Manila Standard - 2020 March 20 - Friday

BIR extends tax deadline

Grants taxpayers one-month reprieve until May 15, foregoes penalties OUT OF HARM’S WAY. Homeless people like this ailing man, dextrose still connnected to his body, are herded away from the Roxas boulevard and other city streets and into safe haven during a roundup conducted by the Manila Department of Social Welfare amid the onslaught of th CVOID-19 pandemic. The virus has claimed19 lives and sickened over 200 in the Philippines.

Norman Cruz

By Julito G. Rada and Macon Ramos-Araneta

T

HE Bureau of Internal Revenue said Thursday it has extended the deadline for the filing of the 2019 annual income tax returns by a month to May 15, 2020 in light of the monthlong enhanced community quarantine in Luzon.

VOL. XXXIV • NO. 39 • 2 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

But the BIR appealed to those ready to file their ITRs on or before the original April 15 deadline to do so, to help the administration raise enough funds for the scaled-up national efforts to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

A revenue memorandum circular dated March 18 signed by BIR Commissioner Caesar Dulay provides the one-month extension for income tax filing and payments without the imposition of penalties.

The circular said the emergency measure was being offered to provide relief to taxpayers who would not be able to prepare, let alone file, the necessary ITR documents on or before the original annual deadline of April 15 because of skeletal workforce arrangements and enhanced community quarantine rules that the national government has implemented to contain the pandemic.

An unintended result of the deadline extension is an estimated delay and shortfall in tax collections of around P145 billion, which may have to be covered by additional borrowings by the national government.

Next page

ILO warns: Pandemic to worsen global unemployment to 25 m

By Vito Barcelo, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz THE economic crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic could increase

global unemployment by almost 25 million, according to a new assessment by the International Labor Organization (ILO).

An internationally coordinated policy response, however, similar to that during the global financial crisis of

2008 and 2009, could soften the impact significantly, the UN agency said.

In its preliminary assessment note, ILO said the pandemic calls for urgent, large-scale and coordinate measures to protect workers in the workplace, stim-

ulate the economy and employment and support jobs and incomes.

These measures include extending social protection, supporting employment retention (such as short-time Next page

DOH chief goes on self-quarantine as deaths hit 17

Next page

First recorded death Sub-Saharan Africa has recorded its first COVID-19 death, a highranking politician in Burkina Faso said, as the head of the World Health Organization urged the continent to “prepare for the worst.”

Next page

TRAVEL BAN. Foreigners and Filipinos fill the NAIA terminal to the rafters, rushing to beat the Luzon-wide lockdown imposed by the Duterte administration which has cancelled all visas to foreign nationals, except the spouses and children of Filipino nationals. Filipino tourists are also banned from travel to other countries. Che Santos

GOOD NEWS ROUNDUP

By Joel E. Zurbano

GOOD SAMARITAN. Police Officer Jhannet Resurreccion dela Cruz with her passengers,

“WE are back in Bahrain. And we never would have made it, if not for the help of a total stranger.”

This was the sentiment of Mark Anthony Cruz of Bulacan, who was all praises for a female police officer who helped him and his wife and two young kids, aged 2 and 5, catch their flight at the airport after being stranded on the streets Tuesday due to the lack of public transport caused by the lockdown in Metro Manila to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Mark Anthony and his wife Mavic, and their two kids - two-and-a halfyear-old daughter and 5-month old son.

-- were going to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to catch a flight to Bahrain when they when they encountered a

CPP-NPA gives truce offering cold shoulder

checkpoint in Bocaue in Bulacan.

“At 6:45 a.m. upon reaching Bocaue southbound tollgate to Manila, we were profiled by the military officers. They all looked tired but they were really nice, talked to us with courtesy and answered all our questions the best they can. They told us, we can go but the ones who would be dropping us unfortunately, cannot re-enter Bulacan to go back home. That means Tatay and KP (my youngest bro) will be stranded out in Manila. We were all stunned,” Mark said.

Mark said they tried to take a taxi but they were turned down when the driver knew “we have two kids and four bags.”

The Cruz family waited for hours.

“I was hopeless, it started to dawn at me what’s it going to be like if we were not be able to back in Bahrain in time

THE founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines says his group is not keen on the government’s offer of a ceasefire in the middle of efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease or COVID-19.

In a statement, Jose Maria Sison said the unilateral ceasefire declared

by President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday was “premature if not insincere and false.”

Duterte declared a unilateral ceasefire to ensure the effective imposition of an enhanced community quarantine in the entire Luzon, Malacañang said.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said Duterte ordered the military and the police to stop offensives against the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed and political wings, the New People’s Army and the National Democratic Front.

The suspension of military operations takes effect on March 19 and expires on April 15, Panelo said.

Next page

Next page

Female cop rescues family of 4

the Cruz family.

West declares war on virus

WESTERN powers said they were on a war footing against the coronavirus as they unleashed nearly one trillion dollars to rescue the global economy, with Italy reporting the highest single-day death toll of the pandemic.

The spiraling crises in Europe, the United States and other countries contrast sharply with the improving situation in China.

China on Thursday reported zero new domestic cases for the first time since the outbreak first erupted in the central city of Wuhan in December.

By Macon Ramos-Araneta, Rio N. Araja, Randy Caluag and Maricel V. Cruz HEALTH Secretary Francisco Duque began a 14-day self-quarantine on Wednesday, the Department of Health confirmed Thursday, as the number of COVID-19 cases climbed to 217 with 15 new cases, while deaths remained at 17 and recoveries rose to eight.

Duque, 63, had undergone tests for COVID-19, the results of which should be available in the next two to three days.

Duque, who is hypertensive and asthmatic, has set up work-from-home arrangements.

Health Assistant Health Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Duque showed no symptoms of the disease.

“He has already been tested for COVID-19 test as he is asthmatic and hypertensive,” she said.

As Health secretary, Duque sits as

COVID WORLD ROUNDUP

A2

News

FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Perfect storm of virus peril in Asia’s slums...

ARY Grace Aves is terrified of the deadly coronavirus pandemic, but the best weapons to protect her family – isolation and sanitation – are unreachable luxuries in the Manila shantytown they call home.

M

The same particularly dangerous set of threats loom over hundreds of millions packed into Asia’s massive slums, where staying clean is nearly impossible and people have to leave their homes daily to survive.

“It may be possible (to isolate) in other areas because they are rich. They have big spaces,” said Aves, a mother of four. “Here we are crammed.”

“If you run into somebody on the way out of the house you will touch,” the 23-year-old said from her closet-sized home in Manila’s Tondo district.

Asian nations have imposed increasingly heavy measures to fight the contagion, with the Philippines ordering around half of its 110 million people to stay home.

That quarantine includes Manila, but there was no sign of authorities enforcing it in slum areas on Wednesday. The order was being flouted in many parts of the sprawling metropolis.

Because the virus spreads through droplets that can be picked up with one

touch or inhaled from a sick person’s sneeze, global health authorities say the best protection is staying home and keeping hands clean.

“But what if you cannot do either of those things?” asked Annie Wilkinson, a fellow at research group Institute of Development Studies, in an opinion piece.

“There is a real risk that the impacts on the urban poor will be considerably higher than elsewhere,” she wrote.

East Asia and the Pacific are home to 250 million slum-dwellers, many of them in China, Indonesia and the Philippines, a 2017 World Bank study said.

Homes in these slums are tightlypacked, tiny spaces that are only big enough for sleeping and lack running water.

Cooking, laundry, personal hygiene and leisure are done in common spaces filled with people, which means residents have to be in public in order to survive.

In Aves’s settlement, there are no surgical masks, hand sanitizer or sinks,

DOH...

From A1

ILO warns:...

From A1

chairman of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, which was convened by President Rodrigo Duterte due to the increase in the number of persons infected by COVID-19.

She said the office of Duque has been disinfected to ensure the safety of department employees.

Vergeire earlier confirmed that a DOH director from its central office in Mandaluyong City had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

“Offices have been disinfected and close contacts informed so that they can immediately undergo home quarantine and strict monitoring,” she said.

In the Senate, Senate Majority Leader Migz Zubiri, who was tested positive for COVID-19, said he would no longer subject himself to a retest as suggested by Duque.

“There’s a lot of buzz on the news of Secretary Duque’s statement that I may be false positive and that I may need another test. That… may not be necessary at all,” said Zubiri, who went on home quarantine.

He said the available testing kits should be used for those who need them the most, such as frontline medical personnel and symptomatic patients, especially the elderly.

Although he feels better already, Zubiri said he would complete the eight more days in isolation required.

The World Health Organization said the most commonly reported symptoms are fever, dry cough and shortness of breath.

It also said about 80 percent of infected patients experience “mild illness” and eventually recover from COVID-19.

Some 14 percent experience severe illness while 5 percent become critically ill.

On Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it would adopt alternative work arrangements and function with limited workforce to ensure continuity of government service during this time while protecting FDA employees.

Most applications could still be processed online, but high priority will be given to establishments involved in diagnosis, treatment, mitigation, or prevention of COVID-19 and manufacture or distribution of personal protective equipment and essential medicines.

Mayor Joy Belmonte on Thursday confirmed a total of 31 COVID-19 cases in Quezon City.

work, paid leave, and other subsidies), and financial and tax relief, including relief for micro, small- and mediumsized enterprises. In addition, the note proposes fiscal and monetary policy measures, and lending and financial support for specific economic sectors.

Based on different scenarios for the impact of COVID-19 on global gross domestic product (GDP) growth, the ILO estimates indicate a rise in global unemployment of between 5.3 million (the low scenario) and 24.7 million (the high scenario) from a base level of 188 million in 2019. By comparison, the 2008-9 global financial crisis increased global unemployment by 22 million.

Underemployment is also expected to increase on a large scale, as the economic consequences of the virus outbreak translate into reductions in working hours and wages. Selfemployment in developing countries, which often serves to cushion the impact of changes, may not do so this time because of restrictions on the movement of people (for example, service providers) and goods.

A decline in employment also means large income losses for workers. The study estimates these as being between $860 billion and $3.4 trillion by the end of 2020. This will translate into drops in consumption of goods and services, in turn affecting the prospects for businesses and economies.

Working poverty is expected to increase significantly too, as “the strain on incomes resulting from the decline

Good news...

From A1 for work. I decided to wait and to give it one more shot, and if it fails we will just head back home as I have a twoyear[old] and a five-month-old baby in the car.”

Half-hearted, Mark walked towards a woman driving alone onboard a Mitsubishi Xpander.

“After telling her our plight, she didn’t hesitate. I can’t believe my ears, all I know is she agreed. I headed back to our car to get the bags, and inform my family.”

“I went back to her car, she put on her jacket and found out that she was, to make the story even lovelier, she was a police officer you guys! She was stationed in Pasay City Hall, she drove us

because of the coronavirus outbreak that started in China and has quickly ballooned globally, according to an AFP count.

From China to the Czech Republic to “Africa should wake up,” Tedros Ad- Venezuela, governments have told their hanom Ghebreyesus told a news confer- citizens to stay indoors to try and slow ence in Geneva on Wednesday, point- the spread of the pandemic. ing out that “in other countries, we have Milestone seen how the virus actually accelerates China on Thursday marked a major after a certain tipping point”.

Africa has lagged behind the global milestone in its battle against the corocurve for coronavirus infections and navirus pandemic as it recorded zero dodeaths, but in the past few days has seen mestic infections for the first time since the outbreak emerged, but a spike in ima significant rise in cases. ported cases threatened its progress.

The stark reversal comes as nations Lockdown Some 500 million people have been sub- across the world have shut down in a ject to lockdown measures around the world desperate effort to contain the pandem-

COVID...

From A1

and toilets are buckets emptied directly into the black water of the Estero de Vita river.

The narrow, muddy passages between the homes are only wide enough for one person, so locals touch frequently as they slide past one another.

An infection there would have everything it needs to spread.

‘Life and death difference’

More than 218,000 cases of the COVID-19 infection have now been detected globally, with nearly 9,000 deaths.

Asia’s poorest have been largely left to protect themselves as the outbreak accelerates.

Neither Indonesia nor India have imposed lockdowns, and have not taken significant steps specifically directed at preventing outbreaks in shantytowns.

In Pakistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan said the government would not impose a large-scale urban lockdown against the virus because it would extract too great an economic toll.

“If we shut down the cities – people are already facing difficult circumstances – we will save them from corona at one end, but they will die from hunger on other side,” Khan said. AFP

...As the wealthy

flock to private jets W ITH commercial airlines engulfed by the maelstrom of the coronavirus pandemic one sector of the industry favored by the wealthy is thriving: private jets.

Fears of massive bankruptcies and calls for emergency bailouts have swept global carriers in recent days with one top US official warning that the outbreak threatens the industry even more than the September 11 attacks.

But for Richard Zaher, CEO of a US-based private jet charter company, the emails and phone calls just keep coming.

“Inquiries have gone through the roof,” he told AFP, noting his company Paramount Business Jets had seen a 400 percent increase in queries, with bookings up roughly 20-25 percent.

“It is completely coronavirus,” he added.

“We are seeing our regular private jet clients flying as they normally do.

However, we have this surge of clients coming our way and the majority of them have never flown private.”

Across the world airlines have been slashing capacity and passengers cancelling travel plans as countries block arrivals to stem the spread of COVID-19.

ForwardKeys, a travel analytics company, estimates as many as 3.3 mil-

in economic activity will devastate workers close to or below the poverty line.” The ILO estimates that between 8.8 million and 35 million additional people will be in working poverty worldwide, compared to the original estimate for 2020,which projected a decline of 14 million worldwide.

“This is no longer only a global health crisis, it is also a major labor market and economic crisis that is having a huge impact on people,” said ILO DirectorGeneral Guy Ryder. “In 2008, the world presented a united front to address the consequences of the global financial crisis, and the worst was averted. We need that kind of leadership and resolve now,” he added.

The ILO warns that certain groups will be disproportionately affected by the jobs crisis, which could increase inequality. These include people in less protected and low-paid jobs, particularly youth and older workers, women and migrants. Migrants are vulnerable due to the lack of social protection and rights, and women tend to be over-represented in lowpaid jobs and affected sectors.

“In times of crisis like the current one, we have two key tools that can help mitigate the damage and restore public confidence. Firstly, social dialogue, engaging with workers and employers and their representatives, is vital for building public trust and support for the measures that we need to overcome this crisis. Secondly, international labor standards provide a tried-and-trusted foundation for policy responses that focus on a recovery that is sustainable and equitable. Everything needs to be done to minimize the damage to people

at this difficult time,” Ryder said.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III appealed to private companies and big enterprises on Thursday to provide assistance to their workers instead of retrenching them due to work stoppage, suspension of transportation that restricted movement due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

“We are grateful to the big businesses who heeded the appeal of the President to take care of their workers and employees during this time of national emergency,” Bello said in a statement.

At the same time, Bello said the his department will provide financial assistance to workers in the private sector who are affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

Under Department Order No. 209, Series of 2020,COVID-19-affected workers in the private sector could avail financial support and employment facilitation under the so-called COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP).

CAMP is a safety net program offering financial support and employment facilitation to affected workers in private establishments that have adopted flexible work arrangements or temporary closure during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under this program, DOLE would provide affected workers a one-time financial assistance equivalent to P5,000 in lump sum, non-conditional, regardless of employment status.

Bello also said the department have already provided guidelines for the implementation of flexible work arrangements including the work from home scheme, which it said is the safest manner to keep the workers employed. It is also the most compliant with the policies under an enhanced quarantine situation.

to the closest area at EDSA near SM MOA to check if we can still get a cab because she also has to go to work but when there was nothing, she told us she will drive us to the airport.”

“My wife told me she asked her boss over the phone for permission. That was around 8:30 a.m., she was already 30 mins late at this point. She did drive us to the airport, we boarded our flight and safely landed in Bahrain.”

The good samaritan was Pasay City police officer Jhannet Resurreccion Dela Cruz.

“On behalf of my family, thank you so much beyond words Police Officer Jhannet Resurreccion Dela Cruz of PNP! We’re strangers to you, with all the unpleasant things going around, you chose to help. To be honest, I might hesitate if I was in your place. But you did not. I work in the airport for an airline,

I am also a frontliner. That’s why this means so much to me because you went out of your way to help,” Mark said.

ic, with more people now infected and having died abroad than in China.

There were no new cases in Wuhan― the central city where the virus first emerged in December―for the first time since authorities started publishing figures in January, according to the National Health Commission.

has tested positive for COVID-19.”

The Republican who represents part of Miami follows that city’s Mayor Francis Suarez, who announced that he had tested positive for coronavirus last week.

First members

Two US lawmakers, including a Florida representative, on Wednesday became the first members of Congress to announce they have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart’s office said in a statement that “just a short while ago, he was notified that he

Manila to house COVID-19 frontliners

Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said that frontline workers will be provided with free temporary accommodation in hotels in the city during the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine versus the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

The Manila Public Information Office said 531 hotel rooms in the country’s capital will be made available for free to health workers and other frontliners.

Domagoso has signed Executive Order No. 17 seeking to aid frontline workers in Manila City who are affected by the shutdown of mass public transportation.

‘Authoritative’ content

Facebook said Wednesday it would place “authoritative” coronavirus content at the top of user feeds as it scrambled to keep up with increased usage and stem the flow of misinformation on its platform and WhatsApp messaging.

The leading social network said it has nearly doubled server capacity to power WhatsApp as people in isolation place more voice and video calls using the popular messaging service. AFP

lion seats on transatlantic flights alone are disappearing.

Zaher said many new bookings were from clients who had emergencies and either could not find seats on commercial routes or did not want to risk them.

One recent booking involved a woman who flew her elderly mother across the United States.

“Her mum was on oxygen and needed to be flown coast to coast,” Zaher said.

“They felt it was necessary to pay a premium in order to avoid flying commercial and to be together during this uncertain time.”

Customs without the crowds

Costs vary hugely depending on the aircraft, region, number of passengers and duration of the flight.

A round-trip charter on a 12-seater plane from London to New York can be around $150,000. Hong Kong to Japan costs around $71,000 one-way.

But booking a private flight from the UK to the south of France can set you back just over $10,000. AFP

BIR extends...

From A1 There are more than 100 days between the start of the year and the original tax filing deadline of April 15 to prepare tax filing materials.

