Edge Davao Volume 13 Issue 43 |Sunday - Monday, May 31 - June 1, 2020

COVID-19 DOUBLE CHALLENGE FOR PEOPLE WITH DIABETES

HEALTH P8

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 43 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, MAY 31-JUNE 1, 2020

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BUSES ARE BACK DCOTT starts provincial bus operations STORY ON PAGE 2

NEW GOLF NORMAL. Wearing a face mask, Dabawenyo businessman Lando Cheng loads his golf bag to a golf cart as he prepares to play a round of golf at the Rancho Palos Verdes Golf and Country Club in Cabantian, Davao City.

The city's golf courses re-opened last Thursday under strict protocols including wearing face masks, carry-your-own-bag and one-cart per person. Contributed photo

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 43 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, MAY 31-JUNE 1, 2020

DOH claims COVID-19 situation in PH improving

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Stranded families in Davao City wait for the vehicle commissioned by their local government unit (LGU) that will bring them back to their home province at the Davao City Overland Transport Terminal (DCOTT) on Saturday. Edge Davao

he Department of Health (DOH) on Friday said that the country’s situation in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic is improving.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said this a day after the DOH reported a record-breaking 539 new COVID-19 cases.

“Hindi po nangangahulugan na lumala ang sitwasyon ng COVID sa bansa,” Vergeire said during a televised briefing.

(This does not mean that the COVID-19 situation in the country has worsened.)

Vergeire said majority of the new cases reported on Thursday were actually patients who tested positive several days or weeks ago.

“Batid namin ang pagiging teknikal ng mga numerong ating ipinalalabas ang isa sa dahilan ng hindi pagkakaunawaan na paminsan pa’y maaaring magdulot ng takot o pangamba na baka muli na naman tayong bumalik sa

ECQ,” she said.

(We understand that the technical nature of the figures we are releasing can result in confusion and may even cause fear that the we might return to ECQ.) After more than 2 months of being under an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and then a modified ECQ, Metro Manila is supposed to be placed under a general community quarantine on June 1. This will effectively ease the restriction on some industries, allowing more people to work and earn a living.

However, a week before the GCQ is set to take effect, a spike in COVID-19 cases was reported by the DOH. This prompted DOH to make a clarification that a relatively small portion (109) of the 539 new cases reported on Thursday recently tested for COVID-19.

“Sa panahong ito gusto po nating i-emphasize na sa desisyon para mag-GCQ marami pong factors ang

tinignan.

Hindi lamang po ang bilang ng mga kaso,” she further explained.

(At this point we want to emphasize that there are many factors considered in the shift to GCQ. It’s not just the number of cases.)

Vergeire said among the factors observed are the number of deaths, which she said have been decreasing.

She also pointed out that the case doubling time for COVID-19 is now at 7 days, an improvement from a month ago. Case doubling time refers to the time needed to double the number of people infected with the disease.

Meanwhile, critical care utilization rate of the country is only at 36%.

This means that the country’s intensive care units are mostly available and are not overwhelmed by COVID-19 cases.

“Maganda ang mga indikasyon ng mga numero, at sinasabi lamang nito na

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DCOTT starts provincial bus operations

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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he Davao City Overland Transport Terminal (DCOTT) starts provincial bus operations on Monday to various routes in Davao Region but each bus is allowed to have one trip per day only.

DCOTT head Aisa Yusop, in an interview, said that a maximum of 25 passengers will be accommodated per bus or approximately half its normal passenger load capacity.

“Ang capacity lang sa bus is a maximum of 25 passengers pero ang mga dako nga bus maka- sakay sila ug 28 passengers,” Yusop said.

Yusop said the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board 11 (LTFRB 11) has provided special permits to two bus companies -- Bachelor Express Davao and Davao Metro Shuttle Bus Company -- to operate and to serve passengers.

Bachelor Express Davao will be serving the following routes: for Davao de Oro route: Davao City to Monkayo, with a scheduled trip at 9 a.m, will have a stopover in Montevista; Davao City to Nabunturan (8 a.m trip) with stopover in Mawab; Davao City to Pantukan (10 a.m.) with

stopover in Maco and Mabini. The bus company’s scheduled trips are from Mondays to Saturdays.

The bus company will also serve the following routes in Davao del Norte: Davao City to Talaingod with stopover in Panabo City, Carmen, Kapalong, Sto. Tomas and Davao City to Tagum City. The trips were scheduled from Monday to Friday.

For Metro Shuttle Bus Company, the following routes will be served: Davao City to New Bataan (9 a.m.) with stopover in the municipality of Compostela Valley; Davao City to Maragusan (9 a.m.) with stopover in Camanlangan; and Davao City to Laak (9a.m.).

For its Davao Oriental route: Davao City to Governor Generoso (8 a.m.) with stopover in Banay-Banay, Lupon, and San Isidro; Davao City to Mati City (9 a.m.) with stopover in Banay-Banay, Lupon and Manikling; Davao City to Bos-

ton (8am) with stopover in Mati City, Tarragona, Manay, Caraga, Baganga, and Cateel. The trips are scheduled from Monday to Friday.

“Pero puwede pud daw

sila makapag-biyahe pagawas ug bus gikan sa ilaha every Saturday,” Yusop said.

For Davao del Sur route, it will be limited only from Davao City to Digos City, 8

a.m. which will be served

by Davao Metro Shuttle.

Yusop said they prepared safety protocols to be implemented for the expected influx of passengers who want to return to

their respective provinces on Monday. There are signages placed inside the terminal and inside the bus to ensure social distancing and passengers are re-

The Davao City Overland Tansport Terminal (DCOTT) is all set to resume operation starting Monday, June 1. Edge Davao

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VOL.13 ISSUE 43 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, MAY 31-JUNE 1, 2020

NEWS

EDGEDAVAO

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Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio receives the 3.5 million donation from the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Davao City, handed by Consul General Li Lin at Davao City Hall on Friday afternoon. CIO

3,635 stranded persons T flown out of Davao City

CSC to gov't offices: Don't require all workers to physically report

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total of 3,635 individuals who had been stranded by the suspension of air, sea and land travels since March have been flown out of Davao City from April 29 to May 28.

Mayor Sara Duterte said during her live interview over Davao City Disaster Radio (87.5) on Thursday that the local government also facilitated the arrival of 2,266 inbound travelers who arrived via land and air travels after being stranded in different parts of the country due to the lockdowns.

The mayor said both inbound and outbound travelers underwent health

screening to ensure no passenger was infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

She said the city facilitated the arrivals of two flights on Thursday and three flights on Wednesday carrying returning overseas Filipino workers.

The flights were sponsored by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), she said .

She said the local gov-

ernment anticipated more OWWA-organized flights as she was told that there were more than a thousand passengers arriving.

She said some of the passengers were not residents of Davao but added the local government coordinated with national agencies to receive and assist them in their return to their respective hometowns.

“We continue to receive them, and then our land borders are still doing the health screening for now.

And even after quarantine, we will still continue doing the health screening as long as there is no cure or vaccine because we should

epartment of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año on Saturday asked local officials to take the lead role in boosting their efforts in the drive against COVID-19, ahead of the shift to a more relaxed General Community Quarantine (GCQ) in the National Capital Region.

