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G20 NATIONS JOIN FORCES VS COVID, SET ASIDE $5-T TO PERK UP WORLD ECONOMY G20 nations pledged a “united front” in the fight against coronavirus, saying they were injecting $5 trillion into the global economy to counter the pandemic amid forecasts of a deep recession. US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin joined the emergency video-conference chaired by Saudi Arabia’s King

mon threat,” the leaders said in a Salman, who called for coordinatjoint statement after the summit. ed action while facing pressure to “We are injecting over $5 trilend an oil price war between Rilion into the global economy, yadh and Moscow that has roiled as part of targeted fiscal policy, energy markets. financial shock waves as more than three economic measures, and guaranThe talks come amid criticism tee schemes to counteract the social, that the G20 has been slow to address the billion people are locked down. “We are strongly committed to pre- economic and financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has left more than 21,000 dead worldwide and triggered senting a united front against this com- pandemic.”

WORLD ROUNDUP

As concerns mount for poorer countries without access to capital markets or adequate health facilities, G20 leaders also pledged to work with bodies such as the International Monetary Fund to deploy a “robust” financial package to support developing nations. “It is our responsibility to extend a Next page

Ruling party spares ‘Koko’ PDP-Laban won’t impose sanctions on Pimentel but legal group vows to sue him

By Maricel V. Cruz, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Joel Zurbano

LL members of the ruling party PDPLaban were asked to undergo self-quarantine after being exposed to Senator Aquilino Pimentel III during a March 4 meeting at Senator Manny Pacquiao’s house, Deputy Speaker and Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel said Friday. The congressman, however, said they believed the senator was not yet infected with COVID-19 at the time of the meeting, and that the party was not inclined to sanction him despite his violation of quarantine protocols.

The Research Institute for Tropical Medicine said ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Eric Yap “remains negative” for COVID-19, saying his earlier positive test results were due to an “encoding error.” Pimentel drew a firestorm of criticism after he accompanied his pregnant wife to Makati Medical Center (MMC), even though he was supposed to be on self-quarantine and was awaiting the results of a test for the Next page

VOL. XXXIV • NO. 46 • 2 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM MARCH 27)

803

NUMBER OF CASES

DEATHS

RECOVERIES

NEW CASES

Palace goes on lockdown, zaps fake news By Vito Barcelo, Rio N. Araja and Francisco Tuyay MEDIA practitioners will no longer be allowed to attend Palace briefings as part of a lockdown at the Malacañang complex to protect the government’s seat of power from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) said Friday. Presidential Security Group (PSG) chief Col. Jesus Durante III said the lockdown at the palace would begin Saturday, March 28. “I require all PSG personnel to go on self quarantine effective 28 March. No PSG personnel to go out of Malacañang complex until April 10,” Next page

COPING WITH COVID. The global onslaught of the dreaded coronavirus disease has sent people taking preemptive strikes (clockwise) such as these airline passengers arming themselves with protective suits at the NAIA Terminal while the Pasay City government has set up modular tents that will serve as isolation facility for people under investigation (PUI). In Manila, the Golden Mosque shuts down, urging Muslims to pray at home instead and in Cayagan Valley, barangay officials of a village in Buguey town have gone on lockdown, sidelining a number of boats although fishing is generally allowed in the coastal area up north. Norman Cruz And Ben Ebreo

Immigration eases rules on aliens’ visa THE Bureau of Immigration with approved visas but said Friday it will temporarpending ACR I-Cards to ily allow foreign nationals secure a waiver at the agenwith approved visas but who cy’s main office. are still awaiting the release of their Alien Certificates of Registration Identity ‘Hospital ships’ Cards to leave the country. Senator Francis Tolentino is urging the Transport The agency says the move is in light of the Enhanced department to use vacant passenger ships as “hospitals Community Quarantine and Stringent Social Distanc- ships” because of the rising COVID-19 infections, which ing Measures directive from Malacañang. he says has resulted in overcrowding in the hospitals. Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente says He says the agency could initially convert three Next page the regular procedures require departing aliens

LOCAL ROUNDUP

Dogs eyed to sniff out virus

A BRITISH charity has teamed up with scientists to see whether dogs could help detect COVID-19 through their keen sense of smell, they said on Friday. Medical Detection Dogs will work with the London School of Hy-

UK prime minister coronavirus positive

BRITISH Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Friday that he is self-isolating after testing positive for COVID-19. “Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus,” he said on Twitter, posting a video message. Next page

Military chief, Health usec bloat cases to 803 By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Francisco Tuyay ARMED Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Gen. Felimon Santos Jr. and an undersecretary at the Department of Health (DOH) tested positive for COVID-19, as the number of confirmed cases shot up to 803 with 92 new cases. Next page

US scraps war games with PH By Rey E. Requejo THE US military has canceled the joint military exercises between American and Philippine troops on May 4 to 15 due to the threat posed by the coronavirus disease. In a statement released by the US Embassy in Manila, Next page

News

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

PhilHealth kicks in P1.6 b for efforts to stop COVID N INITIAL P1.6 billion from its P30-billion financial assistance fund will be released by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation to various health-care institutions to help them fight the coronavirus pandemic.

The money will come from PhilHealth’s Interim Reimbursement Mechanism, its financial aid to partner health institutions affected by natural and man-made calamities. The P30 Billion set aside by PhilHealth for hospitals and other health care institutions is by far its biggest response to President Rodrigo Duterte’s call to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Testing kits

SENATOR Manny Pacquiao on Friday turned over 57,000 COVID-19 testing kits donated to the Philippines by Alibaba founder Jack Ma, his billionaire friend. These are the same kits issued and used by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

P10 billion in dividends

Three agencies under the supervision of the Transport department has remitted in advance at least P10 billion in dividends to support the government’s fight to contain COVID-19. The amount represents the total dividends from the Manila International Airport Authority, Philippine Ports Authority and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines for calendar year 2019. The MIAA and CAAP remitted P6 billion while the PPA sent P4 billion.

Help for the poor

Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, says about P200 billion in additional outlay has been earmarked to sustain for two months some 18 million poor families rendered immobile in their homes by the

Military... From A1

Ruling... From A1

With nine new deaths reported, the number of fatalities from COVID-19 rose to 54. The country also reported its youngest COVID-19 case, a 1-yearand-nine-months baby. Some 31 people have recovered from the disease and 791 have tested negative, the DOH said. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III confirmed that a senior health official was infected and showed mild symptoms, but he did not identify the patient. Duque had earlier said a DOH director from its Central Office in Muntilupa City also tested positive for the virus. Having been exposed to that official, Duque, 63, also went on home quarantine and had himself tested. His results came out negative. Oriental Mindoro Governor Bonz Dolor, meanwhile, said the baby is the first positive COVID-19 patient in Calapan City. He said the baby was in Metro Manila from March 5-12. The baby was brought by grandparents, both of whom tested negative, to Alabang City to be with the mother. The governor also said contact tracing has already been done to find persons who had contact with the baby. Philippine Medical Association (PMA) president Dr. Jose Santiago Jr., said another doctor died from the virus, which brought to 10 the number of doctors who died from COVID-19. He said many health care workers, including doctors and nurses, have yet to be tested. “We are not yet certain if there are other health care workers or doctors who are positive. We do not know, we have not yet done testing,” he said. Santiago said the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) for medical personnel should be addressed. On Friday, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said he is extending his observance of self-quarantine to 21 days. “I am now on my 16th day of isolation but I have decided to extend it to 21 days just to be absolutely sure that I no longer have any symptoms,” said Zubiri, the first senator to test positive for COVID-19. The senator said he is now in coordination with private hospitals for his next COVID-19 tests. “Under the DOH mandated protocols for recovered patients, I’m supposed to be tested twice with negative results for me to be considered a recovered patient,” Zubiri said.

highly contagious novel coronavirus or COVID-19. Pimentel, who was already then a person under monitoring (PUM) for the virus, said he learned he tested positive Tuesday night when he was already inside MMC. The hospital later denounced Pimentel’s actions as irresponsible and reckless, saying he endangered medical staff and other patients at MMC. Those who had come in contact with the senator would also have to undergo quarantine, the hospital said, depriving them of much-needed manpower to deal with the pandemic. A group of lawyers led by Rico Quicho, the former dean of the University of Makati School of Law, said Pimentel should be held liable for breaking the law and endangering the lives of medical workers and other people at the MMC. Pimentel vowed to reply to the charges to be filed against him. “I will respond to their specific allegations in due time after we read them and compare (with) what (is in the) law,” Pimentel told reporters in a Viber message on Friday. “We (are in) an entirely new environment where everything is (in) a state of flux. I believe even the so-called protocols have changed over time. Everything

G20... From A1 helping hand to developing countries and (the) least developed countries,” King Salman said.

Brace for 1.8m death toll

The death toll from the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe could hit 1.8 million worldwide this year even with swift and stringent measures to stop it, according to a study from Britain’s Imperial College published Thursday. Researchers estimate that tens of millions of lives could be saved if governments act fast to adopt strict public health measures, including testing, quarantining and broad social distancing. The modelling simulations of the Imperial College London, whose previous research spurred the British government

enhanced community quarantine lockdown as a result of COVID-19. The government is raising some P275 billion in additional budget from savings realignments in the executive branch for use in the fight against the pandemic, which has affected people from more than 170 countries.

Shell’s top priority

Shell Philippines says its top priority is the health and safety of its people, customers and the community, along with the safe operations of all its businesses. The company says it continues to monitor the situation closely and to respond to the needs of its employees by providing temporary accommodation and transportation support.

Hand-washing campaign

The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc., the corporate social responsibility arm of the Aboitiz family, says it has partnered with the Cebu City government and the Metropolitan Cebu Water Dis-

trict for #HUNAW (Cebuano for “to wash one’s hands”), a hand-washing campaign launched as an intervention to fight the the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are addressing something basic here that has proven to be the most effective way to prevent getting and spreading the virus,” the foundation said.

P10-million donation

Uniqlo Philippines says it has pledged to donate P10 million to SM Foundation Inc. to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The company says the donation will be used to provide food assistance to the communities most affected by COVID-19, and to purchase personal protective equipment for the front liners who are risking their lives in serving the medical needs of the nation. SMFI expressed its gratitude to Uniqlo for the donation. Uniqlo has been a regular and consistent partner of SMFI, particularly in its Social Good Programs. Macon Ramos-Araneta and Joel E. Zurbano

Palace... From A1 Durante said. He said Office of the President (OP) personnel will maintain a skeletal workforce and would be allowed to go to their respective offices within Malacañang complex subject to regular screening procedures. The PSG said work inside Malacañang will continue despite the lockdown. The lockdown of the Palace complex to visitors comes after a lawmaker who attended a Palace meeting intially tested positive for COVID-19. Meanwhile, the PCOO said only resource speakers, Radio TV Malacañang cameramen and a moderator from the agency’s Office of Global Media and Public Affairs are allowed on the premises starting Thursday. The PCOO encouraged media to participate through virtual press conferences or by submitting questions either to the moderator or the resource speaker. PCOO said a list of resource persons would be given to media personnel in advance. “Media companies are encouraged to hook up to PTV to air the public address on their respective channels. The restriction is meant to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19),” it added. Also on Friday, the official in charge of the government’s 100-day action plan to combat the COVID-19 pandemic said the Luzon-wide lockdown would be assessed to determine if it flattened the curve on new infections by April 14. “We will check if the lockdown can already be lifted by April 14,” said presidential peace adviser Carlito Galvez Jr., who has been designated by the President as the chief implementer of the national action plan to battle the pandemic.

will be clarified in due time,” he added. Senator Richard Gordon appealed for public understanding over Pimentel’s breach of quarantine protocols. “Now is not the time to blame. I think he already apologized to the people. You know he just got married and his wife will gave birth through caesarian operation,” Gordon added. “I know Koko,” he said in Filipino, referring to Pimentel by his nickname. “He’s a good person and is not abusive. Let’s not pick on him.” He acknowledged, however, that Pimentel erred and that like many other people who might have the symptoms, he was moving around. He agreed, too, that as a senator, Pimentel should set an example. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III agreed with MMC that Pimentel breached quarantine protocols for persons under monitoring for COVID-19. “We agree that there was breach of quarantine protocol and this should not have happened,” Duque said in Filipino during an online press conference Thursday. Duque urged PUMs and patients under investigation (PUIs) to strictly follow the home quarantine protocol and cooperate with government’s efforts to contain the outbreak. “I call on everyone. We’re all in a critical situation especially the PUIs and PUMs and let’s stay at home,” he said. Duque denied reports that he called

the MMC asking them as a favor to admit Pimentel’s wife who was about to give birth. “I didn’t contact MMC to request them to accommodate the wife of Senator Koko Pimentel,” Duque said. He also said there was no VIP treatment in COVID-19 testing.

with flexible and convenient restructuring of existing loans to enable their clients to pay their arrears later. “In this time of national crisis, everyships as temporary medical facili- body must sacrifice for the greater good. ties. One could be provided for Lu- Let us not burden our people.” he said. zon and the other two for the Visayas Appeal on transactions and Mindanao. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has urged the government to relax the reAppeal to banks Senator Bong Go on Friday appealed quirements on COVID-19-related to government and privately owned transactions to speed up the delivery of banks, quasi-banks, credit and lending services to the public. The government, he says, should tap facilities not to increase interest rates on consumer and commercial loans in local government units to help make the areas covered by the enhanced com- it work, saying there are complex bureaucratic procedures that hamper the munity quarantine. He also called on them to come up delivery of aid to the communities that

need it most. “We in the government should move the delivery of services to our countrymen faster than the virus,” Gatchalian said. Two lawmakers on Friday called on the government to waive storage and detention fees for all containers arriving in the ports while the Enhanced Community Quarantine is in effect. Reps. Ronnie Ong and Eric Yap said the quarantine had caused much damage to the various industries that depend so much on importation. Vito Barcelo, Macon RamosAraneta and Maricel V. Cruz

“I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the government’s response via video-conference as we fight this virus,” he wrote. “Be in no doubt that I can continue thanks to the wizardry of modern technology to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fightback against coronavirus,” he added in the video message. A Downing Street spokesperson said in a statement that Johnson, whose partner Carrie Symonds is pregnant, experienced mild symptoms on Thursday and was tested for COVID-19 on the personal advice of England’s chief medical officer. The test was carried out in No. 10 by NHS staff, the spokesperson added. In his video message, Johnson thanked workers in Britain’s staterun National Health Service for their efforts in battling the spread of the virus. A total of 11,658 coronavirus cases have so far been confirmed in Britain, and 578 deaths. Earlier this week Prince Charles, the eldest son and heir to Queen Elizabeth II, also tested positive for the virus. AFP

the concerns for the health and safety of the participating forces and local populations near the planned exercise areas. “In light of the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and in the best interest of the health and safety of both countries’ forces, it is prudent to cancel Balikatan 2020,” Davidson said. “We remain deeply committed to our long-standing alliance and friendship,” he said.

Philippine military spokesmen contacted by AFP in Manila on Friday declined immediate comment on the announcement made by the Hawaii-based Indo-Pacific Command. The United States now has the largest number of confirmed infections in the world while the Philippines, with limited testing, has reported around 700 cases. The US troops who take part in Balikatan (Shoulder to Shoulder) usually come from its bases in Japan and South

Korea, which have both been hit hard by the virus. The Balikatan is an annual exercise between forces from the US and the Philippines, which also involves participation from Australia. More than 10,000 contingents from the Philippines and other countries were supposed to participate in the military training, according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines. With Nash Maulana, Jesus Malabanan and AFP

Immigration... From A1

US scraps... From A1 the US Indo-Pacific Command said the cancellation of the Balikatan exercises was in accordance with the international travel restrictions implemented by the two countries. Admiral Phil Davidson, commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, said the Balikatan was also suspended due to to ramp up its efforts to curb the virus, are based on current data about the severity of the virus – its contagiousness and estimated mortality rate – as well as demographic and societal factors. In a sobering projection of what could have happened with no interventions at all, the study said that if left unchecked COVID-19 could have infected almost everyone on the planet this year and killed 40 million people.

