Manila Standard - 2020 April 22 - Wednesday

COVID-19 PH

SQUEEZE PLAY.

AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM APRIL 21)

6,599

NUMBER OF CASES

437 (9 new) DEATHS

654 (41 new)

VOL. XXXIV • NO. 63 • 2 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

RECOVERIES

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Unmindful of the danger by not following social distancing, marketgoers flock to the flea market on Marzan Street in Sampaloc beside Trabajo market in Manila. They did not mind the presence of the police Special Action Force—with some arriving on armored personnel carriers (inset) and others pleading for people to stay indoors—as the city government was poised to implement a 48-hour total lockdown in the district starting Thursday night.

Danny Pata and Norman Cruz

NEW CASES

D-Day on lockdown: April 23

Until then, Duterte agonizes over the issue: maintain, modify, lift

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Vito Barcelo

Develop cure vs. COVID, get P10-m reward

P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will decide whether to extend or modify the Enhanced Community Quarantine in Luzon on Thursday, April 23, to give Filipinos enough time to prepare for possible changes, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go said Tuesday.

By Vito Barcelo, Francisco Tuyay and Macon Ramos-Araneta PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is offering a P10-million reward to any Filipino who will discover a vaccine against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Palace Spokesman Harry Roque said Tuesday.

“First of all, because it is public enemy, this COVID-19, not only here in the Philippines but around the world, the President already announced to the public that he would give P10- million reward to any Filipino who could discover a vaccine against COVID-19,” Roque said in a virtual press briefing.

The World Health says at present, there is no vaccine or a specific antiviral Next page

Infected frontliners in PH ‘worrisome’

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz THE “worrisome” trend of more healthcare workers getting infected with the new coronavirus in the Philippines, compared to the rest of the Western Pacific region, should be arrested, the World Health Organization warned on Tuesday.

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AGONIZING. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte holds a meeting with members of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Malago Clubhouse in Malacañang on Monday night. Presidential Photo

SAF deployed as ECQ abuses still rampant

By Francisco Tuyay, Willie Casas and Joel E. Zurbano SPECIAL Action Force commandos will be deployed in 10 areas in Metro Manila, where violations of home quarantine and physical distancing

are rampant, a top police official said Tuesday.

Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, commander of the Joint Task Force Corona Virus Shield said the deployment of police commandos has been approved by Philippine National Police chief Gen. Archie

Gamboa, whose instruction is to ensure that the guidelines of the Enhanced Community Quarantine to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus are strictly enforced “anytime, anywhere.”

Eleazar said a total of 116 SAF Next page

Romualdez calls for public support to fight pandemic

By Maricel V. Cruz

WHO chief Tedros Ghebreyesus

HOUSE Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez on Tuesday called for the people’s support for the initiatives taken by the administration to fight

COVID-19, saying the menace can only be defeated through everyone’s cooperation.

He made the statement at the resumption of the Defeat COVID-19 Committee technical working group meeting of the economic stimulus

package cluster.

Romualdez was one of the key leaders who led the recovery of Tacloban City and Region VIII from the onslaught of killer Typhoon “Yolanda” in 2013.

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President Duterte will meet with the country’s coronavirus pandemic task force on the same day, said Go. There is a possibility the ECQ will be modified, the President’s former aide added.

This developed as none of the health experts that Duterte consulted pushed for a total lockdown in Luzon to slow the spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19), the Palace said Tuesday.

In a televised briefing, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said most of the experts said if the enhanced quarantine is extended beyond April 30, it should not cover the whole of Luzon.

“The recommendation was to maintain, relax, or lift the ECQ in different areas, depending on the number of COVID-19 cases,” Roque said in Filipino.

Roque said the President asked the e x p e r t s about the possible Next page

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2020

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WHO: Nothing to hide from US G ENEVA, Switzerland—The World Health Organization has insisted it sounded the alarm on the novel coronavirus right from the very start and had hidden nothing from Washington about the deadly pandemic.

The insistence coincided with reports from Washington President Donald Trump would temporarily ban immigration to the United States because of the “Invisible Enemy”—the coronavirus—with angry Americans taking to the streets to demand an end to crippling lockdowns.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Monday there were

no secrets at the UN agency after being blasted by the United States for allegedly downplaying the initial COVID-19 outbreak in China.

“We have been warning from day one that this is a devil that everyone should fight,” Tedros told a virtual briefing in Geneva.

In just four months, the virus has

turned the world upside down, confining half the planet indoors and killing nearly 170,000 and infecting some 2.4 million on its march through virtually every country.

Drastic measures never before seen in peacetime have shredded the global economy, resulting in the extraordinary spectacle of oil prices turning negative as demand evaporates.

Immigration halt World leaders are agonizing over the right moment to loosen restrictions, terrified of a second wave but aware their citizens need to work and live amid growing signs of social tension.

Trump, who has encouraged anti-

D-Day...

warned that if restrictions are relaxed before storng systems are in place to identify, isolate and care for the sick and to trace their contracts, a resurgence of COVID-19 cases is likely.

“I’m sure nobody wants to see another spike but lifting restrictions so soon,” WHO Regional Director for Western Pacific Dr. Takeshi Kasai said.

In a virtual press conference, Kasai said the lifting of lockdown needs to be done gradually.

He said decision on the lifting or easing of a lockdown should be guided by public health principles.

Kasai added that any lifting of restrictions should be done in a gradual, phased manner.

“We should always remember why we’re doing this.. we’re doing this to keep the number... [of infections lower so that] health care facilities can manage.

And we’re doing this to really make sure the vulnerable are protected,” the WHO official said.

Kasai reiterated that this COVID-19 battle is going to be a long one and it”s really important time for people to think about a new way of living.

Senators on Tuesday backed a modified ECQ after the quarantine period ends on April 30.

Senator Joel Villanueva said there are several things the government should consider in deciding on whether to lift or to extend the quarantine.

Based on the data presented by the UP COVID Response Team, he said there are areas in Luzon where quarantine can be lifted because they are far from having an outbreak.

In areas like Metro Manila, Cebu, Bulacan and Davao City, Villanueva cited the need to look at economic considerations in exempting some

sectors from the quarantine but with the caveat that they will practice the social distancing, hand washing and sanitizing protocols and regular random testing in these sectors.

He noted that the UP School of Economics refers to this sector as the super spreaders.

“They have high impact on the economy but also have high impact in spreading the disease,” Villanueva said.

“We can let them operate but on the condition that they will comply with very strict protocols,” he said.

He cited as examples the construction, logistics and food production sectors.

Senator Juan Edgardo Angara it sounds like a reasonable compromise.

He said ports are open and operating and food should be free to move around the country as an absolute essential.

“Whatever the decision of the President is must be announced with some lead time especially if it involves some lifting or relaxation of the ECQ since preparations must be made on the ground,” he added.

Senator Manny Pacquiao said the lifting of the ECQ would depend on the country”s mass testing capacity.

“My personal opinion is unless we have conducted mass testing among Filipinos, it would be better to extend the ECQ even just a little longer for the safety of the public,” he said.

Senators Panfilo Lacson, Sherwin Gatchalian and Go opted for a modified ECQ that is still compliant with social distancing..

“While we value the primacy of life and public health, it cannot be denied that the country”s economy should not be ignored,” Lacson said.

He proposed that a risk assessment

and action plan be conducted to produce a clearer picture of the impact of an extended lockdown moving forward to a post-April 30 scenario or even after.

Lacson cited data from the UP School of Economics, which showed that 70 percent of the country”s workforce are in the micro, small and medium enterprises, which account for at least 30 percent of the economy In Metro Manila alone, he said at least 250,000 people from that sector are suffering from lost income.

Gatchalian said the enforcement of a modified ECQ should still depend on the analysis and recommendations of public health and medical experts, as well as scientists, and the flattening of the country”s COVID-19 curve.

Modifying the ECQ should also depend on whether or not the country”s testing capacity nationwide could reach from 15,000 to 20,000 per day.

Go said he favors extending the ECQ in the National Capital Region beyond April 30 due to the increasing cases of COVID-19 here.

Go said additional data can now be obtained from cities with the country’s testing capacity increased.

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said he expects that the ECQ could be extended while areas that do not have any transmission of the disease can be placed under a modified community quarantine.

“Lifting the lockdown in certain areas with low or no transmission will allow people to work, earn and provide for their families. That will help in restarting our economy,” he added.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said an extension of the ECQ would be possible if mass testing would not be implemented immediately.

Jonvic Remulla said he sought the military’s help because about 10 percent of the province’s residents “disobey it and could spread the respiratory disease.”

“It’s infuriating! If the guidelines and requests are not enough, I will try to tighten the implementation,” Remulla said on Facebook.

It was a similar scene in Pasay City, as local officials placed Barangay 178 Maricaban under a total lockdown after residents defied stay-at-home orders amid the ECQ. The barangay had only three coronavirus disease cases, but officials said the lockdown would be “indefinite.”

Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko” Domagoso, meanwhile, has ordered a 48-hour “hard lockdown” of the entire Sampaloc district for disease surveillance, rapid risk assessment and testing.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Manila Public Information Office said Domagoso signed an executive order on Tuesday, April 21, to shut down the Sampaloc district from 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 23 until 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 25.

As of 5 p.m. on Monday, April 20, about 99 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 159 suspected persons were recorded by the Manila Health Department in the Sampaloc area.

The mayor said health authorities will be conducting disease surveillance, testing and rapid risk assessment.

During the shutdown, Domagoso said all residents of the Sampaloc district shall be strictly confined to their residences and are prohibited from going out of their homes.

Eleazar said the SAF commandos were divided into 12 teams, with each team composed of eight members.

He said the initial deployment will be in areas where violations of home quarantine and physical distancing are unrestrained based on intelligence reports and monitored social media posts.

These include Blumentritt in Sta. Cruz, Manila; Libertad in Pasay City; Pasig Palengke; Napindan public market in Taguig; public market in Lower Bicutan, also in Taguig; Las Piñas City public market; North Caloocan; Alabang public market; Bagong Parañaque public market and Marikina public market.

“Initially, these areas are where they would be assigned to enforce the ECQ. But they can transfer to other locations depending on our monitoring of areas where home quarantine and physical distancing are violated,” Eleazar said.

He said they could also increase the number of SAF commandos.

“We are assessing the situation on the ground on a daily basis. With the approval of our Chief PNP, we could increase the number of our SAF personnel in the coming days depending on the situation on the ground,” Eleazar added.

Meanwhile, SAF director Maj. Gen. Amando Clifton Empiso said they have enough standby forces to augment local police forces in enforcing the ECQ guidelines not only in Metro Manila but also in the provinces.

“Your SAF has always been in the frontline in any kind of battle, we are willing to do our share to win this fight

against COVID-19, this time, in helping in the enforcement of the necessary measures to ensure that the virus is contained,” he said.

Eleazar also disclosed that they have stepped up the intelligence operations in Metro Manila to identify other areas where ECQ guideline violations are prevalent.

Monitoring of social media posts relating to ECQ violations has also been intensified.

“We are also encouraging the public… to report to us any violation of the home quarantine and social distancing. We assure you that we will immediately act on your complaint or report. Whether violators are on streets or common areas of gated subdivisions or condominiums, we will act on them quickly,” he said.

In a media advisory, the National Capital Region Police Office said condominiums and private gated villages in Metro Manila are now under the strict monitoring to ensure that no one will go outside their residences during the ECQ. In a memorandum order, NCRPO director Debold Sinas tapped all police district commanders in Metro Manila to ensure compliance of ECQ protocols, especially inside exclusive communities in close coordination with their respective local government units.

This developed as the Bonifacio Global City-Police Community Precinct 7 said it was considering filing charges against the management of a condominium in BGC for allowing residents to go outside their homes and disregard the ECQ protocols.

continued to climb, reaching 654 with 41 new recoveries against the 437 death toll, said Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Tuesday.

Records from the Department of Health as of April 21 showed 9 more patients succumbed to the highlyinfectious virus, which has its epicentre in Wuhan City in China, in the central Chinese province of Hubei.

There were also 140 new confirmed cases, which now resulted to a total 6,599 cases.

Lawmakers were saddened by the death of doctors who acquired the COVID-19 virus while healing other victims.

But while the number of recoveries is rising, two members of the House of Representatives were grieving the death of two more doctors on the frontlines —one in Metro Manila and the other in Cavite—while paying tribute to all medical frontliners risking their lives in the battle against the pandemic.

Develop...

Eduardo Ano. He said that all LGUs are advised to increase the number of contact tracing teams to track down all persons with known exposure to COVID-19 patients.

These teams, he said, will also monitor the status of suspect and probable Covid-19 cases, and family members with known contact to a confirmed case to mitigate possibility of contagion. These teams will also report daily updates to the COVID-19 provincial and regional task forces.

In his memo, Año also enjoined LGUs to increase number of their trained personnel to conduct swabbing and specimen collection to assist the local epidemiology and surveillance unit.

After the conduct of the test, COVID-19 positive patients and probable cases will be confined to an isolation facility to be established by respective LGUs and will be medically managed consistent to the guidelines set in Department of Health.

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outcomes if the Luzon-wide ECQ is lifted, modified or maintained. He also asked if there could be a second wave of infections, and how many would die if the restrictions are lifted soon.

Former Health Secretaries Esperanza Cabral, Janette Garin, and Jaime Galvez Tan, public health expert Dr. Susan Mercado, health reform advocate Dr. Anthony Leachon and Dr. Mahar Lagmay of the University of the Philippines attended the five-hour meeting in Malacañang.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III, House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, Senator Christopher Go, Quezon Rep. Angelina Tan, and some Cabinet officials were also there.

Roque said that while the President had received recommendations from health and business experts, he has yet to meet top government officials on how to address the outbreak.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases said it is not easy for them to come up with a decision, saying “we still have time for the President to give his decision.”

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, spokesman for the IATF, said that the meeting with experts for the private sector and government officials failed to reach a consensus on the next steps once the ECQ expires on April 30.

“It was a very extensive discussion and all the inputs that could be provided were discussed but we need more time so we have to do another round of discussions,” Nograles said.

The World Health Organization has

SAF...

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commandos have been deployed in various areas in Metro Manila on board six medium troop carriers and six multipurpose armored vehicles.

“They will assist the local police in enforcing the ECQ. We believe that the presence of our SAF commandos will further compel hardheaded people to behave and follow the ECQ because our SAF are tough and strict when it comes to discipline,” he said in a press statement.

He added that there will be no double standard in the implementation of the ECQ. “Regardless of your social status, you will be arrested if you violate the home quarantine,” Eleazar added.

The military for its part has deployed 800 reservists in different areas in Metro Manila to fortify the enforcement of ECQ, particularly in populated places to include public markets, supermarkets and informal communities.

Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, AFP’s spokesperson said 300 of the reservists will be posted in Pasay City, Paranaque City, Taguig City and Pateros while 500 of the personnel will be mobilized in various parts in Quezon City and City of Manila.

Earlier, local government officials requested the AFP to provide soldiers in their respective localities to assist in the enforcement of ECQ. This included Cavite, where Gov.

Infected...

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The country can be considered an “outlier” with health care workers accounting for 13 percent of total infections, compared to the regional average of 2 to 3 percent, said Dr. Abdi Mahamud, COVID-19 incident manager for WHO in the Western Pacific.

“We are working very closely with the ministry of health to determine the reasons why the Philippines has a high percentage,” Mahamud said in an online press conference.

He could not yet tell why more medical frontliners were getting infected in the Philippines, but said it might have to do with insufficient supply of personal protective equipment and the volume of patients they attend to.

This developed as the number of patients who recovered from COVID-19

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medicine to prevent or treat COVID-19.

Scientists across the world are still racing to find a treatment for the viral disease that has affected more than two million people worldwide and killed over 170,000.

The DOH recorded a total of 6,459 cases as of April 20 with 428 deaths and 613 recoveries.

Meanwhile, the Department of the Interior and Local has ordered local government units to focus on contact tracing of possible COVID-19 carriers.

“With the absence of the cure and the vaccine against COVID-19 for now, the fight against this virus is in contact tracing. It is urgent that LGUs identify the hosts or carriers of COVID-19 in every locality to prevent further spread of this deadly virus,” said DILG Secretary

lockdown protests roiling parts of the country, said Monday he would halt immigration—a theme long popular with his supporters.

“In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our great American Citizens, I will be signing an Executive Order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States!” he tweeted.

