Manila Standard - 2020 July 17 - Friday

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Labor unions file 9th petition vs. anti-terror law

By Rey E. Requejo and Vito Barcelo LABOR groups have petitioned the Supreme Court to declare the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 unconstitutional on the ground that it has a “destructive chilling effect” on workers’ rights to organize and conduct activities to petition the government for redress of grievances.

The petition—the ninth filed so far against the new law—also asked the justices to issue a temporary restraining order to stop its implementation on July 19.

The new law, they said, would allow the detention of persons on mere suspicion of committing terrorist acts.

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NAVOTAS LOCKDOWN. Members of the Special Action Force patrol the residential areas along Road 10 and Lopez Boulevard in Navotas on the first day of the implementation of the two-week citywide lockdown to rein in the surging cases of virus infections. Inset shows a member of Navotas police checking out residents for permits to leave home. Norman Cruz and AFP

UP forecasts 85,000 cases at end-July

VOL. XXXIV • NO. 143 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

LOCAL ROUNDUP

NO ROBOTS. Nurses at San Lazaro Hospital

leave their shoes at the foot of the flagpole to dramatize their demands ranging from additional supply of personal protective equipment to quarantine leave pay. “Hihintayin pa ba nating wala nang magsusuot ng mga sapatos na ito?” they decried. #wearenotrobots. Filipino Nurses United’s social media account

Health dept posts 2,498, its biggest single-day tally

• Private firms told: Conduct random tests

By Willie Casas, Joel E. Zurbano and Vito Barcelo

By Willie Casas, Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

R

ESEARCHERS from the University of the Philippines projected that the number of COVID-19 cases in the country could top 85,000 by the end of July with deaths rising to 2,200, even as health officials reported 2,498 more cases on Thursday, the biggest tally in a single day.

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM JULY 16)

61,266

2,498 NEW

TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

38,183

1,643

29

21,440

467

DEATHS

RECOVERIES

ACTIVE

NEW

NEW

THE Department of Health has urged businesses to conduct random COVID-19 testing of their employees through rapid tests every two weeks, an official said Thursday, as the country continued to restart the economy with relaxed lockdowns.

Rapid tests detect the presence of antibodies, which only emerge between the fifth and seventh day of illness, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in an interview on ANC. The test – the country has 85 testing labs – is not recommended for mass screening and should instead be used on a random sample of workers.

“This is intended to monitor the trend—if there is a (COVID case) case within your company,” Vergeire said.

The report, presented to President Rodrigo Duterte, said the projections were based on the assumption that the virus’ current reproduction number will remain the same and government interventions will not change significantly.

The new report bumps up the earlier projection of 60,000 to 70,000 cases by July 31 from the same UP group, due to an increase in transmission rates.

The UP researchers said the virus’ reproduction number in the Philippines, or the number of people an infected person could pass the virus to, is around 1.75 and increasing.

In their last forecast late June, the reproduction number was 1.28.

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Fifth Sona: Palace eyes limited number of attendees in Batasan venue

By Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

July 27 but the Chief Executive has yet to decide if he will be physically present or not, Malacanang said Thursday.

Palace spokesman Harry Roque said PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will deliver his fifth State of the Nation Address there was nothing final yet although the (SONA) at the Batasang Pambansa on other option was for the President to go

WORLD ROUNDUP

Prominent men’s Twitter accounts on hackers’ list THE official Twitter accounts of Apple, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and others were hijacked by scammers trying to dupe people into sending cryptocurrency bitcoin, in a massive hack.

The list of accounts commandeered grew rapidly to include Joe Biden, Barack Obama, Uber, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Next page

• Oxford vaccine sparks hopes for COVID-19 cure HOPES of an effective COVID-19 vaccine being developed in the near future have been raised after two separate studies showed potential positive results, British media reported Thursday.

A University of Oxford trial showed its prototype vaccine generated an immune response against the virus, the reports said.

Blood samples taken from a group of some 1,000 volunteers who were given the vaccine stimulated antibodies and “killer T-cells,” according to the Daily Telegraph newspaper.

Previous research has shown that T-cells can remain in the body for years and help fight viruses.

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to Batasang Pambansa with a limited number of lawmakers in attendance due to the pandemic.

Traditionally, government officials, lawmakers, and business leaders convene at the Batasang Pambansa in Qu-

ezon City for the President’s SONA. Senate President Vicente Sotto III, for his part, said due to the pandemic, only a maximum of 50 persons would be allowed inside the venue to witness Next page

25,000 American Airlines workers face layoffs Story on B2

‘ABS-CBN frequencies remain untouchable’

By Maricel V. Cruz and Vito Barcelo

ONE of the authors of a bill renewing ABS-CBN’s franchise on Thursday dumped the proposal for the government’s temporary use of ABS-CBN’s television and radio frequencies to provide an alternative distance-learning program for the Department of Education.

Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, a lawyer, said the government or a private company could not use the frequencies of ABS-CBN just yet.

ABS-CBN failed to renew its franchise after the House of Representatives committee on legislative franchises voted against it.

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News

FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Marcos mulls over libel raps vs. Rappler

By Joel E. Zurbano

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HE camp of former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is considering filing a case against Rappler for coming up with an article claiming he commissioned the political dataanalysis firm Cambridge Analytica to boost the Marcoses’ image.

“The news story published by Rappler on July 15, 2020, on its website claiming that former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. approached Cambridge Analytica is patently fake, false, and misleading,” said Marcos’ legal counsel Vic Rodriguez.

Rodriguez said instead of changing its

ways and adhering to the fundamental tenets of fair journalism and balanced news reporting, Rappler had again “resorted to peddling lies and fake news against the Marcoses in its vain attempt to dilute the serious credibility issue that has corrupted its worthiness.”

He said Marcos never reached out to

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UP forecasts...

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The potential development comes after US biotech firm Moderna said on Tuesday it would start the final stage of human trials for its vaccine candidate on July 27.

Meanwhile, a third group, BioNTech, a German company in partnership with US pharma giant Pfizer, plans to carry out its own trials on a vaccine involving 30,00 people.

To flatten the curve, the reproduction number should be less than one. A value higher than one indicates the pandemic is spreading, the report said.

In the National Capital Region, the researchers said the number of cases, the positivity rate, and the utilization of hospital resources have all increased, indicating a “genuine surge” that could overwhelm hospitals. The virus’ reproduction number in the NCR is 1.75.

The report said, if Metro Manila remains under general community quarantine (GCQ)—which it will, until at least July 31—the number of cases in the National Capital Region could reach 40,000 by the end of July and over 80,000 with 2,800 deaths by the end of August.

In a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ), the reproduction number could go down to about 1.1 by the end of the month (with 35,000 projected cases) and close to one by the end of August (with 56,000 projected cases and 1,900 deaths), the researchers said.

They said the positivity rate in Metro Manila has increased to about 12 percent from 6 percent in May, both above the 5 percent recommended by the World Health Organization.

“This surge, if left unabated, poses a real danger of the virus leading not just to exponential growth in the number of cases and deaths but also to overwhelm the healthcare system in the NCR,” they said.

They recommended either sustaining the GCQ with provisions for “more aggressive and effective localized lockdowns” and scaled-up testing, tracing, isolation and treatment; or tightening restrictions through a 14-day MECQ “with emphasis on stricter compliance with minimal public health standards.”

In Cebu, the reproduction number had decreased while the province was under ECQ, the strictest quarantine level.

The reproduction rate in the province is at 1.14, down from 2 in the previous UP report, owing to stricter quarantine, ramped up testing, tracing, isolation and treatment strategies, the report said.

Cebu province is “on the way to flattening the epidemic curve,” researchers said, recommending the continuation of strict quarantine to sustain gains.

IMF: Sustain economic support

Despite some signs of recovery, the global economy faces continued challenges, including the possibility of a second wave of COVID-19, and governments should keep their support programs in place, IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva said Thursday.

Activity “has started to gradually strengthen... But we are not out of the woods yet,” Georgieva said in a message to G20 finance ministers ahead of their weekend meeting in Saudi Arabia.

The Washington-based crisis lender late last month downgraded its growth forecasts, and now expects global GDP to fall by 4.9 percent this year due to the deeper contraction during lockdowns than previously anticipated, and only a “tepid recovery is expected for next year.”

The $11 trillion in stimulus provided by the G20 nations helped to prevent a worse outcome, but “these safety nets must be maintained as needed and, in some cases, expanded,” Georgieva urged in a blog post.

India lockdown for 125m people

One of India’s most impoverished states went into lockdown Thursday, but near-normal traffic on Patna’s streets showed the difficulty of corralling over 125 million people.

The lockdown in the northern state bordering Nepal started as India reported more than 600 deaths in the previous 24 hours, and the Red Cross warned the virus was spreading at “an alarming rate” across south Asia.

With India’s caseload on course to hit one million on Friday or Saturday – and fatalities approaching 25,000 – local authorities across the country are reimposing restrictions that have only recently been lifted

$1.4b for workers’ retraining

Australia announced Thursday $1.4 billion to retrain workers impacted by the coronavirus fallout, as unemployment rose to its highest level in more than two decades.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the new funding would create more than 300,000 places in training programmes that aimed to funnel graduates and the newly jobless into “growth” sectors.

“It is upsetting for many Australians that the industries and places where they’d been working, they will find it very difficult to find new employment in those sectors. And so we want to ensure they have the opportunity... to find employment in other sectors, potentially, so they can actually move forward with their own lives.”

The unemployment rate rose from 7.1 percent to 7.4 percent in June, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, bringing the jobless total to almost one million in a country of 25 million. AFP

‘ABS-CBN...

From A1 reallocated, the network must first be afforded the opportunity to exhaust all remedies,” Lagman said in response to House Resolution No. 1044 of Deputy Speaker and Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte.

“Exhausting all possible delivery modes such as the use of untapped television and radio frequencies as those vacated by ABS-CBN is important in keeping students engaged amid the learning crisis sweeping across the globe as a result of the coronavirus disease,” read the resolution.

Lagman made his statement even as

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From A1 “While petitioners recognize the efforts of those who sincerely keep our people safe, they strongly oppose the AntiTerrorism Act of 2020 (otherwise known as Republic Act No. 11479) in its present form which runs contrary and repugnant to the Constitution,” the petitioners said.

“Their greatest concern is that the unrestrained power given to the executive department by the assailed law would be an instrument to terrorize the ordinary citizens who are not terrorists -- or be used to aggravate the situation of the workers who are already victims of terrorism or terrorist acts,” they added.

The labor groups told the court that workers’ right to organize is enshrined in the Constitution and warned that all the guaranteed workers’ rights are “in serious danger of being further eroded” by the enactment of the anti-terrorism law.

The law’s definition of terrorism exthe Labor department said it was ready to extend assistance to all ABS-CBN employees who may be displaced as a result of the non-renewal of the network’s franchise.

Labor Undersecretary Ana Dione has ordered the department’s National Capital Region office to determine the number of ABS-CBN employees and the nature of their employment.

“This early, we need to know how many and who among their workers are entitled to those benefits,” Dione said in a statement.

Lagman said Villafuerte’s recommendation was not possible just yet with ABS-CBN’s pending petition for certiorari at the Supreme Court to void the denial of its franchise.

Cambridge and was only made aware of its existence through the reports of its controversial activities in the media.

“This move by Rappler to besmirch the former senator’s and the Marcos family’s reputation speaks to the kind of insidious reporting espoused by its convicted founder Maria Ressa,” Rodriguez said.

He said the timing of the article is nothing more than a marketing ploy meant to drum up support for Rappler’s beleaguered news blog site.

“BBM [Marcos] is consulting with his legal team and will be exploring the legal options to fight this injustice. The

filing of libel charges is on the table,” Rodriguez said.

Marcos, the namesake and only son of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos Sr., ran for vice president but lost to Leni Robredo in the 2016 elections. He filed an election protest with the Supreme Court, claiming massive cheating marred the vice presidential race.

Robredo, who ran under the ruling Liberal Party, the political party of then President Benigno Aquino III, won the vice presidential race with 14,418,817 votes, which were only 263,473 more than the votes received by Marcos.

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From A1 The DOH also does not recommend “indiscriminate” nasal swab tests, which experts said were more accurate than rapid tests.

“Testing is a point-in-time event, meaning if you get tested today, tomorrow if you go out for work, you’ll get exposed and then maybe you’ll get the disease again...Let’s go for those high-risk individuals,” said Vergeire.

The government has expanded the testing priority to cover not just those who have other health conditions that make them vulnerable to disease, but essential workers like frontliners, public utility drivers, waiters, teachers, and bank personnel, said Vergeire.

Flu vaccine

Cebu City will be under MECQ until July 31.

“If an ECQ or MECQ status is sustained in Cebu City for another 14 days, then the whole province will be on a trajectory towards flattening its epidemic curve,” the researchers said. “We believe that this option will work in the NCR as well.”

