or walay gadgets ang mga tao, we will not employ the online modality there, mugamit mi sa uban pang mga modalities which we

deem will be appropriate,” Atillo said through facebook messenger.

He said modules will be delivered from DepEd central office for school-made learning resources.

“I say, ready na man ta but confirming also nga open pa pud ta sa mga possibilities nga along the way naa gyud tay concerns, problems nga atubangon especially so nga dia na ta sa new normal scheme of things. But I know we will hurdle that sama sa mga

abroad but were prevented from leaving the country because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Some were already bankrupt. They have no more money,” he said.

Malaluan added that continued fights with their partners over mobile phones have led to broken families.

The task force, the board member said, is taking the issue seriously.

“A staff is at least giving each LSI an hour just to listen to their woes, problems, and their issues, just to ensure that they will not commit suicide,” Malaluan explained.

One of the pressing is-

sues that a returning overseas Filipino worker face, he noted, is survival.

“They have no job here.

They have loans and have no means to pay the amortization,” Malaluan said.

To help the returning OFWs and LSIs, the provincial government will provide them livelihood assistance. Funds will be coming from the provincial government and from the representatives of the three legislative districts in North Cotabato, according to Malaluan.

On Tuesday, 132 more LSIs from Cebu and Iloilo tested negative for COVID-19 after reaching North Cotabato on Tues-

major concerns nga among gipang-atubang in the past.

There will be birth pains really pero we will gladly face that. The teachers naman are flexible in dealing with situations,” Atillo said.

DepEd 11 is optimistic that teachers, particularly those assigned in the hinterlands of Davao Region, can deal with the challenges in terms of teaching methodologies that they are going to encounter in the so-called ‘new normal.’

DepEd 11 is now honing the capacities of the teachers through trainings, seminars, and webinars.

“Naa na ta karon sa proseso sa pag-andam sa atong mga teachers pinaagi sa mga online trainings ug seminars nga ginahimo nato. Naa pa ta’y dako usab nga online seminar para

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Some LSIs from NorCot tried to commit suicide

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he head of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) in North Cotabato has disclosed that a number of locally stranded individuals that they rescued since they created the Task Force Sagip Stranded Cotabatenos have attempted to commit suicide.

Dr. Philbert Malaluan, 2nd District board member who also heads the IATF, said that they learned of these individuals’ suicidal tendencies during their exchanges of messages through Facebook Messenger or through use of mobile phones.

Malaluan said most of these individuals are residents who applied for jobs

day.

Malaluan said that these individuals boarded two sweeper flights, 116 aboard Air Asia and the rest, Cebu Pacific.

They arrived at the Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City on Tuesday night and were transported by 22 passenger vans to the Cotabato provincial government capitol complex in Barangay Amas for decontamination.

Malaluan said the LSIs, after taking their dinner on Tuesday, underwent rapid testing, to which everybody tested negative.

Another batch of LSIs

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Province-bound stranded passengers wait outside the Davao City Overland Transport Terminal (DCOTT) hoping to get a ride home on Wednesday evening. Edge Davao

VOL.13 ISSUE 59 • FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2020

EDGEDAVAO

NEWS 3

Dayanghirang to ask lessors to bring down rental fees

By MAYA M. PADILLO ouncilor Danilo Dayanghirang vowed to support Davao restaurateurs in appealing to property lessors to bring down rental costs.

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Customers observe social distancing as they wait for their turn to be entertained at an eatery in Brgy. Sasa, Davao City on Thursday. Edge Davao

Steroid should be reserved for serious coronavirus cases: WHO

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n inexpensive steroid that can help save the lives of patients with severe COVID-19 should be reserved for serious cases in which it has been shown to provide benefits, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday.

WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said research was at last providing "green shoots of hope" in treating the virus, which has killed more than 400,000 people worldwide and infected more than 8 million.

Trial results announced on Tuesday by researchers in Britain showed dexamethasone, a cheap generic drug used since the 1960s to reduce inflammation in diseases such as arthritis, cut death rates by around a third among the most severely

ill coronavirus patients admitted to hospital.

That makes it the first drug proved to save lives in fighting the disease.

Countries are rushing to ensure that they have enough of it on hand, although medical officials say there is no shortage.

Some doctors were cautious, citing possible side-effects and asking to see more data.

The head of the WHO's emergencies programme, Mike Ryan, said the drug should only be used in those serious cases where it has been shown to help.

"It is exceptionally important in this case, that the drug is reserved for use in severely ill and critical patients who can benefit from this drug clearly," he told a briefing.

Britain has increased the amount of dexamethasone it has in stock and on order to 240,000 doses,

Health Minister Matt Hancock said.

Although the dexamethasone study's results are preliminary, the researchers behind the trial said it suggests the drug should immediately become standard care in severely stricken patients.

For patients on ventilators, the treatment was shown to reduce mortality by about one third, and for patients requiring only oxygen, mortality was cut by about one fifth, according to preliminary findings shared with WHO. "This is the first treatment to be shown to reduce mortality in patients with COVID-19 requiring oxygen or ventilator support," Tedros said in a statement late on Tuesday.

"WHO will coordinate a meta-analysis to increase our overall un-

are from the National Capital Region (NCR), 273 from Region 7 (Central Visayas) while the remaining 88 are from other regions.

Meanwhile, 33 of the late cases are from NCR, 26 from Central Visayas, and the remaining 22 from other regions.

The DOH also reported 270 new recoveries and nine new deaths.

To date, the total number of recoveries nationwide is 7,090 while the

death toll is 1,116.

In its case bulletin, the DOH noted that there are 19,310 active Covid-19 cases where 416 or 2.2 percent is asymptomatic, 18,810 or 97.4 percent have mild symptoms, 65 or 0.3 percent have severe symptoms, and 19 or 0.1 percent are in critical condition.

As of Wednesday, the DOH has 13,759 total bed capacity dedicated to pa-

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Covid-19 cases rise to 27,799; recoveries now 7,090

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he Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday reported 562 additional coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases, raising the overall tally to 27,799.

The DOH said 81 of the new cases are "late" or results belatedly reported and were only verified recently, while 481 are "fresh cases" or results released to the patient within the past three days.

Of the fresh cases, 120

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Majority of Davao's restaurant owners consider commercial space rental as the biggest item in their cost structure and with people still hesitant to go to restaurants due to the health crisis, it is unlikely they can generate income and pay expenses including rental fee.

“We will be appealing to the lessors to help the lessees,” Dayanghirang said in a text message.

Dayanghirang also said a dialogue with the members of the Restaurant Owners Restaurant Owners Association of Davao City (RestoDC) and the lessors will continue until both reach an agreement.

“We will continue our dialogue with them on how the lessor can bring down the rental cost in Davao City,” he said.

