Issuu

Govt eyes forced quarantine Better than home isolation in controlling virus spread

Luzon in for ‘new normal‘ as post-lockdown looms FILIPINOS will need to adapt to a "new normal" at the end of a lockdown to defeat the coronavirus pandemic, government officials said Tuesday, as they prepared measures for a post-quarantine scenario. "It's far from over because while there is no vaccine yet, this is what we call the new normal," Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, spokesman of the government task force fighting the disease, said Wednesday. Officials have yet to say whether the lockdown will be lifted as scheduled on April 13, as it relies on the assessment to a technical working group led by the Department of Health. Meanwhile, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said his department is leading efforts "to revive consumer and business confidence even sooner." Millions of poor families for the meantime are dependent on relief aid while waiting for a cash subsidy from the national goverment.

By Rey E. Requejo, Willie Casas, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Vito Barcelo

HE government is considering the forced quarantine of persons suspected of having COVID-19 on a case-to-case basis, since home quarantine may not be effective in poor households, the chief implementor of the national action plan against the new coronavirus said Wednesday.

In a radio interview, Presidential Peace Advisor Carlito Galvez Jr., said the current home quarantine being practiced is not effective to control the spread of the virus, especially in poor communities where space is limited for social distancing. He said forced quarantine could be implemented if the number of confirmed cases Next page

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM MARCH 31)

2,311

NUMBER OF CASES

DEATHS

RECOVERIES

227

NEW CASES VOL. XXXIV • NO. 50 • 2 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 THURSDAY, APRIL2, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

BEACON OF HOPE. Iran's Azadi (Freedom) Tower is lit up with flags and messages of hope in solidarity with all the countries affected by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic in Tehran on March 31. AFP

Duterte orders strict audit of med donations

DOLE to firms: Submit payroll to aid workers

By Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

By Vito Barcelo, Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday designated the Office of the Civil Defense as the main coordinating agency for all donations to the government intended for its COVID-19 response, saying all medical products should be automatically cleared to reach hospitals and medical facilities swiftly. In response to the President’s Administrative Order 27, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) issued guidelines for the prompt release of donated medical products and for the implementation of tax and duty-exempt importations of personal protective equipment (PPEs) and other emergency medical supplies, under the “Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.” The BOC said importers of PPEs and medical equipment and supplies for commercial purposes no longer need to present various certificates issued by the Food and Drug Administration. Meanwhile, the OCD must prepare an inventory of all the donations to the national government and the Department of Health and coordinate with relevant agencies such as the Labor and Social Welfare departments in the determination of which health facilities, beneficiary groups or establishments, are in need of Next page medical goods.

CROWD CONTROL. Police try to control a commotion in Quezon City that led to the arrest of several protesting residents of Sitio San Roque, who were calling for government aid amid the Luzon-wide coronavirus lockdown (see story on A2). Zhander Cayabyab, ABSCBN via Twitter

Bigger hazards pay, other benefits await frontliners By Maricel V. Cruz, Butch Gunio, and Rio N. Araja THE Trade Union Congress of the Philippines on Wednesday sought out a minimum 25 percent additional remuneration as hazard pay for all COVID-19 frontline workers both in the private and the public sectors, including journalists and media personnel. This emerged as a congressman, in a Facebook post, urged the identifica-

By Dave Leprozo

HELPING THEMSELVES.

tion of corona virus victims to boost the justification of the enhanced community quarantine imposed to contain the spread of the virus which originated from Wuhan, China. At the same time, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) said it was set to release anew the amount of P447 million as financial assistance to 81government hospitals nationwide. General Manager Royina M. Garma

Self-help virtue sustains tribal village in crisis

Sadanga, a municipality in Mt. Province, boasts of a tribal group steeped in the Cordillera tradition (inset) that invokes their age-old wisdom of selfhelp in dealing with the global coronavirus pandemic. Dave Leprozo

THE Department of Labor and Employment said it will provide assistance to hundreds of thousands of formal and informal workers affected by the COVID 19 lockdown, as the agency appealed to businesses to submit their staff’s payroll to the DOLE so that their workers may avail of the P5,000 in financial assistance. Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III observed that many establishments refused to submit the list of their staffs along with the payroll to the detriment of their workers. “I therefore appeal again to companies that, for the sake of your employees and workers, submit your reports so that we may be able to extend them their most

SADANGA, Mountain Province —The Sinadangas of Sadanga town north of Manila are showing their countrymen the time-tested virtue of self-help in these unprecedented difficult times imposed by the pandemic coronavirus. The Sinadangas are part of the Bontocs, the erstwhile animists who have strong convictions about their mountain culture that has been legend for thousands of years in the Cordillera region between the Ilocos and the Cagayan Valley. Next page

NEW GEAR. Medical City Manila frontliners show off their new outfits donated by SM Foundation, which recently distributed over P170 million worth of personal protection equipment (PPEs) and medical supplies to over 50 hospitals nationwide to aid the fight against COVID-19. The Philippine General Hospital, the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), the Lung Center of the Philippines were among the recipients.

COVID-19 claims 15th doctor hero By Willie Casas and Macon Ramos-Araneta TWO medical frontliners—a doctor and a nurse—have died in the fight against the pandemic coronavirus, adding to the increasing death toll in the Philippines which, shortly before sundown Wednesday, had reached 96. Next page

Dr. Janette Dancel-Liban

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Coronavirus worst crisis since WWII, UN boss says as deaths go over 40k ASHINGTON ― The global death toll from the coronavirus pandemic continued to worsen Wednesday despite unprecedented lockdowns, as the head of the United Nations sounded the alarm on what he said was humanity's worst crisis since World War II.

The warning came as Donald Trump told Americans to brace for a "very painful" few weeks after the United States registered its deadliest 24 hours of the crisis. The number of deaths on Wednesday topped 4,000, twice the 2,010 recorded late Saturday, Johns Hopkins data showed. Around half of the planet's population is under some form of lockdown as governments struggle to halt the spread of a disease that has now infected more than

840,000 people. Well over 40,000 are known to have died, half of them in Italy and Spain, but the death toll continues to rise with new records being logged daily in the US. ‘‘This is going to be a very painful—a very, very painful—two weeks," the president said at the White House as he described the pandemic as "a plague." ‘‘I want every American to be prepared for the hard days that lie ahead.’’ America's outbreak has mushroomed

rapidly. There are now around 189,000 known cases—a figure that has doubled in just five days. On Tuesday, a record 865 people died, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. Members of Trump's coronavirus task force said the country should be ready for between 100,000 and 240,000 deaths in the coming months. ‘‘As sobering a number as that is, we should be prepared for it,’’ Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert. America's under-pressure health system is being supplemented by field hospitals sprouting up all over New York, including a tented camp in Central Park, a hospital ship and converted convention centres. But even with the extended capacity,

cases

version of certain big structures and buildings like the PICC when regular hospitals reach their maximum room capacity," he added. Guevarra stressed that LGUs have also been required to provide quarantine or isolation centers in their respective jurisdictions to address the needs of families with not enough space in their homes. Reports earlier said the government is mulling a "massive forced quarantine" of persons who are either under investigation or monitoring for COVID-19 if the number of cases does not decrease in the coming days. The proposal could be done on a caseto-case basis, as some may be able to effectively isolate themselves at home. There were also suggestion that the government may extend the community quarantine period in "some affected areas." Meanwhile, a National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) official said the agency can initiate investigations into possible violations of community quarantine rules even without filed complaints. "Director [Eric] Distor ordered last March 31 all the operating units of NBI to conduct investigations on possible violations of the community quarantine," NBI Deputy Director Ferdinand Lavin said. President Rodrigo Duterte told Congress in a report dated March 30, a day before Distor issued his order, that the NBI was going after local officials who defied quarantine guidelines set by the national government. In Duterte's first weekly report to Congress pursuant to the new law giving him additional powers to deal with the COVID-19 emergency, he said the NBI is investigating and filing charges.

“The NBI is investigating and filing charges against local government officials who willfully disregard, contravene, or violate national guidelines on community quarantine set by the IATFEID [Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases],” the President's report stated. According to the Philippine National Police, 71,540 people have violated quarantine guidelines between March 17 and 30. PNP data showed 39,866 of these individuals were from Luzon, while the rest were from Visayas and Mindanao. The entire island of Luzon has been placed under a lockdown as authorities try to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. Also on Wednesdy, Senator Panfilo Lacson chided the administration for a lack of planning and coordination in using the new law passed to deal with the health emergency. "They knew beforehand what they wanted to ask from Congress. When we gave it to them in a record time of 18 hours, apparently they were not prepared to execute," said Lacson, a member Joint Congressional Oversight Committee, made up of four senators and four congressmen. Lacson assailed the apparent absence of a smooth and expeditious implementation of the new law. The lack of foresight in this regard, Lacson said , is obviously causing the delays of help to the poor Filipinos. At the same time, Senator Grace Poe said taking care of the elderly must be the top priority of every local government unit. Kept at home due to the enhanced

community quarantine, senior citizens, especially those living on their own, should regularly receive food packs, potable water and essential supplies to sustain them for the quarantine period. "If they need medicines, like their maintenance drugs, someone from the barangay should buy these for them,” she said. “Those who need check-ups or treatment should be given transportation by the local government unit to the hospital or clinic.” She also said assistance should also reach them, especially these days when they cannot go out to withdraw from banks or ATMs, or receive remittances from their children. In related developments: • The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) blamed corrupt local government officials and political rivalry between mayors and barangay chiefs for the confusion and unfair distribution of relief while Luzon and other parts of the country are under the enhanced communtiy quarantine to stop the COVID-19 outbreak. The group said poor families must bear the burden of inefficient local government leadership and deep-seated political rivalry between mayors and barangay chiefs, at a time when they desperately need government help. • The Palace hit back at opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros, who criticized the government response thus far to the COVID-19 outbreak, saying there were no concrete plans in the President’s address to the nation. Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo, however, said the 18-page report submitted to Congress detailed the actions undertaken by the executive branch to reduce the transmission of COVID-19.

DOLE...

Self-help...

needed assistance under the COVID 19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP),” Bello said in a statement. As of March 31, the DOLE field monitoring already recorded more than 630,000 workers displaced by the temporary closure or flexible work arrangements from 15,213 establishments. Of these,169,232 belong to the informal sector. “We have so far distributed P160 million and we are accelerating the release of assistance to all those affected,” he said. Bello said the cash aid available is different from the allocation of between P5,000 to P8,000 in subsidy that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and other agencies are providing under the Bayanihan to Heal As One law. While the new law provides a cash and non-cash Emergency Subsidy Program (ESP) for two months based on the prevailing regional wage rates, DOLE’s CAMP is a one-time quarantine assistance. The ESP targets families with at least one member belonging to vulnerable and disadvantaged sectors such as senior citizens, persons with disability, pregnant and lactating women, solo parents, overseas filipinos in distress, indigent indigenous peoples, underprivileged sector and homeless citizens, and informal economy workers. Among these programs are DSWD’s food and non-food items, cash assistance to individuals in crisis, and livelihood assistance grants; DA’s cash assistance to rice farmers; and other programs of DTI. The Palace, meanwhile, assured the public there is enough food in the country to last for 75 days, as the government imported an additional 300,000 metric tons of rice. Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles told the public not to worry about the country’s food supply since it remains sufficient. The Palace official made the statement during a virtual press conference on Wednesday morning. “Let’s not worry. The food supply is continuous,” said Nograles, spokesman of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases IATF-EID). The IATF has recently recommended to President Duterte the importation of 300,000 metric tons of rice to further boost the country’s supply amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The town’s Upper Social Class, a euphemism for the rich sector, under the age-old culture takes care of their fellow tribesmen in the lower rung of the economy of this 5th class town, 410 kilometers north of Manila via Baguio City and La Trinidad in Benguet and Bontoc in the Mountain Province. On Tuesday, the Municipality’s Social Welfare and Development Office told the Manila Standard that some relief food packs sent by the regional office were now available at the PDRRM office for requesting Local Government Units. But Sadanga Myor Gabino Ganggangan, in a statement released to media here, said he had instructed the town’s MSWDO “to relay our message that our municipality will not be availing (itself)

of these food packs even if the lockdown will be extended.” Ganggangan added: “It’s not that we don't have poor and needy families but i believe that we as tribal communities still have and should sustain our ‘built-in’ and home-grown or indigenous social structure, values, and practice of taking care of our respective relatives or kins (sic), neighbors or kailyan in distress during hard times or economic crisis.” He was referring to the centuries-old selfhelp virtue which is a grain in the culture of the Bontoc people, those living in the Cordillera provinces of Mountain Province, Benguet, Ifugao, Apayao, Kalinga and Abra. Ganggangan said: “It is during these kinds of economic hardships such as ‘food shortages,’, hunger and famine that the ‘richer or better off’ (kadangyans) among a clan or village are expected to aid their needy relatives by lending their surpluses.

Govt... From A1

of infection doesn't decline in the coming days. Galvez said the government is taking the “detect-isolate-treat” approach to the COVID-19 pandemic. “An infected person becomes a threat to the general public when he or she is mobile and not isolated, and becomes a carrier of the disease,” Galvez said. This is the reason the national task force on COVID-19 has adopted a “carrier-centric” approach which aims to detect, isolate and treat infected patients so they can be cured of the disease and return to their communities as soon as possible. Galvez said that in isolating disease carriers, they have to designate government-dedicated treatment facilities for COVID-19, while patients under investigation or PUIs need to be taken to converted isolation centers for closer monitoring. Galvez said it is important that health workers look into suspected cases and observe them to see if they show symptoms of the disease so they can be treated right away. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, meanwhile, said the the Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19 has not discussed plans for the forced quarantine of persons suspected of having the virus. "No such plans for a forced internment have been discussed in the IATF," Guevarra, a member of the IATF said, in a message to reporters. "What has been discussed is the con-

Duterte... From A1

Direct donations to agencies and state hospitals will still be allowed but these should be immediately reported to the OCD. The Department of National Defense was tasked to provide logistical support to the OCD to ensure distribution and delivery of the donated medicines, medical equipment and supplies and other health products. Presidential Peace Adviser and chief implementer of the national action plan against COVID-19 Carlito Galvez Jr. will supervise the consolidation, management, inventory, recording and distribution of donations. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the country can have more and cheaper ventilators to be used by COVID-19 patients with severe cases once those designed by University of the Philippines scientists are finished. She said the ventilator being developed by UP-Manila National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH) would help meet the demand as cases continue to climb. “We now have locally-produced ventilators being developed by scientists from the UP-NIH, but I don’t like to disclose it yet. They are not finished yet," Vergeire said. Vergeire said there are 1,263 ventilators nationwide of which about 153 are in Metro Manila. She also said the DOH was working with the Department of Budget and Management to import 1,500 more. She also said the country has received six donated ventilators and expects more to come in in the coming days. The World Health Organization on Sunday urged all countries to prepare for the care for patients severely sickened by the newcoronavirus by stocking up on ventilators. The UN health agency said in its latest situation report on COVID-19 that "oxygen therapy is a major treatment intervention for patients with severe COVID-19." "All countries should work to optimize the availability of pulse oximeters and medical oxygen systems," it said. It warned that mortality among those suffering with critical illness had been reported at over 50 percent, emphasizing that rapid "critical care interventions such as lung protective ventilation should be optimized." Ventilators are crucial to support COVID-19 patients who are in critical con-

From A1

COVID... From A1

Meanwhile, Vice Mayor Jose ‘Jolet’ delos Santos of the municipality of Jala-jala in Rizal province died Tuesday, days after he was tested positive for COVID-19. Delos Santos’ son Jom confirmed the news in his Facebook post. He said his father was diagnosed with the disease on March 25. The number of doctors who died had climbed to 15, prompting a physicians group to call on the Department of Health to subject the medical doctors to periodic testing. “This is the reality of our current situation," stressed the Philippine College of Physicians Board of Regents, as it urged the DOH and all testing facilities to allot test kits for the periodic testing of “our healthcare workers, so we can eliminate and prevent further casualties in this war

Luzon... From A1

Luzon, home to roughly half of the Philippines' 100-million population, was placed under a month-long quarantine on March 17, as people were told to stay at home to control the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Provinces in Visayas and Mindanao have also restricted movement to contain

doctors say they are still having to make painful choices. ‘‘If you get a surge of patients coming in, and you only have a limited number of ventilators, you can't necessarily ventilate patients,’’ Shamit Patel of the Beth Israel hospital said. ‘‘And then you have to start picking and choosing.’’ Deep recession feared The extraordinary economic and political upheaval spurred by the virus presents a real danger to the relative peace the world has seen over the last few decades, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Tuesday. The ‘‘disease... represents a threat to everybody in the world and... an economic impact that will bring a recession that probably has no parallel in the recent past.’’ AFP

CHR zaps cops for handling of QC protesters THE Commission on Human Rights on Wednesday hit authorities for arresting some protesting Quezon City residents due to alleged hunger amid the enhanced community quarantine to contain the COVID-19 coronavirus. Lawyer and spokesperson Jacqueline Ann de Guia said the CHR “cannot emphasize further the importance of protecting human rights during a national health crisis. “Stricter policies, such as the enhanced quarantine, were set to protect the people’s right to health," de Guia added. In a statement, the Quezon City government said it wished to clarify “the unfortunate incident that occurred this morning” at Sitio San Roque, where police forcibly dispersed the protesters near a mall along North EDSA. “First, the local government and Brgy. Bagong Pag-asa deny media reports that no food packs have been distributed in the area," the city said. "In fact, there is continuous distribution of food packs throughout the city, both from the local government and the barangays to ensure that affected families are looked after during this crisis period,” it added. Rio N. Araja, Willie Casas and Joel E. Zurbano

NBI tells Vico to explain virus law ‘violations’ By Willie Casas THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Anti-Graft Division on Wednesday told Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto to explain his side for possible violation of the new Bayanihan Act. This was confirmed by NBI spokesperson Ferdinand Lavin, who said it was regarding the law's provision on the implementation of curfews to combat the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Sotto responded in a Twitter post, saying: “They're asking for an explanation on the alleged violation of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act (e.g. continuous tricycle operation). Do they know the law was enacted last March 24 ?” Lavin confirmed that the bureau's antigraft division sent the mayor a letter inviting him to appear at the NBI's main office in Manila on April 7. "For LGU officials for disobeying national government policies or directives in imposing quarantines under the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act," Lavin said of Sotto's alleged violation.