US now has most infections

The United States now has more COVID-19 infections than any other country, and a record number of newly unemployed people, as the coronavirus crisis deepens around the world. Healthcare systems in even the most developed nations are being stretched to breaking point with grim warnings they could soon be overwhelmed. More than 530,000 people glob-

ally have been sickened by the disease, one sixth of them in the US, which on Thursday edged out Italy as the worstaffected nation. “We are waging war on this virus using every financial, scientific, medical, pharmaceutical and military resource, to halt its spread and protect our citizens,” US President Donald Trump said. With about 40 percent of Americans under lockdown, Trump urged citizens to do their part by practicing social distancing: “Stay home. Just relax, stay home.”

Imported cases

China reported more than 50 imported cases of the coronavirus on Friday, hours after announcing a ban on foreigners entering the country. In recent weeks China’s tally of infections has dwindled dramatically, with only a handful of domestic patients each day. AFP

In other developments: • Deputy Speaker and Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte proposed that the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) scale up its case rate packages from the current P4,000 to P32,000 per beneficiary to a range of P150,000 to as much as P400,000 for each treated patient afflicted with COVID-19. • Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte on Friday offered a pubic apology for his son Omar, who disobeyed anti-COVID-19 measures at a supermarket in the city. “It has come to my attention that my son, Omar Duterte, went to S&R (Membership Shopping) Davao and he did not line up to conduct the stringent screening requirements of the establishment,” Duterte said in a statement. “It is with humility that I apologize for the behavior of Omar and his impertinence shall be dealt with accordingly.” The congressman, the President’s son, said the alleged misconduct of Omar’s security team would also be investigated. In a Facebook post, Omar also admitted he made a mistake and apologized.

Appeal on fees

Dogs... From A1 giene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and Durham University in northeast England to determine whether canines could help diagnoses. It follows previous research into dogs’ ability to sniff out malaria and is based on a belief that each disease triggers a distinct odor. The organizations said they had begun preparations to train dogs in six weeks “to help provide a rapid, non-invasive diagnosis towards the tail end of the epidemic”. The charity has previously trained dogs to detect diseases such as cancer, Parkinson’s and bacterial infections by sniffing samples taken from patients. They can also detect subtle changes in skin temperature, potentially making them useful to determining if a per-

UK... From A1

son has a fever. “In principle, we’re sure that dogs could detect COVID-19,” said Claire Guest, founder and chief executive of Medical Detection Dogs. “We are now looking into how we can safely catch the odor of the virus from patients and present it to the dogs. “The aim is that dogs will be able to screen anyone, including those who are asymptomatic, and tell us whether they need to be tested. “This would be fast, effective and non-invasive and make sure the limited NHS (National Health Service) testing resources are only used where they are really needed.” The head of disease control at the LSHTM said dogs could detect malaria with “extremely high accuracy” and, as other respiratory diseases changed body odor, there was a “very high chance” it could also work with COVID-19. AFP

News

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

House leaders greet Du30 on his birthday By Maricel V. Cruz HOUSE of Representatives Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez on Thursday wished President Rodrigo Duterte a long life full of happiness and more successful leadership on his 75th birthday this Saturday. “I join the nation in extending our warmest greetings to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on his 75th birth anniversary on March 28. In these times of great peril and difficulty, I pray that the Great Almighty will continue to bless our President with excellent health and immense wisdom for decision-making,” said Romualdez, the chairman of the House committee on rules. Romualdez, President of the LakasChristian Muslim Democrats (CMD), thanked President Duterte for showing a kind heart to less fortunate Filipinos by prioritizing them in the “Bayanihan to Heal as One Act of 2020” that he principally co-sponsored to fight the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). “May the good Lord also clothe him and his family with His protective mantle so that the President can have peace of mind in leading our people out of this crisis,” said Romualdez, a lawyer and President of the Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa). “With God’s grace, I am confident that President Duterte will be fully equipped with greater vigor and mental endurance as he takes command in what could be the greatest battle of our lives. Rest assured that I, as Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, will fight side by side with our President in this great battle against the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. With the people’s support, we will not falter,” said Romualdez. Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. and Batangas Rep. Raneo Abu said Filipinos are so fortunate and blessed to have a strong leader like President Duterte.

LOCKED DOWN. The City of Manila has turned into a quiet city amid an ongoing lockdown, or what the government calls an enhanced community quarantine.

Revoli Cortez

Free ride extended to 18 routes I

N ORDER to ferry more health workers to and from hospitals during the implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine, the Department of Transportation has announced that its Free Bus Service Program has been expanded to eighteen routes from only three (3) routes during its initial implementation on March 18. Buses are deployed daily to pick up and drop off health workers at their designated hospitals at 5 a.m., 7 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. This initiative is in line with the instruction of DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade to road sector officials to ensure the transportation of frontline health workers amid the country’s fight against the spread of the coronavirus disease. (COVID-19). The Free Bus Service program is not just for doctors and nurses. Hospital workers such as administration personnel, utility workers, security officers, and phar-

macists will also be ferried by the buses. The following are the two (2) new routes added to the free ride for health workers program: (Route 17), SM City SJDM North Caloocan Doctors Hospital, Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial (Caloocan), Bagong Silang Market, National Center for Mental Health (Camarin), Caloocan City North Medical Center, Almar Market, Novaliches Market/Queensberry Hospital, Bernardino General Hospital II SM Fairview/Commonwealth Hospital & MC (Route 18) -- Robinsons Place General

Trias/Divine Grace Medical Center, San Pedro Calungsod Medical Center (Kawit), Binakayan Hospital and Medical Center, St. Dominic Medical Center (Bacoor) PITX and Baclaran Market. SJDM, PITX and Baclaran Market will serve as Pick-up/transfer points For the period March 18-25 2020, the program has already deployed 106 buses, and was able to cater to 1,402 health workers. The program likewise complies strictly with containment protocols set by the Department of Health such as the observance of physical distancing, body temperature checks, and the regular disinfection of vehicles. The DOTr Free Ride for Health Workers Program was made possible with the efforts and cooperation of the Office of the President, House of Representatives, Supreme Court, Office of the Solicitor General, Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan, Department of Health (DOH), De-

partment of Public Works and Highways, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Trade and Industry, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Land Transportation Office, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, and the Inter-Agency Council for Traffic. It is also made successful with the help and cooperation of private companies such as HM Transport, San Agustin, MetroExpress, RRCG, Megaworld Corp. (Citilink), Precious Grace, Grace Transport, Ceres, Jac Liner, Dagupan Bus, St. Rose Transit, Hafti Transport, Jasper Jean, Pascual, Hi-Star, Pamana, Ube Express, G-Liner, Thelman Transit, Manrose, Pilipinas Autogroup, Beep, Star 8 and automotive company Foton.

Online concerts raise funds for poor DAR ‘contractuals’ to AT A covered commons within De La Salle University, Taft Avenue, an informal assembly line is supervised by the Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Pamilyang Pantawid (SNPP), and a combination of La Salle Brothers and priests of the Society of the Divine Word. They are repacking donated goods for distribution to targeted residents of impoverished Metro Manila communities. The donations were purchased with funds raised by Bayanihan Musikahan, the marathon online concert series initiated and led by National Artist for Music, Ryan Cayabyab. The innovative and instantly successful fundraiser brought more than 80 musical artists performing from their homes, linked together on Facebook live streaming in programs that will be different every night for the next weeks.

As of March 25, Bayanihan Musikahan had raised nearly 15 million pesos from both major donations and some nearly miniscule contributions that add up considerably. The farmers sold the produce at substantially discounted, wholesale rates. The Department of Agriculture in the Cordilleras volunteered to rent trucks to haul the vegetables to Manila, at no cost to the farmers. The price of the vegetables already includes the toll fees and meals for the driver and his assistants. Bayanihan Musikahan partner NGO, the Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Pamilya ng Pantawid (SNPP), received the fresh harvest and set out for distribution to specific communities. On March 26, packs of vegetables arrived in Quiapo, Sta. Ana, Sta. Cruz, and Tondo’s Baseco area, and received by the beneficiary families. These are communities in the network of SNPP. The families comprising these communities were the previous beneficiaries of the Modified Conditional Cash Transfer program of the government. As the pandemic reached Metro Manila, this cash assistance was shut off by the government. According to Rey Laguda, PBSP Executive Director, “From farmers to marginalized families, this farmto-table process is certainly inclusive and pro-poor. Let us continue to help one another. This is really citizen action at work.”

receive salary amid COVID-19 crisis By Rio N. Araja

THE Department of Agrarian Reform on Friday assured its 493 contractual employees that they will continue to receive their salary for the duration of the enhanced community quarantine. Secretary John Castriciones said he has already directed Undersecretary for Finance Management and Administration Office Lucius Junjun Malsi to promptly prepare in advance their contracts so that they could receive their salary for their daily sustenance. “We need to look after the welfare of the regular and contract of service personnel in the same footing,” he said. The DAR chief earlier ordered the processing of payrolls of regular employees to allay apprehension among them over the enhanced community quarantine. He said he is directing the whole operations of the department using available communication and social media platforms, specifically through online video conferencing, to address the plight of DAR employees and respond to issues and concerns of major stakeholders, the farmer-beneficiaries and the landowners as well. He commended the skeletal staff manning key bureaus of the department, “braving various checkpoints just to serve their fellow employees and DAR clientele at the risk of their own life.” The Luzon-wide lockdown due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has caused untold economic miseries to many families because of their inability to work and ply their trades, the department said. Government employees, especially those under contracts of service, became apprehensive over whether they would continue receiving their salary until the government took notice of their plight, it added.

TO THE RESCUE. Volunteers assist a man after he was hit by a speeding motorcycle along Taft Ave. cor. Kalaw, Manila.The victim suffered broken bones. Norman Cruz

Arrest fake news purveyors—DILG By Francisco Tuyay THE Interior and Local Government Department has ordered the Philippine National Police to track down and arrest more fake news purveyors as they “endanger public order and cause panic.” DILG chief Eduardo Año issued the order following the arrest of four individuals found spreading false information as the nation confront the deadly Covid-19. “Inaatasan ko ang PNP-Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) na huwag tantanan ang mga nasa likod ng pagpapalaganap ng fake news. Ang pagkakaaresto sa isang suspek sa Laguna at tatlo pa sa Cebu ay babala sa mga fake news peddlers. We are after you,” Año said. “The country, and, in fact, the whole world is in a delicate time amid the Covid-19 crisis. Information is power. So, false information is dangerous. Citizens can do

their role in this crisis by staying home and using social media and internet with discernment and discipline,” he added. Año said the PNP must ensure that the investigation and arrest of suspects are within the bounds of law. He assured the public that the DILG and the PNP will protect human rights and freedom of expression but reminded the public not to spread false information that will “cause panic and fan the flames of anxiety and fear.” DILG Spokesperson and Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said the four arrested suspects face criminal charges for committing Unlawful Use of Means of Publication and Unlawful Utterances punishable under Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code as amended in relation to Sec 4 (c) (4) on online libel and Section 6 of Republic Act No. 10175 known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

Coronavirus cure may just be right here in PH By Ansbert B. Joaquin

MORE DONATIONS. An informal assembly line at a covered commons at De La Salle University at Taft Ave. Manila is supervised by the Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Pamilyang Pantawid, and a combination of La Salle Brothers and priests of the Society of the Divine Word. They are repacking donated goods for distribution to targeted residents of impoverished Metro Manila communities.

OLONGAPO City—While the world scampers to find the antidote for the highly infectious Covid 19, some countries have even claimed having invented the virus vaccine, an anti-viral vaccine for this most dreaded disease may be just in our neighborhood. The Fabunan family of doctors have for years now been treating patients with dengue, chikungunya, dog bite, snake bites, and even HIV/AIDS with their anti-viral injection. According to Dr. Willie Fabunan, his anti-viral injection is

a combination of drugs anyone can buy from drug stores over-the-counter. “We just change the ratio of these combination drugs in treating various ailments,” Fabunan said in stressing the safety of the drug combo. Dr. Willie Fabunan now maintains clinics in San Marcelino, Zambales and in Olongapo City. Dr. Fabunan has successfully treated nine out of ten HIV/AIDS patients way back when he was still practicing in his hometown in San Marcelino, Zambales in 1999. Willie’s elder brother Ruben, who is

now based in Los Angeles, USA, founded the Fil-Am Tech, a private biotechnology firm, and began treating patients suffering from HIV/AIDS with the same drug. As Covid 19 claims more lives in the country, the Fabunan families are offering this same drug as a powerful remedy against the dreaded disease. One of the family members, who helped found the Help for Life, Incorporated, and his partners have started an online petition for the DOH to test their anti-viral drug which they named as Prodex-B against Covid19.

Opinion

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

My Nanang—our family’s anchor care of all of us kids in an accesoria in Sampaloc. When the war broke out in December 1942 and when the Japanese invaders came marching into Manila, it was my mother who sustained us. My sister practiced medicine at a puericulture center in Tondo and later on got married to a lawyer in Abra— Alfredo, who was a member of the Bersamin clan. We did not have household help and my mother taught me how to shop at the wet market for our needs. She also taught me how to cook and to iron our clothes. My wife did not believe all the things I had to do during the war. To be able to get snacks at the old Mathay grocery and eatery at the corner of Espana and P. Campa, I worked as a bootblack. On the side, I sold cigarets. The buyers of my wares— Chesterfield, Lucky Strike and Piedmont—were the Americans who were at the UST campus surrounded by a sawali fence. Sometimes I sneaked to avoid the Japanese. I peeped through the sawali fance to continue selling. My forbidden cigaret trade only ended when a Japanese sentry saw me and shouted: “Kura! Kura!” But would you believe I saved $250 after the war? My brother Desi was arrested together with the late Senator Manny Manahan because they were both in the underground movement. They were imprisoned at Fort Santiago. He stayed there for nine months until the Japanese government granted amnesty to all the prisoners. When Bataan fell to the Japanese after three months of resistance by Filipino and American soldiers, and after the infamous Death March from

THIS being the last weekend of March, a month dedicated to women all over the world, I would like to pay tribute to my mother Margarita Pacis Jurado, who was committed to achieve our Ilocano family’s dream of having professionals among us. I called her Nanang.

There was nothing she would not do for our family. My sister Cristeta completed medical studies from the University of Santo Tomas. My brother Desiderio earned a law degree from the University of the Philippines. He eventually became a justice of the Court of Appeals, a well-known civilist. A hero of Bessang Pass and a nominee to the Supreme Court, he died at the age of 69. Another brother, Guillermo (Willie) was a lawyer and World War II veteran. And then there’s me, graduating from the Philippine Law School after my studies at Ateneo de Manila. My mother was a devout Catholic. Even in her later years, she heard mass at Quiapo Church every day. What amazed me was that she did not have a college education. And yet, she imparted to us the values of honesty and hard work. While we, her children, were all studying in Manila, my father who was a schools supervisor in Abra was also busy with work all over the province. My mother took

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Pining for ‘normal’

IFE as we know it has changed so much, and so suddenly.