Restaurateurs have expressed their gratitude to the city council for responding to their appeals among them is reverting back to the 2017 Real Property Tax rates until 2023.

“We know government needs funds as well and

we want to help. But by allowing us this relief we would be in a better position to help our partners in business and keep the private sector alive and running,” Benjamin Lizada, president of RestoDC Inc., said through Viber.

Other requests appealed by the group to the city council are relaxing some of the requirements for business permit applications by making the following requirements optional for the next two years until 2023; sewage Treatment Plant especially for old inns and hotels; automatic Kitchenhood Fire Suppresstion System especially for single-detached restaurants; and help in mediating for interest-free installment payments of light and power, water, telecommunications and other utilities for those who might need it.

The group also appealed to the city council to address the issue of unlicensed and unregistered businesses competing with legitimate establishments such as but not lim-

ited to: AirBnB operators as these eat into the hotel and accommodation market that has already been struggling since January 2020; and home-based food providers.

Lizada clarified they are not against these home-based food providers as times are difficult.

“We are against legitimate and licensed food delivery outfits including them in their system.

The dying restaurant sector cannot compete with them as they do not pay taxes, rent or salaries and the concomitant legislated benefits such as SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-Ibig. These illegal operators can be tolerated to serve their immediate neighborhood but they should not be allowed to serve the entire Davao City market.

Require the food delivery services providers to remove them from their system,” he said.

Dayanghirang said that as of press time, he is also coordinating with the RestoDC to find other ways to creatively survive in this new normal, particularly saving the jobs and gaining back the gains from the industry.

“Under general community quarantine (GCQ)

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4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 59 • FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2020

At least 1,280 rice farmers in Santo Tomas, Davao del Norte receive aid through Rice Farmers Financial Assistance of the Department of Agriculture. Armando Fenequito

Employers now looking for ‘21st century skills’: expert A

PH committed to UHC Act implementation: DOF chief

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xperts on Wednesday said the country should step up its education system to build a more competitive workforce in the future.

During a joint Senate committee hearing, Dr. Ethel Agnes Pascua-Valenzuela, director of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), said employers are now looking for modern skills.

“They look at 21st century skills… to work with a team at the same time, be able to work independently... And sometimes, the 4-year university degree is required with 2 years of experience,” she said.

In particular, proficiency in information technology is mainly due to the

automation of the global workforce, which will result to the displacement of 10.2 percent of workers in Southeast Asian nations in 2028, she said.

The Philippines ranked 64th in the “Global Competitiveness Index” in 2019, with Singapore placing first.

For Pascua-Valenzuela, the government and schools must focus in enhancing programs on education and skills training.

Employers will be looking for more programmers, data scientists, and software developers in the

future, she said.

"What’s needed is digital literacy… like coding skills, computational and logical thinking and of course, 21st century skills. Critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity," Pascua-Valenzuela said.

To improve the capacity of learners, educational institutions and teachers must also evolve in imparting knowledge to students, according to Dr. Ernelea Cao of UP Diliman’s Institute of Biology - College of Science.

The COVID-19 crisis, she noted, has prompted educational institutions to modify its teaching methods.

“The key word here is adaptation. And our ed-

ucational system must provide an environment so that our graduates can adapt whether it involves science and technology, business or culture and arts," Cao said.

She said teachers must be given proper trainings on how to become more effective.

Requiring students to memorize lessons is no longer effective if it will not be applied, she said.

What’s needed is for teachers to allow children “to process information," she added.

“What we should establish is an enabling environment so our graduates should be creators of technology instead of just buyers of technology," Cao said.

es of oil and gas, which are also brought by the global health crisis.

“For projects in the pipeline, there has been (a) slowdown. There’s cancellation, but as a whole, there has been supply chain disruption, regulatory delays, and some other workforce issues that we definitely see to slow down the projects in coming online in the region,” she said.

But Leisch said this will rebound by 2021 according to the Internation-

“For new projects, that is something that we’re not quite sure of yet,” she said.

Currently, there is a “wait-and-see” attitude in new investments in the power sector taking into consideration the lower oil and gas prices, she added.

Leisch further said existing renewable energy projects have been resilient amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It’s dispatching more and demands from other plants are going down,

creased penetration of renewable energy happening by default,” she said.

Leisch also underscored the need for the governments, particularly in Southeast Asia, to deploy clean energy goals with economic stimulus plans.

She added investments in clean energy can hit the “sweet spot” of creating more jobs, improving air quality, enhancing resilience, and meeting growing power demand in the region. (PNA)

uthorities are in talks on how to address Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) financing woes and its impact on the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act. In a Viber message to journalists Wednesday, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez said officials of the Department of Finance (DOF), the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), and PhilHealth are discussing ways on how to sustain UHC implementation.

“The government is committed to UHC particularly to ensure access of our most vulnerable groups to much needed healthcare especially during this difficult time,” he said.

During a joint congressional committee hearing on Tuesday, PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Ricardo Morales cited the need for a “general delay” of UHC im-

plementation, as he forecast a budget deficit for the agency until 2024.

Morales said the agency is now “trying to conserve its resources” because of lower contribution payments during the quarantine period because companies were forced to stop operations.

He also cited the increase in releases to provide for the needs of members amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) infections.

Morales projects that Covid-19-related releases will cost the agency about PHP40.7 billion from February this year until January 2021.

In the first four months this year, the agency collected PHP46.5 billion in premium income, lower than the PHP52.5-billion benefit expense that has been released during the same period, he said.

(PNA)

Coronavirus impacts on renewable energy projects PMAP asks DOLE to issue clear he coronavirus dis- demic and the lower pric- al Energy Agency. and so actually, we have in-

T

ease 2019 (Covid-19) has impacted ongoing and new investments in renewable energy, a founder of independent energy, climate, and sustainability professionals group said Wednesday.

In a session of virtual Asia Clean Energy Forum 2020 of the Asian Development Bank, Jennifer Leisch, Two Degrees Group principal, said there are uncertainties surrounding the ongoing and new renewable energy projects due to the pan-

rules on temporary wage cuts

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he People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) is asking the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to issue clearer rules on negotiating temporary wage reductions with employees amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In a webinar Wednesday, PMAP executive director Rene Gener said some employees are being “legalistic” when their

employers try to negotiate the temporary lowering of wages and benefits as enterprises try to survive amid the crisis.

“This is coming from the ground. If they will try to negotiate with them, the employees, with reduction of pay or benefits they would immediately come up with Labor Code provision saying that there is no diminution.

They become legalistic

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 59 • FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2020

ECONOMY 5

Malacañang eyes stimulus package without ‘too much borrowing': Roque

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alacañang wants an economic stimulus package for COVID-19 response that the government can fund without resorting to too much loans, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said on Wednesday.

In an interview on Wednesday, Roque highlighted the suggestion of Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III not to borrow too much for the stimulus package.