Bigger... From A1

of attrition." Dr. Janette Dancel-Liban, connected with the FEU-NRMF Medical Center and the National Kidney and Transplant Institute, was the latest casualty. She died on Tuesday night in an unnamed hospital, a friend who knew her posted on Facebook on Wednesday. “She was attending to a number of COVID-19 patients until she too was confined and brought to the ICU last Saturday. She passed away this evening. She’s our hero. An active Methodist, we will miss her,” the post by Lenora May Ancla-Abag on the Bangon Batangas FB forum read. This was confirmed by other doctors who knew her and posted their reactions upon hearing the news. Also, Nurse Arvin Pascual, 44, died due to "severe bronchopneumonia due to COVID-19," Philippine Nurses Association president Erlinda Castro-Palagana said, citing information on his death certificate.

said in a statement the Board in its meeting on Tuesday approved the assistance to 81 mostly provincial hospitals, aimed at augmenting the financial capability of the beneficiary hospitals in catering to COVID-19 patients. The financial assistance is over and above the P420 million funds to be released to Philhealth as announced last week, Garma added. The coverage of the assistance is specifically limited to COVID-19 cases and shall be utilized for Testing Kits; Reagents; Medical / Diagnostic Equipment; Confinement; Medicines; Laboratory/Diagnostic Procedures; and Personal Protective Equipment. Davao del Norte Rep. Alan Dujali said he had recommended to the the InterAgency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease (IATFEID) “to help strengthen government’s efforts to curb the pandemic.” Dujali's proposal however may not be implemented because of the stringent laws covering people's medical records. A congressman from Central Luzon reminded Dujali that the Privacy Act ensured the anonymity of patients and protected the confidentiality of their records. “Rep. Dujali is barking up the wrong tree in making that proposal. All it will benefit are the neighborhood chismososs and chismosas who make life more miserable for the unfortunate corona virus victims,” the legislator said. In a statement, TUCP President Raymond Mendoza said a 25 percent hazard pay should be granted to frontline personnel from the private sector like their counterparts in the public sector who are themselves to health risks.

the outbreak. Among options being considered by the government is a barangay-based quarantine to pave the way for a gradual lifting of the lockdown. Under that scenario, the reopening of essential businesses such as those involved in the supply chain of food products, medical products, and other necessities will be prioritized, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said. "It should be gradual. It's important for

businesses to resume operations so that people can go to work, again following the new norm, social distancing," he said. Once businesses are allowed to resume, Lopez said companies must adopt a "new culture," which includes physical distancing and avoiding mass gatherings. Marketing, construction and public transportation should also resume with safeguards to prevent the spread of COVID-19, said Presidential Adviser on Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion. With Vito Barcelo

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‘Include village officials, workers as Covid beneficiaries’

OVERPRICED. Bureau Of Custom’s Intelligence Investigation Services (BOC-CIIS) Chief Alvin Enciso,left, and LT JG Mark Jefferson Mangoyob of Philippine Coast Guard presented some of the seized P15 million worth of facemasks and medical supplies which were hoarded and sold overpriced by Wyler Enterprises, Medical Shop at Medical Outlet at Remegio St in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

IN BRIEF Taguig launches own ‘mobile palengke’ THE Taguig City government launched its own mobile palengke for residents to have an easy access to buy cheaper food products, and fresh meat and vegetables in time of the enhanced community quarantine. With the help of the Department of Agriculture, the city initially deployed mobile palengke units in barangays Bagumbayan, Ususan and Central Signal. Mayor Lino Edgardo Cayetano said the program provides accessible markets for farm-fresh goods in hopes to ease the volume of people heading to bigger markets and consequently prevent the spread of COVID-19. He added social distancing is being observed. “The markets also provide income for farmers and former ambulant vendors amid the COVID-19 crisis. Very soon, each barangay will have their own community market,” said Cayetano. Joel E. Zurbano

BI workers get free food from Jolibee

881 Filipino cruise ship crew from US repatriated—DFA By Rey E. Requejo

HE Department of Foreign Affairs has repatriated 881 Filipino cruise ship workers from the United States as the world grapples to control spread of coronavirus disease pandemic. The DFA said the Filipino repatriates from the US arrived on Wednesday, 445 of whom come from Norwegian Cruise Lines ships – Norwegian Dawn and Norwegian Encore, while the other 436 worked at cruise ships Costa Magica and Costa Favolosa of Costa Cruises. “With the world grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, the whole of Philippine government continues its efforts in responding to Filipinos both here in

the country and those overseas,” the DFA said in a statement. Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Sarah Lou Arriola said that in compliance with the national established health protocols, the Filipino crew will undergo a mandatory 14-day facility-based quarantine which will be monitored by the Bureau of Quarantine. “The DFA works with other govern-

ment agencies and the private sector in this whole of government approach to facilitate the seamless repatriation of our workers,” Arriola said. The repatriation of the Filipino cruise ship workers was facilitated by the DFA, the Philippine Embassy in Washington, the Department of Health, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Interior and Local Government, and the seafarer’s local manning agencies. Meanwhile, DFA Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. has appealed to Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia to allow foreigners to enter the province and board their repatriation flights via the Mactan Cebu International Airport.

AS THE coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to spread, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) sent an urgent e-mail on Wednesday asking Department of Agriculture Secretary William Dar to close live-animal meat markets, or “wet markets,” across the Philippines permanently, pointing out that markets crammed full of sick and stressed animals are breeding grounds for deadly diseases. “It’s a matter of when—not if—the next pandemic will occur, as long as live-animal markets are permitted to continue endangering both humans and other animals,” said PETA Senior Vice President Jason Baker. “PETA is urging the Philippines to take the next logical step and close these dangerous operations,” Baker said. PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat” and which opposes speciesism, a humansupremacist worldview—notes that deadly outbreaks of swine flu, avian flu, SARS, HIV, Ebola, hoof-andmouth disease, mad cow disease, and other maladies have stemmed from capturing or farming animals for food. Willie Casas

PAL warns vs fake news on ‘job hiring’ By Joel E. Zurbano

BUREAU of Immigration (BI) airport frontliners expressed their appreciation for the support of a local fast food chain in providing meals for personnel amidst the Covid-19 outbreak. Jollibee Foods Corporation delivered meals to immigration frontliners on duty at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) during the Extended Community Quarantine (ECQ). “This is a major help for our personnel as it is very hard to buy food at the airport since most establishments are closed,” said BI Commissioner Jaime Morente. The BI had scaled down its operations in NAIA, following the temporary closure of NAIA Terminals 2, 3, and 4 to streamline operations in NAIA Terminal. Vito Barcelo

Shut down live animal markets, gov’t urged

HOUSE Ways and Means Chair Joey Sarte Salceda (Albay, 2nd district) has asked President Duterte and the InterAgency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to broaden the coverage of the government’s Covid-19 emergency subsidy program and give barangay officials, including secretaries, treasurers and tanods, a “frontline status” so they may also be eligible for benefits. Salceda also urged the IATF to ensure that all low-income families are equitably provided financial support, citing reports of “multiple government lists” with members of the same families included in the different lists that results to duplication. “When one family gets more than what it has to get, another family gets less or none. It potentially deprives the underserved and unlisted informal sector. In a larger perspective, that compromises our quarantine efforts. Those who get no help will likely go out to find ways to survive. They can become vectors of the virus,” he noted. As one of the proponents in Congress of the P200 billion additional budget for the families affected by the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) subsidy in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, Salceda, also thanked the IATF for adopting one of his recommendations – the inclusion of lactating mothers, pregnant women and tricycle drivers in the subsidy plan. In a letter to the President, Salceda proposed that barangay officials and workers, including barangay chairmen, secretaries, treasurers and tanods, to be given “frontliner status” and make eligible for frontliner benefits, since “the challenge is to keep everyone on the boat during this crisis.” He said the “emerging reality is that barangay officials and workers including tanods are performing frontline work, and it appears they will perform more of that during the subsidy distribution. They are the ones tending to the boat at what could be the most important level of the ECQ – the community.” “Some of our ideas were already adopted, so I thank President Duterte for that. In fact, some officials I have talked to said lactating mothers, pregnant women and tricycle have been included in the subsidy plan. Hopefully, barangay officials will also be included, for forced preservation purposes. If they get sick, there will be no ECQ implementers at the community level,” he pointed out.

WINNING FEAT. Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines, Inc. (PCPPI) won the coveted Gold Award during the 55th Anvil Awards organized by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines held recently at the Manila Hotel. PCPPI won the award under the category Public Relations Tool for the outstanding execution of its 2018 Annual and Sustainability Report, titled Win as One! As PCPPI’s first sustainability report, the theme signified the teamwork PCPPI had in fulfilling its activities guided by its sustainability framework, as the company achieves its wins on its sustainability journey. Shown in the photo are the PCPPI team led by Vivian Cheong, PCPPI SVP for Human Resources & Corporate Affairs (center); together with (from left) BJ Camaya (Anvil Awards Juror); Joane Legaspi (DRINK); Denise Ramallosa (DRINK); Naj Dingcong (DRINK); Aljon Valdenibro (PCPPI), Monique Castro (PCPPI); Atty. Ari Fabros (PCPPI), Noel Melarpis (PCPPI), Gabe Ongkiko (DRINK), Harris Guevarra (DRINK), Eli Gagelonia (DRINK); and Cherie Mijares (Anvil Awards Juror).

SSS orders early release Clark suspends commercial flights of monthly pension THE state-run Social Security System (SSS) announced on Monday that its pensioners would receive their regular monthly pensions for April earlier than usual. The pensions were credited in their bank accounts starting last March 23, 2020. “We allowed the early release of their monthly pension to provide them with some financial assistance. It will help our pensioners cope with the situation that the country is facing right now brought by the dreadful coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19),” SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Aurora C. Ignacio said. Ignacio added that SSS has already requested its partner-banks to grant the release of the April 2020 pension on a much earlier date than the regular schedule of its release. “We always take into consideration the safety and financial security of all SSS pensioners; thus, we made this decision to address their financial needs, especially those who are residing in areas that are currently under enhanced community quarantine,” Ignacio explained.

CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga-The Clark International Airport temporarily suspended its commercial operations effective April 3, 2020. In a media advisory, the international airport whose operation and management are being handled by Luzon International Premier Airport Development said that the suspension aims to prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus in the areas and protect the health, safety and welfare of passengers and workers. The management caution booked passengers that they don’t have to worry as they can always rebook their flights upon the resumption of its operation when everything returns to normal.

The advisory did not mention when it will resume operations amid the looming extension of the lockdown for another 60 days. Earlier, the airport was under strong pressure from local government units near former US Air Force base for its temporarily closure to contain the spread of the Covid-19 infectious disease that is now engulfing the world. Luzon inland has a population of 55 million people based on 2015 census and it remains in lockdown since March 14 up to April 14 for total of one month. This has affected all kinds of businesses specially different airlines operating in the country and whose losses run into several billion of pesos in just a few weeks. Romeo Dizon

PHILIPPINE Airlines on Tuesday cautioned the public against unscrupulous individuals spreading bogus information stating that PAL is hiring a new batch of employees. “Philippines Airlines warns the public of fake or outdated notices about job openings in PAL, currently circulating on various social media sites. The airline has postponed job hiring during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis,” the PAL management said in a statement. “Such ads, including those being carried by recruitment sites, are not published by or in any way related to Philippine Airlines,” it added. PAL officials said they only utilizes the official website www.philippineairlines.com and official social media pages @flypal on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube for any legitimate announcements on job openings, promos, advisories, etc. “We are coordinating with concerned authorities to stop the further spread of these fraudulent posts. We advise the public to remain vigilant to avoid falling prey into possible online scams,” PAL said. PAL was the subject of numerous false social media advertisements in the last four years. Most of these fake promotions encouraged netizens to reply to several questions in exchange for a chance to win PAL plane tickets. The fake advertisement bears a PAL logo with the phrase “Home in the Sky”. In November 2019, PAL came up with a warning against the fake ad stating: “It’s our anniversary: Answer a few questions to get 4 free tickets to Philippine Airlines.” The same fake PAL promotional advertisement were circulated in 2017 and 2018. Under the Consumer Act of the Philippines, any person found guilty of false advertising shall be subjected to fines or imprisonment of not less than three months but not more than two years or both upon the discretion of the court.

Opinion

THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2020

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Lockdown extension I am not sure whether the lockdown in Metro Manila and in Luzon will be extended in the wake of reports from the Health Department that the pandemic has not yet peaked. It seems things will get worse before they get better. I would really appreciate it if the President could ease some restrictions. For example, vehicles may ferry those with passes so they can get food. Drugstores and supermarkets are often far from where we live. Likewise, restrictions on the delivery of printed editions of newspapers should also be eased. There are suggestions on the need for mass testing. But this might not yet be feasible since the country still lacks test kits and our frontliners are still lacking in number. It appears that government officials and VIPs are getting preferential treatment. How about those living in the slums? There are six to eight people sharing a small room. How can they practice social distancing? Stay home, we are told. But how about those who have no homes? Then there’s the situation in our congested jails. Inmates live in overly cramped conditions such that they have to take turns sleeping. At the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa, convicts are dying There are other things I am worried about. For instance, the government needs to provide food in slum areas. Yes, they are now given these, but for how long? *** The President told us that he has the money (P200 billion) to subsidize

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

the needs of the poor. Congress has also earmarked billions on pesos for the Department of Agriculture to enable farmers to provide the country food. But that is not the point. People must go to work and lead normal lives. There is nothing normal about this lockdown. I agree that in this difficult time, everybody must sacrifice. I speak

It seems things will get worse before they get better. for myself and my wife, being most prone to catch the virus. We cannot anymore get by on our own and we need helpers to assist us. My thoughts go back to the Second World War, when the Japanese Imperial Army occupied the country. We were hungry most of the time. We used bagfuls of Mickey Mouse money just to buy a ganta of rice. We ate kangkong from the esteros. This was why we eventually went North to join my brothers who were part of the guerilla movement. At least there, we could eat regularly. At that time, farmers and fishermen were always sure of having food on the table. Now, it’s an entirely different story. My fervent wish is that there would be enough testing kits and frontliners. This is an enemy that is unseen. *** The world is now in recession, and so is the Philippines with all these lockdowns. Will the experts ever find a cure, and when? In this connection, I am wondering what will happen to those big-ticket and high-profile infrastructure proj-

What’s next?

