Manila Standard - 2020 April 14 - Tuesday

Gov‘t rolls out mass testing 10 facilities nationwide to prioritize severe cases, elderly, frontline workers

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Willie Casas

M

ASS testing for patients suspected of having coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) will begin Tuesday, health officials said, with priority being given to the seriously ill and essential front-line personnel.

“We want to clarify that not everybody will be tested, this is not indiscriminate testing… so we’ll prioritize the severe cases, the vulnerable population, the elderly, the sick, those with co-morbidites and the pregnant. Health care workers, especially if they have symptoms, are included,” said Health Undersecretary

Maria Rosario Vergeire during a briefing Monday.

On April 4, the Health department said there would be expanded testing to get a fuller assessment of the public health situation as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country was Next page expected to increase.

COVID-19 TESTING CENTERS LUZON

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM APRIL 13)

Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (Muntinlupa City)

4,932

NUMBER OF CASES

315 DEATHS

VOL. XXXIV • NO. 56 • 2 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

242

RECOVERIES

284

San Lazaro Hospital (Manila)

NEW CASES

Without right control, crisis could drag on

UP National Institutes of Health (Manila)

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz

the standard the stand th the standard the stand th

THE Philippines’ fight against the coronavirus disease could drag on for months if proper interventions are not implemented, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Monday, citing studies by experts.

“Our estimations came from our scientists, our mathematicians. They created three modeling estimates with timelines ranging from the third quarter of the year to, maybe in a worst-case scenario based on their studies, to next year in January. But these are all estimations,” Vergeire said in a virtual press briefing.

Next page

Area-specific lockdown next 2 weeks eyed

By Maricel V. Cruz

THE two-week extension of the Enhanced Community Quarantine in Luzon should be a modified to an areaspecific lockdown, Deputy Speaker and Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte proposed Monday.

The modified lockdown “will reboot certain businesses along with the government’s infrastructure buildup program in order to rejuvenate the economy even before the coronavirus pandemic is over,” he said.

On the other hand, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said the Department of Health needs to do 10,000 tests a day to identify and isolate suspected COVID-19 cases and to treat confirmed cases nationwide.

Lung Center of the Philippines (Quezon City)

St. Luke’s Medical Center (Quezon City)

The Medical City (Pasig City)

HARD TIMES. A soldier carries a sack of rice across a village in Surigao del Norte as the Philippine Army supports the local government's distribution of relief goods there. Meanwhile in Quezon City, drivers queue for hours—some of them to no avail— outside a Landbank branch to avail of cash assistance provided by the government as the country faces the coronavirus pandemic. Ey Acasio

Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (Benguet)

P40-b subsidy distributed to poor families

Bicol Public Health Laboratory (Legazpi City)

By Vito Barcelo and Joel E. Zurbano

Next page

VISAYAS

THE Department of Social Welfare and Development had released P40 billion of the P100 billion in aid to the poorest households under the 4Ps program who have been affected by the Luzon-wide lockdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of the released amount, P341 million went to low-income families that are not 4Ps beneficiaries, P323 million went to

Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (Cebu City)

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Harry Roque

Roque once more Palace mouthpiece

By Vito Barcelo FORMER congressman and human rights lawyer Harry Roque was back Monday as presidential spokesperson who resigned from his post to run in the 2019 midterm elections.

This was confirmed by President Rodrigo Duterte’s chief legal counsel Salvador Panelo who took the post of Roque as Palace spokesperson in October 2018 up to April 13, 2020.

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TRASHY FASHION. Brazilian fashion photographer Marcio Rodrigues wears a mask made with recyclable bottles, cans and boxes after over 20 daysin which these garbage items were not collected because of the quarantine imposed to control the spread of the new coronavirus in Belo Horizonte, Brazil on Saturday. Rodrigues will make a suit with recyclable garbage if the quarantine continues. AFP

Cautious hope for pandemic as toll drops MADRID—The death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has slowed in some of the worst-hit countries, with Spain readying Monday to reopen parts of its economy as governments grapple with a once-in-a-century recession.

Italy, France and the US have all seen

a drop in COVID-19 deaths in the past 24 hours, with Italy -- the European nation most afflicted -- reporting its lowest toll in more than three weeks.

It came as Pope Francis delivered an unprecedented livestream message to a Next page

DFA, POEA still fight over right to travel

By Rey E. Requejo and Willie Casas THE right to travel “takes a backseat” to public welfare during the coronavirus pandemic, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration said in a statement.

This was after the POEA, an agency under the Department of Labor, over the weekend suspended the deployment of doctors, nurses and healthcare workers abroad to “prioritize human resource allocation” as the country fights the Next page COVID-19 disease.

Western Visayas Medical Center (Iloilo City)

MINDANAO

Southern Philippines Medical Center (Davao City)

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News

TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Asia collars virus ‘fake news’ H

ONG KONG ---Hundreds of people have been arrested across Asia for posting purported false coronavirus information, according to an AFP investigation, deepening concerns that growing government efforts to combat "fake news" will target the wrong people and silence dissent.

From teenagers to a TV star, people have been wrongly detained under vaguely worded cybercrime laws or broad stateof-emergency powers ushered in since the outbreak began, rights groups say.

"Governments are using the 'fake news' label to dress up their rights-abusing efforts to censor views and statements that

are at odds with whatever strategy they have taken to deal with the COVID-19 crisis," said Phil Robertson, Asia deputy director for Human Rights Watch (HRW).

"It's insane frankly. In many cases it's people being dragged out of their homes to the lock-up, put in pre-trial detention, in crowded spaces where they're more likely

to get COVID." At least 266 people have been arrested for posting coronavirus-related information in 10 Asian countries, from Thailand to India and Mongolia, according to an AFP tally based on police reports.

They include a local politician in India who claimed on Facebook that the government was downplaying virus fatalities, and a Malaysian TV personality made to pay a fine of several thousand US dollars after he posted a YouTube video criticising a hospital's handling of the pandemic.

Authorities say criminalization is needed to curb the online flood of dangerous fake cures and conspiracy theories that the World Health Organization has called an "infodemic".

Govt...

There are 10 laboratories now accredited and capable of testing patients nationwide.

These include the Medical City in Pasig City; St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City; Bicol Public Health Laboratory in Legazpi City, Albay, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City; Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center in Benguet; San Lazaro Hospital in Manila City; Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City; Lung Center of the Philippines in Quezon City; University of the Philippines’ National Institutes of Health in Manila; and Western Visayas Medical Center in Iloilo City.

Before their accreditation, only the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine served as the confirmatory testing laboratory for COVID-19.

Vergeire said testing would be ramped up progressively.

“When we reach the time that our government..,. can produce 8,000 test kits per day, we’ll include those with exposure, those with travel history and symptoms,” Vergeire said.

Vergeire urged the public to continue the practice of physical and social distancing and frequent washing of hands which have been proven effective in curbing the transmission of COVID-19 in other countries.

She said it would take from six months to a year and a half before any “deployable” vaccine is developed.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, who has criticized the slow pace of testing, welcomed the move toward mass testing.

“There is no saying that Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. is not doing a good job as chief implementer of the government’s national response against COVID-19, by

playing catch-up for the inadequacies of some people,” Lacson said.

But Lacson said he could not understand why the Department of Health keeps issuing circulars that circumvent a provision of the Bayanihan Act that provides some leeway for the use of donated test kits that have already been in use in other countries.

One DOH requirement, for example, is an application by the manufacturer or distributor.

“Since these are donations and therefore not for business purposes, how in the world will these donors look for local distributors, or look for the manufacturer to file for an application?”

Lacson said.

He said the new law states that all donated health products need only a certification from the regulatory agency of the donor country that allows the use of those products.

With the continuing increase in the number of confirmed cases and deaths due to the novel coronavirus, Lacson said, the DOH must make adjustments.

At the same time, Lacson said he hoped contact tracing would become more efficient with new rules about the mandatory disclosure of COVID-19 infected persons.

The Manila city government, meanwhile, said it is now capable of conducting more than 1,600 COVID-19 swab tests a week as it begins its localized targeted mass testing.

Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko’’ Domagoso said localized targeted mass testing would begin at the Manila Health Department and the city’s six district hospitals.

Domagoso has designated Manila City Health Officer Dr. Arnold Pangan to lead the localized targeted mass testing.

The following health facilities operated by the city government are now capable of conducting about 232 COVID-19 swab

tests per day, or 1,624 per week: MHD/ Delpan Quarantine Facility—50 tests per day; Ospital ng Maynila—20 tests per day; Sta. Ana Hospital/MIDCC — 30 tests per day; Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center 50 tests per day; Ospital ng Tondo—17 tests per day; Justice Jose Abad Santos General Hospital—15 tests per day; and Ospital ng Sampaloc—50 tests per day.

All swab tests will be processed either by the Department of Health’s Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (DOHRITM) or the University of the Philippines Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH).

Dr. Gap Legaspi, UP-PGH director, has committed to the Manila city government that they can release the results in two to three days.

As of Monday, about 934 swab tests have already been conducted by the Manila city government.

Hospitals operated by the Manila city government are now authorized to send COVID-19 patients to the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, which was recently turned into a quarantine facility by the national government.

Health advocates, civil society organizations, youth groups, and medical societies, meanwhile, supported the call of experts not to use the rapid antibody tests for clinical or public health purposes.

“We echo the call of numerous experts —rapid antibody tests should not be used outside a research setting at this time.

In this time of crisis, we believe that tests and treatments should be carefully assessed before routine use, so as not to aggravate the dangers of the disease and the difficulties already faced by our health care system,” said members of the Stop COVID-19 Coalition.

According to the World Health Organization, the lack of evidence on the accuracy of the rapid antibody tests means that they must only be used in research

Area-specific...

P40-b...

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DFA,...

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Unless this happens, he said, it might be risky to lift the ECQ to revive the economy, as new cases could spread again.

“If we cannot do the 10,000 mass testings a day and we cannot look for the suspected, probable and confirmed cases ng COVID-19, the virus will continue to spread in the whole country,” Gatchalian said.

“Almost 50 percent of COVIDpositive [cases] are asymptomatic... If they continue to move around, they are sure to infect people, especially the senior citizens,” he said.

The senator said the challenge in the next two weeks is how the national government can ramp up the volume of mass testing all the way up to 10,000 tests a day, which he said is a key milestone.

The area-specific lockdown Villafuerte proposed would keep most people at home, but allow the resumption of certain businesses, especially those in vital sectors such as the food and health industries.

This would revive the economy and ensure the steady supply of foodstuff, medicines, health products and protective equipment, he said.

“Certain businesses need to reopen, subject of course to the strict observance of social distancing and hygiene protocols by employers and their employees, to somehow revive the domestic economy this early after its sudden stop, following the implementation of personal movement restrictions in Luzon and other parts of the country to stop the quick spread of Covid-19,” the solon said.

Villafuerte said certain enterprises must be allowed to reopen for business to save them from possible insolvency and termination of their employees.

“Moreover, allowing them to reopen for business would let these enterprises put their employees back to work and let them regain their means of livelihood,” he added.

As a member of the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee, Villafuerte said the President’s signature “Build, Build, Build” initiative must be put back on track, as infrastructure investments offer the highest multiplier effects, including job generation, on the economy.

With Macon Ramos-Araneta

public utility drivers, and the rest went to 4Ps beneficiaries, the department’s spokesperson Irene Dumlao said.

At a briefing Monday, Dumlao said more beneficiaries would receive their social amelioration and emergency subsidies as payouts by the DSWD field offices and local governments continue.

The social amelioration assistance is aimed at 18 million low-income families affected by the Luzon-wide lockdown that banned mass transport and mass gatherings, resulting in work stoppages in many industries.

The social amelioration aid was worth P5,000 to P8,000 a month per family, depending on the region’s minimum wage rate.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III, meanwhile, rejected proposals to halve the cash aid for poor families during the COVID-19 crisis, saying the government has enough funds to include more beneficiaries in the emergency subsidy program.

He said claims that the government did not have enough money to support the payments were untrue.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Monday the DSWD was working to resolve problems in the distribution of benefits to poor families, and was expected to complete the distribution of the first of two tranches of cash aid by next week.

Nograles said among the concerns being resolved are security, the reconciliation of lists of beneficiaries, and logistical challenges especially with regard to remote communities in the provinces.

“They are continuously coordinating with the local government units to address these concerns,” Nograles said.

“We would like to apologize to those who are waiting for the subsidies. We assure you that we are doing everything we can to distribute them as soon as possible,” he said.

Nograles assured the public that the target beneficiaries of the social amelioration program will receive the right amount of benefits.

“We also assure them that the subsidies will not be deducted and will be delivered to you without any hassle,” he said.

DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista said that some local governments prioritized indigenous people and residents of far-flung barangays in distributing the cash aid.

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But HRW and other campaigners point to cases where opposition figures or journalists have been targeted -- as well as questioning the fairness of arresting ordinary people who may not even realize they are spreading misinformation.

A middle-aged woman in Sri Lanka spent three days in custody this week after posting a prank message on Facebook saying the president had tested positive for COVID-19, police said.

In Cambodia, a Facebook pundit who posted a quote from Prime Minister Hun Sen was charged with incitement to commit felony and is facing up to two years in jail, according to a court warrant seen by AFP. AFP settings, until there is enough proof supporting their use for specific indications.

The Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) and the Philippine Society of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (PSMID) also discouraged the use of the rapid antibody tests for clinical care, citing the high rate of false positives and false negatives, particularly when used during the first 14 days of illness.

The Stop COVID-19 Coalition appealed to the government not to use the rapid antibody tests at this time, given the very high error rates.

“As much as 72 percent of positive tests will be false positives. Non-COVID-19 cases will be classified as COVID-19 cases and this will lead to errors in management.

Numerous non-COVID patients will be sent to COVID centers, exposing them to patients with COVID-19, and occupying scarce beds during this great time of need,” said Dr. Antonio Dans of the Asia-Pacific Center for Evidence-Based Healthcare, one of the organizations that signed the statement.

Aside from false positives, the rapid antibody test could also report false negatives, which could further worsen the spread of the virus.

“Seventeen percent of negative tests will be false negatives. COVID-19 cases will be classified as non-COVID-19 cases and this will lead to a false sense of reassurance. Numerous COVID-19 patients may be sent to PUI centers, inadvertently exposing other patients as well as health care providers,” added Dr. Eddie Dorotan, convener of the Galing Pook Foundation.

To date, there have been 4,648 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country. Of the 4,648, 297 have died while 197 have made a full recovery.

The Stop COVID-19 Coalition statement has been sent to the members of the IATF. With PNA

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Still, the Department of Foreign Affairs insisted on its opposition to the temporary ban on the overseas deployment of Filipino health workers amid the global pandemic.

On Twitter, Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. had criticized the suspension of the deployment of healthcare workers— after Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III reminded Locsin the DFA representative on the POEA had approved the ban in a unanimous resolution of the agency’s board.

At the same time, a nurses association on Monday called for the lifting of the ban on overseas employment for health care workers, including nurses, saying this was an ill-conceived decision, underestimating the economic crisis faced by nurses, who are overworked, underpaid and exploited.

The Filipino Nurses United (FNU), in a statement, cited the recently issued Department of Labor and Employment Governing Board Resolution 09 s. 2020 that temporarily suspends the deployment of health care workers.