“The position of Secretary Dominguez is that it is better to have a very good credit rating so we can borrow cheaply, but that we should not borrow too much to finance the stimulus package,” he said.

“The pending bills now talk about the extension of emergency powers and the stimulus package. Malacañang now wants something—a stimulus package that we can actually fund and will not require too much borrowing,” he added.

Citing Dominguez, Roque said the government can fund P140 billion only.

The House of Representatives approved on third and final reading the P1.3 trillion ARISE or Accelerated Recovery and Investments Stimulus for the Economy bill.

However, the National Economic and Development Authority said the lower chamber's proposal cannot be funded.

The Senate, meanwhile, is pushing for the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act which comes with a P140 billion appropriation.

Both bills were not certified as urgent by President Rodrigo Duterte before Congress adjourned its session early this month.

However, Roque said the Senate and House could reach a compromise on the proposed stimulus package.

“There are a lot of negotiations ongoing between the Senate and the House. I was dragged into the negotiation rather unwillingly because I was telling them, I have too much work already. But I think they were close to a compromise.

That is all I can say,” he said.

Roque said a new law that will succeed the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act should still contain special powers for the President.

“I believe so because now we are looking at what happened to Cebu City, we are sending in ventilators, 50, the other day. Meaning, there may have to be purchases to be made, depending on what happens to the COVID outlook,” he said.

Duterte earlier ordered the reimposition of the enhanced community quarantine in Cebu City due to increasing number of new cases, widespread community transmission and the status of the critical care capacity.

SEC warns public anew vs. Bitcoin Revolution

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he Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has warned anew against the Bitcoin Revolution, which presents itself as a cryptocurrency trading program purportedly endorsed by government officials, businessmen, and even celebrities.

In an advisory dated June 16, the Commission urged the public to avoid or stop investing in schemes offered by the Bitcoin Revolution or any other entities engaged in digital asset trading and promising ridiculous rates of return with little or no risk.

“The public must be mindful that cryptocurrencies are very volatile and the process of digital asset trading is highly speculative and involves a higher degree of risk and that the operations of such unregulated entities engaged in digital asset trading are completely unaccountable,” SEC said in a statement Wednesday.

The SEC issued the warning after finding that the Bitcoin Revolution continues to solicit investments from the public using the domain “the-bitcoinrevolution.com” without the necessary license.

Under the scheme, investors could supposedly earn as much as USD1,000 from a minimum investment of USD250 within a

day, a 300 percent return on investment per day, or a total of 9,000 percent per month.

Bitcoin Revolution also claims that some of its traders managed to become millionaires in less than two months by simply investing in its scheme that purportedly offers a unique automated trading system or platform with a success rate of as high as 99 percent per transaction.

The scheme involves the offering and sale of securities, in the form of investment contracts, because investors need not exert any effort other than to invest or place money in the Bitcoin Revolution in order to derive income, according to the SEC. As such, the investment contracts must have been duly registered with the Commission while Bitcoin Revolution and its agents must have secured the corresponding license to offer securities for sale to the public, as required under Republic Act No. 8799, or The Securities Regulation Code.

Aside from the missing registration and licenses, the quick and unrealistically high return promised by Bitcoin Revolution presents a red flag for a Ponzi scheme, an investment scam where investors are paid using funds contributed by the

FSEC, P10

LIFE GOES ON. A worker makes charcoal out of branches of trees by the roadside in Barangay Magtuod, Davao City Wednesday afternoon (17 June 2020) amid the threat of COVID-19 as the city, considered the epi-

center of coronavirus in Mindanao, is trying to recover economically even as it remains under general community quarantine. MindaNews photot

by GG BUENO

PRRD adviser pushes for delayed registration for online businesses

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residential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion is asking the government to delay business registration and collection of taxes from online sellers until next year.

In a webinar on Wednesday, Concepcion said the increase in online sellers during the quarantine period was due to the closing down of some business establishments and suspension of work or

laying off of employees by some companies.

“Unfortunately, there is a clampdown on all of these people to register. And I am appealing to (the) government to just give them a couple

of months since many of them are trying to be an entrepreneur,” he said.

He added the government can require the registration of online business owners by January 2021.

“Basically many of them are out of a job, trying to save money for the next meal, we should allow these people to continue and then be stricter later on,” Concepcion said.

On June 10, the Bureau

of Internal Revenue (BIR) issued a memorandum requiring online business owners to register their activities and declare past transactions subject to pertinent taxes and then pay the taxes due thereon.

The next day, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque clarified that the government will only collect taxes to those online businesses with an annual net income lower than PHP250,000. (PNA)

technology (IT) reforms to automate compliance verification and grievance redress, and prepare for the integration of the 4Ps database with the government’s national ID system.”

The ESAP loan, which covers a maturity period of 29 years inclusive of an eight-year grace period, brings to USD2.6 billion the total financing package extended by the ADB so far to the Philippines for its programs to address the Covid-19 crisis.

On June 4, the Philippines and ADB signed an agreement for a USD400-million loan for the Support to Capital Market Generated Infrastructure Financing, Subprogram 1 (SCMGIF1) that aims to assist the government’s efforts to strengthen domestic capital markets as the country recovers from the economic fallout triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Last April 28, USD200-million loan accord was signed between the Philippines and ADB on the additional financing for the government’s efforts to provide unconditional emergency cash assistance to poor and vulnerable households hit the hardest by the work stoppages following the imposition of strict quarantine

measures to contain the Covid-19 outbreak.

This loan accord is the second additional financing provided by the ADB under the Social Protection Support Project (SPSP), which also supports the 4Ps. On April 23, the ADB and the Philippines signed a loan agreement that would let the Duterte administration access up to USD1.5 billion in budgetary support from the Bank to augment funds for its Covid-19 response efforts.

The USD1.5-billion credit facility for the Covid-19 Active Response and Expenditure Support (CARES) program is the largest budget support ever extended to the Philippines by the ADB. The ADB was among the first multilateral development institutions to provide assistance to the Philippines’ Covid-19 response with its delivery of a USD3-million grant for the government’s purchase of medical supplies for its frontline health workers, and another emergency grant of USD5 million to leverage private-sector donations for a food distribution program that has benefited 55,000 poor households in Metro Manila and neighboring areas. (PR)

PH, ADB ink $500-M loan to aid poor amid pandemic

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he Philippines has accessed a fresh USD500-million financing package from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to help support the country’s immediate budgetary requirements to address the coronavirus crisis with the signing of a loan agreement for the Expanded Social Assistance Project (ESAP).

This budget-support loan under the ESAP is part of the Philippine government’s external financing program for 2020, with USD450 million of the fund proposed for accelerated disbursement by next month, the Department of Finance (DOF) said.