NTO the third week on a Luzon-wide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, speculation is rife over what the government will do afterward. Some suggest the lockdown will be extended, while others say the government is considering a selective community quarantine in which certain sectors will be allowed to go back to work as a way of resuscitating the battered economy. It is good to plan, but our leaders would do well to bear in mind the words of Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who advises the White House on the COVID-19 crisis: “You’ve got to be realistic, and you’ve got to understand that you don’t make the timeline, the virus makes the timeline.” Given how little we still know about the virus and how to stop it, talk of a partial lifting of the enhanced community quarantine and social distancing guidelines seems premature, at best, despite the huge economic costs that the lockdown has entailed.

Certainly, depriving millions of people of their livelihood carries not only a huge economic price, but a political cost as well that is not lost on our leaders. People must eventually go back to work to put food on the table. How soon they can safely do this is a matter of debate. Amid all the speculation, however, it is gratifying to hear Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, spokesman for the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infections Diseases, say: “In this discussion, science is in charge.” All decision on what comes next over the short term surely must be informed by what is the best course to save lives.

The Philippines recorded on Tuesday its largest daily increase in COVID-19 deaths and infections—538—as it ramped up testing with the arrival of thousands of kits from abroad and the opening of new laboratories. On Wednesday, eight more deaths took the national toll to 96, while the number of infections climbed to 2,311, with 227 additional cases, the Department of Health reported. The DOH has opened new labs and run more than 15,000 tests, up from only 3,000 last week, even as more hospitals are seeking government approval to function as testing centers. Ramping up testing is crucial, because this will let us know the real number of sick people, and the extent of the infections. Over time, testing will also give us a better idea of how the quarantine measures are working. Hard data and an overriding concern about the need to save lives must trump any wishful thinking about sending people back to work too soon.

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Everyone should heed payment moratorium YESTERDAY, I received a statement from the Office of Deputy Majority Leader, Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo calling on banks and other lending institutions not to wait for a directive coming from President Rodrigo Duterte and just voluntarily extend moratorium for loan payments for their clients.

How can you evict someone at a time when the home is the safest place to be? Arroyo made the appeal amid the rising concerns of borrowers of being penalized for failing to meet their due dates for the monthly amortizations for their loans. “Even as the Bayanihan Act gives authority to the President to give directives to banks and other lending and financial institution to extend a temporary relief for their borrowers, these banks, out of compassion, can voluntarily do such on their own,” Arroyo said, citing Arroyo cited provisions in Republic Act No. 11469 which gives the President such powers. While a number of these institutions have already extended moratorium for loan payments, some have yet to advise their clients regarding a temporary freeze on loan payments. Arroyo further appealed to the banks and lending institutions for leniency on the payment of the amortization by extending the loan maturity. “People are apprehensive that after the moratorium is lifted, they will have to pay double their monthly

amortization on top of the other bills which would have filed up during the quarantine period,” Arroyo noted. “In view thereof, we appeal to the banks to extend the loan maturity so as not to double the monthly amortization when the moratorium is lifted,” the solon said. “We are under a global crisis, the worst the world has ever encountered. We appeal to the banks and other lending institutions to please set aside for this moment their target profit in the name of compassion,” Arroyo added. Well said. Unfortunately, not everyone shares his views. For after reading his statement, I also came across a post in the social media about a family who was evicted from their rented abode in Montalban in Rizal, for having failed to pay their monthly rental. Such cruelty. How can you evict someone at a time when the home is the safest place to be? Sending your tenants to the streets at this time is tantamount to handing them their death sentence. As I shared their plight in my social media account, a friend sent me a private message telling she also suffered the same fate as that of the evicted family. But while she was not evicted, her landlord increased her monthly rental. So insensitive. These acts clearly defy the Bayanihan Act on extending tenants of grace periods on their residential rent. While we do not expect everyone to follow the acts done by some good souls who waived a one-month rental for their tenants, they should have at least heeded the grace period as provided for in the law. As Congressman Mikey puts it, as we are in the midst of the worst global crisis we have known, they should have at least set aside one month of their income for compassion. *** Turn to A5

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Joining the global efforts THREE weeks into the quarantine, we have seen a surge of confirmed cases due to the accelerated testing of suspected COVID-positive patients and the increase of available testing kits in the country. Since last week, the number of cases has tripled, while the number of deaths has doubled. On the good side, we have also seen a number of patients who have recovered and were discharged. Based on previous projections, the peak of the curve would be reached by June this year with 75,000 cases. Given the trend this March, it seems that the curve is slowly being flattened with the help of the lockdown. However, this is not enough. According to the Philippine Medical Association, 17 doctors have died from COVID-19. These doctors have devoted their time and effort and made the ultimate sacrifice of serving their fellow Filipinos despite knowing the fatal danger that this virus posed on them, having direct contact with patients. They are heroes. Sadly, these deaths could have been prevented. COVID-19 is often compared with

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

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

the previous epidemics such as the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2002 to 2003 which also came from a certain strain of coronavirus and affected 26 countries; the influenza-A H1N1 virus in 2009 which killed hundreds of thousands

Our government should invest in finding the cure. globally; the Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome in 2012 which was similarly caused by a specific strain of coronavirus and affected 27 countries; and the Ebola virus infection in 2014 in West Africa and other countries in Europe and the United States. Although scientists deemed that the

COVID-19 is not as deadly as the others, the disease is considered unmanageable due to the uncontrolled transmission of the disease. Hence, it is very unfortunate that people die due to factors which could have been prevented. At any rate, the government should invest its efforts on finding the cure to this disease. Health workers are currently treating symptoms in the hope of improving the natural immune response of patients. Last week, I presented the recommendations and actions of foreign countries and pharmaceutical companies as viable solutions in treating patients with COVID-19. Understandably, testing of vaccines and new medications would take months. Although efforts are under way, we must also begin exploring our options. While I commend the initiatives of the Department of Science and Technology in collaborating with foreign countries for the “solidarity trial” of the COVID-19 treatment options, I urge the government to also consider commencing our own research on possible treatTurn to A5

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Opinion

THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2020

Leadership in times of crisis WE ARE now a little over two weeks into our Luzon-wide lockdown due to COVID-19. We have less than two weeks to go. And yet, it is only now that the number of cases is seeing a dramatic increase. Experts say it is going to be difficult to control the spread because we apparently did not do a good job in tracing infected people in the early days of the pandemic. It makes one wonder whether our leaders who are making the decisions have been doing the right things and whether the virus can still be controlled or is already out of control. There are some who are saying that government responses have been slow because the decisions making is too centralized and if we continue along this line, the virus will overwhelm our entire medical infrastructure as it is already beginning to do. The government is now scrambling to find facilities to house more patients or persons under investigation. Experience teaches us that in times of emergencies such as what the country is facing now, centralized decision making slows the response. For instance, it was only during the last several days that a decision was made for nationwide testing and at a much faster rate. This should have been done much earlier. Let us hope that we have not lost precious time and that we will still have time to prevent the exponential increase of COVID-19 infections. We should have decentralized much earlier. I am confident that our local medical experts in the field also know what has to be done because of what is at stake, and that they will do the right thing so long as they are given the right policy guidelines by the Depart-

ment of Health. Our decision makers must exhibit true leadership be it in the national or local level. Otherwise, this country will follow in the footsteps of Italy and Spain whose medical experts are left searching to find answers on how stop the disease from killing more people.

We see the best, we see the worst. The success or failure in our fight against the coronavirus will, to a large extent, depend on whether our leaders make the right and responsible decisions, and whether those decisions are made at the right time. There are still many important decisions to be made in the coming days, the most important of which is whether to extend the lockdown or end it as scheduled on April 14. There are now more than 2,000 cases and we still do not know the whole picture. As of Tuesday, we have tested only a little over 3,000 people which is quite low. Another is to identify places where we can confine the patients if infections reaches the thousands. Some of what the DOH is doing is in logistical planning and therefore can be considered non-medical. We all know that they are giving all their best but perhaps DOH can consider asking professional logistics experts to help them plan. This will allow the medical experts in the DOH to concentrate on medical planning issues. When it comes to the test kits, we seem to be so dependent on donations. Unlike the personal protective equipment where the DOH announced the purchase of a million units, nothing as far as I know have been announced on how many testing kits have been ordered to add to the donated kits. Congress has now given the President additional public funds in order to support those who will be hit hard by the lockdown. As the President an-

nounced in his last address to the nation, we have nothing to worry about because there is money to support all government programs in the fight against COVID-19. So, there should be no problem with buying a lot more test kits to be able to test more people. In times of crisis, we see the best in a lot of our leaders regardless of whether they are in the legislative, executive branch or local government executives. Those who are good shine in the face of challenges. Even those who are less endowed with leadership qualities can still shine with their sincerity because the people can see this. We also see the best in many ordinary people who simply want to help and try to do their part in this hour of need. Those who are trying to make homemade face masks to donate to our medical frontliners cannot help but elicit admiration from all of us. Unfortunately, emergencies also bring out the worst in some people like those landlords who instead of helpling our frontliners are shove away or those people who ganged up on a medical worker in Mindanao, damaging his eyesight. There are also selfish people who were able to hoard face masks and alcohol in order to sell them at astronomical prices. We also see them in some of our political leaders which is unfortunate. Due to the very wide coverage of the pandemic in the country, people are watching and taking stock of what our officials are doing or not doing. They know who are sincerely working hard. This is not the time for accounting because most of us are trying to scramble in order to stay safe and trying to find something to eat. When all this is over and our nation is able to get over the hill with minimum of damage, only then will the time of reckoning start. As of now, the best way for ordinary people like you and me to help in the effort is to stay home, follow the lockdown guidelines and hope that we can get over this pandemic alive and in one piece. Stay safe.

From winners to worriers: Isolated athletes face mental health risk By Talek Harris FEAR, stress and money worries: Coronavirus lockdown is hard for anyone, but athletes are facing extra mental health risks as they go from highly active lifestyles to isolation and boredom, experts warn. While some housebound athletes have posted upbeat videos of themselves training or attempting internet challenges such as juggling toilet rolls, the stress caused by the extreme adjustment and uncertain future looks likely to take its toll. Long-term effects on athletes after the SARS and swine flu outbreaks included anxiety, obsessive hand-washing and fear of getting too close to people, Carolyn Broderick, Tennis Australia's chief medical officer, told AFP. But the impact of the current pandemic is unprecedented, with athletes sidelined worldwide after COVID-19 forced most sports into hibernation and put billions of people in lockdown. Those affected range from well-paid superstars such as tennis's Serena Williams, who has suffered from depression in the past, to journeyman pros and Olympic hopefuls whose lives have been thrown into turmoil. Williams, 38, who only needs one more Grand Slam title to equal the alltime record of 24, admitted that social distancing because of coronavirus had left her feeling "a ton of stress." "Every little thing makes me crazy. And by anxiety I mean I'm just on

Everyone... From A4

When my column which dealt on the Department of Health retracting and correcting itself on the issue of the accuracy of the test kits donated by China last Monday came out, an old friend asked me to discuss for my next article how China helped spread the coronavirus worldwide, that they

edge. Any time anyone sneezes around me or coughs I get crazy," she said on TikTok. Even before the virus, a steady stream of people involved in sports—often an insecure and high-stress profession— have wrestled with depression, from Williams to Olympic swimming great Michael Phelps, MMA fighter Ronda Rousey, boxer Mike Tyson and All Blacks rugby player John Kirwan.

I'm struggling The athletes currently out of action include thousands of would-be Olympians, many of whom have put careers on hold to chase medal dreams but now face extra disruption after the Tokyo 2020 Games were postponed for a year. "I would be lying if I said I was all right. Just like most people I'm struggling in my own ways," Olympics-bound American weightlifter Kate Nye, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, told America's WOODTV.com. Concerns have also been raised about Australia's swimmers and cricketers, after athletes in both sports suffered well-documented psychological problems in the past. "The mental health thing, we talked about it in a conference call this week," said Australian men's cricket coach Justin Langer. "Particularly for any of our staff or players who are home alone basically. We have to keep an eye on those guys and girls to make sure they're OK." Broderick, who was deputy medical director for Australia's 2016 Olympics

team, and sits on an advisory panel for the National Rugby League, said the effects of isolation can be felt more acutely by athletes. "They have all the same psychological issues that everyone does but also the stress and anxiety about their futures that they cannot easily control," she said. "They don't know what the next stage is going to be or how long they're going to have to quarantine or isolate for." Many sports bodies have reacted by offering support to athletes. However, some sports are making cuts to avoid going bust, reducing their ability to help. Substance abuse, such as drinking or using drugs, is one tell-tale sign of problems, Broderick said. "Stress and anxiety can manifest in substance abuse. That's what I'd look out for, if they're using alcohol as a support," she said. "There has certainly been some anxiety," added Broderick, who said Australia's tennis players receive regular communications and can call on medical support. "The high-level, high-profile professional athletes can handle this loss of income but there are a lot of athletes on the fringe," she said. "If you have a few months of loss of activity there's a significant loss of income as well." She recommended athletes stick to routines, focus on what can be controlled and use their extra time for a hobby or online training to maintain their mental health. AFP

should be blamed and whatever help they would extend us are actually obligatory on their part. I’m sorry to disappoint you my friend, but I just cannot do that. I don’t subscribe to that conspiracy theory. That the virus was created in a laboratory in Wuhan and was intended to be used as a biological weapon. Hell, I didn’t even believe the first version that the virus originated a Wuhan Market serving bats for soup. It’s a

good thing a Filipina came out clarifying no bat soups are ever served in that part of the world. To be fair to this old friend, I also do not adhered to the claim of another columnist friend who says he has circumstantial evidences to prove the United States was behind coronavirus and that it brought the virus to china during a war exercise. But as long as there is no concrete proof to substantiate these conspiracy

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Israeli apps helping contain pandemic By Guillaume Lavallee and Jonah Mandel ONE app tells you if you've been in the vicinity of a coronavirus carrier and another aims to assess whether you have COVID-19 based on the sound of your voice. In Israel, sometimes dubbed the "start-up nation" with nearly 10 percent of workers employed in high-tech, the coronavirus pandemic has seen a flurry of new technologies designed to contain transmission. Start-Up Nation Central, an NGO, has compiled a directory of some 70 Israeli technology companies developing responses to the new virus, which has infected more than 4,000 people in the country. One app that has stood out so far is Hamagen, Hebrew for "the shield", launched earlier this month by the health ministry. Using geolocation technology, the app informs users about any points of contact with known COVID-19 cases. Available in five languages, Hamagen has been downloaded by more than a million users. The fortunate ones receive messages saying "no points of intersection have been found with coronavirus patients." "We'll let you know if there is anything new," it adds. Hamagen was launched amid a controversy over plans to involve Israel's Shin Bet internal security agency in the fight against the virus. Critics warned that allowing a powerful investigative body access to personal devices without a court order could mark an irrevocable setback in the effort to safeguard data protection. Israel's highest court ruled that any Shin Bet involvement required parliamentary oversight. Hamagen requires user consent and the health ministry has assured that "GPS data does not leave your mobile phone, and is not sent to any third party."