At least 22 million Americans have lost their jobs since sweeping lockdowns were implemented to slow the spread of the virus, and exasperation was growing in some parts of the country. AFP

POGOs too ‘high-risk’ to reopen—solon A SENATOR raised alarm Tuesday over the “huge potential” of the spread of the coronavirus disease among several Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators workers usually working in an enclosed area and residing in high-rise condominiums.

In objecting to the proposed resumption of POGO operations in the country, Senator Joel Villanueva said the Department of Finance should have a clear framework on what sectors would be allowed to operate once the Enhanced Community Quarantine on Luzon region will be lifted.

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. which oversees POGOs, had written to President Rodrigo Duterte recommending the reopening of the industry as long as health protocols are in place, according to PAGCOR chairperson Andrea Domingo.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

IATF forms task force for food security

By Othel V. Campos THE Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases recently created a Task Group on Food Security led by the Agriculture department.

The task force made the move following its recognition of the threat of hunger and the importance of securing a continuous supply of high-quality and affordable food for the residents of Metro Manila and other urban centers.

“On behalf of the members of the Task Group on Food Security, we thank and assure our IATF colleagues that we will do our utmost to secure enough food for our countrymen during this challenging time,” Agriculture Secretary William Dar said.

The Food Security Group is confident it can feed the nation in the midst of the fight against COVID-19.

The IATF on April 17 approved Resolution 25 creating the Task Force on Food Security to ensure food and water security, including shelter and energy, during the COVID-19 national emergency.

Romualdez..

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“If only we pool our resources together and get our acts together, there is no doubt we can survive and overcome the crisis that we face right now,” said Romualdez, co-chairman of the DCC. Last week, the Sub-Committee on Economic Stimulus and Response Package, co-led by Rep. Joey Salceda of Albay, chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, Rep. Sharon Garin of AAMBIS OWA, chairman of the House economic affairs committee, and Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo of Marikina City made economic response presentations and agreed to consolidate their proposals and the suggestions of the resource persons into a bill to be submitted to its mother committee, the DCC. The meeting was also attended by Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Gov. Benjamin Diokno, Land Bank of the Philippines president Cecile Borromeo, and Social Security System president Aurora Cruz-Ignacio.

Romualdez, the chairman of the powerful House committee on rules, thanked Salceda, Garin, Quimbo and the economic team led by Dominguez for their proposals during the first TWG meeting that would ensure a resilient stimulus package to help President Rodrigo Duterte ease the economic effects of COVID-19.

He says the battle against COVID-19 is winnable if all the country’s leaders, sectors and Filipino people would stand together.

“But what struck me most in our previous discussion was the fact that our government does not lack the resources to weather the economic and financial storm looming in our horizon,” Romualdez said.

“Though we may need only a total of P700 billion in our survival period, we can raise P1 trillion to P1.5 trillion to implement programs and projects even for the transitional and structural stimulus phases of our proposed stimulus package.”

Cash relief More than 4.5 million low-income households have received the cash relief granted by the national government to help them cope with the crisis caused by by the COVID-19 pandemic, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Tuesday.

He said the government was able to distribute the emergency subsidies to some 4,597,854 poor families, or more than 25 percent of the 18-million target beneficiary-families of the Social Amelioration Program.

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STORIES ONLINE

(at manilastandard.net) DOJ eyes Red Cross aid for PDL women Water board assures sufficient MM supply Slow relief to farmers, indigenous people hit Women’s group warns against ‘Zoom-bombing’ Gov’t gearing towards state repression—Left EMB contingency plans for COVID waste ready

‘Search for drugs vs. ECQ violators’

By Maricel V. Cruz A HOUSE leader on Tuesday urged the Philippine National Police to conduct thorough searches, particularly against illegal drugs, on all vehicles daringly violating community quarantines and passing through designated police checkpoints in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, chairman of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, said that despite the government’s strict travel restrictions to prevent spread of COVID-19, huge volume of motorists are bravely passing through checkpoints without regard of being flagged down and issued traffic violation tickets.

“I’ve seen on TV and newspaper reports that PNP personnel manning those checkpoints just flag down and issue traffic citation tickets against quarantine travel violators without conducting a thorough search against the erring drivers and their vehicles,” he said.

Under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, Barbers said quarantine violators’ vehicles can be thoroughly checked for drugs or other illegal cargoes since they have already committed a violation of the law.

“They’ve already violated travel restrictions under the Bayanihan law kaya pwede na arestuhin. So, a search is incidental to a valid arrest.

Frontliners undergo mass testing in P’que HEALTH workers and other frontliners were the first batch of persons who had undergone the initial free mass testing activity held in Paranaque City, Mayor Edwin Olivarez said on Tuesday.

Olivarez said the first mass testing activity was conducted simultaneously in four testing sites after the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of rapid testing kits donated to the city government by a private company.

The new isolation facilities are located in four public schools: San Antonio High School, Dr. Arcadio Santos National High School both in Barangay San Martin de Porres; Parañaque City College in Barangay San Dionisio and Parañaque National High School (Main), also in Barangay San Dionisio.

“This is a very welcome development in our fight against COVID-19 because this will enable us to identify possible cases for early isolation and help curb the spread of this deadly disease,” Olivarez said.

The city’s Health department disclosed that there were at least 400 suspect cases of COVID-19 in the city and the initial mass testing will be able to cover them. oel E. Zurbano

MARKET INSPECTION. PLt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, commander of the Joint Task Force COVID Shield, led the inspection of Blumentritt public market. Eleazar was accompanied by members of the Philippine National Police’s elite Special Action Force on board an armored multi-purpose vehicle. The SAF was tasked to patrol the areas around Blumentritt Market in Manila and help maintain social distancing among marketgoers amid the implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine. Norman Cruz

Labor group wants private, gov’t workers ‘ECC-insured’

By Vito Barcelo

T

HE country’s biggest group of unions, the Associated Labor Unions, has urged the Employment Compensation Commission to include work-related compensation programs and services the hospitalization and death benefits insurance to government and private employees who might be exposed to COVID-19 inside work establishments and while performing their jobs.

The COVID-19 employment insur- munity Quarantine is lifted, according to ance coverage is important because of the ALU national executive vice president great danger and hazard it poses to return- Gerard Seno. ing employees once the Enhanced ComThe ECC is a quasi-judicial corpo-

rate entity attached to the Department of Labor and Employment created to implement the Employees’ Compensation Program by providing package of benefits for public and private sector employees and their dependents in the event of work-connected contingencies such as sickness, injury, disability or death.

It is tasked by law to develop and implement effective occupational safety and health policies and programs for the promotion of a healthy working population and provide workers and their dependents with benefits and rehabilitation services in the event of work-connected accident, injury, illness and death using a part of the fund from monthly remittance collected by the Social Security System.

SMC donates own version of ‘nutribun’ SAN Miguel Corp. has more than doubled the production of the nutrient-filled bread it started baking just a month ago for the sole purpose of serving the poor and hardest-hit communities struggling to eat as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

From 10,000 buns per day, the company, through its San Miguel Foods Inc., is now producing more than twice the initial capacity at 24,000 pieces daily.

“Right now, many of our fellow Filipinos, the least fortunate among us, continue to struggle from the crisis we face. What we hope to do is reach as many vulnerable families as possible and help make sure they do not go hungry. Apart from our food donations, our version of the ‘nutribun’ is another way for us to keep our citizens healthy and nourished,” SMC president and COO Ramon S. Ang said.

He added that the company’s new ready-to-eat food manufacturing facility in Sta. Rosa, Laguna and its Flour Development Center in Ugong, Pasig have already produced 284,171 pieces of its “nutribun” version, to date. It has also produced and donated 177,808 pieces of pandesal.

Each bread weighs 85 grams and conSMC NUTRIBUN. San Miguel Corp. has now doubled production of nutritious tains 250 calories, which the body uses for energy. As such, total output for the period bread at its Pasig and Sta. Rosa, Laguna manufacturing facilities for distribution to vulnerable communities. With daily production of 24,000 breads, the initiative helps fulfill covered is 24,155 kilos of nutribun-inspired the nutritional needs of many people during the COVID-19 outbreak bread providing 71 million calories.

Metro Pacific hands over 350 hospital beds THE Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. has quickly responded to the request of government, through the Department of Public Works and Highways, for 350 hospital beds for the Heal As One quarantine facilities in the Philippine International Convention Center.

PICC’s 4,000-square meter Forum Hall has been fully converted into a quarantine center and turned over to the PNP Medical Corps.

“We welcome the opportunity to support DPWH in achieving its target for PICC and other quarantine facilities,” MPTC assistant vice president Celeste Pia Alimon said. The DPWH was given the mandate to convert properties into Heal As One quarantine centers – like the PICC, Ninoy Aquino Sports Complex, the Phil Sports Arena and the World Trade Center, among others.

Meanwhile, the Office of Civil Defense denied posts and pictures circulating on social media claiming that personal protective equipment (PPE) sets and supplies needed by medical personnel in containing the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak are for sale.

“Days ago, the agency has received some reports of misleading posts. One of which was a photo of PPE sets being unloaded from a military aircraft used by a netizen for business purposes, claiming that the items in the photo which are intended for distribution to hospitals are for sale,” OCD administrator Ricardo Jalad said in a statement.

He added the agency strongly con- BUILDERS. Shown in photo are officials of DPWH, MPTC and other officials behind demns such activities, as well as other the government’s Build, Build, Build Program. The officials are (from left): MPTC assistant forms of disinformation which aims to ad- vice president Celeste Pia Alimon, DPWH-National Capital Region assistant regional vance a personal interest. director Juby Cordon and DPWH Build,Build,Build chairperson Anna Mae Lementillo.

Makati puts up 2 pressure tents for COVID-19 patients

By Joel E. Zurbano THE Makati City government on Tuesday announced it is putting put up two negative pressure tents for patients with COVID-19 at the Ospital ng Makati.

“Makati is the first local government in Metro Manila to put up negative pressure tents. These tents, which will be set up at the ambulance bay, are important in protecting other people from contracting the viral disease,” Mayor Abigail Binay said.

OsMak medical director Dr. Vergel Binay said the tents, which passed international standards, can be easily assembled in car parks, warehouse spaces, and other open spaces.

He added that each tent can accommodate six intensive care unit beds, a power supply, pressure sensors and alarms, lighting, filtration systems, LCD monitors, UV/ HEPA air purification, toilet and shower, decontamination rooms, changing rooms, storage, and air-conditioning system.

The negative pressure tents are among several facilities built by Makati in response to the pandemic.

Earlier this month, the city built three emergency quarantine facilities at the Pembo Elementary School and one at the Ospital ng Makati.

The additional facilities, according to Binay, are being built in partnership with several private sector donors.

Each facility, which is made of wooden frames and Polyethene sheet, houses 15 beds, sanitation and disinfection areas, a testing box, and a lounge for nurses.

Two months ago, the city also converted the Makati Friendship Suites in Barangay Cembo into a quarantine facility to accommodate 100 persons under investigation.

CHR airs concern over detainees

By Rio N. Araja THE Commission on Human Rights on Tuesday raised concern over the sorry state of persons deprived of liberty and their vulnerability to coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19).

In a statement, CHR lawyer-spokesperson Jacqueline Ann de Guia said “as we have recommended early on, the plight of PDLs need to be guaranteed considering their vulnerability to the infectious disease due to congestion, jail conditions, and the impossibility of enforcing physical distancing in most places of detention.”

“PDLs have the same inherent dignity and right to health as the general population. They are in detention so they may be reformed as they serve their sentence and may eventually reintegrate to society. Their health and life should not be imperiled while in custody,” she said.

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology earlier reported that nine inmates and nine personnel tested positive for COVID-19 at the Quezon City jail.

In Muntinlupa City, 76 inmates and 80 personnel at the New Bilibid Prison were considered COVID-19 suspects.

On the other hand, the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City confirmed that 18 inmates and one jail staff tested COVID-19 positive.

A4

Opinion

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Last dance CROSSROADS J.A. DE LA CRUZ “LAST Dance” is the 10-part documentary chronicling the exploits of one of the greatest basketball star and dynasties of all time, Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.

Here’s a moving piece from a daughter who lost her father to COVID-19.

Set against the backdrop of the 1997-98 NBA season, it had its initial showing last April 19 and will be on air two segments weekly up to May 17. It is supposed to be some sort of a biopic of Jordan himself, and the drama of the team's molding into the dynasty that it came out to be. That drama captures in a largely unreleased trove of footages of the team's exploits from the intrigues, the turning points, the individual conflicts among the players and some of them with management (Scottie Pippen's lament with Bulls GM Krause played out) makes for a compelling series which, if we go by the viewership on its initial showing (6.1 million), is going to be a record breaker of sorts.

This is well and good specially for those addicted to or craving some sports event in this age of lockdown.

But this piece is not about Jordan and the Bulls. I just happened to fancy the title "Last Dance" as it talks about an end, a kind of passing, of leaving the past behind and then continuing with life and moving on.

This is, sadly, the story of families whose loved ones succumbed to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their stories of loss posted and talked about many times over have become not just theirs but the country's and to a large extent the world’s as well. It is as if we have become a global community

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

in mourning, sharing in their grief, honoring their dead and then consoling one another as we hope and pray for deliverance in His time.

We grieved when we learned about the passing of medical frontliners one after the other. And then, after saluting them for their extraordinary sacrifice, courage and heroism, summoned our collective voices to demand that those brave souls still out there be given all the necessary protection they deserve and recompensed for their deeds.

We hollered when we were told about the amounts being shelled out for the hospitalization of a COVID-19 patient; it could bankrupt any family outside of the mega rich. We prayed for those left behind and together with them shared the stories of their loved ones—their trials and joys and the memories they left behind. It is to them and to all those who, in this time of crisis, are reminded of the value of family, friends, sharing, loving and communities at peace with one another and with our Creator that I have decided to print in this column a very moving Facebook post of a daughter about the loss of her father to COVID-19. Here goes: "They say that when you finally face your greatest fear, it's not what you expect of it. My greatest fear was always to lose a parent, and they were right. It was at least ten times more painful than I imagined, and it's a pain I wouldn't wish on even my worst enemy. My dad had a cough.

He had himself checked at the hospital but was sent home at the start of the lockdown. He isolated himself. The cough didn't get better. The last time I saw my dad was before he went for another checkup, when they already found traces of pneumonia in his lungs and he needed to be confined. There were no available hospital beds in Manila, so I asked all of our doctor friends where he could be admitted. The only one we found was way out of Manila in Southern Luzon and we needed to act fast. He was at risk of losing the bed if we didn't go

Pausing for Earth

T

HE 50th Earth Day celebration takes place amid a global, existential threat—a pandemic that has sickened millions, killed thousands, and ground businesses and economies to a near halt.

In 1970, when it was first observed, some 20 million people took to the streets and protested the multifold environmental crises of oil spills, smog and polluted rivers. Participants demanded that their governments take concrete action on these crises, specifically by passing environmental laws and establishing environmental agencies.

Today, the commemoration of International Mother Earth Day takes place indoors and online, as billions of people are locked down or are sheltered in place.

Prior to COVID-19, the biggest global issue was the rapid warming of the planet. According to the United

Nations Environment Programme’s Emission Gap Report, at the end of this year global carbon dioxide emissions need to have dropped by 7.6 percent, and continue to drop at the same rate every year, to maintain the heating of the planet under 1.5 degrees Celsius.

If the warming continues to be higher than this limit, catastrophic climate events are expected to visit upon many parts of the globe in the coming years.

These days, as government and business leaders scramble to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, an unintended consequence is the drastic reduction in economic activity that in turn significantly reduces emissions.

To say however that the pandemic occasioned some good for the climate cause would be a hasty conclusion and a gross oversimplification; after all, the near-stoppage of economic activity is taking an enormous toll on incomes, jobs and people’s survival.

Aside from the crisis faced by patients, their families, medical frontliners and entire hospital systems,

hunger and displacement are specters that are just as devastating for millions of global citizens.

Those of us fortunate enough to not have to go out of their homes to earn a living can pause and rethink whether our way of life before the crisis would still be acceptable in a post-COVID world. Were the things we deemed important to achieve actually that? What constitutes “importance,” anyway? Were our routines in keeping with optimizing our existence in all aspects, or were we living in manic pursuit of things that we thought would make us happy?