“Some taxpayers have prepared for this early. Those who are or will soon be ready are requested to file and contribute to the government’s efforts to fight COVID-19 and stimulate economic activity amid a possible growth slowdown,” the BIR said.

Senators thanked Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III for acting on their request to be lenient in the filing of income tax returns amid the prevailing Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said he was on the phone with Dominguez and directly asked him if flexible arrangements can be applied in the filing of ITRs. On Thursday morning, he said the BIR said it would extend the filing deadline by a month.

CPP-NPA...

From A1 But Sison said there was “no clear basis” for the National Democratic Front of the Philippines-the CPP’s negotiating arm―to reciprocate the declaration.

“The NDFP is not assured and satisfied that the reciprocal unilateral ceasefires are based on national unity against COVID-19, the appropriate solution of the pandemic as a medical problem and protection of the most vulnerable sectors of the population, including workers, health workers, those with any serious ailments and the political prisoners,” Sison said Wednesday.

Unless they were assured otherwise, the NDFP would be inclined to believe the unilateral ceasefire was a mere “psywar trick.”

Duterte frst pushed the idea of a ceasefire in a speech on March 16 where he said, “’Wag ninyo munang galawin ang mga sundalo. Ano muna tayo, ceasefire lang. Ceasefire muna tayo. Ako na ang nanghihingi.

“Kindly give me that... if you really want that we will be at all times on talking terms in this time of crisis.”

Sison said the proposal would be seriously studied by the NDFP. “The President has directed the Department of National Defense and the Department of the Interior and Local Government, together with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police to cease and desist from carrying out offensive military and police operations during the ceasefire period,” Panelo said in a statement.

Duterte walked away from the peace talks with the communist rebels in 2017 as both sides accused each other of ceasefire violations. The two sides have been considering returning to the negotiating table, but Duterte and Sison could not agree on contentious issues, including the venue for the meetings.

The document on the Suspension of Offensive Military and Police Operations will be issued soon, Panelo said. PNA

News

A3

FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Solons urge media: Focus on inspiring news

By Maricel V. Cruz

L

AWMAKERS on Thursday cited the importance for media to give equal prominence to the positive developments with regard to the China virus outbreak to inspire people to unite, contribute to the global fight against the dreaded virus, and help quell panic.

House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr., Deputy Speaker and Batangas Rep. Raneo Abu joined Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano in his appeal to media to be prudent by putting context to COVID-19 report and help quell panic.

“It is very important to give

equal prominence to the positive developments especially on patients whose conditions are improving or recovered from COVID-19. We have to bring the people one and united and equal reporting of good news will be an important factor to make a huge difference and ensure the success of our fight against the dreaded virus,”

said Romualdez, chairman of the House committee on rules and President of the Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa).

“Putting emphasis to positive developments will increase people’s hope and optimism that this problem shall pass and better days are coming ahead,” said Barzaga, President of the National Unity Party (NUP) and chairman of the House committee on natural resources.

Abu said good news “will help quell panic among Filipinos and motivate them to contribute to government’s fight against the dreaded disease.”

For their part, Reps. Fidel Nograles of Rizal and Esmael Mangudadatu of Maguindanao appealed calls for compassion for others as well as cooperation and adherence to

government directives as the pandemic CoVid-19 continues to spread in Luzon and now parts of Mindanao.

Nograles said all sectors must cooperate with the authorities and abide by the measures imposed to contain the spread of Covid-19 that came from China. He also called on the people of Rizal province to do their part in the wake of President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to place the whole of Metro Manila under a month-long “enhanced community quarantine” or lockdown.

“I am appealing to the residents of Rizal to cooperate with the measures that the government has implemented.

This will all pass,” said Nograles.

Mangudadatu said that while he understands the troubles and woes of informal workers and small business

SC vows to attend to urgent matters

Pag-IBIG offers moratorium on loan payments

By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court on Thursday assured the public that it will continue to attend to urgent matters, including cases for violating curfew ordinances, despite drastically reducing its operations.

The SC made the statement after Manila Mayor Isko Moreno on Wednesday lamented that 16 violators of Manila’s curfew ordinance failed to post bail due to the suspension of court operations.

However, upon verification to the court, Manila Metropolitan Trial Court (MeTC) Executive Judge Carissa Frondozo stressed that to date no case for violation of Manila’s curfew ordinance has been filed in court.

“So far, wala pa finafile sa amin na kahit anong violation ng curfew ordinance.

I’ve informed the city administrator na mali ang sinabi ni Yorme (Mayor Isko Moreno). He [City Administrator] will relay the message daw,” Frondozo said, in her message to Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez.

SC Public Information Chief and Spokesperson Brian Keith Hosaka said that “except for night courts which have been suspended, the RTCs (Regional Trial Courts) and MeTC maintain skeleton staff precisely to address urgent matters such as bail.”

“We have ensured the public that our courts, despite drastically reducing its operations, will continue to function to attend to important and urgent matters,” Hosaka added.

Last Friday, the 15-member bench decided to adopt drastic measures to ensure the safety of its employees and officials amid the coronavirus pandemic without abandoning its constitutional mandate.

Part of the measure is to maintain a skeleton staff from March 15 to April 12 to ensure the unimpeded service to the public.

owners, he said “more patience and prayers during this medical crisis is much more needed.”

“While this is the time to strictly follow government warnings, I also appeal for Filipinos to exercise compassion towards others in these very trying times,” he said.

This developed as Assistant Majority Leader and Quezon City Rep. Precious Castelo proposed a one-month waiver of payments people owe government institutions and private establishments.

“Since President Duterte has placed the country under a state of calamity for six months, I am proposing a national payment holiday for 30 days to help our people through the enhanced community quarantine. Desperate times call for desperate measures,” Castelo said.

MEDIUM AND MESSAGE. Policemen from Manila Police District station 4 in Sampaloc, Manila hold placards to emphasize the message that it is best for people to stay at home amid the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic. Norman Cruz

Workers laud Pasig mayor for virus response

By Joel E. Zurbano LABOR group Defend Jobs Philippines has commended Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto over his recent moves in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The DJP stated that the actions taken

by Sotto which favors local government workers, urban poor and people must be emulated by other city chief executives, national government officials and even private companies.

The group commended Sotto’s assurance that Pasig City hall employees will receive full payment of their salaries this month even without work due to the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine, providing of 400,000 food packs for his indigent constituents and defending the rights of tricycle drivers to continue their operations for the sake of the travel of frontline health workers.

“The young mayor from Pasig City should be the role model of both

his fellow neophytes and veterans in public service. Despite being new in power, Sotto shows how to decisively serve with a heart for our poor and marginalized people,” said DJP spokesperson Thadeus Ifurung.

Ifurung added “we are in high hopes that Vico will not change his path and will keep up his good work towards a better leader of the country. His brand of leadership must go viral and contagious to other officials in our bureaucracy.”

Meanwhile, DJP urged the Labor department to do its part in assisting Filipino workers and their employers to ensure that affected workers of the COVID-19 due to the government’s imposed flexible work arrangements and enhanced community quarantine will be able to access its emergency financial assistance program.

The call was made after numbers of complaints overwhelmingly pour in the group’s ongoing COVID-19

Labor monitor initiative and parallel hotline mechanisms criticizing the nonfunctional DOLE Hotline 1349 since Monday.

Workers were complaining that no DOLE assistance officers have been taking their calls and some waited for hours on the line ending up talking to one or being hanged up.

The group said that DOLE must be available and accessible 24/7 especially in this crucial time when our workers and their employers badly need assistance and guidance from the agency.

“While we completely understand that DOLE has been implementing flexible work arrangements on its own rank in order to protect the health and safety its own employees, the Labor Department must also devise its own intenal medhanisms to consider the thousands of workers and employees who rely on their services and programs,” said Ifurung.

PAG-IBIG Fund is offering a three-month moratorium to its member-borrowers to help defray their expenses during the enhanced community quarantine being implemented by the government in its fight to contain the Covid-19 virus.

“President Duterte is exerting all efforts to lead the nation in fighting the corona virus. Pag-IBIG Fund supports the President’s efforts and understands the plight of its members in these challenging times. Our Board of Trustees saw this as an urgent measure and immediately voted for the grant. This moratorium will help alleviate our members’ worries so that they could focus on providing for the basic necessities and safety of their families,” said Pag-IBIG Fund Chairman and Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Eduardo D. del Rosario.

Eligible to apply for the moratorium are Pag-IBIG Fund Housing Loan, Multi-Purpose Loan, and Calamity Loan borrowers with payments due on March 16, 2020 until June 15, 2020. Presently, only those residing in Luzon and in the National Capital Region can avail of the offer.

Pag-IBIG Fund Chief Executive Officer Acmad Rizaldy P. Moti said that the welfare of their members is Pag-IBIG Fund’s priority.

“Pag-IBIG Fund’s mandate is to promote the security of its members, either by providing a loan facility for their permanent shelter, or a savings plan that allows them to prepare for the future. The Lingkod Pag-IBIG service is not just about providing excellent results, it’s about providing tapat na serbisyo, mula sa puso. Our goal, therefore, is to meet their needs and empower our Filipino workers.

Thus, we will do what we can to ensure that they will not be put in a difficult situation especially in trying times such as these,” Moti said.

Virus not airborne, DOH official insists FREE RIDE.

Medical workers going to different hospitals in Manila and Cavite take advantage of the daily free ride offered by the Department of Transportation at thePITX terminal on March 19,2020.

JR Josue

Senator pushes aid to the indigents, elderly amid lockdown SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go yesterday called for the urgent delivery of assistance to senior citizens amid the Luzon-wide lockdown triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Go appealed to the Department of Social Welfare and Development, other concerned agencies and local government units to implement the services needed d to provide additional support for senior citizens.

He cited government data indicating that majority of COVID-19 fatalities are elderly.

Because of their weak and compromised immune systems, they are more

prone to respiratory infections.

Go, whose priorities include the welfare of one of the most vulnerable sectors in the society, would like the DSWD to implement social welfare and social protection programs and services by prioritizing the provision of the Social Pension for indigent senior citizens.

He also wanted help to Individuals in Crisis Situation, distribution of Food and Non-Food Items, and Sustainable Livelihood Programs to vulnerable sectors most affected by the enhanced community quarantine.

This is in addition to the sustained provision of food assistance and non-

food essentials to the most affected families and individuals.

“Senior citizens shouldbe the priority here because we know they are weak, and they have difficulty in looking to look for food,” he said.

The monthly Social Pension amounts to P500 per indigent senior citizen to augment the daily subsistence and other medical needs.

Considered as indigent senior citizens are those who are frail, sickly or with disability and without pension or permanent source of income of regular support from their relatives to meet their basic needs. Macon Araneta Ramos

By Macon Araneta Ramos A DEPARTMENT of Health official on Thursday said COVID-19 is not airborne and one can get infected by droplets transmitted by a person infected with the highly-contagious virus.

“Our evidence up to now and what we’re getting from our experts showed that COVID-19 is still transmitted only through droplets and closed contact,” Usec Maria Rosario Vergeire said in an interview over radio DZMM yesterday.

“The airborne they’re saying is in a hospital setting,” stressed Vergeire when sought for her comment on an article quoting a World Health Organization official who reminded medical staff to consider “airborne precautions” after a new study published in preprint database medRxiv indicated the novel coronavirus or severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, which causes COVID-19, could survive in the air as aerosols or fine particles for up to three hours.

Study authors from the Princeton University, University of California, Los Angeles and health officials from the United States have also found that the virus is detectable on copper for up to four hours, up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel.

However, the scientists said the results are preliminary, as they have not been evaluated. This means the findings “should not be used to guide clinical practice.”

Based on the records of the DOH and WHO, Vergiere said a person can catch the coronavirus disease through droplets from the nose or mouth when a COVID-19 infected person coughs or sneezes.

She said it also appears that majority of the people affected by the new coronavirus are the elders who have have pre-existing medical conditions like diabetes; hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases; asthma and other respiratory illnesses.

WHO said these droplets land on objects and surfaces and stay there for hours.

People then contract the new coronavirus by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their mouth, eyes, or nose or breathing in these secretions.

Because of this, WHO underscored the importance of social distancing , keeping a distance of one meter or three feet from a sick person to avoid the spread of the virus.

Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe, WHO representative to the Philippines, reminded the public that COVID-19 is “largely transmitted through droplets” and there is no evidence it is airborne.

“This is why WHO continues to advocate the practicing of hand hygiene, cough etiquette and social distancing.”

He said those who are most at risk, especially the elderly, should avoid going to crowded places.

President Rodrigo Duterte had placed the country under a state of calamity and the entire Luzon under a community quarantine.

A4

Opinion

FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

PH COVID-19 fatality rate highest in the world

THE coronavirus crisis in the Philippines is entering its critical phase when the so-called curve (showing the volume or number of people sick of COVID-19) rises sharply to form a left half of a mountain with its peak. After that, if containment and mitigation are effective, the curve dives sharply to form the right half of the mountain, and then flatten.

The curve flattened in two remark-

Social distancing is difficult for most Filipinos.

able case studies -- China and in SinSin gapore.

China employed draconian measures such as freezing to inactivity up to 60 million Chinese, as well as technology – big data, AI, face recognition, robotics, drones, and telemedicine. In partnership with its tech giants Alibaba and Tencent, China color-coded its citizens (based on their medical and travel histories), used cellphones to track hundreds of millions Chinese daily in some 200 Chinese cities. If you are green, you can pass through checkpoints; red means no. Yellow means you have to see someone to get clearance. In effect, some 1.4 billion Chinese have been reduced to computer bits. That is good when you have a disease, but bad when you are trying to

EDITORIAL

exercise freedom of expression or criticizing the government.

For its part, Singapore employed massive testing of its 5.7 million people and hunted down relentlessly the people with whom a victim had been in contact. This is what they call contact tracing, a tedious and rigid process. In China, the government deployed 1,800 five-man contact teams.

Since declaring an outbreak in early February which initially triggered panic buying, Singapore has had 313 COVID-19 cases but no deaths. Of the 313, 114 have recovered. Singapore is reporting three times the number of COVID-19 cases as other countries, thanks to its strict surveillance and rigorous contact tracing. There is no lockdown, except for the quarantine of 3,700 people. People are free to go out and shop.

Contrast that with the Philippines.

The world’s 12th-largest country in terms of population is reckoned to have 202 cases and 19 deaths, a fatality ratio of 10 percent – the highest in the world aver and two and half times the global average of 4 percent – 8,810 deaths out of 218,824 cases.

China’s mortality ratio is 3 percent.

Italy, the second worst hit country, is 2,978 deaths out of 35,713 or 8 percent; Iran 6 percent, Spain 4 percent; Japan 3 percent; and France and Switzerland, one percent.

China seems to have conquered the coronavirus. As of yesterday (March 19), only 53 new COVID-19 (the disease caused by the coronavirus) cases surfaced, from 81,086 to 81,139 even as the global total swelled in just 24 hours, by 20,663 to 218,85, from 198,152 the previous day.

China now accounts for only 37 percent of the global total of COVID-19 cases, down from more than 96 percent

Aid to workers is paramount

T

HE global economy and the rest of the world are heading for possibly the worst recession period in recent history. An unprecedented worldwide travel ban, community and countrywide lockdowns and work stoppages are certain to bring the global economy to its knees.

The first to feel the pinch from the spreading corona virus are airlines, hotels and restaurants after several nations restricted the travel of their citizens in and out of their boundaries. The lockdown, meanwhile, has robbed ordinary workers of their only source of income and killed the earnings of small businesses.

Governments across the globe have quickly realized the debilitating impact of the virus outbreak on the economy. They are preparing huge financial packages to protect their citizens from the outbreak and provide relief to displaced workers, especially those who rely on

their daily wages. Small businesses which have little capital are equally hit by the virus.

The US is leading the fightback against the outbreak. The White House and lawmakers are negotiating a $1.3-trillion package, considered the biggest federal emergency plans ever. This could include up to $500 billion in direct check payments to Americans, and $300 billion in loans to small businesses.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said it might also include $300 billion in deferred tax payments.

The European Central Bank, in the meantime, plans to spend more than

$800 billion to buy bonds to give financial markets some much-needed liquidity. ECB boss Christine Lagarde tweeted “extraordinary times require extraordinary action. There are no limits to our commitment to the euro.”

Here in the Philippines, economic livelihoods are at stake for millions of Filipinos and small entrepreneurs. The economic team of the Duterte administration rolled out a P27.1-billion package of priority actions to help front-liners fight the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and provide economic relief to people and sectors affected by the slowdown in economic activity.

The Philippines foremost must assist workers who have no other means of supporting their family by way of wage subsidy, and provide support to displaced establishments.

The assistance must be extended quickly to avert social unrest and a breakdown in peace and order.

Turn to A5

CSR vs COVID-19

Banish the thought that Big Business is only after the bottom line, that is, profit.

Proof positive that corporate social responsibility or CSR is alive and well in this country is the earnest effort of several business conglomerates to respond to the public health emergency arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s not always about the bottom line.

There’s the Ayala group, which has unveiled a P2.4-billion package that includes income support and rent condonation for tenants of shopping malls shut down during the monthlong Luzon-wide lockdown.

The package consists of wages, bonuses, leave conversions and loan deferments, primarily for the extended workforce of partner-employers so they may continue to be paid for the duration of the quarantine period.

Ayala Malls has agreed to provide a rent-free period for malls that are not allowed to operate during the community quarantine from March 16 to April 14. This will translate to around P1.4 billion in rent condonation to give merchants of these malls financial relief so they can in turn provide the much-needed financial support for their employees during this period.

The package also includes P600 million in salary continuance for displaced workers from construction sites, shuttered malls and retail space of Makati Development Corp. and the Ayala Malls group.

Globe Telecoms has also earmarked P270 million for its retail store support staff and vendor partners while all other Ayala companies will reserve another P130 million in personnel-related financial support.

For its own employees, Ayala will continue to provide salary continuance and financial support where possible as most of these employees will be getting their mid-year bonuses normally paid in April starting today through the end of March.

SM Supermalls has also indicated that it would waive rent for its tenants nationwide from March 16 to April 14. The country’s largest mall operator said this would offer tenants “some relief during this trying time, as so that they can in turn lend more assistance to their employees.”

“We share our tenants partners’ concerns over the unfortunate situation and will waive rental charges for those affected and unable to operate during this period,” SM Supermalls said.

The SM group earlier said it had allocated P100 million to provide protective equipment and supplies to hospitals to fight the spread of COVID-19.