Sound of corona

The defence ministry has meanwhile offered support to an Israeli start-up

called Vocalis Health, which is developing an app capable of diagnosing COVID-19 based on the sound of someone's voice. "We are working around the clock," Tal Wenderow, the start-up's co-founder, told AFP. Voice samples from virus carriers in various stages of illness and samples from non-infected people are currently being collected, with the goal of developing an AI-based algorithm to detect COVID-19's vocal "fingerprint." Health professionals will then be able to alert users in the early stages of the disease and use the app to monitor its spread across the population. The response from people willing to give voice samples has been "overwhelming," Wenderow said. In addition to helping curb new infections, the app could also allow patients to be monitored at home, he added. Israel's largest hospital, the Sheba Medical Center, has already been using nascent technologies to protect staff caring for coronavirus patients. "The guiding principle is to make sure there is as little contact as necessary between medical teams and patients," said Professor Eyal Leshem, director of Sheba's center for travel medicine and tropical diseases. To that end, Sheba monitors patients in mild condition through "telemedicine," which allows vital signs to be communicated to staff via sensors connected to a patient's phone "without any need for direct contact," Leshem told AFP. "We used this in our in-patient treatment—now when we're shifting from containment to mitigation, we're going to start using the same technologies to monitor patients at home," said Leshem. Sheba also has an innovation and research center, which is working to collect "all meta-data from COVID-19 patients." "As we have more and more data accumulated, we'll be able to identify markers of severe disease, identify prognostic factors for hospitalized patients at all levels, and potentially use this data to identify treatment opportunities," he said. AFP

Joining... From A4

ment against COVID-19. We cannot simply rely on the developments made by foreign countries, especially knowing that logistics is currently a problem globally. India, for example, has also joined the “global race” in developing a vaccine against the coronavirus. India is deemed as one of the most robust manufacturers and developers of vaccines worldwide in the world. The Philippines also has local experts, professional health workers, and researchers whom we can tap for this endeavor. The team from University of the Philippines-National Institutes of Public Health led by Dr. Raul Destura has successfully created our local test kits which are more affordable and easier to procure. Currently, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has teamed up with the Ateneo de Manila University and Duke-National University of Singapore in an ongoing project which studies the effectiveness of certain components of virgin coconut oil against viruses. This is a remarkable start. I therefore strongly encourage our scientists to begin studies on finding an effective drug that could cure this disease or vaccines that could attenuate the virus. In return, I strongly call for government support to our researchers and health experts. I also seek the support of our public and private sectors in highlighting the potential of research and development and the capability of our experts in contributing to the global efforts to combat this disease.

ects that have been discontinued because of the lockdown. Things were looking good with Ramon Ang of San Miguel launching the New Manila International Airport, with four runways, on a 2,400-hectare property in Bulacan. This project is a game-changer, designed by the best architects and engineers. It will generate one million jobs and will be able to serve 14 million passengers. This is something we could all be proud of. And then, there is also San Miguel’s MRT-7, also on hold because of

COVID-19. It will run from Bulacan to Quezon City. I am also wondering what will happen to the development of Sangley Airport in Cavite. And the remodeling of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. *** Santa Banana, I am glad and relieved that my good friend, former Prime Minister and now Senior Vice President of the Yuchengco Group of Companies, Cesar Virata, is just hospitalized for pneumonia. There were rumors circulating that he had passed on. I wish his recovery. We used to play tennis together, when we were both residents of PhilAm Homes in Quezon City.

theories, I won’t budge even an inch. I will continue to praise whoever extends help to us during these trying times. Be it China, the US, Cuba, Russia, or whoever they may be. And right now, I would like to again extend my gratitude to China for agreeing to send a team of medical expert to our country as requested by our government. According to Ambassador Huang Xilian, the team’s main task is to

help the Philippines fight against COVID-19 by providing technical advice on epidemic prevention and control as well as sharing medical treatment experience. Ambassador Huang has also assured our government that the Embassy will continue to work closely with DOH to facilitate relevant arrangements of the medical expert team. Thank you so much, Mr. Ambassador.

Lockdown... From A4

World

THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2020

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IN BRIEF Singapore activist picks jail over fine A SINGAPOREAN activist said Tuesday he had begun serving a one-week jail term after refusing to pay a ﬁne for questioning the independence of the city-state's judiciary in a Facebook post. Jolovan Wham was sentenced last year to a fine of Sg$5,000 (US$3,500) following a conviction for contempt of court—but he did not pay, meaning he must serve the short prison sentence instead. While wealthy and modern in many ways, rights groups say the city-state uses unnecessarily harsh laws to curb dissent, and have held up Wham's sentence as evidence of this. He had alleged in his post that Singapore's judiciary lacked integrity and independence in cases involving the government or politicians. Wham, who is also an advocate for migrant workers' rights, appealed his conviction but it was dismissed by Singapore's highest court. In a Twitter post Tuesday morning, Wham said he was surrendering himself to the police to start serving his sentence after a send-off from supporters. "I'm doing this in lieu of a 5k ﬁne because I do not recognise the legitimacy of the (judgement) and the law, both of which are unjust," he said. AFP

Facebook feature lets one seek help FACEBOOK on Tuesday activated a feature allowing people impacted by the coronavirus pandemic to reach out for help from their community. The Community Help feature was added to the social network four years ago as a way to ﬁnd shelter, food or supplies during natural disasters, and this week added the COVID-19 crisis to that list. "We've been seeing since the beginning people asking for help," Facebook app head Fidji Simo told AFP. "We've been working for a couple of weeks at enabling the feature." While Community Help has been activated for tragedies such as the recent Australian wildﬁres, this time the feature reaches far beyond a single country and had to be woven into the coronavirus information hub, according to Simo. Facebook set the help radius by default to 50 miles in the US and 100 kilometers in other countries, but people can scale back the area in which they are available to be of assistance. "You can adjust it down if you can only help in your neighborhood," Simo said. The feature lets Facebook users request or offer help from walking dogs or fetching groceries to psychotherapy. AFP

Pandemic pranks not funny—Google IT MAY be the global day for pranks but with the world under assault from the deadly coronavirus pandemic many governments on Wednesday were warning against virus-themed April Fools' jokes— some even threatening jail. The April 1 tradition sees families, web users and corporations embrace practical jokes. But few are in the mood as the global death toll mounts and billions remain under some form of lockdown. Google, a company renowned for its elaborate annual stunts, told its employees it would "take the year off from that tradition out of respect for all those ﬁghting the Covid-19 pandemic," according to an internal email obtained by Business Insider. The deadly outbreak has already been accompanied by a deluge of online misinformation, making it harder for governments to keep their citizens safe. Some are now threatening jail for virus pranks. Taiwan, which has been held up as a model for how to tackle an outbreak, warned people who spread false rumours that they faced up to three years in jail and a TW$3 million ﬁne ($100,000). AFP

Fake death, will travel home free A KASHMIRI villager faked his death and travelled more than a hundred miles in an ambulance with four others in a desperate bid tocircumvent India's virus lockdown and return home, police saidWednesday. Hakim Din was being treated for a minor head injury at a hospital in Jammu when an ambulance driver suggested the 70-year-old fake his death to get past checkpoints, police said. Din and three other men wanted to return to Poonch, a far-flung region in Indian-administered Kashmir close to the de facto border with Pakistan. The region's Superintendent of Police, Ramesh Angral, said the four men and the driver travelled more than 160 kilometres (100 miles) in the ambulance, passing many checkpoints using a fake death certificate from the hospital. "The ambulance was stopped at the last checkpoint before they could reach home," Angral told AFP. "A policeman there immediately figured out that the man lying covered inside the ambulance could not be dead." The men were arrested and quarantined separately, Angral said, adding that they faced charges of "cheating and defying the government's prohibitory orders." AFP

Joko Widodo

HUGE CURVE. US President Donald Trump looks on beside a chart shown during the daily briefing on the novel coronavirus in the Brady Briefing Room at the White House on March 31 in Washington, DC. AFP

US braces for staggering virus death toll, EU reels A

MERICANS were told Tuesday to brace for “very painful” weeks ahead in a worsening coronavirus pandemic projected to claim up to a quarter million US lives, as fatalities spiked in European hotspots Spain, France and Britain. With more than 42,100 already killed by the disease barrelling around the globe, the United States registered a record 865 deaths in 24 hours—taking its death toll to 3,873. As ﬁeld hospitals sprouted in the US outbreak’s epicenter New York City, Trump said he was extending social distancing and stay-at-home orders for another 30 days. “This is going to be a very painful— a very, very painful—two weeks,” the president said at the White House as he described the pandemic as “a plague.” “I want every American to be prepared for the hard days that lie ahead.” In a matter of months, the virus has infected more than 857,000 people in a crisis hammering the global economy and transforming the daily existence of some 3.6 billion people told to stay home under lockdowns. Deaths shot up again across Europe. While there are hopeful signs that the spread of infections is slowing in hardest-

hit Italy and Spain, more than 800 died overnight in both countries. France recorded a one-day record of 499 dead while Britain reported 381 coronavirus deaths. But members of Trump’s coronavirus task force offered a grim forecast of between 100,000 and 240,000 US deaths in coming months, taking into account current mitigation efforts. “As sobering a number as that is, we should be prepared for it,” Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said with Trump at his side when asked about the lower ﬁgure of 100,000. But Fauci said mitigation was “actually working” and that authorities are doing everything they can to get the death toll “signiﬁcantly below that.” With hospitals direly overstretched, lockdowns have been extended despite their crushing economic impact. In Belgium a 12-year-old girl died in

another worrying case of a youth succumbing to the disease. France joined the US with a surge to 3,525 deaths, an ofﬁcial toll that includes only those who died in hospital and not those who perished at home or in seniors’ homes. ‘We need help now’ The inundation of patients has sent health facilities worldwide into overdrive. Emergency hospitals are popping up in event spaces while distressed medical staff make grim decisions about how to distribute limited protective gear, beds and life-saving respirators. In scenes previously unimaginable in peacetime, around a dozen white tents were erected to serve as a ﬁeld hospital in New York’s Central Park. While many companies and schools around the globe have shifted to teleworking and teaching over video platforms, huge swaths of the world’s workforce cannot perform their jobs online and are now lacking pay and face a deeply uncertain future. Food banks in New York City have seen a huge rise in newcomers struggling to feed their families. AFP

Muslims told to defer hajj over COVID SAUDI Arabia’s hajj minister asked Muslims on Tuesday to temporarily defer preparations for the annual pilgrimage amid uncertainty over the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia suspended the year-round “umrah” pilgrimage over fears of the new coronavirus spreading to Islam’s holiest cities, an unprecedented move that raised uncertainty over the annual hajj. “Saudi Arabia is fully ready to serve pilgrims and umrah seekers,” hajj minister Mohammad Benten told the state-run Al-Ekhbariya television. “But under the current circumstances, as we are talking about the global pandemic... the kingdom is keen to protect the health of Muslims and citizens and so we have asked our brother Muslims in all countries to wait before doing (hajj) contracts until the situation is clear.” Saudi authorities are yet to announce whether they will proceed with this year’s hajj, scheduled for the end of July. The pilgrimage—which last year attracted 2.5 million people—is a key revenue earner for the kingdom. But it could be a major source of contagion as it packs pilgrims closely in religious sites. Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia suspended prayers inside all its mosques except the two holiest sites in Islam as it increased efforts to contain the new coronavirus. The announcements risk riling fringe Muslim hardliners, for whom religion trumps health considerations. Saudi Arabia is scrambling to limit the spread of the disease at home. The kingdom’s health ministry has reported 1,563 coronavirus infections and 10 deaths from the illness so far. AFP

Indonesia declares state of emergency INDONESIAN leader Joko Widodo declared a state of emergency Tuesday as coronavirus deaths in the world’s fourth most populous country jumped again, but he resisted calls for a nationwide lockdown. Widodo’s administration has been heavily criticised for not imposing lockdowns in major cities, including the capital Jakarta, a vast megalopolis home to about 30 million people where most of the country’s virus deaths have been reported. Indonesia’s leader offered few details of the state of emergency beyond calling for stricter social distancing, but announced $1.5 billion in beefed-up social assistance and subsidies for low-income workers. Tens of millions eke out a living on poorly-paid jobs in Southeast Asia’s biggest economy. “To overcome the impact of COVID-19, we’ve chosen the option of large-scale social distancing,” Widodo told reporters. “We must learn from the experience in other countries, but we cannot copy them because every country has its own characteristics,” he added. On Tuesday, authorities said 136 people had died after contracting the virus, with 1,528 confirmed cases of infection. But the latter figure is widely thought to be well below the real number in the archipelago of more than 260 million. The Indonesian Doctors’ Association has warned that the coronavirus crisis is far worse than has been officially reported and that the government’s response is “in tatters.” Jakarta’s governor has said nearly 300 suspected or confirmed victims of the virus have been wrapped in plastic and quickly buried in the city since the start of March. The capital’s top politician has been pushing for a total lockdown of the city. Also Tuesday, Indonesia’s corrections agency said it is set to offer early release to about 30,000 inmates to help stem the spread of the virus in overcrowded prisons. The number amounts to more than 10 percent of Indonesia’s 272,000 inmate population. AFP

60 Australian newspapers to stop print THINNING CROWD. This file combination of photos created on March 7 shows a small crowd of worshippers around the sacred Kaaba in Mecca's Grand Mosque on March 7 and a large crowd during the pilgrimage, on August 13, 2019. Saudi Arabia's hajj minister asked Muslims on March 31 to temporarily defer preparations for the annual pilgrimage, after the suspension earlier this month of the year-round "umrah" visits over fears of the new coronavirus spreading to Islam's holiest cities—an unprecedented move that raised uncertainty over the annual hajj. AFP

California to free 3,500 prisoners THE prison system in the largest US state of California plans to release about 3,500 non-violent inmates early to help mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 illness, ofﬁcials said Tuesday. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) said the ﬁrst group of inmates released will be those with less then 30 days to serve, followed by those with fewer than 60 days of their sentences left. Other US jurisdictions, including the state of New Jersey and some cities, have announced similar measures. US Attorney General Bill Barr last week said he told federal prisons to free some inmates to lessen the impact of the pandemic, with possibly 2,000 inmates eligible. “We do not take these new measures lightly,” Ralph Diaz, secretary of the California corrections agency, said in a statement.

“Our ﬁrst commitment at CDCR is ensuring safety—of our staff, of the incarcerated population, of others inside our institutions, and of the community at large,” he added. “However, in the face of a global pandemic, we must consider the risk of COVID-19 infection as a grave threat to safety, too.” Authorities said the early releases will increase both capacity and physical space at the state’s prisons where 22 employees and four inmates have tested positive for the virus. The prisons have instituted other measures to prevent the spread of the virus, including mandatory medical screenings for anyone entering the institutions and suspension of visitation. Inmates are being offered additional free phone calls to their loved ones to compensate the loss of their visitation rights. AFP

RUPERT Murdoch’s Australian ﬂagship media group News Corp announced Wednesday it will stop printing around 60 regional newspapers, as the troubled sector received a fresh blow from a COVID-19 advertising downturn. News Corp said papers in the states of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia would cease printing and move online. “We have not taken this decision lightly,” News Corp Australasia Executive Chairman Michael Miller was quoted as saying by the group’s Australian newspaper title. “The coronavirus crisis has created unprecedented economic pressures and we are doing everything we can to preserve as many jobs as possible.” “The suspension of our community print editions has been forced on us by the rapid decline in advertising revenues following the restrictions placed on real estate auctions and home inspections, the forced closure of event venues and dine-in restaurants in the wake of the coronavirus emergency, “ he added. Many Australian media groups had already been shifting to focus to online content before the pandemic began. The announcement follows a series of media closure announcements, including national wire AAP, which is due to cease work later this year. The move has echoed a global trend. The largest US newspaper publisher, Gannett, said on Monday it was making unspeciﬁed furloughs and pay cuts for its staff. AFP

Business

THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2020 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks rally for 2 straight day T nd

HE stock market rose the second straight day Wednesday on prospects of more relaxed quarantine procedures in Luzon after the current lockdown period expires in two weeks.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index advanced 87.29 points, or 1.6 percent, to 5,408.52 on a value turnover of P5.6 billion. Gainers beat losers, 99 to 87, with 41 issues unchanged. The government may opt for a “selective lockdown” and gradual resumption of economic activity when the enhanced community quarantine over the COVID-19 outbreak in Luzon ends on April 14, wary of a more damaging effect on the economy if another national lockdown is enforced.

