Edge Davao Volume 13 Issue 79 | Sunday-Monday, July 12-13, 2020

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PULONG CARES

VOL.13 ISSUE 79 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, JULY 12-13, 2020

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UNDERSTANDING THE RED TIDE MENACE SCIENCE P5

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A Task Force Davao military vehicle is stationed in front of San Pedro Cathedral along San Pedro Street in Davao City. Task Force Davao, together with the other security forces, will strengthen the security system in the city's churches after the religious institutions already resumed their mass services in time for the implementation of the Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ). Edge Davao

Rep. Duterte distributes aid to barbers, massagists STORY ON PAGE 2

WORLDWIDE COVID-19 NUMBERS BOARD

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PHILIPPINES

WORLDWIDE

CONFIRMED: 12,625,156 • DEATHS: 562,769 • RECOVERED: 7,361,454

CONFIRMED: 52,914 • DEATHS: 1,360 • RECOVERED: 13,230

As of July 11, 2020, here’s the Top 5 list of countries with most number of COVID-19 cases 1. U.S.A CONFIRMED: 3,291,786 DEATHS: 136,671 RECOVERED: 1,460,495

2. BRAZIL CONFIRMED: 1,804,338 DEATHS: 70,524 RECOVERED: 1,213,512

3. INDIA CONFIRMED: 822,603 DEATHS: 22,144 RECOVERED: 516,206

4. RUSSIA CONFIRMED: 713,936 DEATHS: 11,017 RECOVERED: 489,068

5. PERU CONFIRMED: 319,646 DEATHS: 11,500 RECOVERED: 210,638

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

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 79 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, JULY 12-13, 2020

Duterte admin to continue ‘Build, Build, Build’ program

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Davao City Vice Mayor Sebastian Duterte presides over a City Council regular session at Sangguniang Panlungsod in this undated photo. Davao City Council led by Duterte has crafted ordinances to address the challenges brought by Covid-19 pandemic, complementing the executive

actions of Mayor Sara Duterte and providing necessary funds crucial to the local government’s Covid-19 response, while providing reliefs and incentives to struggling businesses. Edge Davao

PULONG CARES

Rep. Duterte distributes aid to barbers, massagists

By MAYA M. PADILLO ne’s cup runneth over.

For the nth time,.Rep. Paolo Z. Duterte distributed last Monday relief aid to more a thousand of needy residents in Davao City’s First Congressional District adversely affected by the new coronavirus (COVID 19) pandemic.

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The distribution was done at the People’s Park, according to James Vergara of the congressional district staff of the presidential son.who was at the time attending the House

of Representatives hearings on the application of ABS-CBN Broadcasting franchise.

Benefited by the latest distribution were 798 workers of beauty salons,

201 barbers, and 163 massage therapists.

Earlier, the young Davao lawmaker also distributed cash assitsnce and food packs to thousands of tricycle and trisikad drivers, persons with disability (differently abled), solo parents, indigent members of Muslim tribes, Badjaos, barbers, beauticians, and massage therapists.

The congressional staff also delivered truckloads of milled rice,.personal protective equip-

s the local government rushed to enforce measures to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) following the national health emergency declaration in March this year, the City Council also measured up to the task by passing critical legislations.

City Council crafted a number of ordinances to address the challenges brought by the deadly disease, complementing the executive actions of Mayor Sara Duterte and providing necessary funds crucial to the local government's Covid-19 response, while providing reliefs and incentives to struggling businesses.

A day before the announcement of the first confirmed case in the Davao Region on March 15, the cities of Tagum and Davao City were placed un-

der partial lockdown.

Led by Vice-Mayor Sebastian ‘Baste” Duterte, City Council members were even seen leading the distribution of food packs, facemasks, personal protective equipment (PPE), medicines, and essential goods to health front-liners and residents.

“With the outpouring support from our partners, we will continue to reach out to our fellow Dabawenyos who need help during this time. Stay safe Dabawenyos,” Baste said in a Facebook post sometime in March, days after the city was placed on lockdown to contain infections.

Resolutions, ordinances Five days after the partial lockdown, the City Council passed a resolution requesting the local government and the Department of Labor and Employment

in Davao Region (DOLE-11) to assist local and overseas contract workers affected

by Covid-19.

To further strengthen the movement restrictions required under the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), the City Council then moved to formalize the 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew until the ECQ was lifted in June.

To ease the impact of the health crisis on businesses--the majority of which were forced to shutter during the ECQ period--an ordinance was also enacted to extending the deadlines of payment for several types of taxes.

Likewise, a separate ordinance also waived the interest, penalties, and surcharges, incurred for non-payment of all local taxes, fees, charges, and fines that fall due during the ECQ period.

ment (PPEs), face masks and face shields to other parts of the Davao region such as the cities of Mati, Tagum. Samal and Panabo, as well as the townd of Carmen and Sto. Tomas,.

Davao del Norte, and Governor Generoso, Davao Oriental.

In all the distribution activities, Rep. Duterte emhapsized the messag through his staff appealing to beneficiaries to piously observe the safety protocols for their protection from COVID 19. (AMA) The measure was followed by a City Council resolution requesting Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III to fast-track the implementation of the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) and other relief measures for private-sector workers.

To boost the Covid-19 response at the grassroots level, the City Council also approved funds supplementing the barangays’ Local Disaster Risk and Reduction Management (LDDRM) fund, as well as the Quick Response Fund (QRF) to help residents whose income was severely affected by the pandemic.

Recognizing the role of the medical front-liners, the City Council then instituted measures prohibiting any form of harassment, discrimination, prejudice,

Davao City Council enact Covid-19 measures to protect Dabawenyos

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nfrastructure projects under President Duterte’s “Build, Build, Build” program will continue in his remaining two years in office to help revitalize the economy, an official said Thursday.

In a press briefing here, Presidential spokesperson Harry S. Roque echoed the position of Duterte’s economic managers that pursuing these projects will help the country recover from the stifling effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

Duterte, the first Mindanawon President, will end his term in June 2022.

Roque assured there would be no delay in the implementation of the projects, but said that some of these would be subject to “re-prioritization or for future release.”

According to the “Build, Build, Build” website, the government targets to spend P8 to P9 trillion on infrastructure projects,

seen as among the top priorities of the Duterte administration from 20172022.

The current administration, which envisioned to reduce poverty from 21.6 percent in 2015 to 13-15 percent by 2022, is looking at ramping up government infrastructure spending and the “development of industries that will yield robust growth across the archipelago, create jobs and uplift the lives of Filipinos.”

In Mindanao, the P23.04-billion Davao-Samal bridge project and the P81.9-billion phase 1 of the Mindanao Railway Project are included in the infrastructure program.

Last month, Presidential Adviser for Flagship Programs and Projects Vince Dizon said the government will not put the two projects on the backburner amid the pandemic.

(Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)

DOLE awaits DBM action on more funds for OFW cash aid program

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he Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is waiting for the decision of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on its request for an additional PHP2.5 billion to finance its cash assistance program for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

“There is no action yet from the DBM on our request for additional funds for the DOLE-AKAP (Abot Kamay ang Pagtulong) program but we are confident President (Rodrigo) Duterte will allow the request to help our OFWs,” Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said during a Laging Handa briefing on Thursday.