In a statement, Año also reminded LGU officials to implement minimum health standards strictly in their communities — such as the use of face masks in public places, curfew implementation, the maintenance of physical distancing in markets and other

public places, and one-passenger rule in tricycles, among others.

Under GCQ, strict measures on movements of people will be relaxed, and Año said local officials are expected to make sure that the freer movement of citizens won’t result in bigger numbers of COVID-19 infection.

“Dapat paigtingin ng mga opisyal sa ating mga lokal na pamahalaan mula sa probinsya hanggang sa mga barangay ang kanilang mga ginagawa para masigurong ligtas ang lahat mula sa pagkalat ng sakit dahil nakasalalay sa inyo na mabawasan ang mga kaso

ng COVID-19 sa inyong komunidad," he said.

Año also reiterated that LGUs must use their authority to impose localized lockdowns in critical barangays, in concurrence with the regional inter-agency task force (IATF).

Also, he pointed out that during the GCQ, local officials are saddled with more accountability and responsibility in the campaign against COVID-19.

Likewise, he urged the public to cooperate with authorities, but they should be willing to report any failure on the part of local chief executives in implementing health measures to protect

not lower or vigilance in looking out for those who manifest symptoms,” she said.

From May 6 to May 26, she said 12 plane passengers failed the health screening. Four tested positive for COVID-19 using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction machine while the eight others were awaiting results of the swab test.

As of Thursday, the Department of Health-Davao recorded a total of 277 confirmed COVID-19 positives with no new cases. Of this total, 135 have recovered and 28 have died.

Davao City reported

the health of their constituents.

Local officials must restudy the local situation, make a plan, and implement localized measures to change behaviors to curtail the further spread of the virus.

“LGUs must also consider new ways of doing business such as, on-line applications of all types of permits, on-line payment systems, use of tele-medicine platforms for their constituents, use of courier services to accept and deliver documents, as well as other innovations,” Año said.

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LGUs to take lead role in protecting communities under GCQ: Sec. Año

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he Civil Service Commission (CSC) on Friday discouraged government agencies from requiring all employees to physically report for work once their areas shift to general community quarantine (GCQ) starting June 1.

During the Laging Handa virtual briefing, CSC Commissioner Aileen Lizada noted that GCQ and modified GCQ (MGCQ) do not equate to a “full” workforce in government offices.

Citing CSC Memorandum Circular 10, series of 2020, Lizada said government agencies may still adopt alternative working arrangements, such as the work-from-home scheme, skeleton workforce, fourday or compressed workweek, and staggered working hours.

“These are still in place.

Huwag po ninyong ipa-100 percent ang mga empleyado sa darating na June 1 (Don’t ask 100 percent of your workforce to report for duty starting June 1),” she said.

Under the memorandum, an agency may adopt other applicable work arrangements considering the prevailing community quarantine in the area where it is located.

Lizada said government workers who are senior citizens, pregnant, and with health conditions must be allowed to work from home.

“To all head of agencies, hindi po ibig sabihin na GCQ or modified GCQ wala nang virus. Mayroon pa rin (To all heads of

agencies, having GCQ or MGCQ does not mean that the coronavirus disease 2019 [Covid-19] is no longer there. It is still there).

It is just the limitation/ leniency on the movement and leniency on transportation. But the virus is still there,” she said. “Senior citizens, pregnant women, those with co-morbidities, kailangan pong work from home sila. Hindi po tayo in full force pag nag-GCQ or MGCQ po tayo. Still, mayroon din po tayong alternative work arrangements (they should work from home. We are still not in full force during GCQ or MGCQ. Still, there are alternative work arrangements).”

In considering work arrangement, Lizada said the “formula” must still be based on safe physical distancing.

Hazard pay At the same time, she clarified that government workers physically reporting to the office will no longer be entitled to hazard pay during GCQ. “Pag nag-GCQ na po tayo, wala na pong hazard pay (Once we are under GCQ, there will be no more hazard pay),” Lizada said, adding it is only given during enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

President Rodrigo Duterte, through Administrative Order 26 signed last March, granted a Covid-19 daily hazard pay of PHP500 to civil servants reporting as part of the skeleton workforce during ECQ. In an earlier address, the chief executive an-

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4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 43 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, MAY 31-JUNE 1, 2020

A hawker selling shrimp waits for customers on his customized tricycle which he uses as mobile store in Central Park, Bangkal, Davao City on Saturday. Edge Davao

Malagos to come up with other crops, develop new products T

Dominguez: PH gov't eyes $16.7-B package to recover from pandemic

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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s agricultural sector continues to get hit hard with the coronavirus pandemic, Malagos Farms is taking measures to cushion the possible decrease in demand by developing new products for the mass market.

Rex Victor Puentespina, a farmer and chocolate maker of Malagos Agri-Ventures Corporation, said the company will come up with other crops to grow in order to promote sustainability and diversity.

He said there is a need to strive to make the farm productive to keep it afloat.

Nevertheless, it will continue to implement GAP (Good Agricultural Prac-

tice) to get good yields.

“For farming (cacao, food crop production) life goes on,” Puentespina said in an email interview.

Malagos has started harvesting cacao last month. He said since it is the start of the low peak season and they are expecting it to last for another two months.

“Next harvest will be in November until January,

which we call the high peak (or, more harvest than low peak),” he said.

Also moving its products from Davao is the company’s biggest challenge because there are no domestic flights. Currently, the company has beans that need to be shipped to other countries but is unable to do so.

Puentespina said they have orders from Spain that cannot be shipped because of logistics issues. He said the current air freight rates from Davao to Manila have doubled which makes it more difficult for the company. He cited that chartered flights now cost P25 to P50 per kilo.

epartment of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez said the government is looking into allowing the operation of barber shops and salons as well as dine-in services in fast food chains and restaurants under general community quarantine (GCQ).

“We are finding ways to strengthen the minimum health protocol that they can institute to limit the transmission. The risk of transmission is the only issue in these sectors. We need to address this issue

so they can resume their operations earlier under GCQ,” Lopez said in his interview on Friday.

He said salons and dinein restaurants are already allowed to operate in areas under modified GCQ, which has more relaxed measures than GCQ, but with limited capacity of up to 50 percent.

“Between the two, preparation of barber shops and salons are advanced.

It’s possible it will be an earlier opening under GCQ,” he said.

Consumer advocate Victorio Mario Dimagi-

ba, president and founder of the Laban Konsyumer Inc. (LKI), said their group has appealed to the House of Representatives Trade Committee to allow senior citizens in dine-in restaurants, hotels, and similar food businesses.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) restricts vulnerable members of the population, including senior citizens, to go outside amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

“I don’t think it will go back to the old rates. On domestic sea freight, I have yet to get more info on the new rates,” he said.

Puentespina, however, observed that there are more China products, which is through Shopee and Lazada, coming in these days rather than domestic products going around on inter-island trade in the country despite having no domestic flights.

“And yet there are a lot of China products coming in. Why is this happening?

Having said that, I am not so worried about the farming side of the business; the world still needs to eat chocolates,” he said.