“These are the real reasons that push them to migrate to other countries. They are driven by the need to save their families from starvation and extreme poverty,” said the FNU. “That POEA ban violates the IATF resolution protecting OFW contract work abroad from any restriction especially nurses now that their worth will be appreciated even more by their foreign hosts,” Locsin said in his Twitter post.

Describing the POEA’s directive as an “abomination,” Locsin vowed to oppose it in the Cabinet.

Locsin’s objection came after POEA administrator Bernard Olalia said the right to travel “takes a backseat” to public welfare during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The POEA has suspended the deployment of doctors, nurses and healthcare workers abroad to give priority to human resource allocation.

“The right to travel will take a backseat since the general welfare is more important especially during a state of public health emergency,” Olalia said in an interview.

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world under lockdown on Easter Sunday, and Britain’s Boris Johnson left hospital, thanking medics for saving his life.

More than half of the planet’s population is staying home as part of efforts to stem the spread of the virus, which emerged in China late last year and has now killed at least 112,500 people, overwhelming healthcare systems and crippling the world economy.

Spain’s death toll has fallen in recent days, but as a small bump in deaths was reported on Sunday, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned that the locked-down country was “far from victory”.

“We are all keen to go back out on the streets... but our desire is even greater to win the war and prevent a relapse,” he said, as some companies were set to resume operations at the end of a twoweeks halt of all non-essential activity.

In the US—now the world’s worsthit nation with a fifth of all deaths and more than half a million confirmed cases

-- the government’s top infectious disease expert added to cautious optimism that the pandemic may have reached its peak.

Anthony Fauci said parts of the country could begin easing restrictions in May, but warned that the world’s biggest economy would not turn back on like a “light switch”.

“We are hoping by the end of the month we can look around and say, OK, is there any element here that we can safely and cautiously start pulling back on?” Fauci told CNN. ‘Easter of solitude’ President Donald Trump had previously wanted the US to be back to normal by Easter, but most of the country remained at a standstill and churches took celebrations online.

Many of the world’s more than two billion Christians celebrated Easter from the confines of their homes, while Pope Francis delivered a livestream message from a hauntingly empty Vatican.

“For many, this is an Easter of solitude lived amid the sorrow and hardship that the pandemic is causing, from physical suffering to economic difficulties,” he said. AFP

Ramon Ang’s son Jomar passes away JOMAR Ang, the son of billionaire tycoon Ramon S. Ang, passed away over the weekend, the family announced.

In a statement, the elder Ang— president and chief operating officer of diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corp.—and his wife Tessie said Jomar passed on Saturday, April 11.

The family did not elaborate on the details of his passing.

“Jomar was a dutiful, loving, and kind-hearted son, brother, and a loyal and dedicated friend to many. He was a source of great joy to us and we are truly blessed to have had his love and presence in our lives. We know in our hearts that he is in a much better place now,” the Angs said.

“It has been a painful experience, but we have been comforted by the expressions of love and sympathy sent to us in many ways,” their statement read.

“We appreciate all the kind thoughts and prayers. Thank you for being with us during this difficult time,” it added.

The younger Ang was admitted to the St. Luke’s Medical Center in January, when he was said to be in critical condition.

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In a separate briefing, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said the COVID-19 situation in the country could have been worse if President Rodrigo Duterte did not place Luzon under nhanced community quarantine in March.

“Take a look at the other countries, those richer than us, look at their numbers —that’s what we always go back to,” Nograles said.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health issued guidelines Monday for the hiring of health workers to boost the country’s response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said the hiring of health personnel would augment the workforce in health facilities in the regions, provinces, or cities that manage COVID-19 cases.

He said the interim guidelines for emergency hiring of health personnel in select hospitals and other health facilities to expand the country’s response to the COVID-19 health emergency are contained under Department Memorandum No. 2020-0153.

Once hired, Duque said the health workers will be deployed in the following order of priority: 1.

DOH-designated COVID-19 referral hospitals like Philippine General Hospital (PGH), Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP), Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital; 2. Temporary treatment and monitoring facilities for COVID-19; 3.

DOH-designated COVID-19 diagnostic facilities; 4. Public hospitals (national and local) handling COVID-19 patients; and 5. Private hospitals duly designated by the DOH to handle COVID-19 cases.

The DOH Administrative ServicePersonnel Administration Division (AD-PAD) will approve the hiring and deployment of health personnel based on the needs assessment submitted by the DOH facilities, or through their respective Centers for Health Development (CHD) or by the Ministry of Health of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MOHBARMM).

Upon approval, the facilities may proceed with the recruitment and hiring process.

“These health personnel will be hired as contract of service and will include physicians; nurses; medical technologists; respiratory therapists; radiologic technologists; medical equipment technicians (Mechanical Ventilator Technician); nursing attendants; administrative assistants; administrative aides; and other personnel, as may be necessary,” Duque said. AFP

Roque...

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“Yup (sic) Harry Roque will be back to his previous post. I’m still the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel. I will be performing the same role as the President’s chief lawyer and issuing statements as such,” Panelo told reporters in a text message.

Panelo, Duterte’s long time ally, will continue to work for Duterte as Chief Presidential Legal Counsel.

Roque resigned in October 2018 to run for a seat in the House of Representatives under Luntiang Pilipinas party-list.

However, Roque withdrew his candidacy days before the campaign period officially started due to health reasons.

While out of political spotlight, Roque continued to practice law and represented the whistleblowers in the alleged PhilHealth dialysis fund scam.

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TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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STORIES ONLINE Lawyer to SC: Reveal Duterte health records Taguig BHWs get double monthly pay QC hospital shut for disinfection BARMM automatic price controls eyed Community-based livelihood pushed Army converts 2 ha. camp into farmland

IN BRIEF Dentists affected

by ECQ—PDA chief THE Philippine Dental Association on Monday said dentists are also badly hit by the coronavirus disease infection, and lamented that they also need government aid.

In a radio interview over dzMM, Dr. Stephen Almonte, PDA president, said dentists do not receive regular wages, and that they lost their jobs under the no-work no-pay scheme because of the enhanced community quarantine.

“Last March 15, the PDA issued advisory guidelines to all members of the association to comply with the infection control protocol. In short, we are making it clear that we ask [our] members and all the Filipino dentists out there to stop procedures, elective, and only do emergency procedures,” he said.

Almonte said they are appealing to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease to look into “possibility” of helping.

Almonte said the PDA has talked to the National Association of Dental Traders “asking for longer terms of payment” for those dentists who have procured their dental equipment on a staggered basis of payment.

According to Almonte, 70 percent of the newly dentistry graduates who have passed the board examination would put up a dental clinic of their own with only one staff acting as the clinic’s secretary.

Rio N. Araja

Marco Polo Hotel pays tribute to frontliners THE Philippines’ first sky hotel paid tribute to the selfless service of all frontliners against the coronavirus pandemic by lighting the skyline a brilliant red. Marco Polo Ortigas Manila stands as one of the Ortigas Center’s tallest structures, and is a heartbeat away from some of the leading medical institutions in the fight against COVID-19.

This poignant marker of solidarity started last April 9, coinciding with the country’s commemoration of the National Day of Valor.

This act of support is among the hotel’s ongoing initiatives with the city of Pasig. Around 1000 soap bars have also been turned over by the hotel for the city’s healthcare workers for hygiene and safety.

“More than ever, we join in honoring the dedication of our frontliners against the global pandemic. Red symbolizes bravery and courage, and it serves as a reminder that our community shares these values at our core,” said Frank Reichenbach, Marco Polo Ortigas Manila general manager.

“By keeping our lights on with this simple gesture, we hope to be among the beacons in our community to guide all affected by this disease towards recovery, and bring our colleagues who heeded the call to serve back home safely,” he added.

BODY CHECK. Social distancing, is observed inside the public market in Kidapawan City. Those entering the premises were also checked for high body temperature.

DFA repatriates 13k Pinoy seamen

By Rey E. Requejo THE Department of Foreign Affairs has repatriated close to 13,000 overseas Filipinos with the arrival of 822 seafarers from the United States and Barbados.

On Monday, the DFA welcomed home the Filipino crew members of MS Norwegian Epic, MS Marina and MS Norwegian Spirit at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport who arrived on two separate chartered flights.

Upon arrival of the 822 seafarers, the Department of Health-Bureau of Quarantine conducted mandatory quarantine inspection and briefing for the repatriated Filipino crew members.

The seafarers of MW Norwegian Epic and MS Marina will undergo a 14-day fa-

cility-based quarantine while those from MS Norwegian Spirit will be allowed to undergo home quarantine as recommended by the DOH-BOQ. “To date, it has successfully facilitated the return of 12,970 distressed OFWs [overseas Filipino workers],” the DFA said in a statement.

The Philippine Embassy in Washington DC coordinated the massive repatriation of the seafarers who were stranded in Miami and in Barbados, in cooperation with the local manning agency and the cruise line companies.

The DFA and all its foreign service posts vowed to continue its mission of bringing Filipinos home amid the ongoing global coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

BUSINESS AS USUAL? Amid the implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine in Kidapawan City, public transport, especially tricycles, continue to ferry passengers on Monday, April 13, along the National Highway of Kidapawan City, in North Cotabato.

Makati sets new quarantine rules

By Joel E. Zurbano

T

HE City Government of Makati announced on Monday it has imposed mandatory quarantine for persons either confirmed or suspected to be infected with an infectious or communicable disease such as the coronavirus.

QUARANTINE CENTER. The Ninoy Stadium is now open as a fully-operational quarantine center for treatment of COVID-19 patient, with a 112-bed capacity in Manila. The facility has been formally turned over to health agencies by Manila Mayor Francisco ‘Isko’ Domagoso, Senator Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go, House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III. Norman Cruz

BI says aliens okayed Oil firms raise prices of gasoline, diesel to file visa extension By Alena Mae S. Flores

By Vito Barcelo THE Bureau of Immigration said that foreigners staying in the country whose visas expired during the Enhanced Community Quarantine can file their visa extension 30 days after the ECQ period is lifted.

Immigration commissioner Jaime Morente said that foreigners may opt to file their extensions thirty days after the lifting of the quarantine period and no penalties will be charged.

“Since the ECQ was extended, we will continue our skeletal deployment in compliance with the directives from Malacanang to be able to ensure that we practice social distancing and lessen the risks of further spreading COVID-19,” said Morente.

“We have scaled down our operations significantly, following the closure of many international airports, as well as quarantine measures being implemented in the country,” he said.

Morente likewise advised foreign nationals who chose to remain in the country to stay indoors during the quarantine period.

“Please stay at home, let us all follow the restrictions being imposed by the government to be able to defeat this virus,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Morente lauded frontline personnel who remain on duty despite the Covid-19 outbreak, saying “the BI frontliners face risks, but nevertheless brave this pandemic to report for duty and fulfill our mandate.”

THE country’s oil firms raised the price of gasoline by P0.55 per liter and diesel

by P0.15 per liter but cut the price of kerosene by P0.20 per liter effective 6 a.m.

Tuesday.

Other oil firms are expected to follow suit.

“Please see fuel price advisory of Shell effective 6 a.m., Tuesday, April 14, 2020.

Gasoline: P0.55/liter increase, kerosene: P0.20/liter decrease and diesel: P0.15 per liter increase,” Pilipinas Shell said in its advisory.

Oil prices went up following the decision of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to cut down production by about a tenth of global oil supply.

“Expect fuel prices to go up next week [April 14, 2020 - April 20, 2020]. Diesel should go up around P0.20. Gasoline should go up around P0.45 - P0.50,” Un-

ioil Philippines said over the weekend.

This, as OPEC and other nations such as Russia announced a production cut of about 10 million barrels per day to boost oil prices.

According to the report from the Energy department, Saudi Arabia called for an “urgent meeting” of the OPEC+ alliance and other producers to negotiate a deal on output cuts.

Saudi Arabia was able to export crude to Europe specifically France, The Netherlands, Poland, Greece and Spain although demand has remained week in north Asia as Japanese refiners are still mulling whether to increase crude oil purchases from Saudi Arabia and the UAE for May. Prior to the latest oil price adjustment, year-to-date adjustments stand at net decrease of P15.07 per liter for gasoline, P14.09 per liter for diesel and P18.95 per liter for kerosene.

Residents, workers and all other persons in the city are also required to wear face masks while outdoors or in public places while the country is under the state of public health emergency or similar declarations.

Mayor Abigail Binay said the Sangguniang Panlungsod recently passed Ordinance No. 2020-088, or The Mandatory Quarantine Ordinance of the City of Makati, and Ordinance No. 2020-089 mandating the wearing of face masks or other protective gear outside the home while the city is dealing with a public health emergency. Both impose stiff penalties and even imprisonment on violators.

“We pushed for these new ordinances mainly to reinforce current efforts to stem the transmission of COVID-19 in our communities. But their purpose extends beyond the current pandemic to cover similar health emergencies in the future. With these legislations in place, we would be able to take swift and resolute measures to effectively stop the spread of infectious diseases,” said Binay.

City Ordinance No. 2020-088 requires any person who is infected or suspected to be infected with an infectious or communicable disease to be placed under mandatory quarantine for a period of seven days or longer as determined by the guidelines and protocols issued by the Department of Health, the Makati Health Department or other governing bodies. Current Department of Health protocols for COVID-19 prescribe a 14day quarantine.

QC rejects allegations of ‘uncollected cadavers’

By Rio N. Araja THE Quezon City government on Monday refuted the claim of Anakalusugan Party-list Rep. Mike Defensor in connection with uncollected cadavers of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients at the Lung Center of the Philippines.

Assistant city administrator for operations Alberto Kimpo said Defensor

should have verified his facts with the Lung Center of the Philippines first before making his accusations.

He was referring to Defensor’s allegations that Carol Patalinghog, assistant chief of the Welfare and Relief Division of the city’s Social Services and Development Department, stopped the transfer of the cadavers to Light Funeral Homes because it was not among those accredited by the

city government.

Defensor earlier said the Lung Center sought help to cremate the remains of the COVID-19 patients since it could only accommodate four bodies.

He said the city government’s refusal was politically motivated since it was the defeated mayoralty bet, former representative Vincent “Bingbong” Crisologo, who facilitated the transfer of the cadavers.

A4

Opinion

TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

A tragic death THERE has been a lot of attention on health workers for all the sacrifices they make in performing their jobs despite the risks of getting infected by the coronavirus. They have been given extra compensation and privileges denied the rest of us, who must stay home until the lockdown is lifted on April 30.

When you get infected, you are isolated. If your condition worsens, you die alone.

But how about the media people, who also face dangers and risks, in delivering the news to people? They are also at risk because they go out to gather the news and deliver them to the public.

I think media workers also deserve some commendation for working beyond the call of duty. *** The Duterte administration must find a way to deliver relief and cash assistance to those in need—the poor and deserving. Many observe that there has been some discrimination in the distribution of the help.

Even before the pandemic, I have been writing about how the system of government breeds not only discrimination but corruption, because of human discretion.

Alas, I could not go out and verify the information because I am on “house arrest” at my daughter’s house.

What I have gathered is that the Merville Park barangay listed over 3,000 names who should receive cash and goods. But how did they come up with that information when the village, and the one adjacent to it, is composed of middle-income citizens?

The end-result is that some residents of Merville Park filed a letter of protest to the village barangay.

I am certain the uneven distribution also happens in other barangays in Metro Manila.

Considering the times we are in, I m

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

not asking for an investigation. Still, the Duterte administration especially the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Department of Social Welfare and Development should find ways for a more equitable distribution of government assistance.