The Gokongwei group said it allotted P100 million to support health workers fighting the pandemic.

Meanwhile, San Miguel Corp. wants to produce 70-percent ethyl alcohol at one of its facilities and distribute the product for free to communities through their local government units.

Aside from ethyl alcohol, the company will also donate to local government units its own brand of disinfectant powder, which is safe for humans and can easily be deployed as extra protection against the virus.

The rationale for this is that while hand-washing is still the best defense, hand sanitizers with 70 percent alcohol can be the next best option where soap and water are not available.

According to SMC head honcho Turn to A5

Make sickly, poor Filipinos a priority!

IT HAS been agonizing and enormously frustrating for all of us since this coronavirus pandemic crept into the country, as well as devastating over 60 percent of nearly 200 nations across the globe.

At this point, we are just hoping that concerned government officials share President Duterte’s selfless concern for the people, particularly the impoverished Filipinos who are hardest-hit by the economic impact of this public health crisis.

Our less fortunate kababayan are more susceptible to the contagious disease, especially now with diminished capacity to buy healthy foods, vitamins, hygienic necessities and toiletries.

Worse, the poorest of the poor apparently have the least access to public health care and medical services, even with the availability of PhilHealth.

We understand why Manong Digong, who turns 75 next week, had to be among the first persons tested for possible coronavirus infection, along with Senator Bong “SAP” Go, who chaired a Senate hearing in which a resource person appeared and turned up COVID-19 positive. The same goes for the other senators exposed in that hearing.

But we are appalled and disgusted by what appears to be a VIP-complex of some government executives who impatiently get themselves tested first in-

These entitled officials who unnecessarily put themselves first instead of serving those who direly need the government’s help and resources. stead of allowing medical attention and use of limited number of test kits on those patients who urgently need them.

The COVID-19 test kits being donated by China, Jack Ma and Sen. Manny Pacquiao, and the U.S. will not be enough to test the hundreds of persons under investigation (PUIs) who actually show signs and symptoms of infection.

Practically having the whole nation literally on lockdown, many of those who actually need testing and medical attention are compelled to go on self-quarantine, hoping for the signs and symptoms of the disease to go away by themselves.

It’s outrageous that Manong Duterte should be around these entitled officials who unnecessarily put themselves first instead of serving those who direly need the government’s help and resources.

There’s no doubting the President’s sincerity and wisdom in his decision to implement community quarantine, first in Metro Manila, and then the entire Luzon before the number of confirmed cases of infection and deaths ballooned.

In a desperate effort to contain the further spread of COVID-19, he also directed local government executives to exercise their discretion in placing their respective localities under community quarantine.

During this state of calamity and virtual lockdown, those less fortunate in terms of livelihood bear the brunt of this crisis beyond health concerns.

Self-quarantine is not an end in itself, as we need to seek out those sickly poor Filipinos and help them even before they die from hunger.

Under these extreme circumstances of anxiety and hardship, the ordinary Juan dela Cruz and the poorest of the poor do not deserve any lip service from selfish and insensitive government officials.

They better follow Manong Digong’s footsteps. Serbisyo publiko muna!

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher ManilaStandard

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

ONLINE

can be accessed at: manilastandard.net

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Anita F. Grefal Baldwin R. Felipe Edgar M. Valmorida

Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Treasury Manager Head—Ad Solutions Circulation Manager

Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua

Managing Editor Associate Editors News Editor Opinion Editor

Emil P. Jurado

Honor Blanco Cabie Night Editor Jimbo Gulle City Editor Lino M. Santos Chief Photographer

Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

Opinion Let’s treat this COVID19 crisis as a REAL WAR! Rep. Tonypet T. Albano, 1st District, Isabela Province OUR brave and hardworking President Duterte has declared the Philippines in a “State of Calamity” with ”Enhanced Quarantine Level.” This means we have billions of pesos to fight this pandemic of biblical proportions that is deadly, real, and very much contagious. So don’t panic, but please take this declaration of war against COVID-19 seriously!

For those who are questioning about how we, especially the poor, can buy and eat food if we are not allowed to work? If need be, everyone, especially the poor, will be food rationed. All government preparations are already being drawn and are ready for implementation to help with food, security, and to provide what we need, and more. We do have enough food and medicines for months and months on end. So please don’t be alarmed and hoard.

We ALL will suffer and get hit economically, poor and rich alike. But it is better to make people, especially the poor, stay home to stop and end the proliferation of mass infections like the super rapid exponential infections we have seen in China, Europe, Iran, US, etc.

If we get into a full blown widespread uncontrollable epidemic, our Philippine Health System (hospitals and medical staff) are NOT FULLY EQUIPPED, & probably won’t be able cope and handle decisively and properly the likes of what has happened in Wuhan, Italy, South Korea, Japan, and the other rich and powerful countries.

If they already failed to stop the spread by the thousands of people in a month, i cannot imagine what will happen if we did not have this semi lockdown.

We dare not risk that kind of disaster to test whether we can handle such an epidemic of great numbers of sick and dying people.

The Philippines will be far worse if we let people, poor and rich, go to work and get infected. We will truly become a sad state and country if we don’t head the call for extreme strict quarantine measures.

We are lucky that The Executive headed by PRRD, The Legislative, The Judiciary, and all government agencies took and is taking drastic and fast ac-

Mail Matters

Help SSS pensioners in this crucial time AN OPEN letter to SSS Chairman and Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III I am a retired journalist and member of the Social Security System.

I write on behalf of the 2.5 million SSS pensioners who have been inadvertently left out of any and all contingency programs of government to help highly vulnerable sectors facing the raging COVID-19 crisis.

As Chairman of the SSS Board and Secretary of Finance, you must be well aware of the fact that SSS pensioners receive measly monthly pensions, many of whom getting much less than beneficiaries of the government subsidized 4Ps program. This is sad because we earned our pensions with our own blood, sweat and tears in helping keep the national economy move forward during our prime years.

On government orders to stay home, we have been denied the right to add additional pesos to our meager pensions to spend for our most basic of needs and buy our maintenance medicines. Under these circumstances, we face stark danger of keeping body and soul together.

In this light, may I humbly present the following suggestions for the big bosses of SSS to help retirees survive the present crisis: Defer the payment of April 2020 amortization of all pension loans deducted from monthly pensions of SSS retirees.

Advance as soon as possible the downloading of one half of the 13th month pensions of retirees; and Immediately act on the postponed granting of the second tranche of P1,000 a month across the board pension adjustments promised for this year when the first tranche was given at the start of the Duterte administration.

We are not asking for dole, Mr. Secretary. We only seek compassion and social justice from the Social Security System to elderly members.

ABRAHAM “ABE” P. BELENA Calomboyan, San Quintin, Pangasinan

tions in shutting down the entire Philippines with the Enhanced Quarantine declaration! Otherwise, our country would become desolate and be in terrible trouble in just one month of sporadic transmition.

Pls understand that we need to lock down for at least a month, or even longer.

Statistics tells us that the only way to solve this crisis is to starve the virus by quarantine at this point in time. There is NO MEDICINE, NO VACCINE, and NO CURE yet made, and this virus can kill you in less than 2 weeks. And 1 person infected that is roaming around will infect thousands in 1 month... millions in a few more months. It has happened before where a virus and pandemic killed millions of people.

This crisis is REAL, very dangerous, highly contagious, and this could lead to your death.

Now, for a question posed to me: “does it makes sense to have people work so they can have money to pay for food, medicines, and basic necessities? No. No. No. The government will and CAN provide food, and later on, provide stimulus packages to revive our economy and create jobs for the poor. The big businesses will and are already contributing immensely to the food and economic solutions. The world is now poised to provide each other food and economic stimulus to create jobs as we speak. And if there is one silver lining in this viral crisis, is that governments, philanthropists, and ordinary people are now helping each other without any political agenda or selfish gains. All help done by countries and the ordinary citizens are done out of love and care for everyone, poor or rich, black of white, young or old. This is the time for all of us to have a sense of duty for our people and our country!

Understand that jobs and money can be created and earned. But reviving you & others from DEATH cannot be done no matter how much money we have or what job we do.

This is the time we all become heroes in our little spheres of influences.

We can choose to help by staying home, making ourselves strong, taking care of our household, and also contributing food and medicine or money or anything to help our medical prac-

PH...

From A4

share as late as Feb. 26, 2020.

On March 10, 2020, with COVID-19 Chinese cases at 80,754, President Xi Jinping made his victory lap. He visited Wuhan, the origin and the epicenter of the outbreak and which was in lockdown for more than two months. The people of Wuhan can now go out of their homes, walk the streets, shop, mingle with each other, on a staggered basis.

The Philippines has adopted the Chinese lockdown formula. From Monday, March 16, 2020 until April 14, 2020, more than 48 million Filipinos are restricted in their homes.

Schools are closed, probably until the end of the school year. Public transport has halted. More than 90 percent of factories were shut down. The idea is social distancing. Because the coronavirus can travel no farther than six feet, two people must keep a distance of six feet between them, even if they are a couple, lovers, partners. What ever happened to the marriage vow of “in sickness and in health, till death do us part”?

During the 30-day Luzon-wide lockdown, only essential services are allowed – health care, shipment of food and medical supplies, and police and military operations. I guess the exemptions assume the health personnel, cargo and food delivery people, and the police and the military are not susceptible to coronavirus attack.

Still, despite the checkpoints in key

CSR...

From A4

Ramon Ang: “We have the means and capability to produce this, and make it available for free to LGUs and public hospitals. We are working on getting the necessary clearances from the relevant government agencies to produce this for public use. We ask that they help expedite clearances.”

SMC subsidiary Ginebra San Miguel Inc. has already begun initial production of the alcohol over the weekend, for use in its facilities and for thousands of employees, initially.

He gave the assurance that SMC can

titioners, government workers, and volunteers who are in the front line of the war, risking their lives to fight this virus for you and me.

Let’s treat this crisis as a REAL WAR! In fact, we really are now at war with Covid19.

And like World War 2, we don’t expect people to work or complain about our situation no matter how difficult it is, just as long as we can eat and are not in harms way. We expect poor and rich people to fight for their basic survival now. That’s what we have now, a real war where survival is already key and immediate!

So let’s educate others to go into a war mode, and hunker down, and help instead of becoming a burden by arming ourselves what are important tasks we should now apply. we need to ask questions that are pertinent, and do your part in not burdening the system. Be diligent in cleaning your house and be very hygienic like exposing all your personal items to direct sunlight. Do more to protect your immunity. Be creative and don’t be idle fighting this war that will surely change our life as we know it.

This is the time for US President John F.Kennedys calling with a Tonypet-stark Albano twist; “Ask not what your government can do for you ‘during this real Covid19 war crisis,’ but rather, ask what you can do for your ‘country and yourselves in this real war crisis to end the suffering and killing of many people by this virus!’”

I hope this is clear to all, and that we start to cooperate instead of question our government’s decision to lock our country down. You can send this message to anyone who still doesn’t understand what we are in for, or even add to it if necessary. Please explain to them that we are at war, and they need to act now before its too late for them and their love ones!

Therefore, let us all pray that this war crisis will end soon; and that we find a cure immediately; and that we all start to love and care for one another; and that we and our love ones don’t get infected; and that we don’t become a burden to our government and to society; and that we survive this war economically, spiritually, emotionally, and physically; and that we will all live to see the time when we can all go out and hug or kiss each other once more. All this we ask in Jesus’s name, AMEN!

chokepoints, people spilled out in massive numbers. One, because they have to work; two, because they have no decent homes to house themselves in during the quarantine; and three, they cannot work from home. How does a driver work from home?

These people believe in the late John Gokongwei dictum of “if you don’t work, you don’t eat.” And if you don’t eat, you die.

Between dying and braving an invisible enemy named coronavirus, many Filipinos took the latter option.

Anyway, your chances of catching the virus are less than one percent and your chances of recovery if afflicted is 80 percent. But if you don’t eat, maximum three days, 100 percent you die.

The math of the poor can be very simple and easy to understand.

Besides, 85 percent of people in Metro Manila cannot practice social distancing, firstly, because they don’t have homes, and secondly, if they have dwelling places, these units cannot be classified as homes. Inside a shanty, you cannot practice social distancing, not matter how strong is your will power. The average home or accessoria is 18 to 22 square meters, a space that combines the sala or living room, bedroom, kitchen and toilet (if any) in one room. Five to seven people are cramped in such a small space where they eat, watch tv, study, bathe, sleep and fornicate.

Which is why on tv the other night, in some Manila squatter areas, people spilled into the streets and managed social distancing. Fresh air is sweet in a democracy. biznewsasia@gmail.com

produce as much as half a year’s supply of food products with its existing inventory of raw materials.

SMC production facilities will run around the clock so that grocery shelves will remain well-stocked with its food products: “As far as the food supply is concerned, we have the capability to produce enough for everybody and deliver to supermarkets,” Ang pointed out.

SMC is already working on distributing food donations to poor communities where daily paid workers have been especially hard hit. The company has also committed to supply food to public hospitals and select government centers.

FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2020

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Unpaid debt of PSALM - Part 1

THE installation of the Cory Aquino regime was ominous, for rightly, she appointed Filipinos to run the industry who openly exhibited their fealty to their imperialist brokers. Cesar Buenaventura who once served as president of the Ayala-owned Pilipinas Shell Corporation was appointed to replace Geronimo Velasco whose department was immediately abolished by the vindictive but devoutly Catholic Cory Aquino.

Immediately after Edsa, Cory, at the behest of her implanted foreign economic hitmen, issued Executive Oder No. 20 on June 19, 1986 placing the offices, agencies and corporations attached to the Ministry of Energy under the administrative supervision of the Office of the President.

This was followed by E.O. No. 55 on October 1, 1986, transferring the country’s nuclear power plant, equipment, materials, facilities, records and uranium fuel, and to assume the remaining loan obligation of the National Power Corp. to foreign lenders guaranteed by the Republic, and E.O. No. 98 modifying E.O. No. 55.

In the blink of an eye, the three executive orders flushed to the septic tank the almost-finished Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNOO), thereby forfeiting the 621 megawatts but leaving the burden to our people to pay the $2.3 billion that ballooned from an original cost of $600 million in 1977. For all their insistence to redesign the plant and assure “safety,” Cory dropped the BNPP like a hot potato. Many suspect she connived with her foreign brokers not to demand rescission or for that would be incongruent to any possible claim for damages. Just like her decision to hand over Meralco to the Lopezes for a song, she and her cabal of hypocrites practically allowed the government to be swindled a whopping amount of $2.3 billion.

The reorganization of the oil industry was most telling. The circumvention of the 1973 and 1987 constitutions which accorded the Philippine government the preferential advantage of 60-40 sharing in all energy-producing minerals under the updated Service Contract enunciated by P.D. No. 87 was set aside. Cory revived the discredited “concession system” given by the DENR, similar to the grant of concession to mining companies.

The shelving of the BNPP resulted in Napocor incurring huge financial deficit running to more than a trillion pesos which it failed to collect from the expected income that will be generated by the operation of the plant.

This was complicated by her issuance of E.O. No. 215 which allowed the private sector to generate its own electricity. As usual, the executive order promised to bring down the price of electricity, unmindful that as private investors, their concern was to protect their profit and investment.

The deregulation of the power generation industry was the first symptom felt by the decision to mothball the BNPP. This led to the chopping of Napocor, and selling them to willing buyers. The shortage in energy was serious that palliative measures have to be taken. The oligarchy was determined to destroy the whole infrastructure of our energy industry. Meralco was allowed to enter the wholesale electricity market by building their own generation plants to be sold directly to its captive mar-

“We will operate our food facilities 24/7,” the SMC president and CEO said. “This isn’t about making profits.

We have a responsibility to make sure that food is made available to as many people as possible.”

For its part, Metrobank and GT Capital Holdings group of the Ty family have pledged to provide P200 million to fund initiatives directly supporting the fight against COVID-19.

The fund seeks “to manage the disruption and provide meaningful assistance to customers, employees, and partners who most need help in these difficult times,” Metrobank said.

The banking firm said aside from the

ket within their respective franchise area. They did not only compete with Napocor but resorted to undercutting their price that led to Napocor sinking deeper into debt.

Aside from destroying the supply side principle adopted by Napocor, the hypocritical oligarchy approved the Clean Air Act. They talked much about the environment and fear of climate change but refused to discuss whether the venture would be affordable to our consumers. Unknown to many, the decision to give up the coal industry resulted in the laying off of thousands workers dependent on it. The shift was premeditated because the costly natural gas had to replace many existing diesel-powered plants operated by the Lopez-owned First Gen. They wanted to make sure that natural gas would have ready buyers for their newly built gas-powered Santa Rita and San Lorenzo Ruiz power plants.

The completion in our payment for the mothballed BNPP in 2015 did not provide the financial relief we thought. The oligarchy wanted to make sure Napocor would forever be rendering debt service. That way, the country would be dependent for its energy requirements at whatever cost. Remember, it was this handful group of oligarchs that demanded guaranty to their investment, and the surest way is to pass a law deregulating the price of oil. Aramco demanded the deregulation of fuel products as pre-condition to its acquisition of Petron in 1994 but only to be sold to another buyer at a higher price.

On February 10, 1998 R.A. No. 8479 or An Act Deregulating the Downstream Oil Industry was passed. Despite that and the grant of tax exemption on imports of crude oil, the cost of electricity remained high. To ease the problem, it approved R.A. 7648 on April 5, 1993 prescribing urgent measures necessary to effectively address the electric power crisis. Shortage in power supply remains acute. The Ramos administration entered into contract with the independent power producers (IPP). Power plant operators were given guaranty by Napocor to purchase from 75 to 80 percent of their production over the next 10 to 20 years.

Instead of helping ease the shortage, power plant operators made a killing because the government was purchasing power in excess of what the consumers need at 20 to 40 centavos higher than the cost of the NPC-generated power. Napocor which stands as a buyer incurred heavy financial losses thus burying the power agency deeper in debt. These, in turn, were charged to the consumers though the purchase power agreement (PPA). So, the hoot about the PPA as savior to our power shortage turned out to be a complete dud.