The program is a onetime emergency cash aid of USD200 or PHP10,000 to help the OFWs. Bello said they asked for additional funding to be

able to accommodate the increasing number of onsite and repatriated OFWs who are requesting assistance.

With additional funding, he said, AKAP would be able to extend emergency assistance to nearly half a million OFWs. The DOLE-AKAP report showed that as of July 9, it has received a total of 563,497 applications from both land- and sea-based workers who are either still in their host countries or have returned to the Philippines.

Of the number, 232,427 applications have been approved and some PHP2.02 billion has been disbursed to 194,187 beneficiaries.

The DOLE was already given PHP2.5 billion in two tranches to enable it to assist 250,000 target beneficiaries.

The program was funded under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act. (PNA)

CSC urges gov’t offices, job seekers to participate in the online career fair

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he Philippine Civil Service Commission (CSC) enjoins government offices and job seekers to participate in the online career fair in September.

CSC Commissioner Atty. Aileen Lizada, during the Laging Handa Public Briefing on Friday, discussed the upcoming Government Online Career Fair (GOCF) that will be conducted as part of the 120th year anniversary of the Philippine Civil Service.

“Every September, we celebrate the Philippine Civil Service Anniversary… the whole bureaucracy.

This coming September, we are celebrating the 120th year. Part of the activity po, libre po ito, this is a 2020 Government Online Career Fair. Isang activity po ito na binibigay ng civil service para po doon sa mga naghahanap ng tra-

baho or those who would like to try serving government.”

The CSC official invited all government agencies to participate in the online career fair which will be held on September 14 to 18, 2020.

“Right now, we are encouraging all government agencies to enroll. The period of enrollment is from July 1 to August 14, 2020,” Lizada said, adding that as of July 9, 11 government agencies have already enrolled.

Lizada said last year, there were about 7,327 vacant positons in the government, however, only 5,171 have applied.

“Let us fill your unfilled positions. May programa na po yung gobyerno, Balik Probinsya. Marami na ho tayong mga JOs (Job Orders) at yung ating mga casuals. Kasi hindi na nga

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VOL.13 ISSUE 79 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, JULY 12-13, 2020

NEWS 3

EDGEDAVAO

Pag-IBIG offers ‘promo rates’ for housing loans till December

F Tricycle drivers make the pay parking zone their terminal and waiting area for passengers in front of a shopping mall along Ilustre Street in Davao City. Edge Davao

DSWD targets 80% payout for SAP 2 aid by end-July

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epartment of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rolando Bautista said Saturday that 80 percent of the target cash aid beneficiaries for the second tranche of the Social Amelioration Program will get their payout by end of July.

Bautista said, “Ang projection namin, by end of July makaka-80% kami ng payout. ‘Yung 20% ito ‘yung isasailim sa cross checking, dino-double

check namin.”

Also he said that the money is already in the hands of the DSWD. But the process of double-checking the list of qualified ben-

eficiaries has taken a lot of time.

“May mga benepisyaryo po na na-doble ang natanggap na ayuda. Dapat bawiin ito ng local government unit (LGU),” he added.

He said the DSWD started the payout in some areas of the National Capital Region through online payment.

But some regions in the country, the payout was made through manual disbursement.

Likewise, he said, “Mabibigyan po ng ayuda ang mga nasa ECQ [enhanced community quarantine] areas, pero inaayos po natin ang sa digital payment at magkakaroon din po ng manual payout.”

For beneficiaries not listed in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), and even those under 4Ps, only those in ECQ areas will get the subsidy, he clarified.

During the hearing of

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ilipinos can now avail of housing loans with the “lowest interest rates” until December.

Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Eduardo del Rosario on Friday announced the approval of the Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG Fund) promotional rates for its members who would apply for housing loans under the End-User Financing Program from July until December 29.

“By offering these special rates to our members, we are spurring economic activity in the housing industry, which has a ripple effect on the national economy,” del Rosario, also chairman of the Pag-IBIG Fund Board, said in a statement.

Pag-IBIG is offering a special low-interest rate of 4.985 percent, from 5.375 percent per annum under a one-year repricing period and a 5.375 percent interest, from 6.375 percent per annum under a three-year repricing period.

The subsidized home loan interest rate for the Affordable Housing Program, which is available for low and minimum wage earners remains at 3 percent per annum.

Pag-IBIG declared the pricing as the lowest rates under its Regular Housing Loan program, which would only be available until the end of the year.

“This is a win-win sit-

uation because our members get to take advantage of these home loan rates, while the purchase of their homes will help generate more jobs to get our economy back on track. This then, is our contribution to our nation’s journey to recovery, as led by President (Rodrigo) Duterte,” del Rosario said. “This is another proof that PagIBIG Fund is pro-active in looking after the welfare of its member-borrowers.

This promotional scheme will be huge for those who are planning to own their dream homes.”

Meanwhile, Pag-IBIG Fund Chief Executive Officer Acmad Rizaldy Moti said the new interest rate for the three-year repricing period would only apply if the borrower’s existing account has been active during the first and second anniversary for the promotional rate, which will be extended for another year.

Moti said the non-performing (inactive) loans during the first or second anniversary would revert to the risk-based pricing.

Pag-IBIG also projected a takeout value of about PHP50 billion for July to December 2020, he said, estimating a PHP1.376-billion interest income-loss over three years.

“We review our rates regularly and have never repriced it upward under the Duterte administration.

Our ever-improving quality

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4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 79 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, JULY 12-13, 2020

ABS-CBN franchise denial to trigger network shares sell-off - analysts

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Call center agents work at a business process outsourcing (BPO) company in Davao City. Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) has reported that the information tech-

nology and business process management (IT-BPM) industry continues to open job opportunities amid the pandemic. Edge Davao

Retail demand for brown rice shoots up amid pandemic

By MAYA M. PADILLO fter a plummeting demand from corporate clients during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Mindanao Agri Network Corporation (MANCOR), a Mindanao-based company that produces Sun Made Brown Rice brand, sees retail demand to shoot up— a prospect that could tide the company over from the drop in sales.

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MANCOR’s Sun Made brand, which was launched in 2010 and was initially available only in local supermarkets, is now distributing to supermarkets and specialty stores and restaurants serving organic food in Metro Manila.

Carlo Lorenzana, vice president of MANCOR, said in an email interview, although, the demand of Sun Made Brown rice from corporate clients went down and was even close to zero at one point during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and the production for the said clients went down significantly, however, the retail demand for Sun Made brown rice did not go down, in fact, it increased at

the start of the pandemic.

“So we were able to partly make up for the dip in trade sales, but not completely,” he said.

According to Lorenzana, business activities from establishments decreased significantly during the height of the lockdown but sales have started trickling back in upon the lifting of the ECQ to modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).

“Sales from supermarkets are more stable preCovid-19,” he said.

Lorenzana added that harvest was also at its peak during the height of the lockdown making the supply level remained the same as projected pre-Covid-19 for MANCOR Assisted Farms

(MAF) program, which sources the rice from Davao City farmers.