The Luzon-wide enhance community quarantine is ending its second week. Since it was first imposed, we have made many adjustments to the way we live, work, and relate with others, even the way we ponder our mortality. Restriction of movement has been the government’s main means of slowing the spread of the virus. Many have committed to abide by these limits, with two exceptions: Those who must keep going out to earn a living notwithstanding the risks of infection, and those who believe they are above the law and can flout it as they please. The problem is not unique to the Philippines. All around us, countries are grappling with the dreaded disease; even those with supposedly advanced healthcare systems find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer number of patients needing medical attention. Reading the news brings information, yes, but also anxiety. This is complicated by the proliferation of materials that may or may not be false. Restaurants and malls are closed, and if one does have to go out to get essential supplies, one should be prepared to stand in line and not find all

the items one set out to buy. There is no public transportation, such that only those with vehicles can go out; others have no choice but to walk even if they must go out. We tell ourselves we cannot get sick, COVID-19 or not, or meet an accident, because hospitals have become high-risk places. In all this, we all pine for the days before the disease caused us to worry for ourselves and for others. We wonder how long this “pause” will last, and how soon we can go back to our usual ways, even the things we took for granted. Even the President of the United States engages in delusional thinking and believes it would be safe for people to go out as before by Easter. But even White House adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, says we cannot give this crisis a timeline. The virus will determine the timeline. The timeline is fluid because it will depend on how governments and societies respond to it. After first taking the threat lightly, government leaders are now scrambling to cope with it— some more successfully than others. Each society has its own capabilities and priorities, and in a few weeks and months we will see which of these will have paid off. We hope that at this crucial point, leaders could be

humble enough to recognize and adopt others’ best practices even if these were not their idea. The truth is, we have permanently said goodbye to those pre-coronavirus days. There will be—there must be—no return to “normal.” What were commonplace before were recklessness and neglect. We were riding a high that made us feel invincible. We were too busy with our own affairs forgetting what was important. We took other people—health care workers, supermarket clerks, security guards, delivery people—for granted. We basked in our privilege and did not stop to think how others managed to eke out a living. Now more than ever, we are aware of how our national and local leaders are behaving in response to the pandemic. In the previous normal, we chalked up their arrogance, selfishness—even stupidity—as normal behavior for politicians. We didn’t think our votes would make a difference. Now that we have seen how their decisions can mean life and death for others, we have to keep being vigilant and outspoken—not only when we have the time because we are working from home. This will be a long pause, but we hope one that gives us clarity in the days ahead. May this heightened awareness, empathy, and purpose be our normal, henceforth.

Turn to A5

COVID-19 is political

THE picture of two kids holding up a sign that read, “To everyone, our mom and dad are doctors, please STAY HOME so we can see them soon ☺ (because if there are less patients, they will come HOME)” melted my heart. The kids are actually my grandchildren, a nine year-old girl and a five year-old boy who are now staying with me. Their parents are my daughter and son-in-law who are out there with other medical people in the war against the dreaded Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). What is happening to our health care workers is both heartbreaking and infuriating. They continue to fulfill their duty of caring for our health and saving lives while continuously exposing themselves to the virus. They are risking their health, even their lives in doing their duty. We repeatedly see doctors, nurses, and hospitals, both public and private literally beg for personal protective equipment (PPEs), masks, gloves, test kits, and other necessary supplies for them to be protected while providing care and treatment to those who have caught the virus. We see the private sector, different foundations, some celebrities and ordinary Filipinos trying to help by raising funds, sourcing the needed resources, and delivering the same to hospitals. We see people using their talent and creativity to locally produce supplies. As of this writing, ten (10) medical doctors who served at the front lines of this war have fallen. An unknown number of HCWs are either Persons Under Monitoring (PUM), or Persons Under Investigation (PUI). Per statements of various medical practitioners, the number is big. Like dominoes, our HCWs are falling, getting infected, or exposed, one by one. There is now a shortage of front liners and this is something that we can

afford. In fact, even the Department of Health (DOH) has put out a call for doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals to VOLUNTEER. Several major hospitals have already announced that they can no longer accommodate more COVID-19 patients because they are already over their capacity. This is despite the fact that many patients exhibiting mild symptoms are turned away, untested because of so-called DOH protocol. I am sure that other hospitals are nearly in the same boat and it is possible that soon, if recovery rate remain as slow as now, very few hospitals will be able to accept new patients.

There is no excuse for failing further. The situation is bound to worsen. The numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country are significantly increasing because the results of tests are now coming out and government says more testing can be done. Even the DOH has said that we expect an upsurge. As of March 27, the confirmed cases reached 803, recovered cases numbered 31, and, deaths 54. This, however, may be misleading because the cases are only based on the conducted tests which remain to be few. There is no way of knowing the actual number of cases especially among those in poor and congested communities. Even those tested have to wait for ten to 15 days before results are known. Some patients have died without knowing their test results. Consequently, there is also no way of knowing the exact number of deaths since only cases known to government are counted. The World Health Organization (WHO) projection for the country is far from encouraging. An estimated 75,000 COVID-19 cases are foreseen in the next few weeks. Five per cent of these are expected to be severe. What infuriates many, including HCWs, is the situation could have been a little better had government Turn to A5

Heal and act as one AS WE enter the second week of the Enhanced Community Quarantine, expect the number of those testing positive for COVID-19 to rise. This grim prediction is not from this writer but has been aired by no less than Health Secretary Francisco Duque who said that with the arrival and approval of new test kits, we can expect more tests to be conducted which could yield notso-pleasant results. But what could aggravate the situation is that March 29 would mark the 14th day of the quarantine and as we all know, the first day of work after the community quarantine put in effect resulted in a disaster of epic proportions.

Seas of humanity flooded every checkpoint set up in the boundaries Metro Manila shares with its neighboring towns. While we pray for the best, we should also brace for the worst if there was even one virus carrier in each of those checkpoints. Should such eventuality arise, the government has to use all the resources it has at its disposal and even those which the private sector could provide. With the number of PUIs and COVID-19 patients expected to balloon

all existing facilities. And one of those are passenger ships, which Senator Francis “Tol” Tolentino is proposing. Just recently, Tolentino requested the Department of Transportation to use vacant passenger ships as hospitals or temporary medical facilities to increase the bed capacity and to provide three ships initially for the health needs of the whole nation, in line with the passage and enactment the other day of Republic Act 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, which empowers the President to use passenger ships as quarantine hospitals due to the current shortage of hospital beds. Not all is lost yet. “The State may take temporarily take over or direct the operations or any vessel engaged in domestic trade as Duque predicts it, quarantine cent- and commerce, or prescribe its rates ers (and not crematoriums yet as one or routes of operation in a state of naadvanced-thinking mayor has been at- tional emergency and when required tending to lately) should be set up using Turn to A5 Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher

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Opinion

ONE evening last week, I was suddenly overwhelmed by fear—dread actually, the way the Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard defined it: “Dread is a desire for what one dreads, a sympathetic antipathy. Dread is an alien power, which lays hold of an individual, and yet one cannot fear oneself away, nor has a will to do so; for one fears what one fears one desires. Dread then makes the individual impotent.” Yes, the fear I feel is not fear of death. I have taught philosophy for most of

My dread is not the fear of death; it comes from being impotent to stop it from taking me and the persons I love.

the last 40 years to understand that we are all, as Martin Heidegger describes us, beings-towards-death or that death completes life. According to Fr. Roger Trofontaines SJ, death is a test for love, a condition for freedom. My dread is not the fear of death; it comes from being impotent to stop it from taking me and the persons I love. The truth is I have never seen a week when so many people I personally know have died at the same time; exemplary Filipinos like Aileen Baviera, Alan Ortiz, and Carn Abella (who died of a heart ailment that might not have been related to COVID-19). And then there are the good doctors who have sacrificed their lives to help the sick— among others Israel Bactol, Greg Macasaet. Rose Pulido, Raul Jara, Marcelo Jaochico, and Sally Gatchalian. I suppose once I accept my impotence and rely unconditionally on The Lord’s power to save us, whatever form that takes, then the dread will disappear. Borrowing from Kierkegaard again, as taught to me by Fr. Roque Ferriols SJ, I will move from full of fear and trembling to becoming a knight of infinite resignation and finally a knight of faith. The Gospel reading for the Fifth Sunday of Lent is helpful in this respect. It is about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. On receiving the message that his friend was ill, Jesus and his disciples went to Bethany where Lazarus lived with his sisters Martha and Mary. Upon arriving, Jesus found that Lazarus had been in the tomb for three days already. Martha went to meet him exclaiming, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died, Facebook page: Professor Tony La but even now I know that God will Vina Twitter: tonylavs

Heal... From A4

by public interest, under reasonable terms prescribed by it,” the lawmaker explained, citing Sec. 24 of Republic Act No. 9295 or the Domestic Shipping Development Act of 2004, as the basis for his proposal. A passenger ship’s capacity can reach up to 1,200 passengers. These are available now, with most of these vacant and docked in the Port of Manila due to the travel restrictions. Tolentino said allowing these vessels to be used as temporary medical facilities will address the shortage of hospital spaces and will ease the burden of our hospitals and our health workers. But of course, there’s more to quarantine facilities to combat this dreaded virus. And at the frontline are health workers, hospital crew including janitors, medical clerks, pharmacists, supermarket personnel, police, military personnel and barangay officials manning the checkpoints. And most of them are unduly exposed to the dangers COVID-19 pose, thanks but no thanks to bureaucratic red tape. And all because of a measly P150 million in taxes to be collected from the imported assorted PPE the Bureau of Customs are still holding at the moment (measly compared to the almost P300 billion the government had allotted to address the contagion). According to lawyer Larry Gadon, if there’s someone to be blamed for the shortage of PPE for the frontliners, it should be the BoC under the Department of Finance. “What will you do with tax customs if thousands will die,” Gadons says. Aside from the customs issue, Ga-

don says importers who have cleared customs are also “wary of selling openly because of the raids and accusations of hoarding,” prompting the lawyer to the government to let importers and sellers set the price of PPEs. However, a better solution would be for the government to purchase all the available PPE whether those still in the Custom’s warehouses or already in the hands of the traders and distribute them to all those requiring them. In such a way, aside from eliminating hoarding and overpricing, the government can ensure these PPE would land in the hands of the proper persons. With regard to determining the exact number of those infected, which is crucial in fighting the disease, the Food and Drug Administration under the Department of Health should expedite accreditation of test kits and laboratories for Covid 19 and that includes rapid test kits, according to House Deputy Majority Leader, Bagong Henerasyon Rep. Bernadette Herrera. While she also lauded the swift action of the FDA on approving new COVID-19 testing kits for commercial use, she called on the DoH to expedite the search for and acquisition of rapid test kits that can provide accurate Covid 19 detection in as little as 30 minutes or within a few hours, so that mass testing can be begin soon. Herrera stressed that everyone who suffers from symptoms identified with Covid 19 should be siubjected to mass testing, including those at the frontline. So, while the number of Covid 19 patients continue to rise, we believe all is not lost yet. Together, we heal as one. If only the concerned persons and agencies could get their act together.

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Saving the National Power Corporation

The resurrection of Lazarus grant whatever you ask of him.” Jesus answered: “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.” Mary posed the same question to Jesus who was greatly distressed. In his humanity, the Lord wept with Martha and Mary. Today, he is with us too in our dread and suffering. With a profound sigh, Jesus said, “Where have you put him?'” They said, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus reached the tomb, a cave with a stone to close the opening. When they took the stone away, Jesus lifted up his eyes and said: “Father, I thank you for hearing my prayer.” He then cried in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his feet and hands bound with strips of material, and a cloth over his face. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, let him go free.” I do not know if I will survive this pandemic. I have what have been described as “co-morbidities” that make me more at risk than others. I am certainly preparing for that eventuality, making sure my affairs are in order so the family will not be so burdened if I fall in the days ahead. I certainly do not want to die. I still have things I would like to do as husband, father, hopefully as grandfather one day, and as teacher, thinker, writer, and advocate. But I also know that this labor is not mine but the Lord’s and if He calls me now, he will make sure the family will be fine and the work gets done. So, I am preparing also spiritually. It’s a good spiritual exercise anyway. I imagine myself to be in front of The Lord on judgment day and he asked me the questions in the gospel of Mathew: Did you feed the hungry? Did you give the thirsty a drink? Did you welcome strangers? Did you clothe the naked? Did you care for the sick? Did you stand up for prisoners? Did you do these to or for the least of your brothers and sisters? I would add also these questions: Were you a good husband, father, son, brother, uncle, cousin, and friend? Were you a good teacher and mentor? Did you fight for human rights and social justice? Did you protect planet and people? Were you a good Filipino and global citizen? Were you kind, non-judgmental, charitable, and compassionate? Above all, did you ask for forgiveness for your failings and sins? If you believe that, like Lazarus, resurrection awaits all of us, then you will not be afraid.

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020

Part II R.A. NO. 7648 or the Emergency Power Act given to then President Ramos was approved on April 5, 1993 was intended to save Napocor. The objective of the Private Sector Assets and Liabilities Management was restated in Section 5 of the EPIRA Law (R.A. No. 9136), approved on June 8. 2001, was to liquidate the debt of Napocor, sell and dispose its assets including the IPP contracts it entered into, as well as some of the real estate properties it owns. From a biggest income-generating government agency, Napocor was bankrupted by the do-gooders with PSALM doing the rehabilitation. On the contrary, the independent power producers recklessly violated their part of the obligation when supposedly they are mandated to liquate all their overdue accounts with Napocor. In fact, even before Napocor could fully pay Westinghouse, it accumulated an even bigger amount of uncollectible account, which reason why it sold its geothermal plants, hydropower dams, and in maintaining, expanding and securing our transmission grid. Finance Secretary by Carlos Dominguez listed the following as among the independent power producers and electric cooperatives that have unpaid loans to PSALM: South Premiere Power Corp. (SPPC), a conglomerate of San Miguel Corp. (SMC), amounting to P19.75 billion; Ilijan gas-fired power plant in Batangas City with unpaid obligation of P23 billion plus P2.62 billion for other charges; Vivant-Sta. Clara Northern Renewables Generation Corp. owes P3.86 billion for operating the Bakun Hydroelectric Power Plant in Ilocos Sur; Good Friends Hydro Resources Corp. P1.16 billion, while FDC Utilities, Inc. owes P1.12 billion. Both administer the Unified Leyte Geothermal Power Plants; The Filinvest Utilities subsidiary, the FDC Misamis Power Corp., owes PSALM P2.56 billion, for the Mindanao I and II geothermal power plants; Ten electric cooperatives and industries with unpaid obligation of P28.74 billion leading of which is the Lanao del Sur Electric Cooperative (Lasureco) has the highest and longest account at P9.63 billion; The Public Utilities Department of Olongapo City, P6.07 billion. PICOP Resources Corp., amounting to

Covid-19... From A4

prepared early and prepared well. This was the public’s clamor when other countries were already seeing an upsurge and the Philippines was still relatively COVID-19-free. We could have banned incoming foreigners and procured needed supplies earlier. Until now, our hospitals, and even DOH still very heavily depends on donations from the private sector or other countries of needed supplies revealing how ill-prepared the country is for this pandemic. For many weeks test kits have been very limited. Despite acute shortages, however, government officials and their families, despite having no symptoms, were tested by the DOH. We also witness the abuse of power and authority of some politicians. Outside of being given undue priority in testing, there are those who Senator

My Nanang... From A4

Bataan to Capas, Tarlac (my other brother Willie included),my mother took it upon herself to go to Capas riding the Philippine National Railway which at that time ran from Tutuban to La Union. Life in Manila soon became difficult and expensive. We used Mickey Mouse money to buy a ganta of rice. We ate kangkong from the esteros. At this point, my mother and I de-

P2.96 billion; Albay Electric Cooperative, Inc. also known as the Albay Power Energy Corp., P2.61 billion; Maguindanao Electric Cooperative, Inc., 1.76 billion; Global Steelworks International, Inc., with unpaid account of P1.68 billion; Pampanga III Electric Cooperative Inc., with P1.27 billion; Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative Inc. with P1.24 billion; Magellan Cogeneration, Inc. P750.86 million; Bacnotan Steel Corp., with P743.68 million;

Here’s the list from Secretary Dominguez.