“LKI made a case that senior citizens can contribute big in the recovery of the restaurant sector,” Dimagiba said in a text message.

However, Lopez said even if an area is under a GCQ status, movement of people is still limited to essential purposes.

“It’s limited to movement of workers as well as individuals to pass to do their errands,” he said.

He added that there will be no time limit in shopping in malls, but the DTI already asked mall operators to in-

DTI studying opening of salons, dine-in restos under GCQ

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he Philippine government is eyeing a stimulus package worth 846 billion pesos ($16.7 billion) to enable a full economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the country’s top economic managers said.

The recovery program now pending before the Philippine Congress also includes a cut in corporate income tax and modernization of the country’s fiscal incentive systems, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez told a meeting of business sector executives Thursday, at which he was joined by other Cabinet members.

“The economy can no longer bear any delay in this reform. Now is the best time to do it,” Dominguez said.

The finance chief called on the business sector to urge lawmakers to pass these reforms so that the small, medium and big companies can rebound from this global pandemic.

To revive the local economy, the government is also pursuing its flagship infrastructure program called Build, Build, Build that includes, among others, extension of the Manila Light Rail Transit System Line 2, funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Two other big-ticket legacy projects, the NorthSouth Commuter Railway and the Metro Manila Subway project also supported by Japan’s official development assistance,

will finally commence this year, according to Vince Dizon, presidential adviser for flagship programs and projects.

The government doubled spending to 461.7 billion pesos in April compared with the same period last year for its various COVID-19 response programs. Revenues, however, fell by 39.17 percent from 308.7 billion pesos in April last year to 187.8 billion pesos last month.

Total collections by the Bureau of Internal Revenue from Jan. 1 to April 30 dipped down to 527.41 billion pesos, or 25.4 percent below last year’s collection over the same period.

Despite the decreased revenue, Dominguez said the Philippines remains “financially able” to meet the unexpected challenges of the pandemic. It also has practiced fiscal discipline and exercised prudence in state spending, he added.

“We expect the economy will recover more strongly once fiscal and monetary stimuli gain traction, and workers and firms resume operations,” central bank governor Benjamin Diokno told the forum, which was organized by the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines and Management Association of the Philippines.

During the same forum, Socioeconomic Planning Acting Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua presented the “Philippine Progreso” or Philippine Program for Re-

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VOL.13 ISSUE 43 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, MAY 31-JUNE 1, 2020

EDGEDAVAO

ECONOMY 5

Local airline companies announce the resumption of their flight operations on Jume 1 after President Rodrigo Duterte eases lockdown and putting the National Capital Region (NCR) under general community quarantine (GCQ).

Edge Davao

Local carriers to resume commercial flights June 1

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fter two months of temporarily halting international and domestic operations, local carriers Philippine Airlines (PAL) and AirAsia Philippines on Friday announced resumption of flight operations on June 1.

This comes after President Rodrigo Duterte eases lockdown, putting the National Capital Region (NCR) under general community quarantine (GCQ).

Davao City, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Pangasinan, Albay will

also be under GCQ, while a modified GCQ would be implemented in the rest of the country.

PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said the carrier would finalize routes and flight schedules, as it coordinates with local and national authorities regarding rules and arrangements.

AirAsia Philippines, on the other hand, would likewise coordinate with aviation authorities and local government units to seek guidelines on the opening

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World Bank approves $500-M loan to boost PH's pandemic response

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he World Bank said Friday it approved a $500 million (P22 billion) loan to help the Philippines mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The fund will help the vulnerable households and will provide financial assistance to small and medium enterprises, the World Bank said in a statement.

“This new financing can help with the delivery of financial support for struggling families and communities while the country is ramping up efforts to contain the pandemic and reduce its economic impact," said Achim Fock, World Bank acting country director for Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand.

The Philippines Emergency COVID-19 Response

Development Policy Loan supports the governments cash aid for the poorest 18 million families, the 4.3 million beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), expatriated overseas workers, and other programs, the bank said.

It will also help small and medium enterprises currently assisted by the government's P51 billion wage subsidy program, it said.

"This swift loan approval underlines the strong international confidence in the government's capability to meet the massive financial requirements of containing this global health emergency," Finance Secretary Carlos Domin-

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Provide transpo solution for employees: DTI chief to firms

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rade Secretary Ramon Lopez has urged companies to provide shuttle services for their employees as more workers are expected to report to their workplace due to the easing of quarantine restrictions starting June 1.

In an interview with CNN Philippines on Friday, Lopez said companies’ shuttle services would help “unload the problem of the public transport.”

Under general community quarantine (GCQ), the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious

Diseases (IATF-EID) has allowed the full operation of businesses except for a few industries, particularly in entertainment, as well as travel and leisure.

However, commuting would be a challenge for the workforce as operations of public transport are limited to observe

minimum health protocols, such as physical distancing.

Lopez noted that it would be in the company’s favor to provide its employees with shuttle services as this would ensure the safety of the workers and easier contact tracing.

He also encouraged companies to house their employees in nearby accommodation facilities.

“Employers would want their workers to go to work, especially if it’s (the) operation type of work. For administrative jobs, they can do

(the) work-from-home (scheme),” Lopez said.

Even under the "new normal", he said, companies would implement alternative work arrangements, such as work from home, compressed work week, and skeleton workforce.

Meanwhile, as more individuals are looking into the use of bicycles in going to work due to limited public transportation, Lopez said the DTI would consider imposing price control on bikes now that sales are increasing.

(PNA)

drop since October 2015.

Aside from the external factor, Asuncion said President Rodrigo Duterte has signed Executive Order (EO) No. 113 that increased by 10 percent the 3 percent tariff on the importation of crude oil and refined petroleum products since the beginning of May. He said farmgate prices of rice continue to increase since last March.

“Consequently, both rice and fuel prices have been critical drivers of price levels in the economy. Thus, UnionBank’s Economic Research Unit

(ERU) expects an uptick of May 2020 headline inflation,” he said.

This projection is within the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) 1.9-2.7 percent forecast for the month.

Meanwhile, Asuncion said that with the expected acceleration of domestic inflation rate, monetary authorities “may have to hold off additional monetary policy rate cuts this Q2 2020 as inflationary pressures linger on amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.”

“The BSP may have to consider its other liquid-

ity tools in addressing the needs of the financial system moving forward.

However, ERU sees 2020 inflation to average 2.8 percent, still within the BSP’s inflation target,” the report added, referring to the government’s 2 to 4 percent target band until 2022.

Since the start of the year, the central bank’s policy-making Monetary Board (MB) has reduced the BSP’s key rates by a total of 125 basis points and bulk of it, totaling 100 basis points, were made last March and

UnionBank eyes May inflation rate at 2.4%

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nion Bank of the Philippines’ (UnionBank) Economic Research Unit forecasts May 2020 inflation to post a faster rate of 2.4 percent from last April’s 2.2 percent due to upticks in rice and oil prices.

In a report, UnionBank chief economist Ruben Carlo Asuncion said the price of oil in the international market “have momentarily stabilized”, a turn-around from the situation in the previous month.