“Because we are obligated to honor our agreement with them. The core of our social enterprise where we assist farmers in planting premium palay for production of Sun Made brown and well-milled rice and we purchase these palay directly from them,” he said.

Lorenzana said farmers they are dealing with are not affected directly by the impact of the pandemic in terms of health and economic aspects as the rice farm areas are far away from pandemic hot spots.

He said due to the MAF program, farmers still received their expected income during the pandemic.

“Farmers in other areas were also able to increase the selling price of palay due to the high demand brought about by the municipal ordinances during the lockdown that restricted the selling of goods within their respective areas,” he explained.

As among the steps for ways forward, the company is currently planning new ways to add revenue streams

he Small Business (SB) Corp. has released a total of PHP22 million to 286 micro and small enterprises (MSEs) under the Covid-19 Assistance to Restart Enterprises (CARES) program as of July 8.

In a statement Friday, of the total CARES loan beneficiaries, 71 are from Calabarzon Region, 52 from Metro Manila, 46 from Cordillera Administrative Region, 25 from Bicol Region, 22 from Central Visayas, 26 from Eastern Visayas, 18 from Mimaropa Region, 12 from Cagayan Valley Region, seven from Western Visayas, six from Ilocos Region, and one from Caraga Region.

SB Corp., the financing

arm of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), started releasing the CARES loan on July 3.

To date, SB Corp. has approved 2,419 applications with aggregate loan amounting to PHP78.2 million.

The DTI has an initial budget of PHP1 billion to roll out the CARES program.

But DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez earlier said the total CARES loan applications have reached over PHP2 billion.

“For extra funds needed, we will use our other P3 (Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-Asenso) portfolio fund which is about PHP3.5 billion,” he said.

SB Corp. can also tap

state-owned banks Land Bank of the Philippines and Development Bank of the Philippines to further fund the CARES program, he added.

The DTI launched the CARES program to help MSEs recover from their losses during the lockdown period due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

This is part of the government’s goal to save businesses and jobs amid the pandemic.

The CARES program provides zero-interest loans of up to PHP500,000.

Meanwhile, the SB Corp. also partnered with the country’s largest business organization, the Philip-

to help cushion the impact of the dip in sales. In terms of the company’s head office operations located in Davao City, it has to adjust and enforced work from home (WFH) mode twice a week and office duty at thrice per week.

However, for mill operations and the MAF program, it’s business as usual.

“We view things now as the “next normal”, meaning it’s the next phase of life for the whole world so for our social enterprise, we need to adapt and evolve for the changing times. We just have to continue with this setup and do our best to cope and wait for a cure or a vaccine,” Lorenzana said.

MANCOR’s MAF program serves as a social enterprise as the company buys the rice from Davao farmers at a premium price to encourage them to continue with organic farming.

MANCOR also practices a mill-to-table approach to maintain quality, wherein whenever there is an order, that’s the time the palays are milled to ensure that the product is 100 percent premium brown rice.

pine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), for the CARES program.

SB Corp. and PCCI signed a memorandum of agreement that will provide PCCI members easy access to the loan program for MSEs. “This is a landmark agreement for PCCI as we assist our members in their recovery efforts. We see a bright future in our relations with SB Corp. whose primary mandate is to financially assist the very small enterprises who need the support most,” PCCI President Benedicto Yujuico said.

PCCI has 30,000 member companies in over 120 chapters nationwide. (PNA)

P22-M worth of loans released to 286 micro, small businesses

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he value of shares of embattled media giant ABS-CBN Corp. will suffer a blow in the coming trading week after the House Committee on Legislative Franchises voted to deny the franchise application of the broadcast network, analysts said Friday.

“The denial of the franchise is expected to have a negative impact on ABS CBN’s share price. Without the franchise, ABS-CBN will not be able to resume its radio and television broadcasting operations which has been an integral part of its business,” Philstocks Financial senior equity analyst Japhet Tantiangco said.

“This in turn is expected to lead to more revenue losses, which would ultimately weigh on the company’s fundamentals,” Tantiangco added.

The House panel on legislative franchises adopted the Technical Working Group’s (TWG) Committee Resolution recommending the denial of the network's franchise application through 70 yes votes, 11 no votes, two inhibitions, and one abstention.

Hours before the panel made its decision, share price of ABS-CBN dipped 2.64% to P14.78 apiece from Thursday’s finish at P15.18 per share.

“I expect another short term volatility towards the downside on ABS- CBN stock next week as traders and investors will try to look for an alternative such as GMA-7 shares,” Unicapital equity analyst Christopher San Pedro said.

In an earlier research note, London-based think tank Fitch Solutions flagged

the National Telecommunications Commission’s “apparent ability to be influenced by the government continues to be a key impediment to foreign investor sentiment, and has also made the telecoms landscape difficult for both new entrants and existing players,” following cease and desist orders it issued against ABS-CBN and its subsidiary SkyCable’s direct broadcast satellite service.

ABS-CBN went off the air on May 5 after the National Telecommunications Commission issued a cease and desist against the network for lack of franchise.

NTC’s May 5 action was a turnaround from NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba’s statement before the House of Representatives in March that they will issue a provisional authority to ABSCBN given that the House and the Senate made communications stating they are in favor of such issuance.

The bills seeking franchise renewal for ABS-CBN have been pending since 2014 but the House only decided to start its deliberations on these proposals on March 10 this year.

“The vote at the committee level is just the first step in the gauntlet that ABS will have to endure to get a new franchise. There's still the plenary debates plus six readings between the lower House and the Senate. And anything can still happen during this time,” PNB Securities president Manuel Lisbona said.

“We will have to trust our honorable lawmakers to do the right thing and deliberate on the merits of the renewal,” Lisbona said.

PH firms consider risk to cyberthreats to be low tomoderate

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xecutives of Philippine corporations consider their entities’ risk to cyberthreats to be “low” to “moderate” given the increased investments on cybersecurity.

This is among the results of the survey conducted by global cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks from February 6-15, 2020 in the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, and Singapore to check on businesses’ attitude towards cybersecurity.

In a virtual briefing Friday, Oscar Visaya, Palo Alto Networks country manager for the Philippines, said the result of the survey showed that one in two companies in the Philippines alone hiked their cybersecurity budget this year compared to last year.

He said 43 percent of the officials from surveyed businesses said bulk of their information technology (IT) investments are allocated for cybersecurity, particularly to upgrade their security frameworks to automated technologies, as well as to increase securities on rising volume of cyberthreats.

The increased investment is also a result of their cyber risk assessment, he added.

The higher investments for this purpose are encouraging, he said, adding this will prevent cyberattacks and disrupt business operations.

“However, in light of

the Covid-19 pandemic, businesses will now need to navigate the newfound risks brought about by remote work and other Covid19-themed threats. This will require a relook at cybersecurity existing strategies and investments,” he said.

In terms of products that companies use to further strengthen their cybersecurity capacity, Visaya said 86 percent said they use anti-malware and antivirus tools, 59 percent said they use next-generation firewalls, and 47 percent said they have started to invest in cloud native security.