The approval of R.A. No. 7648 allowed both the power generation plant and distribution utilities to increase their rates. To find justification for this, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) discarded the old method of granting rate increase used on the simplified “performance rate base.” The purpose is to allegedly reduce the negative impact of information asymmetries and to motivate regulated companies to reduce their costs to increase profit. This is done by setting a cap on prices on revenues. Even Napocor was accorded subsidy by PAGCOR of 10 percent of its annual aggregate gross earnings for the next five years: Provided, that such allocation shall be based on gross revenue after deducting the 5 percent franchise tax and the 20 percent income share of the National Government. rpkapunan@gmail.com

assistance already being extended to affected customers and displaced employees, they will support the production of test kits developed by the University of the Philippines-National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH) and the purchase of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for frontline health workers.

We are glad that our some of our big business enterprises have found common cause in helping the government address the COVID-19 crisis.

We commend them for their compassion and willingness to assist those adversely affected by this emergency. ernhil@yahoo.com

A6

LGUs

FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2020

Private firms, individuals aid Manila vs. COVID-19

By Willie Casas

T

HE City Government of Manila has received several packages to help aid in the operations in stopping the spread of the deadly coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Republic of the Philippines National Capital Judicial Region REGIONAL TRIAL COURT Branch 84, Quezon City IN RE: PETITION FOR NATURALIZATION OF EMILY ROSE FAST, Petitioner. x--------------------------------------------x SP. PROC. NO. R-QZN-19-18790-SP

ORDER and NOTICE OF HEARING On December 18, 2019 Petitioner through counsel, filed this verified Petition praying that after due notice, publication and hearing, an order be issued granting the Petition by declaring that petitioner has all the qualifications and none of the disqualifications for acquisition of Philippine citizenship thru naturalization under C.A. 473; and issuing an order that a Naturalization Certificate be issued and that said Naturalization Certificate be registered in the appropriate civil registry.

Brieftly, the petitioner alleged that she is a Canadian Citizen, of legal age, single, born in Langley,Canada on 3 September 1996 and presently residing at No. 85B Pingkian 1, Brgy. Pasong Tamo, Tandang Sora, Quezon City; that the petitioner was a resident of 8835-213 Street, Langley, British Columbia, Canada; that she is a daughter of Pastor Michael John Fast and Eva Rose Wiebe who are residing in the Philippines for more than 23 years doing missionary works with the Baptist Conference in the Philippines; that at the age of 3, Petitioner and her family came to reside in the Philippines. They arrived in the Philippines on September 8, 1999 together with her parents who came here in pursuit of their missionary works. They landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on board Japan Airlines with Flight No. JL745 and Petitioner was carrying Passport No. VG891161 issued by the Government of Canada. Such fact is shown at the Certification issued by the Bureau of Immigration; that petitioner holds an Alien Certificate of Registration No. G1906013876TV with SSRN No. 1410EF1209234726 issued by the Philippine Government which is valid until June 25, 2020 and a holder of Canadian Passport No. HM689374 valid until November 15, 2026; that petitioner holds an Alien Certificate of Registration No. G1906013876TV with SRRN No. 1410EF4209234726 issued by the Philippine Government which is valid until June 25, 2020; that having resided in the Philippines at an early age, Petitioner started and completed her schooling in the country and which is detailed as follows: Pre-school – SEATS Preschool – 670 Edsa, Brgy. E. Rodriguez, Cubao, Quezon City; Primary – Gospel Light Christian Academy – Matahimik St., cor. V. Luna, Brgy. Malaya, Quezon City; Secondary – Gospel Light Christian Academy – Matahimik St., cor. V. Luna, Brgy. Malaya, Quezon City; Tertiary – University of the Philippines Diliman – Bachelor of Arts in Film – Magna Cum Laude (2013-2018); that presently, Petitioner is a freelance photographer, videographer and film maker. She is also is the official film maker for the Baptist General Conference of Canada and was assigned in the Philippines to assist the South East Asian Theology Schools, Inc. in filming lecture videos; that in pursuit of her missionary works, Petitioner teaches in Pingkian Kid’s Net (2013 to present). This is a weekly values class for local children from the ages of 3 up to 12 years old. Together with 9 other missionary workers, Petitioner teaches lessons, prepares the activities and cooks snacks for the kids of Pingkian 1 Central, Brgy. Pasong Tamo, Tandang Sora, Quezon City; that she is also a Leader of the Pingkian Youth Ministry (2014-present). This is a weekly gathering wherein around 30 youth of the community come together to discuss the Bible in Pingkian 1, Central, Brgy.

Pasong Tamo, Tandang Sora, Quezon City; that she acts as the Secretary of Pingkian 1 Neighbor Youth Association (PINYA) (2013-present) in Pingkian 1 Central, Brgy. Pasong Tamo, Tandang Sora, Quezon City. This is a government-recognized association that promotes community service and involvement of the youth in local events. As a member of PINYA, she is involved in different activities like organizing Christmas presentations, holding workshops, setting up garage sales, street-sweeping, and other community activities; that petitioner likewise, is a Sunday School Teacher of the Metro Manila Bible Community (MMBC) (215-present) in 19 Col. Salgado St., Brgy. West Kamias, Quezon City. This involves teaching Bible stories and values lessons to children every Sunday; that petitioner was a member of the University of the Philippines Cinema Arts Society (UP CAST) (2013-2017) and served as Secretary; that all of the foregoing activities and membership in different organizations establishes the strong tie of the Petitioner with the Filipinos and through such constant association, she can fluently speak in Pilipino/Tagalog, learned to love and embrace the Filipino culture, customs and traditions; and that she has been residing in the Philippines for more than 20 years particularly at the address stated above and has been a law-abiding resident of Barangay Pasong Tamo, Quezon City; that petitioner seeks to acquire Philippine Citizenship thru naturalization under Commonwealth Act No. 473 (C.A. 473) otherwise known as “ An Act to Provide for the Acquisition of Philippine Citizenship by Naturalization; that petitioner has complied with all the other formal and substantial requirements under C.A. 473 for the acquisition of Philippine Citizenship thru naturalization including age and years of residence in the Philippines; that she possesses all the qualifications and none of the disqualifications set forth in C.A. 473; that in the 20 years of petitioner’s stay in the Philippines, she was able to establish and maintain a good reputation among her students, peers, religious group, classmates and within the community; that petitioner has never directly or indirectly disobeyed the Philippine Constitution since she believes in the underlying principles thereof; that neither did she transgressed any laws and regulations for the period of her stay in the Philippines; that since 2013, petitioner serves as the Secretary of Pingkian I Neighbor Youth Association (PINYA) in Pingkian 1 Central, Brgy. Pasong Tamo, Tandang Sora, Quezon City; that not only moderate knowledge of conversational Pilipino Tagalog, Petitioner can speak Pilipino/Tagalog fluently having been raised and lived in the Philippines since age of 3. In fact, her accent and the way she pronounces Tagalog words will let one think or believe that one speaking is Filipina – not a foreign national.

She is likewise fluent in English; that she does not defend or teach necessity of violence, personal assault or assassination for the predominance of ideas that she is not a polygamist or believer in the practice of polygamy; that petitioner have not been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude; that petitioner is not suffering from mental alienation or any incurable contagious disease; that petitioner has socially mingled with Filipinos.

Her various missionary activities and membership is different organizations establishes the strong tie of the Petitioner with the Filipinos and through such constant association, she learned to love and embrace the culture, customs, traditions and ideals of Filipinos; that petitioner is a national of Canada which country grants Filipinos the right to become a naturalized citizen or subject thereof; that she believes in the underlying principles of the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines and undertakes to preserve and protect the same; that petitioner will continue to reside in the Philippines from the date of filing of this petition up to the time of her acquisition of Philippine Citizenship; and that upon being admitted as Filipino citizen, petitioner will renounce her allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, protectorate, state or sovereignty and particularly to Canada of which she is a citizen at present.

NOTICE is hereby given that the instant petition will be heard before this Court sitting at Room 105, Hall of Justice Building, Quezon City on JULY 27, 2020 at 8:30 in the morning at which date and time, all persons interested and concerned may appear and show cause, if any, why the petition should not be granted.

Let this Order be published once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation to be chosen by raffle, the last publication of which shall be at least more than four (4) months before the date of hearing. Petitioner is ordered to serve a copy of the Petition upon the Office of the Solicitor General and the respondents, and to submit proof of service thereof at least ten (10) days prior to the date of scheduled hearing. The respondents and/or any interested person may file opposition thereto within fifteen (15) days from notice of this Order or from the last date of publication of this Order.

SO ORDERED. Given this 27 day of February 2020 at Quezon City, Metro Manila.

(Sgd.) HON. LUISITO G. CORTEZ Presiding Judge cc: Atty. LELAND R. LOPEZ Counsel for the Petitioner Block 5, Lot 14, Sampaguita St., Palmera Homes Phase II, Brgy. Sta. Monica, Novaliches, Quezon City EMILY ROSE FAST Petitioner No. 85B Pingkian I, Brgy. Pasong Tamo, Tandang Sora, Quezon City Office of the Solicitor General No. 134 Amorsolo Street Legaspi Village, Makati City Local Civil Registrar Quezon City National Statistics Office East Avenue, Quezon City City Prosecutor’s Office 4th Floor, Quezon City Hall of Justice Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City BUREAU OF IMMIGRATION and DEPORTATION Port Area, Intramuros, Manila

(MStandard - Mar. 13, 20 & 27, 2020)

In a message on Thursday, Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said the City of Manila expresses its gratitude to the following entities and personalities for their help in fighting the COVID-19 outbreak: . Philippine Red Cross Manila Chapter, 25,000 face masks, medical supplies,

alcohol, biscuits, ready to eat supplemental foods for hospital/healthcare workers; Ongpin Foundation-3 units of UV Care Room Sterilizer, 100 pieces of virus blockers; VP Leni Robredo and Department of Transportation, for providing alternative transportation for the city’s healthcare workers; Brgy. Chairman Winnie ProvidoCruz, 5,000 bottles of drinking water, 5. Uratex, 100 roll mats; MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia, 16,000 surgical masks; Mr. Barton Sy, Newton Gan from Tat Sing Group, ten 20-L jars of 100% Isopropyl Alcohol, 2 units of Mist Cannon Spray Machines; 1919 Grand Café, 20 trays plus nine pails of bread; San Augustine Bus, for providing buses for transportation of frontliners of city district hospitals; Farinas Bus, for providing two buses

for transportation of frontliners of city district hospitals; NutriAsia, 40 cases of dalandan juice and Mr. Jorge Go, for giving six boxes of Family Rubbing alcohol.

Meanwhile, The Manila City Government social workers have rescued more than 30 homeless people on Thursday amid the ongoing implementation of the Luzon-wide community quarantine due to the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Among those rescued was a deaf street dweller,who at firstresisted boarding the rescue vehicle, but was later on pacified.

Social workers said he may have went wild because he cannot express himself properly.

Another homeless stroke patient, unable to walk and speak, was rescued by

the local government.

Other street dwellers were the ones taking care of the said person, according to the rescuers.

Several rescued street people were ambulant vendors whose livelihoods have been hit by the community quarantine.

The street dwellers were all brought to Delpan Sports Complex where they were provided with food and other medManila ical needs.

Standard TODAY On Wednesday night, 40 other homeless people were rescued in the city.

President Rodrigo Duterte has placed Luzon under an enhanced community quarantine.

The government advised the public to stay at home. However, many street dwellers cannot afford to do such measure.

Makati gives out food packs to students

AGAINST THE TIDE. Surprised by the strong tidal waves, fishermen in Buguey, Cagayan drive their fishing boat against the rampaging tide early in the morning when high tides are prevalent. Fishing is the top enterprise of the coastal town known for quality aquatic resources. Ben Moses Ebreo

Muntinlupa sets stricter rules on quarantine MUNTINLUPA is set to implement stricter home quarantine for residents due to the rise of COVID-19 cases in a bid to slow down and prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the city.

As of March 19, the Muntinlupa City Health Office recorded 55 Persons Under Monitoring (PUM), 43 Persons Under Investigation (PUI), and four confirmed cases in the city.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi urged barangay officials to strengthen efforts in prohibiting city residents from getting out of their homes amid the enhanced community quarantine.

“We plead to our constituents to stay at home during this health emergency. The local government is restricting movement of people only for accessing basic necessities and essential work,” Fresnedi said.

The public is advised to stay indoors and to cancel nonessential travels as Muntinlupa also imposes curfew hours from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. starting March 16 until April 14.

Muntinlupa Public Information Officer Tez Navarro said PNP Muntinlupa augmented its roving personnel and will start apprehending violators.

Recently, the Muntinlupa City Government ordered the closure of establishments including malls, beauty parlors, spas, barber shops, and similar establishments with potential face-to-face contact of clients.

Those providing essential services were exempted such as banks, pawnshops, money transfer firms, groceries, supermarkets, drug stores, pharmacies, and hardware stores.

Restaurants, carinderias, and other eateries were only allowed to accept take-out orders and refrain from providing dine-in services to ensure implementation of social distancing. Restaurant owners and operators were encouraged to post notices and warnings on the spread and ill effects of COVID-19 on their premises.

Further, public and private recreational facilities were also mandated to halt operations such as fitness gyms, swimming pools, saunas karaoke bars, and country club facilities for sports that entail close person to person contact, even as a liquor ban was enacted to prevent gathering opportunities for city residents in the duration of the quarantine period.

MAKATI Mayor Abby Binay on Thursday said that the city government will provide 81,995 food packs worth around P85 million to students and their families next week amid the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon due to coronavirus disease (COVID 19) outbreak.

Mayor Abby said 44,951 elementary students from Kinder to Grade 6 and 37,044 high school students from Grade 7 to Grade 12 will receive the food packs. SPED learners are also included in the list of beneficiaries.

Each elementary student will receive a bag containing two packs of raisins, five single packs of instant oatmeal, one slab of cheese, one box of hotcake mix, one box of arroz caldo mix, two boxes of champorado mix, one pack of full cream milk, 12 packs of tonic food drink, two single packs of choco cereals, two packs of biscuits, two packs of chocolate flakes cereals, a 10-piece pack each of crackers and stick biscuits, a 10-piece pack of choco bite-size biscuits, and an 18-piece pack of assorted fruit-flavored jelly.

Meanwhile, high school students will be given six packs of instant oatmeal, a slab of cheese, one box each of hotcake mix and arroz caldo mix, two boxes of champorado, a pack of full cream milk, 12 single packs of tonic food drink, 10 single packs of crackers, eight packs of instant pancit canton, and a small can each of pineapple tidbits and pineapple juice.

Mayor Abby urged students to stay home and follow curfew rules to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the city.

The city on Monday started implementing a curfew policy from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. as part of its safety measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Romualdez orders 23-day lockdown in Tacloban City TACLOBAN CITY – The local government will enforce a 23-day lockdown in this city, Eastern Visayas’ regional capital, in the face of rising threats of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

Mayor Alfred Romualdez issued on Wednesday night Executive Order 2020-03017 intensifying the restrictions to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 in the city, home to about 250,000 people and a major commercial district of the region.

The directive will take effect from March 21 to April 12, affecting public transportation and thousands of businesses in the city.

“Upon effectivity of this Executive Order, all public utility vehicles operating outside Tacloban City and offering transport services to passengers shall no longer be allowed to enter the city,” Romualdez said in his order signed late Wednesday night.

Public transport within the city will be allowed to continue operating “provided that they will only transport passengers at half capacity to observe social distancing.”

The city government also prohibits all land, sea, and air travel of persons to and from the city, except health workers, persons availing of emergency medical services, national government workers, goods delivery service providers and media practitioners.

MORE FOOD. Antipolo City officials distribute food and refills alcohol bottles in a community at Barangay San Luis,Antipolo on Thursday morning. Teddy Pelaez

Skeletal force for NGAs, LGUs now in place in Nueva Vizcaya

By Ben Moses Ebreo

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – National government agencies and local government units here have implemented their skeletal force inside their respective offices due to the Enhanced Community Quarantine(ECQ) in Luzon as ordered by President Rodigo Roa Duterte.

The order requires the implementation of home quarantine among government workers and ordinary villagers while the Civil Service Commission also issued Announcement No. 13 Series of 2020, limiting

the work arrangement of government agencies to work from home except those required to provide frontline and necessary services and assistance .

In a recent meeting of the Nueva Vizcaya COVID-19 Tak Force, Governor Carlos Padilla ordered the department heads and division chiefs of the provincial government to implement their respective skeletal forces and work from home arrangements.

With the suspension of public transport, the governor also encouraged the provision of free transport vehicles for provincial government workers especially for hospital workers and those residing outside Bayombong town.

“Let us come up with our own work plan but as a general rule, our employees should stay in their homes,” he said.

Padilla also ordered the cancellation of inter-agency meetings, seminars and other government activities requiring travels and promoting social gatherings as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 threat.

Department heads and division chiefs of the provincial government were also encouraged to put-up a One– Stop scheme of services for Novo Vizcayanos in order to provide continuous PLGU services and activities.

“But with all of these to be put in

place, let us always practice social distancing and other health protocols to ensure our safety from the COVID-19 infection,” the governor said.

Flordelina Granada, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer also assured that food packs are available for distribution to the needy, including their other social welfare assistance and services for the poor.

Dr. Edwin Galapon, Provincial Health Officer and NV COVID-19 head assured that Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs) will be bought for health personnel especially those conducting checkpoints in strategic areas of the province.

World IN BRIEF 4,000 fines handed out PARIS―French police handed out over 4,000 fines Wednesday to people found violating an order to stay at home, on the first full day of a lockdown aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus in the country.

“Since this morning, we have begun procedures and 4,095 people were booked (for violating the rules),” Interior Minister Christophe Castaner told TF1 television.

“The fine was 35 euros ($38) yesterday, and now from today is 135 euros and it can go up to 375 euros. It should be a factor that dissuades people,” he added.

From midday on Tuesday, people in France have been confined to their homes apart from essential trips, for which they must sign a document stating where they are going.

“Our aim to is to protect the French. The best way to protect lives is to stay at home,” he said.

Asked about the fact the many French across the country were still taking walks or jogging, Castaner said this was permitted so long as people went outside alone.

Announcing the lockdown on Monday, President Emmanuel Macron said exercise was permitted, in contrast to the even tighter measures in Italy and Spain.

“People are not going to stay cooped up, especially those who are not going to work, for the next fortnight. But please avoid doing it in a group,” Castaner said. AFP

FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2020

A7

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Sanders to ‘assess’ his campaign W ASHINGTON― Bernie Sanders was talking to advisers on Wednesday as pressure mounted on the leftist Vermont senator to end his White House campaign following a drubbing by Joe Biden in the latest Democratic primaries.