“This budget-support loan will not only help bridge our funding gap for our Covid-19 response but will also strengthen our social protection program as we restart our economy and help people get back on their feet amid the pandemic,” DOF Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said in a statement Wednesday.

Dominguez and ADB Country Director for the Philippines Kelly Bird signed the loan agreement on Monday.

The ESAP, which builds on a decade of ADB’s support for social protection programs in the Philippines, aims to assist the

government in the continued implementation of its conditional cash transfer initiative dubbed the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

The USD500-million loan aims to continue funding education and health grants to eligible 4Ps household-beneficiaries for a period of four years starting 2020.

In approving the ESAP loan, ADB vice president Ahmed Saeed said: “The 4Ps program provides vulnerable households with an income supplement to help their children become educated, stay healthy, and leave poverty for good. Our evidence shows that this is working. The 4Ps program has helped 1.5 million people escape poverty since it began in 2008. Through this project loan and technical assistance support, ADB is helping the Philippines expand these gains.”

On top of the loan, the ADB said it will also provide a USD3.1-million technical assistance grant to “help improve the family and youth development sessions, update the list of eligible poor households, provide a package of livelihood and other support to help up to 3,000 households graduate out of poverty, support information

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 59 • FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2020

On teaching methods for schools situated in the hinterlands where internet is not available and will be employing modular, radio, tv-based instructions, or distance learning modalities in learning delivery:

Sa kadtong mga areas nga lisod ang internet or walay gadgets ang mga tao, we will not employ the online modality there, mugamit mi sa uban pang mga modalities which we deem will be appropriate,” Atillo said through facebook messenger.

Jenielito Atillo DepEd 11 Spokesperson

EDITORIAL

Back to basics

There used to be a radio program of the national government which focused on farming techniques that used radio broadcasts as learning module.

The program was so successful especially that most of the country’s farmers live in hinterlands where there is no electricity yet.

That farming on air approach worked wonders for farmers to learn new methods and increase production.

The same approach can be used as a learning model for children living in rural areas where internet connectivity is not available when the school calendar opens under a modified learning landscape amidst the health crisis brought to fore by the coronavirus pandemic. Hence, President Rodrigo Duterte himself, who grew up in the era where transistor radios are the most important ‘gadget’ for communications, endorsed the use of AM frequency radios for children in far-flung barrios with no stable power supply and internet connectivity. These radios are battery powered and are very handy, not to mention affordable. And with the government planning to purchase these radios for use by public school students, that good old transistor radio will be back roaming the planet.

The Department of Education (DepEd) said that they plan to tap government TV and radio stations to broadcast lessons for students in the provinces when classes resume this August. DepEd Sec. Leonor Briones had said that since resources and transportation of printed modules are limited and that not all teachers and students have computers and internet access for

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KENNETH IRVING K. ONG ATHENA JILLIAN BRAVO NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN MEGHANN STA. INES FERINA SANTOS Lifestyle

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ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR. LEANDRO S. DAVAL JR. DR. MAURO L. PUYOD CHA MONFORTE Cartoonist Correspondent Consultant Columnists: MA. TERESA L. UNGSON • EDCER C. ESCUDERO • AURELIO A. PEÑA • ZHAUN ORTEGA • BERNADETTE “ADDIE” B. BORBON • MARY ANN C. QUISIDO • LEANDRO DAVAL SR.,TRIA • NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN NICASIO ANGELO AGUSTIN • EMILY Columnists: ANTONIO V.“ADI” FIGUEROA • HENRYLITO D. TACIO •B.JOHN CARLO • MUJAHID NAVARRA ••FRED C. LUMBA • DENNIS R. GORECHO ZEN CHUA • CARLOS MUNDA Economic Analyst: ENRICO •“GICO” G. S. DAYANGIRANG • JONALLIER GREGORIO G. DELIGERO VIDA MIA VALVERDE • HAROLD CAVITE M. PEREZ

OLIVIA D. VELASCO SOLANI D. MARATAS RICHARD C. EBONA JASPER V. BACSAL OLIVIA D. VELASCO General ManagerPresident Advertising Specialist General Manager/Finance VP-Operations JOCELYN S. PANES Director of Sales

online classes, the DepED can use “classic long-time approaches” which are the use of free TV and radio programs.

To complement this plan, the Presidential Communications Operations Office, which manages the flagship state broadcaster, People’s Television Network, has volunteered its television facilities for the DepEd’s use. The state-owned Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC-13) has also offered its radio stations.

When classes begin on August 24, 2020, DepEd will roll out alternative learning methods that include online learning as well as take-home readings and activities, radio and tv-based instructions.

While the DepEd has prepared teachers through trainings under the new modalities, the even bigger challenge is on the part of parents and guardians of children. With home-based learning incorporated in this approach, folks at home will be playing a major role in the learning process. Whilst before, the household is virtually a neutral observer in the academic process, the ‘new normal’ calls for them to be part of the process and it could be even greater than teachers as they will have more contact time with the children.

Hence, it is not only the teachers that DepEd must prepare for the changes in the mode of learning but more importantly, parents and guardians as well.

And in some impoverished areas, the challenge could even be more daunting where some of the poor parents and guardians are themselves educationallychallenged and to some extent, some may be unable to read and write.

SOLANI D. MARATAS Finance

CAGAYAN DE ORO MARKETING OFFICE MANILA MARKETING OFFICE RICHARD C. EBONA LEIZEL A. DELOSO | Marketing Manager Unit 6, Southbank Plaza Velez-YacapinProduct Sts. Development officer Cagayan de Oro City Address: No. 18 Purok 4B, Madelo Street, Lower Bicutan, Taguig City Tel: (088) 852-4894 Mobile number: +63 947 265 2969(smart); +63 916 955 8559(globe)

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VANTAGE POINTS

COMPETITIVE EDGE

7

7

JOHN CARLO B. TRIA MY TWO CENTS’

WHY INFRASTRUCTURE SPENDING MATTERS Does infrastructure spending matter? The short answer? Yes, because we need to resuscitate the economy that has obviously been hit in recent months. Hopes of a V or U shaped recovery, where growth will pick up to the levels predicted by multilateral institutions will depend in great part on how much government will spend to pump prime the economy and get things going.

Why is this?

Infrastructure in particular, hires a lot of workers and local suppliers during the construction stage. Imagine the suppliers of sand, gravel, the

demand for cement and reinforcing bars (kabilya) equipment rental and of course, salaries and wages of engineers and laborers.

Imagine the local incomes that will rise as these supplies are met.

The infrastructure will also hire a lot of returning overseas Filipino engineers with experience in similar projects in the middle east, and other parts of Asia that also had their build build build years ago and are now reaping the benefits of infrastructure. Industry estimates reveal that the construction industry alone hires about 3.9 million workers as of 2019, expected to grow to 7.1

million over the next ten years. (https://www.pna. gov.ph/articles/1090371) Likewise, medium and long term economic goals of spreading opportunity to the regions will depend on infrastructure.