He said emerging solutions like software-defined wire-area network security have also become popular as more firms connect to cloud solutions.

Despite the increasing awareness among companies, the survey results showed that challenges remain and these include employees’ lack of awareness on cybersecurity and risks from third-party service providers and suppliers.

“When it comes to cybersecurity it’s everybody’s responsibility. And I think it’s not just about ordinary employees but across all organizations, even the Board level,” he added.

Visaya said the lack of cybersecurity experts is a problem not only in the Philippines but around the

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5 SCIENCE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 79 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, JULY 12-13, 2020

Understanding the red tide menace I

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO n April last year, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) urged people to stop eating shellfish harvested from the waters of Santa Maria, Davao Occidental and Balete Bay in Mati City, Davao Oriental “due to the presence of red tide toxins.”

In March this year, BFAR again raised the warning in Mati City when some samples of the shellfish coming from Balete Bay were found to be “positive for paralytic shellfish poison that is beyond the regulatory limit.”

Red tide is layman’s term for algal blooms, which are large concentrations of aquatic microorganisms, such as protozoans and unicellular algae. “Algal bloom is a natural activity in the marine ecosystem,” wrote Louella D. Labasbas in S&T Post, a trimonthly publication of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

Marine ecology is touted to be one of the richest ecosystems in the green planet.

It comprises different organisms such as microorganisms, zooplankton, phytoplankton, sea grass, and small and huge fishes.

In science, algal bloom is described as “a rapid increase in the population of algae in an aquatic environment like a marine ecosystem.” It is the result of a higher concentration of nutrients in water, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus.

Red tide does not occur only in the Philippines but in other parts of the world as well. Even in industrialized countries, red tide occurs in the United States, Canada, Japan, France, Spain, and New Zealand.

Despite several studies being done, no one still knows when and where red tide started. But some people believe that the first occurrence was recorded in the Holy Bible. In Exodus 7:2021, these words were written: “Moses raised his staff in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials and struck the water of the Nile, and all

the water was changed into blood. The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water.”

The University of the Philippines at Los Baños said the name “red tide” was coined by some scientists due to the sea water discoloration caused by the highly-dense population of dinoflagellates, those “single-celled organisms can swim at the maximum rate of one meter per hour, by means of two whip-like flagella.”

The phenomenon is always called red tide but it is not always red. It may also be observed in green, blue-green, amber, brown, yellow-orange, or purple depending on the dominating algal species.

“What happens underneath during bloom is favorable to algae, aquatic plants and most especially to bacteria,” Labasbas wrote.

“There is more food and dissolved oxygen from them to consume. Bigger organisms such as fishes and aquatic insects are unable to survive because the smaller creatures use up all the dissolved oxygen and turn it into carbon dioxide, leaving the bigger ones with no more oxygen to breathe.”

What happens next is what most people read in newspapers and watch in televisions. “Where red tides occur, dead fish wash up on shore for up to two weeks after a red tide has been through the area,” reports Wikipedia. “In addition to killing fish, the toxic algae contaminate shellfish.”

Experts say red tides occur in warm seas and in calm coastal waters, usually between the end of warm months and the onset of the

rainy season. They may last from a few hours to several months, depending on the prevailing conditions in the area.

In the Philippines, red tide has become a national threat, particularly to those who consume a lot of seafood and to people living near the seashore. “Residents from the coastal areas are more likely to eat seafood that is contaminated with toxic producing algae,” Labasbas wrote.

Contrary to what most Filipinos think, “not all red tides are harmful,” assures Dr. Rhodora V. Azanza, a professor emeritus from the University of the Philippines. “(This is) because if you have a density of microalgae, they become food for other organisms.”

The BFAR, a line agency of the Department of Agriculture, agrees. “Some red tides are considered harmless when there is no harmful impact on the environment, living organism and humans as well,” it said, adding that swimming is safe for most people during a red tide event.

“However, red tide can cause some people to suffer from skin irritation and burning eyes,” the BFAR said.

“If you are particularly susceptible to irritation from plant products, avoid red tide water. If you experience irritation, get out of the water and wash thoroughly.”

Of the 2,000 dinoflagellates known, only 20 species can produce toxins or poisonous substances that kill humans. In the Philippines, the red tide organism that caused deaths has been identified as Pyrodinium bahanse var. compressum.

Dr. Rafael D. Guerrero III, a fishery expert and academician at the National Academy of Science and Technology, says the P. bahamense is capable of horizontal and vertical movements in the water. Being attracted to sunlight, it rises up to the surface during daytime and settles at the bottom in the dark hours.

The organism multiplies

rapidly through asexual means (without sex cells) during its productive stage which results in bloom. For its resting or dormant stage, the organism reproduces sexually and forms cysts which “hibernate” in the sediment until activated by favorable conditions in the next outbreak.

Marine scientist Howard Seliger said that red tide is triggered by the increased nutrients in coastal currents.

In his book, Biology, Epidemiology and Management of Pyrodinium Red Tide, he wrote that in the past there was not enough food in the currents to allow them to be carried over long distances.

But now, Seliger believes that more nutrients may be entering coastal waters “due to increased discharges of industrial and human wastes into waterways and decreased natural filtering due to deforestation.”

This finding has been bolstered by Dr. Teresita M. Espino, a scientist with the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. “When there is so much waste, it becomes conducive to the growth of microorganisms that deplete the oxygen.

The oxygen is eaten by the shellfishes which may cause the red tide incidence,” she explained.

The red tide organism that beset the Philippine waters, Seliger said, thrives only in coastal waters and lagoons under conditions of high salinity. It does not survive in freshwater bodies, he added.

During a red tide phenomenon, people are advised not to eat filter-feeding shellfish which include clams, cockles, mussels, oysters, and scallops. These shellfish are particularly prone to toxin contamination as they feed by filtering microscopic food out of the water along with other nontoxic foods. Alamang harvested from red tide affected areas are also not safe for human consumption.

According to BFAR, among those that can be eaten taken from red tide infest-

ed waters because the edible tissues of these don’t absorb the toxin are the following: fish, squids, crabs, seaweeds and shrimps. However, the gills, viscera and internal organs must be removed first and thoroughly washed before cooking them, it advised.

Those who eat red tide-contaminated shellfish may suffer from paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP).

Even if the shellfish are cooked thoroughly, people still get poisoned because the toxin is not destroyed by heat, Dr. Guerrero said. The poison in the red tide organism is known as saxitoxin, a water-soluble salt that affects the nervous system.

“Saxitoxin has been declared as a biochemical weapon, as it can kill in seconds,” Dr. Azanza said.

The potency of saxitoxin has been reported to increase by acidic chemicals like vinegar used in preparing common Filipino dishes like adobo and paksiw, and the hydrochloric acid present in the human stomach.

Saxitoxin is detrimental to the nervous system.

“Saxitoxin blocks the sodium channels of excitable membranes of the nervous system and associated muscles resulting in death by respiratory paralysis in extreme cases,” said Dr. Eric A. Tayag, one of the country’s noted epidemiologists.