Were we giving back to others and to the environment, or were we too busy acquiring and consuming for ourselves? Were we mindful about the planet we could leave for the next generations, or were we all about instant gratification?

Earth and its inhabitants are under siege. May we use these crucial days to imagine how we could be spared from the pestilence, and how we can live differently after we have been given the time to reflect.

Turn to A5

5.4 million NCR workers need public transport

TODAY, I quote almost verbatim the letter of the Management Association of the Philippines to Department of Transportation (DoTr) Secretary Arturo Tugade for the normalization of the public transport system in Metro Manila, starting, initially, with the LRDT/MRT and Philippine National Railways. The MAP letter was signed by lawyer Francis Lim, president and Ruy Y. Moreno, chair of the MAP Traffic, Transportation and Infra Committee.

MAP wants some 2.4 million essential but idled workers in the national capital to be provided public transportation so they can report for work.

During the current lockdown or the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), essential industries are allowed to operate, although using only part of or their skeletal work force.

These industries and services include those in health care, security, banking, supermarkets and grocery stores, public markets, drugstores, takeout or delivery restaurants, food, medicine and hygiene products, logistics, telecommunications, energy, utilities, capital markets, media, BPO, diplomatic corps, and civil aviation.

Due to the lack of public transportation (buses and LRT/MRT particularly), MAP said, these industries and sectors have not been able to start operations and, even if some have been able to do so, it has been very minimal.

The lack of public transportation

“has adversely affected the workers in terms of lack of income, low production for companies and low level in the provision of services, non-payment of invoices for goods delivered and services provided due to the absence of authorized personnel to process, approve, sign and release payments—these are some of the contributors to the country’s economic “malaise” and stress the need for business continuity to avoid closures and layoffs.”

The government can begin by experimenting on a limited basis.

The Philippines has a total workforce, in July 2019, of 42.925 million of which 5.4 million are in the NCR. The vast majority or more than 2.4 million of this NCR workforce cannot go to work due to the lockdown.

The 2.4 million include 595,650 in manufacturing, 557,745 in accommodation and food services, 550,000 in BPO, 308,655 in public administration and defense, 151,620 in information and communications, 124,545 in finance and insurance, 113,715 in human health and social work, 11,625 in selected supermarkets, and 5,415 in water supply and sewerage.

MAP suggests that public transportation in NCR be provided on a graduated and phase-by-phase basis starting with 245,000 persons (estimate for a skeletal force), with the number increasing gradually as the COVID-19 curve flattens and allows the opening of more companies and businesses and more workers Turn to A5

Pandemic ‘amplifies press freedom threats’

By Severine Rouby and Stuart Williams THE coronavirus pandemic is exacerbating threats to press freedom around the world, with authoritarian states including China and Iran suppressing details of the outbreak, activists said on Tuesday.

Paris-based Reporters Without Borders said in its annual press freedom rankings that the pandemic was "highlighting and amplifying the many crises" already casting a shadow on press freedom.

The outbreak had encouraged some regimes to "take advantage of the fact people are stunned and mobilization has weakened to impose measures that would be impossible to adopt in normal times," RSF secretary general Christophe Deloire told AFP. The rankings saw few major changes from last year, with Nordic countries regarded as the most free and isolated states Turkmenistan and North Korea footing the list of

180 countries.

RSF accused China and Iran—in 177th and 173rd place respectively— of censoring major coronavirus outbreaks.

Information hyper-control Alluding to accusations that Beijing concealed the initial extent of the outbreak, it said China "maintains its system of information hyper-control, whose negative effects for the entire world have been seen during the coronavirus public health crisis".

Europe has also not been immune—Hungary, under Prime Minister Viktor Orban, has passed a special law on false information which RSF called a "completely disproportionate and coercive measure."

It added that there was a "clear correlation" between suppression of media freedom in response to the coronavirus pandemic and a country's ranking in the index.

While Norway topped the index for the fourth year in a row, Finland was

again the runner-up.

North Korea took last position from Turkmenistan, and Eritrea continued to be Africa's lowest-ranked country at number 178.

The third biggest leap was by Sudan, which rose 16 places to 159th after the removal of president Omar al-Bashir.

France lost two places to rank 32nd, with journalists in the country sometimes the victims of police violence at demonstrations, the report said.

Published annually by RSF since 2002, the World Press Freedom Index assesses factors such as media independence, self-censorship, the legal framework and transparency based on a questionnaire filled out by experts.

Chinese-style scenario Turkey, where President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been repeatedly criticized for cracking down on press freedom, rose three places to 154th Turn to A5

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher ManilaStandard

Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial) 832-5554, (Advertising) 832-5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www. manilastandard.net

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Opinion

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2020

The biggest loser

Global health security: A call for Taiwan’s inclusion

By Dr. Chen Shih-chung Minister of Health and Welfare, Republic of China (Taiwan) THE threat of emerging infectious diseases to global health and the economy, trade, and tourism has never abated. Pandemics can spread rapidly around the world because of the ease of international transportation.

Among the most salient examples are the Spanish flu of 1918, the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak of 2003, and the H1N1 influenza of 2009. Intermittently, serious regional epidemics, such as Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) in 2012, Ebola in West Africa in 2014, and the Zika virus in Central and South America in 2016, have also reared their heads.

Today, a novel form of pneumonia that first emerged in Wuhan, China, at the end of 2019 and has since been classified as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a global pandemic. As of April 8, 2020, World Health Organization data shows that 1.35 million people had been confirmed as having the disease, with 79,235 deaths in 211 countries/areas/ territories.

Taiwan has not been spared.

In the 17 years since it was hit hard by the SARS outbreak, Taiwan has been in a state of constant readiness to the threat of emerging infectious disease. As a result, when information concerning a novel pneumonia outbreak was first confirmed on Dec. 31, 2019, Taiwan began implementing onboard quarantine of direct flights from Wuhan that same day.

On Jan. 2, 2020, Taiwan established a response team for the disease and activated the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Jan. 20 as a

level 3 government entity, upgrading it to level 2 and level 1 on Jan. 23 and Feb. 27, respectively. The CECC is able to effectively integrate resources from various ministries and invest itself fully in the containment of the epidemic.

As of April 9, Taiwan had tested a total of 42,315 persons showing 380 confirmed cases, of which 54 have been indigenous, 326 imported and five deaths; 80 people had been released from hospital after testing negative.

Despite its proximity to China, Taiwan ranked 123rd among 183 countries in terms of confirmed cases per million people. This has shown that Taiwan's aggressive efforts to control the epidemic are working.

Disease knows no borders. In response to the threat of the COVID-19 epidemic, Taiwan has implemented dynamic plans concerning border quarantine measures, including onboard quarantine, fever screening, health declarations, and a 14-day home quarantine for passengers arriving from nations it has listed under Level 3 Warning. Moreover, Taiwan has established an electronic system for entry quarantine, which allows passengers with a local mobile phone number to fill in health information via mobile phone. A health declaration pass will then be sent to them via a text message. This is connected to the community care support management system, which allows government agencies to provide care services and medical assistance. Individuals’ travel history is now stored on the National Health Insurance (NHI) card to alert physicians to possible cases and prevent community transmission. For those undergoing home quarantine or isolation, the government is working with telecom

Last dance From A4

immediately, so even if he wanted to get clothes and some other things at home, we rushed to the hospital. We did not even had time to say goodbye and we didn't think we had to anyway."

"Everything escalated quickly. Just a day after, the pneumonia spread. He was intubated and had to be transferred to the ICU. We were all observing isolation at home, so even though I cried and prayed, we couldn't hug or comfort each other as a family. We couldn't visit him, so we were updated by my dad's doctors about his condition through calls or text. My mom had to be admitted not long after due to an inflammation in her lungs, but by some miracle we were able to get a bed in one of the hospitals in Metro Manila. The house started to feel like a prison cell, empty and abandoned. Our subdivision had necessary protocols that we understood, but it also felt like we were modern-day lepers. We felt alone and surrounded by darkness. We couldn't eat or sleep and our version of good news was hearing that our Dad's vital signs were stable (not better, just not worse) which would buy some time for rest and sleep. Waking up was the hardest part. We had a Viber group with relatives in the medical field, who we are very grateful for. So we'd wake up to my Dad's lung X-rays, which they'd explain were clouded and showed incurable pneumonia. It just kept getting worse, and they started telling us to prepare for the worst, that any time his organs could fail. The sound of text alerts became traumatizing, because they rarely brought us any good news."

"Early morning of April 1, my brother called us. Dad had gone into cardiac arrest. It was hard to grasp the loss, or to mourn, because there wasn't any closure. We couldn't say goodbye because we didn't see him. The most painful things for me were knowing that my Dad was alone when he left us, and that my Mom had to be alone in a hospital room when she found out he had died. But even though this disease is sad and literally isolating, as we grieve, my eyes are opened to miracles."

“I saw God's kindness in the moments of relief—the times we did get to rest, the small moments of joy with my sister, being able to celebrate my younger brother's birthday without our parents with some pizza and cake, knowing that we have friends and family who helped without us having to ask twice, if at all. I saw God's leadership in my brother. My kuya stepped up for our family, and I am so proud of him. He made a way for everything: from getting the last vial of medication that was out of stock everywhere just so my Dad could have a chance, to making sure my Dad knew we got the best team of doctors to care for him. It's because of him that I know we did everything we could for my Dad. " "I saw God's humor in the creative ways we were able

5.4 million...

From A4

and daily wage earners are able to work while continuously following COVID-19 protection protocol.

operators to allow GPS tracking of their locations. Quarantine offenders are subject to fines or mandatory placement according to relevant laws and regulations, so as to prevent transmission.

Taiwan has also increased laboratory testing capacity, expanded the scope of its surveillance and inspections based on trends of the COVID-19 epidemic, and retested people with higher risk who had already tested negative, including patients with symptoms of severe influenza, community cases with upper respiratory tract infections who were already being monitored, and cluster cases of upper respiratory tract infections, to identify suspected cases and perform treatment in isolation wards.

Meanwhile, Taiwan has designated 50 regional hospitals and medical centers and 167 community hospitals and clinics to create a tiered system for testing. These hospitals and clinics are required to set up special wards or areas; in principle, COVID-19 patients are isolated and treated individually in these wards and areas to prevent nosocomial infections.

Moreover, Taiwan has banned the export of surgical masks since Jan. 24, requisitioned masks, and expanded domestic mask production to more effectively allocate masks. On Feb. 6, Taiwan launched a name-based rationing system for mask purchases at NHI-contracted pharmacies and local public health agencies. It added an ordering system for masks on March 12. This allows people to order online and pick up masks at convenience stores. These measures have helped us achieve effective allocation of limited resources and meet healthcare, epidemic prevention, household, and industrial needs.

to be there for my Dad. We felt that though we were face to face with the enemy, we were smarter. We made a list of nurses who were friendly and we would call during their shifts. My Dad couldn't speak because he was intubated, but we'd ask the nurses to put us on speaker phone so my dearest Daddy could hear us. It's one of my favorite memories of this time, that we got to show him how we loved him in his last moments and that we were fighting for him."

"I saw that faith and the human spirit can't be quarantined. We all prayed the Rosary for my dad every evening and had groups of people dedicating their intentions for his recovery. My little brother was even praying the rosary three times a day. My twin sister who has her walls when it comes to faith, said isusugal niya lahat and chose to believe in the smallest of chances, even if the results turned out to be the worst they'd been telling us to prepare for."

"I saw God's provision in acts of immeasurable kindness. We saw on the news that some families received their loved ones' remains in plastic bags, and the thought of that happening to my Dad broke me. One of my friends had access to multiple checkpoints and offered to take me to the hospital. I was the only family member lucky enough to see my Dad's body through the window before he was cremated and to say goodbye. I got to, like he used to do for me, pick him up and take him home."

"I saw God's healing and strength in my mother. She overcame the sickness, and is stronger than ever. With her recovery, it feels like our family is also resurrected, because we are rising up in the most badass way. Lastly, I saw God's compassion in reading accounts of other people who have gone through this. It's all so similar to what we experienced, and it made me realize that even if it's a sickness that makes you feel like you are alone, YOU ARE NOT. It tells you how seriously we should be taking this illness. I've seen it up close. It's not a joke, it's strong and it's serious, and it's killing people.

“Not only government but all of us should take this more seriously, kasi wala siyang pinipiling tao. If you are able to help in anyway, to protect our frontliners and to give to families who are in need, please do."

"If nothing else, this experience has taught me that my worst day with God is still better than my best day without Him. God specializes in resurrection. He takes our mourning and turns it into dancing. He takes a grave and turns it into a garden. He gives beauty in exchange for ashes. He is the hope to the hopeless. I may have lost faith at some points in my journey, even at one point asking ‘My God, why have you forsaken me?’ but I saw what it could do to others who chose to believe at any cost. My only prayer is that I never forget on my best day that I still need God as desperately as I did on my worst.

Full of hope from Christ’s resurrection at Easter even in these dark times, I know we will be out of this crisis soon. In the meantime, please stay safe and healthy. God Bless Us All.”

Eventually, with normalization, the 5.4 million workers of Metro Manila will all be able to report for work. Just when, nobody knows.

Calibrating the return to regular work of the 5.4 million at 250,000 per tranche requires a lot of coordination

and planning and many players, both inw the private sector and in the government. State offices to be involved are: IACT, DTI, DILG (PNP and LGUs), DOTr (LTFRB, LTO, PNR), DOF (Customs, BIR), BSP (banking), and Agriculture.

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN THE aftermath of the still ravaging pandemic, beyond the lockdown, however modified it shall be, clearly the biggest loser, the main economic victim of COVID-19, is the tourism sector.

And it won’t be easy for the industry to recover. It will take time.

For the current year, there is the uncertainty of when this scourge can be contained.

When will a vaccine that would inoculate whole populations from this novel coronavirus be discovered?

And how can our medics and scientists protect us from mutations of the virus as it happens in different parts of the globe?

There will be a primal fear of traveling especially to those destinations that were hardest hit. Unfortunately the hardest hit are also the most frequent travel destinations, not only for Filipinos, but for most of the world: Europe, the US of A, China, Japan, South Korea.

As of this writing, more than 2.4 million cases have been detected, 30 percent of these in the United States, 40 percent in Europe and in its most popular destinations at that. And then there is China, from whence the virus originated. The virulence may have been contained in neighboring Japan and South Korea faster than in other parts of the globe, but the fear is likely to persist, hopefully to get better in 2021, when the Olympics unfold in Tokyo.

With demand down, the airlines will find it difficult to recover. One of the biggest come-ons that propelled the tourism boom in the last three decades is the cheaper cost of flights. Budget carriers a-plenty filled their carriers to the max. How will they maintain such low fares if there are less people traveling?

The major airlines, many of them with substantial government ownership, flag carriers they are called, will likewise reduce the number of flights, adjusting to the lower demand. The immutable law of supply and demand takes over, and likewise, fares will go up. That demand gap will not be easily filled by business travelers, nor the few who can afford higher fares.

Hotel occupancies all over the world will take a hit. Even if they lower their rates, with airlines unprofitable and flights reduced, where will the hotels get the warm bodies to stay in their rooms?

The sad part of the “new normal,” as many call the aftermath, is that so many trillions of dollars have been invested in the expansion of the travel industry because of the boom of the last three decades. And most of these trillions were financed by banks and financial houses who kept seeing a never-flattening curve that pointed northward year after year. Even with blips owing to the 1997-98 Asian recession, or the 2008 financial crisis, the world travel industry remained healthy. What happens now that the boom has bust?

Down the line, we have the restaurants, especially the pricey Michelin-starred fine dining restaurants where financiers invested in sky-isthe-limit accoutrements and hired chefs at astronomical salaries, now

facing bankruptcy. And the thousand-dollar per night resorts, what will happen to these?

With higher plane fares and fewer flights, cheaper bookings including Air BnB, and their on-line purveyors, Agoda, Expedia, etc., will have to rack their brains on how to revive the moribund travel industry. Pity the mom-and-pop pensions and family inns as well. And of course the travel agencies and tour operators, who to begin with were already affected by the online reservation systems even before the viral contagion.

This is perhaps the best time for the country to invest in badly-needed travel infrastructure with emphasis on sustainability and environmental protection, for the time when tourism rises again.

The fastfood joints will survive the crisis, as domestic food demand, even dining-out will remain inelastic, or if affected, slightly. But their premium will be price-driven, which means lower bottom lines. Consumers will be more value-for-money spenders.