It is an open secret that owners do not only own one or more generation plants or have franchise to operate distribution utilities in other areas to evade the divestment requirement. They trifle with the country’s investment laws by their creation of interlocking corporations engaged in the same or similar business, thereby making it hard for the government to dismantle the cartel in the industry. In their scheme to deceive the consumers to agree to their cost of electricity, they created a specialized market for the sale of energy like a commodity. It is a neoliberal concept that if goods are openly traded, the presumption is that the price will naturally subside. It is based on the conventional economic postulate of law of supply and demand. The Epira Law called their novel idea wholesale electricity sport market or WESM to enbe operated by the members of the en ergy cartel. To implement the plan, the cartel created a non-stock corporation to oversee the day-to-day trading of their invisible commodity to “exact” from the consumers the best price they could offer. WESM thereby created the Philippine Electricity Market Corporation (PEMC) to sell to consumers and even to operators the power-generation plant and distribution utilities electricity where the demand is high always for a profit. In theory there is the day-to-day change in price measly ranging say to 001 centavo per kwh, but consumers practically has no way to decide how much it will cost them, except to accept the posted price made by the cartel operators. What used to be operated by Napocor as a system of monopoly in the supply and distribution of electricity, that only Napocor can generate power to be sold to the various distribution utilities, that role has effectively been taken over by PEMC though WESM. PEMC appoint the personnel and supervisors to carry out their trading activities. Like the stock-ownership divestment scheme in R.A. No. 9136, WESM turned out to be a big joke. Never has there been an instance where the price of electricity dropped though the initiative of WESM. The role of fixing the rate of electricity or reducing it has instead become the odd job of the Supreme Court after the deregulators effectively defanged the ERC. There is no love lost in the relationship between the consumers of electricity and the cartel that controls the power energy. As one observes, the institution of PEMC has become a syndicated superhighway where the traders of electricity and the government collude in fixing the rate with the latter acting more as onlooker.

Five other electric cooperatives. Among them are: a) Northern Samar Electric Cooperative Inc. with P742.13 million; b) Sorsogon II Electric Cooperative Inc. with P510.15 million; c) Samar I Electric Cooperative Inc. with P303.04 million in unpaid account; d) Zamboanga del Sur II Electric Cooperative Inc. amounting to P275.69 million; e) Sorsogon I Electric Cooperative with unpaid obligations of P206.23 million. All the various independent power producers, distribution utilities, electric cooperatives and heavy users of power energy accumulated an overdue account of P59.23 billion as of December 2018. Several IPPAs have unpaid accounts of P28.46 billion. As we see it, the opposition has been zeroing in on the State Grid Corporation of China, which came to the rescue of Napocor after the various foreign consultants bungled their recommendations to resuscitate the industry. Their suggestion pushed the country’s premier energy corporation deeper in debt after they recommended the deregulation of the power rates and the scrapping of the franchise tax (P.D. No. 551) on utility operators but passing it on to the consumers as added cost to their monthly bills. Despite the monumental debacle, not one was held to account. The passed-on charge was made collectible from the consumers at an average of .07 percent. On top of it, almost all the owners of the power generation plants and distribution utilities defied and/or circumvented Section 28 of R.A. No. 9136, which requires them to reduce their stock ownership to a maximum of 15%. The few that were listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange remain unverifiable or are fronted by dummies. As one observed, the demonopolization law is more of a farce. The modern-day oligarchs practically acted like living gods, dictating and shaping the country’s economic and rpkapunan@gmail.com political life.

Koko Pimentel broke protocols when, as a PUI, he accompanied his wife to the Makati Medical Center (MMC) for a Caesarean Section delivery that was not due for two weeks more. In the process, Pimentel exposed everybody that he came into contact with in the hospital. HCWs needed to go on quarantine depleting further the already lean health force of the hospital. The MMC had issued a statement denouncing Pimentel’s actions. Pimentel also did groceries at the S&R BGC while he was supposed to be in quarantine. Again, this action put those in the big supermarket at risk. The affected workers had to go on self-quarantine. Pimentel’s irresponsibility and abuse of his position clearly resulted in committing acts that violated a number of laws. He should be made accountable. Until now, government is very slow in responding to problems. Not only are the test kits limited, laboratories and personnel that can process the kits are also severely lacking. This is

the reason for the very long waiting time before test results are released. Despite this, however, the DOH has yet to approve Marikina City’s request to operate the test processing laboratory and equipment they purchased and set-up. The operationalization of COVIDonly facilities is also slow in coming. Fast tracking this would address the shortage of hospital space and thus, needs to be prioritized. There are many problems in how this administration is fighting this war against COVID-19 and to address these Congress gave in to the Executive’s request for a law granting Pres. Duterte emergency powers. RA 11469 has been passed in one session day. This new law makes Duterte extremely powerful for at least three months. There is no excuse for further failure. COVID-19 is after all, also a political issue.

cided to join my two older brothers in Abra. This meant joining the guerilla movement. My brothers had gone North to join the USAFIP-NL to fight the Japanese. It was here where I became most amazed at my mother. She was already a senior citizen at this time. But Nanang was able to keep up with the pace of the guerilleros. My gulay, there was a tim when the Japanese were shelling us with mortar fire! And we slept on the ground during this time.

This was when I saw the best and worst in Filipinos. The guerilleros tortured and butchered alleged collaborators. By the end of 1944 when General Douglas MacArthur did return to the Philippines, my two brothers decided to join the Battle of Bessang Pass. My mother endured the day-and-night trek from Abra to La Union. The distance was 87 kilometers. It took us seven or eight days. My mother was indeed an amazing woman!

@bethangsioco on Twitter Elizabeth Angsioco on Facebook

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020 jdlacsamana@gmail.com

Home/Design

Joel D. Lacsamana, Editor

LIVING, LOVING AT HOME IN THE TIME OF CORONAVIRUS

Brighten up quarantine spaces with design ideas

T IS difficult to imagine how the younger generations “accustomed to staying outside” are facing the age of Covid-19.

In the last twenty years, the new generations have lost interest towards home furnishing – except for the PC – and domestic space. But during a pandemic like what we have today, the new normal is actually a much-needed reset. We now realize how much we need our homes, and how important it is for them to work for us in the way that suits us best. Now is a great time to rethink the formal living or dining room that you rarely use and turn it into your home office, yoga studio, game room, or whatever really works for you. With everyone forced to work at home, if there ever was a time to think about what home means, it is now. Family room at the center Today, the true heart of the home is the family room. Before we begin with the family room Ideas and decorating tips, ask yourself these critical questions: Does my family room function for my family’s lifestyle? Do my home decor and furnishings make us feel good? Or are there things we are constantly having to move around to utilize the room for our lifestyle? Can everyone in the family comfortably have a seat? Are you able to relax? Play games? Watch the television from all the seats? Declutter, go for rugs to chill on Decluttering is the first step to success. Purge what you can.

To make the entire house a peaceful place to live, rugs and textiles are a good idea. Rugs or carpets provide a gathering center point. Rugs feel good on our feet, plus they absorb sounds and prevent echoes. Have you ever been to a house where a kid dropped a toy in the family room and the sound echoed all over the house and almost woke the neighbors? It’s most likely because a rug, or fabric window treatments, were not present to absorb the sound. Then echoes ring in the air forever. Make room for coffee on the coffee table You’d be surprised how many people load up their coffee tables with useless decorative accessories. A coffee table should leave plenty of space for you to set down your morning coffee or a glass

of wine. For coffee table decorations, stacks of cocktail or reading books are good if you read or enjoy flipping through art. Add decorative toss pillows, throw blankets People’s toss pillows and throws often don’t coordinate with their decor. When selecting things you need for a room, search for items that blend in and work nicely in the space without looking displaced even if they are. These are pillows your kids drag in from the bedrooms and blankets from their rooms. Consider a storage cabinet to house some throws, blankets, and pillows that look like they belong in the family room even when they are out of place. Storage baskets are also a great solution to hide extra blankets and pillows. Closed cabinets, built-in bookshelves Most families need some form of storage in the family room. Take note of the items in your family room that may be sitting out in plain site. Could those items be stored behind doors? Drawers, or would they look best on shelves? If so, this will help you determine what types of end tables, or entertainment

MPIC SPENDS P190M IN FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19. Metro Pacific Investments Corporation have donated millions of pesos worth of virus specimen collection kits, Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), medicine, relief goods (namely food and alcohol), face masks, water supplies, as well as transportation services for medical frontliners. MPIC companies Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), Manila Electric Company (MERALCO), Maynilad Water Services, Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), Global Business Power (GBP) and the MPIC Hospital group, as well as Metro Pacific Investments Foundation and One Meralco Foundation, have distributed just under P200 million worth of support to various municipalities (Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto is shown in photo helping distribute Meralco care packages this week), government agencies and medical institutions all over the country. The conglomerate also mobilized a nationwide internal program to take care of its thousands of employees involved in infrastructure projects all over the country, through the continuance of salaries and benefits during the corona virus crisis period. “The mandate from our Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan is to prioritize the well-being of our employees for the continued services from our utility business, including health care workers from the Metro Pacific Hospital Group,” said said MPIF President Melody del Rosario. “We are also trying to help various public hospitals including the Philippine National Police and LGU volunteers.”

center your family room needs. Be creative with your fitness You may not be able to go to the gym, but it’s okay to walk, run or bike outside, so long as you keep a safe distance —ideally about three feet—from other people. If you’re working out at home, get creative with things you already own. Use wine bottles for weights, dish towels for sliders (for exercises like lunges and mountain climbers) or a sturdy chair for step-ups. There are also plenty of no-equipment-required exercises—like squats, burpees, sit-ups, planks, push-ups and mountain climbers—you can do in even a small space. Take comfort in the fact that physical activity doesn’t have to mean a gym-style workout. Everyday activities like walking, gardening and cleaning slash your risk of premature death and improve your overall health—so any amount of movement you can squeeze in counts. Find your stress-free place Set aside a specific area in your home that’s free of technology, except maybe a speaker for music. Stock this area with

things that calm you, like your favorite blankets and pillows, a scented candle and house plants. Plants can help purify indoor air—if nothing else, they can help boost your mood. Remember, over-exposure to news, to chaos, creates a lot of anxiety. If you can create a quiet space to reflect, to journal, it helps to calm you. Designate specific areas for work and fitness, to mentally separate the parts of your day.

BIG TICKET INFRA LURES LOCATORS DOWN SOUTH. Property developer Cathay Land expects its industrial park in Cavite to continue growing as various locators gravitate towards the Cavite-LagunaBatangas (CALABA) corridor due to the massive infrastructure developments in the region. These include big-ticket infrastructure projects such as the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX) and Cavite-Tagaytay-Batangas Expressway (CTBEX). Stretching 47 kilometers, CALAX aims to link SLEX-Mamplasan Interchange to CAVITEX in Kawit, Cavite. Jeffrey Ng, President of Cathay Land, remains bullish for the developer’s flagship industrial park development. Cathay Land plans to continues to expand its Cavite Light Industrial Park (CLIP) development located in the heart of Silang. “The strong interest that Cavite Light Industrial Park is getting from investors is really pushing us to roll out more lots to meet the rising demand,” Ng said.

World

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Damascus dreads new silent enemy

EMERGENCY MISSION. The cruise ship MV Artania is berthed at the port of Fremantle on an emergency mission with a sick patient being transferred to a hospital for coronaviros testing on March 27, 2020. AFP

On the edge of failure over virus WASHINGTON—It was supposed to be a happy time for Will, a musician in the Washington area. He was planning a wedding reception at a local restaurant. Instead, he had to cancel the party due to the coronavirus crisis. And, despite a few misgivings, he’s also decided to ask the restaurant for a complete refund right away—in case the pandemic forces the eatery to shut its doors forever. “My original plan was just to save the money to credit and to have a big party there in the future,” the 47-year-old told AFP, who asked that his last name not be used. But then, he lost his job at a music store. And of course, he can no longer perform in restaurants and bars, because they are all closed for the foreseeable future. “We’re just too worried about them shutting down the business and not getting the money back,” he said. The restaurant industry has been one of the hardest-hit since local governments across the United States started ordering residents to stay at home as much as possible to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. Many Americans have launched appeals to help their local restaurants, which are either closed or only offering takeout while the country rides out the crisis. Such help could come in the form of buying gift cards, which are a “muchneeded revenue source during the pandemic disruption,” according to the National Restaurant Association. “In the best of times, restaurants operate on razor-thin margins, typically three to six percent, and 90 percent are small businesses with less than 50 employees,” the association’s executive vice president of public affairs, Sean Kennedy, told AFP. Of course, a few gift cards are not going to save the sector, a vital one in the world’s largest economy. It is the country’s second-biggest employer, only behind the health care sector. There are more than one million bars, restaurants and fast food outlets across the United States. Before the coronavirus crisis took hold, the National Restaurant Association had said it was expecting sales of nearly $900 billion this year. Now, it says the industry could lose at least $225 billion—and ﬁve to seven million jobs—over the next three months. There are no guarantees those jobs would be restored after the crisis. AFP

China mask producers meet global demand EIJING―As the coronavirus pandemic that originated in a central Chinese city has gone global, thousands of factories in China have nimbly turned to a new and very proﬁtable market― face masks for export.

At the height of China’s outbreak in early February, Guan Xunze’s company created a new mask factory in just eleven days. The factory, with five production lines in northeastern China, made the much-needed N95 face masks which were in huge demand as infection numbers surged. As cases in the country have dwindled, the 34-year-old—who was previously in pharmaceuticals—is now profiting from new markets and exporting masks to Italy, where the death toll has overtaken that of China. In the first two months of the year, a staggering 8,950 new manufacturers started producing masks in China, according to business data platform Tianyancha― racing to fill the huge gap in demand. But after the virus epicenter of Hubei province was placed on lockdown and

the initial frenzy began to die down in China, virus outbreaks emerged in new hot spots elsewhere in the world. Globally more than 400,000 have been infected with the deadly coronavirus, and demand for protective equipment is still soaring as nations across the globe battle the outbreak. “A mask machine is a real cash printer,” said Shi Xinghui, sales manager of an N95 mask machine company in Dongguan city, southeastern Guangdong province. “The proﬁt of a mask now is at least several cents compared to less than one in the past. “Printing 60,000 or 70,000 masks a day is equivalent to printing money.” Qi Guangtu has put more than 50 million yuan ($7 million) into his factory producing mask-making machines in the southern industrial hub of Dongguan.