Health officials said PSP victims have symptoms of tingling or burning sensation on the lips, tongue and face within 30 minutes after eating shellfish with red tide organisms. The gastrointestinal symptoms are vomiting, abdominal pain, water diarrhea, nausea, and hypersalivation.

PSP-affected persons experience sensory abnormalities, numbness, dizziness, headache, lightheadedness, and short-tongue sensation.

In severe cases, they cannot walk, and they breathe, swallow, and speak with difficulty. Some die from inability to breathe spontaneously.

“There is no specific treatment for shellfish poisoning,” wrote Dr. Charles Patrick Davis for emedicinehealth.com “However, some health care professionals may induce vomiting or use a stomach pump to remove food if the patient is seen within three hours of ingesting the shellfish. These actions may reduce the amount of poison that is absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract.

“In addition, patients are often given intravenous (IV) fluids as they may become dehydrated from vomiting.

The use of oral charcoal may be used in some patients that are seen early after ingestion of large amounts of food likely containing large amounts of shellfish poison.

Some health care professionals advise the stomach should be pumped to remove foods before charcoal is administered.”

Since there is still no known antidote to red tide poison, Dr. Guerrero said the best way to prevent PSP is to avoid the consumption of contaminated shellfishes during the ban imposed by the government authorities.

Levels exceeding 80 micrograms of toxin per 100 grams of shellfish meat warrant a ban on the harvest, sales, and ingestion of implicated shellfishes, according to the World Health Organization.

In the Philippines, a ban is issued by BFAR when the toxic levels have exceeded 40 micrograms of toxin per 100 grams of shellfish meat.

“Individuals should pay close attention to Red Tide Advisory and under no circumstances should individuals harvest, market and consume shellfish from any areas under shellfish ban due to red tides,” the BFAR reminded.

Red tide is here to stay.

But those living near the coastal areas can help obliterate the red tide-causing organisms by using a ball made of clay. “Algal cells die when they stick to clay particles,” explained Dr. Azanza. “Clay minerals further entrail the algal cells as they settle at the sea floor.”

During a red tide problem in Masinloc Bay, Zambales, the efficiency of ball clay application was put to test.

“A prototype clay dispersal unit formed the clay balls which were applied on algal blooms. The unit mixes ball clay particles with seawater drawn from the area. Mixing ball clay with seawater will improve the efficiency of ball clay to collide and eventually aggregate with algal cells,” Dr. Azanza said.

Dr. Azanza’s team found that the cells of Pyrodinium at the surface and bottom of the sea were not present after clay application. The study also showed no negative effects on other marine organisms such as green mussels and milkfish, among others.

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 79 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, JULY 12-13, 2020

On renewing his push for the passage of his proposed measure creating the Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR) and another bill mandating the establishment of mandatory evacuation centers nationwide:

It is high time that we fully recognize that our country is highly vulnerable to ominous disasters given the frequency of natural calamities, like typhoons, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions, that hit and affect us every year.

Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go

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EDGEDAVAO

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 79 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, JULY 12-13, 2020

VANTAGE POINTS

COMPETITIVE EDGE

7

7

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

DAVAO’S FIRST GLOBAL CONVENTION The first international gathering in Davao City, held on November 15-20, 1994, was an offshoot of the creation of Brunei Darussalam Indonesia Malaysia and Philippines (BIMP) East ASEAN Growth Area (EAGA) a year earlier during the state visit of President Fidel V. Ramos in Brunei Darussalam.

Dubbed as The Polygon, the borderless geopolitical quadrangle (triangle in some arrangements) originally included regions east of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the assembly was officially called the East ASEAN Business Conference and Exhibits.

The convention, first scheduled on May 26-28, 1994, at the Central Bank building in Davao City, was cancelled after Indonesia and its business participants withdrew “in protest against the holding of a conference on East Timor” at the University of the Philippines in Quezon City. It was moved to November 15-20, 1994.

President Ramos, in his keynote speech, traced the ori-

gin of the BIMP-EAGA concept: “The East ASEAN Growth Area (EAGA) was a mere concept which I started discussing with the ASEAN heads of government in October 1992, particularly President Soeharto of Indonesia, when we all met in Brunei on the silver jubilee of His Majesty Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. But such was our belief in the desirability—and workability of the idea—and such were our commitments to making it happen—that, with this convention, the EAGA has now become a practical reality.

“While we all have our individual strengths, it makes sense for those of us within a common geographic and cultural zone to use the complementarities of our economies.

“In the global markets for the twenty-first century, the countries that will best survive and prosper are those that cooperate with their logical economic partners in achieving synergistic efficiencies among them.

“Thus, the governments and peoples of ASEAN have a

strategic stake in EAGA’s success. And for EAGA to work as a sound economic concept it must be supported by the political commitment of our national leaders, and of our business sectors.”

The growth triangle concept was formally introduced

by Singapore deputy prime minister Goh Chok Tong in 1989 as part of a proposal to Malaysia and Indonesia to create a development zone involving three corresponding regions adjacent in locations.

Ramos expounded on the recent positive developments the economic arrangement had so far produced, saying: “The direction [of the concept] has clearly been toward free trade even before the GATT-UR [GATT Uruguay Round agreements]. Unilaterally, we have pared down a past list of 2,720 items restricted for import by 95 percent to a much shorter list of only 193 protected items.

“Liberalization is the central theme of our economic growth.

“Over the past two years we have liberalized and deregulated key industries that were long monopolized and cartelized by vested interests. In the telecommunications industry, for instance, we are witnessing unprecedented investments and growth as a result of deregulation. In Mindanao alone, 1993 saw a 27 percent increase in telephone line capacity and the placing of digital interconnection of telephone services in most major urban centers.

“Recently, we also opened up and decartelized interisland shipping and insurance and are moving to more deregulation in land and air transportation.

More Filipinos now enjoy better and cheaper services because of the resultant competition.

“We have passed laws that provide broad opportunities for the private sector to invest in key public infrastructure projects through expanded build-operate-transfer arrangements with Government.”

Greatly benefitting from the BIMP-EAGA is Davao. Since

An immersive opportunity:

it hosted the 1994 global conference, the city has tremendously grown economically, earning the sobriquet as the country’s gateway to the east ASEAN region. As a testament to this incredible progress, the region now hosts over a dozen consular offices and the destination of numerous international airlines.

Collectively, the BIMP-EAGA covers a total land area of 1.6 million square kilometers with a combined population of roughly 58 million. Geographically, the economic arrangement encompassed the sultanate of Brunei Darussalam, the provinces of Maluku, Kalimantan, Manado City, Sulawesi, West Papua and Papua in Indonesia; Sabah, Sarawak, and Labuan in Malaysia; and Palawan and Mindanao in the Philippines.

In terms of ecosystem, BIMP-EAGA comprises two of the world’s largest rainforests found in Borneo and Papua, and biodiverse marine systems in the South China Sea, Celebes Sea, and Sulu Sea.

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

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8 EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 79 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, JULY 12-13, 2020 VOL.13 ISSUE 79 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, JULY 12-13, 2020

EDGEDAVAO

LIVING

FOOD AND LOVE DELIVERED: FOODPANDA DELIVERS GROCERIES TO FRONTLINERS IN AN EFFORT TO GIVE BACK and celebrate its 6th year anniversary, foodpanda, the on-demand food delivery service, has donated grocery packages to the local communities in Makati City, Taguig City, and Quezon City in Luzon, Cebu City in the Visayas, and Davao City in Mindanao.