There may be a temporary spike in home-delivered meals, which is good for the consumer logistics sector, until people get tired of the “new normal” and find it safe enough to go to crowded places.

It will also take time for cinemas and theaters, concerts and plays, to come around. The big winners are Netflix and HBO and all the other producers of home-based entertainment. (Oh, how we will miss Broadway and the West End, or even the Cultural Center!)

Unfortunately the travel industry is also a big, big employer. A big chunk of our OFWs’ work in the travel-related sector, from chefs to chambermaids to drivers to waiters. What jobs can we provide when they get back home?

Of course, the ocean cruise industry, where space confinement led to high infection, will be in extremis.

The cruise vessels, too employ thousands of our OFWs. The travel sector is now looking for survival formulae, including promoting domestic travel. But the lingering fear, at least for the next year and a half, will choose the “safer” destinations, such as islands yet unfrequented, but where hardly any infrastructure has been built.

On the longer term, this is perhaps the best time for the country to invest in badly-needed travel infrastructure with emphasis on sustainability and environmental protection, for the time when tourism rises again.

But as it is, funds earmarked for tourism infrastructure have now been diverted to the “war” against COVID-19. Saving lives now matters more than future prospects.

Having been part of the tourism sector in the past, I find it quite painful to write this article. I am sure our publisher, once also a pillar in the travel industry, reads this article with pain. I find proposing solutions difficult at this time.

Pandemic...

From A4

but RSF said this was because of "other countries falling" rather than positive change.

It said censorship of the media, especially online media, has been stepped up in Turkey and the country was "more authoritarian than ever."

Russia, under President Vladimir Putin, in 149th place, is also persevering with "efforts to control the Internet, using ever more elaborate methods", it said, citing a law that would allow the country to disconnect the Russian internet from the rest of the world.

"The prospect of a Chinese-style scenario (in Russia) is alarming," RSF said.

A Chinese foreign ministry official hit back on Tuesday, claiming RSF "has always been biased against China" and adding that China welcomes reporters from other countries to work there —"while adhering to laws and regulations".

RSF said "the closure of the national internet" is already a reality in the isolated Central Asian state of Turkmenistan where the few internet users can access only a highly censored version of the Internet, often in cafes where they have to show ID before connecting.

"Almost everywhere in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, strongmen are consolidating their grip on news and information," RSF warned. AFP

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World

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Oil prices bounce back after crash N

EW YORK—US oil prices rebounded above zero Tuesday, a day afterfutures ended in negative territory for the first time as a coronavirus-triggered collapse in demand leaves the world awash in crude.

US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for May delivery was changing hands at $1.10 a barrel after closing at -$37.63 in New York.

The May futures contract expires Tuesday, meaning traders who buy and sell the commodity for profit needed to find someone to take physical possession of the oil. But with the glut in markets and storage facilities full, buyers have been scarce.

On Monday, US oil prices crashed to unprecedented lows, as futures in New York ended in negative territory for the first time amid a devastating supply glut

that has forced traders to pay others to take the crude off their hands.

With space to store oil scarce, US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for May delivery closed at -$37.63 a barrel.

"It's a contract for something that nobody wants to buy," said Matt Smith of ClipperData.

Addressing reporters after the market close, President Donald Trump reiterated his promise to fill up the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, saying the US would add as much as 75 million barrels of crude.

"That would be the first time in a long time that it has been topped out. We get it

for the right price," Trump said.

Later in the briefing, he specified that he would only buy that amount if Congress authorized the funding—or if the federal government could rent storage space to third parties for a fee.

As of April 17, the SPR contained 635 million barrels of its current authorized limit of 713.5 million barrels.

The cratering oil prices prompted more selling on Wall Street, which was slowly creeping back up after the coronavirus pandemic battered the major indices.

US stocks opened lower and stayed that way all day, with the Dow petering out to post a 2.4 percent decline.

Traders are now more focused on the contract for June delivery, which had trading volumes more than 30 times higher. That also rebounded Tuesday, rising to

above $21 a barrel following a close of $20.43 a barrel in New York.

Brent crude, the international benchmark, was changing hands at $25.61 a barrel for June delivery, up 0.15 percent.

The crisis was worsened by a price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia. Riyadh and Moscow drew a line under the dispute and, along with other top producers, struck a deal to cut output by almost 10 million barrels a day earlier this month.

But prices have continued to fall as analysts say the cuts are not enough, and as storage facilities reach capacity.

US crude's collapse Monday was triggered in part by the closely monitored WTI storage facility at Cushing, Oklahoma filling up, as well as traders closing out their positions before the expiry of the May contract. AFP

Seoul plays down report over Nokor’s Kim health SOUTH Korea played down a report Tuesday that the North's leader Kim Jong Un was being treated after surgery, as speculation mounted over his absence from a key anniversary.

Pyongyang marked the birthday of its late founder, Kim's grandfather Kim Il Sung, on April 15—by far the most important date in its annual political calendar—but Kim was not seen in attendance.

Daily NK, an online media outlet run mostly by North Korean defectors, said Kim had undergone a cardiovascular procedure earlier this month and was recovering at a villa in North Phyongan province.

"Excessive smoking, obesity, and fatigue were the direct causes of Kim's urgent cardiovascular treatment," it cited an unidentified source inside the country as saying.

No confirmation of the report was immediately available.

But it triggered widespread speculation, with CNN citing a US official saying that Washington was "monitoring intelligence" that Kim was in "grave danger after a surgery". The report did not specify what the intelligence was.

In a statement, a spokesman for the South's presidential Blue House said: "We have nothing to confirm and no special movement has been detected inside North Korea as of now."

Some South Korean officials raised doubts about the credibility of the sourcing.

Reporting from inside the isolated country is notoriously difficult, especially on anything to do with the North's leadership, which is among its most closely-guarded secrets.

Both the unification ministry— which handles inter-Korean relations —and the defence ministry declined to comment. AFP

BPOs embrace AI, ‘reshore’ jobs Virgin Australia falls due to heavy debts COVID amplifies free press threats Cops probe motive for shooting spree

Amazon workers hit 'unsafe' state

Armed men join groups of protesters in Columbus, Ohio and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Armed men join US anti-lockdown protest rally THE incessant clang of car horns rang out in the US state of Pennsylvania Monday as hundreds of vehicles circled the Capitol building in a protest against confinement measures aimed at combatting the coronavirus.

During the rally that lasted about three hours, many drove pick-up trucks decorated with American flags or slogans like "shelter in place isn't freedom!"

The Harrisburg demonstrators, arguing that public health regulations unduly threaten economic freedom, gathered after similar protests elsewhere in the country and President Donald Trump tweeted apparent support for them last week.

Among Monday's protest organizers were a trio of conservative pro-gun activist brothers who have instigated antiquarantine demonstrations throughout the United States.

But the demonstrators remain on the margins in a country where polls show a majority support stay-at-home measures to fight the pandemic.

Along with the vehicles protesting, hundreds of people—most of them mask-free despite the threat of the virus—gathered at the steps of the statehouse. They carried signs decrying damage caused to the economy due to confinement measures, or accusing the governor, Tom Wolf, of using the virus as an excuse to grab powers.

Among those rallying were Republican congressional representatives.

State lawmaker Aaron Bernstine said "our new normal does not mean we will sacrifice our freedoms for the safety of our country."

"U-S-A!" chants punctuated his speech—reminiscent of Trump rallies, which are currently suspended due to the pandemic. The virus has infected more

than 33,000 people and killed in excess of 1,300 in the eastern state of Pennsylvania The United States is the global epicenter of the pandemic, with more than 41,000 people dead.

Yet, echoing Trump, some lawmakers like Representative Russ Diamond say the "cure"—ordering or urging residents to stay home—could be "worse than the disease."

"End this shutdown now!" Diamond said at the rally.

Creating risk Anita Livelsberger, one of the few demonstrators wearing a mask, traveled from a town about a half-hour outside the city "to support the president" and "because they have to re-open or small businesses will die."

The 55-year-old said that Trump— who has sparred with state governors over their precautionary orders—"has been doing a good job." AFP

member of the hardline Hefazat-e-Islam group.

Islamic leaders in Bangladesh, where tens of thousands of people defied a nationwide lockdown Saturday to attend the funeral of a top preacher, reminded people it is "mandatory" for a healthy Muslim to attend prayers in a mosque.

In Pakistan, devotees said worship is more important than coronavirus concerns.

Authorities have buckled under religious pressure, allowing daily prayers and evening congregations at mosques after clerics promised to instruct religious leaders to clean their facilities regularly.

In the run-up to Ramadan, mosques have been filling up across Pakistan with hundreds attending Friday prayers, sitting shoulder to shoulder and paying little heed to social distancing.

"I will take all the preventive measures, washing my hands and using my

At the hotel in the heart of Geneva's Old City, 20 rooms have been provided to homeless women, while 11 have been given to unaccompanied minors like Rahmani who have no access to seeking asylum in Switzerland.

"It happened fairly naturally," hotel director Alain Meuwly told AFP, sitting in the breakfast room, where tables have been spaced far apart and equipped with only one chair each.

When Switzerland began cancelling all public events and closing restaurants and shops to halt the spread of the virus in early

HUNDREDS of Amazon employees are expected to strike from Tuesday to protest conditions they say are unsafe and demand better protection in the workplace against the coronavirus pandemic.

This is "the biggest mass action by workers yet, as frustrations mount around the company's failure to protect workers and public health in the wake of the coronavirus epidemic," said the Athena coalition, a group of workers' rights organizations, in a statement released Monday.

The protest by more than 300 warehouse workers comes three days before an online strike by Amazon coders and engineers.

The online retail giant has been accused since the start of the pandemic of failing to sufficiently protect its employees, as well as of firing employees in the US who led protest movements.

"For weeks, Amazon workers... have sounded the alarm over unsafe conditions at facilities," Athena's statement said, pointing to 130 warehouses where workers have contracted COVID-19, some "with more than 30 confirmed cases."

"We have to make an impossible choice every day: go to a workplace that's not safe or risk losing a paycheck in the middle of a global recession," Jaylen Camp, an Amazon employee at a fulfillment center in Romulus, Michigan, said in the statement. AFP

ANA cuts profit forecast by 71% JAPANESE airline ANA Holdings on Monday slashed its annual net profit forecast by 71 percent over massive falls in demand and major cancellations caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

For the past fiscal year to March 2020, the firm said it now expects a net profit of 27 billion yen ($194 million), down from an earlier projection of 94 billion yen.

Operating profit is now seen at 60 billion yen, compared with an earlier expectation of 140 billion yen. Sales are now projected to fall to 1,970 billion yen, compared with 2,090 billion yen.

The company is scheduled to officially release its full-year earnings later this month.

The downgrade was forced by "entry restrictions in various countries and reduced domestic travel in Japan due to the spread of the coronavirus during the fourth quarter," the company said, with travel demand declining especially sharply in March.

The company was expecting strong sales but also higher costs as it prepared to expand services in the greater Tokyo region ahead of the 2020 Olympics.

But the pandemic has forced the Games to be delayed by a year and severely damaged Japan's tourism sector, while many countries have cancelled or limited international and domestic travel. AFP

FB's livestream gaming app out

Worshippers maintain social distancing at a mosque in Karachi in Pakistan at the weekend

mask but it doesn't mean I will stop attending prayers, especially during Ramadan," taxi driver Zubair Khan told AFP in the northwestern city of Peshawar.

The virus threat at large religious

congregations has been highlighted in recent weeks by three waves of infections in Asia, linked to separate, massive Islamic congregations in Malaysia, Pakistan and India. AFP

Homeless taste ‘luxury’ at Geneva Hotel during pandemic SOFIANE Rahmani can hardly believe his luck. After several years of living on the street and bouncing between shelters, he now has his own hotel room, personal bathroom and all meals provided.

"It's true luxury," the 16-year-old Algerian illegal migrant told AFP at the threestar Bel Esperance Hotel in Geneva.

Last month, as the hotel faced a cascade of cancellations, it decided to turn over the entire establishment to house homeless women and youths and help get them off the streets during the C VID-19 pandemic.

(at manilastandard.net)

IN BRIEF

Ramadan on collision course with virus for Asia’s Muslims ACROSS Asia, home to about half of the world's Muslims, the coming Islamic holy month of Ramadan is on a collision course with the coronavirus pandemic as clerics call on the faithful to cram into mosques.

Authorities have tried to limit the fallout during the sacred period of fasting, which starts Thursday, but in many cases religious leaders have brushed aside concerns about activities that could spread COVID-19.

In Bangladesh, clerics lashed out at attempts to reduce the number of people going to mosques, and demanded the country's secular government allow millions of Muslims to join daily and weekly prayers.

"The quota on the number of worshippers imposed by the government is not acceptable to us. Islam does not support imposition of any quota on worshippers," said Mojibur Rahman Hamidi, a senior

STORIES ONLINE

March, "more than 90 percent of our bookings were cancelled," he said.

The hotel, a profit-driven business run by the Salvation Army, was empty.

At the same time colleagues within the Christian charity told him they were looking for safe ways to house some of the estimated 1,000 homeless people in Geneva.

Good for business Switzerland, which to date has reported nearly 28,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 1,100 deaths, does not have a national policy against homelessness,

with each of the confederation's 26 cantons implementing their own approaches.

In Geneva, the Salvation Army and other organisations have long provided emergency overnight shelters with a few dozen beds, but never before anything with 24-hour service.

Meuwly said the transformation process was quite simple.

The hotel's regular staff were all placed on temporary unemployment, and a team of social workers were brought in to accommodate the new residents, who will be allowed to stay until June 1. AFP

FACEBOOK on Monday launched a standalone gaming app, allowing users to create and watch livestreams of games in a challenge to the Amazonowned Twitch platform.

The new app was available Monday for Android devices, with a separate version for Apple's iOS in the works.

Facebook said the new app will enable users to watch "e-sports" or game competitions as well as participate in games with other users online.

The leading social network said it accelerated the launch "to encourage meaningful community interactions" for people locked down due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Facebook said it sees strong interest in the new app, with some 700 million of its global users already playing games or participating in gaming groups on its platform.

It has been testing the app in some parts of the world since 2018.

"The Facebook Gaming app is a focused, gaming-only experience where you can watch your favorite streamers, play instant games and take part in gaming groups," the leading social network said in a statement on Twitter.

"It's all of Facebook Gaming in one neat, app-sized package." AFP

Business

A7

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2020 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market sinks; Metrobank drops T HE stock market slumped Tuesday after US crude prices crashed below $0.00 for the first time owing to crippled demand and a storage glut.

Other Asian equity markets were deep in the red, having enjoyed a healthy couple of weeks thanks to massive stimulus measures and signs of an easing in the rate of new infections globally.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index plummeted 141.40 points, or 2.5 percent, to 5,592.25 on a value turnover of P5.7 billion. Losers overwhelmed gainers, 140 to 49, with 44 issues unchanged.

Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., the second-biggest lender in terms of assets, sank 5.8 percent to P38.95, while JG Summit Holdings Inc. of the Gokongwei Group tumbled 6.2 percent to P50.

Conglomerate Ayala Corp. fell 5.1 percent to P575, while Jollibee Foods Corp., the biggest fast-food chain, dropped 4.8 percent to P136.10.

Tokyo, meanwhile, ended two percent lower, while Hong Kong shed 1.9 percent and Sydney dropped 2.5 percent with Mumbai more than three percent lower.

Shanghai sank 0.9 percent while Seoul was down a similar amount and Taipei retreated 2.8 percent. Singapore, Jakarta and Bangkok lost more than one percent, and there were also big losses in Wellington.

Investors were also tracking developments in North Korea following US reports that Kim Jong Un had undergone cardiovascular surgery earlier this month and was in “grave danger.”

The losses came despite signs that the virus, which has infected almost 2.5 million people and killed 170,000, is easing as global lockdowns begin to

take effect, allowing some countries to slowly return to normality.

Analysts warned the drop in stocks could be an indication that the recent surge may have been too much too quick and another sell-off is possible.

The flight to safety was reflected in currency markets, where the dollar soared against high-yielding, riskier units. The Australian and New Zealand dollars and Russian ruble were all down more than one percent, while the Indonesian rupiah sank 0.9 percent.