As the coronavirus outbreak played havoc with the primary schedule, calls grew among Democrats for Sanders to bow out to allow the centrist Biden to focus on beating President Donald Trump in November.

Biden, 77, trounced Sanders, 78, in the three states which went to the polls on Tuesday -- Arizona, Florida and Illinois -- to build up an all-but impregnable lead in the number of delegates needed to head the Democratic ticket.

“The race for the nomination is over,” said Democratic strategist David Axel-

rod, who ran Barack Obama’s two presidential campaigns. “That is the reality Bernie Sanders faces.”

While his hopes of winning the nomination may look increasingly dim, the senator strongly denied press reports that he was dropping out.

“Anybody who suggests that at this point we are ending the campaign is not telling the truth,” Sanders told CNN. Sanders campaign manager Faiz Shakir did say, however, that the candidate was holding talks to “assess” the future.

“The next primary contest is at least three weeks away,” Shakir said in a statement. “Senator Sanders is going to be having conversations with supporters to assess his campaign.

“In the immediate term, however, he is focused on the government response to the coronavirus outbreak.”

Several states have postponed primaries because of the pandemic and both candidates have been forced to halt public rallies and turn to virtual campaigning.

Biden trounced Sanders in each of Tuesday’s battlegrounds, taking 62 percent of the vote in Florida against 23 percent for Sanders and winning by 59

percent to 36 percent in Illinois.

In Arizona, Biden had nearly 44 percent to Sanders’ nearly 32 percent.

Voters had also been scheduled to go to the polls in Ohio but the governor of the midwestern state postponed the election, citing the coronavirus outbreak.

The surging Biden has now won 19 of the 27 state contests held so far.

The victories underscored his position as the clear frontrunner and the eagerness of Democratic leaders and party rank and file to come together around a moderate standardbearer to challenge Trump.

According to a count by RealClearPolitics, Biden has racked up 1,153 delegates to Sanders’ 874, with 1,991 needed to capture the nomination.

Given Biden’s substantial lead in opinion polls in many of the states yet to hold primaries, Sanders faces an uphill battle.

Former Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri urged him to drop out.

“I think it is time,” McCaskill told MSNBC. “Bernie’s going to have plenty of delegates and power to influence the

platform,” she said of the policies to be declared at the party’s July convention.

Biden said he was closer to securing the nomination and was building “a broad coalition” that the party requires to defeat Trump.

“The next president will have to salvage our reputation, rebuild confidence in our leadership, and mobilize our country and our allies to rapidly meet new challenges -- like future pandemics.

We need a leader who will be ready on day one,” he said in a tweet Wednesday.

From the White House, Trump taunted the Democrats, repeating his accusation that the party elite sabotaged Sanders -- whom the president’s own campaign views as the weaker potential opponent.

The Democratic National Committee “will have gotten their fondest wish and defeated Bernie Sanders, far ahead of schedule,” Trump tweeted.

“Now they are doing everything possible to be nice to him in order to keep his supporters. Bernie has given up, just like he did last time. He will be dropping out soon!” Trump said, referring to Sanders’s failed fight for the nomination in 2016. AFP

Protest over radioactive dump

MOSCOW―Moscow authorities on Wednesday began work on building a highway over a Soviet-era dump of radioactive materials, despite months of public protests and warnings from environmental campaigners.

Greenpeace and other activists have long campaigned against the project to build an eight-lane motorway over the top of a treelined slope in southern Moscow that contains radioactive waste buried in the Soviet era.

“Works are beginning next to the Moscow Polymetals Plant,” Greenpeace Russia said in a statement, referring to the plant that originally dumped the waste.

The former top-secret facility produced the radioactive element thorium for nuclear reactors until the 1970s.

As construction equipment arrived, dozens of police cordoned off the slope that descends to the Moskva River, activists said.

An excavator dug a hole in the ground, while workers uprooted trees and removed a fence around the plant even though the builders lacked the necessary permits to begin work, Greenpeace said.

Using a loud-hailer, police asked several dozen activists and other people to disperse, an AFP journalist saw.

Sergei Vlasov, a local councilor and activist, said police made no arrests on Wednesday and allowed campaigners, who have been monitoring the site round-the-clock from a minivan, to remain there.

He said, however, the activists had already registered higher than usual radiation at the site. AFP

Mystery buyers for newswire

SYDNEY—Plans to close Australia’s only national newswire were put on hold Thursday after management was blindsided by offers to buy the company.

Australian Associated Press (AAP) announced it was closing last month but, in an email to staff, management told employees Thursday those plans had been paused while they considered offers to buy the news provider from several suitors.

“This development was not expected by management, the AAP Board or the AAP shareholders,” AAP chief executive Bruce Davidson said in the email.

Company officials declined to identify the suitors, citing confidentiality agreements.

Last month, around 180 staff were told the company would be wound up after its main shareholders, Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. and broadcasting and newspaper group Nine Entertainment, determined the wire was “no longer viable”.

The surprise decision to close the wire stunned media in Australia and elsewhere and fueled concerns about the loss of independent news coverage in a country with one of the most concentrated media industries of any democracy.

Despite several staff already being told they would be out of a job by late March, steps to close the company by June had now been paused and redundancies would be postponed for at least two weeks.

“I understand that this development creates more uncertainty for all of you, and I apologize for adding yet another level of complexity in this difficult time,” Davidson said.AFP

PASSENGERS LIMITED. Dozens

of people queue at a bus stop as Ukraine limited the number of passengers riding on a bus to 10 as a measure against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus in Kiev on March 19, 2020. AFP

Manila

Summary of Extra Judicial Settlement Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late Andrew S. de los Reyes was extra-judicially settled among his heirs on February 13, 2020, per Doc. No. 514, Page No. 104, Book No. I, series of 2020 before Notary Public Audrey Nicole Y. Ng, Notary Public for Makati City with Appointment No./ No. 180 (2018airline Qantas said it would Commission halt all international 2020) until December 31, 2020 in response to the coronavirus Rollpandemic of Attorney No. Wednes72118.

Standard

TODAY

Narco-subs pose big challenge to navy TUMACO, Colombia―For years, they were referred to in hushed tones simply as “Bigfoot”―a mythical creature rumored but never seen―but these days, the narcosubmarines used by Colombia’s drug cartels have become almost commonplace.

With cocaine production at an almost record high in the South American country, authorities on the southwestern coast say the crude semi-submersible craft have become a favored tool to smuggle drugs towards the United States―and even to Europe.

Thirty-three submarines were intercepted in 2019 alone, an average of almost three a month―most of them along Colombia’s Pacific coast.

That is a major concern for Rear Admiral Mattos Dager and his “Poseidon” task force against drug trafficking.

“Large quantities of cocaine are transported by sea,” Dager told AFP. “It is much easier to move a tonne of cocaine by sea than by plane because there are more checks on freight at airports.”

According to the rear admiral, 80 percent of Colombia’s illicit drug trade goes out through the Pacific and 14 percent is sent via the Caribbean.

The rudimentary submarines fashioned in secret workshops in the depths of Colombia’s mangrove-fringed northwestern Pacific coast are notoriously difficult for navy patrols or radar to detect.

They cruise “flush with the surface of the water, and the superstructure that protrudes above the surface is very small,” Dager said.

For all their recent success, Dager and his squad know that this is probably only the tip of the iceberg.

As with all drug shipment finds, once the initial euphoria subsides, there is the feeling that many more get through than are ever detected.

Last year, authorities seized 433 tonnes of cocaine -- more than half of that by the navy -- though production was estimated to be more than 1,000 tonnes.

The long-posed question of whether one of the narco-subs could be sophisticated and durable enough to cross the Atlantic was answered in November when a 22-meter vessel was discovered off Spain’s Galician coast.

The semi-submersible was carrying around three tonnes of cocaine. Two of its three crew members were reportedly from Ecuador.

Evidence of the successes of Dager’s task force is littered among the mangrove roots around its base in the southwestern port of Tumaco. AFP

DESERTED ROADS.

A general view shows deserted roads with minimal traffic in Mumbai on March 19, 2020.

AFP

Qantas to cut all international flights

SYDNEY―Australia’s biggest flights and suspend 20,000 staff day, days after the island nation’s other main carrier Virgin shut its overseas routes.

Qantas said all of its internationREPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES al flights would be suspended by REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION late March for at least two months BRANCH 225-QUEZON CITY after the government told citizens Wednesday to forgo all overseas JIMMY BONDOC VIRAY, travel in a bid to halt the spread of Petitioner, the novel coronavirus.

-versusCivil Case No. R-QZN-20-00537 “The efforts to contain the For: Judicial Recognition of Foreign Judgment for Dissolution spread of coronavirus have led of Marriage to a huge drop in travel demand, LYDIA SARIBAY BERZABAL, LOCAL CITY the likes of which we have never CIVIL REGISTRAR OF QUEZON CITY, CIVIL seen before,” Qantas chief execu- REGISTRAR GENERAL OF PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY AND OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR tive Alan Joyce said, adding that GENERAL, Respondents the airline would suspend 20,000 x----------------------------------------------------------x ORDER of its 30,000 staff during the shutA verified petition was filed on January 10, 2020 by petitioner down. through counsel praying that judgment be rendered: 1) granting The move also affected Qantas’ judicial recognition of the judgment for dissolution of marriage February 9, 2017 issued in the Circuit Court of Cook budget offshoot, Jetstar. A num- dated County, Domestic Relations Division, Illinois, USA in Case No. ber of foreign airlines also service 2017 D 230037, dissolving the marriage between petitioner Jimmy Bondoc Viray and Lydia Saribay Berzabal; and 2) ordering Australian routes. the Office of the Local Civil Registry of Quezon City, and the Statistics Authority, to record and register the Decision Qantas announced earlier this Philippine rendered by the Honorable Court in the proper Books of the Civil week a 90 percent cut in over- Registries and to cancel the registration of the marriage of Jimmy Viray and Lydia Saribay Berzabal solemnized on May 2, seas flights while Virgin Australia Bondoc 2007 in Quezon City. grounded its entire international Finding the verified petition to be sufficient in form and substance, the Court gives due course thereto. fleet.

WHEREFORE, let the copy of this Order be Published in a Qantas is maintaining 60 pernewspaper of general circulation in the Philippines once a week cent of its domestic flights and for three (3) consecutive weeks at petitioner’s expense, upon coordination with the Office of the Clerk of Court, Regional Trial Virgin Australia 50 percent.

Court Quezon City. Hearing on the verified petition is hereby set Airlines worldwide face an un- on May 7, 2020 at 8:30 o’clock in the morning at the Hall of Justice Building, Quezon City, at which time and place, any person precedented existential threat as annex having an interest in the petition may appear. the coronavirus shuts down global Let copies of this Order be posted by the Branch Sheriff thirty travel, leaving governments with (30) days before the hearing date at the following place at the expense of petitioner. controversial and costly decisions 1. At the main entrance of the City Hall Building Quezon City about which carriers to bail out.

2. On the Bulletin Board of the Court, Hall of Justice Building, The Transport Workers’ Union Quezon City 3. At the Barangay Hall of the barangay where the petitioner said Qantas was making staff foot resided. the bill for the crisis.

Let copy of this Order be furnished the Office of the Local Civil “This plan is designed to wipe Registrar of Quezon City, the Consulate General of United States of America, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and the the slate clean on all worker en- Philippine Statistics Authority. titlements, including long-service Further, petitioner through counsel is ordered to furnish Lydia Saribay Berzabal with a copy of this Order leave and accrued benefits,” union respondent together with petition and its annexes at her given address and to secretary Michael Kaine said in a show proof of compliance before the hearing date. statement.

SO ORDERED. January 20, 2020, Quezon City, Metro Manila.

Qantas shares were down almost 12 percent on Thursday.

(Sgd.) MARIA LUISA LESLEG GONZALES-BETIC Presiding Judge Australia has reported more Copy furnished: than 600 confirmed cases of coroAtty. Geraldine Grace F. Tibigar-Rabago – Rm. 207 ACRE Bldg., 137 navirus, with infections increasing Malakas St., Quezon City Jimmy Bondoc Viray c/o Atty. Geraldine Grace F. Tibigar-Rabago – daily. There have been six deaths. Rm. 207 ACRE Bldg., 137 Malakas St., Quezon City Office of the Solicitor General, Makati City Officials say a large number of Office of the City Prosecutor, Quezon City of the Local Civil Registrar, Quezon City new cases involve people arriving Office Philippine Statistics Authority (formerly NSO) – Vibal Bldg., Quezon Avenue, Quezon City from overseas or those who have Embassy of United States of America – 1201 Roxas Blvd., Pasay City (MStandard - Mar. 6, 13 & 20, 2020) been in contact with them. AFP (MS-MAR. 6, 13 & 20, 2020)

Sports

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

sports@manilastandard.net

sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

A8

THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 2020

NBA chief defends league over virus tests for ‘wealthy’ LOS ANGELES, United States—NBA commissioner Adam Silver defended the league’s swift testing of players for the new coronavirus on Wednesday (Thursday Philippine time) as the vast majority of Americans face long waits to be tested for the disease.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio slammed NBA teams for being able to access COVID-19 tests after it emerged four members of the Brooklyn Nets, including superstar Kevin Durant had tested positive.

Several NBA teams including the Nets, Utah Jazz, Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Lakers have been tested for the illness in private facilities despite shortages of testing kits.

“We wish them a speedy recovery,” de Blasio said of the Nets players in a post on Twitter.

“But, with all due respect, an entire NBA team should NOT get tested for COVID-19 while there are critically ill patients waiting to be tested.

“Tests should not be for the wealthy, but for the sick.”

In an interview with ESPN on Wednesday (Thursday Philippine time), Silver said a total of eight NBA teams had undergone tests.

But while Silver acknowledged de Blasio’s criticism, he defended the decision to test players, saying the NBA was acting on advice of public health authorities.

“I of course understand his point in that it is unfortunate we are in this position that it’s triage when it comes to testing, so the fundamental issue obviously is that there are insufficient tests,” Silver said.

“I’d only say in the case of the NBA is that we’ve been following the recommendations of public health officials.”

US authorities have come under fire for lagging behind in deploying test kits, which health experts have said allowed the virus to spread beyond the country’s ability to detect it.

- Players ‘stir crazy’ The NBA imposed an indefinite suspension on games after Jazz player Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus last week.

Teammate Donovan Mitchell was also confirmed to have contracted the disease.

Silver said the league had acted swiftly after the initial clusters of positive cases was confirmed.

“We followed health officials and doctors’ recommendations that we looked at that group of teams that were most proximate to the initial teams that had tested positive, and the circle expanded from there,” Silver said.

“We’ve had eight full NBA teams that have been tested now and members of other teams that were showing symptoms.

“I understand from a public health standpoint why some people have reacted the way they did, but I would say from an NBA standpoint we were following directives.”

Silver said he believed of the players who have so far tested positive, none were in danger.

“Two the best of my knowledge two had mild symptoms while the others remained asyptomatic,” he said. AFP

CDC suspends POGO activities PHILIPPINE Offshore Gaming Operations (POGOs) inside the Clark Freeport Zone will not be allowed to operate during the month-long Enhanced Community Quarantine implemented by the national government.

This is in accordance with the March 18, 2020 Memorandum from the Executive Secretary which contains additional guidelines for the community quarantine over the entire Luzon and management of the COVID-19.

The Clark Development Corporation (CDC) issued guidelines in limiting movement within the Zone to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on March 17.

Only employees in specific business enterprises will be allowed to and from the Freeport.

These include workers in the food sector (groceries, supermarkets, duty free shops, convenience stores), gasoline stations, clinics and hospitals, drug stores, banks, payment and remittance centers, waste management (garbage collection), utility companies (power, water, telcos), logistics, grounds maintenance (street sweeping, grass cutting), BPOs and manufacturing.

SURF’S UP. Japan’s Kanoa Igarashi performs a difficult maneuver during the final of the World Surf League men’s championship tour surfing event in Bali, Indonesia on May

25, 2019 in this file photo. Igarashi is already seeing his training for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics hit by the coronavirus outbreak, but he’s still hoping a ‘heartbreaking’ cancellation of the Tokyo Olympics can be avoided. AFP

NCAA stops Season 95 due to COVID-19 fears

By Peter Atencio

T

HE policy board of the National Collegiate Athletic Association terminated all activities of Season 95.

The decision was reached after the government imposed a monthlong community quarantine on Luzon province in its bid to check the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Season 95 Policy Board President Francisco Cayco of Season Host Arellano University said this in a statement after he informed members school of their decision, which was reached on the fifth day of the quarantine.

Last week, organizers earlier heeded to the advice of the Department of Health, and called off all its

activities for the second time.

“This was arrived at after consulting the Policy Board members. First and foremost that was considered was the safety of the athletes, students, fans, and officials,” said the Policy Board in a statement.

Before the quarantine measures were adopted, the De-

partment of Education issued guidelines “to ensure heightened precautions” in light of recent developments.

The entire Luzon island is now under Code Red sublevel 2.

Under such measures, authorities will impose social distancing measures in the National Capital Region (NCR) for thirty (30) days, effective March 15, 2020.

The suspension of classes in all levels in Metro Manila has been extended until April 12, 2020, with students remaining in their respective homes for the said duration.

On the other hand, mass gatherings have also been prohibited.

Sarangani taps Kallos to call shots AFTER a season filled with controversies, Sarangani Province will have a fresh start with John Kallos calling the shots come the next season of Chooksto-Go Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League.

The 36-year-old Kallos will be tasked to turn things around for a dysfunctional Sarangani squad which made some noise last year for the wrong reasons.

The franchise was most known for its game-fixing involvement last November which resulted in the league filing charges against 21 members of the thenSOCCSKARGEN squad.

The league then took over the squad in order to keep the competition calendar going.

This led to a disastrous Sarangani campaign with the team dropping its first 21 games before chalking up its only win via a 78-74 triumph over Quezon City-WEMSAP. The team went on to finish dead-last in the Lakan Season with a disappointing 1-29 record.

Kallos, who spent the last three seasons with Caloocan-Victory Liner, will replace interim head coach Manuel Torralba.

To kick-start the cleansing of the team, Kallos bared that he will be bringing in a bunch of veterans and familiar faces to aid the Sarangani’s rebuild.

“Siyempre, aalisin natin ung mga panget na gawain dati. We will put players and coaching staff na competent.