Apart from the NCR and Cebu, they said Basilan, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Leyte and Rizal remain high-risk areas.

The researchers concluded that there is a “very significant community transmission” in the country, with national and local trends pointing to a “significant surge” in transmissions.

They cautioned the government against “prematurely downgrading” the quarantine status in Cebu City and in the NCR. “Whatever quarantine decisions the government chooses to implement, we continue to reiterate our past recommendations, front and center of the strategy against COVID-19 has always hinged on increased testing, tracing, and the establishment of more quarantine and other isolation facilities especially in hotspots within the region,” they said.

They urged the government to invest more in laboratory capacity and ensure a faster turnaround time of test results, saying an effective scaling up of the testing, tracing, treatment and isolation strategy is “key to controlling the spread of the virus.”

“So much work still needs to be done,” they said.

The report was written by Guido David, Ranjit Singh Rye, Ma. Patricia Agbulos, and Rev. Fr. Nicanor Austriaco, with contributions from Erwin Alampay, Eero Rosini Brillantes, Bernhard Egwolf, Rodrigo Angelo Ong, Michael Tee, and Benjamin Vallejo, Jr. The Department of Health (DOH) reported 2,498 more infections Thursday, the highest so far, and brought total cases to more than 61,266. Of Thursday’s total, 1,246 were “fresh” or newly validated cases while 1,252 were reported late.

The five provinces with the highest number of new cases were Metro Manila with 1,886, Cebu with 198, Cavite with 57, Davao del Sur with 44, and Laguna with 44.

Total recoveries rose to 21,440 after 467 more patients recovered from the

respiratory disease, while the death toll climbed to 1,643 with 29 new fatalities.

Of the 29 deaths, eight were (28 percent) in July, 19 (66 percent) were in June, and two (7 percent) were in May. Deaths were from Region 7 (16 or 55 percent), NCR (nine or 31 percent), Region 11 (three or 10 percent) and CARAGA (one or 3 percent).

There are 38,183 active cases undergoing treatment or quarantine, 90.7 percent of which are mild, 8.5 percent of which are asymptomatic, 0.4 percent of which are severe, and 0.5 percent of which are in critical condition.

The DOH said figures reported on Thursday were based on data submitted by 71 out of the 84 operational laboratories.

Metro Manila mayors vowed to impose stricter quarantine protocols to curb the rise in COVID-19 cases, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said on Thursday.

President Rodrigo Duterte initially wanted to move Metro Manila back to a modified enhanced community quarantine based on the recommendation of experts from the University of the Philippines (UP) but decided that the metropolis will remain under GCQ after mayors vowed to implement more proactive restrictions.

Noting that he is frequently meeting with Metro Manila mayors, Año said he recognizes their sentiments on gradually opening up the economy without compromising public health.

“They will give businesses the chance to reopen but this will be subject to the strict implementation of all protocols.

We will give passes to those who are allowed to move or travel, especially employees while we will be stricter on those who are not allowed to go out,” he said in Filipino in a radio interview.

Año warned residents of Metro Manila over the possible re-implementation of the strict MECQ if they continue to violate protocols.

“We expect a stricter enforcement here in NCR (National Capital Region) and we continue to remind our fellowmen to comply with the protocols because we need to be vigilant and if we do not comply, we might revert to MECQ,” he added.

The strict enforcement of quarantine rules will discourage those without any essential business in going out of their homes, Año said.

Vergeire, meanwhile, said the DOH had recommended the use of the flu and pneumonia vaccines to prevent complications from COVID-19, adding the department had a program to vaccinate children and elderly against flu and pneumonia.

“It can help you as a means to prevent additional complications for those already with coronavirus. We don’t discourage it, we even recommend it,” Vergeire said.

empts advocacy, work stoppages, and humanitarian action if they are “not intended to cause death or serious physical harm to a person, to endanger a person’s life, or to create a serious risk to public safety.”

The petitioners are the officials and members of the Federation of Free Workers, Nagkaisa Labor Coalition, Church Labor Conference, Kilusang Mayo Uno, Uni Global Union-Philippine Liaison Council, and the Kilusang Artikulo Trese.

Named respondents were the Office of the President, the Senate, the House of Representatives, the Office of the Executive Secretary, and the secretaries of Foreign Affairs, National Defense, Interior and Local Government, Finance, Justice, Information and Communications Technology, and the Executive Director of the Anti-Money Laundering Council.

Just like the previous petitions filed before the Court, they labor groups asked the justices to declare as unconstitutional Sections 4,5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 25, and 29 which deal, among others, the definition of terrorism; who commits terrorism; preparatory acts in the commission of ter-

rorism; proscription against speeches and other representations that incite others to terrorism; recruitment and membership in terrorist groups; invalid delegation of legislative power; and unreasonable searches, seizures, and detention.

“The vague and overly broad provisions of a law particularly those which are penal in nature such as RA 11479 is a deprivation of the people’s right to due process,” they said.

They also said the warrantless arrest and detention of suspected terrorists are “without doubt, clear and blatant assault” on the constitutional guarantee that “no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.”

The latest petition is expected to be consolidated with the eight petitions previously lodged the past two weeks.

The first eight cases have been acted upon by the Court, which directed the Office of the President and several agencies in the Executive department and the Senate and the House of Representatives to comment on both the petitions and the pleas for TRO.

the President’s delivery of the SONA. The 50 persons, he said, would be divided into delegations from the Executive department, the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Sotto said 25 would come from the Executive department while the remaining 25 would be from the legislative branch.

Of the 25 from the legislative department, Sotto said 13 would come from the House of Representatives while 12 would be from the Senate.

The number, Sotto clarified, would not be limited to House members and the senators, but would also include the sergeant at arms, secretary general and documentation staff.

Due to this, only 8 senators would be physically attending the SONA. Aside from Sotto, they are Senators Panfilo Lacson, Francis Tolentino, Bong Go, Pia Cayetano, Ronald dela Rosa, Win Gatchalian and Senate Majority Leader Migz Zubiri.

The attendees to the SONA should undergo the mandatory rapid test.

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hours while working on a fix.

“Most accounts should be able to Tweet again,” the Twitter support team said in an evening update of the situation.

“As we continue working on a fix, this functionality may come and go.

We’re working to get things back to normal as quickly as possible.”

The duplicitous posts, which were largely deleted, were fired off from the array of high-profile accounts telling people they had 30 minutes to send $1,000 in bitcoin in order to be sent back twice as much.

“This is a SCAM, DO NOT participate!” Gemini cryptocurrency exchange co-founder Cameron Winklevoss warned from his official account on Twitter.

“This is the same attack/takeover that other major crypto twitter accounts are experiencing. Be vigilant!”

BitTorrent chief executive Justin Sun is offering a $1 million reward for finding the Twitter hackers and bringing them to justice, according to media reports.

The site Blockchain.com, which monitors transactions made in cryptocurrencies, said a total of 12.58 bitcoins, worth almost $116,000, had been sent to the email addresses mentioned in the fraudulent tweets.

The tweet that appeared on Musk’s Twitter feed said, “Happy Wednesday! I am giving back Bitcoin to all of my followers. I am doubling all payments sent to the Bitcoin address below. You send 0.1 BTC, I send 0.2 BTC back!” AFP

bitcoin specialty firms and many others.

“Tough day for us at Twitter,” chief executive Jack Dorsey said in a tweet Wednesday.

“We all feel terrible this happened.

We’re diagnosing and will share everything we can when we have a more complete understanding of exactly what happened.”

The Biden campaign told AFP that Twitter locked down the hacked account quickly and removed the bogus tweet.

Twitter disabled the ability to tweet from validated accounts, those with the official blue checkmarks, for about two

Alternative machines

The government will look for funds to buy high flow nasal cannula devices as alternative machines to ventilators to treat COVID 19 cases with severe cases, which is more effective and cheaper than the ventilator machines, Malacanang said.

Palace spokesperson Harry Roque told a press briefing health experts suggested the high flow nasal cannula therapy might be a better alternative to ventilators to assist COVID patients.

He said the use of heated and humidified high flow nasal cannula had become increasingly popular in the treatment of patients with acute respiratory failure through all age groups.

Financial support

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation is considering the release of a second tranche of its Interim Reimbursement Mechanism or emergency cash advance to help hospitals with needed liquidity so that they can respond better to the increasing number of COVID-19 patients.

In a statement, the agency said it would review each hospital’s utilization of the first IRM tranche, and would ask them to start liquidating the funds to be eligible for the second tranche.

The second wave of IRM funds will be made available to COVID-19 hospitals specifically those in high concentration areas such as the National Capital Region, Regions III, IV and VII where bed capacity either reached full capacity or in critical levels as coronavirus infections increased due to the easing of quarantine policies.

Fifth Sona:...

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News

FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

NPA ‘purge executioner’ falls

By Ronald O. Reyes

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ACLOBAN CITY—An army official in Eastern Visayas lauded newly-organized joint task force Tandaya who arrested Felomino Salazar Jr., the alleged “purge executioner” of the New People’s Army in Leyte province in the 1980s.

The 69-year-old Salazar, identified as an executive committee member of the Communist Party of the Philippine front in Southern Leyte, was nabbed in Barangay Tinago, Inopacan, Leyte on July 14, 2020.

Salazar’s arrest was a “breakthrough” for the joint task force Tandaya since its

creation on July 3, 2020, according to the army official.

“Salazar was then part of the dreaded CPP-NPA Intel Group whose main task during the implementation of the ‘Operation Anti-Venereal Disease’ was to identify, arrest, investigate and execute suspected government informants

within their organization,” said 802nd Infantry Brigade Commander Colonel Zosimo Oliveros.

Oliveros said Salazar is facing 15 counts of murder based on a warrant of arrest issued by Regional Trial Court-Branch 32 of the National Capital Region for the alleged CPP-NPA purging activities.

“His former comrades. who had already returned to the folds of the law, tagged him as ‘taga-ihaw’ or executioner of the victims of the NPA purging directed by the CPP central committee purposely to cleanse its ranks of suspected government agents,” added Oliveros in a statement.

Around 300 residents in Leyte were reportedly killed during the alleged purging activities.

IN BRIEF Money scam worries Rizal lawmaker

Authorities also unearthed the skeletal remains of 67 individuals from shallow graves dubbed as “The Garden” in Bgy. Subang Daku in Inopacan town on August 28, 2006.

Police probe death of BuCor official

By Joel E. Zurbano POLICE are investigating the death of a Bureau of Corrections officer who was found with a gunshot wound in the head inside the security compound of the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City early Thursday morning.

Corrections Officer 1 Edmond Molina was found dead at Post Tower 4, Medium Security Compound of NBP in Barangay Poblacion around 5 a.m.

Molina’s fellow officer Bryl Racal was conducting his routine inspection at the time when he saw the lifeless victim lying on a folding bed at the medium security compound. The victim was holding a government issued firearm .45-cal Norinco loaded with five bullets when found.

Responding policemen also recovered one extra magazine with eight bullets of caliber 45.

“Further investigation revealed that the victim sustained a lone gunshot wound on the right portion of his head. It was also noted that the victim was still holding his issued firearm on his right hand in between his legs,” a spot report released by the Southern Police District said.

Racal told investigators that prior to his death, the victim rendered duty from July 6 7 a.m. to July 20 at 7 a.m..

Police are now reviewing footage taken by the closed-circuit television camera at the compound to find clues of the victim’s death.

Molina’s case was the latest in the series of deaths involving BuCor personnel.

In February, two men gunned down the chief legal officer of the bureau while he was about to pick up his daughter from Southernside Montessori School along Katihan Street, also in Barangay Poblacion.

Personnel of the Muntinlupa City Rescue Team rushed victim Fredrick Anthony Santos to a hospital but he was pronounced dead on arrival due to gunshot wounds in the head.

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A FIRST-TERM congressman on Thursday urged the government to double its efforts to promote financial literacy in the wake of reports that the incidence of scams involving money has spiked during the pandemic.

The Securities and Exchange Commission recently said that it has issued 68 advisories regarding questionable investment offers during the ongoing public health crisis.

In separate advisories, the SEC urged the public to exercise caution in dealing with the following entities: Forsage, RCashOnline, and The Saint John of Jerusalem Knights of Malta Foundation of the Philippines Inc, among others.

“We need to crack down on these institutions that prey on our fellowmen and take advantage of the uncertain financial outlook of many families,” said Rizal Rep. Fidel Nograles.

“But more than this we also need to buckle down in educating our kababayan on financial matters; the more they know, the less the chances they will be duped.”

Maricel V. Cruz

Kabataan party-list solon cited

FREE BLOOD TEST. Vehicles line up early for free rapid test on the second day of operations of the Drive-Thru COVID-19 testing area of the Manila City Hall on July 16, 2020. Norman Cruz

DENR on target on full-year seedling project

By Rio N. Araja THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources has already reached 80 percent of full-year seedling production target despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

Secretary Roy Cimatu said the agency was able to raise 36 million seedlings for the enhanced national greening program during the first half of 2020.