JG Summit Holdings Corp. of the Gokongwei Group climbed 7.1 percent to P56, while Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which is into toll roads, water and electricity distribution, hospitals and infrastructure, increased 5.4 percent to P2.55. Megaworld Corp., the biggest lessor of office spaces, rose 4.8 percent to P2.62, while Puregold Price Club Inc. added 4.2 percent to P38. The rest of Asian markets mostly dropped Wednesday after suffering a diabolical first quarter, with traders contemplating the prospect of lengthy lockdowns as the coronavirus continues its deadly sweep across the planet. Asian markets, after a broadly upbeat start to the day, ended in negative territory, with Tokyo plunging 4.5 percent and Singapore more than two percent. Mumbai and Seoul sank more than three percent, while Shanghai, Taipei and Jakarta were also lower. Hong Kong lost more than two percent, with market heavyweight HSBC plung-

ing more than nine percent and Standard Chartered bank more than six percent after they scrapped dividends and warned of a severe impact to revenues. However, Sydney enjoyed another strong day, rallying 3.6 percent. With the number of infected and dead still surging in Europe and the United States, hopes are fading that strict containment measures keeping billions of people at home will be lifted any time soon. That in turn is stoking uncertainty about the outlook for the global economy, which is widely expected to slip into recession this year, while there are also concerns about how long any recovery will take. Donald Trump said he was extending social distancing and stay-at-home orders for another 30 days to the end of the month, while members of his virus task force warned almost a quarter of a million Americans could die from the disease. “The demand shock for oil and for

the global economy more broadly will be more significant if mobility and social interaction restrictions stay in place beyond April,” said AxiCorp’s Stephen Innes. “The real question for investors isn’t how shockingly bad the first quarter is going to be—sadly that’s a given—it’s how long the weakness will persist and, as a consequence, how much permanent damage will be done.” He added that “while the full effects of these disruptions are not yet evident, it is clear that the economy is experiencing the most abrupt and severe contraction since the Great Depression.” And Rodrigo Catril, of National Australia Bank, said in a note: “Overall, there seems to be an increasing risk that markets are underestimating the length containment measures will be implemented across the globe. China and now Italy are also showing that the removal of these containment measures will be slow.” With AFP

Manila Standard BuSineSS daily StockS review wedneSday, arpil 1, 2020

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

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

44.95 61.5 103.5 0.59 20.8 15.2 7.7 2.65 0.94 0.255 39.7 0.67 20.2 168.7 44.9 17 107.5 1,580 53.5 1.01

45.5 62.45 107.2 0.59 20.8 15.2 8 2.85 0.94 0.28 39.95 0.67 20.95 168.8 44.9 17.2 112.3 1,580 53.5 1.11

44.5 61 99.6 0.59 19.72 15.2 7.65 2.6 0.94 0.255 38.9 0.61 19.42 157 44.9 17 106 1,580 52.6 1.01

FINANCIALS 45.5 7,500 62.05 3,068,010 105.2 3,653,740 0.59 14,000 20.7 8,900 15.2 200 7.95 76,400 2.82 414,000 0.94 2,000 0.27 90,000 39.95 2,984,000 0.67 457,000 19.42 1,364,900 168 90 44.9 400 17.2 5,300 112.3 218,290 1,580 75 52.8 1,540 1.11 13,000

337,900 190,170,708.50 378,147,144 8,260 184,097 3,040 605,699 1,098,980 1,880 23,500 117,555,555 304,990 26,853,342 14,931 17,960 90,510 24,018,976 118,500 81,293 13,230

324,250 -69950552.5 -82894524.5 -97,172 230,690 -1,610 -29,964,760 -670 -4,629,807 5,040 3,440 3,193,891 7,900 -42,747 -11,110

ABOITIZ POWER AC ENERGY AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS AXELUM BOGO MEDELLIN CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CIRTEK HLDG CONCEPCION CONCRETE A CROWN ASIA 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 PEPSI COLA PETROENERGY PETRON PHINMA PHX PETROLEUM PILIPINAS SHELL PRYCE CORP RFM CORP ROXAS AND CO SFA SEMICON SHAKEYS PIZZA SMC FOODANDBEV SPC POWER SWIFT FOODS TKC METALS UNIV ROBINA VITARICH VIVANT VULCAN INDL

26 2.13 6.31 0.52 1.1 2.19 73 1.07 13.5 6.69 28.95 45.5 1.8 5.05 7.5 5.22 7.97 1.99 16.6 47.5 1.18 32 0.82 12.28 4.5 0.96 107 29.95 3.1 4.9 9.6 4.7 6.4 223 1.8 2.42 2.53 8.95 10.2 19 4.28 4.11 1.35 0.73 5 50 8.1 0.102 0.73 103.3 0.88 15.1 0.57

29 2.14 6.58 0.53 1.1 2.4 89.45 1.08 13.56 6.69 28.95 45.8 1.92 5.05 7.5 5.31 8.1 1.99 17.18 49.9 1.23 32.2 0.82 12.28 4.69 1.01 109.6 29.95 3.1 5.16 9.78 4.8 6.42 236.2 1.82 2.45 2.61 8.95 10.5 19 4.3 4.55 1.42 0.78 5.02 51.6 8.14 0.111 0.73 107.4 0.92 15.1 0.61

25.3 2.03 6.2 0.5 1 2.13 73 1.04 13.4 6.31 28.95 45.5 1.76 4.88 7.36 5.19 7.91 1.9 16.54 47 1.16 32 0.79 12.2 4.5 0.93 103 29.95 3.1 4.9 9.56 4.62 6.2 220.4 1.71 2.02 2.5 8.2 10.2 18.82 4.28 4.1 1.35 0.71 4.54 47.7 7.71 0.1 0.66 102 0.87 15.1 0.51

INDUSTRIAL 28 2,314,000 2.04 11,912,000 6.25 250,800 0.5 378,000 1 14,000 2.29 1,797,000 89.45 280 1.05 2,825,000 13.5 1,549,500 6.4 1,100,500 28.95 100 45.8 110 1.92 25,000 4.88 2,318,000 7.4 116,900 5.19 191,500 8 233,500 1.95 932,000 17.14 2,413,400 47 710,100 1.19 9,760,000 32.2 1,379,900 0.81 536,000 12.2 500,300 4.52 67,000 0.99 544,000 103.2 2,526,960 29.95 100 3.1 18,000 5 8,000 9.66 1,635,900 4.7 865,000 6.27 1,375,600 231.2 378,950 1.8 5,803,000 2.38 350,000 2.56 2,381,000 8.95 10,500 10.5 14,200 18.88 412,400 4.3 14,000 4.51 161,000 1.39 41,000 0.78 255,000 4.7 3,664,000 50 389,870 8.05 237,600 0.111 2,070,000 0.7 122,000 104 2,577,990 0.9 23,162,000 15.1 100 0.59 232,000

64,382,295 24,871,660 1,618,473 192,880 14,400 4,074,200 24,492.50 2,999,990 20,916,974 7,106,431 2,895 5,008 46,550 11,460,100 866,148 997,505 1,865,953 1,802,320 41,248,296 33,752,065 11,700,290 44,359,060 431,070 6,103,678 305,440 524,430 267,016,685 2,995 55,800 40,210 15,819,442 4,065,560 8,647,264 87,621,522 10,444,940 736,290 6,053,500 87,395 145,658 7,791,166 60,160 674,990 57,380 188,490 17,734,910 19,344,312 1,873,824 209,620 84,230 268,788,410 20,632,120 1,510 131,240

19,254,955 -1,034,630 -1,020,960 8,000 -517,490 209,830 -332 12,441 -17,800 -2,518,060 -57,973 -264,060 -151,044 13,147,896 8,970,310 603,290 44,220,800 -151,220 -1,318,820 8,850 -53,627,438 -55,800 -5,000 -8,687,540 -3,308,090 -1,074,632 27,526,272 -489,730 26,910.00 -2,809,780 -6,887,522 84,800 -17,440 -9,866,480 2,655,641 204,550 -200839.9999 -56,954,636 -1,510 -

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 FORUM PACIFIC GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP MABUHAY HLDG METRO PAC INV PACIFICA HLDG SAN MIGUEL CORP SM INVESTMENTS SOC RESOURCES SYNERGY GRID TOP FRONTIER WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HLDG

0.52 37.7 6.85 0.53 6 5.52 0.52 0.56 468 1.76 4.93 3.8 8.4 0.18 408.2 3.6 53.5 2.82 8 0.415 2.44 2.99 94.85 811 0.61 150 151.9 0.184 0.128

0.53 38.75 6.97 0.53 6 5.69 0.52 0.56 474.8 1.8 5 3.92 9.4 0.18 410 3.61 56 2.86 8 0.51 2.55 2.99 94.85 830 0.65 158 152.5 0.188 0.128

0.51 35.5 6.74 0.52 6 5.51 0.52 0.56 459.6 1.57 4.65 3.79 8 0.18 402 3.6 52.4 2.82 7.51 0.415 2.43 2.75 91.4 801 0.6 150 151 0.184 0.128

HOLDING FIRMS 0.51 1,428,000 38.75 1,437,600 6.97 2,087,000 0.52 154,000 6 30,500 5.51 56,900 13,000 0.52 0.56 31,000 463 970,910 1.62 1,957,000 5 2,456,000 3.9 5,491,000 9.4 20,500 0.18 10,000 403 197,300 3.61 70,000 56 3,097,460 2.86 34,000 7.99 1,260,200 0.51 2,000 2.55 50,193,000 2.75 2,000 92 293,870 826 454,990 0.6 132,000 158 660 152.5 610 0.188 110,000 0.128 10,000

737,200 53,896,535 14,374,236 81,000 183,000 314,292 6,760 17,360 453,336,258 3,205,570 12,061,430 21,231,650 167,218 1,800 79,650,806 252,200 167,678,081 96,680 9,792,434 925 125,771,830 5,740 27,135,336 375,206,560 79,970 101,430 92,805 20,280 1,280

138,770 -10,415,650 -3,290,089 2,400 -119,706,758 225,160 388,060 4,864,210 28,618 -19,270,566 -241,370 -66646891.5 -70,940 -401,249 28,797,290 7,952,714.50 -77,211,640 3,100 63,970 -

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

11.98 0.51 1.02 0.61 30.8 1.33 3.7 6.06 0.365 0.79 0.127 0.236 6.9 16.18 0.3 0.92 0.77 2.5 0.141 0.38 0.68 0.28 1.7 15 1.48

12 0.53 1.02 0.61 31.6 1.34 3.95 6.1 0.375 0.79 0.127 0.236 7 16.18 0.31 0.94 0.77 2.62 0.142 0.38 0.72 0.28 1.71 15 1.5

11.78 0.51 1.02 0.57 30.3 1.3 3.7 5.99 0.355 0.77 0.127 0.236 6.9 15.9 0.3 0.9 0.75 2.35 0.139 0.35 0.68 0.28 1.7 13.5 1.44

PROPERTY 11.96 341,900 0.53 378,000 1.02 3,000 0.6 1,575,000 31.15 17,857,100 1.31 255,000 3.8 460,000 6 219,500 0.355 1,100,000 0.77 9,000 0.127 30,000 0.236 10,000 7 5,000 16.16 253,500 0.3 300,000 0.91 9,257,000 0.75 193,000 2.62 36,475,000 0.14 7,430,000 0.35 2,850,000 0.7 423,000 0.28 50,000 1.7 25,000 14.56 1,924,800 1.44 512,000

4,055,694 198,640 3,060 943,140 554,754,335 331,980 1,720,720 1,328,771 401,350 6,950 3,810 2,360 34,700 4,067,400 90,600 8,529,710 145,190 91,807,340 1,044,860 1,082,500 294,460 14,000 42,560 27,689,746 744,640

607,724 43,360,500 160,100 37,500 918,157.00 14,000 -1,730,918 -1,144,040 10,096,160 -1,700 -1,654,636 -250,980

NAME

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

VOLUME

VALUE

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

2.75 28.4 1.98 1.12 4.01 3.51

2.99 29.85 2.01 1.24 4.18 3.64

2.75 28.05 1.96 1.12 3.9 3.32

2.85 28.3 2 1.2 4.06 3.55

232,000 11,654,300 1,157,000 892,000 985,000 132,000

661,300 334,364,935 2,313,770 1,075,320 3,998,410 461,910

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

6.19 15.86 1.25 4.74 0.246 0.04 15.9 2.2 5.9 0.027 46.5 2.9 1.96 1.75 4.7 1,912 5.29 365 0.75 73 0.09 11.6 1.43 0.7 4.77 0.37 1.38 1.55 1.48 1.41 1.6 6.6 2.1 4 135 1.56 1,115 0.305 0.2 36.95 57 5.5 1.26 0.395 0.16 0.395 13.1

6.19 15.94 1.25 5.35 0.255 0.04 15.9 2.28 6.05 0.027 46.9 2.91 1.96 1.78 5.45 2,000 5.29 365 0.77 77 0.09 11.6 1.43 0.7 5.35 0.375 1.49 1.61 1.59 1.62 1.6 6.6 2.13 4 135 1.56 1,179 0.305 0.2 39.8 57.2 5.6 1.35 0.4 0.16 0.395 13.1

6 15.76 1.25 4.74 0.246 0.038 15.9 2.2 5.78 0.026 44 2.7 1.7 1.57 4.7 1,912 5 365 0.73 72.5 0.08 10.5 1.35 0.7 4.4 0.37 1.38 1.45 1.48 1.41 1.6 6.5 2.1 4 130.1 1.48 1,105 0.29 0.195 36.5 55.15 5.5 1.2 0.39 0.15 0.35 12.84

SERVICES 6.09 15.9 1.25 4.94 0.255 0.039 15.9 2.28 6 0.026 45.55 2.7 1.71 1.6 4.84 2,000 5 365 0.77 77 0.081 10.5 1.43 0.7 4.6 0.375 1.47 1.51 1.59 1.54 1.6 6.6 2.13 4 130.1 1.55 1,159 0.3 0.196 38 57.2 5.6 1.3 0.395 0.16 0.38 12.84

21,000 102,000 7,000 13,340,000 830,000 2,900,000 100 4,000 1,804,700 3,000,000 260,400 2,383,000 5,000 100,339,000 41,000 79,425 356,800 40 478,000 1,394,050 2,310,000 1,400 33,000 5,000 4,409,000 200,000 2,118,000 971,000 3,000 3,886,000 2,000 6,200 6,000 1,000 240 943,000 275,320 1,910,000 820,000 4,609,100 143,460 200 1,256,000 4,490,000 830,000 1,290,000 695,800

128,899 1,615,508 8,750 67,991,650 208,020 111,600 1,590 8,880 10,751,388 79,500 11,964,960 6,587,730 9,040 168,551,260 211,000 158,138,405 1,815,023 14,600 358,930 104,875,753.50 185,380 14,920 47,110 3,500 20,760,160 74,450 3,063,590 1,453,100 4,660 5,947,540 3,200 40,605 12,750 4,000 31,469 1,431,140 317,150,420 571,650 161,890 177,123,870 8,141,957.50 1,110 1,593,650 1,783,200 128,180 471,000 8,987,814

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

0.001 5.11 0.71 1.9 10.86 2.6 0.24 6.2 0.55 0.187 0.074 0.083 0.57 1.53 0.9 0.46 0.007 2.04 4.14 11.3 0.004

0.0011 5.25 0.71 1.9 10.86 2.61 0.24 6.35 0.6 0.187 0.075 0.083 0.62 1.56 0.9 0.475 0.0077 2.06 4.18 11.74 0.004

0.001 5.11 0.7 1.9 10.86 2.6 0.2 6.08 0.55 0.183 0.072 0.083 0.57 1.52 0.86 0.46 0.007 2.02 4.04 11.18 0.0032

MINING & OIL 0.0011 13,000,000 5.11 4,600 0.71 356,000 1.9 61,000 10.86 9,300 2.61 100,000 0.2 340,000 6.35 3,500 0.59 3,242,000 0.183 20,000 0.075 5,170,000 0.083 10,000 0.59 209,000 1.54 2,550,000 0.86 10,000 0.475 100,000 0.007 22,000,000 2.02 130,000 4.04 333,000 11.44 2,006,800 0.0032 11,000,000