Last April, the transport index posted a 6.1 percent print, the lowest

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6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 43 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, MAY 31-JUNE 1, 2020

ON THE TRANSITION TO MODIFIED GCQ AND GCQ LEVELS OF QUARANTINE: Like what we always say, while we have shifted from various levels of community quarantine, the entire Philippines remains under community quarantine so we need to still follow the measures to avoid the disease.

Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire Department of Health (DOH)

EDITORIAL

Jumping too early?

Did we just jump in too early on relaxing the Covid-19 protocols?

On Friday, the Davao Region closed out with 52 new cases.

As reported by the Department of Health, the 52 new Covid-19 cases were broken down as follows: 30 from Davao City, 12 from Davao Oriental, 9 from Davao del Sur and one from Davao del Norte bringing the total number of infections in the Davao Region to 329.

On the other end of the scale, there were three new recoveries from Davao City.

But the numbers for new cases outweigh the recoveries. In fact, it is very alarming.

As always, the DOH has an explanation to that.

It says the spike in confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) infections was due to the “aggressive validation” of tests conducted in the previous days. The explanation came a day before Davao Region’s 52 new cases when the country recorded the highest single-day increase at 539 on May 28. The DOH said there was a lag to “delays” in the submission of results by laboratories and the manual verification

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NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO Managing Editor

MAYA M. PADILLO Senior Reporter

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

CHRISTIAN JAY H. RAFAL Layout/Cartoons

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 D. MARATAS RICHARD C. EBONA OLIVIA D. VELASCO JASPERSOLANI V. BACSAL General Manager Finance Advertising Specialist VP Operations General Manager JOCELYN S. PANES Director of Sales

process to ensure that each case is a unique individual. It said it is now now coordinating with laboratories across the country to fast-track the validation of data. It expects a continued rise in the numbers as it catches up with the backlog and more tests are conducted nationwide.

As of Thursday, Metro Manila, Davao City, Cagayan Valley, Calabarzon, Pangasinan, and Albay were placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) beginning June 1, while the rest of the country would be put under modified GCQ. But with the ‘spike’, if that may be the appropriate measure, coming down just a few days prior to the change in the quarantine levels, did the government just made a step too fast?

Given the explanation of the DOH, the government’s Inter-Agency Task Force could have at least waited for the so-caled results “lag” to be through before jumping to the new quarantine levels.

Be that as it may, it now falls upon every local government unit to be steadfast in ensuring this ‘spike’ is just a freakish result of the delays in lab results.

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

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ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

SAVING QUEENS, THE THEATRE One of two movie houses that used to grace Bonifacio Street, Davao City, was Queens.

During its heyday, it was advertised as the largest cinema in the Visayas and Mindanao. When its popularity grew, establishments started to sprout across, adjacent, or near the theatre.

Queens theatre, opened in the 1970s, was built on a property first owned by the Guinoo family. It was, however, swapped for a Limso property just across the cinema, in a space that is now occupied by eateries.

As was the trend in the 1980s, Queens had ‘double program,’ which means a ticket holder can view two B—rated movies for the price of one. Most of the films shown then were Hollywood produced flicks. Except in movie houses where X-rated Tagalog flicks or ‘bomba’ films were offered, cinemas in the same category as Queens presented war and love stuffs. Movies at the time was advertised as a form of relaxation.

At a time when families treated movie-viewing as a time for bonding, Queens was in the com-

pany of other cinemas, such as Galaxy, Garnet, Golden, Garmon, Lawaan, Odeon, Eagle, Crest, Tagumpay, New Life, Ideal, Lyric, and Landmark 1 & 2, to name a few.

Historically, the Queen’s lot, prior to its acquisition by the Limso family, hosted a postwar, single-story apartment. Antonio O. Floirendo, the banana mogul, his wife Nenita, and the growing brood occupied a door. One of his neighbors there was Federico Melocoton, who became chief of police of Davao City. Later, when the business flourished, the Floirendo family moved to Juna Subdivision, the city’s first millionaire’s village, in Matina.

The late Floirendo, acknowledged as the country’s top banana exporter, was also known as a political kingmaker in Davao region in the 1970s. Though he did not run for public office, some members of his family eventually joined the political bandwagon.

After the swap, Ricardo Limso, a Mason, promptly constructed an edifice in the former Guinoo property to house the cinema, which he called Queens. Accord-

ingly, the name was a takeoff from the trendy British rock group Queen. The theatre, with an upper-section veranda, was famed for its iconic grand staircase and rail pegs that led moviegoers to the loge section.

(As personal hunch, the name Queens could have been inspired by a borough in New York, which shares border with Manhattan and the Bronx. It is also home of the Unisphere, a metal globe replicated outside the Mall of Asia in Manila. It hosts the world’s busiest airports, namely the John F. Kennedy International Airport, and La Guardia Airport, and the area has a diversified economy.)

Limso, a successful logger and landowner, was the same guy who helped build the Masonic Temple outside Santa Ana wharf.

He principally donated lumber, nails, and cash to construct the first postwar home of Freemasonry in Davao, which started in 1918. The structure has since been demolished after a permanent edifice was built along V. Mapa Street. A hospital along Ilustre Street was named in his

memory.

Affected by the entry of Betamax, laser discs, and digital video discs and the opening of cinemas in mall, Limso decided to close the scarlet curtain and thereafter leased the building to a certain Chua who eventually bought the property in the late 1980s.

On the dark side, the cinema was the scene of the January 14, 1992, grenade-throwing that resulted in the death of two moviegoers and the injury to six others due to the stampede that ensued.

The incident, according to probers, was predicated by a lovers’ quarrel. The authorities did not say how the bomb was squirreled inside.

For nearly two decades, the curtain fell on the movie house. It was rented by a sect which used the building for its religious activities but had to pack up after the building was sold and set for renovation and retrofitting. After an extended lull, the property opened as a commercial edifice under a new owner and management, the Davao DDBP Resources, Inc. To the credit of the new own-

An immersive opportunity:

er, the old name Queens was retained for nostalgic reasons, but its structure is now infused with modern layout that stands out among the buildings along the Bonifacio thoroughfare. On July 10, 2016, the renovated edifice was greeted gleefully.

“People cheered with the pulsing music and strobe lights,” local paper Sun-Star Davao reported, “as the three-colored lights go up and nestled in the old Queens marquee, the burst of light brightened one of the city’s best-known buildings in Davao. Amid showers of snowlike confetti, joyous energy spread through the crowd, people jumped and cheered as a handful of coins and treats flipped in the air to attract prosperity and good luck.”

Housed there today is Focusinc, a New York-based business process outsourcing (BPO) firm and 7-Eleven, a Japanese-owned, US-based convenience store. The BPO firm introduces itself as “catering to small-scale business owners in the [US] particularly in the New York Tristate area.”

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

M

OVERCOMING MIND-KILLER

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8 HEALTH EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 43 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, MAY 31-JUNE 1, 2020

Covid-19 double challenge for people with diabetes

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

W

hile the pandemic caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can affect any healthy person, studies say those with a history of chronic illnesses and medical conditions are deemed to be in a “high risk” category for developing the serious complications.

Diabetes, a lifestyle disorder, is one of them.