The South Korean won came under extra pressure following the reports about Kim. CNN cited a US official saying Washington was “monitoring intelligence” that the leader was in “grave danger after a surgery”. The report did not specify what the intelligence was.

“If the North Korean news proves to be correct, the region is set for a period of uncertainty,” said OANDA’s Jeffrey Halley.

“Kim Jong-un was its leader for life, and he had weeded out a goodly number of potential rivals already. That leaves a nuclear-armed North Korea with giant armed forces facing a potentially messy succession process. China will also want to have its input into the process, forcefully if necessary.

US crude prices bounced back into positive territory Tuesday, a day after crashing below $0.00 for the first time.

West Texas Intermediate for May delivery rose to $1.10 a barrel after diving to an unprecedented low of -$37.63 in New York as the pandemic brings the global economy, transport and factory activity to a halt. However, it later eased back to sit 30 cents higher.

The sell-off in May futures came because the contract expires later Tuesday, meaning traders needed to find buyers to take physical possession of the oil—a job made near-impossible as storage becomes scarce. With AFP

Manila Standard BuSineSS daily StockS review tueSday, april 21, 2020

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

48.7 60.75 102.5 0.9 19.9 15.8 8.04 3.07 0.29 40.15 0.59 8.24 18 24.6 163 91 42.5 17.36 105 1,510 54.85 0.96

48.7 61.45 102.5 0.9 19.92 15.8 8.04 3.08 0.29 40.5 0.59 8.26 18 24.6 165 91 42.5 17.36 106 1,510 54.85 0.96

47 59.8 100.4 0.89 19.88 15.5 7.85 2.8 0.29 38.55 0.59 8.24 17 23.5 162.2 91 42 16.14 103 1,510 53.6 0.96

FINANCIALS 48.5 1,600 60 2,056,500 100.6 2,816,050 0.89 586,000 19.9 161,400 15.5 2,400 7.88 155,000 3.08 25,000 0.29 230,000 38.95 6,932,100 0.59 50,000 8.26 3,100 18 2,100 24.2 486,800 163 1,220 91 20 42 2,000 16.14 27,200 104 445,290 1,510 5 54.85 1,380 0.96 300,000

76,030 123,494,007.50 284,565,074 527,340 3212272 37,630 1,226,405 71,090 66,700 271,594,940 29,500 25,586 36,800 11,695,140 198,760 1,820 84,150 469,320 46,194,897 7,550 75,403 288,000

-57,782,847 -96,463,871 -1102521.9996 -26,073 -75,242,245 35,000 -5,806,915 -73,190.00 6,554,352 1,620 268,800

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

26.8 2.25 7.8 0.51 0.95 2.66 75.05 1.08 14.42 157 9.64 12.68 25 1.89 3.6 5.85 8.25 5.62 7.97 2.85 18.04 58 1.39 32.5 1.1 11.44 6.36 1.17 142.5 4.6 3.45 6 11.08 6.48 7.5 264 1.83 2.37 3.11 8.9 10.86 18.5 4.24 4.35 1.41 1.1 6.14 59 8.01 0.105 0.76 121.9 2.35 0.87 0.73

26.8 2.44 7.85 0.52 0.95 2.74 86.5 1.08 14.42 157 9.7 13.28 25 1.89 3.85 5.85 8.25 5.72 7.98 2.85 18.18 58 1.39 32.6 1.11 11.62 6.36 1.2 142.5 4.6 3.45 6.2 11.12 6.48 7.5 266 1.84 2.57 3.21 8.9 10.86 18.5 4.24 4.51 1.46 1.1 6.18 59 8.01 0.115 0.77 121.9 2.49 0.87 0.73

26 2.11 7.46 0.5 0.93 2.59 75.05 1.04 14.38 156 8.78 12.68 24 1.89 3.25 5.62 7.95 5.38 7.91 2.5 17.74 56.1 1.35 32.5 1.02 11.22 5.8 1.13 133 4.45 3.45 6 10.84 6 7.1 257.6 1.82 2.26 2.89 8.9 10 17 4.03 4.35 1.41 1.01 5.75 57.75 7.9 0.105 0.73 118 2.35 0.82 0.7

INDUSTRIAL 26 816,600 2.34 46,361,000 7.78 592,200 0.51 1,753,000 0.93 100,000 2.6 31,435,000 86.3 190 1.05 6,950,000 14.42 1,562,300 156 40 9 6,626,000 13.28 1,700 25 9,000 1.89 1,000 3.5 99,000 5.68 1,288,600 8 1,876,600 5.4 2,072,900 7.97 3,034,700 2.76 3,728,000 18 2,081,800 56.2 98,710 1.35 10,719,000 32.6 1,400 1.07 3,747,000 11.48 143,300 6 881,900 1.18 2,026,000 136.1 3,140,890 4.6 9,000 3.45 1,000 6.2 6,400 10.88 2,452,200 6.1 1,345,100 7.17 2,194,700 257.6 219,600 1.84 1,109,000 2.57 74,000 3.1 8,881,000 8.9 900 10.48 341,500 17.92 1,571,200 4.22 85,000 4.5 9,000 1.45 455,000 1.04 1,591,000 5.84 2,676,700 58 641,800 7.98 144,600 0.115 1,990,000 0.73 101,000 119.4 1,056,500 2.49 14,000 0.85 5,621,000 0.7 624,000

21,322,580 107268260 4,531,517 894,170 93,280 81,912,160 16,308.50 7,320,420 22,512,550 6,250 60,939,204 21,856 224,895 1,890 350,280 7,305,369 15,024,536 11,418,698 24,216,193 10,053,280 37467384 5,544,779 14,605,490 45,570 3,960,280 1,636,934 5,306,426 2,382,770 430,326,061 40,600 3,450 39,261 26,789,824 8,288,563 15,943,218 57,083,348 2,028,530 177,650 27,354,150 8,010 3,579,790 28084490 358,250 39,770 644,300 1,648,230 15,840,614 37,196,341.50 1,151,698 217,700 76,620 126,293,667 34,660 4,751,050 440,470

-16,016,385 -5256570.0002 -332,830 -8,419,600 -2,974,730 -34,584 3,120 886,110 122,495 -133,880 -2,877,021 -11,246,760 75,219 -23,940,000 -169,740 1423421.9996 -395,082.50 -465,250 -39,020 -114,868 198,908 -45,530.00 46,335,800 -5,332,946 19,210 -7,074,340 -15,367,034 916,600 505,850 -1,780 -5045554.0001 -283,050 8,380 44,880 5,300,041 978,150.50 -106,840 -46,751,546 -3,350 -

ABACORE CAPITAL ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANGLO PHIL HLDG ASIABEST GROUP ATN HLDG A AYALA CORP AYALA LAND LOG COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV FJ PRINCE A GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT JOLLIVILLE HLDG KEPPEL HLDG A LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP MABUHAY HLDG METRO PAC INV PACIFICA HLDG PRIME MEDIA SAN MIGUEL CORP SM INVESTMENTS SOLID GROUP SYNERGY GRID TOP FRONTIER WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HLDG

0.59 43.2 7.01 0.55 7.85 0.47 600 1.72 5 4.4 9 2.89 492.8 3.95 53.1 6.27 5.06 0.455 2.8 7.75 0.5 2.68 3.15 0.72 100.5 844.5 0.98 162.1 136.2 0.19 0.14

0.63 43.9 7.02 0.55 7.86 0.47 600 1.72 5 4.4 9 3.35 494 3.95 53.1 6.27 5.06 0.46 2.82 7.75 0.5 2.7 3.16 0.73 100.6 855 0.98 165 142 0.206 0.14

0.57 42 6.61 0.53 7.31 0.45 574 1.59 4.78 4.2 8.7 2.89 467 3.95 49.4 6.27 5.06 0.45 2.77 7.43 0.495 2.61 2.85 0.72 98 818 0.98 162.1 136.2 0.19 0.135

HOLDING FIRMS 0.6 8,567,000 43.9 796,400 6.65 11,215,600 0.55 168,000 7.37 22,700 0.45 1,360,000 575 470,070 1.6 5,384,000 4.88 4,178,000 4.2 9,982,000 9 3,700 3.35 6,000 475 201,690 3.95 2,000 50 1,666,150 6.27 1,300 5.06 2,000 0.45 70,000 2.77 490,000 7.51 1,176,900 0.495 140,000 2.67 43,409,000 3.14 16,000 0.73 130,000 98 361,690 839 212,370 0.98 10,000 165 360 139 10,030 0.195 830,000 0.14 22,370,000

5,127,510 34,405,710 75,751,737 89,340 169,175 615,550 273,172,520 8,676,170 20,018,100 42,515,210 33,180 18,690 96,097,168 7,900 84,199,929.50 8,151 10,120 31,650 1,363,620 8,848,613 69,600 115,195,490 49,510 94,700 35,619,998 176,087,535 9,800 58,965 1,390,254 166,010 3,130,300

-19,020.00 -6,250,580 -43,732,386 -49,255,595 -4,825,600 -1,481,970 -10,335,970 -900 -25,826,288 -65,185,485 -726,400 -3,728,866 9,900 25,590,900 4,042,062 -60,206,780 -1,097,720 -

8990 HLDG A BROWN ANCHOR LAND ARANETA PROP ARTHALAND CORP AYALA LAND BELLE CORP CEB LANDMASTERS CEBU HLDG CENTURY PROP CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES CYBER BAY DM WENCESLAO DOUBLEDRAGON FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED PHIL INFRADEV PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP

11.58 0.55 9.09 1.05 0.54 31 1.36 4 5.9 0.365 0.73 0.121 0.28 7.05 16.1 0.94 0.8 2.78 0.145 0.85 0.235 1.77

11.7 0.55 9.09 1.05 0.57 31.2 1.37 4.09 5.9 0.365 0.74 0.132 0.28 7.2 16.16 0.94 0.81 2.79 0.165 0.85 0.24 1.77

11.58 0.53 9.09 1.05 0.54 30.7 1.35 3.91 5.9 0.355 0.73 0.121 0.28 7.05 15.88 0.91 0.8 2.7 0.143 0.79 0.225 1.57

PROPERTY 11.6 42,300 0.54 1,865,000 9.09 100 1.05 11,000 0.57 1,136,000 30.95 7,213,200 1.36 114,000 4.01 437,000 5.9 800 0.36 4,030,000 0.74 33,000 0.13 120,000 0.28 40,000 7.1 109,300 16 158,200 0.92 8,411,000 0.81 432,000 2.78 15,547,000 0.158 60,490,000 0.82 1,085,000 0.24 780,000 1.6 348,000

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND VISTAMALLS

15.48 1.48 2.64 30.95 1.87 1.25 4.15 3.9

15.78 1.52 2.64 30.95 1.9 1.25 4.23 3.9

14.84 1.46 2.63 30 1.86 1.18 4.04 3.63

15.78 1.52 2.63 30 1.89 1.22 4.09 3.73

1,550,300 78,000 16,000 12,169,600 88,000 1,927,000 1,037,000 84,000

23,919,544 117,080 42,140 369,503,490 164,380 2,318,890 4252030 311,260

1,597,346 -126,557,890 -693560.0001 -

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ALLHOME APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL ASIAN TERMINALS BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CEBU AIR CHELSEA DFNN INC DISCOVERY WORLD DITO CME HLDG EASYCALL GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN BRIA HARBOR STAR IMPERIAL INTL CONTAINER ISLAND INFO LBC EXPRESS LEISURE AND RES LORENZO SHIPPNG MACROASIA METRO RETAIL METROALLIANCE A METROALLIANCE B NOW CORP PACIFIC ONLINE PAL HLDG PAXYS PH RESORTS GRP PHIL SEVEN CORP PHILWEB PLDT PREMIUM LEISURE PRMIERE HORIZON PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL SBS PHIL CORP SSI GROUP STI HLDG TRANSPACIFIC BR WATERFRONT WILCON DEPOT

6.15 17.14 6.1 0.3 0.038 15.92 2.14 5.99 0.032 52.85 3.22 2.89 1.61 2.35 5.25 2,160 4.98 330 0.92 1.45 79.4 0.086 12.98 1.44 0.86 5.2 1.55 1.84 1.67 1.83 1.68 7.2 2.06 3.14 132 2.8 1,150 0.325 0.225 46.5 61.1 5.79 1.27 0.38 0.184 0.43 14.54

6.25 17.14 6.1 0.32 0.039 15.92 2.36 6 0.033 52.85 3.22 2.89 1.61 2.37 5.29 2,176 5 330 0.92 1.45 79.4 0.086 13 1.63 0.86 5.3 1.7 1.84 1.89 1.93 1.74 7.2 2.1 3.14 135.5 2.82 1,170 0.325 0.225 46.9 61.1 5.84 1.28 0.38 0.185 0.45 14.86

6.12 16.82 5.7 0.295 0.037 15.92 2.14 5.76 0.031 49.5 3 2.89 1.6 2.16 5.1 2,106 4.86 320 0.85 1.45 77 0.086 12.6 1.44 0.86 4.7 1.51 1.7 1.66 1.81 1.68 6.76 2.06 2.9 132 2.45 1,126 0.3 0.211 45.7 60.2 5.79 1.2 0.37 0.174 0.43 14.2

SERVICES 6.24 16.82 5.94 0.295 0.039 15.92 2.36 5.8 0.031 49.65 3.09 2.89 1.6 2.32 5.12 2,106 4.87 330 0.85 1.45 77 0.086 12.9 1.53 0.86 4.75 1.68 1.72 1.89 1.9 1.74 7 2.06 2.91 135.5 2.61 1,130 0.315 0.217 46.5 60.8 5.79 1.23 0.375 0.179 0.45 14.56

23,400 126,600 3,058,300 480,000 8,400,000 1,800 6,000 4,501,700 11,700,000 207,390 1,979,000 1,000 7,000 100,095,000 15,100 49,340 249,000 210 1,331,000 13,000 2,518,510 20,000 3,400 1,159,000 10,000 13,079,800 4,347,000 4,667,000 10,000 4,971,000 37,000 6,400 66,000 379,000 100,830 4,588,000 285,960 13,900,000 1,070,000 4,995,500 376,170 2,700 3,131,000 13,430,000 6,590,000 20,000 2,661,000

143,629 2,142,036 18,192,177 145,700 317,800 28,656 13,720 26,460,965 374,500 10,450,057.50 6,097,830 2,890 11,250 228,322,910 77,367 105,536,280 1,224,760 68,650 1,162,590 18,850 194,645,480 1,720 43,578 1,763,570 8,600 65,043,557 6,977,520 8,169,990 16,980 9,301,270 62,760 44,820 136,360 1,119,570 13,610,496 12,166,540 324,790,410 4,330,650 229,070 232,407,585 22,862,330 15,658 3,851,920 5,025,400 1,178,890 8,800 38,678,096

7,969 8,908,037 7,411,216 -5,594,073 148,150 602,520 -17,645,970 36,100 -35,765,841 -2,230 -10,213,538 -782,830 -41,150 3,360 224,054 -11,380 114,594,060 63,000 -36,322,940 -8,074,611 -962,990 -1,693,450 -151,910 5,158,318

ABRA MINING ACE ENEXOR APEX MINING ATLAS MINING CENTURY PEAK COAL ASIA HLDG DIZON MINES FERRONICKEL GEOGRACE LEPANTO A LEPANTO B MANILA MINING A MARCVENTURES NICKEL ASIA NIHAO ORNTL PENINSULA ORNTL PETROL A ORNTL PETROL B PX MINING PXP ENERGY SEMIRARA MINING

0.001 6.31 0.9 1.94 2.7 0.2 6.84 0.78 0.195 0.08 0.08 0.007 0.56 1.73 0.96 0.5 0.0087 0.0085 2.22 4.21 12.66

0.0011 7.19 0.98 1.94 2.75 0.214 6.97 0.78 0.198 0.08 0.085 0.007 0.56 1.73 0.99 0.52 0.0087 0.0095 2.22 4.59 12.66

0.001 6.24 0.9 1.94 2.7 0.2 6.7 0.74 0.192 0.079 0.08 0.0065 0.53 1.65 0.95 0.495 0.0087 0.0085 2.13 4.07 12

MINING & OIL 0.0011 21,000,000 7.1 711,500 0.93 2,340,000 1.94 1,000 2.75 346,000 0.2 750,000 6.85 3,300 0.76 2,696,000 0.195 300,000 0.08 4,580,000 0.085 2,970,000 0.0066 11,000,000 0.53 197,000 1.68 9,689,000 0.95 100,000 0.52 211,000 0.0087 2,000,000 0.0095 18,000,000 2.19 233,000 4.5 5,761,000 12.2 894,100