It has been in 24-hour continuous production since January 25—two days after the dramatic lockdown of Wuhan, where the virus ﬁrst emerged. “Cost recovery is certainly not a problem,” he said, adding that 70 sets of equipment have been sold for more than 500,000 yuan ($71,000) each. He has more than 200 additional orders in hand, worth over 100 million yuan ($14 million). “The machines pay for themselves in 15 days, “ said Qi, saying the investment is worth it for his clients. Manufacturer You Lixin had never set foot in a mask factory before. But as the market soared and he saw the opportunity, it took him just ten days from ﬁrst deciding to enter the industry to delivering automated machines capable of producing masks. “I slept two or three hours a day, so did my clients,” he said. You’s clients also slept in his plant, waiting desperately to collect their new machinery. Some of them are garment factory owners in Wenzhou, eastern Zhejiang province, who had switched to producing face masks. AFP

IN BRIEF Troops to enforce mandatory quarantine SYDNEY―The Australian military will help enforce the quarantine of travelers returning to the country, with the prime minister unveiling strict new measures and door-to-door checks Friday to rein in the spread of COVID-19. With some two-thirds of Australia’s 3,000 COVID-19 cases still linked to overseas travel, Scott Morrison said 14-day home quarantines would now be actively policed with the help of the military. Thousands of citizens and residents are still arriving in Australia every day and there have been instances of return travelers repeatedly breaking a promise to stay at home. Morrison said all returnees arriving after midnight Saturday would now be kept in hotels in the city of arrival for the duration of their quarantine. Those already on Australian soil and under orders to self-quarantine for two weeks will face active checks, he said. Quarantine measures will be getting “a lot tougher and a lot stricter,” Morrison said, adding the Australian Defense Force would “assist in the compliance with these arrangements.” Police in New South Wales this week said they found a 65-year-old woman breaking quarantine twice after returning from Bali. She was slapped with two $1,000 (US$610) ﬁnes. Australia has struggled in particular to deal with returning cruise ship passengers. Around 200 of the 2,700 passengers who were allowed to disembark one ship in central Sydney without testing have subsequently tested positive for COVID-19. AFP

Crush of virus refugees feared

CHECKPOINT. Motorists traveling from Pattani-Yala province line up to get their temperature checked at the Plak-Pla checkpoint, which was set up to stop the spread of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus, in Thailand’s southern province of Narathiwat, on March 27, 2020. AFP

Specter of coronavirus quarantine haunts Hungarian democracy BUDAPEST―A “dictatorship” at the heart of the EU? A draft law to grant anticoronavirus emergency measures set for adoption by Budapest has alarmed observers who fear it will hand Prime Minister Viktor Orban unlimited power. “Hungary is a special case, nowhere else have you the kind of extraordinary measures that Orban is proposing,” said Milan Nic, an expert with the Berlin-based German Council for Foreign Relations. After declaring a state of emergency on March 11, Orban expects parliament to vote on Tuesday to allow him to extend it indeﬁnitely and rule by decree in order to better

DAMASCUS-On a deserted street in the old city of Damascus, the new coronavirus has forced salesmen like Ahmad to close up shop indefinitely for the first time in Syria’s war. “We’ve lived through some tough times during the war,” says the 59-year-old, sitting on a chair on the pavement outside his textiles shop. But “never in my life have I seen the markets and shops close for days on end like now.” All around him, businesses have pulled down their metal blinds or covered up their stands. The scene is the same across much of the Syrian capital, with squares and markets once thronging with people even during the war now almost entirely empty. In the century-old covered bazaar of Hamidiya, workers in orange jumpsuits and face masks spray down wooden doors bolted shut with padlocks. Five cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the country since Sunday, and the authorities have ordered all nonessential businesses closed. Ahmad this week called in his employees to give them their monthly wages and ask them all to go home. The shopkeeper says he’s never known anything like it. Even as rockets rained down during the conflict, the shops would not remain shut for long, he says. “I don’t know how we’re going to live without work,” lamented the tradesman, who supports a family of four including himself. Eighty percent of Syrians already live under the poverty line, according to the United Nations. Syria’s conflict has killed more than 380,000 people and displaced millions from their homes since starting in 2011 with anti-government protests. AFP

ﬁght COVID-19 and its impacts. If parliament, dominated by his rightwing Fidesz party, approves the “coronavirus law” with the necessary two-thirds majority, Orban’s cabinet could in theory enjoy effectively unchecked power. “His government is already in a stronger position than anywhere else in the EU. Hungary is no longer a country of democratic checks and balances,” said Nic. The law would also enable heavy jail terms for publishers of “false information” about the virus and the government’s measures, stoking new worries for Hungarian press freedoms that have

dwindled under Orban. A former anti-communist turned selfstyled “illiberal” nationalist, 56-year-old Orban has also transformed Hungary’s political, judicial, and constitutional landscape since he came to power in 2010. His many clashes with the European institutions, NGOs and rights groups over migration, democracy, and the rule of law have seen Budapest sued by Brussels for “breaching” EU values. “Until now, the system installed by Orban was seen as a ‘hybrid state’, neither democracy nor dictatorship,” said former journalist Paul Lendvai in an editorial this week

in Austria’s Der Standard. But Lendvai, a Hungarian who fled to Austria after the failed anti-Soviet 1956 uprising, wondered if the proposed powers could turn Hungary into “the EU’s first dictatorship.” Orban’s latest move will also pick at already raw relations between Fidesz and the European Parliament’s conservative EPP grouping who have dithered over expelling the party from their ranks. For EPP MEP Othmar Karas of Austria’s conservative OeVP party, the latest furore firmly “puts Orban on the path” of authoritarian Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, an ally of the Hungarian. AFP

SYDNEY―Vigilantes in some Australian outback towns have reportedly slashed the tires of those ﬂeeing coronavirus hot spots in the big cities, according to a government minister who urged calm on Friday. Remote areas in the northeastern state of Queensland are being inundated with travelers―mostly retirees―trying to escape the highly infectious disease, Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said. “As the borders are being shut, we are seeing a surge of gray nomads from southern states, and also from southeast Queensland, go to southwest Queensland to hide from the coronavirus,” Littleproud told Seven News. “Unfortunately this action could turn caravans into the cruise ships of the outback if someone is infected and spreads it in small communities.” Easter is normally prime season for tourism in Queensland’s west, as retired travelers visit the outback and remote areas of the state in droves. Visitors’ vehicles had their tires slashed in some small towns as panicked residents fear their health systems may struggle to cope with the epidemic, he said. “I understand the concern of these people in these communities,” he added. AFP

Sports

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor sports@manilastandard.net sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020

This picture taken on March 24, 2020 shows an electronic 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games countdown clock showing days until the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics, outside Tokyo Station in Tokyo. Japan started the unprecedented task of reorganizing the Tokyo Olympics after the historic decision to postpone the world’s biggest sporting event due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic that has locked down one third of the planet. AFP

Athletes qualified for Tokyo games will keep Olympic spots ARIS—Athletes who had already qualiﬁed for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics before they were postponed will keep their places when the showpiece takes place in 2021, sources told AFP on Thursday.

Around 57% of the 11,000 scheduled participants for Tokyo had already made sure of taking part when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) pushed the Games back to 2021 due to the coronavirus on Tuesday. The IOC and 32 international sports federations held a teleconference on Thursday where it was decided to respect the qualification process. “Thomas Bach (the IOC President) first explained the reasons for the postponement of the Games, then said

Warriors’ Curry quizzes scientist on COVID-19 LOS ANGELES—NBA star Stephen Curry took his questions on the coronavirus pandemic to senior US scientist Anthony Fauci on Thursday in an Instagram conversation that drew almost 50,000 viewers, including former president Barack Obama. The message from Fauci, who leads research into infectious diseases at the National Institutes of Health: “This is serious business.” “One of the reasons why I wanted to have this Q&A, is to hopefully reach different demographics and people who are interested in the facts,” Curry told Fauci during the Instagram Live broadcast. He said seeing pictures of people at crowded beaches and parks, even as Californians are under orders to stay home and pratice social distancing, prompted him to try to reach out. Curry talked about his bout with what was confirmed to be seasonal flu earlier this month, revealing he was tested at the time for COVID-19. “I had flu-like symptoms about two days before the NBA shut down and I got a test pretty much right away,” Curry said. “And I know there’s a conversation right now about the overall accessibility of tests.” Fauci responded: “That’s been a real issue early on. Several weeks ago we were not in a place we wanted to be or needed to be. “Right now there are literally hundreds of thousands of tests out there, mostly because we got the private sector involved.” Fauci said people should first call a healthcare provider if they experience symptoms, rather than heading straight to an emergency room. Fauci said he was hopeful that a vaccine will be available by next winter, but in the meantime social distancing, testing and use of personal protective gear are important measures to protect health care providers and those battling the illness. AFP

that the athletes qualified for Tokyo 2020 would automatically be qualified for 2021,” one of the participants in the conference told AFP. “One of the main subjects was to know when and how to organise the qualifications. “In some federations, many sportsmen and sportswomen are not qualified and it takes at least three months for the Olympic Games to organise them.” The 2020 Tokyo Games were

scheduled for July 24-August 9, but after telephone discussions between Bach and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a historic joint decision was taken for the first postponement of an Olympics in peacetime However, there is no definite date yet for the rescheduled Games with Bach saying Tuesday the Tokyo Olympics “must be rescheduled to a date beyond 2020 but not later than summer 2021, to safeguard the health of the athletes, everybody involved in the Olympic Games and the international community”. Many Olympic sports, such as boxing, saw the vast majority of their qualifying tournaments either interrupted or cancelled due to the

global health situation. Others, such as sailing however, already had 90% of their competitors qualified. “The allocated quotas remain allocated,” confirmed another participant in Thursday’s meeting. “Thomas Bach has confirmed that a decision (on a new date for the 2021 event) will be made within the next four weeks,” he said. “Some said they prefer May 2021, others June ...” Some federation chiefs also expressed financial concerns, claiming in advance part of the sums traditionally allocated after the Olympic Games by the IOC to the governing bodies. AFP

Pistons’ Wood cleared from coronavirus WASHINGTON—Detroit Pistons forward Christian Wood has become the first publicly known NBA player to be cleared after testing positive for coronavirus, according to multiple media reports Thursday. Wood tested positive for the virus on March 15 but has been cleared, unnamed sources told The Athletic and ESPN, while Wood’s agent, Adam Pensack told the Detroit Free Press that Woods is “feeling great and fully recovered.” The 24-year-old American, on his fifth NBA club in four league seasons, was the third NBA player to test positive for COVID-19 after Utah’s Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. Wood had been in self-isolation since March 11 while being treated by team medical staff. Being considered cleared requires two negative coronavirus tests at least 24 hours apart. His diagnosis became public a week after the Pistons faced the Utah Jazz, a game in which he was matched often against Gobert, the first known NBA player with coronavirus. Woods scored 30 points and grabbed 11 rebounds against Gobert. Wood had been enjoying a solid campaign when the season shut down, averaging 13.1 points and 6.3 rebounds. AFP

Christian Wood

Postponement beneficial to all stakeholders By Peter Atencio IMMEASURABLE benefits could be derived from holding the Olympics next year. Former Philippine Olympic Committee president Celso Dayrit said this following the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Dayrit believes that staging the Olympics in the early months of 2021 will have a positive effect on all stakeholders. “Though delayed, the 32nd Olympiad will push through (it was not cancelled). This should be good for the Olympic Movement, and to all stakeholders including the IOC, IFs, NOCs, the Japanese people, sponsors and above all, the athletes. As the 32nd Olympic cycle is extended by one year, immeasurable benefits could be derived,” said Dayrit. Dayrit, the president of the POC from 1999 to 2004, believes that more aspiring individual athletes will get a chance to qualify for the delayed Tokyo Games.

For one, the Philippines only have four athletes qualified for the Games, with around 60 athletes from 19 sports disciplines seeking qualification. But these qualifiers, just like the Olympiad, have been called off for a later date because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the efforts to contain it. “More aspiring individual athletes could be given a ‘second chance’ to qualify for the delayed Tokyo Games. In team sports where countries have already qualified, the composition of their team could still be adjusted, giving more athletes the chance to make it to the Olympics,” added Dayrit. He noted that some international federations may recommend new guidelines to qualify additional athletes who may prove to be deserving by next year. Because of this, he feels that the possibility of having a “bigger” Olympics in 2021 now looms. Most of the big IOC sponsors, according to Dayrit, have signed up for at

least two Olympic cycles and putting of the Games for next year won’t be that disadvantageous for them. “More sponsors could even be attracted to come in now as they will benefit from having four Olympic Games (the Winter and Youth Games in 2022, and two summer Games) in the next four years,” explained Dayrit. As for local sponsors in Japan, they are seen to benefit from an extended period of preparation. “This could also attract more companies to avail of this last chance to be part of Olympic history,” said Dayrit. Dayrit said that the Japanese economy has greatly benefitted with the announced postponement as seen in the rebound of their stock market. So far, government and businesses in Japan have also welcome the postponement. “... to redeem their investments next year, from an otherwise total loss due to the current pandemic this year. Hotels,

airlines, and other services naturally prefer rebooking than cancellation and refunds. And spectators may even choose to hold on to their tickets, rather than lose their rights to their reserved seats next year,” explained Dayrit. Organizers are currently working on having a proper schedule for the Games. The International Olympic Committee is planning to have it no later than the summer of 2021. They are considering to have it take place in the spring, instead of putting it in the normal summer slot. “This is not restricted just to the summer months. All the options are on the table, before and including the summer of 2021,” said IOC president Thomas Bach in a statement. The IOC and Japanese government gave in last Tuesday to intense pressure from athletes and sporting bodies as the coronavirus spread around the world and agreed to postpone the games until 2021.

Sangiao perfect candidate for The Apprentice: ONE Edition “THE Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition” is coming in the second half of 2020. As in the original show, this special edition of the hit reality TV series will feature 16 contestants from various parts of the world who will compete against each other in “a high-stakes game of business competitions and physical challenges.” The winner of the show gets a US$250,000 job offer to work directly under ONE Championship Founder, Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong for a year in Singapore. Thousands of applications have already poured in. The selection and casting process is underway. One man who wouldn’t mind joining the show is Team Lakay founder and coach Mark Sangiao. He is not only Head Coach and owner of the Philippines’ most prolific martial arts outfit, but he’s also a savvy businessman who has the experience and know-how in building a successful company and brand. “More than a hundred percent I would say yes if given Mark Sangiao with his Team Lakay members the chance. I would do anything that would be good for arts icon pursued his passion with literally no money in me, my family, my athletes, Team Lakay, and future war- his pockets. All he had was his iron will and a strong riors. An opportunity like that would be hard to say no to.” desire to chase his dreams. Sangiao pondered the possibility. “Early in my martial arts career, I would borrow monThe Will to Win ey countless times just so I could travel from Baguio to Like many of his pupils, Sangiao’s march towards suc- Manila every time I had a fight. Life was hard. I started cess was fueled by extreme hardship. The Filipino martial from zero. I had nothing,” said Sangiao.

Sangiao made the lonely six-hour trip to the nation’s capital all by himself, with no coaches and no teammates in tow. He would compete and return to Baguio City with his earnings, which wasn’t even enough to make it through and provide for his needs on a daily basis. “When I was teaching martial arts, I used to jog six kilometers everyday both ways from La Trinidad to Baguio City since I had no money to pay for my jeepney fare. Some students would help me by giving me five pesos so I didn’t have to travel on foot,” Sangiao recounted. “I taught for passion, for almost no pay.” The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition will put contestants in similar tough situations. The show’s business challenges present a real-world set of tasks to complete, some seemingly impossible. Similar to what Sangiao has already experienced in his life, contestants will have to dig deep and be creative in overcoming the odds. “When I first started Team Lakay, we had just one pair of gloves which we all shared. All of our training and equipment, everything was improvised. We trained outdoors and made use of the beautiful nature in Baguio City to train. It was free,” said Sangiao. Today, Team Lakay is the Philippines’ most recognizable martial arts troupe. Sangiao has established four training locations, with the central gym in La Trinidad featuring top-of-the-line facilities and equipment.