The short term benefit of this is why many multilateral institutions prescribe an infrastructure budget of 5% of Gross Domestic product per year. You can do the math.

In recent years, we have ramped up infrastructure spending to help meet this goal, and have engaged various lenders under better terms to help finance the projects. The recent A rating of the Japan Ratings

agency will help us lower interest rates on the loans we incur. It will make it easier and faster to borrow under better terms.

Apart from the nominal, or face value of the loans and budgets for infrastructure, the longer term multiplier effect of infrastructure cannot be denied. Better infrastructure ensure better movement of people and goods, lowering costs that are often incurred due to double handling of goods and other expenses such as demurrage, or waiting costs.

Better public infrastructure also encourages private developments to take place, such as new

An immersive opportunity:

developments, amplifying the opportunity even further for the hiring of local workers. The cities of Cebu, Iloilo, davao and Cagayan de Oro are places where you feel the development that takes root when better public infrastructure is built.

With the COVID 19 pandemic, the need to ensure better logistics is magnified further, as food from regions need to get to the urban centers in a quicker way than before.

This keeps prices stable for a public needing affordable food. Better infrastructure makes this happen.

For reactions: facebook.com/johntriapage

MCM launches Digital Learning Bootcamp 2020 HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

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8 HEALTH EDGEDAVAO

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Watch out: Dengue is here again!

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

O

fficially, summer is over. Here comes the rain. So, expect the usual aftermaths: floods and dengue. In fact, the Department of Health (DOH) is urging all people to watch out for the resurgence of dengue cases.

“Mosquito-borne diseases usually break out during the rainy season, particularly after a flood or strong rain,” the health department said. “This is because pools and puddles of water formed after the rain are ideal breeding places for the day-biting female mosquito that carries the disease.”

Now, that’s a double whammy as the country is still fighting against the dreaded pandemic called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). So, it means that if you experience high fever, it may not be COVID-19 but dengue.

Like COVID-19, some people may recover from dengue; but there are those who succumbed to it. Generally, those who die from dengue are children and adults, whose immune systems are already compromised.

Two summers ago, Mario went to Buda for a much-needed vacation.

Unknowingly, he contracted dengue while roaming under the beautiful pine trees. That night, he experienced fever and severe

headache.

His friends noticed that it was not just an ordinary headache and fever so they brought him to Davao City.

But it was already too late; Mario suffered hemorrhage in the liver and succumbed three weeks after being confined at the hospital. The doctor said he died of dengue.

The symptoms of dengue fever are now familiar to most people situated in areas where the disease is most common. Those who are afflicted by dengue fever experience a flu-like illness. It is followed by high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pains, and rashes.

Lethal complication A more lethal complication, called dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), may ensue. First recognized during the 1950s, it is today a leading cause of childhood deaths in many countries.

“Dengue hemorrhagic fever is a potentially deadly complication that is characterized by high fever, hemorrhagic phenomena

– often with enlargement of the liver – and in severe cases, circulatory failure,” explains the Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO).

Generally, dengue fever starts with a sudden rise in temperature and accompanied by facial flush and other nonspecific constitutional symptoms of dengue fever. The fever usually continues for two to seven days and can be as high as 40-41 degrees Centigrade, possibly with febrile con-

vulsions and hemorrhagic phenomena.

In moderate dengue fever cases, all signs and symptoms abate after the fever subsides. In severe cases, however, the patient’s condition may suddenly deteriorate after a few days of fever; the temperature drops, followed by signs of circulatory failure, and the patient may rapidly go into a critical state of shock and die within 12-24 hours, or quickly recover following

appropriate volume replacement therapy.

Dengue-carrying mosquito Dengue viruses are transmitted to humans through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti mosquito. Also known as tiger mosquito, because of its peculiar white stripes, this species is quite small, measuring only five millimeters. It is attracted to the odor and sweat of human beings and bites only during daytime. However, its peak biting time is after sunrise and at dusk – especially one hour before sunset.

As adults, the mosquitoes prefer warm weather. Mosquitoes, in general, are active in areas with temperatures ranging from 25 to 40 degrees Celsius and with moderate to high humidity. They cease to function at temperatures below 14 degrees Celsius.

Temperature, clearly, is important: for the mosquito as well as the virus it carries. In Aedes, slight changes in temperature can mean a lot in terms of transmission potentials.

“At high temperatures, it takes the virus faster to develop in a mosquito,” explained a government health official. “This means there is a faster potential for dengue transmission.”

Like all other mosquitoes, only the female bites.

The adult female Aedes mates and takes its first blood meal about 48 hours after coming of its pupa stage. It can bite several people, depending on how

much blood it sucks.

To lay eggs, it has to be engorged with blood, which may take two to five days. Each Aedes female can lay up to four batches of eggs – at least 40 eggs per batch – during its life cycles. The eggs hatch into “wrigglers” in two days, and after four days become “tumblers.”

Scientists have discovered that the eggs of Aedes mosquito can survive up to six months – even when their breeding grounds go dry under natural conditions. Some of the remaining eggs can still go on when the breeding sites become filled with water again.

Breeding sites The breeding sites are never far from human habitation. They live in such “places” as tree holes, bamboo stumps, earthen jars for water storage, discarded bottles and tins, old rubber tires, rain barrels for collecting rainwater, clogged roof gutters, coconut shells and husks, and canoes and small fishing boats.

Inside the house or office buildings, the potential sites for the mosquito larvae are “any container than can accumulate water for up to seven days,” according to the DOH. These include uncovered water storage tanks, flower vases, saucers for ornamental plants, soft drink bottles, and metal and plastic pails for water storage.

Dr. Michael MacDonald, an American entomologist from Johns Hopkins

FWATCH OUT, P10

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sa ilaha para i-familiarize lang sila sa new normal demands sa education,” Atillo said.

DepEd has announced to start the classes on August 24, 2020. The depart-

ment is offering schools alternative learning methods that includes online learning and offline methods, such as take-home readings and activities, radio and tv-based instructions.

will be rescued by the provincial government on Wednesday.

To date, the provincial government has already

rescued 2,600 LSIs and returning OFWs under its Task Force Sagip Stranded Cotabatenos. (Malu Cadelina Manar / MindaNews

cumstances of the incident showed that it could be the handiwork of NPA rebels, which was blamed over similar attacks in the area in the previous years.

“We’re looking at extortion as possible motive but we’re not discounting other angles,” he said in a radio interview.

He said these include the recent surrender in the area of former NPA combatants under the Guerilla Front 72-Far South Mindanao Region.

The police official said officials of Gemma Con-

struction, who were working on various government-commissioned infrastructure projects in parts of the province, have yet to confirm whether they received extortion demands prior to the attack.

He said the company estimated the damage to the three burned heavy equipment at P20 million.