After all, the money being used came from us, taxpayers.

COVID-19 has not yet reached its peak here in our country, even though we are already into Week 5 of the lockdown. Things will get worse until they get better-- unless we can find a cure soon. The distribution of cash and goods assistance is tragic because those who really need them remain starving.

The tragedy is that government has promoted disparity and inequality, and that is why I am imploring President Rodrigo Duterte to make things right. *** The worst kind of tragedy hit a close family friend, Dr. Cayetano Mangahas from Nueva Ecija. He was married to another close friend, Josie Blanco of Cotabato City, who was like a sister to my wife. She died of cancer few years ago. Mangahas, an eye doctor at the Chinese General Hospital, was left to live by himself with only two household helpers to keep him company. His children were both living with their families in the United States.

It was his habit to drive his car to the hospital every day, even when he was already in his 80s.

My wife and I were informed by the doctor’s helpers that he had fever and cough, and so he was taken to the hospital by the nephew of one of the helpers. At the hospital, he was immediately taken to the isolation room—he was found to have COVID-19. He was given appropriate care by his colleagues, but his condition deteriorated, and he died alone.

A day after, his remains were cremated—but nobody knows where his ashes were taken. Not even the hospital was informed.

There was no wake because of the lockdown. It was the helpers who informed the doctor’s friends and relatives.

This is the real tragedy with this virus. When you get infected, you are isolated, and when your condition worsens, you die alone. There will be no wake, no gathering of friends and family to remember you, because your remains have to be cremated at once.

I

The last things we need N A global pandemic, the last things we need are politics and racism.

Yet, it seems, the United States, China and the World Health Organization are all too happy to play these cards as they try to shift the blame for the COVID-19 outbreak away from themselves.

US President Donald Trump, eager to avoid personal blame for the deaths of thousands of Americans that could have been prevented had he responded to early warnings instead of playing the new coronavirus down, has opened a racist can of worms by calling it “the Chinese virus.” That has inflamed xenophobia and racist attacks against Asian-Americans.

China, eager to rehabilitate its own image after the virus first appeared in the city of Wuhan in Hubei province, has turned to face-mask diplomacy by providing protective gear to other countries in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet it has also returned to its tendency to silence and to censor, an approach that had a devastating effect on Wuhan, where officials initially tried to stifle reports about the new

virus back in December 2019.

China has now imposed restrictions on the publication of academic research on the origins of COVID-19, requiring all academic papers on the virus to be subjected to extra vetting before being submitted for publication. Studies on the origin of the virus will receive extra scrutiny and must be approved by central government officials, according to online notices—now deleted--published by two Chinese universities.

Worse, Chinese foreign ministry officials have floated the bogus claim that COVID-19 may have originated in the United States. “It might be the US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan,” on foreign ministry official said on Twitter. His claim was backed by another foreign ministry spokesman, who said there were “varied opinions” on the origin of the virus.

The World Health Organization, the UN agency that ought to be the global authority on the pandemic, has also clearly let politics get in the way of doing its job.

Taiwan, which has been successful in keeping its infection rates down, this week accused the WHO of failing to act on a warning that Taipei

had sent it in December 2019 about the transmission of the coronavirus between humans.

Taiwan is excluded from the WHO because China, which claims it as part of its territory, demands that third countries and international bodies do not treat it in any way that resembles how independent states are treated.

This point was driven home in a widely seen online interview in which a senior WHO official, Dr. Bruce Aylward, pretended not to hear a question from a Hong Kong broadcaster about whether or not the UN agency would reconsider accepting Taiwan as a member. When the journalist offered to repeat her question, Aylward cut in: “No, that’s okay. Let’s move on to another question then”—then he hung up.

Much to Taiwan’s disadvantage, the WHO has lumped its coronavirus statistics into China’s, a practice that obscures its success in keeping the coronavirus at bay on the island.

None of this is particularly helpful in dealing with the deadly pandemic, in which the cost of straying from the truth can be counted in thousands of lives.

The right to hope FOR my Easter column, I borrow the words of Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap, from his Good Friday meditation last week and from Pope Francis’ Easter Vigil homily last Saturday.

Reflecting on the meaning of the Crucifixion of Christ during this time of pandemic, Fr. Cantalamessa proclaimed that Christ’s cross has changed the meaning of pain and human suffering—indeed of every kind of suffering, physical and moral. Because of Christ, our suffering is no longer punishment.

Nor is it a curse. Our suffering was redeemed at its root when the Son of God took it upon himself. He points out: “What is the surest proof that the drink someone offers you is not poisoned? It is if that person drinks from the same cup before you do. This is what God has done: On the cross he drank, in front of the whole world, the cup of pain down to its dregs. This is how he showed us it is not poisoned, but that there is a pearl at the bottom of this chalice.”

The pandemic has awakened us to the greatest danger human beings have always been susceptible to: The belief in our own omnipotence, which is a delusion. And now, according to the retreat master of Popes: “It took merely the smallest and most formless element of nature, a virus, to remind us that we are mortal, that military power and technology are not sufficient to save us . . . God does this with us sometimes: He disrupts our projects and our calm to save us from the abyss we don’t see.

But we need to be careful not to be deceived . . . God is our ally, not the ally

of the virus!”

Among the positive fruits of the pandemic is the feeling of solidarity, as the virus knows no borders and has broken down all the barriers and distinctions of race, nation, religion, wealth, and power. Cantalamessa continues: “We should not waste this opportunity. Let us not allow so much pain, so many deaths, and so much heroic engagement on the part of health workers to have been in vain. Returning to the way things were is the ‘recession’ of which we should have the most fear.”

Pope Francis says we have acquired a fundamental right that can never be taken away from us.

The papal retreat master then appeals to the youth: “Say it with all your might, you young people, because it is above all your destiny that is at stake.

Let us devote the unlimited resources committed to weapons to the goals that we now realize are most necessary and urgent: Health, hygiene, food, the poverty fight, stewardship of creation. Let us leave to the next generation a world poorer in goods and money, if need be, but richer in its humanity.”

Pope Francis echoes these points in his Easter Vigil homily where he emphasized how in Easter night we have acquired a fundamental right that can never be taken away from us: The right to hope. He proclaims: “It is a new and living hope that comes from God. It is not mere optimism; it is not a pat on the back or an empty word of encouragement, with a Turn to A5

Fighting the virus on all fronts ITALY, one of the worst-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, is already utilizing advanced technology to fight the deadly virus. It has started to deploy drones to take the temperatures of people out on the streets despite stringent quarantine measures.

Here, we don't have the capability to use advanced technology on a wide scale to contain the virus, but that does not mean we cannot do whatever it takes to at least control its spread.

Our Department of Health is already taking steps to update protocols on the use of rapid test kits as part of government moves to strengthen its hand in the fight against the viral disease.

Late last month, the Food and Drug Administration approved five rapid test kits and a more accurate five-minute test from a US manufacturer which can detect coronavirus infections.

The FDA clarified, however, that swab samples from the throat and nose must still undergo a confirmatory test using the machine-based method.

Rapid test kits can provide results within minutes or hours after extract-

ing a blood sample from a patient, which is faster than the 24 to 48-hour time frame set by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine to determine if a person is COVID-19 positive.

It’s going to be a long but necessary wait.

However, rapid test kits only detect the presence of antibodies or protein found in the blood that is produced in response to foreign substance. Traditional kits are deemed more accurate since they are processed through a real-time polymerase chain reaction or RT-PCR machine that can detect the

presence of the actual coronavirus.

The more important issue is not just being able to monitor infections through mass testing but also this: How close are we to a cure?

Here's what I have gathered so far from various news sources.

Scientists are approaching the issue from different angles. Some teams are looking at the effects of existing medicines as potential treatments. Others are experimenting with repurposing common drugs, or using cutting-edge technologies to come up with radically new types of vaccines.

The World Health Organization has selected four drugs or combinations for a large scale global trial involving patients from Asia to South America.

These are the experimental antiviral treatment remdesivir; a combination of two HIV drugs, lopinavir and ritonavir; those two drugs plus interferon beta, an immune system medication; and the antimalaria drug hydroxychloroquine.

Remdevisir is deemed one of the most promising treatments. It is alTurn to A5

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Opinion D-I-T-R REARRANGED, the above spells “dirt”—which is what’s now filling our mouths as our faces hit the ground from the force of the virus epidemic.

Or, what it must feel like you’re inhaling as your lungs struggle for oxygen amid the viral haze of a seriously infected patient.

Detect. Isolate.

Treat. Reintegrate What the above letters mean, though, are something more hopeful. They’re an acronym for the strategy design that our government—through an interagency task force (IATF)—has decided to follow as it struggles to beat back the virus. If we want to lift, or at least relax, the extended expanded lockdown by end of this month, it’s a strategy we should all learn by heart, and in which we should find our respective roles to play.

In short: Detect. Isolate. Treat. Reintegrate. Many of its components may already be familiar to us, but the whole picture maybe not yet. It’s our road back to recovery. *** Detection starts with testing. Unfortunately, this is an area about which there are even more differences of opinion among the medically ignorant, than there are among the doctors themselves. Truly, ignorance is more infectious than knowledge.

The flavour du jour is lateral assay flow testing. It’s the only test that doesn’t need to be done in a lab, and it reportedly takes only 15 minutes to get results back. It’s currently beloved not only by those hooked on instant gratification, but also by certain business and economic leaders who like to get results quickly and who really ought to be more respectful of the limits to their mastery of the universe.

Unfortunately for them, this test method can be as low as only 40-percent accurate. That means it is even less accurate than a 50/50 toss of the coin. Why bother to test, in that case?

Better for us to just toss a coin every time.

The other methods available are lab-based and thus require more time to yield results. The method officially preferred by the interagency task force is RT-PCR, the only one that actually looks for the detritus of the virus itself.

It’s a lab-based test that can yield results in 1-2 days. By itself, the test is at best 70- percent accurate—hardly the “gold standard” that even health officials have labelled it. But 70 percent is still a lot better than 40 percent, or 50/50, especially if combined with actual patient examination that is the only way to seal a truly reliable diagnosis.

The good news is that we’re about to take delivery of a lot more RT-PCR test equipment that should push up our testing capacity to 8,000 tests per day as early as this week. This seems to be the minimum number of tests whose results our doctors will be comfortable enough to use as a guide in deciding whether we can relax the extended lockdown by end of this month. The next three weeks, in short, are critical. *** The second part of Detection is contact tracing. All that testing isn’t just

in order to find out who are infected— especially those who aren’t showing any symptoms—and either isolate or treat them as the case may be. More important from a public health point of view, it’s to track down people who may have been infected by contact even with just a possibly infected person. This allows us to put a geographic face on the spread of the virus, which will later let us lift, or relax, the lockdown in some places but maintain it in others.

The telcos are helping by allowing the authorities to track where your cellphone has been. As well, the presence of a large number of cellphones moving about in a given area tells us there’s a high rate of potentially infectious contact taking place among those cellphone users. Don’t expect the lockdown to go up anytime soon in those areas.

Because of the importance of contact tracing, the IATF recently decided—after a long and heated debate— to relax the standard rules on patient confidentiality and share the names of (symptomatic) PUIs and (asymptomatic) PUMs with the police and other authorities. This will make it easier to track down their contact histories.

What isn’t about to happen, though— perhaps not ever—is sharing those names with the general public. When even heroic frontline health workers are being harassed by their communities, it’s clear that the public can’t be trusted with that kind of information. With so many now hooked on fake news, average citizens—like children—just can’t be expected to behave responsibly with too much information. *** The third part of Detection is social distancing. The basic rules by now are well-known: Wear your face mask (gloves would also be helpful). Maintain your distance (at least one meter from each other, although recent tests have seen the virus travel by air as far as four meters). Observe personal hygiene scrupulously, like frequently washing your hands, coughing into disposable tissue paper, not touching your eyes or nose through which the virus can gain entry.

Unfortunately, social distancing in many of our communities simply has to be forcibly enforced. We’ve seen videos of public markets, or cockpits, or religious processions where everybody merrily carries on practically cheek to jowl. But there simply aren’t enough policemen or barangay watchmen to do the job. And in certain cities, like Quezon City, the leadership doesn’t seem to have the energy or interest to keep people in line.

A new idea has come up that might be worth considering by the IATF. That is to make every single household as a quarantine point. The head of family serves as barangay tanod over his filial flock.

The guidelines for this still have to be worked out, but the list of what needs to be enforceable wouldn’t be long. It would obviously include basics like making your family wear masks outside the house, making them wash hands before entering, disinfecting clothes and other personal accessories brought in from outside, and in some cases, properly isolating a family member who’s a PUI or PUM, especially from elderly other family members. *** And that’s just the “D” in DITR. More on the rest of it next week.

Readers can write me at gbolivar1952@yahoo.com.

The right...

From A4

passing smile. No. It is a gift from heaven, which we could not have earned on our own. . . . Jesus’ hope is different. He plants in our hearts the conviction that God is able to make everything work unto good, because even from the grave he brings life.

The grave is the place where no one who enters ever leaves. But Jesus emerged for us; he rose for us, to bring life where there was death, to begin a new story in the very place where a stone had been placed. He, who rolled away the stone that sealed the entrance of the tomb, can also remove the stones in our hearts. So, let us not give in to resignation; let us not place a stone before hope.”

There is a reason for this hope: God’s faithfulness. According to Francis, “He did not abandon us; he visited us and entered into our situations of pain, anguish and death. His light dispelled the darkness of the tomb: Today he wants that light to penetrate even to the darkest corners of our lives. Dear sister, dear brother, even if in your heart you have buried hope, do not give up: God is greater. Darkness and death do not have the last word. Be strong, for with God nothing is lost!”

And at the end of his homily, Pope Francis makes an appeal: “ Let us silence the cries of death, no more wars! May we stop the production and trade of weapons, since we need bread, not guns. Let the abortion and killing of innocent lives end.

May the hearts of those who have enough be open to filling the empty hands of those who do not have the bare necessities.”

I make mine the Pope’s final prayer: “Today, as pilgrims in search of hope, we cling to you, Risen Jesus. We turn our backs on death and open our hearts to you, for you are Life itself.”

Even if tinged with sorrow and fear, I pray for a meaningful Easter for everyone!

Facebook page: Professor Tony La Vina Twitter: tonylavs

TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2020

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

True wartime leaders: Roosevelt and Churchill IN A recent article, a leading American publication referred to the ongoing US struggle against the novel coronavirus as a war and to President Donald Trump as a “wartime leader.”

There was general acceptance of the anti-coronavirus campaign’s designation as a war, but there was a widespread negative reaction to the characterization of the present US chief executive as a wartime leader.

Until World War II, the phrase “wartime leader” was the prosaic way of identifying the head of government of a country or war; if an individual happened to be the chief executive of a country that had gone to war, he or she was its wartime leader. Then the most horrendous conflict in the history of the modern world broke out in 1939. The phrase “wartime leader” was never the same again.

World War II brought forth the two greatest wartime leaders the world had ever seen: Franklin D. Roosevelt of the US and Winston S. Churchill of Great Britain. True, there had been other great wartime leaders in the past, but the wars over which they presided were, in scope, either domestic (US President Abraham Lincoln), bilateral (US President George Washington) or regional (Otto von Bismarck of Germany, David Ben-Gurion of Israel, Ho Chi Minh of North Vietnam).