IN BRIEF ADB supports PH move to fight virus

ASIAN Development Bank president Masatsugu Asakawa and Finance Secretary and ADB Governor Carlos Dominguez III on Friday discussed how ADB can scale up its support for the Philippine response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Asakawa commended the Philippine government on its decisive action to implement strong and necessary social distancing measures to stop the spread of COVID-19. He said ADB stands ready to provide further support. “ADB is fully committed to supporting the Philippines’ efforts to overcome these unprecedented, extraordinary, and challenging times. We will be ready with a large assistance package within weeks to help the government carry out a response with maximum impact. We have already approved a $3 million grant to procure medical supplies. A new innovative facility will be launched within days to deliver food to the poor, with participation by the government and the private sector,” the ADB chief said. Julito G. Rada

Business

SSS suspends annual confirmation program

THE Social Security System announced the temporary suspension of its Annual Confirmation of Pensioners Program until the end of April amid the threat of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). “In this time of crisis, the importance of providing our pensioners with the SSS pension they can rely on and ensuring their health and safety overshadows the need for their timely compliance with the ACOP requirement,” SSS president and chief executive Aurora Ignacio said. Ignacio added for humanitarian consideration, SSS would continue to release the monthly pensions of pensioners who failed to comply with the ACOP requirements since January 2020. The ACOP ensures that SSS pensions are given to the rightful beneficiaries. It requires all survivor and total disability pensioners in the Philippines and retiree, survivor, and total disability pensioners residing abroad to annually report at SSS offices on their birth month or of the deceased members. The SSS conducts home visits for pensioners who are 85 years old and residing in the Philippines. Home visits are also administered for pensioners who cannot personally report to SSS branches due to medical conditions such as total blindness and amputation of two or more extremities.

Consumer group calls on power firms to further cut rates By Alena Mae S. Flores CONSUMER group Laban Konsyumer Inc. on Friday called on power plant operators to further reduce the cost of electricity to help mitigate the impact of the 30-day enhanced community quarantine. “It is a difficult situation nowadays for the Filipino consumer, especially when it comes to making money since most people are not able to work any longer. Because of this, our group is calling on the owners of the power plants to find a way to lower the power generation costs that they will be passing on to consumers,” LKI president Victorio Dimagiba said in a letter to Anne-Estorco-Montelibano, president and executive director of Philippine Independent Power Producers Association Inc. Dimagiba said while power rates from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, the country’s trading floor of electricity, should be at an all-time low amid the lower demand, the force majeure provisions in supply agreements should be reviewed. Aside from the WESM, power distributors secure their electricity from supply agreements and independent producers. “It is our understanding that power supply agreements typically have force majeure provisions that distribution utilities and electric cooperatives can invoke, to reduce contract capacity commitments at this time, but the sad reality facing us all is that generation companies may object to this because it will negatively affect their profit and bottom line, even during these times of national crisis,” Dimagiba said.

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020

BPI increases bond offering to P33.9b amid strong demand

DICT offers services to government units

THE Department of Information and Communications Technology said it is offering free video-conferencing to all government offices with government-wide email system (GovMail) accounts until July 1 to communicate and collaborate with the public amid the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon. The agency said government officials and employees may conduct online meetings for up to 250 participants per call, participate in live streaming for up to 100,000 viewers, and record and save meetings. The set-up allows and helps offices carry out their duties and perform their operations even in work from home arrangements. GovMail is the official email service for government agencies. It provides data integrity in electronic communications and transactions by providing gov.ph domains to national government agencies, local government units, government-owned and -controlled corporations, government financial institutions and other government projects. Darwin G. Amojelar

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

PRICE FREEZE. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez (left) and Agriculture Secretary William Dar (center) visit the Farmers Market in Cubao on March 26 on a price inspection. The two Cabinet secretaries are working closely with local government units to ensure the proper implementation of the price freeze on basic necessities and prime commodities. The two officials found many sellers in violation of the price freeze, as mandated in the Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2020-01 issued on March 18.

IC urges insurance firms to cover COVID-19 cases T By Julito G. Rada

HE Insurance Commission urged all insurance companies, mutual benefit associations and health maintenance organizations to extend the coverage of their insurance policies and HMO agreements to customers infected with COVID-19 and related conditions.

Insurance Commissioner Dennis Funa issued a circular urging insurance companies, MBAs and HMOs to waive provisions in their respective contracts and agreements such as waiting periods, healthcare access to non-affiliated networks and exclusion of pandemic or epidemic, among others. Funa said this request was made consider-

ing that these provisions might become barriers to healthcare access and treatment. He, however, said the implementation of the request addressed to the insurance and HMO industries was on a “voluntary basis to be decided upon by each company on the basis of their respective financial standing.” Funa earlier issued a circular allowing life insurance companies to launch initiatives that aim to provide additional benefits or free insurance coverage to customers affected by COVID-19 without the need of prior approval from the Insurance Commission. Under the Insurance Code, all insurance contracts/policies or any clause, warranty or endorsement attached to a contract/ policy should be issued unless the same has been approved by the commissioner. Funa said considering the gravity of the COVID-19 situation, there was a need to expedite the approval of initiatives designed to provide additional layer of protection to the insuring public to address the immediate need of those affected by COVID-19 and to inspire consumer confidence in the life insurance industry.

He said while there was no need for prior approval from the IC, insurance companies were required to ensure that the initiative would not be used to induce prospective clients or existing policyholders into purchasing a new product from the company. Funa said that while prior approval of these initiatives was not required, the IC could require companies to recall the same if, at any time after review, there was a finding of violation of or noncompliance with the Insurance Code and pertinent issuances of the IC and without prejudice to the imposition of applicable penalties. He said to ease the financial burden of the insuring public and to ensure continuous coverage for those affected by COVID-19, all insurance companies, pre-need companies and HMOs should extend a grace period of at least 30 days for the payment of premiums/contributions, installments and/or membership fee that remained unpaid during the period from March 15 to April 13, 2020 or up to a later date deemed appropriate by the respective companies.

PAGCOR’S DONATION.

J&T Express still operational, sending goods By Darwin G. Amojelar

Quezon City volunteers pick up sacks of rice from PAGCOR Complex’s warehouse. As part of government’s efforts to combat coronavirus disease 2019, staterun Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. facilitates the distribution of 25,000 food packs from March 21 to 25 to several local government units in Luzon. The food packs, worth of P10 million, were purchased by the Philippine offshore gaming operators. An additional P50 million was spent for 125,000 more food packs for distribution to other LGUs.

BAP assures public of banking services despite Luzon lockdown THE Bankers Association of the Philippines, composed of universal and commercial banks, assured the public of banking services despite the limited workforce amid the month-long enhanced community quarantine in Luzon. It said in a statement Friday the nation is indebted to brave health workers who risk their own lives to save others. “The BAP fully supports the efforts and action done by the national government to immediately arrest and contain the spread of the COVID-19. We can assure the public that our member banks are here to continuously provide critical services amid difficulties and challeng-

BANK of the Philippine Islands, the third-largest lender in terms of assets, said Friday it increased its latest bond offering to P33.9 billion from the initial target size of P5 billion amid the strong demand from investors. BPI said in a statement it decided to close the offering period on March 6, 2020, or 11 days ahead of the original schedule on March 17. It said the decision was based on the consolidated order book having reached over P42 billion despite being priced at the tightest end of the indicative pricing range. “We thank our investors and clients who supported this bond offer despite the volatile market conditions caused by the COVID-19 situation,” BPI treasurer Dino Gasmen said. “The issuance will help us deliver the financial services that our fellow Filipinos need during this difficult time,” he said. The bonds have been issued and are now tradable on the Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp. The bonds have an interest rate of 4.05 percent per annum payable quarterly, and a tenor of one and a half years. BPI Capital Corp. and ING Bank N.V., Manila branch served as the joint lead arrangers of the bonds. BPI Capital was sole selling agent, while ING was the participating selling agent. BPI remains one of the largest lenders in terms of assets, deposits, loans and network coverage. BPI’s net income jumped 25 percent in 2019 to P28.80 billion from P23.08 billion in 2018, driven by the strength of its core businesses. Net interest margin increased to 3.35 percent from 3.11 percent a year earlier. Higher fee-based income and securities trading gains boosted its non-interest income by 25.2 percent to P28.39 billion. Operating expenses reached P50.08 billion, up 14.8 percent from the previous year’s figure, while cost-to-income ratio fell to 53.1 percent from 55.5 percent a year earlier. Julito G. Rada

es,” it said. “Despite operating on skeletal workforce, we kept some branches open, ATM machines working and the financial markets going,” it said. It said banks were committed to delivering these services to ensure the flow of goods and services which are even more vital at this time. The BAP appealed to the public for their patience and understanding in availing the financial requirements during these extraordinary circumstances given the limited personnel that the banks can deploy during the quarantine period in Luzon. “The banks are doing exceptional

measures to ensure continuity of access to banking services in the most efficient and sustainable manner. Now, more than ever, the public’s cooperation and understanding are needed and crucial in mitigating this health crisis,” BAP said. It said that with the passage of Republic Act No. 11469, the group was in close coordination with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas for the smooth implementation of the “Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.” “The banking industry is here to support the national government and do what is necessary to help win the fight against COVID-19,” it said. Julito G. Rada

J&T Express, a Southeast Asian ecommerce delivery company, said it remains operational to help mobilize goods around the metropolis despite the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon. Dean Ding, chief executive of J&T Express Philippines, said the company saw the need to continue operations and was ready to help any individual or organization in transporting goods and other products as part of its commitment to help the public amid the COVID-19 situation. “As a delivery company, we want to help ensure that all-important goods and products, from food to disinfectants, are delivered on time, especially in difficult situations, such as this pandemic. We are also ready to help any organization should they need our assistance,” he said. Ding said the company staff, riders and deliverymen were well-equipped with the knowledge on health and safety procedures set by the authorities to ensure safety. “Everyone’s health and safety are our top priority. Our staff, including our riders and truck drivers, are equipped with facemasks, hand sanitizers/alcohols, and package disinfectants, as part of our precautionary measures,” he said. J&T Express encouraged citizens to heed to the government’s call to practice proper hygiene and safety precautions to beat the virus such as wearing face masks, washing hands with water and soap, carrying hand sanitizers or alcohol and observe social distancing by avoiding crowded places. The government placed Metro Manila under enhanced community quarantine to contain the spread of coronavirus disease-2019 starting from March 15 until April 14. During the month-long quarantine, traffic restrictions would be implemented for all domestic land, air and water travel, entering and exiting Metro Manila.

Business

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks retreat; Puregold surges T HE stock market fell Friday on profittaking in another volatile trading, with investors worried over the rising COVID-19 cases in the Philippines.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index slumped 134.96 points, or 2.5 percent, to 5,266.62 on a value turnover of nearly P8 billion. Gainers, however, edged losers, 101 to 90, with 36 issues unchanged. The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country rose to 707 Thursday, with 45 deaths and 28 recoveries. BDO Unibank Inc., the biggest lender in terms of assets, dropped 11.8 percent to P102.10, while major power generator Aboitiz Power Corp. of the Aboitiz Group declined 13.3 percent

to P26. SM Prime Holdings Inc. of the Sy Group fell 8.1 percent to P28.50, but Puregold Price Club Inc. of retail tycoon Lucio Co surged 14 percent to P39. The rest of Asian equities mostly rose and the dollar extended losses Friday, with traders buoyed by government and central bank pledges to prop up the global economy as the coronavirus sends countries into lockdown. Despite the painful toll the disease is inflicting on lives and economies, markets are on course to end the week with healthy gains following a barrage of stimulus and monetary easing. While the number of people contracting COVID-19 continues to escalate—the US now has more cases than China and Italy—the support measures, which the G20 said amounted to $5 trillion, have given traders hope that the expected recession will be sharp but short.

Even news that a record 3.3 million Americans claimed unemployment for the first time last wee –smashing the previous all-time high of 695,000 set in 1982—was unable to derail a rally in New York with the Dow and S&P 500 up more than six percent. The S&P 500 has now recorded its quickest three-day advance in nine decades, according to Bloomberg News. And Dan Skelly at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management said stocks, which have been clobbered in recent weeks, were showing signs of forming a bottom. “While we do believe this will be possibly the sharpest recession in history, it may also be the shortest, so there is room to be optimistic for a second-half rebound,” he told Bloomberg TV. The advance in Wall Street extended into Asia, where Tokyo finished 3.9 percent higher, while Hong Kong rose one percent and Seoul jumped 1.9 percent. Shanghai ended up 0.3 percent,

Singapore put on more than two percent and Mumbai added 0.5 percent following a deep interest rate cut by the Indian central bank. Bangkok added more than two percent and Jakarta soared nearly eight percent. However, not all markets were able to sustain the rally and Sydney went into the weekend on the back of a 5.3 percent loss, while Wellington and Taipei were also down after reversing early gains. Support has come from a $2-trillion stimulus bill that is making its way through Congress and is expected to be passed by the House of Representatives Friday before being signed off by Donald Trump. “For investors, this package should be good for US equities and other risk assets as it should leave US corporations in a better position to weather the economic downturn and thrive in the rebound,” said David Kelly, at JP Morgan Asset Management. With AFP

Manila Standard BuSineSS daily StockS review Friday, March 27, 2020

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING),

FINANCIALS 44.5 4,300 63.95 7,848,780 102.1 3,967,720 0.6 68,000 20.1 269,600 15.6 1,300 8 770,400 0.93 48,000 0.28 350,000 37.9 7,849,600 0.68 174,000 8.9 7,100 20 699,100 172 2,870 45.75 600 17.5 10,500 106.8 1,048,220 1,450 25 52 28,620

190,750 497,157,303.50 428,807,807 40,130 5,480,660 20,210 6,147,745 44,470 100,900 300,253,110 116,620 59,257 14,316,815 499,750 26,095 181,164 113,765,663 36,250 1,501,673

177,500 -15,153,517 -97,280,431 -2,257,330 -14,010 196,177 33,034,325.00 -3,127,980 -22,900 -7,934,598 -997,162

26 1.92 6.15 0.51 0.8 2 0.156 1.04 13 6.1 60 59.85 1.85 3.2 4.8 7.36 5.3 7.22 1.88 16.5 47.1 1.15 31.85 0.77 11.8 4.4 0.93 103 40 3.2 4.8 9.26 4.61 5.35 218.2 0.144 1.3 3 2.29 9.1 9.4 18.66 4.3 1.24 1.36 0.76 5 46.5 7.88 0.1 0.67 95.5 2.51 0.86 12 0.57

INDUSTRIAL 26 4,575,800 1.96 8,503,000 6.45 150,300 0.53 211,000 0.8 10,000 2.03 1,328,000 0.169 120,000 1.09 9,986,000 13.24 147,900 6.3 4,533,900 60 200 59.85 10 1.85 11,000 3.2 51,000 4.8 6,081,000 7.6 561,200 5.34 374,000 8.5 983,500 1.98 2,904,000 17.02 3,525,800 48.05 40,600 1.17 18,074,000 31.85 500 0.8 1,756,000 12.36 362,600 4.55 512,000 1.01 1,245,000 107 3,592,270 40 600 3.2 15,000 4.8 1,000 9.28 4,337,200 4.72 1,368,000 5.84 2,447,300 220 385,350 0.144 30,000 1.3 150,000 3 47,000 2.4 10,306,000 9.1 1,000 9.98 185,600 18.7 892,400 4.3 5,000 1.42 2,098,000 1.38 4,000 0.78 1,015,000 5.11 1,351,300 51 543,500 8 66,300 0.11 310,000 0.72 68,000 98 3,241,590 2.51 2,000 0.88 23,110,000 12 500 0.6 585,000

124,484,080 16,923,540 951,420 112,290 8,000 2,789,560 19,600 10,814,420 1,948,062 29,914,640 12,000 598.5 20,850 169,650 30,008,280 4,262,051 2,039,939 7,663,173 5,903,870 59,794,728 1,938,885 21,799,130 15,935 1,410,910 4,423,930 2,308,600 1,219,100 384,761,090 24,200 48,000 4,800 41,047,948 6,650,930 14,438,652 86,168,524 4,320 197,410 141,000 25,913,970 9,100 1,816,118 16,725,590 21,500 2,786,400 5,460 842,210 6,906,985 26,878,160 535,121 31,300 45,920 324,287,059 5,020 20,719,650 6,000 344,630