John Kallos looks up at the stands while pacing the sideline during a match in the MPBL.

Mga hard worker at meron pagmamahal sa trabaho at loyal,” said Kallos, who led the Supremos to a 16-14 win-loss record this season, falling behind Pasay with a 17-13 card for the last playoff slot.

“I will build a team na trusted ko, build a good relationship with the players and always do your best and work hard,” he said.

Jester Macabagdal, Maricon Rearte, and Gilbert Cole – his trusted deputies during his time in Caloocan and Adamson – along with Cris Bautista, Andrew Belarmino, and Emman Romey will make up his coaching staff.

Beefing up the squad are veterans

Chico Lanete and Manila-Frontrow’s Marvin Hayes, who met with Sarangani officials and committed to the team last Tuesday.

“Kilala ko na kasi siya since PBL days dati sa Nutrilicios team. Player siya ng brother ko (Monel Kallos) and he is a winner and a leader,” said Kallos of Lanete, a floor general who won three championships with the San Miguel Beermen at the tail-end of his pro career.

Paul Sanga, Mark Sarangay, and brothers Joe and Carlo Escalambre – who all played under Kallos in Caloocan – all agreed to join their head coach in Sarangani next season.

Le Mans 24-hour race postponed to September PARIS, France—The Le Mans 24-hour endurance race, one of the traditional highlights of the motor racing calendar, has been postponed from June to September 19-20 because of the coronavirus pandemic, organizers said Wednesday (Thursday Philippine time).

The organizers said they had taken the decision “as a consequence of the health situation linked to the coronavirus and the current restrictions in France and the world”.

This season’s 1000 Miles of Sebring was cancelled due to a travel ban to the US from mainland Europe, as was the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps.

The decision will impact the 20202021 World Endurance Championship campaign which was set to start on September 5 at Britain’s Silverstone.

Other motor racing events to be put on hold due to the COVID-19 outbreak including Formula One, the World Rally Championship and Moto GP.

The season-beginning Australian Grand Prix was called off hours before its start last Sunday and earlier on Wednesday F1 said it will bring its summer shutdown period forward to March and April and extend it by a week.

The move was made in order to free up the August break for a racing calendar decimated by the deadly virus that has forced organisers to postpone the first four events of the season. AFP

PSC issues guidelines for athletes in Philsports FOLLOWING the Proclamation 929 and 922 from Malacañang on Monday, the Philippine Sports Commission’s Medical Scientific Athlete Services (MSAS) unit on Wednesday issued a medical guideline for its employees and athletes still under their care.

The said guideline included limited person-to-person interaction via social distancing, strict home quarantine observation, and suspension of nonessential travel outside the complex.

As of this writing, there are still over 30 athletes and coaches in the agency’s dormitories in Philsports Complex, Pasig City.

Medical personnel and a skeletal force taking care of basic operations like security, meals, and maintenance, faithfully report daily to service these clients.

“Despite the challenges, we will do our best to assist those within our premises” said PSC Chairman William Ramirez.

In the medical advisory, all athletes and coaches staying at the dormitories of Philsports are strictly advised to interact 1 to 2 meters apart. Anybody who has a recent history of travel regardless of origin is encouraged to wear a mask, provided by the agency’s Medical Unit.

Chief of Staff Marc Velasco said they have asked everyone to make an effort to keep their activities confined within their respective rooms and nutrition hall.

The advisory also gave instructions on what athletes coming in from overseas or those staying at home can do should they suspect infection.

Regular temperature checks are being done to those billeted in the dorms, as well as at the nutrition hall.

“We advise our athletes to stay hydrated and well-nourished with adequate sleep to boost your immune system,” said Molo in the document.

IN BRIEF

Metrobank, GT pledge over P200m THE Metrobank and GT Capital Holdings group stand with all Filipinos in facing the challenges brought on by COVID-19 as they committed to provide P200 million in the fight against the pandemic.

The Ty family-led companies are pledging support to manage the disruption and provide meaningful assistance to customers, employees and partners who most need help in these difficult times.

Aside from the assistance already being extended to impacted customers and displaced employees, Metrobank and GT Capital pledged P200 million towards initiatives that directly support the fight against the virus.

These initiatives will be managed by the respective foundations of the group and will start with efforts to produce the test kits developed by the University of the PhilippinesNational Institutes of Health (UP-NIH) and the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline health workers.

The group said it would continuously monitor the evolving situation and implement further measures as needed.

GMA-7, LRMC support employees

GMA Network Inc. and Light Rail Manila Corp. said they will provide financial assistance to their employees amid the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon to fight the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

The broadcasting network said all employees would get their full salaries and the cash equivalent of rice benefits. “These are on top of the year-round medicine allowance and health card benefits accorded to all regular employees and their eligible dependents,” it said.

It said talents and project employees would also receive their salaries on March 25 and 30, respectively. In addition, a cash advance will be made available for them for their April 10 and 15 pay-outs.

LRMC, the operator of LRT Line 1, said it would provide employees, train station tenants, concessionaires and frontliners with financial and transportation assistance and other benefits. It said that as part of the assistance plan, its management would release employees’ midyear bonus in advance, on top of continued disbursement of their salaries.

“Employees’ vacation and sick leaves will remain intact as they will not be forced to take them during the quarantine period, while medical loan facilities will also remain available,” LRMC said.

Business

Gov’t suspends POGO operations amid quarantine STATE-RUN Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. said it temporarily suspended the operations of Philippine offshore and gaming operators and their service providers in Luzon during the month-long enhanced community quarantine imposed by the government.

PAGCOR said in a statement the suspension—effective immediately— was implemented to ensure the safety of all employees and to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

The agency said in amended guidelines that “the skeletal workforce at POGO operating sites are no longer allowed.”

“Hence, all POGO employees are enjoined to remain in their places of residence, and no loitering or mass gatherings are allowed,” it said.

Meanwhile, the maintenance and upkeep of POGO data centers, software, technical devices and other information technology facilities should be done remotely. On matters that cannot be done remotely, maintenance personnel should secure necessary permits from the concerned unit of the Inter-Agency Task Force, it said PAGCOR said that for POGO operations outside Luzon, operators and service providers should abide by the community quarantine measures that were being adopted by concerned local government units.

PAGCOR chairman and chief executive Andrea Domingo said this measure would help ensure not only the health and safety of POGO workers but the Filipinos as a whole.

“Our situation right now is different.

While revenue generation is important in our operations, the health and wellbeing being of every Filipino is our immediate priority,” Domingo said.

Julito G. Rada

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2020

B1

BSP cuts interest rates by 50 bps

By Julito G. Rada

ment a month-long enhanced community quarantine in Luzon until April 12, 2020. The country was also placed unHE Monetary Board, der a state of calamity. the policy-making body The 50-bps cut was the first time in of the Bangko Sentral a single board meeting in more than 11 ng Pilipinas, on Thursday cut years since the BSP cut the policy rates by 50-bps to 5 percent on Jan. 29, 2009. the policy interest rates by 50 BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno, who basis points to 3.25 percent tested negative of COVID-19, said in a effective March 20 to support the statement released to reporters in the abeconomy amid the onslaught of sence of the usual policy briefing that the the coronavirus disease 2019. interest rates on overnight lending and deThe disease that originated in China posit facilities were also reduced to 3.75 compelled the government to imple- percent and 2.75 percent, respectively.

T

“In addition, the Monetary Board authorized the time-bound, temporary relaxation of BSP regulations on compliance reporting by banks, calculation of penalties on required reserves, and single borrower limits,” Diokno said.

The Monetary Board also approved a temporary reduction in the term spread on rediscounting loans relative to the overnight lending rate to zero. Diokno said the BSP would issue the detailed guidelines on these monetary measures and regulatory forbearance items by the close of business March 19.

“Latest baseline forecasts indicate a lower path of inflation for 2020 and

ALCOHOL DONATION.

Alliance Global Group Inc., the holding company of tycoon Dr. Andrew Tan, is donating one million liters of 70-percent disinfectant ethyl alcohol to help strengthen government’s efforts in fighting the spread of coronavirus disease 2019. Around 850,000 liters of 96-percent ethyl alcohol will be denatured in order to convert them into sanitizing and disinfectant alcohol, which can be used by hospitals, clinics and government agencies that are tirelessly working to curb the spread of the coronavirus all over the country.

Spearheading the donation drive are AGG chairman Andrew Tan (left) and chief executive Kevin Tan.

Jollibee allocates P1-b emergency fund JOLLIBEE Foods Corp. chairman and founder Tony Tan Caktiong said Thursday the company, amid the challenging business environment due to COVID 19, allocated an emergency response fund of P1 billion to provide employees with the needed financial support to cope through the Enhanced Community Quarantine period.

The employee package covers all work teams of Jollibee Group’s offices, stores, commissaries and logistics centers, including the senior citizens and PWDs assigned to stores under the joint employment program with local government units. The same assistance will also be extended to JFC’s partner employers in the stores and other sites to provide financial support to their respective employees during this time.

“This public health crisis challenges us as a company and as a nation in ways we’ve never seen before,” said Tan Caktiong.

“In these times, we know how people are worrying about their safety and how to take care of their families. We want to help lessen their worries and we are setting up this fund to help them through this difficult time. We are moved by how different individuals and sectors are taking action to help one another and we are one with them in supporting the government as we fight COVID together. We will overcome these challenges together,” he said.

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor

Big corporations support campaign against COVID-19 MORE big corporations have extended support to the country’s campaign against the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

LT Group Inc. committed to provide ethyl alcohol, bottled water and face masks to frontline health workers leading the fight against COVID-19. The group donated 400 4-liter bottles (1,600 liters) of ethyl alcohol as part of the total 20,000 liters it committed to deliver to the Department of Health for distribution to various government medical facilities.

It also turned over to DoH 70,000 bottles of Absolute 350ml and 3,000 6-liter bottles of distilled drinking water plus 2,000 pieces of N95 face masks.

The conglomerate is also preparing 20,000 4-liter bottles and 240,000 375ml bottles of ethyl alcohol plus 350,000 bottles of Absolute 350ml white label distilled water for its employees, local government units and other frontline agencies

like the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Meanwhile, the Villar Group donated a first batch of disinfecting apparatus to nine government hospitals in Metro Manila, 200,000 face masks and daily supply of bottled drinking water to the government through the Department of Health to help combat COVID-19.

“In response to the escalating number of Filipinos affected by COVID-19, we are doing our part to support the efforts of the government to stop the transmission of the coronavirus,” said Villar Group head Manuel Villar.

“The disinfecting apparatus will help ensure the safety of our government hospitals, the medical frontliners as well as everyone in the vicinity of the hospitals; likewise, the face masks and drinking water are much needed by the medical personnel, police officers, soldiers as well

as personnel from DSWD and MMDA as they implement the enhanced community quarantine in the entire Luzon,” Villar said.

Leading food and beverage kiosk operator Fruitas Holdings Inc. committed to donate at least 1,000 bottles of 100-percent fresh buko juice every day to the frontliners in the fight against COVID-19.

“Frontliners, ranging from doctors and nurses working in the hospitals, to armed forces, police and guards, are risking themselves to protect Filipinos from COVID-19 and this is our own way of expressing our gratitude. We’ll try to do our best to continue this every day until the Philippines gets through the COVID-19 pandemic. We are also encouraging our customer base to contribute to this campaign – every act of generosity counts,” said Fruitas president and chief executive Lester Yu said. Jenniffer B. Austria

NUTRIBUN DONATION.

San Miguel Corp. is reviving Nutribun, the vitamin-packed bread, for distribution to charitable groups and critical Metro Manila communities where families have either no access to, or unable to afford, food amid the Covid-19 outbreak.

SMC president and COO Ramon Ang said the bread it started to produce is packed with nutrients and provides instant energy at 250 calories per bun.

2021, with inflation expectations remaining firmly anchored within the target range [2 percent to 4 percent] over the policy horizon. Average inflation is seen to settle at 2.2 percent in 2020 and 2.4 percent in 2021,” Diokno said.

He said the latest forecasts were substantially below the February monetary policy meeting projections of 3.0 percent for 2020 and 2.9 percent for 2021 following the lower-than-projected inflation outturns in recent months, a sharp decline in global crude oil prices and the adverse effects of COVID-19 on global and domestic economic activity.

LT Group’s 2019 income climbed 43% to P23.12b

By Jenniffer B. Austria LT GROUP, Inc., the listed holding company of tycoon Lucio Tan, said Thursday net income jumped 43 percent in 2019 to a record P23.12 billion from P16.19 billion in 2018.

LT Group said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the group’s tobacco business accounted for P15.50 billion or 67 percent of total attributable income.

Philippine National Bank contributed P5.57 billion or 24 percent, followed by Eton Properties Philippines Inc. which added P896 million, Tanduay Distillers Inc. with P667 million and Asia Brewery Inc. with P398 million.

The company’s 30.9-percent stake in Victorias Milling Company Inc. accounted for the remaining P251 million.

LT Group’s tobacco business reported a net income of P15.56 billion in 2019, up by 78 percent from P8.75 billion in 2018.

Equity in net earnings from LTG’s 49.6-percent stake in PMFTC was P15.40 billion, up 82 percent from 2018’s P8.46 billion. The higher income was attributed to the higher share of premium cigarette brand and the price increases implemented in late August 2019.

Volume, however, declined by 3 percent in 2019.

President Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11346 in July 2019 which increased further the excise tax on tobacco starting January 2020.

From P35 per pack in 2019, it increased to P45 per pack in 2020.

PNB’s core income reached P9.51 billion in 2019, up 61 percent from P5.92 billion in 2018.

Net interest income rose 20 percent as loans and receivables grew by 12 percent and net interest margin also improved.

Property firm Eton reported a net income of P900 million in 2019, an increase of 88 percent from a year ago even as total revenues dipped by 2 percent.

Eton continued to expand its leasing portfolio with the opening of Eton WestEnd Square in Makati City in the second quarter of 2019. Its retail component, eWestMall, has two floors of retail spaces with a total leasable area of 3,600 square meters. The office component, eWestPod, has over 13,000 square meters of office space.

Eton Properties had a leasing portfolio of 181,000 square meters of office space and over 43,500 square meters of retail space as of end-2019.

Tanduay’s net income declined by 26 percent to P676 million last year on slightly lower margins from higher alcohol costs and higher interest expenses.

Power demand falls 30% amid Luzon community quarantine as economy slows

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE enhanced community quarantine in Luzon reduced electricity demand by around 30 percent from the same period last year, based on the Energy Department’s monitoring.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said this meant most of the economic activities slowed down during the period. He also noted delays in on-going construction and other activities in the energy sector.

“We received reports that some of the foreign contractors and workers are not able to travel. There are also issues on the late delivery of imported equipment and parts needed for energy facilities, generation, distribution projects, because of the slowdown in global production,” Cusi said.

He said this could result in delayed completion of on-going projects and repairs and further hinder energy-related investments.

“While these may cause more prob-

lems in our energy reliability and capacity in the long run, the DOE will continue to advise the public on effective ways that provide the necessary energy solutions for the benefit of all consumers and stakeholders,” the energy chief said.

Cusi said the primordial concern right now was to defeat the coronavirus disease 2019 crisis.

“The DOE and the entire energy family is one in cooperating with the whole government. We are committed to fully

coordinate and provide 24/7 energy services that bring comfort to every home and all the institutions working to ensure our victory,” Cusi said.

He said to ensure the unimpeded delivery of energy services during 30-day quarantine imposed in Luzon, the department’s Energy Resource Development Bureau promptly addressed the operational concerns of Shell Philippines Exploration B.V.-Malampaya Deep Water Gas Field, or Service Contract No. 38.

B2

Business

FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2020 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stock market drops to 8-year low T HE stock market plummeted Thursday to over eight-year low after reopening, following a two-day suspension prompted by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Philippines Stock Exchange Index slumped 711.95 points, or 13.3 percent, to 4,623.42 on a value turnover of P9.4 billion. It fell almost 25 percent after reopening before bouncing back later. Losers routed gainers, 211 to 8, with 21 issues unchanged.

The Philippines was the first in the world to indefinitely suspend trading after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered more than half of its population to stay home for the next month.

The Philippine bourse had suspended operations “until further notice” in response but

quickly recalled its order and reopened the market on Thursday after the government exempted it from the lockdown.

It was the largest fall on record for the benchmark, Bloomberg reported.

“We were kind of expecting that the market would open quite low, especially after a two-day halt in trading,” exchange president Ramon Monzon said.

Monzon said he was in talks with Philippine regulators to implement new measures to stem market volatility, which could include additional intraday trading suspensions.

Jollibee Foods Corp., the biggest fast-food chain, plunged 24.7 percent to P91.10, while BDO Unibank Inc., the largest lender in terms of assets, dropped 22.7 percent to P85.

Conglomerate Ayala Corp. tumbled 22.8 percent to P394, while unit Ayala Land Inc. declined 20.3 percent to P22.95.

The rest of Asian equities sank again Thursday while the dollar surged as a

European Central Bank plan to spend more than $800 billion to buy bonds failed to instill optimism in traders who fear that the world is heading for a virusfueled economic catastrophe.

In what one analyst said could be a “game changer” for the coronaviruswracked eurozone, the ECB’s so-called Pandemic Emergency Purchase Programme aims to give financial markets some much-needed liquidity as investors pull the plug on markets.

It said the 750-billion-euro ($820-billion) program was temporary and will be halted when the coronavirus crisis is judged to be over “but in any case not before the end of the year.”

After announcing the move, ECB boss Christine Lagarde tweeted that “extraordinary times require extraordinary action. There are no limits to our commitment to the euro.”

Those comments echoed the words of her predecessor Mario Draghi, whose

pledge to do “whatever it takes” to preserve the eurozone was seen as a turning point in the region’s sovereign debt crisis.

Asian markets initially climbed on the news but soon tumbled as investors contemplate months of economic hardship with countries around the world in lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which has now infected more than 200,000 people and killed almost 9,000.

Seoul tanked more than eight percent, Singapore dived 4.5 percent and Hong Kong, Sydney, Wellington and Bangkok lost more than three percent. Tokyo ended down one percent, while Taipei and Jakarta crumbled more than five percent.

Mumbai and Shanghai were more than one percent lower.