President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill led the efforts of their countries in a war that spanned the entire world; they faced in the West and in the East the armies of the most powerful military machines the modern world had ever seen, namely, the military machines of Germany and the Japanese Empire.

In 1940, the British Expeditionary Force was driven out of the Eu-

ropean mainland by German armed forces, barely surviving a humiliating evacuation from the French port of Dunkirk. On the other side of the world, a large part of the US Pacific Fleet was destroyed by Japan’s Dec. 7, 1941 attack on the Fleet’s Pearl Harbor home base.

Trump is not a wartime leader; in fact, he is not a leader at all.

Things looked very bad for the US and Britain. Led by the indomitable Winston Churchill, Britain fought on, starting off a threatened German invasion through the months-long Battle of Britain. On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, Franklin Roosevelt, on the third of his four electoral terms, rallied the Depression-hit American people to mount a maximum effort to defeat the Japanese Empire. As the US and Britain revved up the engines of their military machines, Germany and Japan proceeded with their expansions in continental Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Western Pacific.

History records that, at the end of almost six years of the bloodiest conflict the modern world had ever seen, the US, Britain and its allies emerged victorious, with the aggressor countries forced to surrender unconditionally. The dire situations of 1939-1942 had been turned into magnificent triumphs in 1945.

How was that made possible? The answer is found in two words: Wartime leadership. Stated more specifically, the answer is the leadership displayed in wartime by the leaders of the US and Britain.

From the very start, Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill did not spare their peoples the stark truth about the situations that the US and

Great Britain were facing. They told the Americans and the British that an enormous task—vanquishing very powerful and determined enemies— lay ahead of them and that victory could be attained only by a nationwide display of solidarity, determination to succeed and willingness to undergo sacrifice. With the citizenry and the government moving forward as one nation, the economy could be vanquished and righteousness would be made to prevail.

The American and British peoples immediately heeded the exhortations of their wartime leaders and, having set aside their differences, proceeded to rally to their nations’ cause. The message of solidarity and sacrifice had been conveyed to them by their wartime leaders; they had heard it loud and clear and now proceeded to translate it into a powerful national effort.

And why did the American and British peoples unhesitatingly and quickly rally to the cause of that nation in its moment of great danger?

Because they respected, and believed in, Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. The two men had no history of lying and dissembly. They told the American and British peoples the bitter truth about the danger and the risk that lay ahead. Their words and actions were motivated by the nation’s, not a personal, agenda.

Which brings us to the current situation of the US. Donald Trump disregarded the early-in-the-day warnings of the medical science community and his White House advisers about the seriousness of the COVID-19 threat, and he kept telling the American people that the coronavirus would “go away” and that his administration had the situation very much “under control.” The reason for Trump’s lying and dissembling? He had founded his 2020 electoral strategy on a strong economy and the coronavirus’ depressive impact on the economy would endanger his reelection chances.

Patient recovery, economic recovery they must elucidate on how the human body’s immune system has helped patients win the battle against the disease.

We need to hear these stories of triumph.

ASSISTANT Secretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire of the Department of Health made a noteworthy statement stressing that a number of COVID-19 cases may not have been reported at all, including those who have been on self-quarantine.

The DOH official’s claim is as significant as the number of recovered COVID-19 patients, now nearly 200, tallied along with the rising numbers of those testing positive and those who died from the dreaded disease.

It is important and critical for the health authorities to establish and point out that a sizable percentage of the coronavirus cases actually result in patient recovery.

As more COVID-19 infections are confirmed with mass laboratory testing and as the death toll rises, the authorities must likewise elaborate how treatment and patient care by our heroic frontliners have helped patients recuperate.

And, since medical experts themselves say there is neither vaccine to prevent nor an antidote to cure COVID-19,

We need to hear stories of triumph.

With the Enhanced Community Quarantine, which should have ended today but was extended for another two weeks, I’m confident the public shall extend the cooperation and support it has by and large shown the Duterte administration in its efforts to control the virus’ spread in the past month.

Indeed, the Filipino people could use words of encouragement and hope that there is a great chance of recovery from COVID-19.

Meanwhile, the Inter-Agency Task Force on coronavirus tasked the Office of Civil Defense and the Department of the Interior and Local Government to conduct contact-tracing in an intensified effort to seek out possible “suspects” for COVID19 infection, even disclosing those people’s identities.

I was not surprised when I heard

Fighting...

From A4

ready in the final stages of clinical trials in Asia. Doctors in China have reported it has proven effective in fighting the disease.

The other three appear to be either too toxic for the human body or the research on effectiveness is limited to "anecdotal" evidence, cautioned Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, a global organization based in Oslo, Norway, is partnering with the French Institut Pasteur-led consortium to invest an initial $4.9 million in eight different vaccine candidates against COVID-19 around the world.

Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Center, meanwhile, are also looking at a potential new vaccine based on their previous ground research on the similar viruses SARS and MERS. But we shouldn't expect a quick fix, experts are saying.

The exploratory phase for a potential COVID-19 vaccine is only the first step as it should be followed by the preclinical stage, clinical development, regulatory review/approval, manufacturing and quality control, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The National Institute of Health in the US is working with Moderna, a relatively new firm founded in 2010, on human trials this month. If all goes to plan, their product could be available in about a year and a half, according to Fauci.

a rabid critic of President Rodrigo Duterte who said the government is approaching this whole war on the global pandemic novel-coronavirus just like its bloody war on drugs—targeting poor people.

There is nothing farther from the truth. The Duterte leadership is doing what it has to do in a timely manner.

I trust that the DILG and the Philippine National Police can ensure the safety, as well as respect the legal rights of, suspected COVID-19 cases, especially in the wake of “witch-hunting” or instances of discrimination and harassment of both patients and health workers.

We are also hoping that, just as stricter public health measures are enforced, the social amelioration program speeds up to deliver the cash aid to the displaced poor people who need it most.

Still, we would be happy to hear a word about the government’s economic recovery plan following the lifting of the nationwide lockdown, as millions of Filipinos look to salvage their means of livelihood.

Needless to say, the government and the private sector must continue to work together more closely just the way they do now in the true spirit of bayanihan.

This is so we could bring the country back on its feet.

In China, a vaccine co-developed by CanSino Biologics and the Academy of Military Medical Sciences started its first stage clinical trial in Wuhan on March 16 and has been proceeding smoothly, with the results expected to be published this month.

The biotech company Stemirna Therapeutics in China has also launched a program with the Shanghai East Hospital of Tongji University to develop a mRNA vaccine, which has a comparatively shorter development and production cycle. The mRNA vaccine is expected to enter clinical trials in mid-April, according to Xinhua news agency.

Chinese researchers published in early January the genetic sequence of the virus, thus opening the floodgates for dozens of research labs across the world to find effective vaccines.

On March 16, the first human trial of the COVID-19 vaccine was reported to start on four patients at the US Kaiser Permanente research facility in Seattle, Washington. World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hailed it "an incredible achievement", but experts have raised cautious hopes that a vaccine will be ready only within 18 months.

Scientists caution that it normally takes between 10 and 15 years for a drug to go from development through testing phases and onto licensing and large-scale manufacture.

What all this tells us is that we have to hunker down in the next 18 months to two years while waiting for a cure for COVID-19. It's going to be a long wait, but it's necessary for the world to escape the clutches of the contagion. ernhil@yahoo.com

World

TUEDAY, APRIL 14, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Pandemic ‘perfect storm’ for South Asia Next hot spots: India, Pakistan, smaller nations

S

OUTH Asia is on course for its worst economic performance in 40 years, with decades of progress in the battle against poverty at risk, because of coronavirus, the World Bank said Sunday.

Mannequins and fake masked audience placards are placed at the Taoyuan Baseball stadium before the opening match for the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) in Taoyuan on April 11, 2020. AFP

At least 6 dead as tornadoes hit Mississippi AT LEAST six people were killed when tornadoes ripped through Mississippi on Sunday, officials said, prompting the southern US state to declare an emergency.

The tornadoes caused “catastrophic” damage, according to US media, and prompted the National Weather Service to issue its highest level of tornado alert.

Governor Tate Reeves tweeted that he had declared a state of emergency “to protect the health and safety of Mississippians in response to the severe tornadoes and storms hitting across the state.”

“We are mobilizing all resources available to protect our people and their property,” Reeves said, telling residents “you are not alone.”

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency reported that all six deaths occurred in the southern part of the state.

“These are initial reports and will continue to update when info becomes available,” the agency tweeted.

The Storm Prediction Center said it expected “severe thunderstorms” to continue through the night in Mississippi, as well as in the neighboring states of Alabama and Georgia.

“Strong tornadoes, widespread damaging winds, and large hail are all possible,” the center added.

Earlier on Sunday, Reeves urged residents to take the “severe storms very seriously.”

“Please take precautions to keep your family safe.”

He later retweeted a message from the state disaster agency reminding people to cover their noses and mouths and practice social distancing to prevent the spread of coronavirus if they had to go to public storm shelters. AFP

Ten tourists forced to write ‘sorry’ 500X TEN foreigners who broke a coronavirus lockdown in an Indian town made famous by the Beatles, were forced to repent by writing “I am so sorry” -- 500 times, officials said Sunday.

The nationwide lockdown was imposed near the end of March, with residents permitted to leave their homes only for essential services such as buying groceries and medicine.

The travellers -- from Israel, Mexico, Australia and Austria -- were caught taking a walk in Rishikesh, where the Beatles sought spirituality at an Ashram in 1968.

Local police officer Vinod Sharma said they were each made to write “I did not follow the rules of lockdown so I am so sorry” 500 times.

More than 700 foreign tourists from the US, Australia, Mexico and Israel staying in the area had flouted the lockdown rules, Sharma said, adding the unusual punishment was handed out to teach them a lesson.

Police said they would direct hotels in the area to allow foreign guests to step out only if accompanied by local helpers.

Establishments that did not follow the order could face legal action, Sharma said. AFP

Top oil producers agree ‘historic’ cuts, prices soar TOP oil-producing countries agreed on “historic” output cuts to prop up prices hammered by the coronavirus crisis and a Russia-Saudi price war, sending crude prices soaring on Monday.

The US benchmark WTI climbed 7.7 percent to $24.52 a barrel in early Asian trade while Brent was up 5.0 percent at $33.08.

OPEC producers dominated by Saudi Arabia and allies led by Russia thrashed out a compromise deal via videoconference Sunday after Mexico had balked at an earlier agreement struck on Friday.

In the compromise reached Sunday they agreed to a cut of 9.7 million barrels per day from May, according to Mexican Energy Minister Rocio Nahle, down slightly from 10 million barrels a day envisioned earlier.

OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo called the cuts “historic”.

“They are largest in volume and the longest in duration, as they are planned to last for two years,” he said.

The agreement between the Viennabased Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and partners foresees deep output cuts in May and June followed by a gradual reduction in cuts until April 2022.

Barkindo added that the deal “paved the way for a global alliance with the participation of the G20”.

Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, who chaired the meeting together with his Russian and Algerian counterparts, also confirmed that the discussions “ended with consensus”.

‘Great deal for all’ US President Donald Trump welcomed a “great deal for all”, saying on Twitter it would “save hundreds of thousands of energy jobs in the United States”.

He added he “would like to thank and congratulate” Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Crown Prince and de facto leader Mohammed bin Salman, both of whom he had spoken to.

The Kremlin confirmed the joint phone call, adding that Putin and Trump agreed on the “great importance” of the deal.

“This is good,” Canadian Natural Resources Minister Seamus O’Regan tweeted. “We welcome any news that brings stability to global oil markets.”

Initial reticence from Mexico to introduce output cuts had led to a standoff that cast doubt on efforts to bolster oil prices, pushed to near two-decade lows.

Oil prices have slumped since the beginning of the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has sapped demand as countries around the world have put their populations under lockdown. AFP

Kim shuffles NoKor’s governing body NORTH Korean leader Kim Jong Un has carried out a major reshuffle of his State Affairs Commission, official media reported Monday, replacing more than a third of its members.

Kim has established an iron grip on the levers of authority in his nuclear-armed country since inheriting power in his late 20s in 2011.

He is chairman of the SAC -- the North’s highest decision-making body -- and five of its 13 other members were replaced at a meeting of the country’s rubber-stamp Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) parliament on Sunday, the state KCNA news agency reported.

“This is a rather large scale of SAC membership shuffle,” said former US government North Korea analyst Rachel Lee. Pictures carried by the official Rodong Sinmun newspaper showed hundreds of lawmakers sitting in close proximity to each other without wearing protective masks.

A cabinet report reiterated the North’s insistence that “not a single case” of the coronavirus pandemic that has swept the world since emerging in neighbouring China has been reported in the country.

Pyongyang put thousands of its own people and hundreds of foreigners -- in-

cluding diplomats -- into isolation and mounted disinfection drives as it sought to prevent an outbreak, which experts say could be devastating given its weak health sector and widespread malnutrition.

“State emergency anti-epidemic campaign will continue to be intensified to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” the cabinet report said.

There was no mention on KCNA of Kim presiding over the meeting himself, and he did not appear in photos of it.

“The fact that North Korea went ahead with the SPA suggests the country’s confidence in managing the coronavirus situation,” Lee told AFP. “The fact that the attendees were not wearing masks only reconfirms that.”

‘Serious mistakes’ The new SAC members include Ri Son Gwon, a former senior army officer named as foreign minister earlier this year, while his predecessor, career diplomat Ri Yong Ho, was removed.

Another former foreign minister, Ri Su Yong, was also taken off the committee.

Under Kim the North has made rapid progress on its nuclear arsenal, launching missiles capable of reaching the whole of the US mainland, and has been subject to increasingly stringent UN Security Council sanctions as a result. AFP

India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan and other smaller nations, which have 1.8 billion people and some of the planet’s most densely populated cities, have so far reported relatively few coronavirus cases but experts fear they could be the next hotspots.

The dire economic effects are already much in evidence, with widespread lockdowns freezing most normal activity, Western factory orders cancelled and vast numbers of poor workers suddenly jobless.

“South Asia finds itself in a perfect storm of adverse effects. Tourism has dried up, supply chains have been disrupted, demand for garments has collapsed and consumer and investor sentiments have deteriorated,” said a World Bank report.

It slashed its growth forecast for the region this year to 1.8-2.8 percent from its pre-pandemic projection of 6.3 percent, with at least half the countries falling into “deep recession”.

Worst hit will be the Maldives where the collapse of tourism will result in gross domestic output contracting by as much as 13 percent, while Afghanistan could shrink by as much as 5.9 percent and Pakistan by up to 2.2 percent.

Regional heavyweight India, where the fiscal year began on April 1, will see growth of just 1.5-2.8 percent in its current financial year, down from an expected 4.8-5.0 percent for the year just ended, the bank predicted.

Inequality The report also warned that the pandemic will reinforce inequality in the region, with the pandemic hitting informal workers with limited or no access to healthcare or social safety the hardest. AFP

Defector seeks parliament seat in South Korea

North Korean defector and human rights activist Ji Seong-ho is running for a parliamentary seat in South Korea are confirmed dead due to COVID-19 on the ship. Seven passengers and five crew were confirmed positive on April 2, 2020.

There are 1,898 people on the ship; 1,020 passengers and 878 crew. AFP

THE crutch-wielding North Korean lauded by Donald Trump in a State of the Union address is seeking a seat of his own in the South’s parliament to defend other defectors who have fled their reclusive homeland but often find themselves marginalised.