13,900 23,520 252,260 115,900 100,998 260,440 74,380 21,523 1,877,820 3,700 385,930 830 123,990 3,931,670 8,820 46,650 154,700 262,790 1,359,910 22,830,456 41,500

260,440 -393,860 -1,091,060 -96,980 -35,030 2,224,712 -

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

13.9 500 488 100 100 97.8 480 5.24 980 1,015 1,022 98.5 100 999 75.5 74 74.4 74.8 74.9 74.5

13.98 500 488 100 100 97.8 480 5.24 980 1,016 1,022 98.5 102 999 75.5 74 74.4 74.8 75 74.5

13.9 498 485 100 100 97.8 480 4.9 980 1,015 1,022 98.5 100 996 75.5 73.75 74.4 74.7 74.9 74.5

PREFERRED 13.98 11,600 498 10,000 485 500 100 7,000 100 80 97.8 18,780 480 40 4.9 187,800 980 1,170 1,015 7,615 1,022 7,500 98.5 1,680 102 16,000 999 2,110 75.5 14,550 73.75 500 74.4 20 74.7 4,730 74.9 60,000 74.5 9,000

162,146 4,980,020 243,100 700,000 8,000 1,836,684 19,200 927,026 1,146,600 7,730,125 7,665,000 165,480 1,603,408 2,107,675 1,098,525 36,975 1,488 353,481 4,495,000 670,500

-22,346 -238,220 -372,260 -456,750 -459,900 -

LR WARRANT

0.66

0.64

WARRANTS 0.64 4,000

2,620

605,620 3,146,366 669,800

MS ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH XURPAS

2.08 5.7 0.47

2.09 6.5 0.48

2.01 5.7 0.46

FIRST METRO ETF

81.45

80.5

USD TECH B2

0.88

Trading Summary

0.88

FINANCIAL

12,380,290

INDUSTRIAL

90,631,292

HOLDING FIRMS

72,307,727

PROPERTY

100,354,168

SERVICES

159,510,904

MINING & OIL

60,679,599

GRAND TOTAL

498,175,439

0.86

2.02 6.05 0.47

SME

296,000 521,100 1,420,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 81.8 42,080 0.86

DDS

3,000

3,427,934.50 2,613

-60,649,740 -1,954,440 -40,434 -12,908,600 12,450 -1,701,401 -962,855 -35,530 -250 5,282,800 21,893,845 20,727,329.50 2,318,710 598,260.00 673,810 24,719 -343,350 40,140,545 -2,401,335 -3,502,321.50 -91,110 -628,800 -2,238,258

81,450 -

VALUE 1,239.41 (UP) 15.77 739,686,257.55 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 6,412.63 (UP) 50.92 1,039,473,372.50 HOLDING FIRMS 5,327.91 (UP) 94.39 1,513,654,439.73 PROPERTY 2,777.99 (UP) 29.69 1,219.06 (UP) 27.02 1,138,577,242.99 SERVICES MINING & OIL 4,218.15 (UP) 56.25 1,106,074,693.815 PSEI 5,408.52 (UP) 87.29 31,909,899.26 All Shares Index 3,278.81 (UP) 41.04 5,577,243,001.47 Gainers: 99; Losers: 87; Unchanged: 41; Total: 227

Century’s profit up 11% to P3.1b on strong sales By Jenniffer B. Austria CANNED tuna producer Century Pacific Food Inc. said net income in 2019 climbed 11 percent to P3.1 billion on strong sales from the branded food business. Century Pacific said Wednesday in a disclosure to the stock exchange consolidated revenues rose seven percent to P40.6 billion on the back of a doubledigit growth in the branded business. The branded business, comprised of the marine, meat and milk business units and accounting for 77 percent of the overall revenues, saw sales increase 12 percent to P31.2 billion. Sales of the canned tuna and coconut OEM (original equipment manufacturer) business, whose revenues accounted for the balance of 23 percent, registered a six-percent drop due to lower commodity prices. Consolidated gross profit climbed 20 percent in 2019 as favorable commodity price trends led to improved profitability for the company. The improvement in gross profit also enabled the company to invest more heavily in brands, new product development and innovations, leading to a 13-percent increase in operating expense. Century Pacific, meanwhile, assured the public of continued supply of its products amid the threat from the COVID-19 pandemic and the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine. “In these challenging times, we recognize the critical role we play in ensuring enough of our products are available to those who need them the most. Thanks to the support of the Department of Trade & Industry and the Inter Agency Task Force, we are able to maintain a smooth flow of goods and operate with enough capacity, despite the use of a skeleton workforce,” said Century Pacific chief finance officer Oscar Pobre. “We will continue working closely with the government to ensure unhampered operations of our company and our supply chain partners. We also remain in close touch with partner local government units for the supply and donation of various food products. Finally, the health, safety, and financial protection of our employees remain paramount and we continue to provide them with care and financial aid,” he added.

PLDT delaying distribution of cash dividends By Darwin G. Amojelar PLDT Inc. on Wednesday said the distribution of cash dividends payable to some stockholders on April 3 will be delayed due to the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon. “The declaration of enhanced community quarantine in Luzon and other parts of the country due to the COVID-19 global pandemic has resulted in restricted movement and temporary business and work suspension, which has affected various services, including delivery services of the company,” PLDT told the stock exchange Wednesday. PLDT said stockholders who opted to receive their dividends through direct deposit would receive them on April 3. For stockholders whose shares are lodged under PCD Nominee Corp. (PCD), the cash dividends will be remitted to PCD also on April 3, 2020. “For stockholders whose shares are certificated, the actual distribution of cash dividend check will resume once the enhanced community quarantine and other restrictions are lifted by the government and the services of our couriers become available,” PLDT said. Meanwhile, PLDT assured customers that the company was exerting all efforts to continue providing vital communication services despite the constraints imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Our customers need us now more than ever. Our internet services and solutions power homes and businesses and, keep families connected while maintaining social distance in these trying times,” said Al Panlilio, PLDT executive vice president and chief revenue officer. “Given the continuing rise of the number of COVID-19 cases in our country, we need to pursue a delicate balance. We remain steadfast in our commitment to serve our customers while also ensuring the health and safety of both our employees as well as our customers,” he added.

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

THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2020

Makati Med taps PayMaya to offer ‘teleconsultation’ By Darwin G. Amojelar MAKATI Medical Center teamed up with PayMaya Philippines Inc. to offer “teleconsultation” service amid the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. “As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention. And at times like this where we are facing an unprecedented crisis, our response must be innovative as well. Hopefully, as we pilot this ‘teleconsultation’ service, we are able to provide much-needed expert medical advice to our patients who are staying home while we continue being on the frontline fighting the COVID-19 pandemic here in the Philippines,” said MMC medical director and interim co-chief executive Saturnino Javier. MMC’s “teleconsultation” service, utilizing the power of mobile and video conferencing in tandem with digital payment technologies, is being piloted by a number of doctors of the hospital, allowing them to provide necessary healthcare advice and consultations even from a location outside their clinic in MMC. Through technology-aided video conferencing apps such as Zoom which can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store, both doctors and patients can communicate with each other even from long distances to have quick medical consultations when needed. Once the consultation is over, patients will receive an SMS from their doctor which will contain details on how they can pay for the consultation fee via their PayMaya account. Aside from this, each doctor participating in this service will have his/her own PayMaya QR code which they can ask patients to scan using the PayMaya app to pay the teleconsultation fee. “We are one with Makati Medical Center in looking for solutions that will help address people’s needs during this critical time. By enabling their teleconsultation with digital payments, we allow them to lower the risk of acquiring or spreading the virus among doctors and patients while helping them continue to provide much-needed healthcare services despite the public health situation,” said PayMaya president Shailesh Baldwin. Patients who want to reach their MMC doctor for medical consultation from the comfort of their home may contact their doctor(s) or MakatiMed on-call at 8888-8999 to check if their doctor provides remote consultation through teleconferencing. Patients with existing doctor-patient relationship is the minimum eligibility requirement and those who do not require immediate or urgent care. With the threat of more COVID-19 infections in the horizon for the Philippines, medical facilities and their frontliners need all the help they can get to address the situation—and digital and financial technologies can provide muchneeded assistance during this time, according to MMC.

HYGIENE KITS. Manila

Water Foundation’s employees deliver drinking water and hygiene kits from partners PHILUSA Corp. and P&G Philippines to public hospitals’ frontliners, local government units, police personnel and quarantined university students as the enhanced community quarantine remains in effect in the country. The kits include soap bars, hand sanitizers, shampoo sachets, toothbrushes, toothpaste sachets, tissue paper rolls, diapers and sanitary napkins.

Business

DOF issues regulations on 30-day grace period By Julito G. Rada

HE Finance Department said Wednesday it released the implementing rules and regulations on a provision in the Bayanihan To Heal As One Act directing all lenders to grant a 30-day grace period or extension for the payment of all loans, including credit card payments and pawnshop loans, falling due within the enhanced community quarantine period, without interest or additional charges. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the provision, as stated under Section 4(aa) of Republic Act No. 11469 or the Bayanihan Law, covers banks, quasi- banks, non-stock savings and loan associations, credit card issuers and pawnshops. Other credit granting financial institutions under the supervision of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Securities and Exchange Commission and Cooperative Development Authority,

whether public or private, including the Government Service Insurance System, Social Security System and Pag-IBIG Fund, are also covered by the provision. “All covered institutions shall implement a 30-day grace period for all loans with principal and/or interest falling due within the ECQ period without incurring interest on interest, penalties, fees and other charges. The initial 30day grace period shall automatically be

extended if the ECQ period is extended by the President of the Republic of the Philippines pursuant to his emergency powers under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act,” according to Section 3.01 of the IRR signed by Dominguez. The IRR will take effect immediately upon publication. It will be published on April 2, 2020 in a news daily. Under the IRR, the ECQ covers the period March 17, 2020 to April 12, 2020 as cited in Proclamation No. 929 issued by President Duterte on March 16. Section 3.02 of the IRR also states that “all covered Institutions shall not charge or apply interest on interest, fees and charges during the 30-day grace period to future payments/amortizations of the individuals, households, micro, small and medium enterprises and corporate borrowers.” All lenders are prohibited from requiring their clients to waive the application of the provisions of the Bayanihan Law, including among others, the mandatory 30-day grace period.

IN BRIEF Power plants remain on schedule—Alsons

THE Alsons Power Group, Mindanao’s first private sector power generator, said Wednesday its projects on the pipeline are still on track even in the wake of the enhanced community quarantine. The group is building the ₱4.5-billion, 14.5 megawatt run-of -river hydroelectric power plant at the Siguil River basin in Maasim, Sarangani Province–Alsons Power’s first foray into the renewable energy sector . The Siguil Hydro power plant is expected to begin commercial operations in 2022 and provide power to Sarangani Province, General Santos City and key municipalities of South Cotabato. Another project in the company’s pipeline is the 105-MW base load coal-fired power plant of San Ramon Power Inc. in Zamboanga City, which is scheduled to begin operations in 2023. “Even with the current enhanced quarantine, we do not foresee a major delay in the targeted commencement of operations for our Siguil and SRPI projects,” said Alsons Power executive vice president Tirso Santillan Jr. Alena Mae S. Flores

Project Ugnayan gets pledges worth P1.62b

PROJECT Ugnayan, a fundraising initiative led by top business groups in cooperation with the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation and Caritas Manila, said it received total pledged donations of P1.62 billion in cash and in kind. “We are absolutely grateful by the overwhelming response of the private conglomerates in extending their support to those who need help the most. This has enabled us to raise our initial target of helping 1 million to 1.5 million families and make a difference in the lives of some 7.5 million individual residents that have been economically displaced by the ongoing Enhanced Community Quarantine in Greater Metro Manila,” said Guillermo Luz, project spokesperson and chief resilience officer of Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation. “The Project aims to deliver P1,000 worth of grocery vouchers to these families,” he said. “In the last 10 days, our partner Caritas Manila was able to distribute grocery vouchers to 218,119 families in economicallyvulnerable communities in Greater Metro Manila as of end March, reaching some 1,090,595 individual residents. We hope to reach over 300,000 families in the coming days,” Luz added.

Metro Pacific Tollways expands relief efforts

URC DONATION. Personnel of Universal Robina Corp. deliver products to several hospitals, including the Philippine General Hospital in Manila. URC and Gokongwei Brothers Foundation have been distributing snacks, biscuits, candies, soymilk and instant coffee to several hospitals and checkpoints. They include the Philippine Lung Center, East Avenue Hospital, the Philippine Heart Center, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine and the Department of Health’s Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Units in the National Capital Region and Region 4A.

Cargo owners told to pull out overstaying shipments THE Department of Transportation on Wednesday asked cargo owners and consignees to withdraw overstaying cargoes and free up space inside the Manila International Container Terminal. “I am appealing to cargo owners and consignees to remove their overstaying cargoes inside the MICT. A healthy port means no congestion, no delays in the delivery of cargo and stable prices of goods. A healthy port ensures a continuous flow of maritime commerce and an efficient utilization of the container yard,” Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said in a statement. Tugade aired the appeal after the Philippine Ports Authority warned of a possible shutdown of the Port of Manila if cargo owners and consignees continued to ignore calls to withdraw cleared, ready-fordelivery and overstaying cargoes.

The PPA said yard utilization at the Manila international ports—composed of the Manila International Container Terminal and the Manila South Harbor –were almost 100-percent full as majority of cargoes remained idle following the declaration of the Enhanced Community Quarantine in Luzon to stem the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019. Tugade stressed the importance of decongesting the MICT yard of cleared, ready-for-delivery and overstaying cargoes to make way for incoming cargoes needed by the government in its campaign against the coronavirus pandemic such as food items, protective equipment and medicine. “A healthy port is what is most needed now as we find ways to efficiently deliver needed goods and services to our fellow Filipinos who are trying to

break free from the clutches of the coronavirus pandemic,” Tugade said. The PPA over the weekend started coordination with the Bureau of Customs, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Agriculture to find measures to prevent congestion at the ports after the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases issued an order to clear the ports with overstaying containers. Among the measures being considered are forfeiture of overstaying cargoes in favor of the government, reducing the cargo clearing period and free storage period from the current allowable time and the imposition of heavy fines, penalties and storage fees on cargo owners in order to force them to withdraw their overstaying cargoes. Darwin G. Amojelar

BSP governor eyes ’restarting’ PH economy by mid-May or early June BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said the government should focus on containing the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 in April, before “restarting” the economy by mid-May or early June. Diokno said in a message there would be an “enormous risk in restarting the economy prematurely” and that the remaining days of the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon would be critical. “If we do things right, we should be in the process of restarting the economy by mid-May or early June,” Diokno said. He said these were his personal views and did not represent those of the Inter-Agency Task Force. “The government should use the next 14 days in testing, identifying the persons under investigation and the persons under monitoring, and seriously

separating them from the healthy population,” he said. Diokno said a new phase (from April 15 to May 25) could follow the quarantine period (ending April 14). He said in this stage, with new data from testing serious tracing of social interactions, the ECS could be done at the barangay level. He said under the new phase traveling by air, sea and land and inter-island movement would be restricted. Checkpoints at barangay levels would be dismantled and LRT and MRT would be allowed to run. The government for a limited period may operate a limited fleet of buses. The buses maybe allowed to operate in Greater Metro Manila—meaning Metro Manila plus the provinces of Cavite, Bulacan, Rizal and Laguna. Julito G. Rada

METRO Pacific Tollways Corp. has expanded food relief efforts to extend assistance to barangays covered by its network of expressways that have been adversely affected by the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon. Food donations that include sacks of rice, boxes of canned goods and packs of noodles were recently delivered to some 220 barangays within the MPTC expressway network—North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), Manila Cavite Expressway (Cavitex) and Cavite Laguna Expressway (CALAX—covered by Quezon City, Caloocan City, Malabon City, Navotas City, Valenzuela City, Parañaque City, Pasay City and Las Piñas City in Metro Manila, and several LGUs in Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Bataan, Cavite and Laguna. “With these urgent donations, MPTC hopes to support ongoing (local government units) relief efforts and somewhat ease the worries of families in these barangays, especially those who reside within the immediate vicinity of our network of expressways,” MPTC President Rodrigo Franco said. Darwin G. Amojelar

Rater Fitch sees weaker household spending this year FITCH Solutions, a unit of Fitch Group, revised downward its total household spending growth forecast for the Philippines this year to 6.7 percent from its previous estimate of 7 percent, taking into account the huge impact of the pandemic to the consumer and retail sector. Fitch said in a report Wednesday its projection was also significantly slower than the actual 9.8-percent year-on-year expansion in 2019. “Philippines’ consumer and retail sector is expected to be one of the sectors hardest hit by the monthlong lockdown of Luzon island, where 50 percent of its population resides and which accounts for 73 percent of the country’s GDP,” Fitch Solutions said. “With consumers essentially confined to their homes, we have revised down our total household spending for 2020 to expand by just 6.7 percent y-o-y, down on our precoronavirus projection for 2020 of 7 percent growth y-o-y and below the 9.8 percent y-o- y growth recorded in 2019,” it said. “During this period of lockdown, we expect consumers from a demand perspective to focus their spending on priority purchases [food and healthrelated products]. From a supply perspective, we note that major shopping malls in the country [such as SM Supermalls, Star Malls, Araneta City Malls] are either completely closed, or only units associated with grocery, pharmacy or takeout food services open,” it said. Fitch Solutions said like many countries under lockdown, food and drinks and health spending were expected to increase, while all other consumer spending categories were expected to decrease. Julito G. Rada

Sports

THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2020

Jordan NBA documentary finished early for April debut

Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets, shown here speaking to media during Brooklyn Nets Media Day at HSS Training Center in the Brooklyn Borough of New York City, is the top seed in the 16-man field of current NBA players taking part on the virtual challenge of the NBA 2K Players Tournament starting on April 3.