Parangan added that followup operations, along with elements from the Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion, were ongoing against the suspects. (MindaNews)

teachers.

“Malaking bagay kung ang gobyerno ay makakapagbigay kahit isang buwan lamang na katumbas ng kanilang sahod,” Estrada said.

“Maaari po silang i-hire ng Department of Education para po dito sa pagbubukas ng school year 2020-

2021 kasi experienced na ito,” Basilio added.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian earlier urged subsidies for private schools amid the pandemic.

Subsidy for private school teachers is included in the proposed Bayanihan to Recover as One Act.

we already have dine-in at 30 percent from its total capacity. We are gradually opening our local econ-

omy for our restaurant owners who have equally suffered from this pandemic,” he said.

even in terms of this situation,” Gener said.

He said the temporary cut on wages and benefits will help businesses, particularly small enterprises, not to shut down their operation and to prevent layoffs.

"What we are trying to say here is everyone must adjust. It is not now a question of kabuhayan (livelihood) versus karapatan (rights)," he added.

Just this April, the government reported that over seven million Filipinos lost their jobs, an impact of lockdown measures due to the coro-

navirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

In the same webinar, DOLE Undersecretary Benjo Santos Benavidez said there are 2,601 micro and small establishments that filed reports and notices to the department on displacement of workers.

Benavidez said there is no need to come up with a new policy on temporary wage cuts, as DOLE already issued Labor Advisory No.17 that allows negotiation between employers and employees to reduce pay and benefits. (PNA)

that put him down for the first time just a minute into the opening round.

The 26-year-old American then found himself knocked down again in the canvas in the sixth round with yet another Plania left hook.

Sensing the fight was fast slipping out of his hands, Greer, who was hoping to set-up a title match against Casimero, stepped on the gas pedal in the remaining rounds

by putting the pressure against Plania.

But the 23-year-old Filipino, now with a 24-1 record with 12 KOs, had built enough cushion to be denied of the victory.

Greer saw his 19-fight winning streak come to an end, having not lost a bout since December 2015 following a four-round majority decision against Stephen Fulton. His record now stands at 22-2-1, including 12 KOs).

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Globe E-skwela: Leveraging on digital tools for online learning S eeing as e-Learning is now becoming an integral component of the new normal in education, Globe myBusiness dedicated its fourth E-skwela webinar episode towards an in-depth discussion on the applications of digital instructional tools in online learning. The webinar aimed to educate teachers and equip learning institutions with the best strategies and innovations in optimizing online learning to ensure education continuity in the next few years Sharing their expertise and best practices was a panel of industry experts that included Winnie Diola and Symbol Fabellon, instructors from De La Salle-Santiago Zobel School, and Diana Ilishera Go, an Instructional Designer from De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. Globe Education Industry Lead Mark Arthur Payumo Abalos also joined in the discussion as a moderator.

Creating a flexible online learning environment During unpredictable times, a learning arrangement that offers flexibility in the ways students can learn is becoming more essential.

To create such an environment and provide learning opportunities, Fabellon recommends that instructors first consider the different realities in remote learning set-ups such

as families with no internet connection, learners with limited learning devices, and students with varying learning styles. From this, teachers can then create an effective online learning environment using different digital learning instructions and by integrating online and offline materials to address challenges, support a wide range of learners, and ensure learning goals are achieved.

According to Diola, it is important to have a learning management system (LMS) that can document, track, report, and deliver educational courses or learning and development programs to mobilize online distance learning.

In her case, she specifically uses Google Classroom to make teaching productive, collaborative, and meaningful to her students. The free platform and user-friendly range of tools being offered by Google Classroom allows her to post announcements; schedule assignments; upload readings and grades; and even monitor student engagement, among others.

Among elementary learners, the use of easier to navigate learning tools such as google docs can be used.

Learning playlists as a strategy for online learning One strategy that leverages flexibility to adapt to student’s learning prefer-

ences is the use of a learning playlist—a learning syllabus or series of learning instructions designed by the teacher that can be facilitated by a learning management system or by a simple survey form.

Fabellon explains that learning playlists can facilitate remote learning by addressing students' needs based on how you design it with multimedia or varied instructions. For example, students have the option to choose between watching a video or by simply reading the lecture. Learning playlists can also be answered in school or at home, through a learning device, or by printing the materials. The modality behind learning playlists is that different methods can lead to the same level of acquisition of knowledge.

Online sites and tools such as Gooro and Schoology are available, but Fabellon cites that even free survey forms such as Google Forms can be used. Furthermore, key to creating a well-designed learning playlist is by stating learning goals, proposing a timeline of accomplishments, adding online and offline tasks and study resources, providing concept checks for self-directed learning, and areas for evaluation.

Creating content for flexible online learning As for creating online

learning content, Go demonstrated the ease of making materials through the use of Google slides, integrated with other tools such as SlidesCarnival, Unsplash and The Noun Project.

In creating instructional materials for online learning, she recommends the TPACK model, which involves the balance of technology, content, and pedagogy. It answers the questions, “what do they need to know”, “how should info be presented,” and “what is available to me”.

According to Go, the pandemic is forcing institutions to change how teachers teach and students learn, but the fundamentals of learning have not changed.

“There is nothing impossible with online learning, it’s how we design our lessons and how we understand what fits our students needs best.”

“A key idea to take note of in the shift towards distance or remote learning is to empower students to own their learning through voice and choice,” says Diola.

“It is about creating an environment where students want to learn, and where they can work and learn at their own pace.”

For more information about Globe E-skwela online learning sessions and other activities by Globe myBusiness, visit www.facebook. com/globemybusiness.

derstanding of this intervention. WHO clinical guidance will be updated to reflect how and when the drug should be used in COVID-19," the agency added.

South Korea's top

health official expressed caution.

"Some experts have warned of the drug not only reducing the inflammatory response in patients, but also the immune system and may

trigger side-effects," said Jeong Eun-kyeong, head of Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Dr. Kathryn Hibbert, director of the medical intensive care unit at Harvard's Massachusetts

General Hospital, said: "We have been burned before, not just during the coronavirus pandemic but even pre-COVID, with exciting results that when we have access to the data are not as convincing."

virus outbreak shut down global sport. Wimbledon was cancelled and the French Open was postponed until September.

The site will also host the ATP/WTA Western and Southern Open, typically staged in Cincinnati, the week before the US Open with a similar safety "bubble" that includes testing for players and their entourage.

The USTA expects an 80% drop in net operating income as a result of having no spectators for the US Open but will provide $60 million in prize money for the two events in New York combined plus another $3.3 million each to the ATP and WTA. "We have the resources we can do this for a one-off year," USTA chief executive officer Mike Dowse said.

Novak Djokovic has been among several top players critical of the idea of staging the US Open as scheduled given the severe US impact of COVID-19, although cases in the New York area have been declining for several weeks.