With the help and dedication of foodpanda employees and riders, soldiers from the Philippine Army, and local government units, foodpanda, through their grocery delivery service, shops, has distributed thousands of packages containing premium quality rice, canned goods, instant coffee, instant noodles, and cooking oil to frontliners. Frontline workers who were able to receive the packages include emergency team responders, quarantine center personnel, garbage collectors, and street sweepers.

To date, foodpanda has distributed food packs to healthcare institutions during the enhanced community quarantine with their food delivery service,

and now, as COVID-19 restrictions ease, they still continue to serve the needs of families and communities affected by the pandemic as they now deliver groceries and essential items via foodpanda shops.

“Being on the frontlines of this pandemic and operating through ECQ and GCQ has opened our eyes to the plight of our fellow frontliners. Just as we value our riders who brave the streets every day, we wanted to

show our appreciation for our quarantine center staff, garbage collectors and street sweepers

who are literally keeping the country together. At a time like this, we, at foodpanda, believe

it’s important to celebrate a milestone such as a 6th anniversary by sharing our blessings to these heroes,” said foodpanda Philippines Managing Director Daniel Marogy. foodpanda continues to address the safety and demands of orders of the customers by providing a wide variety of food and essentials as well as having a fast, easy, and contactless delivery service so people could stay safe at home.

IP AND MUSLIM SCHOLARS BENEFIT FROM SMART INDIGENOUS PEOPLES and Muslim college scholars of various local government units and organizations in Mindanao will be able to access their online classes with the help of Smart Communications, Inc. Students supported by various organizations such as the Pegsabeka Organization, General Santos’ AKLAT-GSC, and Sarangani’s Paaral Para sa Saarangan – PPSS of Sulong Karunungan will receive PLDT Home Wi-Fi units to assist them in their studies.

AKLAT Gensan scholar Carlo Majadas shared, “Malaking tulong po ito sa aming mga estudyanteng kapus-palad na hindi po kayang makabili ng mga ganitong bagay (This is a big help for us students who cannot afford these gadgets).”

These PLDT Home Wi-Fi units will benefit IP and Muslim scholars in General Santos, Sarangani, and Davao City.

“This is part of Smart’s advocacy to make sure that

there’s no learner left behind as the world faces a health crisis,” said Ramon R. Isberto, head of Public Affairs at PLDT and Smart. “We hope that through this initiative, we can make a world of difference to our scholars in Mindanao,” he added.

“Dako among pasalamat sa Smart nga naghatag aning WiFi units para sa among IP students. This is very useful and a big help sa mga students karon nga pandemic kay namroblema mi kay ang classes online (We are grateful towards Smart for giving Wi-Fi units to our IP

students. This is very useful to our students, especially amid a pandemic, and because their classes will be held online),” said Datu Rody Mande of Matigsalug tribe, and project head for Pegsabeka Organization. ”We would like to thank Smart for all the assistance they have extended to us, especially in the education of IP students through the development of educational materials, and now,

with these Wi-Fi units for our scholars,” said Marife Gomez, project supervisor at Sulong Karunugan.

Smart has been mobilizing several partnerships to reach more schools and students through connectivity expansion, School-in-a-Bag donations, and the development of local language educational apps.

For more information, please visit www.smart.com.ph.

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Coconut farmers, sector to benefit from UCPB shares conversion

F

armers and workers in the coconut industry in the Philippines are seen to benefit from the conversion of United Coconut Planters Bank’s (UCPB) PHP12-billion capital notes to preferred shares, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said.

In a Viber message to journalists Friday, Dominguez said the government has pushed for the strengthening of the capital base of state-owned banks and rationalizing their structures with the objective of improving their “level of service and

value for their stakeholders, the Filipino people”.

He said the decision by the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) to convert “the capital note it held to more permanent special preferred shares in UCPB is totally in line with

the above objective”.

“We expect the Board of UCPB to consider re-orienting their focus on serving the farmers and processors of coconut and other vegetable oil products, but balancing their portfolio with exposure to other industries and clients in the middle market,” he added.

UCPB is among the government-owned banks, along with the Land Bank of the Philippines (Landbank), Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and the Overseas Filipino Bank (OFBank).

The Supreme Court (SC)

has decided in favor of the government to consider this financial institution as government-owned because it was acquired by cronies of former President Ferdinand Marcos using government funds.

The Department of Finance (DOF) on Friday said the government hiked its shares on UCPB from 75 percent to 97 percent through the conversion of the capital notes.

Dominguez said the remaining three percent of the shares are owned by “various private sector individuals and entities”. (PNA)

he Philippines can achieve its renewable energy (RE) targets for 2030 with better policies in place, said AC Energy president and chief executive officer Eric Francia.

During the Philippine Energy Independence Council webinar on Friday, Francia said the country needs to triple its renewable output until 2030 to achieve the target of increasing RE share to 35 percent from the 21 per-

cent share in 2019.

“The renewables policy will be a great driver to expand the potential in the Philippines,” he said.

He added the future of RE in the country will be solar-driven.

Based on AC Energy’s projection, the share of solar technology on incremental RE will reach 15.9 gigawatts or 75 percent of installed capacity, and 50 percent of RE output in 2030.

This is followed by wind technology with a projected share in 2030 of 3.4 GW or 15 percent of installed capacity and 20 percent of output.

To boost RE investments in the country, Francia cited the need to integrate RE expansion with Transmission Development Plan, streamline land conversion process, and implement renewable portfolio standards and other enabling policies with sig-

nificance and predictability.

He said the industry is also looking forward to the 2,000-megawatt RE auction program of the DOE. With the opportunities in the country’s RE sector, Francia said the Philippines will remain a core market for AC Energy.

Ayala’s energy unit has over 1,000 MW RE capacity in Southeast Asia, with half of its portfolio are in the Philippines. (PNA)

world.

He does not have a figure on the shortage in the local setting, but said it is about three million globally.

“And this is the reason why even locally, the cus-

tomers surveyed, they’re feeling the pressure of the difficulty in hiring cybersecurity people,” he added.

Visaya said they, along with the Asia Pacific College, have teamed up with

the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) for the establishment of the Palo Alto Network Cybersecurity Academy in the country last year.

He said the goal is to

“churn out cybersecurity professionals to be absorbed in the workforce and to supply the current skills requirements of businesses.”

Visaya said the Depart-

Better policies seen to drive renewable energy growth

T

PH... FROM4

9

Cebu Pacific resumes Dubai flights on July 12

C

ebu Pacific said Friday it would resume flights to and from Dubai starting Sunday, July 12.

The following flights are: 5J 18, Manila to Dubai, Sundays, 6:55 p.m. (Manila time) 5J 19, Dubai to Manila, Mondays, 3:30 a.m.

(Dubai time starting Monday, July 13) "All other Cebu Pacific international flights remain canceled from July 11 to 31, 2020," the budget carrier said.