Based on a report from the Forest Management Bureau, the number represented close to 80 percent of the 45.2 million seedlings targeted for the entire year under the government’s flagship re-

forestation program, he said.

“This speaks well of how the DENR and its partners have carried out the ENGP in the face of challenges and constraints created by the pandemic,” he cited.

With such development, he said the DENR is “on track” with its enhanced national greening program seedling production “just in time for planting this rainy season.”

According to the report, the seedling production covered both plantation species and indigenous species used for rehabilitation of denuded areas in watershed, mangrove and protected areas. It

also includes commodity species used for the establishment of agroforestry plantations.

Manila Standard As of July 9, indigenous and plantaTODAY tion seedlings had reached 20 million; bamboo, 3.4 million; agroforestry, 2.98 million; fruit trees, 1.2 million; fuelwood, 796,600; rubber, 131,775; nipa, 65,000, and Ilang-ilang, 50,000.

Aside from bamboo, other commodity seedling species raised during the period include cacao, 598,907; coffee, 212,047; other high value crops, 837,525; mangrove, 163,500; and rattan, 262,000.

410 OFWs from Lebanon back home

KABATAAN Party-list Rep. Sarah Elago was selected as one of the world’s most outstanding politicians representing the youth sector, the group said in a Facebook post.

Elago, 30, was among the five young leaders who will receive the One Young World Politician of the Year award at the One Young World 2021 Summit in Munich, Germany on April 23-26 next year.

“Malugod na ibinabahagi ng @ KabataanPL ang pagkilala na ito sa lahat ng kabataan na nagsusulong ng bagong pulitika ng pag-asa, pagkilos at pagbabago na naglilingkod sa sambayanan nang buong husay at katapatan (Kabataan Party-list welcomes this recognition to all young people who are promoting a new politics of hope, action, and change that serves the people with competence and sincerity.),” said Elago in her Facebook post.

The other winners are Erik Marquardt, 33, of Germany; Joanah Mamombe, 27, of Zimbabwe; Michael Tubbs, 30, of the United States; and Zarifa Ghafari, 28, of Afghanistan.

Elago, on her second term as Kabataan Party-list representative, has been first elected in the position in 2016. Willie Casas

JACKSTONES, INC.

_______________________________________________________________________________________ 593 Antonio Drive, Bagumbayan, Taguig City 1630

By Rey E. Requejo

NEW RECRUITS. With the resumption of the nationwide recruitment of aspiring Philippine Coast Guard

commissioned officers and enlisted personnel, PCG Commandant Vice Admiral George Ursabia Jr. directs all concerned units to ensure precautionary measures are implemented to protect the health and safety of the applicants amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Another kush shipment seized at NAIA

By Joel E. Zurbano GOVERNMENt agents at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport seized another smuggled shipment of kush marijuana worth P1.5 million in Central Mail Exchange Center in Pasay City.

Customs - NAIA district collector Carmelita Talusan said the parcel from California, USA was misdeclared as “streetwear via ebay” and consigned to an individual from Pangasinan.

She said her men placed the parcel under physical examination and discovered 940 grams of kush marijuana.

Talusan said the contraband was immediately turned over to

the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency for proper disposition and for the filing of criminal charges against the owner.

She added possible violations of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 in relation to the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act will be filed against the consignee.

Last month, NAIA Customs agents intercepted smuggled shipments of ecstasy and kush marijuana worth more than P4 million, also at CMEC. The shipment of 547 grams of marijuana was misdeclared as “gift” and was shipped from Netherlands via DHL Parcel.

The consignee was identified as

Mark Lumanlan Chavez, a resident of Park Avenue Mansion, Park Avenue Street, Unit 1430, Pasay City.

The second parcel, containing 28 grams of kush marijuana, was declared as “Adult Toys” and came from Nantwich, Cheshire, United Kingdom. The shipment is consigned to an individual residing at 120 Harvard corner Stanford Streets, Provident Village, Barangay Jesus Dela Peña, Marikina City.

The third parcel, containing 500 pieces of ecstasy pills, has no declaration with no shipper’s details and consigned to Kenneth Rosales, a resident of 2564 Tres Borces Street, Mabolo, Cebu City.

SOME 410 Filipinos from Lebanon have been repatriated back to the country, which is considered the single largest mass repatriation organized by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The DFA said the Philippine Embassy in Beirut facilitated the return of the 410 Filipinos, many of whom had spent years in Lebanon, on July 12.

In a statement, the DFA said the repatriates were beneficiaries of the embassy’s free voluntary mass repatriation program, which started in December 2019.

Recenly, the embassy sent home 1,023 Filipinos on 15 flights before the historic repatriation and that it will continue to cover costs for future beneficiaries under the free program.

On April 2, Philippine Ambassador to Lebanon Bernardita Catalla, who had initiated the voluntary mass repatriation program for distressed Filipinos in the country, died from complications arising from COVID-19 .

The DFA also said that it has chartered a special repatriation flight for 354 Filipino migrant workers from Saudi Arabia.

The repatriation, according to the DFA, was “a testament to the DFA’s unwavering commitment to leaving no Filipino behind in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

NOTICE OF ANNUAL STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETING To the Stockholders: Please be advised that the Annual Meeting of the Stockholders of JACKSTONES, INC. will be held on 7 August 2020 at 9:00 A.M. through remote communication to discuss the following: AGENDA 1.

2.

3.

Call to Order; Determination of Existence of Quorum; Approval of Minutes of the 24 June 2019 Annual Stockholders Meeting; 4. Report of the President; 5. Approval of Audited Financial Statements for 2019; 6. Ratification of All Acts and Resolutions of the Board of Directors and Management Adopted From 24 June 2019 to 7 August 2020; 7. Election of Directors (including the Independent Directors); 8. Appointment of External Auditor; 9. Consideration of Such Other Business as May Properly Come Before the Meeting; and 10. Adjournment; A brief explanation of each agenda item which requires stockholders’ approval is provided herein. The Information Statement accompanying this notice contains additional information regarding the agenda items particularly those to be voted upon.

For the instructions regarding the registration and attendance of the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting, please refer to the http://jackstonesinc.com/ wp-content/uploads/2020/07/JAS-DIS-Annex-A-Remote-CommunicationInstructions-v4.pdf. The Definitive Information Statement and other documents to the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting can be viewed at the website of Jackstones, Inc. at http://jackstonesinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/ JAS_Definitive-Information-Statement.pdf and in the Philippine Stock Exchange Electronic Disclosure Generation Technology (PSE EDGE) at https://edge.pse.com.ph/companyDisclosures/form.do?cmpy_id=134.

Registration shall start at 8:00 AM and will close at exactly 8:45 AM. Only stockholders of record as of 20 July 2020 shall be entitled to vote.

We are NOT SOLICITING PROXIES. If, however, you would be unable to attend the meeting but would like to be represented thereat, you may accomplish the proxy form annexed to the Definitive Information Statement. All proxy forms must be received through email to mcdelafuente@ zglaw.com, by the Corporate Secretary for inspection and recording not later than 27 July 2020. Proxies shall be validated on 29 July 2020 at 10:00 A.M. at the Office of the Corporate Secretary, 27th Floor, 88 Corporate Center Building, 139 Sedeno St, Salcedo Village, Makati, 1227 Metro Manila.

The Organizational Meeting of the Board of Directors will follow soon after the Annual Meeting of the Stockholders with the following agenda: By order of the Board of Directors, (Sgd.) JUAN MIGUEL VICTOR C. DE LA FUENTE Corporate Secretary (MS-JULY 17 & 18, 2020)

LGUs

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor lgu@manilastandard.net editor.lgustandard@gmail.com

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LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2020

Navotas passes 3 measures to give lockdown ‘teeth’

By Jun David TO REINFORCE the implementation of the 14-day lockdown in Navotas, the city government has passed ordinances imposing stricter quarantine rules.

Navotas was placed under citywide lockdown at 5 a.m. on July 16 until July 29, 11:59PM. City Ordinance No. 2020-31 requires that aside from wearing face masks and practicing up to 2-meter physical distancing, all persons in Navotas must comply with other quarantine measures imposed by the city government to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

It further states that any unauthorized person outsides their homes will be meted out fines ranging from P1,000 to P3,000.

City Ordinance No. 2020-32, on the other hand, amended the penalties of City Ordinance No. 2020-30 or the Interim Guidelines for Business Establishments allowed to operate in the city during the community quarantine.

Establishments will face sanctions if they fail to comply with safety measures such as COVID-19 screening for employees, implementation of social distancing, reduced number of people allowed in the workplace, and others.

Violators will be slapped with P2,000 to P5,000 fines with summary suspension of the establishment’s sanitary permit and summary closure of the establishment for 7-14 days.

Meanwhile, City Ordinance No. 2020-33 imposes a 24-hour curfew on residents below 18 years old while Navotas is under community quarantine or in any form of lockdown required by the national or local government.

Minors who will enroll to school while accompanied by their parent or guardian and those who need to travel for medical purposes are exempted from the curfew.

Parents or guardians who will let their children roam the streets or play or loiter outside their home will be fined P1,000 or P2,000 for the first or second offense. P3,000 or imprisonment and P4,000 or imprisonment will be levied on third, fourth and succeeding offenses.

SM AIDS TANZA. SM Foundation (SMFI) recently broke ground for its soon-to-be built SM school building at Punta

Elementary School in Tanza, Cavite, in preparation for the reopening of schools in August. SMFI, through its School Building Program, is an active partner of the Department of Education’s Adopt-a-School program, which aims to promote quality public education by building classrooms nationwide.

Parañaque tightens clamps on villages

By Joel E. Zurbano

P

ARAÑAQUE City Mayor Edwin Olivarez on Thursday ordered police and all barangay officials to strictly enforce health protocols after the city recorded a total of 1,787 confirmed cases of individuals with coronavirus disease.

Olivarez also directed city police commander Col. Robin Sarmiento to file necessary charges against parents who allow their children going outside their residence without face masks and during curfew hours.

“You are hereby directed to ensure the strict enforcement and to exercise full vigilance in the implementation

of the health standards on the use of face masks, strict physical distancing, crowding on public places and in all major streets,” Olivarez said in a memorandum.

The city chief executive was disappointed upon learning from the City Health Office that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases have

reached to 1,787 within a week with 742 (42.6 percent) active cases.

Despite being placed under a three-day calibrated lockdown, Barangay BF got the highest number of confirmed cases at 295.

The active cases have reached to 177 cases with 11 fatalities, the highest recorded deaths in the city’s barangays.

Barangay Sun Valley followed Barangay BF with numerous cases at 152 and 92 active cases. Last July 8, the said barangay has only 117 confirmed cases and 73 active cases or an additional of 19 active cases in a week, according to the city health office.

40-day fund drive eyes P40 doleouts for poor schools TO HELP support adaptive education implementation in the Philippines this coming school year, multi-awarded youth volunteer organization I am M.A.D. (Making A Difference) launched a “bayanihan” initiative in light of the public health situation brought by the ongoing pandemic.

Dubbed as BIDA Eskwela (Bigay-Ayuda para sa Eskwela), the nationwide fundraising campaign is spearheaded by I Am M.A.D. together with its cooperating partners, the National Youth Volunteers Coalition and Youth Advocates for the Philippines.

A two-time Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) Awards Foundation awardee, I Am M.A.D. is a volunteerpowered nonprofit organization focused on youth development and empowerment through valuesoriented advocacies.

The BIDA Eskwela donation campaign aims to raise at least P200,000 in 40 days from July 9 to August 17, 2020. The initiative is set less than 60 days before the August 24 school opening.

The group encourages the public to be a part of this drive by donating at least P40. With such a small amount, the organizers believe the collective efforts of Filipinos will make a big difference especially in these most trying times.

To drum up the campaign, a social media push under the hashtag #BIDAEskwelaKwarenta has been created. It literally means 40 days and is a play on the word “quarantine” which is what Filipinos are actually experiencing with the limited physical movements.

INSULAR-MUNTI PACT. Insular Foundation the corporate social responsibility arm, of Insular Life, recently turned over

4,000 storybooks to the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Schools Division Office in Muntinlupa for Grade 1 students as part of DepEd’s Learning Continuity Plan. InLife Vice President and Insular Foundation Executive Director Ana Maria Soriano (second from right) and Insular Foundation Program Manager Teresita Melad (right) led the turnover to DepEd-Muntinlupa officials led by Dr. Dominico Idanan, Schools Division Superintendent (third from left). Also pictured are (from left) Noel Bagano, Assistant Schools Division Superintendent; Rochelle Jimenez, Senior Education Program Specialist; Dr. Idanan; and Madeline Diaz, Chief, Curriculum Implementation Division.