Ji Seong-ho was stealing coal to feed his starving family during a devastating 1990s famine when he fell from a train wagon.

The drop knocked out the then 13-yearold and a train ran him over, severing his left leg and hand. He was rushed to hospital and operated on without anaesthetic.

“My father was given a bag with his son’s hand and leg” to bury, Ji recalled in an interview with AFP. “This was what he got for being loyal to the Party.”

A quarter of a century later and on the other side of the Demilitarized Zone that divides the Korean peninsula, Ji is running for South Korea’s main opposition, the conservative United Future Party, in legislative elections. AFP

‘One lap too many’ for racer Sterling Moss, 90

British former driver Sir Stirling Moss is pictured on the grid of the Silverstone circuit before the start of the British Formula One Grand Prix. AFP

STIRLING Moss, widely-regarded as the greatest motor racing driver never to win the world title, has died aged 90 following a long illness.

“It was one lap too many,” his wife Susie Moss told Britain’s Press Association on Sunday.

“He just closed his eyes.”

Tributes flooded in from the world of motorsport and beyond to the gifted and revered driver who never won the Formula One title, finishing runner-up four times and third three times.

“Today we say goodbye to Sir Stirling Moss, the racing legend,” reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton wrote on Instagram.

“Two people from massively different times and backgrounds but we clicked and ultimately found that the love for racing we both shared

made us comrades,” added the six-time world champion.

Meanwhile, three-time world champion Jackie Stewart, who came into Grand Prix racing shortly after Moss’s injury-enforced retirement in the early 1960s, told the BBC: “I think he’s probably the best example of a racing driver there’s ever been.

“He walked like a racing driver, he talked like a racing driver, he behaved like a racing driver should behave.”

Former England striker Gary Lineker posted on Instagram: “Sir Stirling Moss has reached life’s checkered flag, and what a race he drove.

Wonderful driver and a lovely man. RIP.” British media reported Moss had succumbed to a chest infection he caught in Singapore in December 2016 that saw him retire from public life two years later. AFP

Business

A7

TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2020 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market rises; Jollibee advances T HE stock market bounced back Monday on bargain hunting after the Holy Week break last week amid tentative signs of progress in efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index soared 100.15 points, or 1.8 percent, to 5,610.98 on a value turnover of P5.2 billion. Gainers beat losers, 112 to 70, with 46 issues unchanged.

Jollibee Foods Corp., the biggest fast-food chain, jumped 12.5 percent to P135, while Puregold Price Club Inc. of retail tycoon Lucio Co. advanced 6.3 percent to P44.

Major property developer Ayala land

Inc. rose 4.5 percent to P33.45, while SM Prime Holdings Inc. of the Sy Group climbed 3.1 percent to P30.10 The rest of Asia markets fell Monday with investors cautious on news of an international deal to shore up oil prices.

Tokyo closed 2.3 percent lower on the back of a stronger yen and investor disappointment over a lack of asset-buying from the Bank of Japan.

Shanghai was down 0.5 percent and Singapore fell 0.3 percent in afternoon trade.

Hong Kong, Sydney and Wellington were closed for a public holiday.

OPEC producers dominated by Saudi Arabia and allies led by Russia thrashed out a compromise deal on Sunday to cut production by nearly 10 million barrels per day from May. Oil futures surged in early Asian trade, with WTI climbing nearly eight percent and Brent up five percent before

world is winning the battle against the disease, which has now infected more than 1.8 million people and claimed more than 112,500 lives globally.

The weekend saw glimmers of hope that the crisis may have peaked in some of the hardest-hit countries.

Italy recorded its lowest death toll in three weeks on Easter Sunday and fatalities fell in France, while British Prime Minister Boris Johnson left hospital praising National Health Service staff for having “saved my life, no question”.

Washington’s top health advisor Anthony Fauci, meanwhile, said the United States could be ready to start gradually reopening for business from next month, despite the country leading the world in both confirmed cases and deaths.

“The most critical question for the economic outlook is whether, and how quickly, the coronavirus outbreak will decrease,” said Innes. With AFP

both benchmarks pared their gains in afternoon trade.

The rally followed months of slumping prices after the COVID-19 outbreak sapped demand as countries around the world put their populations under lockdown.

A Saudi-Russian price war also saw the ramping up of production as both countries bid to hold on to market share and undercut US shale producers.

OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo called the cuts “historic” in size but analysts said the measures may not go far enough to secure a long-term rebound.

“There remain concerns the agreement could be a day late and a ‘barrel short’ to prevent a decline in prices in the coming weeks as storage capacity brims,” said AxiCorp chief market strategist Stephen Innes.

Investors are waiting for signs that the

Manila Standard BuSineSS daily StockS review Monday, april 13, 2020

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

47.7 58.1 100.8 20.4 15.4 7.6 2.89 0.95 695 0.265 37 0.65 8.65 16.02 20 169.3 43 17.5 107.2 1,620 53.9 0.96

47.7 58.85 103.5 20.4 15.8 7.96 2.89 0.95 695 0.3 37.75 0.65 8.65 16.02 21.9 169.5 43 17.5 107.3 1,655 53.9 1.09

47.7 57.7 98.4 19.76 15.4 7.6 2.75 0.94 615 0.265 36.8 0.65 8.65 16.02 20 169 43 17.3 102 1,620 52.85 0.96

FINANCIALS 47.7 100 58 1,956,590 98.5 7,238,320 19.9 486,900 15.5 7,600 7.62 267,700 2.81 6,000 0.94 2,000 615 140 0.3 180,000 37 3,241,800 0.65 162,000 8.65 600 16.02 200 21 647,300 169 110 43 300 17.3 4,200 102 886,980 1,655 25 53.7 15,810 1.09 2,000

4,770 113,935,893 724,364,321 9,680,148 118,950 2,045,026 16,800 1,890 86,960 50,900 120,665,535 105,300 5,190 3,204 13,601,480 18,607 12,900 73,270 92,039,939 40,675 838,565.50 2,050

-43,796,281.50 -143,702,018 -2,749,334.00 -1,729,858 -64,684,320 -2,473,090 -11,746,074 530 -

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

27.5 2.02 6.98 0.52 1 2.56 0.166 86.95 1.05 14.3 5.99 25.15 48 1.9 3.4 5.15 7.55 5.4 7.98 1.9 17.3 52 1.35 32 0.76 12.16 4.47 0.96 121 3.3 5.3 10.58 4.69 6.37 266.2 1.78 2.63 2.6 10 18.06 4.51 1.37 0.8 5.2 55.45 7.77 0.109 0.71 123 0.77 0.6

27.95 2.02 7.04 0.52 1 2.62 0.171 86.95 1.06 14.3 6.1 25.15 48 1.91 3.7 5.58 7.55 5.64 7.98 2.15 17.9 52.5 1.41 32 0.8 12.2 4.6 1 136.1 3.3 5.3 11.1 5.3 6.96 267 1.81 2.63 2.83 10.18 18.3 4.55 1.45 0.88 5.62 58.5 7.95 0.109 0.71 126 0.8 0.65

27.25 1.97 6.75 0.5 0.99 2.5 0.166 86.95 1.03 14.02 5.83 25 48 1.9 3.4 5.1 7.45 5.35 7.9 1.9 17.06 51.5 1.35 31 0.76 11.6 4.47 0.95 121 3.11 5.3 10.58 4.69 6.34 258 1.72 2.49 2.59 9.8 18.02 4.51 1.37 0.76 5.2 55 7.77 0.109 0.7 119.6 0.77 0.57

INDUSTRIAL 27.55 1,091,700 2 4,423,000 6.92 255,800 0.52 159,000 0.99 19,000 2.51 923,000 0.171 60,000 86.95 60 1.05 3,781,000 14.14 58,100 5.86 1,331,900 25 1,600 48 100 1.91 6,000 3.4 61,000 5.4 3,211,600 7.49 461,900 5.4 912,900 7.98 4,224,000 2.15 4,809,000 17.9 797,100 52.1 5,290 1.38 15,904,000 31.95 52,000 0.8 308,000 12.2 177,000 4.47 52,000 0.99 412,000 135 2,592,310 3.11 21,000 5.3 1,900 10.88 3,597,500 5.06 6,049,000 6.6 2,269,300 267 309,640 1.81 658,000 2.5 21,000 2.82 4,400,000 10.18 43,300 18.08 1,496,600 4.54 22,000 1.42 1,263,000 0.81 1,067,000 5.36 6,158,800 55 410,710 7.95 34,600 0.109 390,000 0.7 201,000 125.8 995,830 0.79 2,412,000 0.59 896,000

29,943,845 8,806,880 1,780,698 80,030 18,850 2,329,520 10,010 5,217 3,940,610 824,320 7,937,868 40,140 4,800 11,410 209,020 17,383,908 3,461,946 4,956,878 33,694,122 9,839,660 13,866,120 275,266 21,989,520 1,646,030 242,290 2,126,652 233,240 400,660 338,845,204 66,970 10,070 39,307,264 30,342,640 14,990,036 81,313,492 1,163,640 53,210 12,128,210 438,000 27,052,202 99,600 1,773,220 860,560 33,085,673 22,980,107.50 273,540 42,510 141,930 121,935,166 1,902,180 533,650

-18,019,745 -280,000 -383,395 -421,660 -2,050,400 309,566 -291,572 -11,100 2,214,331 -1,348,822 -1,292,983.00 -30,538,705 130,650 -7,013,946 -76,144 994,560.00 -18,960 -618,196 -17,890 -5,700 -13,735,904 -13,084,020 -6,442,540 1,461,844 7,598,534 434,320 70,750 -14,951,378.00 -18,130 -176,550 -15,684,571 9,928,833 -16,320,302 1,200

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

0.52 42.7 6.8 0.54 5.93 5.85 0.455 502 1.51 4.78 4.08 8.4 2.87 401 3.8 54 0.43 2.81 7.45 0.46 2.5 3.2 0.72 95 869 0.61 0.82 171 150 0.208 0.132

0.53 43.5 6.99 0.54 5.93 5.85 0.455 524 1.51 4.98 4.17 8.5 4.06 411 3.82 55.4 0.49 2.84 7.48 0.48 2.55 3.2 0.74 97 876.5 0.67 0.9 171.1 156 0.208 0.132

0.51 41.4 6.73 0.51 5.93 5.53 0.43 502 1.49 4.62 4.05 8.4 2.87 400 3.8 53.2 0.43 2.81 7.16 0.455 2.49 3.2 0.71 94.5 843.5 0.6 0.82 161 150 0.19 0.125

HOLDING FIRMS 0.52 1,488,000 43.1 1,217,000 6.76 5,590,800 0.52 93,000 5.93 1,100 5.85 3,200 2,320,000 0.43 508 604,700 1.49 1,034,000 4.85 6,478,000 4.15 4,160,000 8.5 1,600 3.7 19,000 400 135,800 3.82 77,000 53.7 1,782,440 0.455 140,000 2.82 389,000 7.39 1,120,600 0.455 130,000 2.5 65,914,000 3.2 1,000 0.72 54,000 94.95 258,910 870 206,530 0.67 21,000 0.9 4,000 170 3,100 156 320 0.208 30,000 0.125 570,000

773,680 52,140,560 38,166,115 47,700 6,523 18,507 1,021,050 308,595,550 1,554,290 31,030,570 17,215,430 13,450 67,210 54,684,836 292,860 95,641,875.50 64,200 1,096,710 8,206,995 59,500 165,638,390 3,200 39,080 24,726,227.50 177,515,120 12,740 3,440 524,121 49,560 6,060 72,860

59,280 -34,600,650 15,571,326 -20,018,955 150,000 -25,928,840.00 -2,512,570 2,770,930 -277,660 -26,031,984 -986,900 -2,191,874 -62,938,880 2,004,347.50 -74,251,730 -10,860 -

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

11.96 0.54 9 1.1 0.56 32.3 1.35 3.8 0.375 0.71 0.12 0.26 6.9 16.16 0.3 0.91 0.75 2.72 0.148 0.32 0.73 1.74 13.84

11.96 0.56 9 1.1 0.58 33.45 1.38 3.8 0.38 0.73 0.129 0.26 6.9 16.2 0.305 0.92 0.83 2.8 0.148 0.32 0.76 1.75 14.1

11.54 0.53 8.99 1.1 0.53 31.95 1.35 3.7 0.365 0.71 0.12 0.26 6.71 15.9 0.3 0.9 0.75 2.69 0.141 0.32 0.71 1.74 13.74

PROPERTY 11.56 6,600 0.55 872,000 9 2,100 1.1 20,000 0.57 825,000 33.45 7,580,800 1.36 217,000 3.8 713,000 0.37 3,980,000 0.71 26,000 0.129 60,000 0.26 100,000 6.82 22,800 16.1 197,300 0.305 60,000 0.91 8,402,000 0.81 766,000 2.8 35,175,000 0.145 5,120,000 0.32 10,000 0.76 517,000 1.75 6,000 13.86 3,121,100

NAME

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

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

1.5 2.77 29.4 1.95 1.18 3.93 3.5

1.5 2.8 30.1 1.96 1.18 4 3.59

1.49 2.75 28.6 1.85 1.15 3.88 3.5

1.5 2.75 30.1 1.94 1.17 3.93 3.5

25,000 566,000 8,455,700 155,000 427,000 1,314,000 38,000

37,450 1,561,950 248,980,890 296,250 495,220 5,154,150 133,690

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

5.93 16.86 1.28 4.74 0.3 0.04 17.38 2.29 5.84 0.028 48.05 6.5 2.6 1.72 5.9 2,200 5 369 0.73 73.5 0.094 12.18 1.39 4.27 2.1 1.46 1.38 1.43 1.61 1.75 6.7 2.13 3.35 8.5 135 2.01 1,103 0.31 0.2 42 61.5 1.22 0.38 0.164 0.41 12.6

6.14 17.28 1.28 5.06 0.3 0.04 17.38 2.48 5.84 0.028 50 6.5 2.72 1.87 5.9 2,238 5 369 0.77 74.8 0.094 12.18 1.39 4.51 2.2 1.55 1.48 1.43 1.66 1.75 7 2.13 3.55 8.5 135 2.33 1,127 0.31 0.212 44.5 62 1.3 0.385 0.164 0.41 13

5.85 16.86 1.28 4.74 0.29 0.038 17 2.29 5.69 0.027 48 6.5 2.55 1.7 4.8 2,160 4.97 368 0.73 73.5 0.088 12.18 1.37 4.27 2 1.46 1.36 1.43 1.6 1.75 6.6 2.13 3.34 8.5 130 2.01 1,090 0.295 0.197 41.7 59 1.21 0.38 0.159 0.385 12.48

SERVICES 5.89 17.1 1.28 4.95 0.29 0.038 17 2.41 5.78 0.028 49.6 6.5 2.72 1.85 4.85 2,224 4.99 369 0.76 74.8 0.088 12.18 1.37 4.45 2 1.51 1.4 1.43 1.66 1.75 7 2.13 3.55 8.5 132 2.32 1,127 0.305 0.212 44 61.5 1.21 0.385 0.163 0.4 12.7