-40,574,205 -705,010.00 -538,217 -549,560 3,394,330 2,702 619,960 -23,400 -7,083,810.00 -2,848,100 -163,800 -3,146,310 12,240 21,688,088 270,425 -95,480 231,770 -1,143,324 859,950 1,533,281 -48,000 -4,800 -947,008 -1,113,390 -2,870,092 -3,514,086 -47,250 -165,120 -630,504 -5,912,200 50,220 -12,650 -2,429,229 89,990 -117,488,080.50 -20,470 2,320

0.5 31.25 6.7 0.51 5.92 5.71 0.5 0.55 480 1.68 4.84 3.58 8.55 401.2 3.6 50.3 0.415 2.82 6.88 0.55 2.54 2.76 0.75 89 802 0.62 0.81 150 140 0.187 0.124

HOLDING FIRMS 0.52 7,768,000 32.5 1,368,600 6.87 4,944,400 0.55 178,000 49,100 6 5.71 65,600 0.53 1,653,000 0.62 1,000,000 493 1,477,170 1.78 885,000 5 2,982,000 3.6 11,982,000 8.99 130,200 409 307,630 3.6 238,000 51.2 1,683,440 0.415 60,000 2.98 112,000 7.24 5,078,400 0.55 125,000 2.6 76,482,000 2.76 15,000 0.75 9,000 90 305,510 805 667,120 0.63 93,000 0.82 26,000 150 60 152 2,380 0.187 10,000 0.133 760,000

4,073,620 44,855,015 33,841,546 93,930 294,229 382,100 840,000 585,000 728,759,337 1,564,410 14,736,990 43,855,070 1,166,839 128,217,236 873,500 87,937,625.50 25,500 320,290 35,836,176 68,910 203,032,810 41,410 6,770 27,901,106 549,237,360 58,770 21,360 9,000 345,563 1,870 97,790

73,310 9,227,905 7,746,337 179,928 585,000 54,485,837 -85,000 -582,790 2,800,500 -50,945,376 -765,400 4,649,252 -202,220 -616,558 25,898,740 -4,255,051.50 -88,095 1,620 -300,924 -1,260

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

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

44 62.9 110 0.61 21 15.5 7.71 0.93 0.275 37.9 0.67 8.1 20 176 38.5 17 115 1,450 52

44.5 64.95 115.7 0.61 21 15.6 8.21 0.93 0.3 39.85 0.68 9 21.5 176.9 46.15 17.5 115.5 1,450 54

44 60.9 102.1 0.56 20 15.5 7.71 0.92 0.275 37.2 0.67 8.1 19.82 171 38.5 17 106.3 1,450 51.4

ABOITIZ POWER AC ENERGY AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS AXELUM BASIC ENERGY CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CIRTEK HLDG CONCRETE A 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 LIBERTY FLOUR MABUHAY VINYL MACAY HLDG MANILA WATER MAXS GROUP MEGAWIDE MERALCO MG HLDG PEPSI COLA PETROENERGY 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 VIVANT VULCAN INDL

30 2.01 6.83 0.51 0.8 2.13 0.157 1.07 13 7.04 60 59.85 1.91 3.45 4.95 7.6 5.7 7.23 2.1 16.94 47.1 1.29 31.95 0.83 12 4.5 1 107.4 41 3.2 4.8 9.5 4.91 6.69 225 0.144 1.35 3 2.29 9.1 9.5 19 4.3 1.32 1.36 0.86 5.21 49.5 8.28 0.11 0.76 103.1 2.51 0.87 12 0.62

30 2.1 6.83 0.56 0.8 2.24 0.17 1.12 13.98 7.2 60 59.85 1.91 3.6 5.1 7.8 5.7 8.5 2.16 17.34 49.95 1.29 31.95 0.85 12.36 4.57 1.01 111 41 3.2 4.8 9.65 5.06 6.89 230 0.144 1.35 3 2.69 9.1 9.98 19 4.3 1.44 1.38 0.88 5.3 53 8.28 0.11 0.76 105 2.51 0.92 12 0.63

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

0.53 32.5 6.8 0.52 6.24 6.44 0.55 0.55 505 1.75 4.95 3.62 8.55 429 3.6 53.8 0.455 2.92 7 0.59 2.76 2.76 0.75 90 846 0.7 0.83 150 149 0.187 0.138

0.56 34.2 7.08 0.55 6.24 6.44 0.55 0.62 510 1.94 5.3 3.79 9 440 3.8 57.9 0.455 3.1 7.24 0.59 2.85 2.77 0.76 96 870 0.7 0.83 150 152 0.187 0.139

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

12.9 0.56 8.99 1.05 0.57 33.65 1.32 4 0.37 0.72 0.118 7.1 16.5 0.325 0.91 0.79 2.46 0.141 0.315 0.69 0.249

12.9 0.58 8.99 1.1 0.58 34.35 1.34 4 0.38 0.79 0.14 7.5 16.54 0.325 0.96 0.8 2.52 0.144 0.315 0.71 0.25

12.5 0.52 8.99 1.04 0.56 30.65 1.3 3.9 0.365 0.71 0.118 6.9 16.04 0.295 0.88 0.75 2.32 0.135 0.315 0.67 0.249

VOLUME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING),

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

15 1.57 2.75 31.1 2.15 1.22 3.51 3.26

15.86 1.57 2.76 32.45 2.2 1.25 4.32 3.45

14.54 1.5 2.74 28.5 2 1.11 3.51 3.26

14.86 1.5 2.74 28.5 2.15 1.15 4.28 3.45

3,372,400 333,000 57,000 14,406,400 59,000 2,007,000 6,766,000 123,000

50,595,634 510,260 156,730 430,607,955 121,760 2,349,180 26,764,430 416,760

8,930,786 -137,930 55,000 -41,405,460 -660,930 -

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL ALLHOME APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL ASIAN TERMINALS BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CEBU AIR CENTRO ESCOLAR CHELSEA DISCOVERY WORLD EASYCALL GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN BRIA HARBOR STAR INTL CONTAINER ISLAND INFO ISM COMM LBC EXPRESS LEISURE AND RES MACROASIA MANILA BULLETIN METRO RETAIL METROALLIANCE A METROALLIANCE B MLA BRDCASTING 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

6.5 16.88 1.25 4.68 0.265 0.039 15.78 2.3 5.75 0.028 41.9 6.03 2.79 1.95 5.01 1,950 4.9 341 0.82 76.2 0.08 1.49 11.64 1.37 4.67 0.36 1.36 1.7 1.64 11.8 1.44 1.6 6.78 3.93 7.6 125 1.65 1,075 0.31 0.22 35.4 52.5 6.5 1.26 0.41 0.159 0.375 13

6.5 16.88 1.25 4.85 0.27 0.039 15.78 2.3 6.48 0.028 44.5 6.03 2.95 1.95 5.4 1,976 5.18 371 0.82 78.5 0.08 1.67 11.64 1.5 5.2 0.38 1.54 1.75 1.75 12 1.45 1.6 6.78 3.93 7.6 130.5 1.77 1,095 0.325 0.22 39 55.8 6.5 1.29 0.43 0.165 0.38 13.5

6 16 1.25 4.25 0.245 0.037 15.78 2.1 5.31 0.027 41.5 6.03 2.41 1.95 5 1,908 4.88 341 0.7 74.2 0.078 1.33 11 1.28 4.67 0.36 1.36 1.5 1.5 11.34 1.34 1.6 6.31 3.8 7.6 125 1.54 1,050 0.295 0.195 35.4 52.5 6 1.15 0.4 0.14 0.375 12.98

SERVICES 6 16.06 1.25 4.6 0.245 0.039 15.78 2.3 5.7 0.027 43.45 6.03 2.65 1.95 5.05 1,949 5.18 371 0.76 74.25 0.078 1.53 11.5 1.38 4.9 0.37 1.44 1.55 1.51 11.34 1.39 1.6 6.6 3.8 7.6 130 1.6 1,070 0.31 0.202 39 54.5 6 1.2 0.405 0.154 0.375 13.5

57,400 229,500 7,000 3,408,000 3,910,000 7,600,000 600 60,000 7,966,600 7,700,000 598,600 200 4,745,000 1,000 49,000 95,365 630,300 280 681,000 2,108,460 410,000 74,392,000 14,600 1,267,000 2,576,000 150,000 3,225,000 3,273,000 39,000 1,300 2,676,000 7,000 18,600 13,000 500 178,150 2,200,000 421,165 9,120,000 3,700,000 6,862,700 924,700 1,600 2,722,000 3,220,000 4,160,000 290,000 5,284,300

347,463 3,696,436 8,750 15,593,430 980,150 291,800 9,468 136,600 46,402,340 214,800 25,536,335 1,206 12,594,580 1,950 247,861 186,327,185 3,195,241 103,580 507,890 160,694,580 32,080 113,298,290 168,396 1,746,580 12,594,090 54,400 4,684,540 5,301,520 62,320 14,900 3,734,410 11,200 124,079 50,420 3,800 23,159,480 3,628,460 449,649,360 2,817,600 763,950 253,345,820 50,093,900.50 10,060 3,309,470 1,316,500 626,250 109,150 69,383,050

-264,850 -1,405,290.00 -494,000 12,978,614 -2,183,495 2,510 1,030,795 7,600 -15,647,943 7,333,160 -2,455,620 -312,790.00 -60,820 2,323,100 -428,710 151,575,105 -49,600 -5,554,270 9,853,070 -477,740 -1,096,900 2,392,908

23,200 377,766 723,770 145,600 239,858 16,117 5,647,450 41,920 88,440 33,810 40,240 13,719,780 89,100 3,900 68,850 89,000 7,000 1,099,440 3,940,780 27,808,458

2,170 29,200 -1,880,050 -1,826,650 587,650 -8,294,734

NAME

PROPERTY 12.5 441,200 0.54 3,349,000 8.99 100 1.08 88,000 0.56 283,000 31 18,120,900 1.31 3,651,000 3.93 328,000 0.37 1,770,000 0.74 202,000 0.131 17,070,000 6.9 109,300 16.3 385,300 0.295 490,000 0.91 20,426,000 0.75 97,000 2.39 77,931,000 0.142 13,500,000 0.315 220,000 0.67 1,610,000 0.25 410,000

5,654,442 1,850,540 899 95,840 162,170 580,766,395 4,780,880 1,299,900 654,850 145,010 2,212,930 765,325 6,264,124 148,050 18,921,590 74,700 187,834,710 1,889,060 69,300 1,117,890 102,380

16,536 -55,000 60,634,010 3,064,580 -471,680 -75,000 -32,750 483,000 -896,424 -1,900 -2,404,920 8,047,590 179,720 -

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

0.001 5.6 0.75 1.82 10.7 6.5 0.63 0.195 0.07 0.083 0.53 1.67 0.91 0.39 0.48 0.0084 0.007 2.07 4.29 11

0.0011 5.8 0.77 1.82 10.92 6.67 0.64 0.195 0.074 0.083 0.55 1.79 0.91 0.39 0.48 0.0094 0.007 2.08 4.3 11.48

0.001 5.24 0.71 1.82 10 6.23 0.54 0.186 0.068 0.075 0.52 1.55 0.85 0.39 0.44 0.0084 0.007 2 3.88 10.6

MINING & OIL 0.0011 23,000,000 5.45 69,600 0.72 980,000 1.82 80,000 10.86 22,800 6.5 2,500 0.56 9,809,000 0.186 220,000 0.074 1,240,000 0.075 440,000 0.54 77,000 1.56 8,433,000 0.85 104,000 0.39 10,000 0.44 150,000 0.0094 10,000,000 0.007 1,000,000 2.02 548,000 4.24 952,000 10.6 2,556,000

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2R ALCO PREF B DD PREF FGEN PREF G 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 2F SMC PREF 2I

14.48 499 496 98 97.7 108 4.99 989 94 99 1,001 1,005 99 107 991 76.2 74.9 74.8

14.48 499 496 98 97.8 108 5 989 94 99 1,020 1,005 99 107 998 76.2 74.9 74.8

14 498 496 98 97.6 101 4.9 980 93 99 1,001 1,000 98.8 105 990 75.65 74.3 74.2

PREFERRED 14 96,600 498 30 496 610 98 2,000 97.8 28,440 102 5,930 5 5,606,400 989 560 93 3,000 99 690 1,020 4,540 1,000 805 99 14,400 105 190 998 2,940 76 1,970 74.3 37,500 74.8 2,660

1,356,230 14,950 302,560 196,000 2,779,717 605,040 27,489,979 553,390 279,080 68,310 4,625,950 805,700 1,425,500 20,130 2,914,970 149,251.50 2,802,750 198,962

-1,039,690 84,320 -26,750,079 9,890 10,020 742

WARRANTS LR WARRANT

0.81

0.68

236,000

164,530

ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH XURPAS

2.07 6.4 0.52

2.08 6.4 0.54

1.86 5.8 0.49

2.04 5.85 0.5

475,000 54,100 1,704,000

942,430 325,880 872,035

-26,500

FIRST METRO ETF

83.1

86.5

81.6

43,830,965.50

109,880

71,958.40

USD DMPL A1

10.26

Trading Summary

10.3

FINANCIAL

25,287,097

INDUSTRIAL

123,018,980

HOLDING FIRMS

120,661,047

PROPERTY

187,705,246

SERVICES

177,312,922

MINING & OIL

59,840,530

GRAND TOTAL

696,577,818

10.26

SME

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 81.6 516,120 10.3

DDS

7,000

VALUE 1,217.28 (DOWN) 37.85 1,507,150,627.09 FINANCIAL 6,204.54 (DOWN) 41.19 INDUSTRIAL 1,382,435,269.908 5,142.11 (DOWN) 113.78 HOLDING FIRMS 1,988,964,179.09 PROPERTY 2,781.15 (DOWN) 135.06 1,177.27 (UP) 34.27 1,329,688,268.555 SERVICES 4,102.47 (DOWN) 85.55 MINING & OIL 1,644,489,738.57 5,266.62 (DOWN) 134.96 PSEI 54,209,856.69 All Shares Index 3,219.50 (DOWN) 31.32 7,952,912,252.71 Gainers: 101; Losers: 90; Unchanged: 36; Total: 227

SEC warns public from investing in Fast Track By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Securities and Exchange Commission warned the public from investing their hard-earned money in a company called Fast Track Worldwide Inc., which is allegedly engaged in selling unsecured securities. The SEC said in an advisory Fast Track was offering and enticing the public to invest with the promise of significant return or profit. Fast Track, according to its modus operandi, offers investment packages along with products valued by the company at a price that is more than the invested money. Investment packages range from P2,100 to as high as P70,000. For those who join, the company offers to pay to pay direct referral bonuses worth between P120 and P3,500 for every purchased investment package. The company, to speed up the sale of the investment packages, offers a Fast Track Double Income incentive that doubles the direct referral income for those earning their first P1,000 , P10,000, P100,000 and P1 million. The SEC said the investment activity was unauthorized and in violation of Section 8 of the Securities Regulation Code. “Its activities as a corporate entity is thus beyond the scope of its purpose as approved by the Commission and in violation of the Revised Corporation Code of the Philippines for being ultra vires,” the SEC said. Fast Track is registered with the SEC as a stock corporation but it has not been issued a permit to publicly offer or sell securities, nor has it filed a registration statement on any type of securities for approval by the SEC. The SEC said the company also does not have a license to act as broker or dealer in securities, nor has any of its agents been licensed to act as salesmen of securities. The SEC said the company, based on the articles of incorporation filed with the regulator, was organized by Jay Gregorio, Clive Llora, Jeniel Aguilar, James Guillera and Rey Aldwin Valeriano.