Guv seeks DOTR help on emission centers’ opening

By Ben Moses Ebreo BAYOMBONG—Nueva Vizcaya Governor Carlos Padilla has sought the help of the Department of Transportation (DOTR) to fast-track the pending applications of Emission Testing Centers (ETC) in the province.

He made the appeal with the support of other local chief executives in Cagayan Valley region.

“I, together with our several chief

executives in the region, made an appeal to the DOTR to immediately act on the pending applications of ETCs operators because of their insufficient number in the province and the region as well,” Padilla said.

It was learned that several ETCs in the province were ordered closed by the DOTR due to their illegitimate operations.

Their closure, coupled with the imposition of the enhanced community

quarantine (ECQ), saw the pending number of vehicle owners and operators needing emission testing certifications pile up, before their application for the renewal of their registration with the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

Padilla said his appeal was contained in a regional resolution filed in a recent meeting of the Regional Development Council’s Infrastructure Development Committee (RDCIDC), in which he is chairman.

Manila escorts virus patients to quarantines

By Willie Casas THE Manila City Government has started escorting COVID-19 patients from their houses to quarantine facilities, in line with the national government’s Oplan Kalinga program.

Manila Health Department personnel went house-to-house to search for cases under home quarantine. The patients were then escorted to ambulances and then to isolation facilities in the city.

“Our goal as a city in our own little way is to continue to arrest, continue to contain the growth of COVID-19. If this thing can help, why not?” Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Domagoso told reporters.

Oplan Kalinga—specifically the part where health officials and policemen will supposedly go house-to-house in search for mild or asymptomatic COVID-19 cases — has been criticized for allegedly being prone to abuse.

But Interior Secretary Eduardo Año defended the program, saying it will prevent the spread of the coronavirus in communities.

“Most people are under home quarantine, but this is still the source of community transmission, because home quarantines aren’t being implemented properly,” Año said.

He also clarified that health officials will lead the operations, noting that police personnel would only assist local government officials and health personnel in the search.

Meanwhile, Ano stressed that those authorized to be on home quarantine must meet three requirements: have their own room, own bathroom, and have no vulnerable persons in the house.

Vulnerable persons refer to senior citizens and the elderly or those with co-morbidity or have existing diseases, he said.

DPWH unveils Panabo flyover in Davao Norte

GOOD news to motorists in Davao: the flyover built by Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Panabo City, Davao Del Norte officially opened on Thursday.

The 195.59-meter Panabo City steel flyover will practically eliminate vehicle congestion by providing continuous traffic flow along the busy intersection of Daang Maharlika National HighwayTadeco and Panabo Wharf Road, the department said in a statement.

The flyover has 304-meter approaches and was completed by the DPWH Unified Project Management Office - Bridges Management Cluster (DPWH-UPMO BMC).

Public Works Secretary Mark A. Villar said the Panabo Flyover “is much needed during this time of crisis when safe and reliable roads are crucial to public use and government response.”

The flyover will serve incoming and outgoing traffic to and from the heart of Panabo City to neighboring towns and urban centers by cutting travel time across the intersection from 60 minutes during peak hours to just 15 minutes.

According to Undersecretary for UPMO Operations Emil K. Sadain, the Panabo Flyover along the north-south direction (Panabo City to Davao City) is part of the national government’s “Mega Bridges for Urban and Rural Development Project,” which involves the nationwide construction of bridges to provide better road network along secondary national highways.

Jollibee ‘Hygiene Ambassadors’ set for all PH stores TO HELP protect the health of its customers and store teams whose safety is a top priority, the Jollibee Group has designated Hygiene Ambassadors in the stores nationwide of Jollibee, Chowking, Mang Inasal, Greenwich, Burger King, Red Ribbon, Panda Express, and PHO24.

These Hygiene Ambassadors are dedicated team members in each branch who help ensure the store’s stricter compliance with the intensified safety measures that the Jollibee Group has implemented following the guidelines issued by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

“Employee and customer safety have always been a top priority

“We also continuously study and benchmark with global experts on how to improve safety in all our stores even further,” Tanbuntiong added. “As we welcome our customers back to our stores, we would like them to not only see, but also experience our intensified safety measures with the help of our Hygiene Ambassadors.”

The Hygiene Ambassadors will monitor and guide dine-in customers in following the government-mandated HYGIENE AMBASSADORS. The Jollibee Group has designated Hygiene safety standards such as undergoing Ambassadors across its brands to help ensure that customers and the store teams are temperature check before entry, proper complying with intensified safety protocols. wearing of face masks, filling out of as reflected by the stringent safety for Philippines. “We have tightened health declaration forms, using the standards that our brands have set up all our safety standards even further in disinfecting mat before entry, and these years,” said Joseph Tanbuntiong, alignment with government-mandated observing physical distancing inside the store.

Country Business Group (CBG) Head protocols.”

Opinion COVID patients should be treated like VIPs

EvEryman

Lipstick on a pig CHINESE officials may spout off about cooperation and friendship, but as long as Beijing refuses to recognize our legitimate claims over the West Philippine Sea, Filipinos will continue to regard them with suspicion—and even resentment.

All this despite the best efforts of the Duterte administration to set the territorial dispute aside in favor of Chinese loans and investments. To many Filipinos incensed over the blatant disrespect, that’s just lipstick on a pig.

On the fourth anniversary of the historic UN arbitration ruling in favor of the Philippines, Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. issued a statement calling on China to respect the arbitral award.

The ruling, Locsin said, had “conclusively settled the issue of historic rights and maritime entitlements in the South China Sea.” “The Tribunal authoritatively ruled that China’s claim of historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the ‘ninedash line’ had no basis in law… The award is non-negotiable,” Locsin said.

But Beijing quickly rejected the appeal.

“China’s position is consistent, clear and firm,” said the Chinese Embassy in Manila in a statement posted Monday on Twitter but which had just as quickly been deleted.

“The South China Sea arbitration and socalled award are illegal and invalid,” the embassy said.

The embassy said China does not accept

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2020

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EDITORIAL

Hontiveros at once compared it to “Oplan Tokhang,” the Philippine National Police massive anti-drug campaign being blamed by government critics for thousands of “extra-judicial killings.”

Roque belied the senator’s hallucination.

It’s like a hotel vacation, not as if the governUNFORTUNATELY, President Duterte’s ment is sending patients to jail, he said.

Inter-Agency Task Force is incapable of disRoque stressed that the patients will be covering a vaccine to stop COVID-19. Still, I provided three meals a day at an air-condican see that lately it has taken steps to try to tioned facility manned by doctors and nursarrest the further spread of the contagion. es. They will have free Wi-Fi connection.

We’ve said all along in this corner that This VIP treatment should cause the the barangay units must be tapped to seek doubling time of the number of recoveries out those people who may need to take the much faster.

COVID-19 test, place them in quarantine and, Still, Roque reminded the public that if they test positive, admit them to the hospital. COVID-19 patients who will refuse to be isoWe suggested this “door-to-door survey” lated will not be tolerated by the government. of COVID-19 patients when the Enhanced “It is a very communicable disease. If they Community Quarantine (ECQ) was first refuse to be isolated, the State, of course, can imposed in March, knowing that lockdown isolate them,” Roque warned. itself is not enough to contain the spread of He invoked the State’s inherent police coronavirus. power to protect the citizenry amid the panSuch is the direction that the govern- demic, therefore, has legal basis. ment is heading for although Malacañang Health Secretary Francisco Duque said assured there will be no “house-to-house” that the government will have to maximize police search for COVID-19 patients. the use of the country’s community isolaPresidential spokesman Atty. Harry tion centers and Mega Ligtas Quarantine Roque clarified that facilities for mild authorities will let the and asymptomatic patients themselves COVID-19 patients.

The ‘vacation’ is voluntarily submit to Duque III said that for their own good. quarantine, or their hospital confinement families or the baranshould be limited to gay officials can re“severe and critical” port their conditions.

COVID-19 patients to Those patients who do not qualify for prevent congestion of hospitals. home quarantine will be “escorted” or assistMany reasons have deterred people from ed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) to getting medical help. Many think that testing the government quarantine facilities. positive of the disease is an instant death senI just hope the PNP personnel would not tence. screw this up, as promised by P/Lt. Gen. GuillGetting confined without any family alermo Eleazar, commander of the Joint Task lowed to visit is just devastating.

Force COVID Shield. Eleazar is one of the few They were horrified by reports that remains credible officials who convince me that the of those who perished were immediately bur120-strong PNP can still “serve and protect.” ied or cremated without the traditional burial Needless to say, we are faced with the con- attended by their bereaved families. tinually rising daily total of COVID-19 cases People are also scared of the costs of the which has reached 58,850 as of Wednesday.

RT-PCR test and hospitalization as much This seems alarming but only 36,260 of the as they are scared of COVID-19 itself, not to total represent “active cases,” as 20,976 are re- mention the misconceptions and supersticoveries which is 36 percent of the total. tion about the disease.

That is quite significant, indicating that So many people, especially in the rural more and more patients are able to get well areas, are not even aware of their PhilHealth and beat COVID-19, although the death toll benefits, particularly COVID-19 packages. has climbed to 1,599.

We need to adequately inform people, Also quite significant is the fact that 91 especially those in the barrios, about the napercent of the total active cases are “mild” ture of the disease and the treatment availCOVID-19 infections. able to them if they get sick.

Roque explained that “mild and asympIn March, I said the lockdown itself may tomatic” COVID-19 cases will be allowed to further spur the community transmission of undergo home quarantine if they have their the contagion among the residents of poor own room, own bathroom, and if there are crowded neighborhoods on strict lockdown, no vulnerable persons in the house. without isolating those infected and taking Otherwise, they will be “billeted as them away for treatment. guests” at government-sanctioned quaranI also said contact-tracing was a must as tine facilities where they are expected to stay those infected tend to pass it on to several for 14 days at government’s expense. others. Hence, there is a multiplier effect.

Unsurprisingly, Sen. Risa Hontiveros raised We need to encourage and convince peofear of possible human rights violation, when ple to take the test by making them underLocal government Secretary Eduardo Año stand that it is for their own good and their said police officers would go house-to-house family’s well-being. This is a better approach to search for mild COVID-19 cases. than threatening them with total lockdown.

By Chin Wong

Adelle Chua, Editor

or participate in the arbitration, nor does it accept or recognize the so-called award.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, including waters claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam, under its hoary “nine-dash-line” policy that the UN Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague found invalid, and that in fact, the rest of the world rejects.

On his fifth visit to China last year. President, Duterte brought up the arbitral ruling but his “friend” and counterpart Xi Jinping quickly shot the topic down, sayiing Beijing would not budge from its position.

Instead of addressing the UN arbitral decision, China speaks in motherhood statements about friendship and cooperation—while continuing its aggressive buildup in the West Philippine Sea. But in a significant turn of events, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo came down strongly on the side of ASEAN claimants— including the Philippines-- against China, breaking the American policy of neutrality in territorial disputes.

“Beijing’s claims to offshore resources across most of the South China Sea are completely unlawful, as is its campaign of bullying to control them,” Pompeo said, echoing the sentiments of many in Manila tired of the Chinese running roughshod over the Philippines’ sovereign rights.

“The world will not allow Beijing to treat the South China Sea as its maritime empire.

America stands with our Southeast Asian al-

T

Isolation centers

HE spike in local COVID-19 cases is largely caused by poor monitoring and looser implementation of quarantine rules. Many local government units down to the barangay level have been remiss of their duty in preventing the spread of the virus.

In Metro Manila, especially the nation’s capital Manila, you can see people walking nonchalantly on the sidewalks without face masks. Many minors while away their time outside of their homes, oblivious to the dangers of getting infected with COVID-19.

A child without face mask tags along with her parent on their way home or begging on the streets.

The police, meanwhile, are indifferent to the violation of the health rules spelled out in Republic Act No. 11469,

or the Bayanihan Act. Some of these law enforcers manning Metro Manila’s intersections are more interested in apprehending would-be traffic violators than arresting minors who violate curfew ordinances. The police can do their share in preventing the virus’ spread by reminding people of the need to wear face masks and by bringing minors to the custody of their parents.

The police, barangay tanods and health authorities are at the forefront of curbing the COVID-19 spread. They, along with executives of local government units, should pursue a more aggressive approach in dealing with the disease.

The police, for one, will have a major role in ensuring people, who test positive for COVID-19 and cannot self-isolate at home, are taken to government-run quarantine facilities.

The government has built a number of quarantine centers within and outside the capital region to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed by COVID-19 cases.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, amid the rapid rise in virus cases, finally deployed the police to accompany health workers to the homes of people who have tested positive and take them to government facilities if their residences are inadequate for self-isolation.

“We prefer that the asymptomatics and the mild cases voluntarily surrender and confine themselves in isolation centers,” said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.

Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. Science is teaching us that now.

Hold Departure Order revisited A LINGERING concern of an accused who has a pending criminal case is whether he can travel unhampered within or outside the Philippines. He may want to take a short vacation, do business, or if he is a public officer, perform his official function out of the country. Can the accused be restrained from leaving the country?

The Philippine Constitution recognizes the non-impairment of the right to travel “except in the interest of national security, public safety, or public health as may be provided for by law” (Section 6, Article III of the 1987 Constitution). Following the constitutional mandate, Filipinos, as a general rule, cannot be restrained from exercising their right to travel. However, if a person has a criminal case he may be prevented, in certain instances, to leave the country by virtue of a Hold Departure Order (HDO).

Under Supreme Court Circular 39-97, the power to issue HDOs is within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Regional Trial Court. The Regional Trial Court judge can issue a hold order only in a criminal case pending in his sala (court) (Criminal Procedure, Tranquil Salvador III, 2019, citing Mupas v. Espaol, A.M. RTJ-04-1850). For example, a first level court or MTC judge who issued a hold order in a criminal case pending in a Regional Trial Court violated the circular, and was administratively punished (Criminal Procedure, Tranquil Salvador III, 2019, citing A.M. No. 99-12-192-MTC, 26 January 2000).

There is another Supreme Court rule that allows issuance of HDO in specific civil cases. The Rule for Provisional Orders provides that a Hold Departure Order may be issued by a family court upon application or motu proprio to disallow the departure of the child from the Philippines without the permission of the court (Proposed Rule for Provisional Orders, A.M. No. 02-11-12-SC, 4 March lies and partners in protecting their sovereign rights to offshore resources, consistent with their rights and obligations under international law,” Pompeo said.

The import of the statement from Washington was not lost on former Supreme Court justice Antonio Carpio, who has been outspoken about the need to assert our territorial rights.

The navies of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Australia, Canada, India and Japan are sailing the high seas and exclusive economic zones in the South China Sea to assert freedom of navigation, Carpio said, an act that enforces “a core part” of the 2016 award that the administration has been reluctant to assert.

Carpio said Southeast Asian states that are asserting their rights to their EEZs have a “natural strategic partnership” with these navies, and if China persists in its aggressive encroachment, these states can respond by joining the naval powers in their freedom of navigation and overflight operations in the EEZs and the South China Sea. The suggestion isn’t all that difficult to implement—the country already participates in and hosts regular joint military exercises with the United States. By joining in freedom of navigation and overflight operations, we could hold a mirror up to China and show its leaders that the lipstick isn’t all that appealing.

2003, Section 6). The HDO may be applied in the family court, which is the Regional Trial Court wherein the petition for declaration of nullity of marriage, annulment of marriage or legal separation was filed.

Likewise, the Anti-Violence Against

Can the accused be restrained from leaving the country?

Women and their Children Act of 2004 specifically requires the court to expedite the issuance of a hold departure order in cases prosecuted under this Act against women and child offenders (Section 37, Republic Act No. 9262). The law wants to make sure that the offenders are brought into the fold of law.

Aside from the Regional Trial Court, the Sandiganbayan which is the Anti-Graft court also has the power to issue hold departure orders motu proprio as “an exercise of its power to preserve and to maintain the effectiveness of its jurisdiction over the case or over the person of the accused” (Criminal Procedure, Tranquil Salvador III, 2019, citing Defensor Santiago v. Vasquez, G.R. Nos. 99289-90).

At this point, a differentiation must be made between an HDO issued by the Regional Trial Court in criminal cases and those issued

by the Sandiganbayan. For criminal cases in the Regional Trial Court, the HDO has to be applied by the prosecution, and therefore, not automatically issued upon the filing of the criminal information. This is unlike the procedure in the Sandiganbayan where it may be issued immediately once the criminal information is filed with it.

Not too long ago, the Department of Justice issued Department Circular No. 41 which authorized the Secretary of Justice to issue hold departure orders for cases that a) fall within the jurisdiction of the Regional Trial Court; b) need the presence of the alien as a defendant, respondent or witness in civil, labor or administrative cases; c) name the Government or its instrumentalities as an adverse party; or d) are in the interest of national security, public safety or public health.

The circular was declared unconstitutional in Genuino v. De Lima. The case involved several hold departure orders issued by the Secretary of Justice under Circular 41 while the petitioners were under investigation for complaints for plunder, malversation, graft and corruption, violation of the Omnibus Election Code, and Republic Act No. 6713, among others. The Supreme Court ruled that “there is no law particularly providing for the authority of the Secretary of Justice to curtail the exercise of the right to travel.” Moreover, the Department of Justice cannot justify the circular as the issuance of an HDO is clearly not DOJ’s business. As such, it is a compulsory requirement that there be an existing law, complete and sufficient in itself, conferring the expressed authority to the concerned agency to promulgate rules. The action runs afoul the separation of the powers between the three branches of the government and cannot be upheld (Criminal Procedure, Tranquil Salvador III, 2019, citing Genuino v. De Lima, G.R. 197930)).

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B2

World

FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2020

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Pompeo: Leave my dog out of dispute with China AMERICA’S top diplomat Mike Pompeo assails China nearly daily, but he says his dog isn’t part of his campaign.

Pompeo raised eyebrows among students of social media tea leaves when he posted a picture of his dog looking ready to tear into a toy Winnie the Pooh.

“Mercer and all of her favorite toys!” the canine-loving secretary of state tweeted from his personal account.

Chinese social media users have frequently used the jolly bear as a meme for President Xi Jinping, although the country’s thorough censors have little sense of humor about it.

Asked in an interview Wednesday whether this was “Winnie the Poohgate,” Pompeo appeared oblivious.

“No, I imagine there were a series of stuffed animals, and they were equally distributed for Mercer’s benefit,” Pompeo told Iowa conservative radio host Simon Conway.

When told that the BBC had run a story musing about a deeper meaning,

Pompeo laughed and said, “I hadn’t seen that.”

AA Milne’s loveable but slow-witted bear with a weakness for honey picked up as a meme after pictures of Xi alongside slender former US president Barack Obama, who drew comparisons to Winnie’s friend Tigger, were published.

China has since sought to scrub the meme from the internet accessible inside the country, and Beijing in 2018 rejected the release of the Disney film “Christopher Robin,” which stars Winnie.

Pompeo has championed a hard line against China, criticizing the communist leadership for denying free expression, clamping down in Hong Kong and failing to stop the coronavirus pandemic.

Meanwhile, Pompeo voiced hope of holding high-level talks soon with North Korea and did not rule out a summit, a break with recent pessimistic signs from both countries. AFP

CELESTIAL DISPLAY. Comet NEOWISE or C/2020 F3 is seen in the sky, above the “Seven Magic Mountains” art installation by artist Ugo Rondinone, in Jean, Nevada on July 15, 2020. AFP

US visa ban vs. Huawei employees

T

HE United States has cleared the way for sanctions on employees of telecom giant Huawei, expanding its pressure campaign on China.

Tensions have soared between the world’s two largest economies on a growing range of fronts, including Beijing’s clampdown on Hong Kong, with President Donald Trump on Tuesday ending the financial hub’s special trading privileges.

China shows no sign of backing down on Hong Kong, but the Trump administration has rejoiced in growing success at isolating Huawei, with Britain announcing a ban on the leading Chinese company.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the United States would restrict US visas for employees of Huawei and other Chinese

firms if they are involved in human rights abuses.

“Telecommunications companies around the world should consider themselves on notice: If they are doing business with Huawei, they are doing business with human rights abusers,” Pompeo said.

The United States accuses Huawei of working on the behest of Beijing and says that global security and personal data will be at risk if the company dominates development of the world’s fifth-generation internet.

Pompeo said that Huawei was already responsible for rights abuses by letting China snoop on dissidents

and abetting Beijing’s sweeping surveillance in the western region of Xinjiang, where rights groups say more than one million Uighurs and other Turkic Muslims are incarcerated.

Offering affordable internet in the developing world and moving rapidly on 5G, Huawei has so far largely weathered US prohibitions and pressure – and reported double-digit revenue growth for the first half of the year.

The European Union has resisted blanket restrictions on Huawei. But British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government agreed Tuesday to a phased ban after US sanctions blocked Huawei’s access to US chips.

Pompeo announced that he would visit Britain as well as Denmark starting Monday.

25,000 American Airlines workers face layoffs AMERICAN Airlines is notifying 25,000 workers that they could be furloughed beginning October 1, executivesManila said Wednesday, the latest major carrier to warn Standard about massive layoffs.

TODAY Although the number of layoffs may be minimized through voluntary departures, American will have more than 20,000 excess workN O T I C E ers on payroll due to a profound downturn in business caused by NOTICE is hereby the coronavirus pandemic, Chief given that the estate of the late MRS. Executive Doug Parker and PresiANNA Y. SYCIP was dent Robert Isom said in a memo extrajudicially settled to employees. among the heirs as per Doc. No. 205; Like other major airlines, the Page No. 42; Book executives said the cost-cutting No. V; Series of 2020 would be needed due to lacklusbefore Notary Public Atty. Felippe Mart E. ter ticket sales amid fading hopes Closa of Makati City. for a speedy bounceback in travel from COVID-19.

“With infection rates increasing N O T I C E and several states reestablishing NOTICE is hereby given quarantine restrictions, demand MS (JULY 17/24/31, 2020)

that Stock Certificate No. 48991 worth One Million Two hundred Twenty One Thousand Five Hundred Fifty One (1,221,551) Shares of Stocks of FMF Development Corp., under the name of George Edwin Sycip was reported loss per Document notarized before Notary Public Atty.

Alexandra E. Lioanag of California San Francisco County

for air travel is slowing again,” they said.

US carriers that received government aid under the CARES Act cannot lay off workers until after September 30.

American’s layoff notices went to 2,500 pilots, 9,500 flight attendants, 3,200 maintenance staff and 1,000 reservations agents.

The executives said they “hope to reduce the actual number of furloughs significantly through enhanced leave and early-out programs for represented workgroups, which we are announcing today.”

American’s announcement is similar to one from United Airlines last week that warned of as many as 36,000 layoffs. Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines also signaled they may have to cut jobs if voluntary programs do not achieve enough savings.

Delta Chief Executive Ed Bastian said Tuesday that 17,000 employees had agreed to voluntary departures and he hoped more workers would step forward, “minimizing, if not eliminating, the need for involuntary furloughs.” AFP

MS (JULY 17/24/31, 2020)

NOTICE NOTICE Is hereby given that Stock Certificate Nos. C-77, C-123 & C-130 worth Nine Hundred Ninety Thousand Five Hundred Eighty Seven (990,587) Shares of Stocks of AMSEC Holdings Corp., under the name of George Edwin Sycip were reported loss as per document notarized before Notary Public Atty. Alexandra E. Lioanag of California San Francisco County.

MS (JULY 17/24/31, 2020)

NOTICE NOTICE is hereby given that an Extrajudicial Settlement of the Estate of EMILINA M. FERNANDO has been entered into and executed by her heirs as per Doc. No.175, Page No.36, Book V Series of 2020 of the Notarial Register of Notary Public Atty. Vincent Angelo P. Calara, MBA. MS (JULY 17/24/31, 2020)

MODERN-DAY PARTISANOS. Nissan employees, wearing the red jumpsuit and Dali mask of the Spanish Netflix hit series La Casa de Papel (Money Heist), shout slogans during a demonstration in Madrid, against the closure of the Japanese carmaker’s factory in Barcelona, where 3,000 people are employed, after four decades of operation. AFP

Robert O’Brien, the US national security advisor, brought up Huawei in his own talks with European counterparts in Paris, warning that the company could both spy on government secrets and sweep up vast amounts of personal data.

“Europe is awakening to the threat of China,” O’Brien told reporters.

“Imagine how a country like China could interfere with elections if they knew everything about every single person on earth,” he said.

Canada in 2018 acted on a US request and arrested Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, who faces extradition on charges of violating US sanctions on Iran.

Huawei rejects the US campaign and has called on Washington to show more evidence to prove the risks purportedly posed by the company. AFP

CO2 ‘food-print’ highest in nations that love meat

IN BRIEF Bolsonaro tests positive again

BRAZIL President Jair Bolsonaro announced Wednesday that he still has the coronavirus, after undergoing a new test the day before.

“I’m fine, thank God. Yesterday morning, I took the test, and in the evening the result was that I am still positive for the coronavirus,” the far-right leader said in a Facebook Live broadcast from the gardens of his official residence in Brasilia.

Bolsonaro said he is not experiencing symptoms and that his use of the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine, which he said he has been taking since he was diagnosed last week, is working.

“I am not recommending anything. I recommend that you talk to your doctor.

In my case, a military doctor recommended hydroxychloroquine, and it worked,” he said.