Those traveling to Dubai are required to obtain travel and health insurance coverage before arrival, as required by the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority. Guests without valid health insurance may be denied check-in or boarding.

Cebu Pacific said passengers on canceled Manila-Dubai-Manila flights could rebook online through the “manage booking” portal in its website.

The airline also stressed that government

ment of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) also has cyber security education programs since the government also lacks cybersecurity professionals.

quarantine and travel regulations would apply for all passengers flying between Manila and Dubai.

Passengers confirmed on these flights are urged to follow health guidelines, including wearing masks, online check-in, being at the airport 3 hours before the flight, counter closure of 1 hour before flight, maximum 1 hand-carry per person, contactless boarding procedures and physical distancing.

After months being in coronavirus-induced lockdown, the Philippine government recently allowed non-essential travel, including tourism-related ones, provided that travelers adhere to certain conditions.

Travelers must have adequate travel health insurance to cover rebooking and accommodation expenses, must submit confirmed roundtrip tickets for those traveling on tourist visas, and execute a declaration acknowledging the risks involved in traveling, the Palace had said.

He added the national government and local governments have partnered with schools to address the lack of cybersecurity experts not just locally but hopefully overseas. (PNA)

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EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT WITH DEED OF ABSOLUTE SALE Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late PABLO M. UNGAB JR.has been the subject of EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT WITH DEED OF ABSOLUTE SALE leaving the following real and personal properties described as follows: TCT No. 161-2014000023, A.Soriano Corporation Common Stocks executed among his Heirs-Vendor, per Doc. No 59; PageNo.13; Book No.83 Series of 2019, of the NOTARY PUBLIC NEIL B. JAO

CSC... FROM2

ho sila nakakapasok sa gobyerno. Let us open or unfilled positions,” Lizada said as she encouraged government agencies to register and participate in the carreer fair.

“Kami ho sa CSC we are the central personal employment agency. So, we are encouraging government agencies, from July 1 to August 14, please register.”

Comm. Lizada also said that CSC has a tie up with JobStreet.com. She further explained that corresponding government agencies who have enrolled will have an online, one-time seminar on how the system works which will be on August 28 to September 11, 2020.

“Let us help, marami hong nangangailangan ng trabaho ho ngayon. Bigay ho natin sa kanila yung opportunity to serve the government and likewise be financially empowered.”

She encouraged those who have the heart to join the government service to participate in the upcoming online career fair to be

conducted September 14 to18, 2020.

Lizada said, interested applicants should sign up with JobStreet.com. “Yung job applicant po kailangan ho meron kayong account sa JobStreet.com. Kung wala naman po kayong account, you can create an account by visiting JobStreet.com and then you click the free sign up icon and follow the instructions.”

The CSC official also stressed the importance of having the right number of people in an agency.

Lizada said there are around 1.8 to 1.9 million government employees, but still lacking in numbers because each agency has an organizational structure that would determine the number of employees needed to run the agency.

“It is very important that we have the correct number of people in a corresponding agency, para ho hindi ho sila mahirapan to serve the public,” adding that government agencies can respond well and doaway with JOs. (PIA-NCR)

the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, early in June, DSWD officials took a grilling over the “seemingly slow” distribution of the second tranche of the emergency cash subsidy to qualified beneficiaries.

DSWD Undersecretary Danilo Pamonag then revealed that out of the around 17 million target beneficiaries, only 1.3 million have so far received

the second tranche of the emergency cash subsidy.

Most of them are beneficiaries of the 4Ps. The target beneficiaries comprise of around 12 million low-income families who are living in areas declared under ECQ by Executive Order 112 issued on April 30 and the May 2 memorandum issued by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, as well as 5 million wait-listed beneficiaries.

of the portfolio has allowed us to keep the rates low under our Risk-Based Pricing Model. But this time, we are offering something special,” Moti said, noting that the promotional rate is part of the housing department’s commitment to ease public burden amid the pandemic in the country.

Considering the impact of the pandemic on the livelihood of Pag-IBIG members, he said they reduced the home loan rates by as much as 100 basis points

for the next six months because they want to help members who are thinking of buying a home to take advantage of the “lower-than-lowest rates.”

“Even amid the pandemic, now is the best time to buy a home with a PagIBIG housing loan,” Moti said.

Pag-IBIG has earlier imposed a three-month moratorium on the payment of housing loans and other loan programs during the health crisis. (PNA)

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Mindanao Agri Network Corporation (MANCOR) vice president Carlo Lorenzana shows the company’s Sun Made organic rice. Edge Davao

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or inflicting any shame or humiliation against frontline workers.

The City Council also addressed the potential stigma of the disease on infected residents, and included in the ordinance the protection of confirmed Covid-19 patients, as well as probable and suspect patients and their families.

In an interview with the Philippine News Agency Thursday, Councilor Melchor Quitain, chair of the committee on rules, laws, and ordinances, said the local legislative body was also instrumental for the city's immediate compliance with the Inter-Agency Task Force's (IATF) quarantine protocols, passing measures that have either strengthened executive action or enacting relevant local policies to enhance existing ones.

In fact, Quitain said Mayor Sara Z. Duterte saw it fit to designate City Council to monitor compliance of local quarantine protocols at the barangay level during the early stages of the pandemic.

“The city likewise initiated relief operations

which is still ongoing as we speak to reach out to the poorest of the poorest and those families gravely affected by the pandemic.

In short, the city response was swift and under the duly established guidelines and the enforcement was very strict which is how it should be done since the lives and safety of people is of primordial importance,” Quitain added.

“Sometimes the deliberate disregard to these protocols of some people cause the virus to multiply and infect the innocent other,” the councilor explained.

More quarantine-related actions Moreover, the City Council on April 4 passed measures mandating all barangay officials to mobilize the government-issued vehicles in their respective barangays to transport persons in need of specialized medical care, treatment, or maintenance during the ECQ period.

It also passed measures penalizing dishonesty or untruthfulness in the declaration of patients who are either confirmed, suspect, or probable Covid-19 cases, to give teeth to the city's

containment protocols.

To ensure the unimpeded access to food and other essential goods, the City Council also passed an ordinance requiring barangay officials to adopt a mobile market system in their areas.

To address the imminent risks of the virus on schoolchildren and students, the City Council passed a resolution urging the Department of Education to prepare learning modules for “homestay study.”

On the other hand, the local legislators also passed several ordinances on the utilization of various establishments as patient care centers.

Councilor Mary Joselle Villafuerte, committee chairperson on health, said the city government studied the best practices of other countries in terms of their pandemic response.

“The people of Davao City helped greatly by following the provisions of the executive orders, resolutions and ordinances passed,” Villafuerte told the PNA. She underscored the importance of passing

Covid-related measures to prevent the spread of the disease, and isolate those who show symptoms, and those who test positive for the virus.

“Through these laws, we are also able to invest in the health sector so that we can prepare and respond properly to future outbreaks,” Villafuerte said.

Vital role In his Facebook posts, Vice Mayor Duterte noted that the local legislative body played a vital role to help both local and national governments manage the Covid-19 crisis better.