The sharp losses were in tandem with a surge in the dollar as investors scrambled for cash to pay debts or just stash away. With AFP

Manila Standard BuSineSS daily StockS review thurSday, March 19, 2020

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

ASIA UNITED BANK PH ISLANDS BDO UNIBANK CHINABANK COL FINANCIAL EAST WEST BANK FERRONOUX HLDG FILIPINO FUND FIRST ABACUS IREMIT MANULIFE MEDCO HLDG METROBANK PB BANK PBCOM PHIL NATL BANK PHIL STOCK EXCH PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK SUN LIFE UNION BANK VANTAGE

40.05 58 92.1 19.98 16.8 8.1 2.9 6.11 0.5 1.09 680 0.31 39.5 8.2 16 23 148 40.15 17 111 1,400 54 1

43.5 58.25 99.8 19.98 16.8 8.1 3.3 6.11 0.5 1.09 680 0.31 40 8.2 16 23 149 40.15 17 111 1,400 54 1

40.05 48 75 17 16 7 2.5 6.11 0.5 1 680 0.29 32.9 8.2 16 19.9 145.8 38 15.5 79.3 1,400 51.6 0.9

FINANCIALS 43.5 10,100 55.5 4,101,470 85 10,902,870 18.4 67,600 16 117,800 7.01 877,400 3.3 12,000 6.11 200 0.5 5,000 1.09 40,000 680 100 0.3 170,000 39 9,899,600 8.2 27,000 16 300 20.45 651,900 148.5 470 38 1,900 15.6 43,100 102.5 616,650 1,400 35 52.1 17,920 1 110,000

436,280 226,637,079 974,410,349.50 1,234,256 1,942,530 6,413,395 33,250 1,222 2,500 41,170 68,000 51,100 376,480,850 221,400 4,800 13,377,770 69,551 74,545 679,906 62,713,096 49,000 935,923 109,200

-269,700 -77,174,025.50 -334,138,981.50 -72,090 -3,398,748 2,900 -186,160,795 870,940 -2,960 12,255.00 -415,250 -14,270,495.50 484,829.50 -

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

23 1.69 6.33 0.44 0.61 1.91 0.168 0.97 13.08 140 4 43 1.92 2.8 4.6 6.96 6.89 8.4 2.35 15.2 52 1 33.2 0.75 12.22 4.08 0.92 105 3.15 5.22 9.2 5.3 10.8 218.8 1.41 2.45 8 9.5 20.65 4.7 1.25 1.42 0.62 6.15 51.95 7.01 0.12 0.61 95.9 2.2 0.77 0.5

26 1.7 6.43 0.47 0.85 1.95 0.177 0.97 13.08 140 4 56 2.06 3 4.76 6.96 6.89 9.25 2.35 15.6 52 1.04 33.2 0.75 12.22 4.08 0.99 106.2 3.25 5.5 9.22 5.3 10.8 230 1.44 2.45 8.79 9.5 20.65 4.7 1.39 1.43 0.63 6.15 51.95 7.01 0.12 0.61 121.9 2.2 0.77 0.5

20.15 1.46 5.8 0.44 0.61 1.75 0.168 0.9 9.53 140 3.62 27.5 1.86 2.8 3.97 5.9 5.51 7.65 1.9 14.3 41 0.9 31 0.66 11.04 3.2 0.85 91.1 3.15 5.22 8.1 4.5 7.2 189.7 1.26 2.01 8 9.3 17.5 4.4 1.21 1.42 0.55 5 45 6.5 0.119 0.58 82 2.2 0.63 0.48

INDUSTRIAL 24 3,398,800 1.49 9,038,000 6.21 1,087,300 0.47 170,000 0.85 71,000 1.9 1,341,000 0.168 210,000 0.93 10,165,000 10.08 666,800 140 290 3.8 551,000 56 70 1.88 6,445,000 2.8 156,000 3.97 11,129,000 5.9 591,900 6 60,600 7.74 60,485,400 1.91 4,073,000 14.3 4,381,500 45.15 68,750 1 19,013,000 32.9 17,400 0.66 4,939,000 11.8 108,600 3.38 969,000 0.92 327,000 91.1 3,310,100 3.2 4,000 5.5 9,300 8.5 7,147,800 4.5 421,200 7.2 864,800 210 696,650 1.38 64,000 2.05 4,268,000 8.79 8,200 9.45 29,500 17.5 262,900 4.62 38,000 1.3 336,000 1.43 16,000 0.56 174,000 6 834,300 45 470,900 6.71 358,700 0.119 60,000 0.58 122,000 110 2,700,990 2.2 60,000 0.71 4,291,000 0.48 1,089,000

76,909,105 13,783,800 6,719,294 78,600 54,900 2,440,300 35,370 9,548,750 6,911,421 40,600 2,073,260 2,985 12,874,470 453,100 44,593,740 3,652,202 359,928 543,887,824 8,360,200 63,936,986 3,151,041 18,889,860 575,130 3,635,540 1,293,066 3,329,090 302,590 330,014,709.50 12,750 49,106 61,352,078 2,067,051 7,099,539 146,917,974 89,850 9,016,650 66,390 278,676 4,982,732 172,260 433,940 22,820 102,300 4,514,755 21,449,165 2,395,556 7,190 72,490 276,498,757.50 132,000 3,018,420 537,760

-27,172,200 -1,132,220 113,258 61,330 5,925,890 -2,331,451 76,370 9,916,170 -42,950 -30,423,590 561,850 -84,000 -539,812,741 3,200 33,751,796 -2,358,087.50 -932,470 410,420 -3,076,670 -116,704 -1,017,770 -85,827,433.50 -9,434 -5,376,898.00 -346,409 -6,362,261 -26,521,926 -2,880 -6,944,160 -1,600 -7,535 -1,859,594 -13,860 88,500 -175,000 15,540,815 -245,380 -6,000 -29,412,007.50 132,000 1,023,330 5,000

NAME

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

VISTA LAND VISTAMALLS

5 3.85

5 3.95

3.61 3.6

3.61 3.72

3,685,900 51,000

15,036,065 189,950

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

5.5 16.2 6.6 0.31 0.04 16 2.1 4.9 0.026 46 6 2.25 3.14 800.5 1,740 5.05 339 12.86 0.59 1.09 75.95 0.066 1.08 11 1.15 0.68 4.8 0.36 1.3 1.55 1.45 1.18 1.75 6 3.2 7.84 136.1 1.2 885 0.3 0.182 31 50 5 1 0.395 0.158 0.4 13

5.54 16.2 6.6 0.34 0.041 16 2.2 4.9 0.027 46 6 2.25 3.14 800.5 1,899 5.05 339 12.86 0.61 1.09 76 0.066 1.09 11 1.15 0.68 4.8 0.36 1.3 1.55 1.5 1.18 1.75 6 3.2 7.84 137.5 1.27 924 0.31 0.2 31 50 6 1 0.405 0.158 0.435 13.5

3.3 15 5.03 0.27 0.04 16 1.9 4.03 0.026 38.6 5.5 1.91 2.99 800.5 1,706 4.55 339 12.86 0.51 1.09 61.85 0.053 1 11 1.02 0.61 3.94 0.305 1.24 1.22 1.34 1.06 1.57 5 3 7.84 135 1.1 805 0.28 0.17 26 44 5 0.9 0.375 0.14 0.375 12

SERVICES 4.19 15.3 5.5 0.27 0.04 16 2.1 4.36 0.027 38.7 5.5 2.01 3.14 800.5 1,745 4.65 339 12.86 0.55 1.09 71.5 0.057 1.06 11 1.15 0.61 4.06 0.305 1.25 1.23 1.34 1.1 1.57 5 3.2 7.84 137.5 1.12 924 0.29 0.185 29 46.1 5.75 0.93 0.39 0.14 0.435 12

81,000 542,500 1,756,700 1,090,000 1,700,000 9,900 74,000 18,514,100 5,200,000 941,200 6,500 1,350,000 14,000 10 107,305 368,600 210 100 447,000 7,000 4,754,890 940,000 24,156,000 200 132,000 15,000 1,181,800 540,000 1,587,000 2,231,000 26,000 1,524,000 10,000 53,100 26,000 1,500 63,010 907,000 255,080 7,150,000 2,270,000 2,230,000 310,810 97,100 2,706,000 2,590,000 5,020,000 390,000 5,616,800

332,173 8,427,400 9,671,087 352,500 68,500 158,400 147,790 80,037,707 135,500 37,119,435 38,750 2,717,370 42,440 8,005 191,023,230 1,738,145 71,190 1,286 245,870 7,630 335,784,967.50 55,090 25,053,860 2,200 145,100 9,740 4,876,629 182,050 1,998,310 3,008,530 37,200 1,703,520 16,520 280,599 80,400 11,760 8,657,326 1,036,660 223,509,370 2,128,150 405,980 63,981,025 14,211,247.50 518,295 2,548,480 1,005,450 749,390 155,000 70,472,258

ABRA MINING ACE ENEXOR APEX MINING ATLAS MINING ATOK CENTURY PEAK FERRONICKEL GEOGRACE LEPANTO A LEPANTO B MANILA MINING B MARCVENTURES NICKEL ASIA NIHAO OMICO CORP ORNTL PENINSULA ORNTL PETROL A ORNTL PETROL B PHILODRILL PX MINING PXP ENERGY SEMIRARA MINING

0.0011 5 0.59 1.8 9.45 2.48 0.47 0.185 0.07 0.075 0.0049 0.52 1.6 0.89 0.275 0.56 0.0083 0.0081 0.0078 2.11 4.3 11.6

0.0011 5 0.65 1.8 10.2 2.48 0.49 0.185 0.08 0.077 0.0049 0.53 1.61 0.89 0.275 0.56 0.0083 0.009 0.0078 2.15 4.3 11.6

0.0009 4.2 0.55 1.5 9.45 2.43 0.455 0.18 0.063 0.07 0.0049 0.51 1.5 0.77 0.275 0.43 0.008 0.0081 0.0072 1.96 3.65 8.92

MINING & OIL 0.001 508,000,000 4.7 318,300 0.56 2,305,000 1.75 14,000 10.18 9,100 2.47 546,000 0.47 4,596,000 0.181 180,000 0.08 530,000 0.077 600,000 0.0049 1,000,000 0.53 54,000 1.55 2,320,000 0.78 295,000 0.275 10,000 0.45 96,000 0.008 110,000,000 0.009 6,000,000 0.0072 9,000,000 1.97 1,095,000 3.95 404,000 8.92 2,873,000

512,700 1,423,164 1,326,230 22,510 90,118 1,343,380 2,145,255 32,810 35,620 43,080 4,900 27,980 3,541,320 230,580 2,750 42,900 896,500 51,300 68,400 2,188,840 1,605,610 27,925,461

-3,000 -63,874 -3,140.00 148,700 -140,210 -473,820 -1,600 239,690 172,820 -8,782,271

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2R ALCO PREF B ALCO PREF C CPG PREF A DD PREF FGEN PREF G FPH PREF C GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 3A PCOR PREF 3B PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 3B PNX PREF 4 SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

15.56 506 496 100.4 100.2 100.6 100.3 110 490 500 5 920 97.3 100 1,040 1,050 99.6 102.8 1,005 77.2 73 74 75.75 73 75 75.2

15.56 506 496 100.4 100.2 100.7 100.3 110 490 500 5 920 97.3 100 1,040 1,050 99.6 105 1,005 77.2 74.1 74 78 75 75 75.3

14 506 496 100.3 99 100.5 98 103.5 490 480 4.99 920 96.4 99.9 1,003 1,002 99.1 100.1 995 75.1 73 74 75 73 74 74.75

PREFERRED 14 148,300 506 5,730 496 16,850 100.4 13,810 99 1,100 100.6 37,490 98 61,890 103.5 1,030 490 320 499.8 4,150 4.99 5,700 920 150 96.6 3,250 100 118,000 1,003 10,705 1,003 1,360 99.1 9,200 105 7,210 1,000 4,795 76.2 21,530 74.1 1,000 74 500 75 42,480 75 980 74 10,000 75 56,630

2,088,266 2,899,380 8,357,600 1,386,314 109,500 3,770,145 6,121,053 106,810 156,800 1,993,116 28,493 138,000 314,275 11,797,486.50 10,742,700 1,392,760 913,820 743,850 4,797,315 1,642,495 73,330 37,000 3,200,715 72,940 746,000 4,250,604

-7,117,600 10,010 -48,250 508,501 100,500 -

LR WARRANT

0.69

0.69

0.63

WARRANTS 0.63 56,000

35,960

-

692,970 429,800 166,870

-172,290 24,320 -

35,889,483.50

184,025

MS

ABACORE CAPITAL ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANSCOR ASIABEST GROUP ATN HLDG A ATN HLDG B AYALA CORP AYALA LAND LOG COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV FORUM PACIFIC GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT JOLLIVILLE HLDG KEPPEL HLDG A KEPPEL HLDG B LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP MABUHAY HLDG METRO PAC INV PACIFICA HLDG SAN MIGUEL CORP SM INVESTMENTS SOC RESOURCES SOLID GROUP TOP FRONTIER WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HLDG

0.485 31.5 7.49 6.6 5.9 0.55 0.33 475 1.6 5.2 4.01 8.5 0.206 486 3.6 44 6.34 5.21 6.8 0.405 3.45 6 0.3 2.85 2.6 89 600 0.56 0.95 140 0.209 0.129

0.495 35.2 7.49 6.6 5.9 0.55 0.33 475 1.6 5.29 4.04 9.2 0.206 509 3.6 45 6.34 5.21 6.8 0.405 3.45 6.2 0.37 2.85 2.6 89.05 698 0.66 0.95 140 0.209 0.129

0.445 26.7 5.69 6 5.05 0.5 0.33 360 1.1 4.52 3.1 6.9 0.18 290 3.6 28 6.34 5.2 6.8 0.38 2.62 5.5 0.3 2.58 2.6 72.5 509.5 0.56 0.84 130 0.19 0.104

HOLDING FIRMS 0.45 7,234,000 32 3,623,300 5.69 10,268,900 6 54,100 5.5 22,100 0.51 564,000 0.33 1,000 394 1,304,140 1.49 985,000 4.52 1,530,400 3.29 20,439,000 7.5 44,200 0.18 1,120,000 475.8 155,080 3.6 5,000 44.45 3,660,670 6.34 104,000 5.2 93,000 6.8 3,200 0.38 860,000 2.9 1,791,000 5.5 1,675,900 0.37 94,000 2.6 80,034,000 2.6 2,000 72.5 498,490 667 1,600,610 0.66 52,000 0.84 8,000 140 190 0.19 130,000 0.113 1,930,000

8990 HLDG A BROWN ARTHALAND CORP AYALA LAND BELLE CORP CEB LANDMASTERS CENTURY PROP CITY AND LAND CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES CYBER BAY DM WENCESLAO DOUBLEDRAGON EMPIRE EAST FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED PHIL INFRADEV PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND SUNTRUST HOME

14 0.54 0.55 24 1.2 3.8 0.39 0.65 0.65 0.134 0.23 7.1 16.1 0.3 0.93 0.76 2.43 0.121 0.66 0.25 1.65 14.54 1.7 2.71 25 2.14 1.05

14 0.55 0.58 25.2 1.25 4.42 0.395 0.69 0.65 0.134 0.23 7.1 16.32 0.3 0.94 0.76 2.46 0.121 0.66 0.25 1.65 14.54 1.7 2.71 27.5 2.14 1.05

13.5 0.47 0.54 19.44 1 3.8 0.35 0.65 0.65 0.12 0.23 7 15.76 0.28 0.83 0.6 2 0.111 0.54 0.25 1.55 10 1.51 2.45 19.9 1.88 0.91

PROPERTY 13.5 483,900 0.49 3,935,000 0.55 567,000 22.95 37,897,100 1.12 1,729,000 4.06 277,000 0.355 2,150,000 0.65 7,000 0.65 10,000 0.12 1,330,000 0.23 80,000 7.1 65,600 16 2,212,500 0.28 270,000 0.83 12,832,000 0.66 2,181,000 2.21 31,975,000 0.12 3,210,000 0.59 642,000 0.25 100,000 1.64 118,000 12.2 5,678,000 1.51 51,000 2.6 18,000 27 38,608,100 2.07 303,000 0.99 1,601,000

3,354,570 111,375,360 62,866,437 325,518 125,565 291,440 330 567,069,926 1,468,120 7,603,199 72,897,540 341,200 207,330 71,907,689 18,000 150,393,250.50 659,360 484,091 21,760 337,250 5,517,460 9,718,501 34,670 218,696,300 5,200 39,226,764.50 1,004,524,465 29,260 7,230 26,300 26,030 206,470

6,542,658 2,001,645 309,550 883,164,105 2,066,280 1,106,820 810,700 4,590 6,500 162,810 18,400 459,465 35,721,546 75,800 11,024,740 1,456,440 72,994,600 375,980 384,920 25,000 186,500 69,511,470 84,430 46,090 955,410,010 617,880 1,571,240

9,070 -51,532,140 -27,018,542 277,200 -115,770 -276,475,586 50,600 -2,084,038 -18,996,670 86,090 -184,110 -22,875,108 18,000 -31,104,014 142,450 -1,015,968 -59,605,780 -13,401,407.50 -51,660,245 -15,900 25,000 50,960 -256,632,850 649,250 3,900 6,500 290,045 -11,430,442 -3,548,080 -11,013,340 1,200 -8,200 -24,052,482 -30,442,230 -

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

OPEN

XURPAS ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH

0.47 1.89 6

0.5 1.89 6

0.44 1.5 5.65

FIRST METRO ETF

76

80.3

65.5

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2

10 10.02

10.2 10.28

10 10

Trading Summary

SHARES

FINANCIAL

27,677,632

INDUSTRIAL

167,301,765

HOLDING FIRMS

140,059,956

PROPERTY

166,001,260

SERVICES

99,318,573

MINING & OIL

650,354,513

GRAND TOTAL

1,253,011,824

0.48 1.6 5.8

SME

1,509,000 263,000 28,600

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 71.2 495,480 10.2 10

DDS

6,160 24,670

61,882 247,295.40

-10,385,339 -43,949 399,762 50,577,156 -6,684,850 32,750 125,960 8,005 -14,847,360 -21,450 -30,311,008 -14,440 -56,100 2,200 -11,500 -5,230 -1,004,051 1,112,190 -279,730 26,580 298,548 -281,040 -92,862,255 -68,000 -30,980,375 -4,290,204.50 430 85,500 -635,750 375,000 -5,552,278

-

VALUE 1,090.95 (down) 198.24 1,666,094,943.08 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 5,975.42 (down) 919.47 1,745,697,500.24 HOLDING FIRMS 4,435.78 (down) 669.38 2,351,297,615.95 PROPERTY 2,408.60 (down) 344.45 SERVICES 1,026.68 (down) 134.79 2,479,406,754.02 MINING & OIL 3,720.87 (down) 802.60 1,099,274,350.61 PSEI 4,623.42 (down) 711.95 43,567,812.49 All Shares Index 2,881.58 (down) 390.21 9,422,521,526.04 Gainers: 8; Losers: 211; Unchanged: 21; Total: 240

SEC allows companies to submit reports through email

By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Securities and Exchange Commission will allow public companies, issuers of registered securities and investment firms to submit their reports through email while the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon is in effect.