“Early studies have shown that about 25% of people who went to the hospital with severe COVID-19 infections had diabetes,” reports the website, webMD. com. “Those with diabetes were more likely to have serious complications and to die from the virus.”

The risk of those with diabetes is even higher if he has also another health condition like heart or lung disease.

“If you get COVID-19, the infection could put you at greater risk for diabetes complications like diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA),” the website states. DKA happens when high levels of acids called ketones build up in the blood. It can be serious.

“DKA can make it challenging to manage your fluid intake and electrolyte levels – which is important in managing sepsis,” the American Diabetes Association (ADA) explains. “Sepsis and septic shock are some of the more serious complications that some people with COVID-19 have experienced.”

In the Philippines, an estimated 7.3 million people have diabetes, with 3.5 million of them diagnosed and the remaining ones undiagnosed. In fact, the country is touted to be a “diabetes hotspot.”

The prevalence of diabetes in adults is 6.2%.

Every 6 seconds, studies

show, one person dies of diabetes complications.

“Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death among Filipinos,” says the Department of Health (DOH), the country’s leading public health government agency.

With COVID-19, more Filipinos with diabetes are expected to die. “People with diabetes are more susceptible to infections, even if we are not in the middle of a pandemic,” Dr. Hajira Dambha-Miller, a British specialist in diabetes, told The Daily Mail.

“Diabetes leads to greater susceptibility to infection because there is more sugar for bugs to grow on and chronic inflammation means the immune system is slower to clear it.”

In the Mail feature, Dr. Dambha-Miller said that it’s harder for the immune system physically to get to the virus. “The virus bugs do a lot of damage before the immune system even realizes it’s there,” she said. “When the body does kick in, it won’t work as it should do. The immune cells are damaged because they’ve been saturated in sugar for years and don’t work the way they should.”

Doctors, however, said diabetics would have better COVID-19 outcomes if they managed their condition properly.

“Your risk of getting very sick from COVID-19 is likely to be lower if your diabetes is well-managed,” ADA states in its website,

diabetes.org. “When people with diabetes do not manage their diabetes well and experience fluctuating blood sugars, they are generally at risk for a number of diabetes-related complications.”

Unfortunately, people with type 1 diabetes are more likely to die of COVID-19 than those with type 2 diabetes, says a study released by the by National Health Service (NHS) England.

“People with type 1 diabetes are three-and-ahalf times more likely to die if they catch COVID-19 than non-diabetics, while type 2 diabetics are twice as like to die as non-diabetics,” wrote Denis Campbell, health policy editor of The Guardian, of a feature based on the NHS study.

Campbell described type 1 diabetes as “the autoimmune form of the disease” while type 2 diabetes is a form “closely linked to being overweight.” In England, almost one in three of all deaths from COVID-19 among people confined in hospital have been associated with dia-

betes, the study found out.

“This research shows the extent of the risk of coronavirus for people with diabetes and the different risks for those with type 1 and type 2 diabetes,” said Prof. Jonathan Valabhji, NHS England’s national clinical director for diabetes and obesity and the study’s lead author.

“Importantly, it also shows that higher blood glucose levels and obesity further increase the risk in both types of diabetes.”

“Diabetes is a lifelong condition that occurs in individuals who may not have enough insulin produced in the body or who does not respond properly to insulin (a hormone released from the pancreas),” explains Dr. Maria Princess Landicho-Kanapi of the Philippine Center for Diabetes Education Foundation, Inc. Actually, there are two forms of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes (also known as insulin-dependent diabetes) is caused by a reduction in the level of insulin. The body’s immune system destroys the insulin-produc-

ing cells in the pancreas, causing insulin deficiency.

As a result, individuals with this type of diabetes need regular insulin injections to maintain glucose control.

In contrast, type 2 diabetes (also called as non-insulin-dependent diabetes) arises in the first instance not because there is a lack of insulin, but because the body fails to respond to circulating insulin effectively. This condition is known as insulin resistance. For this reason, newly diagnosed individuals do not require insulin injections.

“If you look at the spread of the scourge around the world, Type 2 diabetes occurs as a country advances technologically, when people come out of the fields to sit behind desks,” notes Dr. Irwin Brodsky, director of the Diabetes Treatment Program at the University of Illinois in Chicago.

The International Diabetes Federation (IDF), an umbrella organization of over 230 national diabetes associations in 170 countries and territories, urges people with diabetes to take necessary precautions to avoid being infected with SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

All the standard precautions to avoid infection that have been widely issued to the general public – like frequent hand washing, wearing face mask, physical distancing, and covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or elbow – must be strictly followed and observed.

ADA also urges to pay attention to potential COVID-19 symptoms. The most common symptoms are fever, dry cough, and tiredness. Less common symptoms include aches and pains, sore throat, diarrhea, conjunctivitis, headache, loss of taste or

smell, and a rash on skin, or discoloration of fingers or toes.

The serious symptoms are difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, and loss of speech or movement.

On average, it takes 5-6 days from when someone is infected with the virus for symptoms to show, however, it can take up to 14 days.

“Older people and people with pre-existing medical conditions (such as diabetes, heart disease and asthma) appear to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the COVID-19 virus,” IDF states. “When people with diabetes develop a viral infection, it can be harder to treat due to fluctuations in blood glucose levels and, possibly, the presence of diabetes complications.”

People with diabetes who feel like they are developing some of the symptoms mentioned earlier, they need to call their doctor. When they call, ADA suggests that they have their glucose and ketone reading available, keep track of their fluid consumption and report, cleared on the symptoms (like nauseated or just a stuff nose?), and inquire on how to manage the diabetes.

However, if the person with diabetes has develop the serious symptoms, he or she needs to get medical attention immediately.

With COVID-19 still far from being beaten, doctors are urging people with diabetes to manage their condition well. “People who are already have diabetes-related health problems are likely to have worse outcomes if they contract COVID-19 than people with diabetes who are otherwise healthy, whichever type of diabetes they have,” ADA stresses. – ###(Photos taken from the net)

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 43 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, MAY 31-JUNE 1, 2020

UNION BANK... FROM5

April to help buoy the economy from the impact

of the global pandemic.

(PNA)

guez III said.

The World Bank previously approved several financial packages to help the country in its coronavirus response. The group will deploy more than $160 billion in financial support over the next few months to help countries protect the poor, support businesses and boost economic re-

covery, it said.

Metro Manila will be under general community quarantine starting June 1 to gradually restart the economy. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno earlier said the country needs fresh funds for the "new economy" which is focused on job creation.

of domestic airports.

In an advisory, AirAsia Philippines announced its plan to gradually resume commercial operations by June 1.

The government announced it would allow domestic flights between areas under GCQ. It also eyes to expand operations in international gateways such as Clark, Cebu, and Davao.

A "new normal" is ex-

pected once flight operations resume. Among these include wearing of face mask when entering the airport facility; undergoing mandatory body temperature check before entering the airport complex; and strict observance of safe physical distancing measures.

Airlines would also require passengers to wear a face mask even when inside the aircraft. (PNA)

covery with Equity and Solidarity, which aims to “once and for all bring the coun-

try on a sure and better path of prosperity where no one is left behind.”

nounced the shift to GCQ of Metro Manila, Davao City, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Pangasinan, and Albay starting June 1.