READ: After 100-day wait, English soccer returns and takes a knee - 'The right decision' "It's the right decision for tennis," Dowse said.

"Our fans told us unequivocally they're excited to see the best players in the world."

Williams will be chasing her 24th Grand Slam singles title to match Margaret Court's all-time record.

"I'm confident a lot of athletes want to return to play," said US Open tournament director Stacey Allaster. "It's going to be great, exciting tennis for our fans around the world."

Players will be tested for COVID-19 when they arrive at the tournament hotel, which opens August 15, and at least once a week thereafter, with those electing to stay at private homes being tested more often as they enter the Open grounds, which are available August 16.

"We're confident we can pull this off," said Dr. Brian Hainline, USTA Medical Advisory Group chair-

man.

"We know how we can start doing things in a manner that doesn't necessarily prevent one person from getting the disease but we can prevent a major outbreak of COVID-19."

The USTA board of directors never discussed having players sign a waiver to participate, Hainline saying the possibility of contracting the virus inside the bubble was "highly unlikely" but anyone in contact with a person who tests positive was looking at "very likely an every other day event" for testing.

The US Open will have its regular draw of 128 players in men's and women's singles but doubles will have only 32 duos instead of the usual 64 and all players will play only doubles. There will be eight wildcard selections for singles but qualifying will not be contested.

"That extra load was outside the level of what we could handle," Allaster said.

Mixed doubles, junior events and wheelchair competitions were called

off -- a decision that angered two-time US Open wheelchair champion Dylan Alcott.

"Just got announced that the US Open will go ahead WITHOUT wheelchair tennis," Australia's Alcott said.

"Players weren’t consulted...unfortunately I missed the only thing that mattered, being able to walk. Disgusting discrimination."

Technology will replace line judges on every court except the feature layouts of Arthur Ashe Stadium and Louis Armstrong Stadium.

No children will be used to retrieve balls, only adults, with a reduced number used on outer courts. No media except telecasters will be permitted on site.

With nasal swab tests being used, having near 100% reliability, Hainline declared, "There won't be false positives."

A repeat test will be given within 24 hours to confirm positives. Those who are positive will be required to quarantine outside the event bubble.

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tients with Covid-19.

Occupied are about 39.54 percent of 3,116 ward beds; 35.02 percent of 9,364 isolation beds; and 33.31 percent of 1,279 intensive care unit beds.

There are 1,996 total ventilators for Covid-19 patients with about 19.64 percent in use.

In Local Isolation and General Treatment Areas for Covid-19 cases (Ligtas Covid) facilities across the country, some 51,143 beds

are dedicated to Covid-19 patients.

Meanwhile, some 3,208 beds are dedicated to Covid-19 patients in Mega Ligtas Covid facilities.

In a Covid-19 virtual presser, DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Cebu City will be under temporary enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) as there is an "observed increase of Covid-19 cases in Region 7".

"Ang Kagawaran ng Kalusugan ay kasalukuyang nakikipagtulungan sa National Task Force Against Covid-19, sa ating mga eksperto at mga lokal na pamahalaan sa bawat rehiyon upang mapag-aralan nang husto kung ano ang nangyayaring situation sa lugar (The DOH works with the National Task Force Against Covid-19, experts and local governments from each region to study the region's

current situation)," Vergeire said.

Earlier, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has issued an initial recommendation of ECQ in Cebu City based on the status of the provinces and cities in the country based on verified and validated analytics of data gathered by the sub-technical working group on data analytics.

(PNA)

University in Baltimore, said that only the tiger mosquitoes, which have bitten a person infected with dengue fever, are carriers of the dengue virus. And it is not directly transmitted from one person to person.

“Once infected, a mosquito remains infective for life, transmitting the virus to susceptible individuals during probing and blood feeding,” Dr. MacDonald points out.

Health experts say that when a person is bitten and the dengue virus is deposited in the bloodstream, it usually takes an incubation period of four to six days before symptoms appear.

In some adults, dengue is not generally fatal. After contracting the virus from infected mosquitoes, some people develop a silent infection, exhibiting few - if any - symptoms.

Their immune systems are

able to fight off the disease.

Others develop symptoms that are like the flu’s: fever and fatigue that disappear in two weeks.

Timely tips Until now, there is still no specific treatment for dengue fever. All that the physician can do is to give supportive treatment such as antifever pills (like paracetamol) and plenty of fluids (orally and intravenously). There is already a vaccine available against dengue but due to past experiences of it, many parents are wary of using it.

One of the best ways to prevent dengue is to avoid being bitten by the dengue-carrying mosquitoes.

And there are several ways of doing so; here are some of them: • Natural control: Done by preserving the natural predators of mosquitoes such as dragon flies, lizards, spiders, frogs, aquatic beetles, and water bugs.

• Cultural control: Includes sanitation and hygiene, getting rid of tin cans, and other materials that serve as breeding grounds; clearing clogged canals; pruning or trimming plants to avoid dense canopy that serve as hiding places of mosquitoes; and smudging.

• Biological control: Raising larvivorious fishes such as tilapia in ornamental pools and ponds.

• Mechanical control: Using mesh screens to prevent day-biting insects from entering the house.

Also, treating mosquito nets with pyrethroid to prevent mosquito bites.

• Botanical control: Crude extracts from neem leaves applied to stagnant canals.

• Chemical control: The last thing to in annihilating the mosquitoes. Fogging or spraying may be done in schools and areas where there is an epidemic.

There are those who recommend fogging and using chemicals to fight dengue.

“Fogging and using chemicals will only give people an illusory sense of security,” explains Dr. Enrique Tayag, one of the country’s dengue experts.

After all, the insecticide used in fogging only kills the adult mosquito while leaving millions of larvae untouched. In addition, mosquitoes not killed may develop resistance to the insecticide, which may be harder to eliminate later on.

The community should work together in curbing dengue epidemic. “The community should be educated on factors causing dengue because its cooperation is vital to its control,” commented Dr. Nerissa Dominguez, DOH national coordinator of the communicable disease control service.

WATCH OUT... FROM 8

SEC... FROM5

succeeding investors, the SEC added.

The SEC has flagged the unauthorized activities of the Bitcoin Revolution before in an advisory dated March 30, 2020.

Bitcoin Revolution remains unregistered with and unauthorized to solicit and accept investments or placements from the public nor to issue investment contracts and other forms of securities, it said.

The group also continues to manage its digital exchange platform without the proper registration with the SEC, in violation of the prohibition on the use of unregistered exchange under The Securities Regulation Code.

In addition, Bitcoin Revolution still does not appear in the list of entities registered with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in accordance with BSP Circular No. 944, Series of 2017, which provides for the guidelines for virtual currency exchanges.