Fans get taste of NBA with virtual challenge Nesthy Petecio

Petecio starts light training in Baguio City

By Peter Atencio OLYMPIC hopeful Nesthy Petecio is getting ready to try again. After bowing out of contention last month in the 2020 Asia/Oceania boxing qualifying tournament in Amman, Jordan, Petecio has returned to training this week in Baguio City. That’s after the 27-year-old Petecio emerged from a 14-day quarantine period upon arriving in the country. “Tapos na ang quarantine period ko. Bumalik na ako sa training kahit magaan lang,” said Petecio. Petecio, who is the no. 1 seed and world champion during the qualifier, lost on points to Sena Irie of Japan, 6-4, ending her bid to qualify for her first Olympic stint. Irie, known for her orthodox stance, took round one, 3-2, after landing right-handed counter punches. The 19-year-old Irie endured Petecio’s left crosses, but the Japanese fighter still got the points to take the win. Putting her loss behind, Petecio is jogging and running for 30 minutes in the morning as she gets her workouts started inside the at the Teachers’ Camp, where many national athletes are housed while undergoing highaltitude training. Petecio said she is now waiting for word from officials of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines if she will be able to join the final qualifiers for the Tokyo Olympics, which has been moved to July, 2021 because of the ongoing threat posed by the coronavirus pandemic. “Hintay lang kami ng sasabihin kung saan at kailan ang bagong qualifiers,” said Petecio. She said the top officials of the ABAP are in discussions with the International Olympic Committee Boxing Task Force over the status of the qualifiers. This was after six members of boxing teams, which attended an Olympic qualifying event in London in March, were said to have contracted the coronavirus. Among them were members of the Turkish team, two fighters and a coach, who tested positive since returning from the event. Members of the Croatian team, a fighter and two coaches, have also contracted the disease. Organizers are now in discussion with member countries over the measures needed during the coming qualifiers. “May mga nag-positive (sa qualifiers), kaya kailangan paghandaan. Baka may dagdag pang slots dahil dito,” added Petecio.

EW YORK—NBA fans starved for action amid the shut-down forced by the coronavirus pandemic will get a taste of competition in an NBA 2K Players Tournament starting on Friday. Kevin Durant may have been sidelined all season as he recovers from a torn Achilles tendon, but the Brooklyn Nets star is the top seed in the 16-man field of current NBA players taking on the virtual challenge. The NBA, the NBA Players Association and game maker 2K announced the tournament, which will be aired in the United States on ESPN over 10 days. “The winner will be crowned the ultimate NBA 2K20 champion and select a charity beneficiary to receive a $100,000 donation from 2K, the NBA and the NBPA in support of ongoing coronavirus relief efforts,” the league said. Rising Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young is the second seed in a field that also features Portland’s Hassan Whiteside, Utah’s Donovan Mitchell and Washington Wizards rookie Rui Hachimura of Japan.

The seedings are determined by a player’s NBA 2K rating—Durant is a 96—and by tenure in the league. After single-elimination first and second rounds the semi-finals and final will be best-of-three series. As shelter-in-place orders and quarantines in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic have brought actual sports to a standstill, the popular NASCAR stock car series showed that eSports can help fill the void for sports broadcasters and fans. Over the past two weeks NASCAR drivers have competed in iRacing events that were aired on Fox Sports, drawing hundreds of thousands of viewers. The NBA put its season on indefinite hold on March 11 after Utah Jazz big man Rudy Gobert tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Teammate Mitchell is also among the NBA players who have tested positive, as is Durant. AFP

OLYMPIC FLAME. Photographers surround the Olympic Flame after the handover ceremony of the lantern containing the Olympic Flame from Tokyo 2020 to Fukushima at the J-Village National Training Centre in Naraha-town, Fukushima Prefecture. AFP

Suspense over Tour de France’s fate PARIS —Less than three months before the Tour de France’s scheduled start, the possibility of cycling’s greatest show taking place remains shrouded in doubt, while the organizers have thrown up a wall of silence. The highlight of the French sporting calendar is due to embark from Nice on June 27 and end on the ChampsElysees in Paris on July 19. But with France entering its third week of coronavirus lockdown and more than 3,000 deaths in the country, organisers ASO are refusing to comment on their plans, other than to say they will act in the best interests of the general public. “There will be a huge hunger for sports when this is over,” ASO chief Christian Prudhomme said in early March. With the cycling world desperate to keep the 2020 Tour alive, AFP looks at three potential outcomes: Cancellation This seems be the least likely scenario. Keeping the Tour on track is the key to cycling’s economic wellbeing. Unless the lockdown continues well into the summer, it would be hard to imagine the Tour being cancelled. “The Tour represents around 60 percent of earnings in a season,” French team AG2R boss Vincent Lavenu said. The 2018 champion Geraint Thomas agrees, telling the Daily Telegraph this week he feared for people’s jobs if the Tour was cancelled. “When you look back through the history books in 20 years’ time, if in 2020 there was no Tour, that doesn’t matter. “But, on the other hand, there are 20-odd teams, and companies invested in those teams, and if it went, there would be quite a few people left unemployed. “While the result itself doesn’t matter, the event does, because there are a lot of livelihoods wrapped up in it,” he said. AFP

Hopkins, Mosley entry to Hall of Fame delayed NEW YORK—Legendary world champions Bernard Hopkins and “Sugar” Shane Mosley will have their inductions to the International Boxing Hall of Fame postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Both US fighters were to have been enshrined along with the complete Class of 2020 on June 11-14 in ceremonies at the facility in Canastota, New York, which has temporarily closed due to the deadly virus outbreak. Instead, the 2020 inductees will be included in a double ceremony with the 2021 inductees on June 10-13, 2021, the Hall announced in a website posting. “By combining the celebrations of

the induction classes of 2020 and 2021, the Hall of Fame can honor inductees with all the bells and whistles that the Hall of Fame Weekend is known for,” Hall of Fame executive director Edward Brophy said. “By honoring the two classes in a one-of-a-kind induction weekend, the Hall of Fame will be able to put all the winning combinations together for the inductees, fans and the entire sport of boxing.” Official plaques for 2020 inductees will be displayed later this year. Hopkins, who went 55-8 with two drawn and 32 knockouts, was an undisputed middleweight champion

during a 10-year reign from 19952005 and became the oldest champion in boxing history during a lightheavyweight reign that ended at age 49 in 2014. Mosley, 49-10 with one drawn and 41 knockouts, was a former world champion at lightweight, welterweight and light middleweight. The group also includes promoters Lou DiBella, Kathy Duva and Dan Goosen and Mexican fighter Juan Manuel Marquez, an ex-world featherweight, super featherweight and lightweight champion. The 2021 inductees are set to be announced in early December. AFP

NEW YORK—A 10-part documentary series on retired NBA legend Michael Jordan and the 1990s Chicago Bulls dynasty has been finished early for an April release to US and worldwide audiences, presenters announced Tuesday. “The Last Dance” originally was expected to debut in early June alongside the start of the 2020 NBA Finals before the ongoing coronavirus pandemic that has shut down sports leagues, but now will start April 19 on ESPN. “April 19th can’t come fast enough. I CAN NOT WAIT!! Yessir!” fourtime NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James tweeted Tuesday. James, who sparked the Los Angeles Lakers to the Western Conference lead when the season was halted, was among those who pushed for a launch while much of the United States is quarantined at home without live sports events to watch on TV. The documentary will be available outside the United States on Netflix on five consecutive MonJordan days starting April 20, in each case one day later than its US premiere on ESPN. “Michael Jordan and the ‘90s Bulls weren’t just sports superstars, they were a global phenomenon,” director Jason Hehir said. “Making ‘The Last Dance’ was an incredible opportunity to explore the extraordinary impact of one man and one team.” The production features footage by an NBA Entertainment film crew that was given permission by Jordan, coach Phil Jackson and Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf to follow the team all season during the 1997-98 campaign as the team chased a sixth title in eight seasons. “As society navigates this time without live sports, viewers are still looking to the sports world to escape and enjoy a collective experience,” ESPN said in a statement. “We’ve heard the calls from fans asking us to move up the release date for this series, and we’re happy to announce that we’ve been able to accelerate the production schedule to do just that.” AFP

Manila hosts FIBA 3x3 World Tour INTERNATIONAL 3x3 basketball is expected to return to Manila in the coming months. This was after the International Basketball Federation Central Board approved last week the new dates for the FIBA 3x3 World Tour. Organizers said they will now hold legs of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour in Doha, Manila, Chengdu, Mexico City and Utsunomiya The decision was made after first five Masters events were postponed to the second semester due to the current situation with the Coronavirus or COVID-19 outbreak. This was done in order to protect the health and safety of players, coaches, officials and fans. The Manila and Chengdu Masters are now planned to be done from Aug. 15 to 16, and from Oct. 17 to 18, respectively. The Doha, Mexico City and Utsunomiya Masters will no longer take place as originally scheduled. A new date will be announced. As for the two remaining FIBA 3x3 Olympic Qualifying Tournaments, the FIBA Central Board will decide on the new schedule. This is in order to find the best solution for the scheduling of the remaining six Olympic Qualifying Tournaments, the FIBA said in statement. The Philippines is fielding in Philippine Basketball Association players CJ Perez and Moala Tautuaa teamed up with Joshua Munzon and Alvin Pasaol to form the Philippine 3x3 team. Perez and Tautuaa were part of the the Gilas Pilipinas 3x3 team that won the inaugural gold in the 30th Southeast Asian Games. The four have remained deep in training since Feb. 19. Peter Atencio

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2020

Entertainment

Moira hopes to bring comfort and joy in new album MOIRA Dela Torre leads listeners on a poignant and sentimental musical journey in her freshly released album under Star Music, Patawad, which features her new songs and recent collaborations including “Mabagal” and the trilogy “Paalam, Patawad.” “To be honest with you, we considered postponing this album›s release again. I understand the terrible storm we are faced with right now and it›s not to be taken lightly. But I also understand that in hardships, music is always a present friend,” Moira shared. “In times of trouble, music brings comfort, hope, and peace. So we›ve decided to push through with it, with the hopes that these songs, which took us two years to finish, would bring

joy and comfort,” she added. The Patawad album, which follows her 2018 release Malaya, features 13 tracks, nine of which are Moira’s original compositions. These include “Kita Na Kita” with her husband Jason Hernandez, “Ang Iwasan,” “Pahinga,” “Ikaw Pa Rin” with Erik Santos, “Sabi Ng Lola,” “E.D.S.A. – Emosyong Dinaan Sa Awit,” and the trilogy “Patawad, Paalam,” with I Belong To The Zoo, “Paalam” with Ben&Ben, and the titular song “Patawad.” Aside from these, the album also contains Moira’s performance of the spoken word piece “Handa, Awit” written by Brian Vee, “24/7’s” theme song “Hanggang Sa Huli,” “Unbreakable” from the Star Cinema film of the same

name, and the 2019 Himig Handog Best Song “Mabagal.” Prior to the album’s release, the music videos to “Paalam” and “Patawad” have also dropped, completing the heart-rending trilogy tale of a love that just wasn’t meant to be, which started last year with “Patawad, Paalam.” Meanwhile, emotions overflowed once the album was finally out, with people praising Moira’s ability to convey heartfelt yet calming emotions through her songs. Moira is a part of ABS-CBN Music’s roster of talented artists—which also houses many of the best OPM music of today from the country’s leading media and entertainment company, ABS-CBN.

Moira dela Torre drops a new album and releases two fresh music videos.

Spreading positivity through music SNAPSHOT

Iraqi Kurdish musician Nujin Hasan plays his violin to residents of his apartment block, who are staying at home to combat the spread of the coronavirus, in Arbil, the capital of the northern Iraqi Kurdish autonomous region. AFP

UR quarantined existence in this time of YUGEL LOSORATA COVID-19 pandemic naturally led various quarters to turn to music for its healing effect. Becoming viral, pun unintended, are people singing or playing certain songs to cheer themselves and the community around them up. Scores - popular or unknown, talented or mediocre - are resorting to social media to express sentiments or spread positivity through music.

Colombia’s police sergeant Fernando Usma sings a serenade to thank citizens for staying home, as a preventive measure against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, outside residential buildings, in Medellin, Colombia. AFP

notable during his likable carpool episode with James Corden, especially after the latter was seen teary-eyed upon hearing the number one hit. Some PBA (Philippine Basketball Association) players also took to social media their solidarity by singing Michael Jackson’s “Heal The World.” The timely cut, which the King of Pop himself lauded as one he was ”most proud to have created,” is fifth single off his early 90s Dangerous album. All three songs were lead-sung by three of the greatest voices of the 20th century. But two songs featuring an ensemble of singing stars may also claim suitable to the needs of the times: “We Are The World” and “Voices That Care.” The first is another melody involving the late MJ as composer, with Lionel RichOpera singer Michal Janicki performs on the balcony of his flat and sings for his neighbors in Warsaw, amid the new coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. AFP

There’s that guy playing in his balcony John Lennon’s signature hit “Imagine” while his neighbor from another patio jams with him on sax. The slain Beatle’s dream of a utopian society couldn’t be more empowering as the world tries to live as one amidst the implementation of social distancing and stay-at-home lockdown. Another clip shows a man perform inside a deserted mall and kick his rendition of the same song with an a capella take of The Beatles classic Let It Be. The track is, in essence, Paul McCartney’s hymn as he composed it after he dreamt of his long-gone mother Mary speaking words of wisdom around the time tensions were disintegrating his beloved group. He still includes it in his live performances and it was likewise

Residents perform Beethoven’s ‘Ode to Joy’ on their instruments on their balcony in Weimar, eastern Germany. AFP

Mulhouse Symphonic Orchestra violinist Jessy Koch performs on her balcony as each day to support health workers in Mulhouse, eastern France. AFP

ie as collaborator. It was originally USA’s anthem for the Ethiopian famine relief in response to Bob Geldof’s initiative to consolidate top British acts and record the Christmas song “Do They Know It’s Christmas.” The other, penned by a trio orchestrated by David Foster, was a charity record released in 1991 to “boost the morale of US troops involved in the Operation Desert Storm. Interestingly, both “We Are The World” and “Heal The World” used the same line “There are people dying,” followed by urging messages “It’s time to lend a hand to life” and “If you care enough for the living/Make a better place for you and for me,” respectively. For all of MJ’s eccentricity, he really just wanted to save lives. As a fanatic, I say that The Beatles playlist regularly puts me to sleep partly because it soothes the soul. Some great songs, whether there’s pandemic or not, obviously enable to heal the wounded and, yes, the dying.