As government offices resume work in GCQ areas, the CSC in a previous statement called on agencies to undertake the “necessary preparations.”

“While the government’s efficiency and responsiveness remain inviolable in the middle of this Covid-19 pandemic, this must be balanced with the need to protect the safety and health of the public sector workforce,” it said.

Support mechanisms, such as health/psychosocial interventions, provision of personal protective equipment to employees, and reasonable transportation facilities and housing quarters, should be made available to government workers, it added.

No automatic passing marks Meanwhile, Lizada belied posts circulating on social media claiming all civil service examinees, both professional level and sub-professional level, will automatically get passing

grades.

“Ito po ay 101 percent fake news, kasi kinakailangan po ang pagpasok po sa gobyerno ay (because entering government service) must be based on merit and fitness. What kind of government servant will you become if, at this early stage, you do not verify (such fake news)?” she said.

Lizada advised all government workers and the public to verify before sharing any information.

“You have a corresponding responsibility and duty to check your resources, verify your resources,” she said.

On the next Civil Service examination, Lizada said the CSC is currently working on practical ways to file applications instead of the usual physical handling of paper.

“We are thinking of online filing, online na lahat (everything is online) – not the exam proper but the process of applying for the exam. Please bear with us.

We are restructuring the how many years of pen and paper exam na twice a year po (that is given twice a year),” she said. (PNA)

WORLD BANK... FROM5

LOCAL... FROM5

DOMINGUEZ... FROM4 CSC... FROM3

3,635... FROM3

253 cases, the highest not only in the region but the entire Mindanao. Davao del Norte reported 14, Davao del Sur 3, Davao de Oro 2, Davao Oriental 3, and Davao Occidental 2.

(Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)

PSC... FROM11

added.

Recently, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) adopted the DepEd recommenda-

tion to set the opening of both public and private schools on August 24.

Malacañang said the school calendar has been moved to stop the spread of Covid-19. (PNA)

9

GSIS grants Php10.12B in loans to over 200k gov’t employees, pensioners nationwide

A

Of the Php10.12 billion, Php4.78 billion (47%) was released in the form of emergency loan while Php5.34 billion (53%) was disbursed through consolidated Loan (conso-loan), policy loan and pension loan.

Conso-loan, policy loan and pension loan are regular loans offered by GSIS that may be availed of anytime by qualified borrowers while emergency loan is for those affected by disasters in regions or provinces declared as calamity areas by the government. The

COVID-19 Emergency Loan, launched last April 13, was the first emergency loan window opened

by GSIS on a national scale after President Duterte declared a state of public health emergency in the entire country.

Early in May, GSIS enhanced the features of the COVID-19 Emergency Loan program by increasing the credit limit to Php40,000. The increase will enable members to renew their loan even if they have not yet made any payment in their previous emergency loan

account such as the victims of the Taal Volcano eruption in January this year. For those who have no prior emergency loan or outstanding balance in their previous loan, the loanable amount is Php20,000.

GSIS also allowed members to qualify for the emergency loan even if they have incurred arrears from their previous emergency loan, and they have due and demandable accounts from other loans.

In addition, the pension fund reduced the required premium payment (government and personal share) to be able to qualify for the loan – from six months to three months within the last six months before the application date.

To avail of the loan, GSIS members may either submit their loan applications via email or apply through the GSIS Wireless Automated Processing

PFL season, to a general community quarantine (GCQ) by June 1.

“Hopefully, with plans to ease the lockdown from ECQ to GCQ, then we can present something to the IATF regarding football,” Araneta said.

The Metro Manila Council unanimously approved a recommendation to be submitted to the IATF for the implementation of the GCQ although with a possibility of keeping transport restrictions on jeepneys and buses.

Meanwhile, Laguna residents await the decision of Governor Ramil Hernandez if he would recommend the GCQ implementation as well, although the city government of Biñan, home of Stallion Laguna, made an online public consultation to its citizens regarding GCQ earlier this month.

However, Araneta added that the PFF is eyeing only one pitch as the battleground for PFL 2020.

“We only have one venue that we are seeing for safety, and that’s [the PFF National Training Centre in] Carmona. Even for the practice sessions, it will be there,” he bared.

Since it was opened on Sept. 9, 2017, the pitch has become an alternate venue for PFL matches especially for the clubs which are doing some cost-cutting measures, making it a feasible option should the league go away with the homeand-away format for this season due to Covid-19.

Another factor that led to the PFF choosing its training grounds for the PFL matches is the decision of the Cavite provincial government to downgrade its status to GCQ by May 15.

A third factor that came in is the concerns regarding the Rizal Memorial Stadium (RMS) here and the Biñan Football Stadium

(BFS).

Both pitches are situated just near the Rizal Memorial Coliseum and the Alonte Sports Arena, respectively, which are currently used as quarantine facilities.

“We don’t want to be near that area, because the player may be also not comfortable,” Araneta said.

About choosing the PFF NTC, he said, “it has to be a controlled environment muna (first), so if it’s just one venue, then it’s easier for us to put everything in place”.

Araneta bared that he had talked to Stallion Laguna president and head coach Ernie Nierras about the situation.

Araneta said Nierras would consult the Biñan city government since the local government unit and the club already have a mutual agreement on using the BFS as home.

However, Araneta said he was open to having Stallion Laguna hold its home games at the BFS “as soon as we get the assurance that everything will be alright”.

‘Raring to go’ On the other hand, Araneta indicated that the PFF has been keen on pushing through with the PFL season, the fourth since taking over from the defunct United Football League as the top tier domestic football league.

“We have been very busy talking to our colleagues in ASEAN and Asia regarding the ways to start football in a particular country. We have exchanged notes,” Araneta said.

He bared that he received a guideline from the ASEAN Football Federation on how to push through with a national league, and he may also present it to GAB and possibly to the In-

ter-Agency Task Force.

“The guideline that they have given so far has been only in the office,” Araneta said.

He cited the cases of Germany, Spain, Vietnam, and South Korea, whose respective football seasons are back in full swing.

The German Bundesliga and South Korea’s K-League resumed play, while Vietnam commenced with its domestic cup with its league kicking off on June 5.

The Spanish LaLiga Santander, on the other hand, is also set to resume in June, and Araneta revealed that the said league also handed PFF its Covid-19 protocol.

He commended the Bundesliga and LaLiga Santander for resuming play despite their respective countries being among the worst hit by Covid-19 worldwide and even said that the PFL should commence despite the growing Covid-19 concerns in the Philippines.

“I don’t see any reason why we cannot also open our league as long as we practice safety for our players,” Araneta said, adding that the footballers are “raring to go to practice again”.

No ‘Copa’ this year However, while he hopes that both GAB and IATF will give the PFL the go-signal to finally get into action, he added that the same cannot be said with the Copa Paulino Alcantara.

“We will push through with the PFL if they will allow it, but with the shortened tournament, I don’t think we can have the Copa Alcantara,” Araneta said.

This will mark the first time since it was instituted in 2018 that the “Copa”, the de facto national cup where the PFL clubs also play in, will not be taking

s of May 13, the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has granted a total of Php10.12 billion in loans to more than 200,000 active members and pensioners nationwide for 2020. This was reported today by Rolando Ledesma Macasaet, President and General Manager of the state pension fund.