“Nevertheless, the Commission assures the public that it continuously monitors and oversees such entities and their activities in a way that it sees as proper in order to prevent the proliferation of scams and/or any other unauthorized or illegal

schemes in the country,” the SEC said.

The SEC further warned all individuals and groups engaged in fraud of the strict penalties awaiting them for violating the laws, rules, and regulations it enforces.

Those who act as salesmen, brokers, dealers, or agents of fraudulent investment schemes, for instance, may face a maximum fine of PHP5 million or imprisonment of 21 years or both under The Securities Regulation Code.

Those who invite or recruit others to join or invest in such ventures may likewise incur criminal liability or be sanctioned or penalized in accordance with the Supreme Court’s decision in the case of SEC vs. Oudine Santos (G.R. No. 195542, 19 March 2014).

Moreover, Republic Act No. 11469, or the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act, penalizes those participating in cyber incidents that make use or take advantage of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) crisis to prey on the public through scams, phishing, fraudulent emails, or other similar acts with two-month imprisonment or a maximum fine of PHP1 million or both. (PR)

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 59 • FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2020

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Cage godfather Danding Cojuangco (extreme right) was a fixture at the De La Salle bence in the UAAP. (LaSallian photo)

Maxey pays tribute to two cage icons

By NEILWIN JOSEPH BRAVO ommissioner Charles Raymond Maxey of the Philippine Sports Commission paid tribute to two of the country’s iconic basketball figures who passed away recently.

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Basketball patron Eduardo “Danding” Cojuanco Jr. passed away after a long battle with lung illness on Wednesday while basketball camp founder Nice Jorge died last Saturday.

In a message sent to Edge Davao, Maxey said he considers Cojuangco and Jorge as “two known figures who contributed to the sports development in the country.”

“Cojuanco was a sports patron, philantropist and kingmaker who owned three teams in the PBA, the country’s professional

basketball league,” Maxey, a former sports journalist, said. “Jorge was an icon of grassroots sports development. His BEST Center produced many of the country’s talented PBA stars who went on to make a name for themselves in basketball. He was also well-loved by people not only in the sporting community.”

“The country mourns the passing of two great sports figures. Cojuangco and Jorge’s contribution to Philippine sports will always be remembered,”

Serena all set for US Open 'inside a bubble'

S

erena Williams of the USA hits to Maria Sharapova of Russia in the first round on day one of the 2019 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. File Photo. Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports/Reuters Serena Williams committed to play at this year's US Open on Wednesday as US Tennis Association officials vowed they can safely stage the first Grand Slam since the coronavirus pandemic shutdown.

With top men's stars questioning the wisdom of the staging the event, the USTA said the tour-

nament will be held August 31 to September 13 without spectators at New York's National Tennis Center, which in April became a temporary hospital facility to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

"I really can't wait to return to the US Open 2020," Serena Williams said in a video message.

"I think the USTA is going to do a really good job of ensuring everyone is going to be safe.

"This is crazy. I'm excited."

The Flushing Meadows fortnight will be the first Grand Slam event staged since the deadly

FSERENA, P9

Maxey said.

PH hoops ‘greatly benefited’ from Cojuangco’s role Cojuangco may have passed away already but for the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP), what he did for basketball will never be denied.

“The Boss” left an indelible mark in the country not just as a brilliant businessman but also as a passionate sportsman,” the SBP said in a statement on Wednesday.

He died of lung illness Tuesday night at the age of 85.

Cojuangco’s biggest contribution to local hoops is the NCC-backed national team program, the last team to win the FIBA Asia championship in 1986.

The main players of the NCC squad, which also

won the 1981 and 1985 Jones Cup titles, went on to carve successful playing and coaching careers in the pros.

The likes of Allan Caidic and Jong Uichico eventually became among the standards of how to be great as a player or a coach “Because of his investment with the NCC, Philippine basketball greatly benefited as it jump-started the careers of legendary PBA players and coaches as well,” the SBP said.

The SBP also commended Cojuangco for turning his three teams in the PBA, San Miguel, Ginebra, and Magnolia, “a dominant force in Philippine basketball.”

“Beyond this, his love for basketball led to the enrichment of the lives of so

many players, coaches, and staff who have nothing but great words to say about ‘ECJ’,” it added.

The SBP summarized the death of Cojuangco with one simple sentence: “Philippine basketball lost a titan.”

Game changer Nic Jorge, whose pioneering basketball clinic started the careers of many Filipino players, died on Saturday morning.

BEST Center Sports Inc., more commonly known as BEST clinic, which Jorge founded in 1978, described him as “a game changer.”

“He was a big man indeed . . . a game changer and maverick whose impact on Philippine sports will never be forgotten.

May you rest in peace

Coach Nic,” a statement read on Facebook.

Jorge was 78.

Before it became a fullblown industry, Jorge’s BEST clinics were the go-to training center for youth basketball players.

The likes of Kiefer Ravena, Chris Tiu, Larry Fonacier, and two of the PBA’s 40 greatest players, Jerry Codinera and league MVP Benjie Paras, were BEST alumni.

Jorge coached two clubs in the PBA, Galleon and Manhattan, and he also called the shots for the men’s national team when the Philippines hosted the 1978 FIBA World Cup, and the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons.

Jorge is survived by his wife, Marilyn, and four children.(With PNA reports)

Mika Plania (right) of Gen. Santos City pummels Joshue Greer with crushing right to the head. Plania won by decision in a closed door fight in Las Vegas on Tuesday. Top Rank photo

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EDGEDAVAO

MAGIC MIKE VOL.13 ISSUE 59 • FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2020

GenSan boy stuns American top bantamweight contender in Las Vegas

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mid the coronavirus pandemic, Gen. Santos City native Mike Plania flew to Las Vegas to test top bantamweight prospect Joshua Greer who is being lined up to challenge Filipino WBO bantamweight title holder Johnriel Casimero.

Instead of being the test fighter, ‘Magic Mike’ finished the closed door fight with his hands raised instead.

Plania shocked the world after scoring a majority decision win over Greer inside ‘The Bubble’ at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas on Tuesday (Wednesday, Manila time).

The Filipino fighter had his punching power in full display for the 10-round bout televised over ESPN, scoring two knockdowns against the no. 1 World Boxing Organization (WBO) contend-

er to hack out the biggest win of his pro career.

Fighting out of SanMan Promotions, Plania won on the scorecards of judges Patricia Morse-Jarman (97-91) and Tim Cheatham (96-92), but was an even 94-94 on Dave Moretti.

It was a huge win for the first Filipino to fight since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, having been installed as a 3-1 underdog against his fancied American opponent.

But Plania set the tone for the bout by connecting a left hook against Greer

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'Magic Mike' Plania stunned the world with a massive upset win over top prospect Joshua Greer on Tuesday in Las vegas. (Top Rank photo)