Measures passed by the City Council, he said, have not only boosted the chances of local businesses to survive, but also gave relief to residents, especially public and private renters, who were granted a 60 percent reduction on their fees through an ordinance.

“The Council approved Resolutions expressing profound appreciation to all-volunteer doctors conducting “Tawag Kay Doc” Telemedicine of the Davao City Central 911 and to all the donors in the City’s fight against Covid-19,” the vice mayor said. (PNA)

“I’m playing in Orlando because I don’t want to leave any money on the table that could be going directly to black commu-

nities,” Mills said.

At 27-36, the Spurs have only an outside chance of grabbing one of the last Western Confer-

ence playoff berths available.

All 22 teams in the bubble will play eight final regular-season games

to decide the qualifiers for the NBA playoffs. The season was shut down in March with nearly a month remaining.

they continue to help develop the young guys we have, the Jarrett Allens, the Caris LeVerts, Rodi Kurucs, Dzanan Musa, and the list goes on.”

It adds up to a look at veteran players for longterm consideration as the Nets weigh what the roster should look like for the 2020-21 season, with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving back on the court and bringing with them significant expectations.

“I think we’re always

going to be evaluating players, how they will fit with not only with the group that we have now, but the group that’s expected to be part of this team next year and the year after that,” said Marks, “and who’s developed along the way and who’s ready to not only seize this opportunity down here to really get some good minutes but some minutes over the course of the last year.

But the evaluation process is ongoing for sure. Yes, you’re right: We’re evalu-

ating right now for not only this year but next year’s free agency as well.”

The Nets will have to wait to get any additions on the court with a sixday quarantine for players who are arriving separately from the team. That includes Johnson, who did not accompany the team party on Tuesday due to personal reasons. Marks said Johnson is expected in the next few days. When all spots are filled, there will be five new Nets included

in the restart.

“We need to get these guys in front of our coaching staff and in front of each other to be honest,” said Marks. “Somebody joked today if we were going to have them wearing name tags because it is a new roster. That’s important is to get these guys at least on the court together bonding and playing together as soon as they can. Hopefully, we’ll get this squared away in the next couple of days here.”

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Veteran Jamaal Crawford was added to the Nets lineup for Disney.

Nets add Beasley, Crawford

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he Brooklyn Nets landed in Orlando this week with four open roster spots for the NBA restart, and they filled two of them on Thursday with the signings of veterans Michael Beasley and Jamal Crawford.

Beasley has 11 seasons of NBA experience, but had not played at all this season. He last played in 2018-19 with 26 games for the Lakers, his seventh NBA stop, with two stints in Miami, which drafted him second overall in 2008. He has career averages of 12.4

points and 4.7 rebounds per game.

“Ability to score the basketball,” said head coach Jacque Vaughn in reference to Beasley. “At the end of the day we wanted this group to know that we’re here to win basketball games and to maximize this team. So

Michael gives us a chance to put the ball in his hands and he can score from multiple positions. He can play multiple positions for us.

Organizationally we will look at the best talent out there and he presented himself and we’ll definitely take advantage of his talents.”

Crawford entered the NBA as a 20-year-old drafted eighth overall by Chicago in 2000, and turned 40 in March. Over his second decade in the league, he’s been one of the NBA’s most dangerous and dy-

namic bench scorers. He last played with Phoenix in 2018-19, where he scored 51 points in the last game of the season, and he’s averaged 14.6 points in 1,326 career games.

“What Jamal brings to this team is the ability to make shots,” said Vaughn.

“You also get veteran leadership, you get a guy who as hopefully we continue to advance while we’re here has played in high level games and is really comfortable being on the floor and can talk to multiple guys on our bench on how

to be calm and how to enjoy and how to preserve the opportunity that’s presented in front of them.”

There are two remaining available roster spots due to players opting out or unavailable for Orlando due to positive tests for COVID-19, but with the addition of Beasley, Crawford and also guard Tyler Johnson, who was signed in June with Theo Pinson waived to open a roster spot, the Nets have indicated an interest in adding players with NBA experience rather than prioritizing younger, develop-

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Mills will suit up for Spurs

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Patty Mills will donate his entire salary from the rest of the NBA season.

mental prospects.

“I think we look at it like we currently have several young players on our team that are down here in Orlando participating,” said general manager Sean Marks. “Those guys continue their development curve. We’re obviously here to compete. We’re obviously here to…as it stands now we’re in the playoffs, and the objective is to compete as well as we can while we’re down here. And then the players we bring in like I mentioned before, how

an Antonio Spurs guard Patty Mills said Wednesday he will donate his salary from eight upcoming NBA games -- more than $1 million -- to social justice organisations in his homeland.

The 31-year-old Australian standout, who helped the Spurs capture the 2014 NBA crown, said in a social media video his salary for the club’s eight scheduled games in the COVID-19 protected Orlando bubble will go to Black Lives Matter groups.

“I’ve made the decision to go to Orlando,” Mills said.

“And I’m proud to say that I’m taking every cent

earned from these eight games that we’re playing -- which for me will turn out to be $US1,017,818.54 ($A1.45 million) -- and donating that directly back to the Black Lives Matter Australia, Black Deaths in Custody and to a recent campaign that’s called ‘We Got You’ dedicated to ending racism in sport in Australia.”

Mills has been active in social justice movements during his 11 NBA seasons and said the chance to help the causes influenced his decision to play in Orlando, where 22 teams will gather at Walt Disney World in an environment safeguarded from COVID-19.

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PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said coaches and team managers have approved the league’s health and safety protocols for the resumption of training.

ALL IN FOR PROTOCOLS

PBA coaches approves safety protocols for practice

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ith a unanimous vote, coaches of the 12 PBA teams approved the protocol and guidelines that the league has put up following the government’s green light to resume training.

League commissioner Willie Marcial, Deputy Commissioner Eric Castro and Legal Counsel Atty. Melvin Mendoza briefed the coaches and team managers on Friday regarding the safeguards that the PBA will implement to ensure the safety and welfare of players against the coronavirus (COVID-19).

All teams are required to take a COVID test three days before training commences and another testing every 10 days.

A strict hospital standard procedure in disinfection of training facilities will be followed aside from the usu-

al before-and-after group workouts disinfection process.

Players are also required to follow the ‘closed circuit’ method that confine their travel to home-practice facility and back.

“I think the PBA has put up an effective guideline to safeguard the players. It’s just a matter of attitude from the players to maintain it,” said NLEX coach Yeng Guiao.

“I think it’s good.

All we have to do is follow it,” said Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone.

One inquiry in the well-attended meeting according to Marcial is about

when scrimmages would be allowed.

The commissioner said that all suggestions and concerns during the meeting will be relayed to the Board of Governors during its meeting on Saturday.

With the guidelines clear, Guiao said that it will now be the responsibility of the players to adhere to the protocol for everyone’s safety.

“It’s up to them if we intend to keep everyone safe. Everybody should practice discipline at all times if we want this league to survive and likewise protect their livelihood,” Guiao said.

SMB coach Leo Austria said the players must practice the 3 Ds (discipline, determination and dedication) to keep everybody safe.