First Gen says power plants are in full operation By Alena Mae S. Flores FIRST Gen Corp. of the Lopez Group assured the public its power plants will continue to generate electricity during the 30-day enhanced quarantine period after setting continuity measures. “Our power plants in Batangas, Nueva Ecija, and Mindanao continue to provide much-needed power for hospitals and institutions providing basic necessities. And this is because our power plant Operations and Maintenance teams continue to go to our sites and make this happen,” First Gen president Francis Giles Puno said in a message to employees. Puno said the entire company was in a work-from-home program, while the business continuity measures were in effect. “Our mission critical employees, particularly in our plant operations and power trading teams, have reported — or are ready to report — for work at their designated sites,” he said. Puno thanked the personnel “who are our very own front liners in this battle against COVID-19, for their selflessness and sense of duty.” “We recognize that they are going the extra mile, not just physically, but also mentally. We understand that takes quite an effort to focus on critical work on their hands, while they think about how to keep their families safe and supplied at home amid news updates about COVID-19,” he said. Puno said First Gen was implementing stringent measures to protect its people, such as fielding a skeletal workforce per shift, strict social distancing during shifts, rigid isolation of control rooms and cleaning, as well as disinfecting areas between shifts. “So many more of you continue to provide work support in the background to enable fellow employees to fulfill their responsibilities and ensure compliance with our regulatory, customer and stakeholder commitments. All of these support services allow us to keep clean and reliable power flowing to our customers, including hospitals and other key infrastructure, which provide our most basic necessities. Your work is equally appreciated,” Puno said.

Life

Bernadette Lunas, Editor

TOURISM AND CULTURE

manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @MStandardLIFE SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020

Palawan upscale resorts get ‘turtle friendly’ recognition SEE YOU AGAIN. The beaches of upscale resorts in El Nido, Palawan serve as nesting habitat for marine turtle species, including Green, Hawksbill, and Olive Ridley sea turtles. By Steph Llarena

UXURY accommodations amid a biodiverse marine ecosystem, where holidaymakers can relax in peace in the same place where aquatic animals thrive. This could very well be written all over in the upscale resorts in El Nido, Palawan after they received a wildlife tourism recognition. Palawan-based resort chain Ten Knots Group was recently awarded by the Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network (WFEN), the world’s first-ever “Sea Turtle Friendly Tourism Certification,” for its exceptional care for the aquatic animal. According to the group, it has been working with WFEN since 2017 to develop and implement best practice guidelines for resorts and tourism stakeholders to contribute to conservation. A subsidiary of Ayala Land Inc., the group is composed of four luxury El Nido resorts—Apulit Island, Miniloc Island, Lagen Island, and Pangulasian Island—and Lio Tourism Estate, a 325-hectare master-planned mixed-use sustainable resort community in mainland El Nido with low-density boutique hotels, commercial establishments, residences, restaurants, and lifestyle shops. Ten Knots boasts that each of its property has met the requirements for mitigating key threats to sea turtles and their survival through its Be GREEN (Guard, Respect, Educate El Nido) program, which includes best practices to minimize negative impacts. Conservation practices include ensuring beachfront lighting does not cause disorientation of hatchlings, and conducting sea turtle patrols to help protect nests, hatchlings, and adult turtles from poachers and other threats.

Located in northern Palawan, El Nido town is home to over 850 fish species, 45 genera of corals, over a hundred bird species, and five out of the country’s seven marine turtle species. Its beaches are important nesting habitat for the endangered Green, the critically endangered Hawksbill, and the vulnerable Olive Ridley sea turtle. Other rare and protected species within the aforementioned El Nido resorts include the Palawan Hornbill, the Asian Fairy-Bluebird, and the Philippine Pangolin. Be GREEN started out as an environmental education program in 1999 for Ten Knots’ staff, and eventually expanded to include nature interpretation trainings, community outreach, youth camps, and other projects undertaken by the group’s Environment and Sustainability Department. “This certification comes at an opportune time as Ten Knots Group celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, and validates our efforts, showing us we are on the right track when it comes to preserving the environment,” marketing director Joey Bernardino said in a statement. Enjoining guests in the cause, the resorts highlight education to ensure safety of sea turtles, and have also eliminated disposable plastic products to help address marine plastic pollution. They also undertake periodical coastal and underwater cleanup efforts to ensure the health of the marine ecosystem. “We are proud to add Ten Knots as part of the global Wildlife Friendly family of brands,” enthused WFEN executive director and co-founder Julie Stein. Stein added, “They are a model we hope other resorts around the world will be inspired by to protect our fragile marine resources through tourism that advances conservation outcomes for species like sea turtles.” WFEN’s certification programs represent grassroots farmers, ranchers, herders, artisans, indigenous peoples, and conservation heroes from around the world. The Sea Turtle Friendly Tourism program will be open to global applicants this year, whose standards were developed by the world’s sea turtle experts including veteran Filipino conservationist Romy Trono and the Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network, among others.

Design platform joins fight against COVID-19 GLOBAL design platform Canva joins the fight against coronavirus disease by giving all public health organizations around the world free lifetime licenses for its premium design feature. In a bid to help in public information dissemination, Canva empowers public health organizations with Canva Pro whose features include access to more free diverse stock photos and illustrations, and ability to upload own font libraries and brand kits. Further, its productivity booster, the Magic Resize button, can automatically turn any design format into a collection optimized for sharing across various channels such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, posters, presentations, and more. The design platform also released #StopTheSpread graphics and templates, available in Filipino, which anyone can post and share online. Canva’s in-house design team has also committed to volunteering its services to local organizations in need of further assistance with delivering effective visual communications. The Enterprise team will aid in the design and graphic requirements of local government units, not for profit organizations, and hospitals who need to raise awareness about COVID-19. Canva said, “The move comes in response to the surge of misinformation surrounding the virus, as public health organizations struggle to fight back against myths and rumors gaining traction online.” “Canva’s mission is to always be a force for good. We’d like to champion our concept of bayanihan by tapping into our resources to help spread accurate information about COVID-19 and how people can protect themselves from it,” said Canva Philippines country manager Yani Hornilla-Donato. Contact health-assistance@canva.com for more information.

Biodiverse marine ecosystem awaits scuba divers in El Nido.

Turtle rescue and rehabilitation in Bacuit Bay.

Miniloc Island Resort, one of Ten Knots Group’s luxury resorts in El Nido, Palawan.

FREQUENT FLYER

AirAsia’s options for guests flying between March 23 and May 31 AIRASIA guests with flight bookings made on or before March 22, with departure date between March 23 and May 31 may opt to rebook to a new travel date or transfer the full amount to their credit account. The low-cost airline offers unlimited flight change to eligible guests with direct online bookings made via airasia.com. They can change to any new travel date before October 31 on the same route for an unlimited number of times without any additional cost subject to seat availability; Or Guests may opt to retain the value of the flight booking in their AirAsia BIG Member account for future travel to be redeemed within 365 calendar days from the issuance date. The travel date of the

new booking can fall on any date within the published flight schedule on airasia.com. AirAsia encourages guests to refer to its COVID-19 Guide to check their eligibility. “For group bookings or those made with travel agents, kindly refer to your respective booking agent for further assistance,” the Malaysian airline said in a statement. To those with unanswered inquiries, however, AirAsia said its customer support services including its AI chatbot AVA are currently receiving “very high volume” of requests, but “we are doing everything we can to assist our guests during this time.” “Please bear with us as we prioritize guests with immediate flight departure needs first,” it said.

AirAsia rolls out flexible rebooking options for eligible customers with flight dates between March 23 and May 31.

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020

EXTRA INTERNATIONAL

TikTok continues to provide comedy material amid coronavirus lockdown FROM quarreling couples to toilet paper hoarding, life under coronavirus lockdown across much of the United States has provided comedy material for those seeking light-hearted relief in these difficult times. More than 50 percent of Americans are under some form of lockdown, while regular TV comedy staples such as Saturday Night Live are on hiatus, prompting many to turn to internet memes for amusement. Short-form video platform TikTok has 1.3 million videos dedicated to a new coronavirus song—including dance routines with synchronized coughs. #Boredathome clips of people twerking, planking and dressing up in giant Pikachu outfits to break the monotony have been viewed 2.1 billion times. Another TikTok video of a hamster perched on its hind legs appearing to "wash" its hands inside a tiny doll's house has been viewed more than 800,000 times. "It is truly sad that a hamster just gen-

uinely offered more useful public health advice in one 12-second TikTok than the president has in multiple addresses to the nation," quipped comedian John Oliver, broadcasting his "Last Week Tonight" show from an empty studio. Like Oliver, several late-night comedy hosts have taken to broadcasting online from sealed-off settings, including their own homes. Stephen Colbert appeared live from his own bathtub, counseling viewers to "look on the bright side—you're finally going to get a chance to binge watch all that toilet paper you bought." "Based on my current level of inactivity and stress baking, I definitely will not be flattening my curves," added the host of CBS's The Late Show. Trevor Noah renamed his Comedy Central program as The Daily Social Distancing Show, advising viewers anxious about President Donald Trump's handling of the crisis to "binge-watch the first eight years" of the Obama presidency instead. AFP

Late-night hosts such as Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon have taken to broadcasting from their homes due to the coronavirus lockdown.

SKY brings happiness to your home with more channels to watch LEADING cable service company SKY gives families more chances to bond during their homestay with channels added to their basic line up. With access to more kiddie programs, educational shows, cooking shows, to movies, sports and news, the whole family’s entertainment needs are covered until April 30. Little rascals can enjoy animations and reboots of popular kiddie shows on the Boomerang channel. Starting April 4 (Saturday), 10:30 a.m. the animated version of Hasbro's My Little Pony, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic brings delight to kids with the story of Twilight Sparkle, a student of the ruler of the kingdom, Princess Celestia. Youngsters who are into K-drama can watch K-Plus. Catch Park Min Young in When the Weather is Fine (Tuesdays and Wednesdays), 9:15 p.m.. Park Min Young plays Hye-Won who has dedicated her life to playing the cello in the hopes of gaining a social life. Follow her story and how she will change Eun-Seob's simple life. Sports fans shouldn’t miss tuning into Fox Sports 1 to enjoy live sporting events like Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the most anticipated UFC matches. To watch out for is UFC 249: Khabib vs. Ferguson this April 19 (Sunday), 9:00 p.m.. The fight features the undefeated lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and former interim champion Tony Ferguson. Movie buffs can also be entertained with the biggest blockbusters airing this April. Witness the TV premiere of the urban fantasy mystery film,

'When the Weather Is Fine' is a South Korean television series starring Park Minyoung and Seo Kang-joon.

A song

Seth Dungca is a singer-composer, special education teacher, model and actor.

at a time of uncertainty

URING times of uncertainty such as now, people seek assurance and comfort. But try as we might, the pervading sense of hopelessness makes peace of mind seem elusive for most of us. Just imagine then what people with mental health issues are grappling with.

Twenty-four-year-old Seth Dungca understands this challenge as he pursues his advocacy on mental health in the different roles he plays—as singer-composer, special education teacher, model and actor. As a singer-composer, for instance, Seth strives to uplift people’s spirits through the sweet melody—and calming lyrics—of his songs. His debut single, “Halika” expresses his yearning to inspire and to cheer: “Sa mundong puno ng takot, na dilim ang bumabalot, hahanapin natin ang liwanag sa piling ng isa’t isa . . .” The song is consistent with what Seth says his “core” is—emotions. “I write about what I feel; I will never invalidate emotions. I want people to understand that mental health is real; you can’t keep going with the whole ‘huwagmo-na-lang-isipin-iyan mentality’ because if you keep something in without processing it, it will only get

Detective Pikachu this April 4 (Saturday), 9:00 p.m., only on HBO. Another option to watch is Sophie Turner's Dark Phoenix on Fox this April 11 (Saturday), 9:00 p.m.. Get all the news you need in this time of quarantine on ANC, the Philippines' only cable news network running 24/7, which brings the latest on business, politics, weather updates, sports and also shows informative, religious and lifestyle programs. Don’t miss Headstart with Karen Davila, where she interviews people behind the issues as she tries to explain the most significant stories unfolding in the country every morning, 8:00 a.m.. For more information, visit mysky.com/bringhappinesshome.

'Temptation Island' featuring Marian Rivera, Heart Evangelista, Lovi Poe, Solenn Heussaff, and Rufa Mae Quinto.

A WEEKEND full of romance, fun and magic awaits loyal viewers of GMA Network with another set of entertaining movies tomorrow, March 29. All set to make us believe in fairytales anew is well-loved movie The Little Mermaid on Kapuso Movie Festival. Ariel, a mermaid princess, is dissatisfied with life under the sea and curious about the human world. Head over heels in love with the charming mortal prince, Eric, Ariel summons up her courage to come to an ill-advised arrangement with the ocean's cunning and terrible sea-witch, Ursula, in hopes of winning his heart. However, Ariel has only three days to succeed. Will her wish come true?

Seth's new single 'Halika' expresses his yearning to inspire and to cheer.

heavier and heavier,” he intones. Seth’s various roles in life have shaped him into the mental health advocate that he is now. As a special education teacher, he lives his truth every day—making sure that his students know that their emotions are valid. “Being a special education teacher lets me write about emotions without the inclination to invalidate them. When dealing with students who are overwhelmed by their emotions, I stay with them until they feel better, instead of telling them not to cry,” he relates. Seth adds that being an actor helps as this allows him to feel and convey myriad emotions as he writes and composes his songs. Singing, for him, is “an outpouring of emotion and information—basically acting andteaching your message.” In fact, Seth discloses that he wrote “Halika” when he was in a bad place—and

wanted to flee. “The song talks about me trying to find solace by going into some dream world where I could cry myself to sleep and wake up feeling a little better after my sadness,” the singer shares. Seth hopes that people who hear “Halika” will also allow themselves to feel their emotions—to escape their everyday routines and go where their hearts may lead them. Asked about his next goals, Seth shares his dreams and thanks his mentor—award-winning director, producer, and Public Relations expert, Chris Cahilig. “I am in the process of writing more songs because I am blessed with a supportive mentor like Sir Chris. Call me crazy, but I plan on pursuing my childhood dream of having an album.” And Seth says he will continue to write about validating emotions until it becomes the norm. “I imagine a day when our response to someone saying ‘Parang hindi ko na talaga kaya’ is no longer ‘Hindi, kakayanin mo iyan, go lang nang go,’ but ‘Pero habang hindi mo pa kaya, nandito lang ako, nakikinig sa tabi mo.’ ” Seth earnestly hopes that listening to his debut single will help hearts heal, especially in these times of anxiety and fear. "Halika" will be available on Spotify on April 3.

Spread the word to your girl friends as GMA Blockbusters presents one of the most campy comedy films, Temptation Island featuring Marian Rivera, Heart Evangelista, Lovi Poe, Solenn Heussaff, and Rufa Mae Quinto. The movie follows the story of four beauty pageant contestants vying for the coveted title of "Miss Manila Sunshine", while sailing on a yacht together. They ended up being stranded on a deserted island after an accident. Together with three attractive young men, a maid, and the gay pageant director, watch how the four ladies make their time worthwhile! Meanwhile, witness the return of the hit action-fantasy movie, Fantas-

tic Man headlined by Vic Sotto and Michael V. on Sunday Night Box Office (SNBO). It tells the story of Fredo (Vic), a naive and gullible laboratory assistant to Professor Manalo (Michael V.). Fredo is also the professor's regular subject for his experiments which are often disastrous to any human being. By accident, he acquires superpowers that causes him to transform and become Fantastic Man to save his town in the hands of the enemy! Don’t miss these films on Kapuso Movie Festival after iBilib, GMA Blockbusters after Dear Uge, and SNBO after The Boobay and Tekla Show, this Sunday, only on GMA-7.