The SEC said in an advisory investment companies, issuers of proprietary and non-proprietary shares may email their reports at cgfd@sec.gov.ph until further notice.

Among the reports that may be filed through email are current reports (SEC Form 17-C), beneficial ownership reports (SEC Forms 18-A, 18-AS, 23-A or 23-B), information statements (SEC Forms 20-IS or 20-ISA), monthly sales and redemption reports and other documents.

The regulator said companies should indicate their full corporate names and the document type in the subject line.

The report must be accompanied by a certification by the person who prepared it on behalf of the company.

All covered companies, however, must still submit the hard copies of their reports or documents with proper notarization within 10 calendar days from the lifting of the quarantine order.

They must also issue a certification that the hard and digital copies of the report were one and the same.

For listed companies, the SEC said they can email their current reports and direct communications to msrd_covid19@sec.gov.ph.

All reports filed by publicly-listed companies through the PSE Electronic Disclosure Generation Technology will be be considered as having filed the report with the SEC. The SEC said it reserved the right to require publicly-listed companies to submit copies of their reports at a later time. The commission will also ask the Philippine Stock Exchange to furnish it with the reports filed through the PSE EDGE. The SEC earlier extended the deadline for submission of annual and quarterly reports for corporations affected by the outbreak of the new coronavirus disease.

Under a new memorandum circular approved on March 12, affected corporations with domestic operations may file until June 30 their annual reports or annual financial statements for the period ending December 31, 2019.

EDC commits uninterrupted power supply

By Alena Mae S. Flores GEOTHERMAL leader Energy Development Corp. of the Lopez Group committed to ensure unimpeded power supply despite an expanded community quarantine in Luzon region aimed at mitigating the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country.

“While we have begun taking all the necessary precautionary measures to keep our employees and their families safe from COVID-19, such as imposing a travel ban and having a work from home arrangement in all our facilities, we have also assigned key people in our power plants to continuously provide the electricity that is vital to our country, especially in these trying times,” said Marvin Bailon, EDC Business Development, Trading & Marketing head.

The clean energy power producer has put a skeletal on-ground workforce in place to ensure the uninterrupted operations of power plants across the country, as vital installations are required to function despite the quarantine.

EDC recognizes that healthcare facilities, pharmacies and pharmaceutical companies and the food manufacturing industry that get power from them need reliable supply now more than ever in order for them to serve the general public.

“We are a committed organization that stands ready to fulfill our duty to the public—to not only provide 100 percent clean, renewable power but to make sure that it is uninterrupted,” said Bailon.

EDC has 1,475 megawatts of installed capacity that generate 37 percent of the country’s total renewable energy.

Its 1,181-MW portfolio accounts for 61 percent of the country’s total installed geothermal capacity, putting the Philippines on the map as the world’s third largest geothermal producer.

Life

FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2020

B3

Bernadette Lunas, Editor

YOUNG LIFE

manilastandardlife@gmail.com

THINK BEFORE YOU SHARE

How to prevent spreading fake COVID-19 reports N

EWS spreads more quickly than ever now. And the biggest item in the cycle is everything COVID-related.

However, not all information and news circulating online are true. Some are sensationalized, made up, or have no evidence to back their claims, thus causing confusion and unnecessary panic.

Health secretary Francisco Duque III earlier asked Filipinos to stop sharing false information on COVID-19 at a briefing in Malacañang. “Kahit saang anggulo po natin tingnan, wala pong kabutihang ginagawa ang inyong mga fake news na ikinakalat. Sayang lang po ang panahon natin (No matter which way we look at it, there’s no good that will come out from spreading fake news. It only wastes our time),” said Duque.

Spreading unverified reports is dangerous; it can be life-threatening especially when people fight over bananas because a “report” said it can cure COVID-19.

A messaging platform offers the following ways to help prevent the further spread of fake reports and misinformation.

Don't trust a message about COVID-19 just because it was sent by a friend whose uncle works at a hospital.

To help spread legitimate updates on the virus, the DOH created a Viber Community to disseminate latest news and information. To follow the group, search DOH PH COVID-19 on Viber.

Aside from sharing helpful infographKnow the official authorities ics and important statements on COVInstead of getting news from ques- ID-19, DOH is also using the Viber tionable sources, check with govern- community to debunk fake information ment agencies and organizations bat- circulating online. tling the virus, as they have firsthand information on developments, conMake sure the source is firmed cases, and important advisories. credible and real time Locally, the Department of Health is Always verify where an article or the lead government agency handling piece of information comes from. Top COVID-19 efforts, working with the news organizations have Viber ComPhilippine Society for Microbiology and munities and official social media pages Infectious Diseases. The department which anyone can follow to get guaralso works alongside international insti- anteed credible stories and announcetutions like the World Health Organiza- ments as they happen. tion and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Follow these agencies’ Keep an eye out for red flags official accounts, not just those social Pay attention to the quality of writmedia posts that use their names and ing. Fake information almost always logos to spread misinformation. have bad grammar, spelling errors, and

excessive punctuation, since they’re usually written by independent parties with no journalism training, institutional backing, or fact-checking resources.

Also look at what the story is actually reporting: Is it a stated claim from a medical organization, or is it a personal anecdote based on hearsay? Don’t trust a message about COVID-19 just because it was sent by a friend whose tito works at a hospital. They might mean well, but if it’s not verified, it’s not news, it’s tsismis.

Don’t let emotions take over Ask yourself what the goal of an article is. Is it to induce panic and uncertainty, or to inform? Was it written by a credible reporter? Was it published on a site with a strong track record of reporting? When determining whether an article is fake, it’s usually best to take a step back and look at things more objectively. Don’t get caught up in the flurry of stories on your feed or chat group.

ITCHING TO HIT THE 'SHARE' BUTTON? It's every citizen's responsibility to not cause confusion or panic by ensuring the reports and information shared online are accurate.

Schools implement e-learning strategies amidst COVID-19

Supply is coming... as Green Cross, Inc. continues its operations to meet the surge in demand for rubbing alcohol.

Rubbing alcohol brand continues operations

to meet demand, calls on public to not hoard

The company calls on the public to do their part by not hoarding rubbing alcohol.

RUBBING alcohol has easily become one of the hottest commodities amid the coronavirus disease pandemic, so much so that groceries and drugstores ran out of supply, and, in the midst of crisis, opportunistic individuals slapped unreasonable markups on it.

To address the surge in demand, Green Cross, Inc. has announced the continued production of its products.

“We are working very hard despite having limited manpower and materials. Our production lines are working longer hours as we try to meet the unprecedented demand,” says Green Cross president Michael Co. Co, however, urges the public to “do their part” in ensuring the availability of alcohol by not hoarding and limiting purchases to two bottles as recommended by the Department of Trade and Industry. He also reminds the public to practice regular hand washing.

Green Cross declares that it would see to it that more products will be delivered to hospitals, health centers, and store counters in the coming days, and appeals to various government authorities to ensure the passage of their employees, supply trucks, and delivery trucks so that this can happen.

“We are all working hard to make sure that the supplies needed to combat the spread of the virus are readily and sufficiently available for all, especially for our tireless health workers and other frontliners,” Co says, adding that Green Cross will also continue to donate alcohol to government hospitals and health centers for their use.

Green Cross shares it has also been making arrangements to ensure the health and safety of its employees by providing them with transportation, staff accommodations, meals, vitamins, alcohol pumping stations, and frequent sanitation.

THE coronavirus has impeded regular daily activities such as going to school.

However, several educational institutions from all over the Philippines take advantage of e-learning strategies to continue lessons despite the cancellation of classes implemented to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

In Metro Manila, Lourdes School of Mandaluyong issued a statement that its students are encouraged “to continue their learning journey via online homebased modules and activities.”

To do this, teachers create lesson packages that include video tutorials, game-based activities, and quizzes.

They set the duration of the lessons, and the schedule when these are available for the students to access. Teachers are also able to monitor the students’ progress, up to the point where they know if the students are done with their daily lessons and activities.

Such is also the case at Catherina Cittadini School in Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental. When news broke out that the virus has made its way to the Philippines, the school decided to call off its regular classes and insisted that learning must continue despite the uncertainties surrounding the situation. The school has announced through an official memo that they prepared “relevant academic tasks”

for the students “to do at home through their existing online learning management portal, Genyo.”

With the use of the learning management system (LMS), teachers assign lessons remotely to their students, who can access them from their computers or tablets at home. Students may also continue learning at their own pace by accessing ready-made lessons that are available in the LMS. In addition, they can collaborate with their peers and communicate directly with their teachers on the platform.

Lourdes School of Mandaluyong and Catherina Cittadini School are just two of the many schools all over the country that have been taking advantage of Genyo e-Learning, a fully integrated online LMS created by Diwa Learning Systems Inc. Diwa.

It has ready-made content in the major subject areas, and allows teachers to create and upload their own lessons and exercises.

According to Diwa, these schools have long been using the platform and were trained to maximize its features.

Hence, it was less challenging for them to shift to using e-learning strategies immediately. Currently, more and more schools across the country are using Genyo e-Learning to finish the school year with minimal disruption.

Learning management systems and other e-learning strategies help educational institutions finish the school year with minimal disruption.

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

B4

FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2020

‘Next Stop, Discovery’ is a travel show with no itinerary, giving walking tours of featured cities by foot and by train.

Rediscover Japan

at the comfort

Dare to Surprise is an interesting take on typical food and travel shows.

Comedian and actor Daisuke Miyagawa brings viewers off the beaten path in search of exquisite delicacies and ingredients in ‘Dining ★ Al Fresco.’

of your home N

O BEATING around the bush: Japan’s appeal is inescapable. It’s where old meets new, idiosyncrasies are adored, and where traditions and modernity coexist in perfect harmony. Japan has it all - a rich history, safeguarded architectural wonders, kawaii finds, and bursting with flavors evident in their local cuisines.

Taking the next flight out to Japan makes for a brilliant summer plan. However, with the entire Luzon under enhanced community quarantine due to the volatile nature of COVID-19, all of us stay advised to stay home.

For most who are working from home, this is also the best time to learn and watch from home while rediscovering Japan through its iconic shows that offer a unique dining and travel experience.

Who doesn’t enjoy eating a classic bowl of ramen, moist takoyaki, or the pancake-slash-omelette marvel okonomiyaki?

But have you heard of the sweet and salty pastry mitarashi mochi, taken a bite of seared eel with ponzu sauce?

There are also popular places Filipinos are eager to explore such as the Pokemon Cafes in Tokyo, Vampire Cafe in Ginza, Kawaii Monster Cafe in Harajuku, or Cherry Blossom gardens in Osaka. But what about taking a field trip to little nooks along various train lines in

Japan - say a Sugita plum farm tucked away in a residential village. Take a peek inside an ‘aesthetic’ showroom in Omorimachi, or shop at Umeyashiki for Semi’s statement bags made from repurposed art display banners.

Whatever it is, there is no doubt that Japan brings all possibilities to life - and who wouldn’t want to have a piece of that?

GEM, an all-Japanese TV channel from Sony Pictures Television and Japan’s Nippon TV, brings Filipinos closer to Japan with shows that not only intend to educate but entertain. It offers Filipino audiences an unconventional and bespoke travel guide that encourages them to dare and discover Japan’s rich culture and lifestyle. It offers a unique kind of entertainment that marries Japan’s wit and humor with unexplored places and perspectives of Japan that’s never been seen before.

Comedian and actor Daisuke Miyagawa brings view-

ers off the beaten path in search of exquisite delicacies and ingredients in Dining ★ Al Fresco. More often than not, the show features food native to unfamiliar places around Japan. Find Miyagawa and his co-hosts learning the intricacies of food production and creating delectable Japanese dishes at the end of each episode.

Dining ★ Al Fresco takes you honey-harvesting in Hagi-Iwami Airport in Shimane, tuna-farming in Takashima, Nagasaki Prefecture, salt-making in the southern island of Ishigaki, and so much more. The show will have a total of 221 episodes since it first aired on GEM in 2016.

Dare to Surprise is an interesting take on typical food and travel shows. Here, everything is unscripted.

Comedian Hiromi, actor Genta Aoki and TV presenter Mami Yamase, along with their celebrity guests bring viewers to untapped food stops without any prior preparation. This means looking for establishments to film, coming up with topics of conversations while interviewing chefs and restaurateurs, and reviewing dishes they’re trying for the first time. Think of it as a food raid by the show’s hosts and some notable Japanese actors like Ryoma Takeuchi, Suda Masaki, and Yosuke Sugino. Apart from that, the show gives fans close-quarter interactions with the personal lives of its popular celebrity

guests. Dare to Surprise definitely brings the element of surprise to Filipino viewers, and fills them with food discoveries, humor and entertainment.

Next Stop, Discovery is a travel show with no itinerary, giving walking tours of featured cities by foot and by train. Episodes have featured interesting locations along different lines of Japan such as Ueno, Asakua, and even Mt. Fuji.

Different celebrity hosts hop out of different train stops to wander and see what’s to see - from hole-in-the-wall food joints to specialty shops to riveting garden neighborhoods. Not only do you get to discover uncharted finds, but the show teaches you how much you can get out of a city without spending a fortune. Indeed, this show arouses your curiosity for Japan’s interesting finds, distinct flavors, and rich history. By the end of March 2020, a total of 189 episodes will have aired on GEM since 2015.

Next Stop, Discovery airs every Thursday at 8:00 p.m.; Dare to Surprise every Thursday 9:00 p.m.; and Dining ★ Al Fresco every Friday 8 :00 p.m..

GEM is available via SKYcable Channel 116 in Metro Manila; SKYcable Channel 222 in Cebu, Davao, Bacolod, Iloilo, and Baguio GSAT Channel 57; and vaiours provincial cable operators nationwide.

iWant partners with Grab to give subscribers

ad-free access to shows, movies

Jollibee launches TikTok channel and challenges users to act out #KwentongJollibee scenes.

Jollibee, Tiktok unlock incredible creative energy in PH amid lockdown KEEPING the #KwentongJollibee fever more alive than ever, Jollibee brings Filipinos a brand-new outlet where they can showcase their flair for singing, dancing, and acting, to be shared to a wider audience. Aspiring artists and content creators can share their creativity and talents as Jollibee launches its new channel on one of today’s fastest growing and widely-used social media platforms, TikTok, which has garnered over 1.5 billion downloads.

The #KwentongJollibee TikTok challenge, which encourages users to duet or lip sync the juicy bits of their favorite episode, has swiftly gained 12.7 million views shorty after it was launched. Done in partnership with BBH Singapore, this is the first time that Jollibee utilizes this platform to engage with avid fans of its hit Valentine series.

TikTok users who got caught up in #CoupleGoals, which has gained over 25 million views, can lip sync to the taxi showdown scene and pretend they are Matt and Lisa arguing.

They can also do a duet as Myles together with the dreamy Ron from the best-performing episode Apart, which was streamed 34 million times over, and act as if they are a couple shar-

ing a sweet kilig moment. Lastly, TikTok users can re-enact a funny scene from Space, with almost 30 million views, and pretend they are Mae, whom the lovestruck Dan is trying to patch things up with.

“Together with Jollibee, we believe TikTok has unlocked an incredible creative energy in the Philippines. Since the launch of this challenge, 19,000 videos have already been submitted.

It’s warming to see people share the simple joy of doing something together,” said Sascha Kuntze, Chief Creative Officer of BBH. With the popularity of TikTok, it’s not hard to find short-form videos one after another—and with Jollibee launching its new channel, Filipinos can share even more joy as they showcase their talents in crafting creative content that will spark the interest of generations across.

Get your vocals, dancing, and acting moves ready and share your own creative take of the #KwentongJollibee Valentine’s episodes! Join the fun by downloading the TikTok app, and post your #KwentongJollibee challenge at Jollibee’s official Tiktok page (www. tiktok.com/@jollibee).

GRAB users can now use their GrabRewards points to enjoy ad-free viewing of shows and movies on iWant and access its premium content, including newly released movies and restored versions of classic films.

With GrabRewards points, users can choose to unlock their iWant premium access for either one day (105 points) or seven days (405 points) and watch the streaming service’s original shows, ABS-CBN’s news and entertainment programs, films, documentaries, and live games without the ads. The promo is valid on the iWant app and website until Aug. 31.

To claim the reward, look for the preferred promo in Grab’s Rewards catalogue and click on Redeem. Then, head over to the iWant app, click on My Account > Redeem, enter the Grab code under Voucher, and click on Process Payment.

On iWant, users can expect exclusive monthly releases to suit their every mood. This March, the service welcomed the summer season by launching its new sexy romantic comedy series Fluid, headlined by Roxanne Barcelo, and the ‘90s-set mystery thriller The Tapes starring Sam Milby and Yassi Pressman.

Meanwhile, add fun and feels to every Viber conversation with the iWant Originals stickers, featuring memorable lines from Glorious, MOMOL Nights, Call Me Tita, Past, Present, Perfect, Taiwan That You Love, Abandoned, and Septic Tank 3,

Grab users can use their GrabRewards points to enjoy ad-free viewing of shows and movies on iWant. by downloading the pack for free from the Viber Sticker Market.

Watch exciting shows and games on the iWant app or on iwant.ph, now made easier through GrabRewards.

Roxanne Barcelo (right) and Ann Colis in a scene from iWant’s ‘Fluid.’

For updates, like www.facebook.com/ iWant, and follow @iwant on Twitter and @iwantofficial on Instagram, subscribe to www.youtube.com/iWantPH, or join iWant’s Viber Community.

Sam Milby and Yassi Pressman reunite in iWant’s ‘The Tapes.’