86,100 93,800 7,000 2,215,000 830,000 5,400,000 1,000 103,000 5,457,500 700,000 181,600 1,500 1,594,000 70,016,000 11,600 54,465 231,500 100 235,000 3,279,280 240,000 500 312,000 3,013,000 94,000 2,592,000 771,000 3,000 2,007,000 11,000 79,200 3,000 51,000 1,000 680 9,563,000 87,210 10,850,000 2,280,000 4,943,400 143,110 1,767,000 1,010,000 520,000 440,000 1,117,100

508,920 1,602,048 8,960 10,941,010 241,900 205,600 17,304 238,180 31,310,802 19,400 8,930,780 9,750 4,257,780 125,817,170 59,257 120,283,590 1,153,445 36,890 176,820 242,928,415.50 21,390 6,090 431,680 13,381,030 192,800 3,893,700 1,083,480 4,290 3,282,750 19,250 545,630 6,390 171,360 8,500 89,810 21,294,090 97,188,790 3,253,050 460,380 215,268,535 8,675,614 2,190,260 388,000 83,100 172,150 14,182,216

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

0.0011 5.1 0.78 1.75 10.86 0.78 2.62 0.23 6.16 0.66 0.2 0.073 0.55 1.64 0.91 0.46 0.0083 0.0082 2.12 3.85 11.8 0.0041

0.0011 5.23 0.83 1.87 10.86 0.78 2.63 0.23 6.5 0.74 0.2 0.075 0.57 1.67 0.95 0.46 0.0083 0.0082 2.12 4.04 12.2 0.0043

0.001 5.07 0.77 1.75 10.84 0.78 2.55 0.21 6.16 0.66 0.19 0.073 0.54 1.64 0.91 0.46 0.0083 0.0082 2.06 3.85 11.8 0.0041

MINING & OIL 0.0011 16,000,000 5.23 17,700 0.82 1,938,000 1.87 8,000 10.86 5,200 0.78 5,000 2.55 384,000 0.22 1,150,000 6.5 13,500 0.74 4,786,000 0.19 20,000 0.074 830,000 0.56 79,000 1.66 6,837,000 0.91 185,000 0.46 80,000 0.0083 43,000,000 0.0082 3,000,000 2.09 538,000 3.9 788,000 12.2 675,200 0.0041 10,000,000

16,700 90,227 1,570,690 14,120 56,468 3,900 1,005,700 244,560 87,140 3,332,990 3,900 61,080 43,650 11,326,310 172,360 36,800 356,900 24,600 1,126,880 3,111,570 8,183,592 41,300

-2,092 -77,900 393,000 -131,100 -2,296,460 -335,950 -36,890 -1,645,502 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2R CPG PREF A DD PREF GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A MWIDE PREF 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

17.9 506 500 99.5 97.5 498 4.89 950 95 99.4 1,006 98.9 102.5 996 76.2 73.8 75 75 74.25 74.8

17.9 506 500 99.5 97.5 498 4.89 985 95 99.4 1,006 98.9 104 996 76.4 74.9 75 75 74.25 74.8

15.8 506 500 99.5 96.5 495 4.89 950 93.8 99.35 1,006 98.9 100.1 996 76.2 73.8 75 74.7 74.25 74.7

PREFERRED 15.8 36,900 506 20 500 110 99.5 490 97.5 29,030 495 270 4.89 12,000 985 2,510 93.8 1,910 99.35 1,340 1,006 50 98.9 1,300 104 2,500 996 190 76.4 2,400 74.9 2,010 75 10 75 24,500 74.25 100 74.7 620

588,230 10,120 55,000 48,755 2,830,350 133,800 58,680 2,384,850 181,438 133,129.50 50,300 128,570 251,647 189,240 183,010 148,349 750 1,834,610 7,425 46,351

320,000 487,450 -2,080 -46,351

LR WARRANT

0.82

0.88

0.82

WARRANTS 0.88 62,000

53,960

ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH XURPAS

1.65 5.7 0.57

1.65 5.94 0.57

1.4 5.7 0.53

1.53 5.89 0.55

FIRST METRO ETF

85.2

85.75

84.5

USD DMPL A2

9.7

9.7

9.7

MS 76,410 472,830 18,895 22,000 450,920 246,908,070 296,030 2,679,250 1,482,400 18,480 7,650 26,000 154,209 3,167,220 18,250 7,626,780 598,580 97,393,100 746,840 3,200 379,730 10,450 43,194,954

3,951,375 -4,150 -437,180 -3,500 -6,450 -588,728 -1,713,260 -18,735,290 3,200 720 -12,218,590

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

OPEN

Trading Summary

SHARES

FINANCIAL

18,319,036

INDUSTRIAL

78,830,708

HOLDING FIRMS

103,307,005

PROPERTY

95,792,369

SERVICES

134,508,068

MINING & OIL

91,687,772

GRAND TOTAL

539,988,679

SME

13,035,000 34,400 4,443,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 85.3 27,930 9.7

DDS

1,050

19,399,920 199,527 2,440,580 2,380,051.50 10,185

83,100 -42,772,805 -2,820,930 -111,501 1,639,880 -76 -9,351,447 -2,789,345 -106,900 13,233,780 8,313,900 -9,737,912 -3,636,570 8,800 -143,580 -24,740 8,500 -10,680 -22,200 8,577,700 -857,850 -35,700 62,188,195 -3,468,572.50 -1,432,370 -300,300 6,337,234

230,860 -8,450 -

VALUE 1,161.99 (up) 4.62 1,358,496,932.88 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 7,335.89 (up) 262.73 896,739,750.415 HOLDING FIRMS 5,533.56 (up) 22.77 1,082,361,526.41 PROPERTY 2,930.39 (up) 91.99 1,252.03 (up) 29.79 850,333,443.165 SERVICES MINING & OIL 4,495.02 (up) 174.06 960,242,396.86 PSEI 5,610.98 (up) 100.15 30,928,576.253 All Shares Index 3,380.63 (up) 48.19 5,203,527,139.94 Gainers: 112; Losers: 70; Unchanged: 46; Total: 228

Bread maker and Fruitas expand joint venture deal

By Jenniffer B. Austria FRUITAS Holdings Inc., a leading food and beverage kiosk operator, expanded its partnership with Pan de Manila by offering Fruitas fresh fruit juices.

Fruitas said Monday in a disclosure to the stock exchange the partnership, formed following the implementation of the Luzon-wide enhance community quarantine, would ensure the availability of its products to customers amid the current difficult market environment With the partnership, Fruitas fresh fruit juices are available in over 20 Pan de Manila stores in the densely populated cities of Manila, Mandaluyong, Pasig, and Quezon City.

Certain Pan de Manila stores in Cebu are also expected to carry Fruitas fresh fruit juices once the quarantine in that area is also lifted.

Fruitas and Pan de Manila plan to expand the partnership to over 100 Pan de Manila outlets nationwide upon full rollout.

“We are extremely excited with our partnership with Pan de Manila as we are both aligned in our mission to serve fresh local products to Filipinos.

We owe it to our customers, employees, partners, and shareholders to ensure that more Filipinos gain the benefits from our healthy products even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and as we emerge from it,” said Fruitas president and chief executive Lester Yu. The partnership is in line with the company’s strategic initiative of diversifying distribution channels to expand sales and profits.

Both partners will also explore opportunities to offer more Fruitas products in Pan de Manila stores and realize further synergies between the two groups.

Fruitas as of end 2019 operated 1,068 stores across the country and over 20 brands in its portfolio. This includes well-loved food concepts Fruitas Fresh from Babot’s Farm, Buko Loco, Buko ni Fruitas, De Original Jamaican Pattie, Johnn Lemon, Juice Avenue, Black Pearl, Friends Fries, The Mango Farm, 7,107 Halo Halo Islands, Tea Rex, Kuxina, Shou La Mien Hand Pulled Noodles, and Sabroso Lechon.

It recently launched the Soy & Bean soy product line.

Ayala’s logistics unit expects 4.5% drop in revenues AYALALAND Logistics Holdings Corp., a unit of Ayala Land Inc., expects consolidated revenues to decline by as much as 4.5 percent this year due to the new coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

ALLHC president Rowena Tomeldan said during the annual stockholders’ meeting conducted via lifestream Monday the lower consolidated revenues would be due mainly to the closure of retail malls during the implementation of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine.

Tomeldan, however, is upbeat the sale of industrial lots will temper the expected drop in revenues.

Due to Luzon-wide enhance community quarantine, ALLHC’s Tutuban Center has been closed, except for tenants offering primary services like supermarket, banks, drug stores and payment centers.

Tomeldan said operations may quickly stabilize once the quarantine is lifted, given Tutuban’s prime location and its historical customer traffic.

Tomeldan said only five retail merchants in South Park Center in Muntinlupa City were operating, while two office locators continued operations with a skeletal workforce.

“With South Park’s trade mix, operations may immediately resume upon lifting of the ECQ,” she said.

Tomeldan cited medium-term lease contracts with the locators that assures continuity of the warehouse business.

ALLHC said demand for industrial parks for industries engaged in food, medical supplies and logistics remains.

Tomeldan said the company would continue to strive to do what it can to deliver positive performance in 2020 despite uncertainties and the challenging business environment.

ALLHC’s net income grew 15 percent in 2019 to P641 million, while revenues reached P5.3 billion, up 58.4 percent from the 2018 level. Strong performances in the sale of industrial lots and in warehouse and commercial leasing operations drove the growth.

Jenniffer B. Austria

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

A8

TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2020

Business

PNOC remits P7b to finance battle against virus outbreak

By Alena Mae S. Flores STATE-RUN Philippine National Oil Company, the government’s oil and gas unit, remitted P7 billion to the national treasury to help combat the coronavirus disease 2019.

“We commend and thank the PNOC Group management and directors for this significant contribution to our fight against COVID-19.

The energy family is united not only in ensuring unhampered energy services during this period, but also in seeking all possible ways to support the government, our frontliners, and our people,” Energy Secretary and PNOC chairman Alfonso Cusi said in a statement.

The PNOC board of directors approved the recommendation of the management under president and chief executive Reuben Lista to remit P5 billion of accumulated retained earnings during a special board meeting held before the Holy Week break.

PNOC Exploration Corp., PNOC’s subsidiary, remitted another P2 billion to the Bureau of Treasury to help fund the program of under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act (Republic Act No. 11469).

“Yes, that will be used by the government [through the Finance Department] to combat COVID,” PNOC EC president Rozzano Briguez said.

PNOC EC is a subsidiary of Philippine National Oil Co., which holds interest in several oil and gas projects including the Malampaya gas project in northwest Palawan where it has a 10-percent stake.

The PNOC EC board, during a special meeting via video conferencing on April 3, approved the remittance of dividends The PNOC board also pledged to donate a portion of their per diems for the procurement of protective gear and supplies for healthcare frontliners.

VILLAR GROUP’S DONATION. The Villar Group completes the installation of disinfecting apparatus at the Philippine Heart Center (shown) and eight other hospitals, including the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Alabang, Las Piñas General Hospital, Don Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital in Caloocan, Rizal Medical Center in Pasig, Quirino Medical Center, Philippine Heart Center and Lung Center of the Philippines in Quezon City and San Lazaro Hospital and Santa Ana Hospital in Manila. The disinfecting tunnels will help healthcare workers, staff and everyone visiting the hospital get disinfected, as they go in and out of the facility, to curb the spread of the virus. The disinfecting apparatus are equipped with sensors that prompt automatic spray of disinfecting mist when people enter the tunnel.

Govt has sufficient funds for longer lockdown—DOF

By Julito G. Rada

F

INANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez III on Monday assured the public of enough funds if the government decides again to extend the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon beyond April 30, 2020.

“We will make sure that there will be enough funds to support those decisions. But again, we are watching this very carefully, as most countries in the world are. And we are watching this very carefully, and we are moving very conservatively,” Dominguez said in a television interview over CNN

Philippines.

“We have actually planned until the end of May for financing. I am not saying that we will extend it [ECQ] beyond April 30, but our plan has been really to fund our requirements to beat this COVID from April and May,” Dominguez said.

He said the second tranche of support would be for the assistance to the most vulnerable sectors in May. Dominguez said he was hoping that by early May, “we can start to open the economy as announced by Secretary [Carlito] Galvez earlier.”

He said it was important for the government to know the potential risks of opening or restarting the economy.

“Should we expect additional infections? Will these infections overwhelm our hospitals? Will there be additional deaths? That is why we have to be very

Manila

TRANSMISSION operator National Grid Corp. of the Philippines started the distribution of P500 million worth of grocery items over the weekend in line with its P1-billion assistance to the national government’s COVID-19 relief and response efforts.

“We are very pleased to turn over these relief packs as we hope these will help sustain our partner communities given the extension of the Enhanced Community Quarantine. Distribution in select locations in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will be made over the next weeks,” the company said in a statement.

NGCP, a privately owned company in charge of operating, maintaining and developing the country’s power grid and led by majority shareholders Henry Sy Jr. and Robert Coyiuto, Jr., wrote President Rodrigo Duterte on March 30 pledging P1 billion to help the national government in its efforts to fight the pandemic.

“NGCP’s pledge of medical equipment is also in the process of procurement. The muchneeded equipment will be distributed to identified hospitals as soon as they arrive,” the company said.

The donation is over and above earlier NGCP donations of personal protective equipment, meals and other equipment for medical frontliners and the Meals on Wheels program where hot meals are distributed to indigent members of the community. Alena Mae S. Flores

REAL estate developer AboitizLand Inc. launched digital-based home buying options to clients who want to accelerate the property buying process in the safety of their homes.

AboitizLand said its Contactless Home Buying service is a welcome development at a time when the housing sector plays an integral role in softening the effects of coronavirus on the health of the economy and its people.

The Subdivision and Housing Developers Association Inc., the country’s largest organization of subdivision and housing developers, proposed several measures to stimulate the economy and ensure the safety of the population.

One of the proposed courses of action is for financial institutions and property developers to make property purchases and home loan takeouts feasible and uncomplicated.

AboitizLand said it was employing innovative steps in the home buying process. It said that from property viewing to unit reservation, everything could be accomplished through its digital platform, thereby reducing the need for face-to-face interaction.

careful when we evaluate how and when we are going to open up our economy,” he said.

Bayer continues Dominguez also assured the “Build, seed distribution Build, Build” infrastructure program BAYER said it continues its seed processing would remain a focus of the governand distribution operations in its Calamba, Lament, saying it would pump-prime the guna and Pulilan, Bulacan plants to support the economy going forward despite the setgovernment’s food resiliency program, particularly the ALPAS Kontra COVID-19 or “Plant, backs posed by the pandemic.

Plant, Plant” program.

“We have not downgraded our ‘Build, The Department of Agriculture reaffirmed Build, Build.’ That is going to be the the importance of unhampered movement of fuel that will push, that will fuel our food and agricultural products. This includes bounce back,” Dominguez said. home quarantine exemptions for agribusiness personnel and those involved in processing and The Finance Department earlier said logistics of agricultural inputs. about 1.2 million Filipinos might lose Bayer has responded by mobilizing its their jobs because of the pandemic. product supply and logistics teams to prepare The enhanced community quarantine in hybrid rice and hybrid corn seeds for timely delivery to its channels.

Luzon was implemented by middle of “We are looking at having bulk of our Arize March 2020 and was supposed to end hybrid rice seeds and DEKALB hybrid corn April 12. This was extended until April seeds available to farmers before end of April,” 30 by the government to contain the said Bayer Crop Science country commercial spread of the disease. lead Iiinas Ivan Lao. CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Meralco’s force majeure petition seen to lower power rates in May

TODAY

METRO PACIFIC INVESTMENTS CORPORATION NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS Please be advised that the Annual Meeting of the stockholders of METRO PACIFIC INVESTMENTS CORPORATION for the year 2020 will be conducted online on Friday, 29th day of May 2020 at 11:00 a.m.