JULY... FROM12

System (GWAPS) kiosks located in all GSIS branch and extension offices; provincial capitols; city halls; selected municipal offices; large government agencies such as the Department of Education; and selected Robinsons and SM Malls. Once the loan is approved, the proceeds will be directly credited to the Unified Multi-Purpose ID (UMID) card or temporary eCard account of the borrower.

The availment period for the COVID-19 Emergency Loan is until July 12, 2020.

Members and pensioners who have inquiries on GSIS loan programs may visit the GSIS website, www.gsis.gov.ph or GSIS Facebook Page, @gsis.ph; or call the GSIS Contact Center at 8847-4747 (if in Metro Manila) or 1-8008-847-4747 (for Globe and TM subscribers) and 1-800-10-847-4747 (for Smart, Sun, and Talk ‘N Text subscribers). /30/

place.

For the past two editions, the champion of the said tournament earns an outright place in the AFC Cup group stages, but for this year, should it push through, the “Copa” winner could have clinched a spot in the qualifier for next year’s AFC Champions League tournament.

It is now likely that the PFL will now have the second placer in the season to qualify for the AFC Champions League play-ins.

The said clause serves as a “back door” if in case the league champion also happens to be the cup champ, thereby getting the domestic double like what Ceres Negros did last year when it won both the PFL and the “Copa” titles.

Kaya Iloilo, which placed second in the league and interestingly enough finished runner-up to Ceres Negros in the “Copa” final, went on to the AFC Cup group stages this year.

Qatar Airways still has PFL’s back Meanwhile, Araneta assured that Qatar Airways, the new major sponsor of the league, will keep on supporting it and said that it is ready to fix everything again once the league gets approved to play.

“We just have to advise them again that our league will start, and they have actually asked us to inform them again,” he said.

“Once we have the approval of the IATF, then we can communicate again, and they’re still willing to sponsor the league because we have a contact already.”

Earlier this year, Qatar Airways was formally announced as the primary sponsor for the PFL as the airline company seeks further global marketing in line with Qatar’s hosting of the FIFA World Cup in 2022. (PNA)

10 EDGEDAVAO

BUSES... FROM2

quired to be seated a seat apart.

She said the management of DCOTT also created a system to avoid crowding of passengers inside the terminal.

“Maglinya ang mga pasahero sa gawas sa terminal ug ang atoang mga bus operators will provide them contact tracing forms to be filled up by the passengers.

Then ang bus operator will provide the control (seat) number to a passenger to be shown to the guards to provide them entry.

The control number will also serve as seat number. Be sure magdala ta ug sariling ballpen para dili nata manghiram sa lain pasahero,” she said.

Hand washing area will be set up, foot bath will be provided before the passenger and personnel of Task Force Davao will be deployed in the terminal to check passengers’ temperature using digital thermal gun before they are allowed to hop on the bus.

“Pagsulod sa mga pasahero, nagbutang mi ug stand para sa hand sanitizer,” she said.

For those passengers who are off-loaded due to the passenger limit, they are instructed to approach the table of the bus oper-

ators and register their names so that they will be prioritized on the next trip.

Meanwhile, for buses coming in to Davao City, the inspection and rapid testing of the passengers will be conducted at TF checkpoints.

“Pag-abot sa terminal dili pa pakana-ugon ang mga pasahero kay mag-hulat pa ta nga mutawag tong checkpoint and inform us nga ang passengers sa bus are all clear ug walay nag-positive. That is the time nga ablihan ang pultahan sa bus aron makagawas na ang mga pasahero.

Kung naay mag-positive, i-hold nato siya ug ang taga City Health Office (CHO) na ang mu-conduct sa ilahang procedure pagahimoon sa passenger nga nag-positive,” Yusop said. “Manawagan ta sa atong mga pasahero nga musakay dinhi sa atong terminal nga sakripisyo gamay ug gamay pailob ilabi na nga wala ta masayod gyud kung apil ba ta sa 25 nga makasakay sa biyahe anang adlawa. Ang buhaton nato magpalista ta kay naa man sa gawas ang atoang mga bus operators para on the following day kamo na pud ang makasakay. Ikaduha, muhangyo lang ta dili ta magdala ug daghang mga butang."

basta lahat tayo tulong-tulong, magbubunga ang ating mga paghihirap, pananatili sa bahay, at pagtitiyaga,” Vergeire said.

(These numbers indi-

cate something good and they show that as long as we work together, our sacrifices, perseverance and decision to stay at home will bear fruit.)

BUSES... FROM2

VOL.13 ISSUE 43 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, MAY 31-JUNE 1, 2020 NOTICE OF LOSS/THEFT/DESTRUCTION/ MUTILATION/DEFACEMENT Notice is hereby given of the loss/theft/destruction/ mutilation/defacement of the following AGRARIAN REFORM/ LANDBANK BONDS on (date) __________.

Registered Owner ANTONIO L. LABAD ANTONIO L. LABAD

Serial No. AR-0018205 AR-0018206

Face Value 344,734.60 32,862.78

Any person/entity other than the registered owner who has claim/ interest on the above Bond/s is requested to notify immediately the BOND SERVICING DEPARTMENT, Land Bank of the Philippines, 26th Floor, Land Bank Plaza, M.H. Del Pilar cor Dr. Quintos St., Malate, Manila. Any such claim presented on this/these bond/s after the period of two (2) years counting from the date of the fourth publication of this Notice shall no longer be entertained. NOTARY PUBLIC ATTY. FATIMA IRENE T. ADIN. March 06,2020 *First, Second, Third or Fourth, as the case may be.

Doc. No.253; PageNo.152; Book No.184; Series of 2020.

DTI... FROM4

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late GLORIA G. ALDAY who died on August 7, 2005 at Davao City, Philippines has been the subject of EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE executed by Maria Loretta Cabrera-Balbuena, as the sole and only heir of the deceased per Doc. No.196; PageNo.41; Book No.XXII Series of 2020, of the NOTARY PUBLIC ATTY.MOHAMMAD JAMALUDIN A. GUINOMLA.

crease their air conditioning temperature from the usual, and Wi-Fi connection should not be available for mall-goers to avoid loitering and hanging out inside the mall.

Lopez said theaters, entertainment, travel, and other leisure activities are still not allowed under GCQ. Traveling for tourism and leisure purposes will resume in the next phase,

he added.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday has approved the IATF-EID recommendation to place Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Cagayan

Valley, Pangasinan, Albay, and Davao City under GCQ starting June 1, while the rest of the country will be under MGCQ status or the transition period for the ‘new normal’. (PNA)

Moreover, he reminded local officials to prepare to deploy more police personnel and barangay tanods and other force multipliers in places where crowds always gather, to ensure public order and monitor physical distancing and bio-safety compliance in those places.

These places include banks, ATMs, supermarkets, public markets, drug

stores, and pharmacies, clinics, and other places frequented by people for their basic needs, he added.

While he said that the government is winning the war on COVID-19, he also pointed out that local officials must be on guard against anything that will cause a spike in cases in their communities.