21,300 4,870,399 2,203,830 1,940 941,250 153,110 22,350 2,036,320 58,560 362,420 238,600 72,900 106,910 16,237,950 95,240 105,170 17,400 162,000 503,580 25,054,820 10,924,664

-35,695 -119,380 401,250 -9,750 1,287,100 -86,600 113,150 -2,334,654

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 ALCO PREF B CPG PREF A DD PREF GLO PREF P GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 3A PCOR PREF 3B PNX PREF 3B PNX PREF 4 SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

15.8 500 100 99.5 97.5 500 997 977 96.9 100 1,010 1,010 103 1,000 76 73.85 74.05 75 75 75

15.8 500 100 99.5 101 500 997 977 96.9 100 1,010 1,020 103 1,000 76.2 74.2 74.1 75 75 75

15.2 497 100 99.5 97.5 500 954 977 96.9 100 1,000 1,010 103 1,000 76 73.85 74 75 75 75

PREFERRED 15.2 32,900 497 2,030 100 1,480 99.5 1,770 100 1,495,510 500 100 954 320 977 180 96.9 10 100 1,660 1,000 4,520 1,010 1,095 103 2,800 1,000 19,255 76.2 22,230 74.2 130 74 5,440 75 900 75 1,000 75 50,000

509,980 1,009,000 148,000 176,115 149,311,004 50,000 306,140 175,860 969 166,000 4,530,645 1,106,250 288,400 19,255,000 1,693,487 9,642.50 402,807 67,500 75,000 3,750,000

525,200 -56,388 -

LR WARRANT

0.81

0.85

0.77

WARRANTS 0.81 306,000

251,800

ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH XURPAS

2.09 6.3 0.6

2.28 6.75 0.6

1.8 6.2 0.57

1.99 6.7 0.59

FIRST METRO ETF

86

86.5

85

USD DMPL A1 USD TECH B2

9.85 0.84

9.85 0.84

9.85 0.84

MS 492,968 995,930 909 11,550 631,710 222,968,960 154,380 1,735,370 4,720 1,447,900 24,400 15,100 11,200 785,665 2526084 7,744,110 346,930 42,745,330 9,413,780 877,470 181,650 558,420

-36,168 54,000 -9,125,530 -16,440 -865,840 776,436 -1083603.9997 -4,122,450 11,727,240 18,130 8,800 4,600 320,000

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

Trading Summary

SHARES

FINANCIAL

14,819,945

INDUSTRIAL

167,362,456

HOLDING FIRMS

113,435,575

PROPERTY

125,108,945

SERVICES

215,125,850

MINING & OIL

83,989,752

GRAND TOTAL

764,343,249

SME

42,849,000 165,300 1,461,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 85 21,280 9.85 0.84

DDS

2,100 1,500

-

88,771,150 1,084,988 848,430

19,260 30,150 -

1,819,990.50

98,985

20,685 1,260

-

VALUE 1,195.34 (down0 27.22 799,433,984.24 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 7,255.41 (down) 190.26 1,303,917,144.17 HOLDING FIRMS 5,551.84 (down) 134.22 1,040,575,304.62 PROPERTY 2,860.92 (down) 71.25 1,266.97 (down) 32.26 975,134,358.635 SERVICES MINING & OIL 4,642.80 (down) 138.30 1,385,910,735.99 PSEI 5,592.25 (down) 141.40 64,202,633.88 All Shares Index 3,389.74 (down) 84.16 5,661,705,823.56 Gainers: 49; Losers: 140; Unchanged: 44; Total: 233

SEC to ease requirements on registration of companies

By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Securities and Exchange Commission plans to further ease the requirements on the registration of new domestic companies, especially the authentication of articles of incorporation.

The SEC in a notice issued on April 20 released for public comment a draft memorandum circular providing the guidelines on the authentication of articles of incorporation.

The SEC under the proposed guidelines will accept registration articles of incorporation that are accompanied by a certificate of authentication signed by all incorporators in the form prescribed by the SEC. Both the articles of incorporation and the certificate of authentication no longer need to be notarized or “consularized.”

Companies still have the option to acknowledge the articles of incorporation before a notary public.

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

The proposed guidelines is aligned with Section 13 of the Revised Corporation Code of the Philippines, which requires corporations to file with the SEC articles of incorporation, duly signed and acknowledged or authenticated as allowed by the SEC. The proposed guidelines reiterated the provisions of the Revised Corporation Code against the use of fraud or misrepresentation in obtaining corporate registration.

The registration of a corporation, which obtained its certificate of registration through fraud or misrepresentation, will be revoked.

Those responsible for the formation of the company or who assisted in the fraud will be punished with a fine ranging from P200,000 to P2 million.

When the violation is injurious or detrimental to the public, the penalty will range from P400,000 to P5 million.

The SEC expects the proposed guidelines relaxing the registration requirements on domestic corporations to help improve the ease of doing business in the Philippines and subsequently bolster the economy.

Megaworld gives P60m to fund test labs in metropolis MEGAWORLD Corp., the real estate unit of tycoon Andrew Tan, donated P60 million to the Philippine Red Cross to set up COVID-19 testing laboratories in Metro Manila.

Megaworld said in a statement Tuesday the donation was used in the purchase of four brand-new sets of COVID-19 test laboratories.

Each test laboratory has two RTPCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) machines, one RNA machine that speeds up the test capability of the laboratory, a medical lab freezer and a bio-safety cabinet that protects samples from contamination.

“This will further strengthen our government’s efforts in detecting COVID-19 cases so we can really get to focus on them and prevent more people from being infected. The Philippine Red Cross has the experience and capability to operate these testing laboratories, and we are confident that this project can greatly help in having more people tested fast,” said Kevin Andrew Tan, chief strategy officer, of Megaworld.

The new testing laboratories are capable of conducting around 10,000 COVID-19 tests every day. Results of each test sample may be released within three hours.

“We continue to look for more projects and partnerships like this so we can further help government in saving lives and beat the virus,” Tan added.

Megaworld, along with its subsidiaries, has been distributing food and grocery bags to healthcare and border security frontliners around Metro Manila and nearby provinces since the start of the enhanced community quarantine period.

The group dispatched its Citylink buses to provide free transport to medical personnel to and from hospitals in Metro Manila.

Megaworld Foundation also distributed face masks to various foundations to protect the elderly and orphan beneficiaries. Jenniffer B. Austria

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

A8

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2020

Business

Virus erodes business confidence M

By Othel V. Campos

ORE than a third of German companies operating in the Philippines described their current situation as bad amid the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon designed to contain the spread of coronavirus disease 2019.

A survey conducted by the GermanPhilippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry showed that 36 percent of the company-respondents considered their current situation as bad. About 40 percent expected their business conditions to become worse within the next 12 months and 42 percent had poorer mid-term expectations.

More half of those surveyed or 56

percent said they would invest less or not at all within the next 12 months.

The German-Philippine business community said despite the grim outlook, they remained committed to maintaining their employees, with 47 percent of those surveyed saying they would keep their headcount and with 9 percent even showing interest to ex-

pand their workforce.

“Judging from the results, we see that COVID-19 has led to an erosion of business confidence in the Philippines.

This is understandable as the worldwide fight against the virus has caused the government to impose lockdowns, affected business activities and disrupted the general flow of goods,” said GPCCI executive director Martin Henkelmann.

The survey showed that demand (58 percent), financing (44 percent), economic framework (40 percent) and (36 percent) were seen as the largest risks.

When asked about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, almost a quarter of the companies said they were expecting a decline in sales by 10 to 25 percent while the same number of companies

were anticipating a decline between 25 percent and 50 percent. About 13 percent of the companies were looking at more than 50-percent decline.

Results of the survey showed that the effects of the pandemic included travel restriction (82 percent) and postponed or canceled investments (60 percent), problems with the supply chains (55 percent), lacking products and services (49 percent) and missing demand for their products and services (49 percent).

“The survey shows the urgent need for more governmental measures to assist the companies. Furthermore, the instruments to permit companies to quickly access financial support should be deployed,” said GPCCI president Tristan Arwen Loveres.

Globe keeps P63-b capex plan this year despite crisis

By Darwin G. Amojelar GLOBE Telecom Inc. said Tuesday it is keeping its P63-billion capital spending plan this year amid the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak.

The telecom unit of the Ayala Group said it would fulfill its P63billion capital expenditures in 2020 despite the global health crisis.

“We recognize the critical risks that a disruption from an emerging infectious disease can bring to our operations. And from the onset, as part of our Business Continuity Management Plan, we already prepared for workforce health and safety, supply chain disruption and the need to provide seamless connectivity, among other things,” Globe president and chief executive Ernest Cu said.

Cu said the magnitude of Covid-19’s impact on the company’s overall business operations and the whole economy should be assessed.

The company spent P51 billion for capital investments in 2019 which represented 34 percent of gross service revenues and 67 percent of fullyear earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.

Globe ended 2019 with more than 94 million mobile customers and over 2 million home broadband customers, representing a year-on-year increases of 27 percent and 25 perccent, respectively.

“We have made strong strides aligned with our vision of redefining customer experience, enabling last mile connectivity and revitalizing the country’s digital economy. Our performance in 2019 is a testament of our integrated approach to value creation by focusing on customer experience, driving sustainability and adopting a holistic approach to risk management,” Cu said.

Globe embarked on various sustainability programs to be a market disruptor in terms of innovative technology and sustainability initiatives.

San Miguel doubles daily bread production CONGLOMERATE San Miguel Corp. said it has more than doubled its bread production in a bid to serve the poor and hardest-hit communities struggling to eat as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

From 10,000 buns per day when it started baking just a month ago, San Miguel said is now producing more than twice the initial capacity at 24,000 pieces daily.

“Right now, many of our fellow Filipinos, the least fortunate among us, continue to struggle from the crisis we face. What we hope to do is reach as many vulnerable families as possible and help make sure they do not go hungry,” said San Miguel president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang. “Apart from our food donations, our version of the ‘nutribun’ is another way for us to keep our citizens healthy and nourished,” he added.

Ang said the company’s new ready-to-eat food manufacturing facility in Sta. Rosa, Laguna and flour development center in Ugong, Pasig had produced 284,171 pieces of its “nutribun” version to date.

Jenniffer B. Austria

NWRB raises water allocation to MWSS THE National Water Resources Board approved the allocation of 46 cubic meters of water per second (CMS) to the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) for the next two months to ensure water is available for hygienic purposes to prevent the spread of the COVID virus.

This is the second time since March that the water board increased the allocation to MWSS from 42 CMS to 46 CMS to sustain the anticipated high water demand in Metro Manila due to COVID-19.

The board also initially allocated 15 CMS for irrigation to farmlands in the southern part of Bulacan in the month of June. The higher supply will support the government’s food security program by sustaining farm production while under the enhanced community quarantine.

The board assured enough water supply from Angat dam until the onset of rainy season in June.

The water level in the dam as of April 21, 2020 stood at 192.25 meters, or 12.25 meters above the minimum operating level of 180 meters. The current level is more than eight meters higher year-on-year.

Othel V. Campos

RCBC launches online account opening site

TEMPORARY SHELTER. Former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis Singson announces the completion of a joint project with the Lopez Group and The Medical City to retrofit Singson’s MetroTent Convention Center in Pasig City into a temporary home for TMC employees fighting the spread of coronavirus disease 2019. Singson teamed up with First Philippine Holdings Corp., with help from FPH’s construction arm First Balfour, to retrofit MetroTent into a 120-bed temporary shelter TMC employees. TMC put in place its own anti-Covid-19 protocols to assure the safety of its medical frontliners who are temporarily housed in MetroTent.

Investors offer to explore 3 oil blocks in West Philippine Sea

By Alena Mae S. Flores INVESTORS have offered to develop three areas in the West Philippine Sea under the Philippine Conventional Energy Contracting Program, according to the Energy Department.

The department sought counter proposals on the three areas that include Area 6 (1.432 million hectares), Area 7 (1.5 million hectares) and Area 8 (1.412 hectares) which are located within the West Philippine Sea. “Interested counter-proponents [challengers] may likewise submit their application for the said nominated area in accordance with, and subject to the procedures and timelines stipulated under Department Circular DC 2017-120017,” the department said.

The department said challengers should submit complete application documents to the DOE Records Management Division, and pay the corresponding application (challenge) fee of P1 million.

Challengers are advised to submit the documents to the DOE Treasury Divi-

DOF starts recruiting competent team to prepare PH economic recovery plan

By Julito G. Rada

IN BRIEF

ing this happen,” he said.

Lambino said the COVID-19 pandemic THE Finance Department said Tuesday it had affected various aspects of Filipinos’ is recruiting highly-competent and com- lives, families, communities, places of mitted individuals who will support the work and industries and the Philippine economic team in drawing up a recovery economy.

He said the DOF needed purpose-drivplan for the domestic economy and implement it as soon as the coronavirus disease en, results-oriented and dedicated workers who are passionate about the effective 2019 pandemic is over.

Finance Assistant Secretary Anto- and efficient delivery of government pronio Joselito Lambino II said the DOF’s grams and services to the Filipino people.

Lambino said that in close partnerStrategy, Economics and Results Group, which he heads, is building a team to sup- ship with other government agencies and port state economic managers in coming stakeholders, the work of the would-be up with a recovery and stimulus plan for recruits would include helping provide relief to poor and low-income families and the economy.

“There is so much we all need to do to for employees of small businesses.

The team would also contribute to the help each other get back on our feet. A crucial part of our national recovery effort plan of ushering in and boosting inclusive is crafting and implementing a bounce- growth, job creation and poverty reduction back plan for our economy,” Lambino and laying a strong foundation for the nation’s renewed pursuit of inclusive developsaid.

“SERG is building up its team that will ment and shared prosperity under the postsupport our economic managers in mak- pandemic “new normal” scenario.

sion on or before May 5 for Area 6 and May 8 for Area 7 and Area 8.

The department said the opening of the documents would be held at the DOE Audio-Visual Room (AVR) on the same day of submission deadline.

Under the PCECP, the awarding of service contracts are conducted either through the competitive selection process or via nomination.

For the nomination process, interested companies may submit their letter of intent for the proposed area for nomination. The agency will then notify the proponents to publish their nomination which will be subject to challenge within 60 days from publication.

“We actively welcome all PCECP applications, as each one has the potential to bring us closer to desire to maximize the exploration, development, and utilization of our indigenous energy resources to help us attain energy security and independence,” Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said earlier.

PCECP is a transparent petroleum service contract awarding mechanism

HELP TO PAYATAS.

Josephine Casis and her daughter express gratitude to SM Foundation and Uniqlo Philippines for their efforts to provide relief packs for underprivileged families in Barangay Payatas, Quezon City amid the coronavirus disease 2019m outbreak.

With the help of the Department of Welfare and Social Development, SM Foundation and Uniqlo conducted Operation Tulong Express, providing Casis and about 500 households in Payatas with Kalinga (care) packs consisting of canned goods, cup noodles, water bottles and rice.

that allows the government to develop and utilize indigenous petroleum resources under a service contract with qualified local and international exploration companies.

The department is pushing to reinvigorate petroleum exploration and development activities in the country to serve as a cushioning measure against the volatility of oil prices, which has a direct impact on the costs of transport and power.

“We cannot be at the mercy of global energy market volatilities and other geopolitical movements. In this light, we launched the Philippine Energy Contracting Program... to facilitate the exploration and development of our indigenous energy resources, and revitalize our upstream oil and gas sector,” Cusi said.

There are around 20 active petroleum service contracts in the Philippines with Shell Philippines Exploration, Total E&P, PNOC-EC, Nido Petroleum, Philodrill, PXP Energy and Galoc Production Company among the DOE operator-partners.

RIZAL Commercial Banking Corp., the ninth-largest lender in terms of assets, said Tuesday it launched an online account opening facility after getting the approval from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

RCBC said in a statement it enabled a quick online account opening facility for new clients seeking immediate banking services, amid the enhanced community quarantine limitations.

RCBC instituted the system in response to the needs of the banking public for accessible financial services amid the lockdown in Luzon.