Stockholders may watch and participate in the proceedings by signing on at the following URL address: https://mpivote-agm.com.

The following shall be the agenda of the meeting: Call to Order Certification of Notice and Quorum Approval of the Minutes of the Annual Meeting of Stockholders held on May 27,2019 Report of the President and Chief Executive Officer Approval of the 2019 Audited Financial Statements Ratification of the Acts of the Board of Directors and Management for the year 2019 Election of the Directors for the ensuing Year Appointment of External Auditor of the Company for the year 2020 Other business that may properly be brought before the meeting Adjournment

Minutes of the 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders is available at the website of the Company, www.mpic. com.ph and will be made available to all stockholders as of record date along with the Information Statement.

The Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on April 29, 2020, as the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting.

Given the current circumstances and in order to ensure the safety and welfare of our stockholders in light of the COVID-19 situation, the Company will dispense with the physical attendance of stockholders at the meeting and will allow attendance only by remote communication and by voting in absentia, or voting through the Chairman of the meeting as proxy.

Duly accomplished proxies shall be submitted on or before May 22, 2020 to the Office of the Corporate Secretary at Picazo Buyco Tan Fider & Santos Law Office, Penthouse, 1 Liberty Center, 104 H.V. Dela Costa Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City and/or by email to cpalmagil@picazolaw.com. Validation of proxies is set on May 27, 2020 at 2:00 pm.

Stockholders intending to participate by remote communication should notify the Corporation by email to compliance@mpic.com.ph on or before May 22, 2020.

Stockholders may vote electronically in absentia, subject to validation procedures.

The rules and procedures for participating in the meeting through remote communication and for casting their votes in absentia are set forth in the Information Statement.

In compliance with the SEC Advisory dated May 6, 2015, a copy of the Interim Unaudited Financial Statements of the Company as of and for the quarter ended March 31, 2020 with Management Discussion and Analysis shall be posted in the website of the Company (www.mpic.com.ph) on or before May 15, 2020. A hard copy of the same Interim Unaudited Financial Statements will be provided to any requesting shareholder, free of charge, as soon as said Interim Unaudited Financial Statements becomes available but in no case later than May 15, 2020.

Very truly yours, ANTONIO A. PICAZO Corporate Secretary

NGCP starts issuing P500-m grocery items

AboitizLand bares contactless deals

Standard

I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X.

IN BRIEF

(MS-APRIL 14, 2020)

CONSUMER group Laban Konsyumer Inc. said it expects lower power rates in May following the decision of Manila Electric Co. to invoke the force majeure provision in power supply agreements.

LKI president Victorio Mario Dimagiba appealed in a letter to Philippine Independent Power Producers Association Inc. president and executive director Anne-Estorco-Montelibano “to ensure that gencos [generation companies] accept the force majeure claim of Meralco and other utilities and cooperatives.”

Dimagiba sent the letter after Meralco announced a slight increase in power rates in April because of the normalization of the universal charge rate. The overall rate for a typical household rose by P0.1050 per kilowatt-hour to P8.9951 per kWh in April from P8.8901 per kWh in March.

Meralco said the slight adjustment this month was not due to an increase in the cost of producing and delivering electricity, but mainly due to the universal charge returning to its normal level following a one-time refund of P0.1453 per kWh in

universal charge-stranded contract costs of National Power Corp.

Dimagiba said distribution utilities like Meralco availed of remedies available under Energy Regulatory Commission approved PSA to protect consumers.

He said the Meralco invoked the provision in its PSA for the April rates which covers only 10 days of the enhanced community quarantine.

“The full 30-day lockdown shall be reported in the May rate report. We believe the bigger relief of peso per kWh shall be passed on to the consumers at that time,” Dimagiba said.

Meralco’s invocation of the force majeure provision, however, helped temper the universal charge increase, reducing fixed charges for generation capacity that was not consumed.

The increase in universal charge was also tempered by the P0.0495-per-kWh decrease in the feed-in-tariff allowance for April, as the ERC ordered a one-month deferral of the FIT-All in consideration of the current ECQ. Alena Mae S. Flores

Telcos asked to protect children on Internet

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE National Telecommunications Commission and the United Nations Children’s Fund teamed up with telecom operators to ensure the security of parents and children both online and offline amid the public health emergency.

UNICEF said in a letter to NTC the Covid-19 crisis and the enhanced community quarantine left people relying on the Internet for information and entertainment. It said that as it left many families suffering from the economic strain, parents and children become more vulnerable to exploitation and abuse both online and offline.

The NTC extended its support in spreading information to alleviate the situation.

The telecommunications sector is also sending out text blasts encouraging subscribers to visit Unicef.ph and Saferkidsph.org for information and tips on how to support parents and children in managing the impact of Covid-19.

Unicef.ph contains UNICEF’s various

programs, research and reports on issues affecting Filipino children, stories of beneficiaries and volunteer opportunities. The website also includes latest updates and news on Covid-19, UNICEF’s initiatives on helping children affected by the Covid-19 crisis and advice for parents and families on coping with the current situation.

SaferkidsPH, on the other hand, is an initiative of UNICEF, the Australian Embassy, Save the Children and The Asia Foundation.

The website includes information on how to reduce and prevent online sexual abuse and exploitation of children in the Philippines.

DICT Secretary Gregorio B. Honasan II said the agency appreciates UNICEF’s initiative in reaching out to the government to help protect children from online and offline threats.

“The DICT appreciates the proactive stance of UNICEF. From our side, we assure them and the public, in general, that DICT will continue to perform its cybersecurity duties to ensure the safety of all Filipinos, especially our children, amid this crisis,” he said.

Sports

Woods relives joy of winning fifth Masters LOS ANGELES—Fifteen-time major winner Tiger Woods says he can’t help feeling like the green jacket he claimed for winning the Masters last year doesn’t belong in his locker anymore.

The 44-year-old Woods doesn’t like the idea of holding onto the coveted sports coat due to the world-wide coronavirus epidemic that led to the 2020 Masters tournament being postponed until November.

The pandemic “has been a shock to all of us. We know it’s still going to continue to get worse. It’s a very difficult situation, a very difficult time, a unique time in history,” Woods told CBS television on Sunday.

The American broadcaster replayed Woods’ stunning comeback victory on Sunday with the five-time Masters winner adding his own commentary from his home in Florida.

Woods said it felt odd not to be in full training for a major and also to be keeping the winner’s jacket for another seven months.

“This is not the way I wanted to have the jacket for a longer period of time,” he said. “Come Masters Tuesday, after our Champions Dinner, we put our jackets back up in our lockers, and the next person who gets to take it off the grounds is the champion that particular week.

“So hopefully we’ll have it in November, and we’ll be able to compete for it.”

The Masters has been rescheduled for November 12-15.

Woods says he was raring to go and would have been healthy for this year’s event.

“Yes, I would have been good to go,” Woods said. “Mind and body were coming together. I was not my normal self (earlier in the week), and all of my normal pre-major championship self.

“I’m used to having this four times a year. I kind of get in that mode. And it started happening again.”

Looking back, Woods said he remembers little about his merrymaking on the green after holing the final putt 12 months ago.

“Well, the funny part about the whole thing is—I don’t remember screaming.

I don’t remember putting my arms up, and I don’t remember yelling.

“That’s one of those kind of blackout moments. There’s certain celebrations throughout my career that I’ve made putts or celebrated, I just don’t recall it.

I guess I’m so locked into the moment,” he told CBS. “What I do remember is my eyes coming back down and seeing people in front of me. I do remember that. I remember all the arms up. But as far as me celebrating, I don’t remember that part.

‘Low times’ “I remember ‘Where the hell’s Joey (LaCava)? I need Joey.’ And I finally found Joey and said, ‘We did it.’ Joey was there helping me go to soccer games when I couldn’t drive a car. He came down here as a friend and helped try and nurse me back to health. He was there in those low times.”

What was extra special to Woods was embracing his mother at the final green.

“My mom’s there and she’s patting me on my back, and kept saying she’s so proud of me, my dad would be so proud if he were here. She said, ‘I love you,’ and I said, ‘I love you, too, Mom.’” AFP

Tiger Woods

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

TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2020

B1

The PSC is specifically concerned on the status of gymnast Carlos Yulo (above), weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz (inset) and pole vaulter EJ Obiena (inset), who have been staying put in Malaysia, Italy and Japan, respectively.

PSC’s immediate goal: Bring Yulo, Obiena, Diaz back home

By Peter Atencio

B

RINGING back national athletes training abroad for the Tokyo Olympics and other international competitions will be one of the top concerns of the Philippine Sports Commission once the enhanced community quarantine imposed by the government is over.

Senior Executive Assistant and National Training Director Marc Velasco of the Philippine Sports Commission said this as the government sports agency monitors the training and preparation national athletes for the Olympiad next year.

The PSC is specifically concerned on the status of weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, pole vaulter EJ Obiena and gymnast Carlos Yulo, who have been staying put in Malaysia, Italy and Japan, respectively.

Lockdowns imposed by the said countries to check the spread of the coronavirus pandemic have kept them

from going home as they also undergo indefinite periods of self-quarantine.

“Umurong ang timetable ng Olympics. So we are hoping na pagkatapos nito, we’ll bring her (Diaz) back, and we’ll also bring the other athletes (Obiena, Yulo) back, para makapagreset at makapagplano nang mabuti,” said Velasco.

Diaz has been training in Malaysia since January, after travel restrictions were imposed in China, following the initial threat of the pandemic that emerged in Wuhan.

Obiena is currently doing fitness training in a dormitory in Formia, a

seaside town located between Rome and Naples.

Italy is among the hardest coronavirus-hit countries in Europe.

Yulo continues to train and study in Tokyo, Japan, which is limiting travel to residents and foreigners alike.

There are more than 800 members of the national team, whom the PSC is continuously monitoring.

So far, Velasco said they have remained healthy and free from any health issues related to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

No signs of sickness and symptoms of having contracted COVID-19 have been detected from them.

The PSC is awaiting word from the Department of Health on the details of the COVID-19 tests that have yet to be done on the national athletes.

At the moment, many of the athletes are doing online consultation with doctors and medical personnel attached to the PSC.

Zamboanga makes most out of lockdown IT HAS been over a month since Denice “The Menace Fairtex” Zamboanga stopped two-time World Title challenger Mei “V.V” Yamaguchi at ONE: KING OF THE JUNGLE in Singapore, but she has yet to celebrate the win with her family in the Philippines.

That is because Zamboanga is at Fairtex Training Center in Pattaya, Thailand riding out the COVID-19 travel restrictions and awaiting the chance to return to her hometown of Quezon City.

“The Menace Fairtex,” who spends her training camps at the famed gym on the northern coast of the Gulf of Thailand, is filled with emotion as she waits for the pandemic to be contained.

“I feel different emotions right now because I am away from [my family],” Zamboanga said.

“I feel sad and scared of course because I am not with my family during

Denice Zamboanga

this time of crisis. I just make sure to check on them every day and know that they are safe.”

On the f lip side, Zamboanga is grateful that she found a second family at Fairtex, a gym that has made her feel secure and at home during these trying times.

“I am thankful because Fairtex has always taken care of me,” she said.

“They attended to me and in a sense.”

Since she is stuck in the gym, the Filipina has more time to train and polish her skills.

She has already been granted a shot at reigning ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion ”Unstoppable” Angela Lee, and though it is still uncertain when the bout will happen, she is readying herself.

For now, all she could do is wait, prepare, and hope for the best while the world battles this pandemic.

Catch all the ONE Championship action live and for free by downloading the ONE Super App.

After a month, football plays waiting game PARIS—A month has now passed since the last football matches were played before packed stadiums in Europe, and the havoc wrought by the coronavirus pandemic means that nobody can say with any certainty when the sport might return.

A crowd of 50,000 filled Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow on Thursday, March 12 to see Rangers lose 3-1 to Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League.

Other matches that night were played behind closed doors, or postponed altogether, as Italy announced its death toll from the virus had passed 1,000.

Fast forward 31 days and the figures make for grim reading throughout Europe, with Italy, Spain, France and the United Kingdom the worst hit.

Countries across the continent are now weeks into restrictive lockdowns.

Nobody knows when sport will be allowed to restart behind closed doors let alone before crowds. The psychological impact of the current situation means many people may well now have second thoughts about mixing with vast crowds at a football match in future.

In any case, as Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admitted when the Premier League season was suspended on March 13: “Today, football and football matches really aren’t important at all.”

Yet his club are among those who have been worst hit by the suspension, given that they stand on the brink of winning the English title for the first time in 30 years.

In England, football will not return until it is “safe and appropriate”to do so, authorities have said.

However, UEFA, the governing body for the game in Europe, has remained optimistic about the prospect of finishing the season and is working on the possibility of playing in July and August if need be. AFP

Orienteering tackles COVID-19 Pandemic

By Graham C. Lim IN AN emergency board emergency meeting by the National Orienteering of the Philippines, NOP president Antonio L. Tiu announced the postponement of the National Orienteering Championship.

The event will be moved to May or June, or upon further notice from the Department of Health in relation to the outbreak of the worldwide COVOD-19 pandemic.

“With the safety of the athletes and team officials as our utmost concern, we decided to defer the National Orienteering Championship to a later date,” said Tiu, who is currently the chairman of the Philippine InfraDev Holdings Inc., the leading corporate construction company that is in charge of the Makati

subway train system project.

NOP Secretary General Federico “Eric” Samson, along with co-vice presidents Leonardo Andres and Robert Milton Calo, concurred with the postponement in the presence of members of the NOP Board of Directors led by Maria Cecilia Sarmiento (treasurer), JC Clarito (Deputy Secretary General), Antonio Quiza, Romualdo “Red” Dumuk, Jean Maire Lucas and Abul Khair Bayabao and members of the Steering Committees led by Raul Ballado, Romulo Raytos, Genaro Villota, and Reymundo Nillama, Edgardo Galeno, Nestor Asido, Edmundo “Eddie” Ang, Jan Roldan Oriendo, and Joseph Sy. Also, held during the emergency meeting was the traditional presentation of an official uniform jacket to Tiu, a symbolic act of recognition and respect to him.

The International Orienteering Federa-

tion is the international governing body of the sport with its headquarters located in Sweden. The site of the upcoming IOF General Assembly will be held in Denmark set for July 9 and 10 this year.

The IOF officially recognized the NOP or Orienteering-Philippines as its official member from the Philippines during a meet by the IOF Council Members last January 10 in Frankfurt, Germany.

The NOP is affiliated with the FESSAP, which is the only national university sports federation recognized by the International University Sports Federation.

The partnership between the NOP and the FESSAP was struck through the intercession of FESSAP president Angel Ngu and FESSAP Chairman of the Board Alvin Tai Lian.

With the agreement, the two parties are organizing a qualifying Orienteering

Antonio Tiu holds his Certificate of Recognition from the Federation of School Sports Association of the Philippines.

tournament that will be the basis of the Philippines’ participation in the FISU World University Orienteering Championship that will be staged in Smolensk, Russia from July 14 to 18 this year.