The presidential press office said in a brief statement that Bolsonaro, who at 65 is in a high-risk group, will remain in quarantine at the official Alvorada Palace residence, where he will continue to work by video conference.

The far-right president, who has caused huge controversy in Brazil for repeatedly flouting lockdown measures in place to curb the spread of the virus, first tested positive a week ago. AFP

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

IF EVERYONE alive ate steaks and dairy the way Brazilians and Americans do, we would need five extra planets to feed the world, according to the first report to compare the carbon emissions from food consumption in G20 nations, released Thursday.

Among the world’s top economies, only the per capita carbon “foodprints” in India and Indonesia are low enough to ensure the Paris climate target of capping global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius, according to the Diet for a Better Future report.

In China, where sustained economic growth has boosted consumption of meat and imported foods, the average diet – on a planetary scale – would exceed the 1.5C threshold by nearly twofold.

Producing food for Earth’s 7.7 billion people is responsible for a quarter of the global carbon emissions that drive climate change.

About 40 percent of that comes from livestock production and food waste, with the rest generated by rice production, fertilizer use, land conversion and deforestation to accommodate commercial crops.

“Currently, individuals in a handful of countries are eating way too much of the wrong foods at the expense of the rest of the world,” Brent Loken, global food lead at WWF and lead author of the report, told AFP. These imbalanced diets by a relative handful of rich countries are “to the detriment of climate, health and economies,” he said.

The report by EAT – an Oslo-based non-profit that has led peer-reviewed research on the nexus of diet, health and climate change – also rated G20 national dietary guidelines, projecting the carbon footprint they would produce if followed.

Interestingly, this ranking roughly mirrors actual consumption.

Argentina tops the list with a diet exceeding climate thresholds nearly fivefold, followed by Canada, Brazil, the United States, Russia and Australia.

At the other end of the spectrum, the countries with the most climate-friendly dietary guidelines are Indonesia, India, South Korea, China and Japan. AFP

China to reopen cinemas July 20

MOST Chinese cinemas will be allowed to reopen next week with social distancing rules following months of coronavirus closures, authorities said Thursday, as domestic infections remained at zero for 10 straight days.

Movie theatres in “low-risk” areas of the country can resume operations on July 20, but must screen patrons for fevers and enforce mask-wearing, the China Film Administration said.

Cinemas are also required to sell tickets for no more than 30 percent of the available seats at each screening, and must keep groups of moviegoers at least one meter apart, the administration said.

Chinese film authorities had announced in March that they would reopen cinemas, which have been shut since late January, but swiftly reversed the decision the same month after fresh clusters of cases were discovered across the country.

China on Thursday reported only one new virus case, imported from overseas, and most of the country is classified as “low risk” for virus outbreaks. AFP

Spain to honor virus victims

WITH a watchful eye on the latest virus outbreaks, Spain pauses Thursday to honor its 28,400 victims at a state ceremony joined by top EU and World Health Organization figures.

Barely three weeks after coming out of lockdown, Spain has seen a surge in cases and health officials monitoring more than 120 active outbreaks.

The most worrying is in and around the northeastern city of Lerida, where the Catalan regional government has issued a stayhome order affecting 160,000 people.

Authorities there and in several other regions have stepped up precautions, with mask-wearing compulsory in public at all times, even if the safety distance can be respected.

Among those attending will be EU Council head Charles Michel, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, European Parliament leader David Sassoli and top EU diplomat Josep Borrell.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus will also attend out of respect for “the great number of people who lost their lives to COVID-19 in Spain and the world,” and to stress the UN health body’s support for those fighting the virus, a spokeswoman said.

During the memorial, an orchestra will play Spain’s national anthem along with Brahms’ “Sacred Song” and people affected by the pandemic will also speak. AFP

Sports

FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2020

B3

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

PH Olympian turns pro, signs with MP Promotions EUMIR Felix Marcial, one of four national athletes who can earn the country’s first Olympic gold medal in Tokyo next year, has officially turned professional.

The 24-year-old Marcial inked a deal with eight-division boxing champion Manny Pacquiao’s promotional outfit MP promotions.

Marcial, who is in training while in home quarantine in Imus, Cavite, will stick it out with MP Promotions for the next six years.

“Napili ko ang MP Promotions dahil sa kanilang 100% support sa aking hangarin na lumaban pa para sa Pilipinas sa mga future SEA Games at Asian Games competitions at maging sa Olympics,” said Marcial.

Marcial joins current world champions Pedro Taduran, Johnriel Casimero and Jerwin Ancajas, who are under the Pacquiao stable and guided by MP promotions president Sean Gibbons.

Marcial has been training while in quarantine at home for the last four months, in Imus, Cavite.

And he may leave home soon, with the Philippine Sports Commission set to form a team of experts to help him prepare for the Tokyo Olympics.

The agency is also set to let him use the boxing gym at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex and make it available to him for workouts.

He thanked members of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines, its coaches and officials for guiding him.

“Lubos naman ang aking pasasalamat sa mga nakasama ko sa simula pa lamang ng aking boxing career, unang-una po ang aking pamilya sa ABAP sa pangunguna ni President Ricky Vargas, Secretarygeneral Ed Picson at coaches Romeo Brin, Pat Gaspi, Boy at Roel Velasco, Elmer Pamisa at Ronald Chavez, sports psychologist Marcus Manalo at performance analyst Jeff Pagaduan,” add Marcial.

He is seeking one professional fight before going to the Olympiad.

Marcial believes that stepping on the ring as a pro, and before the Olympiad, will be a great experience for him. Peter Atencio

EMPOWERMENT. Young female judokas exercise during a judo training session in this file photo taken February 28, 2020. Judo’s founder Jigoro Kano sought to empower women by encouraging them to take up the sport that prizes technique over brute force. AFP

More sports activities to resume M

By Peter Atencio

ORE sports activities could be allowed to take place within the next two weeks. And this could take place once the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATFEID) finalizes its decision on the resumption of training activities for Tokyo-bound athletes.

Philippine Olympic Committee secretary general Ed Gastanes said this yesterday, following ongoing meeting with the Games and Amusement Board, the Philippine Sports Commission and the Department of Health.

“Inaantay na po natin ang pag-re-

sume ng mga sports programs sa buong Pilipinas,” stated Gastanes in an online Zoom session of TOPS: Usapang Sports.

There is now a group discussion on how different sports events will be given the green light for their athletes

to go into workouts, training and into competitions.

The health and safety protocols that are going to be implemented will be contained in joint administrative order that the IATF will release soon.

But, for now, the decision on the resumption of training activities for Tokyo-bound athletes is a priority.

The POC is finding out who among the national athletes are going to qualifiers in the coming months are still on track with their objectives.

There are eight more NSAs which have national athletes who still go through qualification competitions.

This includes those in swimming, athletics, judoka, karatedo, skateboard-

Marcial slaps Blackwater with P100k fine

ESports eyed as medal sport in SEA Games THE Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) found an ally in the Asian Electronic Sports Federation (AESF) which called on its member federations to lobby for the inclusion of eSports as a medal sport in next year’s Vietnam 31st Southeast Asian Games.

AESF Director General Sebastian Lau on Wednesday wrote National Electronic Sports Federation of the Philippines (NESFP) President Ramon Suzara about the continental federation’s intense bid for eSports’ inclusion in the Vietnam 31st SEA Games that are set from November 21 to December 2 next year.

“I am writing this letter to seek your support in driving our Olympic collaboration agenda for the upcoming 2021 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Hanoi,” Lau wrote. “We found out the news that Vietnam has not included esports as one of the official games, and currently it is in a process where the participating counties send an (appealing) letter to the hosting country Vietnam.”

Vietnam organizers said they are hosting no more than 36 sports—from an initial of 46—because their SEA Games budget were cut almost in half because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

ESports didn’t survive the cut.

The NESFP is the only eSports association in the country that is recognized and certified by the AESF and the Global ESports Federation.

Earlier this week, POC President Rep. Abraham Tolentino bared he would lead a lobby among the other SEA Games member countries to convince Vietnam to reconsider eSports.

“The AESF would like our federations in Southeast Asia to be united and support the Olympic collaboration agenda,” Lau said. “To further support our unification, we would like to encourage you to advocate the inclusion of esports as a medal event at the 2021 SEA Games in Hanoi.”

ing, rowing, taekwondo and golf.

So far, there are five Filipino athletes who have so far qualified to compete.

Among those who can earn the country’s first Olympic gold medal in Tokyo next year are pole vaulter Ernest Obiena, gymnast Carlos Yulo, and boxers Eumir Marcial (men’s middleweight) and Irish Magno (women’s flyweight).

Then, there’s para swimmer Ernie Gawilan.

The PSC is currently preparing six facilities at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex (RMSC) in Manila City and the Philsports Complex in Pasig City.

These venues can be used for training once they have been disinfected.

PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial (right) discusses the strict safety protocols dictated by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) during a meeting with PBA coaches and team officials. PBA Photo

FOR returning to practice in an untimely manner last week, the PBA Commissioner’s Office punished Blackwater with a P100,000 fine.

Then, it started an investigation into claims made by its team owner when he stated plans to put the franchise up for sale.

After that Commissioner Willie Marcial instructed the team’s players and coaches to undergo swab testing.

When done, the squad will need to go through a seven-day self-quarantine.

The quarantine and the tests that will follow are tests to detect the presence of the coronavirus (COVID-19) disease.

Marcial said the sanctions were meted out following team owner Dioceldo Sy’s announcement that that the team has resumed workouts last Saturday.

The workouts were being done ahead of the PBA’s return to training, which was supposed to be on July 22.

The PBA was given the green light by the government’s Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

Already disappointed over this development, Sy has put forth plans to sell the club franchise for P150 million.

Marcial said his office is investigating Sy over his move. Peter Atencio

Fox to miss at least a week with ankle sprain MIAMI, United States—Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox sprained his left ankle in practice Wednesday (Thursday Philippine time) and will miss at least a week of training as the NBA gears up for a July 30 return.

The Kings said in a statement that an MRI exam had confirmed the injury, and that Fox would be reevaluated in seven to 10 days.

Fox led the Kings in points (20.4 per game), assists (6.8) and steals (1.4) when the NBA suspended play in March in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

The 22-year-old said in a video conference call with reporters on Sunday that he believed his on-court quickness could help the Kings battle into a playoff berth when NBA play resumes in a locked-down “bubble” at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

“Some guys feed off energy from the crowd or things like that. Right now, you have to bring it all yourself,” Fox said of the difference in playing at a neutral site without fans in the stands. “There’s no crowd. You just got to be able to play basketball now.”

Fox’s injury was the latest setback for the Kings, who have had four players—Buddy Hield, Harrison Barnes, Jabari Parker and Alex Len—test positive for COVID-19 before training camp.

Center Richaun Holmes also had to go back into quarantine for 10 days after accidentally leaving the campus perimeter.

The Kings go into the restart three and a half games behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. AFP

De’Aaron Fox of the Sacramento Kings elevates to dunk the ball during practice at the hotel as part of the NBA Restart 2020 on July 10, 2020 in Orlando, Florida. AFP

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

Business

PSE INDEX

Thursday, July 16, 2020

131.15 PTS. 6,147.66

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED

4,804,232,711 78,611 4,409,380,800.37 135 62 37

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2020

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

49.4660

Japan

Yen

0.009352

0.4626

UK

Pound

1.259200

62.2876

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129002

6.3812

Switzerland

Franc

1.058649

52.3671

Canada

Dollar

0.740302

36.6198

Singapore

Dollar

0.720046

35.6178

Australia

Dollar

0.700800

34.6658

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652661

131.216

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266631

13.1892

Brunei

Dollar

0.717463

35.4900

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000069

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.031756

1.5708

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.4682

Euro

Euro

1.141300

56.4555

Korea

Won

0.000832

0.0412

China

Yuan

0.143092

7.0782

India

Rupee

0.013312

0.6585

By Julito G. Rada

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.234742

11.6117

New Zealand

Dollar

0.657200

32.5091

BANK of the Philippine Islands, the third-largest lender in terms of assets, said Thursday net income fell 15 percent in the first half to P11.68 billion from P13.74 billion a year ago, as the bank allocated higher provisions for loan losses amid the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The bank said net profit in the second quarter declined 25 percent to P5.29 billion from P7.01 billion in the same period last year.

“BPI booked P15.01 billion in provisions for loan losses in the first semester of 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic ushers in a difficult period for consumers and businesses that could lead to potentially higher nonperforming loans,” it said.

“This provision is 4.3 times more than the P3.48 billion set aside during the same period in 2019. This resulted in a net income of P11.68 billion for first semester 2020, a decline of 15 percent from P13.74 billion registered in the same period last year,” BPI said in a statement to the stock exchange Thursday.

Revenues increased 14.8 percent in the first half to P52.69 billion as net interest income grew 12.5 percent to P36.40 billion, on the back of a 5.9-percent expansion in average asset base and 18-basis point expansion in net interest margin to 3.55 percent.