“With the limited mobility that we have right now, this is a welcome and safe solution which will allow clients to bank from home, open an account and bank with us,” RCBC Retail Banking Group head and executive vice president Richard Lim said.

As part of the bank’s digital onboarding campaign, RCBC allows new clients to open an account digitally through the RCBC Touch Q web portal within 24 hours upon submission of complete requirements online. Julito G. Rada

Finance, DOE sign order to cut electricity rates FINANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi signed a joint circular enforcing the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act No. 11371, or the “Murang Kuryente Act.” The move will help power consumers who were forced to stay at home, with some losing their jobs amid the imposition of the enhanced community quarantine.

“We are glad that the IRR has finally been signed. This gives consumers relief from paying an estimated total additional amount of P0.86 per kilowatt-hour of universal charge for stranded contract costs and universal charge for stranded debt covering up to year 2024,” Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. president and chief executive Irene Besido Garcia said.

Garcia said households consuming 200 kWh of electricity a month will enjoy P172 monthly savings from reduced electricity rates or annual savings of P2,064.

The implementing rules and regulations for the MKA as contained in the Finance and Energy Department Joint Circular No. 1 were approved in consultation with the Department of Budget and Management, Bureau of Treasury and PSALM. The MKA, which was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on Aug. 8, 2019, legislates the use of P208 billion from the Malampaya fund to pay PSALM’s SCC and stranded debts that the agency assumed from National Power Corp.

Sections 2.4 and 9.1 of the MKA’s IRR state that no new UC for SCC and SD will be collected upon effectivity of the IRR, while Section 9.2 provides that, “PSALM shall not file with the ERC any new petition for UC stranded contract costs and stranded debts until the P208 billion allocated amount under this act [MKA] is exhausted and no other allocations are made by Congress.” Alena Mae S. Flores

Sports

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2020

B1

UAAP schools join hands to aid frontliners

By Peter Atencio

E-RACING. In this computer-generated image, Christopher Bell, driver of the #95 Procore Chevrolet, flips after contact with Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Advance Auto Parts Ford, during the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series Toyota Owners 150at Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Virginia. AFP

We Heal As One Center-PhilSports Arena ready soon THE We Heal As One Center-PhilSports Arena in Pasig City will soon be operational for Covid-positive patients as government proactively reduces community spread of the disease.

National Task Force COVID-19 Spokesperson Major General Restituto Padilla (Ret.), Mayor Victor “Vico” Sotto, Department of Health (DOH) Assistant Secretary for Health Facilities and Infrastructure Development Dr. Leonita Gorgolon, and Presidential Adviser for Flagship Programs and Projects and BCDA President and CEO Vince Dizon inspected the 132bed capacity PhilSports complex on Tuesday, April 21.

“I want to congratulate everyone who was a part of making this facility possible, BCDA, DOH, DPWH. Napakabilis nilang gumawa, limang araw lang natapos na nila itong facility na ito. Patunay lang na kapag nagtutulungan, kaya nating kumilos nang mas mabilis,” Mayor Sotto said.

“Ito’y makakatulong hindi lang sa Pasig kungdi sa eastern Metro Manila.

Makakatulong po ito sa surrounding LGUs [local government units] so we’re very thankful. On behalf of the local government of Pasig City, I want to thank everyone who made this possible.

Hopefully this will be up and running in the next few days,” he added.

Gen. Padilla also reiterated the need for unity among Filipinos in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Importante ang buhay ng bawat Pilipino kaya tayo gumagawa ng mga ganitong klaseng hakbang. At kung hindi natin gagawin ang ating responsibilidad, ang ating sariling parte, wala pong mangyayari sa atin. Iisang barko lang po ang sinasakyan natin, may butas na po ang barko at lulubog ‘yan kapag hindi tayo nag-ingat at hindi tayo magtulungan. Kaya kung gusto nating patuloy na maglayag ang barko, patuloy na matahak sa direksyon na gusto natin, kailangan magsamasama tayo,” Gen. Padilla said.

The PhilSports Arena will house patients with mild or no symptoms.

Just like the other We Heal As One Centers, the arena has color-coded air-conditioned cubicles, free internet connection, free food for patients and frontliners, and round-the-clock medical care.

PBA backs PH health care system, local governments T

HE Philippine Basketball Association is spreading its wings as it donated PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) to three cities in Luzon in an effort to aid front liners amid the growing cases of coronavirus in the country.

The pro league has distributed PPE, face masks, gloves, and other protective gear to hospitals in Pasig, Antipolo, and Binan in Laguna.

Pasig City Vice Mayor Iyo Bernardo personally went to the PBA office in Libis, Quezon City to personally receive the donations that will benefit the Pasig Children’s Hospital, Pasig City General Hospital, and the Rizal Medical Center.

The league, meanwhile, coordinated with Antipolo City Mayor Andrea Ynares and predecessor Casimero ‘Jun’ Ynares III, and Binan City Congresswoman Len Alonte and Vice Mayor Angelo Alonte for their respective donations.

All three cities had been regularly

holding PBA games through the Philsports Arena (Pasig), Ynares Center (Antipolo), and the Alonte Sports Arena (Binan).

The protective supplies were made possible by the entire league board under chairman Ricky Vargas, with the support of Gillette Philippines.

Commissioner Willie Marcial earlier announced the decision of the PBA Board of Governors to donate P1 million worth of PPE in an effort to support the country’s health care system.

The move was made during the Board’s online meeting held last April 7, with all 12 member teams, namely Rain or Shine, Alaska, Barangay Ginebra, NorthPort, TnT Katropa, Meralco, NLEX, San Miguel, Columbian Dyip,

Blackwater, Phoenix, and Magnolia committing to the worthy cause.

Marcial said more donations will be made by the PBA in the coming days and will include the city of Pasay under Mayor Imelda Calixto and the municipality of Talisay in Batangas.

The commissioner said a frontliner from Batangas named Michelle Padilla requested protective gears to be used by medical workers at the Talisay Health Center and Birthing Home.

Also under the list of the league is the Veterans’ Hospital, National Center for Mental Health, Batangas Provincial Hospital, among others.

Earlier, the board took care of the needs of PBA game-day personnel by donating a considerable amount to somehow help them augment their financial necessities after the entire Luzon was placed under the Enhanced Community Quarantine a month ago due to the health crisis.

Ryder Cup sans fans possible

United States Captain Steve Stricker (left) and European Captain Padraig Harrington pose with the Ryder Cup during the Ryder Cup 2020 Year to Go media event at Whistling Straits Golf Course in Kohler, United States. PGA chief executive Seth Waugh has said his organization is studying the feasibility of staging this year’s Ryder Cup without fans in light of the coronavirus pandemic. AFP

LOS ANGELES—PGA chief executive Seth Waugh has said his organization is studying the feasibility of staging this year’s Ryder Cup without fans in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

Waugh told New York’s WFAN radio that while a Ryder Cup without spectators was “hard to imagine,” PGA officials were looking to see if the event could be held with “virtual fans.”

This year’s Ryder Cup—the hotly contested biennial team competition that pits the United States against Europe—is due to be held at Whistling Straits, Wisconsin from September 25-27.

Raucous, partisan crowds are integral to the febrile spectacle of Ryder Cup competition, but COVID-19 could ensure that this year’s competition takes place before empty galleries.

“It’s hard to imagine one without

fans,” Waugh told WFAN. “We have begun to talk about whether you could create some virtual fan experience, and we’re going to try to be as creative as we can.

“It’s (still) to be determined, frankly, whether you could hold it without fans or not... the fans are the Ryder Cup, to a certain degree.”

Europe’s Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington said earlier this month the event should be scrapped if fans are ordered to stay away.

“Nobody wants to see the Ryder Cup played without the fans being there,” said Harrington. “There’s no doubt that it makes the tournament so much better.

“I think the common consensus now is the Ryder Cup will not be played unless the fans are there.

“Non-golfers and golfers around the world watch the Ryder Cup because of the tension that’s created by the spectators.” AFP

Nadal frustrated by tennis lockdown MADRID—Rafael Nadal on Monday expressed his frustration that tennis players remain unable to practise due to the coronavirus pandemic, while Roger Federer revealed he was happy with his recovery from knee surgery.

The Spanish government has extended the country’s state of alarm until May 9, with the entire population confined to their homes except a small number working in specific sectors, leaving Nadal perplexed as to why he can’t train.

“It’s true I don’t understand very well be- Rafael Nadal cause we cannot play tennis when many people are going to work and even more so in our sport, where we keep at a large and safe distance and we play on opposite sides of the court,” world number two Nadal said during an Instagram Live.

“But I understand that we are in a very critical situation, that the government is dealing with something unprecedented and I also understand that the last thing they think of is who can train and who cannot train.

Cubicles at the We Heal As One Center

MEMBER schools of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines are helping frontliners and vulnerable communities to cope with the ongoing efforts to deal with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

A total of P10 million has been raised so far after the Jesuits (Society of Jesus) and the De La Salle Brothers have banded together to raise funds for the communities affected by the enhanced community quarantine in their neighborhoods.

The activity is called “Let’s Work Together To Fight, COVID-19!”

De La Salle University, in cooperation with Arnold Janssen Kalinga Center, has tapped the Razon Sports Complex and College of Saint Benilde’s covered courts to cater to the homeless of Manila City.

Those under their care will be provided shelter and food.

Meanwhile, Ateneo de Manila University has opened its dormitory units to medical frontliners.

“I appreciated the shelters, so the first thing that crossed my mind was to help,” Philippine Jesuit Provincial Fr. Jun Viray, SJ. As of April 15, the “Let’s Work Together To Fight, COVID-19!” fundraiser has raised around P10 million.

The money will be used to feed almost 500 homeless individuals and 6,000 urban poor families.

“A little conversation between myself and Father Jun created a spark that is more explosive than UAAP that allowed us to say, maybe this is the time to work together rather than compete,” added DLSU President Bro. Armin Luistro, FSC. On the other hand, Adamson University is stepping up its relief efforts to help medical frontliners travelling to and from their place of work.

The school made two of its buses available to help transport the staff members of Makati Medical Center.

The first bus travels to and from MMC and Paliparan-Molino Road, while the other has its lone pick-up point at the LRT Monumento Station.

“We are deploying two buses daily to transport the staff of Makati Medical Center. Wala kasing public transport right now. To help them get to work and home safe, we gave them our buses,” said Adamson’s representative to the Board of Managing Directors Fr. Aldrin Suan, CM.

“I understand the situation and obviously there are many things that are not logical but you have to accept the rules.”

Nadal treated tennis fans to an Instagram Live in which he spoke to both Roger Federer and Andy Murray about their experiences during lockdown.

The men’s and women’s tours have been halted due to the virus, while Wimbledon was cancelled last month for the first time since World War II and Nadal’s favourite Grand Slam the French Open was pushed back to September 20.

“I am not playing tennis, I do not have a court at home and I miss it a little,” Nadal said.

“I am sticking to my physical routines. From the gym of my academy they were able to bring me some machines when lockdown began so I try to work a little in the morning, a little in the afternoon.

“It is very important to have both the head and the body focused and it is what I am trying to do at all times.” AFP

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

B2

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2020

Entertainment

Covidyantes spread happy virus Led by Ogie Acasid, Herbert Bautista, Janna Gibbs, Padilla brothers Dennis and Gene, the group hopes to contribute most of all by spreading positive vibes through laughter. Members include Joey Marquez, Michael V, Kim Molina, Randy Santiago, Paolo Contis, Giselle Sanchez, Gelli de Belen, Candy Pangilina, Ryan Bang, and Candy Pangilinan.

Kim Molina, Randy Santiago, Bayani Agbayani, Epy Quizon, Vandolf, Paolo Contis, Wacky Kiray, Hyubs, Gary Lim, Archie Alemania, Giselle Sanchez, Pokwang, Empoy, Jason Gainza, K Brosas, DJ Chacha, Alex Gonzaga, Angelica Panganiban, Luis Manzano, John Prats, Boy 2 Quizon, Pooh, Jeffrey Tam, Mitoy Yonting, Long Mejia, Smokey Manaloto, and Onyok Velasco are also on board.

Everybody in the group has a task to accomplish. Jerald Napoles, for instance, manages the group’s official social media portals, while AiAi delas Alas bakes bread for the frontliners and people who are badly affected by the enhanced community quarantine.

In one of their first efforts, member Vhong Navarro suggested a challenge, a pass-the-video- clip of the members giving inspirational messages to our frontliners with the hashtag #PunchlinersForFrontliners.

For more of the group’s effort, funny videos and memes follow @covidyante (Pinoy Covidians) on Instagram.

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HEY say Filipinos are among the happiest people in the world which is why even on lockdown, we still see this situation with a “silver lining.” Case in point, funny Tiktok videos are spreading like wildfire giving birth to online goofballs Aling Nena and Miss Everything.

While there are not many reasons to laugh at the moment, people still need to keep their sanity and laugh once in a while. After all, laughter is the best medicine.

Some comedy skits online may not be for you but most definitely there are a few material out there that you might feel the need to send to a friend or family member who needs some cheering up. This idea inspired Covidyantes, a group of amateur and seasoned comedians from Kapamilya’s Banana Sundae and Kapuso’s Bubble Gang. They banded online not just to tickle our funny bones but to extend help and raise funds for our frontliners at the same time.

“We are Filipino comedians whose aim is to spread joy, awareness, and support during this time of COVID-19 pandemic,” says in the bio of the group’s Instagram and Facebook page.

PINOY COVIDIANS. Ace comedians (clockwise) Herbert Bautista, Ogie Alcasid, Vhong Navarro, Bayani Agbayani, AiAi delas Alas, and Janno Gibbs have banded online to spread laughter and awareness.

Juris drops another emotive ballad

Atom Araullo interviews COVID-19 survivor Howie Severino on ‘Stand For Truth.’

GMA digital portals set record-high numbers THE month of March showed a significant surge for GMA News and Public Affairs Digital as it set record-high numbers in its digital engagement and online video viewership.

According to social video analytics Tubular Labs, the GMA News channel tallied 224 million views on YouTube, compared to ABS-CBN News’ 182 million. On Facebook, GMA News got 371.9 million while its counterpart page from ABS-CBN had 371.2 million.

These videos include Express versions of GMA’s flagship newscasts 24 Oras, breaking news bulletins on COVID-19, news clips, and livestreams of news briefings.

The separate Public Affairs digital channels also remained strong, with 313.9 million views on YouTube and nearly 180 million views on Facebook. Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho remained a powerhouse on digital platforms, being the top driver of viewership for YouTube while having 13 million followers on Facebook.

Recently, the GMA Public Affairs YouTube channel breached the 10-mil-

lion-subscriber mark, which made GMA the only Philippine network to have two Diamond Creator Awards for two channels with more than 10 million subscribers.

Brought about by the public’s need for reliable source of news and information especially during this time of crisis, the GMA News YouTube channel has also seen a spike in its subscriber count hitting over 6 million as of writing. it The Digital Video Lab, which produces original video for GMA News and Public Affairs Digital, produced 62 videos for the month which generated more than 50 million views. These ranged from breaking news, evergreen content, tips and guides, human interest stories, and prayers.

GMA News Online, which publishes up-to-the-minute news updates, posted its highest audience of unique users on record in March 2020, even breaking the record established during the May 2016 elections.

For the latest news, visit www. gmanews.tv and follow the social media accounts @GMANews.

Jun Veneracion announces the latest COVID-19 stories on GMA’s breaking news bulletins.

POP chanteuse Juris has released a radio edit of the heart-rending song “If You Had Asked Me To” under ABS-CBN Music International (AMI) on Friday.

The track, penned by singer-songwriter Marion Aunor, is described by the singer as best suited for those who still hung up on their former partners and the ‘what ifs’ of a failed relationship.

“It’s a song about reminiscing that part of a relationship when you know it’s about to end. Then eventually you end up letting go of each other, but looking back, you would have stayed if the other person just fought for it more,” Marion explained.

Juris, on the other hand, says she likes how the song tackles such a sad yet real possibility. “It›s possible for anyone to be in a situation in which a relationship is strangely not where it Pop ballad singer Juris drops a radio edit of a break-up song penned by Marion Aunor. used to be. Either they are no longer on the same path, or the plans of the other ris’s Here’s My Heart album released person no longer include you.”

“If You Had Asked Me To” is the last year. The radio edit of the song under next song to be highlighted from Ju- AMI aims to introduce the exceptional

artistry of Filipinos to global audiences, on top of bringing more soul to the already-emotional record.