He assured local executives: “The National

Government will provide all your needs but you will have to give more energy and dedication in these times when we make our people survive and emerge resilient from this crisis."

President Rodrigo Duterte placed Metro Manila under GCQ beginning June 1.

Duterte added that Davao City will remain under GCQ, while Regions 2,

3, 4A, and the provinces of Pangasinan and Albay will also be placed under GCQ "until we have reviewed the general situation."

Cebu City will be under a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ), while Iloilo City and Baguio City will be under GCQ. The rest of the country will be placed under a modified GCQ, the President added.

LGUS... FROM3

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VOL.13 ISSUE 43 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, MAY 31-JUNE 1, 2020

11

Athletes, coaches to get discounts

T PSC Chairman William“Butch”Ramirez made a strong recommendation for Physical Education to be retained in the school curriculum.

PSC, DepEd agree on PE under ‘new normal’

P

hilippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William Ramirez has received positive feedback from Education Secretary Leonor Briones on his endorsement to retain Physical Education (PE) in the school curriculum under the “new normal” amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) outbreak.

Ramirez said Briones assured him that she would fight for the retention of PE in the national education system curriculum.

“PE is an important part of our children’s education. It is so important that I believe it should become a core subject,” he said in a statement on Thursday.

Ramirez submitted his position paper to the Department of Education (DepEd) after Senator Sherwin Gatchalian proposed to temporarily remove some subjects, among them PE, due to

Covid-19.

Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts, and Culture, has reportedly proposed to retain only “key subjects”, such as Math, Science, English, and Reading, in the coming school year.

“We have chosen to let the tide of negative criticism pass, believing that the comment was done with the best interest of other matters in mind and was not meant to minimize Physical Education,” Ramirez said in his letter to Briones.

He added that he wrote

NBA targets July 31 restart

N

BA Commissioner Adam Silver has informed the league's Board of Governors that he hopes to restart the season on July 31, the Athletic reported on Friday.

The NBA was the first North American sports league to suspend its season due to the COVID-19 pandemic after one of its players tested positive for the new coronavirus in mid-March.

When asked by Reuters to comment on the Athletic report, an NBA spokesman said the league had "nothing to confirm at this point."

The Athletic said the NBA discussed four competition scenarios, ranging from all 30 teams com-

pleting a reduced 72-game regular season to having the top 16 teams go directly to the playoffs.

It is unclear where the games would be played or whether spectators would be allowed to attend.

Last week the NBA said it was in talks with The Walt Disney Company about restarting its suspended season at Disney World in Florida in late July.

The potential plan would see the league hold games at a single site, the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, a sprawling athletic complex inside the Orlando resort that has three arenas, hotels and would allow the league to limit outside exposure.

Briones since “as head of the government’s sports agency, it is incumbent upon me to present our position on the issue.”

Despite the restrictions imposed during the pandemic, the PSC has stayed active in sharing information on sports, such as online workouts by national team members, webinars on online training, sports nutrition, and sports psychology, through different online platforms to reach the athletes and the public.

Senator Pia Cayetano is also pushing for the inclusion of PE among the classes to be offered under the DepEd’s proposed blended learning modalities for the “new normal”.

“Physical well-being is something we cannot simply set aside, especially in this time of Covid-19. We need to keep promoting Physical Education and regular exercise among our children,” Cayetano said.

She made the statement on May 14 at the

virtual hearing of the Senate Committee on basic education committee on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the country’s education system.

Cayetano urged DepEd officials to come up with innovative ways to ensure that PE subjects would continue to be taught to students and tailored to different grade levels.

She suggested educational programs that promote regular exercise among children, as this could lead to many health benefits and potentially prevent respiratory illnesses.

“Physical Education does not have to take up too much space. Government channels can easily air these kinds of shows for students. There are many things that can be done. What matters is we do not disregard PE and the need to teach our children the importance of taking care of their health while at home,” Cayetano

FPSC, P9

he Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) said the country's athletes and coaches will be getting discounts on a number of purchases beginning next month.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue detailed the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act 10699, or the National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act, giving beneficiaries a 20-percent discount on items such as food, medicine, recreation centers, hotels, and sports equipment purchases.

“We have been looking forward to this and we are thankful that our athletes and coaches will finally enjoy the privilege they deserve,” said William “Butch” Ramirez, Philippine Sports Commission chairman who confirmed the development during the sports body’s board meeting on Friday.

Those qualified will be required to first present an ID and a booklet to the business establishment as proof, similar to senior citizens.

The PSC is said to be preparing the booklets, while IDs have been issued.

According to the BIR, private businesses that grant the discounts will be given tax deductions.

“Double discounts” cannot be claimed, the bu-

reau added, which means athletes and coaches who are senior citizens or persons with disabilities can only avail of one incentive.

Businesses that do not comply with the IRR will face fines or imprisonment.

The revenue regulation was approved by Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez on Wednesday.

According to the regulation, the discounts will cover: Domestic air and sea transportation, and any public utility transportation Hotels, resorts and similar businesses, including amenities based in said establishments Restaurants, although the beneficiaries’ bill will be separated from companions not eligible for the incentive Recreation centers, such as workout gyms and yoga centers Prescription and non-prescription medicine approved by the Food and Drug Administration of the Philippines Sports equipment Admission fees to theaters, cinema houses, concert halls and museums.

The regulations will take effect within 15 days after publication in the Official Gazette or in any two newspapers of general circulation.

National athletes and their coaches will be getting discounts from purchases starting on June.

The NBA's campus-type single venue will be at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida.

12 SPORTS

JULY START EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 43 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, MAY 31-JUNE 1, 2020

PFF to submit protocols to GAB for possible PFL return

T

The Philippine Football League is eyeing a return on July.

he Philippine Football Federation (PFF) is set to submit its “new normal” protocols to the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) very soon as it now eyes a July start for the Philippines Football League (PFL) season.

PFF president Nonong Araneta said on Wednesday night that he was to receive the protocols from Secretary-General Ed Gastanes for a review, and would submit it to GAB as soon as possible once he approves the said guidelines.

“Kung masa-submit namin sa (If we can submit it to) GAB this week or by [Thursday], and if GAB will endorse it to IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases), then we can start the practice session by June 15.

After one month of practice, we start [on] July 15 if it’s favorable to us,” Araneta said during the Eat, Sleep, Breathe Football podcast.

Araneta added that there would be a separate protocol for training and another one for the matches.

He said he would seek help

from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) so that the PFL can finally start after three postponements due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

“We would like to solicit the support of the PSC so that our league will open or [at least] the teams can practice already,” Araneta added.

Araneta hopes that no player will contract Covid-19 once training resumes, confident that he can get clearance for a PFL season start if all the footballers remain Covid-19 free after a lengthy period.

“If there’s no case of COVID-19 during the practice sessions--let’s say three or four weeks of practice sessions--then it’s probably wiser to open the league,” he said.

Currently, sporting events like the PFL are only allowed in places under a modified GCQ. ‘Battle of Carmona’ The PFF’s latest move is in line with the possibility of downgrading the lockdown status of Metro Manila and Laguna, two provinces that were initially set to mainly host the

FJULY, P9