Non-interest income climbed 20.3 percent to P16.29 billion on higher securities trading gains. Operating expenses dropped 0.3 percent to P24.19 billion on lower premises, technology, marketing and product expenses.

Cost-to-income ratio was at 45.9 percent, lower than 52.9 percent recorded in the prior year.

Total loans as of June 30 reached P1.43 trillion, up 5.9 percent from a year earlier, with growth recorded in microfinance, corporate and consumer loan segments at 41.4 percent, 8.4 percent, and 2.5 percent, respectively.

Total deposits increased 6.3 percent to P1.76 trillion, driven by CASA deposits which grew by 11.8 percent.

The bank’s CASA ratio was 71.8 percent, while the loan-to-deposit ratio was 81.4 percent.

Taiwan

Dollar

0.033899

1.6768

B4 FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2020

BPI’s income declined 15% to P11.68b in 1st six months

ICTSI’s $300-m perpetual capital securities priced

By Darwin G. Amojelar PORT operator International Container Terminal Services Inc. and unit Royal Capital B.V. said Thursday they successfully priced a US$300million offering of senior perpetual capital securities guaranteed by the parent company.

The new perpetual securities were structured to constitute equity under International Financial Reporting Standards and represented ICTSI’s fifth successful perpetual securities issuance.

The new perpetual securities confer a right to receive distributions at an initial rate of 5 percent per annum and are priced at 98.979 percent with a re-offer yield of 5.20 percent per annum.

They will rank pari passu with all other outstanding unsubordinated obligations of the issuer, who will have the right to redeem the new perpetual securities on any day from Feb. 5, 2026 to May 5, 2026, or on any semi-annual distribution payment date thereafter.

The rate of distribution be reset on the step up date and every five years thereafter.

ICTSI said the securities were widely distributed with fund managers/asset managers, private banks, insurance companies and banks/pension funds accounting for 64 percent, 18 percent, 12 percent and 6 percent respectively. By geography, Asia accounted for 91 percent while Europe was allocated the remaining 9 percent.

It said an aggregate nominal principal amount of US$65,483,000 in the issuer’s 5.50 percent senior perpetual capital securities callable in May 2021 was submitted by security holders in the tender offer.

Source: BSP

IN BRIEF Moody’s affirms PH credit rating of ‘Baa2’

NEW CLARK TERMINAL. Clark International Airport’s new terminal is 99.14-percent complete and is set to operate by January 2021. The assessment is based on a recent site inspection led by (from left) National Action Plan Against COVID-19 chief implementer and presidential peace adviser Secretary Carlito Galvez, Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Bases Conversion and Development Authority president and chief executive officer Vivencio Dizon and Clark International Airport Corp. president Aaron Aquino.

DTI says nearly one in four factories shut down in June

By Othel V. Campos

N

early one in four manufacturing establishments closed shop as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent quarantine restrictions imposed by the government, according to a recent industry survey organized by the Department of Trade and Industry.

Results showed 25.9 percent of the surveyed companies stopped operations, while 53 percent were operating partially. The survey found that only 22.1 percent of the companies were operating fully during the period.

The DTI conducted the survey from June 4 to June 17, 2020 among 2,135 companies.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez described the results of the survey as worrisome, and cited the need for the economy to bounce back to help the companies recover from the slump.

“Yes, it’s a cause for worry for any business that closes. But we are confi-

dent that we will bounce back, because of good economic fundamentals. We need to save companies first for jobs to restart and recover faster,” he said.

Lopez said despite the slow recovery, there were signs that the economy began to improve following an uptick in the Philippine manufacturing index in April, May and June.

“The IHS Markit Purchasing Manager’s Index also continuously recorded an improvement in manufacturing performance from 31.6 in April to 40.1 in May and 49.7 in June. Aside from this, the output index also saw a rise in production among Filipino goods producers

in June at 51.1, marking the first monthly increase in four months,” he said.

PMI data are compiled by Londonbased IHS Markit for more than 40 economies worldwide. A PMI reading below 50 signals a decline in operating conditions compared with the previous month, while a reading above 50 indicates improvement.

The government started the gradual reopening of the economy in June, allowing critical and essential industries to operate at reduced capacities.

It also allowed the retail sector to open up in June and supported calls for increased operational capacities in July for dining and grooming establishments, with the strictest enforcement of health and sanitation protocol.

Lopez expressed hope the economy would soon recover with these gains and with the projected 2021 growth rate of economic managers at 8 percent to 9 percent.

The DTI will conduct another survey in July to monitor the improvement in trade and manufacturing.

Gov’t eyes P30-b proceeds from Progreso bond sale THE government expects to raise at least P30 billion from the offering of five-year Progreso bonds that started on July 16.

It said Thursday the government would use the proceeds to be generated from the Progreso bonds, also called Retail Treasury Bonds Tranche 24, to fund health initiatives, especially priority measures, to respond to and recover from the COVID-19 crisis and extend support to overseas Filipino workers and small and medium enterprises.

For a minimum investment of P5,000, interested investors may purchase the bonds. On July 16, the Department of Finance and Bureau of the Treasury launched, through a virtual qualified institutional investor’s briefing, the five-year bond offering with bond exchange, to generate at least P30 billion.

The virtual event was led by Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez and Na-

tional Treasurer Rosalia De Leon, along with Land Bank of the Philippines president and chief executive officer Cecilia Borromeo and Development Bank of the Philippines president and CEO Emmanuel Herbosa.

The bonds will be offered to the investing public until Aug. 7, 2020, with state-run lenders LandBank and DBP as the joint lead issue managers. They will be joined by BDO Capital and Investment Corp., BPI Capital Corp., China Bank Capital, First Metro Investment Corp., PNB Capital Corp., RCBC Capital Corp., SB Capital Corp. and Union Bank of the Philippines as joint issue managers.

“LandBank’s participation in the RTB-24 or Progreso Bonds offering is a testament to the bank’s unwavering support to the national government to raise funds for its socio-economic development initiatives. Rest assured that the bank will do its part to promote and en-

courage retail investors to invest in the Progreso Bonds,” Borromeo said.

Interested investors may purchase the bonds through the branches of LandBank and those of participating institutions. They can also purchase the bonds through the RTB online ordering facility at the BTr’s website and through the BONDS.PH mobile application.

On top of selling the new bonds, the Treasury will allow holders of previously issued bonds, namely, RTB 10-01, FXTN 05-73, RTB 10-02 and FXTN 0757 to exchange and reinvest their bond holdings for the RTB-24.

It is the second time that the Treasury will issue retail treasury bonds this year, after the issuance of the RTB-23 with exchange offer in February. The RTBs are generally considered low-risk investments which allow investors to earn a fixed interest quarterly during the term of the bond based on prevailing market rates. Julito G. Rada

DEBT watcher Moody’s Investors Service on Thursday affirmed the investment grade rating of “Baa2” of the Philippines with a stable outlook, saying the government’s fiscal position in recent years provides a buffer against a rise in public indebtedness due to shocks, such as the COVID-19 outbreak that could trigger a sharp 4.5-percent economic contraction this year.

“Relatedly, the track record of prudent economic and fiscal management, and a robust banking system, contribute to stable access to funding at moderate costs and support prospects for fiscal consolidation and debt stabilization after the shock subsides,” Moody’s said in a statement.

It said that beyond the proposed legislation aimed at facilitating the near-term recovery from the pandemic shock, more structural economic and fiscal reforms were expected to be on hold for some time, delaying potential further improvements in the Philippines’ credit profile.

Moody’s also affirmed the government’s foreign currency senior unsecured shelf rating at Baa2 and the senior unsecured ratings for the liabilities of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas at Baa2. Julito G. Rada

FLI, DoubleDragon tapping debt market

DOUBLEDRAGON Properties Inc. and Filinvest Land Inc. are tapping the debt market to take advantage of the current low interest environment to fund projects.

DoubleDragon Properties Corp. said Thursday in a disclosure to the stock exchange it hired banks to arrange a dollardenominated bond offering to finance capital expenditures and fund maturing debt.

The company hired Credit Suisse and PNB Capital as joint lead managers and joint bookrunners to arrange a series of fixed income investor calls starting 16 July 16, 2020.

“Net proceeds from the issue of the Bonds are expected to be used to finance the Issuer’s capital expenditures, maturing and/or existing obligations, and for general corporate purposes,” DoubleDragon said.

Meanwhile, Filinvest Land said in a disclosure to the stock exchange its board directors authorized the company to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission a shelf registration of a planned issuance of fixedrate peso denominated retail bonds. It did not provide details. Jenniffer B. Austria

7-Eleven franchisee halves capex in 2020

PHILIPPINE Seven Corp., the local franchise holder of convenience store chain 7-Eleven, halved its programmed capital expenditures this year to P2 billion, with new store openings reduced by 50 percent amid current challenges brought about by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

PSC president Jose Paterno said in a virtual press briefing Thursday the company was poised to open 200 stores this year, lower than 400 originally programmed for this year.

Paterno, however, noted that the adjusted P2-billion capital spending and 200 store openings remained fluid as the overall businesses remained weak despite laxer quarantine restrictions. While store visit and average purchase of customers had somewhat improved, Paterno said the figures were still down by more than half compared with preCOVID levels.

The company is also set to report a net loss in the second quarter of the year as 30 percent to 40 percent of the store network was closed amid the enhanced community quarantine.

The company to date reopened 95 percent of the total store network.

Jenniffer B. Austria

First Gen shortlists three bidders of LNG storage

PANABO FLYOVER. The flyover built by the Department of Public Works and Highways in Panabo City, Davao Del Norte opens on Thursday. The 195.59-meter Panabo City steel flyover with 304-meter approaches is expected to ease vehicle congestion by providing continuous traffic flow along the busy intersection of Daang Maharlika National Highway-Tadeco and Panabo Wharf Road.

FIRST Gen Corp. said Thursday it shortlisted three foreign companies to build a floating storage and re-gasification unit in its Batangas liquefied natural gas terminal.

First Gen said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Thursday unit FGEN LNG Corp. identified BW Gas Limited, GasLog LNG Services ltd. and Hoegh LNG Asia Pte. Ltd. as the three preferred tenders for the chartering of an FSRU for its interim offshore LNG terminal in Batangas City.

An FSRU is an LNG carrier that is capable of storing LNG and which has an onboard re-gasification plant capable of returning LNG into a gaseous state and then supplying it directly into the gas network. A typical FSRU has a storage capacity of between 125,000 and 170,000 cubic meters.

According to the International Gas Union World LNG Report 2020 Edition, about 6 percent of the global fleet of 541

LNGC vessels operated as FSRUs as of end-2019.

FGEN LNG’s Interim Offshore LNG Terminal Project consists of construction works necessary to modify a liquid fuel jetty that will enable it to become multiple-use and build an adjunct onshore gas receiving facility to receive and deliver gas to end-users.

Once completed, the project will utilize an FSRU that will be berthed at the Multi-Purpose Jetty to store and re-gasify LNG for use when required.

“The project will allow FGEN LNG to accelerate its ability to introduce LNG to the Philippines as early as third quarter of 2022 and is intended to serve the natural gas requirements of existing and future gas-fired power plants of third parties and FGEN LNG affiliates,” FirstGen said.

“FGEN LNG believes that the project will play a critical role in ensuring the energy security of the Luzon grid and the Philippines,” it said. Darwin G. Amojelar

Salute to our frontliners

FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2020

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Solidarity in fight vs. COVID-19

By Peter Paul Duran

I

N THIS fight against COVID-19, there’s no front or back line.

We all have an equally important role in this pandemic.

Worldwide figures for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are staggering. As of this writing, 13.2 million people all over the world have been infected with the highly-contagious disease, with over 200,000 of that number added only in a span of 24 hours.

The global death toll has breached the half-a-million mark with over 575,000 fatalities due to complications brought about by COVID-19. In the United States alone, which is still the leading country with most cases at 3.3 million, COVID-19 has killed more Americans than the Vietnam war.

The current death count stands at over 100,000 deaths—US soldiers killed in action in Vietnam, 58,318.

In the Philippines, there are now more than 61,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, while 1,643 have so far succumbed in the battle against the deadly virus.

The numbers may seem daunting, but the statistics offer some hope, too.

Around the globe, a total of 7.3 million people have already recovered from COVID-19. The Philippines likewise

Salute to all our medical front liners, healthcare care workers, fast-food and convenience store crew, farmers, courier service riders and drivers, security guards, police, barbers and hair salon stylists, grocery and supermarket personnel, our colleagues in the media industry, street sweepers and garbage collectors, mall salespeople, and all of the individuals who made and continue to make our quarantines a little easier. Lino Santos, JR Josue and John Mark Pineda

posted a record-high number of recoveries in a single day the past week with more than four thousand recoveries, bringing the total to 20,000+ as of mid-July.