The acoustic pop singer isn’t new to international ventures with her music, having been the first Filipino artist to release an EP in South Korea with If You And Me in 2011, which featured six tracks including two Korean songs, “If”

by Taeyeon from KPop girl group Girls Generation and Baek Ji Young’s “Do Not Forget,” both of which were translated to English. She was also the sole Filipina who was invited to perform at the country’s “Green Plugged Seoul” music festival during the same year.

Since she signed under Star Music in 2009, Juris has also made notable hits, including the exceptionally-emotive ballad “’Di Lang Ikaw” released in 2010 from her launching solo album “Now Playing.”

She has also given life to the theme songs of successful Kapamilya television series starring the love teams of KathNiel and LizQuen, Got To Believe and Forevermore, respectively.

The Hunks reunite for online benefit concert FOLLOWING the success of the first and second online benefit concerts, Landers Superstore, together with the Philippine Army, staged its third One Voice Pilipinas concert, reuniting The Hunks’ Jericho Rosales, Piolo Pascual, Diether Ocampo, and Bernard Palanca to raise a total of P8.9 million to help the families in need during the lockdown.

The online concert, which streamed on Landers’ official Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/LandersPH/) and Matteo Guidicelli’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook. com/matteog), was hosted by Matteo and Kean Cipriano. It also featured Landers endorser Erwan Heussaff, Vicki Belo and Hayden Who, Kim Atienza, Laureen Uy, John Prats with wife Isabel Oli, Chynna Ortaleza and live performances from Morisette Amon, and Kyline Alcantara.

The first two installments of One Piolo Pascual, Bernard Voice Pilipinas is still available on Palanca, Diether Ocampo, Landers Facebook page and Matteo Carlos Agassi, and Jericho Guidicelli’s Facebook page featuring Rosales in an old photo performances from Manny Pacquiof The Hunks, an all-male ao, Martin Nievera, Christian Bau- group that used to electrify tista, Ylona Garcia Jaya, Donnalyn the ASAP stage. (Inset) The group with ‘One Voice PH’ Bartolome, Seth Fedelin,, Joey Genhosts Kean Cipriano and eroso, Janine Tenoso, Jason Dy, Jed Matteo Guidiceli.

Madela, and Sarah Geronimo who did a duet with Janine. Some of the guest appearances include Liza SoDonations are also still open. Simply ph. Proceeds will be used to prepare berano, Kylie Versoza, and Judy head over to One Voice Pilipinas’ web- food packs and will be distributed to Ann Santos-Agoncillo. site: www.onevoicepilipinas.landers. Barangays who need them most.

Life

Bernadette Lunas, Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @MStandardLIFE

FASHION AND BEAUTY

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2020

Luxury fashion houses

B3

join the fight

against coronavirus

COVID COUTURE. Luxury fashion houses across the globe reopen their ateliers to produce, not bags, nor shoes, nor dresses, but personal protective equipment for health workers manning the frontline against coronavirus. Italian company Zegna Group makes hospital gowns while (inset) French maison Louis Vuitton produces face masks.

By Bernadette Lunas

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HE coronavirus has closed down stores and factories of apparel and accessories labels, but the industry, one of those hardly hit by the global pandemic, was quick to extend a helping hand even when many dismiss fashion as inconsequential and frivolous at times.

Here in the Philippines, fashion designers, groups, and companies immediately mobilized their teams to source materials and produce personal protective equipment for frontline workers (Read: ‘Sewing hope in times of crisis’ published on April 1).

Meanwhile, luxury fashion houses, which lost billions of dollars because of the pandemic, have reopened their workshops to produce, not bags nor shoes nor dresses, but face masks, medical suits, and other PPEs. Others have pledged to donate financial help in support of relief efforts.

Hard-hit Italy has been getting muchneeded support from its homegrown fashion houses. One of the latest to extend aid is the Zegna family, maker of the luxury menswear brand Ermenegildo Zegna.

The Zegna family and the group’s top management have pledged per-

Diego and Andrea Della Valle, chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of Italian luxury leather goods maker Tod’s Group.

sonal donations to the Civil Protection in Italy totaling €3 million in support of healthcare personnel, scientists, and volunteers across Italy who have been working tirelessly to fight the pandemic.

The Zegna Group also announced that it would convert part of its production facilities in Italy and Switzerland into a manufacturing of medical masks. The company aims to produce 280,000 protective hospital suits us-

ing non-woven fabric.

“These efforts will help provide urgently needed supplies to the Piedmont Region (250,000 units) and Canton Ticino (30,000 units), where we have converted a portion of our INCO plant in Novara and CONSITEX in Mendrisio to accommodate the suit production,” Zegna said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Della Valle family, who owns luxury leather goods brand Tod’s, has allocated €5 million

for family members of health personnel who lost their lives in the fight against COVID-19. The administration of the fund, dubbed Sempre con Voi, will be entrusted to the Protezione Civile.

Known for its oft-imitated bags, French couture brand Louis Vuitton said via Instagram that it had repurposed several of its ateliers across France to produce hundreds of thousands of nonsurgical face masks.

LV’s workshops, with the help of “hundreds of artisans,” are also producing thousands of hospital gowns to be donated to frontline medical staff in six Parisian hospitals within the AP-HP (Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris) network.

Company chief executive officer Michael Burke told WWD that the fashion label was planning to make more than 100,000 masks per week.

British fashion brand Burberry has likewise shifted part of its production machinery to make 100,000 surgical masks for the use of medical staff.

Further, it is also making non-surgical masks and gowns at its trench coat factory in Castleford for patients in UK hospitals.

Chanel has also stepped up to manufacture face masks and hospital gowns.

On the other hand, Jimmy Choo pledged to donate $500,000, distributed equally, to relief efforts in the United Kingdom and globally.

How to properly wash hands while keeping them moisturized

By Monica Sanchez AS NATIONS around the world fight coronavirus, hand washing—properly done for at least 20 seconds—is consistently mentioned as one way to keep people protected from it.

However, constantly washing hands results in dry skin that usually feels tight and sometimes becomes cracked, which, according to experts, is just as bad as not washing them.

According to dermatologists, excessive washing depletes the skin’s natural protective barrier. “If the skin is breaking down or raw, soap and alcohol disinfectants do not work as well,” Craig Shapiro, a physician in pediatric infectious diseases at Nemours/Alfred I duPont Hospital for Children in Delaware, told The Washington Post.

The break in skin barrier, Christina Johns said, “allows germs and bacteria to invade the skin area.”

Although current studies show coronavirus enters the body through the respiratory system, dry and cracked skin may lead to transmission of other skin infections.

Experts suggest moisturizing hands after washing them. It’s also ideal to use disinfecting soap that provides extra moisture.

The Body Shop, for instance, offers the Tea Tree Hand Wash enriched with Community Trade tea tree oil from Kenya. Tea tree oil, dubbed as “nature’s disinfectant,” has antiseptic and antiviral properties, often used as a topical solution.

Aside from singing Happy Birthday to ensure hands are washed for at least

Sandra Choi’s fantasy shoe design sketches, entitled ‘Unity’ and ‘Optimism.’

Sketch your Jimmy Choo fantasy shoe

The Body Shop’s Tea Tree Hand Wash soap is enriched with Community Trade tea tree oil that has antiseptic and antiviral properties.

20 seconds, experts remind the public to do it properly, too.

1. Wet your hands with warm water.

2. Apply 1-2 pumps of soap.

3. Lather up by rubbing the palms of your hands together.

4. Use the palm of one hand to rub the back of the other and clean in between the fingers. Repeat on the other hand.

5. Rub your hands together, making sure you clean in between your fingers.

6. Rub the back of your fingers

against your palms on both hand.

7. Don’t forget your thumbs. Rub each one using your other hand.

8. Rub the tips of your fingers on the palm of your other hand.

9. Rinse your hands with running water.

10. Dry your hands completely with a clean towel.

The Body Shop self-care essentials are now available on ShopSM as well as Lazada and Shopee under The SM Store.

SKY-HIGH stilettos, pointed pumps, sparkly slingbacks, and what have you.

Jimmy Choo wants to bring to life fantasy shoe designs of fans with its ongoing sketching initiative.

For the CHOO Sketch, Jimmy Choo’s niece and current creative director Sandra Choi will shortlist 10 sketches to be put on the final vote on the brand’s Instagram account.

Five finalists will see their dream shoe brought to life as a capsule of five styles that will be part of a forthcoming collection whose proceeds will be donated to a charity within the Jimmy Choo Foundation.

10 designs, which will be posted to Jimmy Choo’s Instagram account.

Winners will be announced on Instagram following completion of the voting process Each week, Choi will post a new sketch that symbolizes a message of positivity. The first sketch, entitled “Optimism,” drew inspiration from the blossom trees in Choi’s garden during isolation.

“I wanted to share my love of sketching with the Jimmy Choo community in the hope it will provide a moment of escape whilst we are all united by the challenges we are currently facing together,” shared the company’s creative director.

Here’s how to join: Choi said the initiative aims to pro1. Sketch your shoe design from vide a relief during these challenging home, and take a photograph or scan times. “Never more than now have we into your computer. needed to look to things that help our 2. Email your sketch to ChooS- minds keep calm and stay positive.” ketch@JimmyChoo.com with your name, location, and the name of your The CHOO Sketch winners will be design. Deadline for submission of announced on June 8. Go to www. entries is on May 15. jimmychoo.com/choosketch for more 3. Sandra Choi will select her top information.

Motoring

RAMON L. TOMELDAN Editor

B4

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2020

Hyundai donates 2,500 protective gear to UP-PGH The official Philippine distributor of Hyundai passenger and commercial vehicles, Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc., reinforces ongoing containment efforts with a fresh supply of personal protective equipment to the heroic frontline workers at UP-Philippine General Hospital, one of the country’s COVID-19 designated hospitals.

HARI initially delivered 300 of 2,500 PPE at the UP-PGH. The donation was channeled through #HyundaiSAGIP, the flagship disaster relief program of HARI’s corporate social responsibility arm, H.A.R.I. Foundation, Inc. (HFI).

Established in 2009 as a quick response to Hyundai car owners whose vehicles were damaged by the Ondoy floods, HyundaiSAGIP has since ex-

panded into a response, recovery, and resilience program.

The country’s premier state-run University Hospital and the largest government health facility and referral center is HFI’s staunch partner in the flagship Alagang Breastfriend free breast cancer screening and information dissemination campaign.

“We cannot stop at this point. We need to help flatten the curve. Our contribution will most certainly boost the morale of our heroic health workers in our united effort to contain the spread of the disease. As partners in health, HARI and UP-PGH are committed to be in solidarity with every Filipino in these unsettling times,” said HARI and HFI President Maria Fe Perez-Agudo.

Frontline

warriors get a boost Shell embarks on project to enhance their mobility

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S THE Philippines enters its fourth week in the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) frontline workers are racing against time to stop the spread of COVID-19 and flatten the curve.

Mobility is of key importance to ‘front liners’ as essential health workers, police and military personnel, and logistics drivers continue to brave the roads to reach their destinations. Since the beginning of the ECQ, Pilipinas Shell has leveraged its strong culture of health and safety to ensure that its operations continue to support national mobility. The company has also expanded its efforts to provide support for” front liners’ while they work tirelessly to curb the impact of COVID-19.

Free fuel has been provided to 10 district partner hospitals and three transport companies to aid in the transportation of front liners, the mobilization of ambulances, and other ongoing relief efforts.

Each district partner, along with the Bonifacio Global City Bus service, has been given ₱10,000 per week for the next

YOKOHAMA—Nissan will begin making protective face shields for health care workers in Japan who are on the frontlines in the fight against COVID-19.

The current plan calls for making 2,500 shields a month. Production will start this month at the Nissan Technical Center, the Nissan Research Center, and the company’s Yokohama Plant.

In addition, in response to a request from the Japanese government, Nissan is studying ways to support companies that manufacture ventilators and artificial heart-lung machines.

Nissan plans to help these producers by proposing improvements to manufacturing procedures, providing working space or manpower to help companies step up production, and

two weeks.

Moreover, bus services such as Ube Express and Vallacar Transit’s Ceres buses have each been given ₱30,000 and ₱100,000 respectively for the same period.

Shell’s Project Bayanihan has extended its discount offering of ₱3.00 for gasoline and ₱2.00 for diesel at 151 gas stations in Luzon and Visayas for all health workers, police and military personnel, and logistics drivers at the forefront of the COVID-19 efforts.

As a response to Filipinos’ increasing concern for proper nutrition amid the current circumstances, four of the company’s retail sites in Bacolod have begun offering free Vitamin C to all customers who gas up at Shell.

In Luzon, food packs containing 500ml water bottles and biscuits are available for

any front liner at all Select convenience stores located in Shell gas stations.

Various retailer partners have also stepped up to provide additional support by offering free coffee, face masks, and snacks at their stations. Shell has also tapped partner establishments at certain stations to deliver free food to hospitals in Manila.

“The health and safety of our people, our customers, and the community are most important to us, and we continue to monitor the situation closely so we can respond to the needs of our kababayans,” said Pilipinas Shell’s CEO and Country Chairman Cesar Romero. “As everyone plays their part in this fight against this pandemic, patuloy ninyong kasama ang Shell sa bawat biyahe ng buhay.”

Shell’s initiatives at its retail stations are part of the company’s larger effort to help maintain the Philippines’ mobility, health and safety, and energy security. For 106 years, Shell has remained committed to be the country’s partner in nation-building, contributing its global expertise in today’s extraordinary circumstances so that the nation is ready to progress again tomorrow.

Face shields for health workers Nissan plans to make 2,500 shields in support of the anti-virus war

supplying parts that are in shortage.

Nissan has already started similar initiatives in other regions. In the U.S., the company is making protective face shields for health care workers in Michigan, Mississippi

Toyota group helps communities ‘flatten the curve’ AS THE country undergoes enhanced community quarantine to “flatten the curve” of the COVID-19 pandemic, Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation continues to contribute to help communities move forward through mobility support and special assistance to its customers.

Keeping its customers’ safety and convenience in mind, Toyota Financial Services Philippines extended the payment terms for their customers.

Likewise, expiring insurance policies under Toyota Insure and warranty coverages for Toyota vehicles have been extended.

Toyota vehicles scheduled for Periodic Maintenance Services are also given a 30-day grace period.

With all kinds of public transportation suspended, it has become a challenge for most frontliners, especially healthcare workers to report for duty in their respective hospitals. TMPC has coordinated with various local government units and hospitals to lend out its company vehicles to doctors and nurses serving in different healthcare institutions.

So far, 47 Toyota vehicles have been allocated to help bring urgent care to patients. Other units were also lent to

and Tennessee.

In the U.K., a team of volunteers from the Nissan Sunderland Plant have been supporting the delivery of protective face shields.

More than 77,000 shields will leave the plant by the end of this week, and from next week, up to 100,000 shields will be distributed weekly. Nissan provided additional funds for an injection molding tool that greatly increases the number of shields produced.

In Spain, Nissan is beginning production of medical respirators in collaboration

volunteer groups who are distributing personal protective equipment to healthcare workers in various hospitals.

Toyota Motor Philippines Foundation (TMPF) meanwhile has handed out donations for health care workers and families who need support. Some PPEs, such as isolation gowns, surgical gowns, and surgical gloves were donated to Santa Rosa Community hospital, while sacks of rice and grocery packages were distributed to hard to reach areas and certain communities including the Toyota Santa Rosa Gawad Kalinga Village which is home to more than 150 families.

As Metrobank Card Corporation’s way of expressing gratitude to our to our frontliners’ passion, commitment, and bravery, all frontliners who are Toyota Mastercard credit card holders will be given Petron fuel rebates from April 15-30,2020. Through this, we hope mobility is made lighter and more convenient for our frontliners.

In these challenging times, TMPC is one with our nation’s leaders, health care workers, frontliners and volunteer groups in fighting this pandemic. We continue to empower people through mobility and advocating for safety.

with Hospital de Sant Pau, the engineering company QEV Technologies and the Eurecat technology center. Manufacturing of the respirators will begin this week at Nissan’s Powertrain Plant in Barcelona.

The Nissan group said it will continue efforts to support measures against the spread of COVID- 19, leveraging expertise gained through vehicle engineering and production, using existing assets, and cooperating with governments and related parties in each country.