REIGNING TKS Mrs. International Vanessa UdarbeQuezon, who won her crown in Singapore late last year, recently initiated a feeding program at Cantil-E elementary school in Dumaguete City, Negros, with the help of Negros Oriental governor Roel Ragay Degamo. A follow-up activity is set in another Dumaguete school later in the year or once the COVID-19 pandemic is over. She said of her Metro Manila quarantine routine, “I wake up at five in the morning, do my exercise and house chores, and prepare meal for my baby and the whole family. I have to lead and inspire people and spread strength during this time of crisis. Thus, we always pray Oratio Imperata at 12:00 nn and 8:00 p.m.. It had been a century since humanity faced this kind of unseen enemy so, since we’re all not familiar with it, let’s be part of the solution and work together as a nation to make it through.”

Inspiring beauty

Ovaltine TVC says winning isn’t everything THE “Bigay Na Bigay” campaign of well-loved brand Ovaltine challenges the norm. It emboldens parents to encourage and prepare kids to be willing to take on the journey of life and enjoy it, rather than pressuring them to always win. Millennial parents acknowledge that when asked, their wish for their children is for them to be healthy and happy. The fathers of this generation are found to be spending more time with their kids. The campaign highlights that for a parent and child, the effort and journey of parenting is more important than the end-goal. “It appeals to parents, whose world views have been shaped by their generation. They believe in focusing on empathy and that teaching it to their children helps the latter understand the world better.” said Michael Fajardo, Country Manager of Ovaltine. “We at Ovaltine believe that the Millennial mom isn’t necessarily raising her kid to be a full scholar, or a

A scene from the latest Ovaltine TVC

prodigy, or the next Olympian. The Millennial mom is raising her child to be willing to face life’s challenges, obstacles, and yes, opportunities. She knows that the happiness and health of her child is her priority,” JP VillaReal, Ovaltine Brand Manager shared. The material features a young boy who is excited about an upcoming musical performance. His excitement is so obvious to people around him, making audience think that he probably has a lead role. In the end, it shows that attitude matters more than what we as a society was taught to hold important. Ovaltine All-in-One is a nutrientfortified malt-chocolate drink that can be enjoyed hot or cold. It contains no artificial sweeteners and is high in 10 vitamins and minerals. Two tablespoons of Ovaltine All-in-One meet 12-44 percent of the recommended daily intake of 10 vitamins and minerals needed by the body, which helps protect cells and contribute to the normal immune system function.

Life

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

HOUSEHOLD

THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2020

By Bernadette Lunas

How to clean and disinfect groceries And other shopping tips in the time of COVID-19

ANDS washed, floors wiped, phones disinfected. As household members regularly and thoroughly clean all objects and surfaces in their homes to prevent coronavirus from entering, one question remains: Do we need to sanitize our groceries, too?

The short answer is yes. And the slightly longer answer is yes, but using the right cleaners. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirms that coronavirus spreads from person to person—who are within six feet from each another, hence the importance of social distancing—and through respiratory droplets which can land directly in mouths or noses of nearby people or on surfaces which can be touched by another person. Available evidence shows that the coronavirus can thrive for hours or days on different surfaces: four hours on copper, 24 hours on cardboard, two to three days on plastic and stainless steel. Hence the possibility of catching the virus from, say, canned goods or grocery cart handles is likely, which highlights the importance of not touching your face when outside. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, the most likely way of contracting coronavirus and other viruses when shopping is from touching a shopping cart or basket, thus microbiologist Elsie Gatpayat of the Food Safety and Hygiene Academy of the Philippines recommends bringing alcohol or hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes when going to the supermarkets. Here’s how to do your grocery shop-

ping to prevent contracting viruses and bringing them into your home.

While at the grocery store:

• Before using the basket or cart, wipe down the handles using tissue with disinfectant or disinfectant wipes. Discard them immediately. • Maintain a distance of at least six feet or 1 meter from other shoppers as much as possible. • Offer to bag your own groceries to minimize contact.

After shopping:

• Leave footwear outside the house • Wash hands immediately before touching anything. • Throw away cardboard and plastic packaging. • Wash cloth and reusable bags after use. • Transfer seafood and meat into sealed containers.

Cleaning groceries:

• Canned goods, Tetra Paks, boxes, bottles, foil packs, and produce wrapped in plastic: wash using water with soap or wipe down using clean cloth or paper towel with disinfectant. • Fruits and vegetables with peels: wash with water and soap • Leafy vegetables: wash with running water, then soak in water with lemon, calamansi, or vinegar.

SHOP RESPONSIBLY. Aside from not hoarding groceries, experts remind shoppers to practice social distancing as well as disinfecting cart and basket handles before using them.

The Food Safety and Hygiene Academy of the Philippines shares the right way to clean and disinfect grocery items.

Pick produce, not virus.

Lots of leftovers? Turn food scraps into compost

Chef Rolando Laudico encourages his children, Orlando and Kea (in photo), to experiment in the kitchen as he did when he was younger.

Kitchen is the heart of every home ASIDE from being the place where the household’s sustenance is cooked and prepared, kitchen is also where deeper bonds and meaningful connections are forged. “When I was a kid, I loved to eat,” shares Chef Rolando Laudico. “I would live in the kitchen more than any other place in the house. And my love for food really pushed me to learn how to cook at a very young age.” When his parents separated, the responsibility of ensuring their kitchen was stocked with ingredients fell on young Rolando. “Running errands at the farmer’s market to buy fresh ingredients for our meals became my job. From there, I eventually tried my hand at cooking. I would surprise my family by cooking dinner without them knowing. If they

love the dish, I would say I cooked it. If they didn’t, I kept quiet,” he relates. It was through these kitchen experiments that Chef Lau honed his skills and discovered the importance of reliable kitchen partners. “I started cooking using the La Germania that my parents bought. I was lucky because it was easy to use and built like a tank, so it withstood the many trials and errors of a kid experimenting in the kitchen,” he recalls, adding, “I probably wouldn’t be the Chef Lau that you know if it weren’t for that stove.” Now that he’s built a career and a name for himself out of his passion for food, Chef Lau passes on the torch to his children. Read the rest of the article on manilastandard.net

AS MILLIONS heed the government’s stay-at-home order, environmental groups expect an increase in domestic food waste which, instead of ending in landfills, could be turned into compost. Non-profits Buklod Tao and EcoWaste Coalition urge the public to embrace easy on the pocket composting methods to recycle kitchen and garden waste into soil conditioner and organic fertilizer during the quarantine period and beyond. “Composting is the most practical way of halving our waste production since food waste and other organics make up 50 percent or more of the waste we generate and dispose of. You don’t need a fancy machine to do it at home; your 10 fingers will do,” said Noli Abinales, an avid composter and also the founder of Buklod Tao and a trustee of the EcoWaste Coalition. The EcoWaste Coalition and Buklod Tao share these 12 steps in home composting: 1. Separate biodegradable waste (fruit and vegetable peelings, egg and seafood shells, dry leaves, grass cuttings, twigs, etc.) from non-biodegradables or recyclables. 2. Choose the right size and type for composter (pile, pit, pot, or any container) depending on how much compostable waste the household generates. 3. Select a convenient location for the composter, preferably one that is even, well-drained, and sun-drenched. 4. Chop biodegradable wastes into small pieces for easy decomposition. Paper that is not suitable for recycling such as heavily soiled or greasy paper or box can be composted when shredded. 5. Mix the chopped dry and wet biodegradables so that the mixture is not

Eco groups encourage households to turn their food scraps and other kitchen waste into soil conditioner and organic fertilizer.

too wet or too dry. Place the mixture into the composter 6. Start with a layer of coarse materials such as dry leaves and twigs to allow for aeration and drainage. 7. Add kitchen and garden waste as they accumulate, alternating green nitrogen-rich materials and brown carbon-rich materials. 8. Place a thin layer of soil on top of the materials and sprinkle it with a small amount of water.

9. Continue to add layers until the composter is full. 10. Maintain the composter; turn the materials once a week to aerate the pile to help the breakdown process and get rid of the smell. 11. When the interior of the pile is no longer hot and the materials have turned into dark and crumbly soil, composting is finished. 12. Harvest and use the compost as a soil conditioner or fertilizer.

THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2020

Joel D. Lacsamana, Editor jdlacsamana@gmail.com

RACE AGAINST TIME TO STEM COVID-19 TIDE Filipino architects, AFP join forces to build quarantine centers

ITH the number of confirmed cases of Covid 19 rising in the Philippines, hospitals since last week have raised the alarm of insufficient space to accommodate patients who tested positive for the virus.

Local government units are now exploring the use of hotels, open lots, and other public spaces as quarantine centers. At the Philippine Army General Hospital in Taguig, a hastily-formed team of soldiers, carpenters and architects are working round-the-clock to finish a new design for a COVID-19 emergency quarantine facility. It is a race against time with several other facilities being built at 30 identified hospital sites at the Manila Naval Hospital, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Alabang, Muntinlupa, V Luna Gen Hospital, Air Force Hospital, Army Gen Hospital, QC Gen Hospital, Chinese Gen Hospital and Ospital ng Muntinlupa, among others. Filipino “arkies”, army officers to the rescue Behind the project are a group of Filipino architects and officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) who designed the emergency quarantine facility to help hospitals accommodate more Covid 19 patients. Architect William Ti , recently spoke to the Manila Standard, and explained how his colleagues from the industry created the design for an affordable and easy to build facility which can house persons under investigation (PUIs). “This is mainly to augment the capacities of the hospitals, as they become unable to accept more patients,” Ti said. “It prevents people who are under quarantine from being forced to go home and infect their families and friends.” Ti, principal architect of WTA Architecture and Design Studio (WTA), said the design, which can be used by free of charge, is a horizontal structure with

a wooden frame wrapped in a protective plastic skin. It can accommodate 15 beds, a testing box, sanitation and disinfection areas, and a nurse’s lounge. “Sariling-sikap” for now “Almost all the cost of the current facilities under construction, is shouldered by the industry,” said Ti. He revealed that his office sponsors the manpower while companies such as Matimco, Consolidated Wood, Uratex, Kuysen, among many others, sponsor the materials. The building itself can be put within five days, with easily available materials, and the total cost clocks in at just under P300,000 for each facility. The architect encourages any agency, private or otherwise, to use the design for the construction for their own quarantine facilities. “We’ve made the designs open source and put them up online, so everyone can have access to them,” said Ti. “We hope more groups would take up the designs and do with them as they please so we can build more facilities faster.” Excerpts from Manila Standard’s interview with Ti: How did the idea to create a design for this emergency quarantine facility come about? A group of friends of mine were talking with Dr. Glenn Angeles about why the virus spreads, and the plight of sick people being sent home in growing numbers and the danger they pose to their immediate friends and family. I remembered the Anthology Pavilion we put up last February in Intramuros and saw its potential as a quarantine facility for just such a purpose. We got in touch with Maj. Carmelo Jaluague and Maj. Banjo

Torres Badayos and came up with a plan of action to have construction start the next day given the severity of the coronavirus pandemic. What is the concept behind the idea? The main idea for this facility is speed to control the virus and flatten the curve as fast as we can before our hospitals are overwhelmed. We wanted to use materials that were easy to use, flexible, and readily available.

We wanted materials that people were familiar with and with minimal knowledge most workers can start using. Since movement and logistics are difficult these days we need something that doesn’t utilize much manpower or equipment. The frames can be wood, steel, or bamboo even. We chose wood since it doesn’t require much equipment which is very important especially in more rural

areas. We chose plastic since it is easy to maintain and is readily available. You can use old tarps even or any roll material that can be quickly put up. For the facilities to be scalable they have to be something that others can copy and build as needed quickly throughout the country. Describe the design of the proposed facility? The design focuses on ease of use and giving patients a comfortable environment that doesn’t make them feel like they’re in quarantine. The idea is that it should feel more like a retreat space. A place for contemplation rather than a hermetically sealed and constructed space. How many persons can one facility accommodate? Each facility houses 15 beds with each patient having their own 2.4m x 2.4m space. There are separate entrances for doctors and patients and it features a testing box where doctors can check the patients without going in. Air is blown in from one end of the facility to the other with side vents along the sides to prevent air from recirculating inside the facility. How is the project being funded right now? The project is funded through donations from the private sector. Entities involved include WTA Architecture and Design Studio, UAP Manila Metro Chapter, Anthology Festival Foundation, and volunteers and friends from both inside and outside the architecture and construction community. Aside from us four founders, leaders in this initiative include Prim Paypon, Dan Quiaoit, Jason Ang, Arvin Pangilinan, Denise de Castro, Rebecca Plaza, Janys Lim, and Romel Laquian. Where can donors go if they are interested to participate in the project? They can go to www.wtadesignstudio/ EQF or email is at contact@wtadesignstudio.com.

SHIFTING TO A MORE DYNAMIC LIFESTYLE.

River Park Place by CDC Homes is to rise at the riverside of Mandaluyong City. The project will feature four residential condominium buildings with commercial spaces on the lower floors. The first phase of the project, which consists of the 24-story Hudson Tower and the 30-story Columbia Tower, broke ground last July 2019. The property will offer a majority of studios with select units offering scenic views of the Pasig River, or the city from their balconies. A limited number of one-bedroom and two-bedroom corner units are also available and ideal for startup families or empty-nesters. “I am envisioning River Park Place to be our landmark development,” said CDC Homes CEO Melesa “Elsie” Chua said. “In every project, we strive to provide buyers not just a place to live in, but a lifestyle of ease and comfort so they may have the space and the time to create their best life.“ River Park Place will be CDC Homes’ second green development following Citadines Millennium Ortigas Manila.

SHFC clients get loan reprieve amid coronavirus outbreak THE lead government agency manment on time can do so in select dated to undertake socialized housbranches of the Land Bank of the ing for low-income earners recently Philippines. announced the easing of rules for The statement of accounts loan payments. and abstract of collection could In a statement early this week, be digitally accessed through Social Housing Finance Corp. SHFC Portal to minimize expo(SHFC) said it was implementing sure to virus, the finance coma three-month moratorium on loan pany said. payments. SHFC said the morato“We want to ease the financial rium took effect last March 16, and burden of our stakeholders as we will end on June 16. face this challenge,” SHFC PresiPenalties on accounts whose due dent Arnolfo Ricardo B. Cabling dates fall within the said period SHFC was established in 2004 were also waived. with a mandate to undertake social SHFC said that customers do not housing programs for formal and need to apply for moratorium. informal sectors in low-income Covid-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] in the The socialized housing finance bracket. Apart from SHFC, banks firm said their decision stems from govern- country.” earlier announced that they provided grace Loan payments in select branches ment’s call “to exhaust all efforts to respond period for qualified borrowers amid the LuCustomers who still want to settle loan pay- zon lock down. to the needs of Filipinos amid the threat of

MPIC HOSPITALS SCALE UP ANTI-COVID 19 EFFORTS. The Metro Pacific hospitals group is stepping up its

efforts to help slow down the COVID-19 pandemic, in cooperation with key government hospitals. Officials of the 16-member hospitals group, led by Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan and hospitals president and CEO Augusto Palisoc, Jr., recently created a crisis team to coordinate its activities to cope with the rising number COVID-19 related cases. Atty. Pilar Nenuca P. Almira, head of Cardinal Santos Medical Center and Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, was appointed head of team. “Our hospitals group are focusing their resources on critical concerns – particularly hospital care for the most critically-ill patients infected by COVID-19,” Pangilinan said. “By designating a hospital within the group to be the main referral facility for PUM/PUI and COVID infected cases, we are aligning our efforts with the Government to address the pandemic,” added Almira. Should the pandemic rise in intensity in the coming weeks, the hospitals group will set up supplemental tents, with beds and requisite equipment, for non-critical COVID cases in selected hospital grounds. Shown in photo are MPIC volunteers turning over medical supplies such as virus specimen collection kits, alcohol, face masks, disinfectants and PPEs to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Alabang, Muntinlupa.