More than a hundred days and counting into governmentimposed quarantines in the country, the battle is far f r o m

won, but little by little, only time and numbers will tell that the Filipino has conquered COVID-19.

And that’s through the combined effort of our frontliners, backliners, bolstered initiatives of local government units, and the unwavering resolve of Filipino ingenuity.

This article, along with the other stories in this second

Good Samaritans to the rescue

By Charles Arvin Dantes AS THE Philippines continues its battle against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), patients infected by the virus have been steadily increasing everyday.

Last July 14, reported cases of COVID10-positive individuals reached 57,545, while hospitals and quarantine treatment facilities are getting cramped with patients and medical frontliners working double time to help those who are in need.

The next few weeks may seem grim for the country as the daily cases are piling up, but frontliners are always reminded that they are not alone in this battle.

Many local government units and private companies have provided aid to frontliners with supply packs, financial aid and other services.

Listed below are the good Samaritans, who have come to the aid of our frontliners.

San Miguel Corporation has been a standout in terms of helping frontliners, COVID-19 patients and ordinary people.

True to their "Walang Iwanan" COVID-19 relief efforts, SMC showed its commitment by providing 40,000 personal protective equipment to medical workers, testing booths for frontliners and 85,000 liters of fuel for shuttle services.

As of July 2, SMC's COVID-19 response efforts have reached 13 billion pesos.

Shell Pilipinas Corporation has provided help through power packs containing water and food to give energy to the frontliners working in these trying times.

Aside from food packs, Shell gave fuel discounts to medical workers, police, military and logistics drivers involved in COVID-19 response.

SM Foundation has been steadily helping frontliners through its donation of face masks, while providing meals for

the frontliners, who have tirelessly kept the country safe.

SMFI, in partnership with Uniqlo and Goldilocks, provided more than 170 private institutions and governments nationwide with food and protective gear.

The MVP Group of Companies, led by their Chairman Manny V. Pangilinan, has been one of the first companies to respond at the start of the pandemic in the country.

The MVP Group donated grocery bags to the families of health workers, hospital people and soldiers manning the checkpoints. They also provided 30 units of sedan and cargo vans, and 10 buses.

Local government units also showered frontliners with support through different means.

Pasig City, together with its amiable mayor, Vico Sotto, temporarily repurposed its Bike Share units at the start of the enhanced community quarantine to help government staff and health workers get to work.

In Navotas City, Mayor Toby Tiangco turned a building of vocational program into a housing facility for its frontliners battling the spread of COVID-19.

Tiangco hopes that the shelter would ease the burden on the health workers.

Meanwhile, President Rodrigo Duterte promised to continue giving a helping hand through financial means for the frontliners, especially those who sacrificed their lives and succumbed to COVID-19.

Duterte asked PhilHealth to prepare an affordable treatment plan for medical workers affected by the virus.

Vice President Leni Robredo, on the other hand, helped frontliners with donations of PPEs and medical supplies, while providing temporary shelters for frontliners.

The Filipinos' "bayanihan spirit" is indeed alive.

part of a special feature series first published back in May, is Manila Standard's open letter of appreciation to medical front liners, healthcare care workers, fastfood and convenience store crew, farmers, courier service riders and drivers, security guards, police, barbers and hair salon stylists, grocery and supermarket personnel, our colleagues in the media

industry, street sweepers and garbage collectors, mall salespeople, and all of the individuals, who made and continue to make our quarantines a little easier.

There are probably hundreds more job titles and thousands upon thousands more individuals, who need to be thanked for their contribution to this fight against a global pandemic, lists and names that our humble paper could not contain in one run of publishing.

We thank everyone and the distinction should not be about who are on the frontlines, or supporting roles at the back, but rather a collective expression of gratitude to those who did their part however tangible or not, big or small, in this fight. Every contribution is one step towards defeating COVID-19.

Of course, these individuals should not only get the thanks they deserve, but also the support they need.

Appreciation posts and thank you cards are a big boost to anyone’s moral, but the reality should also be addressed that industries like the medical sector to name a few, need ample support from government because saving lives certainly deserves more than just a thank you note.

We all have a role to play, let’s do our part to stay home and only go out when absolutely necessary, wear face masks as if they are a second skin, and remember to wash our hands.

There is no front line or back line anymore; we are one in this fight.

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FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2020

Salute to our frontliners

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Frontliners carry on amid the pandemic

By Angelica Villanueva

DURING these times, we often read or hear news about how the coronavirus disease has slowly affected our lives—lifestyle, work, economy, food security. Making matters woarse is the seemingly never-ending trail of death of people around the world.

As we read these news articles, we feel scared and hurt. Some even have panic attacks, thinking how it may affect not just ourselves, but also the people around us once we get infected with the virus.

If we feel this way, imagine what goes on in the minds of people in the frontlines, such as the police, the military, food and essential suppliers, medical workers and media people.

The Manila Standard interviewed two of these frontliners working in two different yet essential industries during these trying times and asked them to share their experiences and stories, while fulfilling their callings, so that their stories will inspire.

Manila Standard news editor Joyce Pañares shared her stories in covering the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We did not stop working. Journalists cannot stop and say, 'I will not work because there is a pandemic,'" she said.

Working in a news organization, Joyce said that as a journalist, her job is crucial especially during these times when fake news are prevalent and people should know what is true and what's not.

"It is precisely because there is a pandemic that we have to keep on working because people need all the information they can get to make informed decisions," said Joyce.

The news editor also explained that no matter how strong journalists are, they are still human beings who are not numb to pain and who are equally vulnerable to breakdowns.

"But that (reporting for work) does not mean journalists are not vulnerable, not just to the virus but to its mental fallout as well," she explained.

"The early days of coverage, and in fact even more so now when we are experiencing a surge in the cases, took a toll on our mental health.

There were bad days when I would cry after getting the data from DOH, and there were worse days when I would palpitate when I'd hear the siren of an ambulance," she recalled.

Joyce also shared the experience of

SMC opens Better World Edsa COVID-19 testing lab for 70,000 of its workforce Manila Standard news editor Joyce Pañares

one of her field reporters who asked to be relieved temporarily from covering the health department since the data on the case volume and death toll would stress her out.

But at the end of the day, there is a deadline to be met and a commitment to readers that must be fulfilled.

"We have a job to do, so we dry our tears and drink water to calm down and resume writing, editing, and reporting," said the journalist.

Another frontliner, Norie Mae Fernandez, a radio technologist at the Mandaluyong City Medical Center and a COVID survivor, told her story of how she survived her ordeal.

"In this pandemic, as a frontliner, you will be torn between saving your life first or continuing to do your job," said Norie. The 23-year-old rad technician told the Manila Standard that instead of thinking it as a job, she considers it as a duty to serve her fellow Filipinos.

"As rad tech frontliner, I consider it as a passion, more than a job— a duty more than a work since the very beginning of my career. If you view this just like a daily routine and don't use this an opportunity to grow, everything will become nothing, it'll be easy for you to give up whatever things may happen," explained Norie.

She also shared the risks that the medical frontlners faced during the early days of the pandemic.

"When the COVID-19 pandemic spread around the world, the Philippines was still not that alarmed.

People kept roaming around and health protocols were not yet imposed. During those times, we faced

Norie Mae Fernandez, a radio technologist at the Mandaluyong City Medical Center and a COVID survivor

our patients without using a full PPE and without knowing if they are really giving their right history to us.

That was until the number of cases continued to rise," she recalled.

"Around March 2020, some of our hospital staff started to show signs and symptoms of the virus and when they got tested, it came out that they were all positive from the virus. Unfortunately, one of our colleagues, our chief nurse, lost his battle against the COVID-19," she continued.

She eventually got infected with the virus."On April 10, 2020, we underwent swab tests, then after 16 days, I received a call from my chief RT. She told me that our results were out and mine was positive. I didn't know what to react because that day, I was with my family and just got home from my duty the day before. My mind became chaotic, thinking what will happen especially to those people, who were exposed to me since I was asymptomatic," told Norie.

As days passed, more of their hospital staff got infected yet the hospital continued to operate to help the people to be treated.

After four swab tests and a month of quarantine, Norie recovered and is now continuing her duties as a rad tech.

"This was not just only the most memorable experience I encountered as a frontliner, but also in my life, something I could tell to everybody— that I survived COVID-19," she said.

To our frontliners, we salute you!

Words and even this story may not be enough to thank you, but we are grateful for your sacrifices.

Mabuhay po kayo!

Uniqlo, SMFI donate face masks to frontliners AS PART of its Php 10 million pledge, Uniqlo Philippines, through SM Foundation (SMFI), donated 79,000 face masks to 30 hospitals, medical institutions, and local government units in Luzon this June.

The recipients include the Philippine Marine Corps in Taguig, Bureau of Jail

Management and Penology in Quezon City, Protacio Hospital in Paranaque, Dr. Jesus Delgado Memorial Hospital in Quezon City, Dr. E. Zarate General Hospital in Las Pinas, Philippine Blood Center in Quezon City, Pateros City Health Office in Pateros, St. Dominic Medical Center in Bacoor, and World Trade Cen-

Frontliners at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology

ter Quarantine Facility in Pasay.

In its continued efforts to support frontliners, this sustained social good collaboration between SM Foundation and Uniqlo Philippines has reached almost 115,000 frontliners and families in grassroots communities who are greatly affected by this pandemic.

SAN Miguel Corporation (SMC) recently opened Better World Edsa, a facility that houses the company’s own state-of-the-art COVID-19 RTPCR testing laboratory which aims to test some 70,000 employees in its network, in order to unburden the health sector and help ensure a safe return-to-work strategy in the coming months.

Unveiling the marker for the new laboratory was SMC president and COO Ramon S. Ang, National Task Force (NTF) against Covid-19 chief implementer and Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., COVID-19 Task Force deputy chief implementer and testing czar Secretary Vince Dizon and Department of Health undersecretary Leopoldo Vega.

The Better World Edsa testing facility has the capacity to process 4,000 tests per day, expandable to 12,000. This is seen to help the government reach testing capacity to 50,000 per day as well as ease the strain on the country’s testing and processing facilities.

ernment’s effort to continuously test and trace COVID-19 transmission and contain it, as well as enable early intervention or treatment to save lives,” he said.

Ang added: “The country and the rest of the world are still feeling the effects of the pandemic on the economy, particularly on businesses and loss of jobs for many of our fellowmen. We have to take more aggressive steps in addressing the virus and make sure that no more lives and livelihood are lost further,”he said.

Sec. Dizon commended SMC for taking the lead in helping rebuild confidence in the economy by putting up its own lab and testing all its employees. “Dapat ngayon confidence building na tayo. Nagpapasalamat tayo sa San Miguel at inunahan na nya ang ibang kumpanya at china-challenge natin lahat ng private sector companies lalo na yung malalaking kumpanya na gawin ang ginagawa ng San Miguel na magkaroon ng sariling laboratory at i-test ang kanilang mga empleyado para tumaas ang

It is equipped with two sets of RT-PCR machines and fully automated nucleic acid extraction systems or NATCH. A set is comprised of two PCR machines and one NATCH. This makes the facility one of the most advanced private testing laboratories in the country.

“Two weeks into the quarantine last March, we included the testing laboratory as part of our business continuity plan. We procured the machines, and had personnel undergo training for its full-scale operations,” related Ang. “With this facility, we are taking responsibility for testing our own employees and unburdening our health system. It also helps make our operations more resilient to disruptions brought about by the virus. Lesser disruptions on our operations will allow us to better contribute to the immediate recovery of the economy,” he said.

According to Ang, the company aims to bring back 50 percent of its workforce in the coming weeks.

Prior to the shift to general community quarantine, SMC had already commenced testing its employees, prioritizing those in its food manufacturing facilities, to further stabilize the country’s food supply in the coming months.

Ang reiterated that companies should help the government with testing and reduce reliance on the already burdened system.

“It’s our contribution the gov-

kumpyansa at magsimula na tayo muli.”

Sec. Galvez echoed the same sentiment as he and the other government officials present underwent swab tests for COVID-19 to signify the laboratory’s official start of operations.

The SMC lab is capable of continuous testing and processing of results. Among the personnel running the facility are molecular pathologists, medical technicians, data managers, and lab aides.

Ang earlier batted to make testing available at little or no cost, particularly for the most vulnerable communities. In line with this, SMC has donated swab booths as well as PCR testing kits equivalent to 34,000 tests to 17 Metro Manila LGUs. The company also provided three sets of Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) testing machines and RNA machines to key government hospitals aside from the five sets of the same machines donated to the Department of Health, which also received testing kits equivalent to 20,000 tests.

It also donated 55 sets of highflow nasal cannula (HFNC) machines for the use of severely-ill Covid-19 patients to the government and 10 quarantine facilities each with a 15-bed capacity beside military camp hospitals nationwide.