Meanwhile, the Asian Orienteering Championship slated for May 2020 in the Republic of Korea was also postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak. It will be rescheduled to July 2020.

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

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TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2020

ABS-CBN expands ‘Pantawid Ng Pag-ibig’program

‘2gether’ is a Thai romantic comedydrama series starring Vachirawit Chiva-aree (left) and Metawin Opas-iamkajorn.

ABS-CBN partners with LGUs, companies, and the public in the Pantawid ng Pag-ibig campaign to provide food for families in need.

LEADING media network, ABS-CBN, has extended the operations of “Pantawid ng Pag-ibig” to Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal as it continues bring help to Filipinos who are unable to make a living and provide for their families due to the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

Kapamilya news anchor Bernadette Sembrano-Aguinaldo shared the good news on April 7 in TV Patrol, which has continued to deliver the latest news and updates on COVID-19 to Filipinos.

Since “Pantawid ng Pag-ibig” was launched last March 19, ABS-CBN has gone all over Metro Manila to bring food and basic necessities that the 17 local government units (LGUs) repack and distribute to families in their areas.

The network delivered products like rice, canned goods, noodles, biscuits, milk, coffee, shampoo, soap, detergent, and vitamins to Caloocan, Las Pinas, Malabon, Makati, Mandaluyong, Manila, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Paranaque, Pasay, Pasig, Pateros, Quezon City, San Juan, Taguig, and Valenzuela.

The amount used to purchase these items came from donations received by “Pantawid ng Pag-ibig” from all over the world. Since launch, the campaign has received a total of P324.5 million in cash donations and pledges. From this amount, P265.7 million was already used to purchase goods. So far, P134 million worth

of goods were already delivered to the LGUs. ABS-CBN is thankful for the trust and support of kind-hearted individuals and corporations for their generosity at this difficult time. The network is also grateful of the cooperation of LGUs, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and private companies working alongside the network to assist our countrymen while they are advised to stay at home to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Aside from “Pantawid ng Pag-ibig,” ABS-CBN has also assisted 57 hospitals through donating N95 masks, surgical masks, hygiene kits, goggles, and snacks that health care workers need as they continue to care for the sick.

There are currently over 3,000 COVID-19 cases in the Philippines. On April 7, the government officially declared the extension of the ECQ in Luzon until April 30. Hence, the network continues to ask for donations from those who are able to help.

People may donate via ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation Inc.-Sagip Kapamilya bank accounts: BPI peso account 3051-11-55-88, Metrobank peso account 636-3-636-08808-1, PNB peso account 1263-7000-4128, BDO peso account 0039301-14199, at BDO dollar account 1039300-81622. They may also course donations through Cebuana Lhuillier, PayPal, Pass it Forward, and GCash.

GMA Artist Center launches Project

RICE Up

GMA Artist Center (GMAAC) talents join forces to extend support to Filipino families whose livelihoods were greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic through ‘Project RICE Up.’ Project RICE Up, a fund-raising drive by various GMAAC stars together with GMA Kapuso Foundation (GMAKF), aims to help our countrymen who lost their sources of income due to the implementation of enhanced community quarantine in Luzon and lockdowns in other parts of the country.

As of April 8, GMAAC has already raised funds for 225 sacks of rice that will be distributed to families in need by GMAKF. Some of the artists who took part in the initiative are Heart Evangelista, Klea Pineda, comedians Betong Samaya, and Chariz Solomon.

“During this situation we are in, we are also facing another rising issue and that is hunger. This is why I’m reaching out to all of you, mga Kapuso, to support the Project RICE Up. Marami tayong matutulungan and all our help will really go a long way,” said Heart.

“It’s time to give back dahil sila naman ang numero unong sumuporta sa mga shows namin. And now is the perfect

Heart Evangelista is among the GMA artists who take part in the RICE Up initiative.

time to show our support for them in this trying time,” echoed Klea.

Betong highlighted the importance of bayanihan during these times, “We are facing a different kind of crisis. Kaya ako po ay nanawagan sa lahat ng alliance nating mga Kapuso. Magsama-sama po tayong suportahan ang The Project Rice Up.” Chariz related, “Nasa ating mga nanay yung duty ng pag-dedecide kung anong next that’s why I can’t imagine what goes through their heads when they having nothing to cook for the next meals.

We participated in this project so that, in our own little way, we can prevent that from happening.”

To uphold its commitment to Serbisyong Totoo and spread the message of hope in these distressing times, GMAAC also has an on-going online concert and fundraising campaign #HealingHearts.

To donate, visit https://ticket2me. net/e/6520/tickets.

Project RICE Up aims to help our countrymen who lost their sources of income due to the implementation of enhanced community quarantine.

Juvenile boys love The surge of BL on Philippine shores

W

HEN you say boys love drama series, one immediately connects this entertainment fare with progressive Asian countries that seem to embrace tales that center on a different kind of romance where two or more young men figure prominently in passionate scenes.

In Thailand, Taiwan, and Japan, boys love drama, or BL for short, is a lucrative business. Yes, BL, which is not just exclusive in the pink community, has a huge following. And it makes me wonder if the Philippine entertainment industry is ready to gamble and invest in this genre.

My Husband’s Lover, which starred Dennis Trillo and Tom Rodriguez, happened seven years ago and is considered as the most successful pinkcentric primetime drama. Is the timing ripe for producers to scratch the sevenyear itch and gay drama drought? Is now the season to give in to the desires of the pink market that wholehearted supported TomDen some seven summers ago?

As of the moment, every late Friday night, the Thai BL, 2gether with Win Metawin Opas-iamkajorn and Bright Vachirawit Chivaaree, who portray Tine and Sarawat, respectively, are giving stay-at-home audience to enjoy and endure this quarantine season.

Why most people embrace 2gether is a no brainer, really. Major ingredients include a pair of charismatic Thai men in their early 20s, with classmates and friends who, just like the main tandem, are all ready for their close-ups.

Always fresh looking since most of their outfits of the day are long-sleeved, immaculate polos. From time to time, the cast members are not ashamed to show off their lean bodies in wellblocked and choreographed naughty scenes.

Of course, the look of love and twinkle in the eyes of the characters, the special smiles they have for each other, and my, oh my, the lip-locking sequences are indeed aplenty.

These juveniles are into sports, bar hopping, delish dishes, and junk food, and most of the main figures in majority of the boys love drama series are not offended by the blossoming romance and eventual relationships that happen between the teen-aged partnerships.

If I were given the opportunity to cast a boys love drama, I’m betting on James Reid and Ivan Dorschner as first choices. Reid and Dorschner are best friends for real, there is a need to fake their warmth and intimacy, but boy, we have a winner with the best buds as a love team in them.

A sexier casting, who may be more than willing to do more than the predictable skin exposure requirements and might be brazen to go the unchartered path of risqué intimate sequences, Marco Gumabao and Kiko Estrada scream perfection when they engage in an erotic bromance.

ARIAS ALWIN IGNACIO

Asterisk artists and showbiz newbies Darwin Yu (top) and Enzo Santiago are set to appear in a BL themed series that will air on TV5.

My biggest fantasy casting of course, is the pairing of Alden Richards and Derrick Monasterio. A Richards-Monasterio boys love drama starrer is a definite scorcher.

A boys love drama needs more time, emotional maturity and understanding from the general public, before it comes to fruition. One of the major debacles it will encounter are the opinions of the “elders” and members of the “concerned and moral people.” They will definitely raise the noise and will not tolerate the proliferation of such a genre with its classic argument stemming from the fear that it will influence a lot of impressionable teen-agers to embrace boy to boy love as the new normal. And then we have the Catholic Church.

Censorship will also be a major issue

to address especially if a progressive producer wants to show a boys love drama during a primetime slot. We don’t even need to enumerate why members of the classification board will not permit a show on free television, unless the BL will be shown on digital platform which is free from the board’s jurisdiction.

Aside from these obvious realities, the very macho and patriarchal culture that dominates our society will not be that sympathetic to a drama that espouses romance between two young boys.

Should we all kiss our BL fixation goodbye then? Not quite yet. My Extraordinary, a Pinoy BL, which stars newbies Enzo Santiago and Darwin Yu, will air by middle of 2020, around June. Reports have it that TV 5 will carry the show.

Life

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

HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2020

Data reveal impact of coronavirus on physical activity

By Steph Llarena

A

WEARABLE fitness company revealed what we’ve known for a few weeks now: we are walking less and we are moving less than before because we are required to stay at home to stem the spread of coronavirus.

Unless you’re a frontliner, going outside is only allowed when purchasing essential items, food and medicine, for example.

Marky Perez, an accountant for a multinational company, now works at home. Due to the nature of his deskbound job, he ensures that he’s able to squeeze in a lot of steps by walking to his office from home. His weekly average steps per day recorded on his fitness tracker: 7,500.

That was before the government-imposed quarantine.

His average steps last week: 650.

“That number was the result of my working three steps from my bed,” he shared. It certainly didn’t help stepwise that Perez is “not the holder of our household’s quarantine pass.”

The data on the steep decrease in step count due to COVID-19 pandemic was gathered from over 30 million active Fitbit users around the world.

As countries adapt to social distancing and community quarantines, the wearable fitness tracker company said “it is not a surprise that almost all countries studied by Fitbit experienced a statistically significant decline in average step count, compared to that of the same time in the previous year.”

By establishing a baseline for normal activity levels around step count in each area during the same week from the previous year, Fitbit data scientists were able to analyze the activity of millions of Fitbit users.

According to this analysis, during the week of March 22 this year, the United States saw a 12 percent decline in step count. The company previously reported that Fitbit users in the US clock in an average of 7,000 to 8,000 steps per day—depending on the season.

Further, the deviation from normal activity for this time last year occurred much earlier in countries like China (16 percent lower) and Hong Kong, which were the first to face COVID-19. In the Philippines, the decline in step count was 27 percent.

But there are also reasons for optimism, as the graphs reveal that step counts are starting to rise again in China, Japan, and Hong Kong. Wuhan in China, the city where the virus was first detected, opened last week after its 76day lockdown.

Given the current circumstances, Fitbit offers tips to stay healthy to boost immunity.

Access free trial of Premium

Fitbit is offering a free 90-day trial of Fitbit Premium to users wherever Premium is available, and offering 40 new pieces of Premium content for free in the Fitbit app.

Premium offers access to hundreds of workouts categorized by time, activity, and fitness level. Also available are a variety of guided programs, advanced insights, and sleep and mindfulness tools to help individuals eat better, get more activity, and enjoy more quality shuteye.

To take advantage of this trial, open the Fitbit app and tap on the “Premium” tab in the lower-right corner (this trial offer is only valid for new Premium users).

Drink water, eat nutritious food

Loading up on water is one of the quintessential tips to be healthy—and still is today. Fitbit users are encouraged to take advantage of the water log feature in the app. In addition, healthy recipes are available on the company’s blog.

Take mental health breaks

In this time of crisis and uncertainty, of disheartening reports on TV and social media newsfeed, remembering to take regular mental health breaks is crucial. Citing studies, Fitbit said taking a few moments to relax each day can reduce blood pressure and lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

The Relax feature in the smartwatch provides personalized deep breathing sessions (two-minute and five-minute) that can help users find moments of calm throughout the day.

STILL LIFE. As people spend most of their time at home, physical activities are on the backburner as seen on the step count data gathered from users of a fitness tracker brand.

Public demands closure of wildlife markets IN LIGHT of the coronavirus disease pandemic, majority or over 90 percent of respondents surveyed in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong support a government-led closure of illegal and unregulated wildlife markets, according to a research for the World Wide Fund for Nature.

COVID-19 has brought the link between zoonotic diseases—those transmitted from animals to humans—and wildlife markets into sharp focus, as previous studies re-

vealed that coronavirus originated in a wet market selling wildlife in Wuhan, China.

The survey conducted by Globescan in March among 5,000 participants from Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam found that 82 percent of respondents are extremely or very worried about the outbreak, with 93 percent of respondents in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong supporting action by their governments to eliminate ille-

Support each other

Even not together, friends and families can start a friendly competition to get more steps, support each other, and keep achieving gains virtually. Fitbit Challenges are all about pushing to see who can take the most steps over the course of one day, weekdays, or weekend. Because they are based on the total number of steps achieved—not who reaches a certain step count first—they’re a great option for friends in different time zones.

A vendor selling yak meat at a wet market in Beijing, China. AFP Photo

The Body Shop, Planet CORA

lead coastal cleanup

ECO-CONSCIOUS cosmetics and skin care brand The Body Shop teamed up with non-profit organization Planet CORA to lead a coastal cleanup at Las Piñas Parañaque Critical Habitat EcoTourism Area (LPPCHEA).

The cleanup activity held last year gathered almost 200 volunteers who collected a total of 2.29 tons (over 2,000 kilograms) of waste in a span of two hours.

Majority of the waste collected were plastic bottles, said The Body Shop.

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Executives, celebrities, and others volunteer to pick up trash at Las Piñas Parañaque Critical Habitat Eco-Tourism Area. (clockwise) Yassi Pressman is happy to help in the project, The Body Shop Philippines teams up with Planet CORA, Joey Mead King picks up plastic waste, and Planet CORA founder Antoinette Taus poses with young eco hero Dianelle Mikaella.

gal and unregulated markets.

On Feb. 24, the Chinese government announced a comprehensive ban on the consumption of wild animals. WWF’s research shows that citizens support similar action from other governments across the region.

“China has taken great steps prohibiting the hunting, trade, transport, and eating of wild animals, and Vietnam is working on similar directives,” said Christy Williams, regional director of WWF’s Asia Pacific program.

Williams added, “Other Asian governments must follow by closing their high-risk wildlife markets and ending this trade once and for all to save lives and help prevent a repeat of the social and economic disruption we are experiencing around the globe today.”

The World Health Organization has reported that the current COVID-19 pandemic, along with at least 61 percent of all human pathogens, are zoonotic in origin—wildlife trade is an aggravating risk in the spread of zoonoses. Other recent epidemics, including SARS, MERS, and Ebola, have also all been traced back to viruses that spread from animals to people.

TECH & Gadgets

Riera U. Mallari, Editor

B4

TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2020

‘Medibot’ to do rounds on Malaysian virus wards KUALA LUMPUR—Malaysian scientists have created a barrel-shaped robot on wheels that they hope will make the rounds on hospital wards to check on coronavirus patients, reducing health workers’ risk of infection.

“Medibot” is a 1.5 meter tall (five foot) white robot, equipped with a camera and screen via which patients can communicate remotely with medics.

The invention, built by scientists at the International Islamic University Malaysia, is also fitted with a device to check patients’ temperatures remotely.

It is aimed at helping nurses and doctors working on the wards with social distancing, Zulkifli Zainal Abidin, a member of the team behind the invention, told AFP. It cost about 15,000 ringgit ($3,500) to develop, and the university plans to trial it soon in their own private hospital, which does not treat virus patients, said Zulkifli.

If that proves a success, the scientists hope it can be used in government hospitals where people with COVID-19 are sent.

Malaysia has reported 4,683 coronavirus cases, including 76 deaths.

From Thailand to Israel, robots are being used in the fight against the coronavirus, which has killed over 110,000 people worldwide.

They are being increasingly relied on as fast, efficient, contagion-proof champions in the war against the virus. AFP

Engineering professors work on the version two prototype of the IIUM Medibot medical robot, being developed for health workers to treat patients without risking infection from the COVID-19 coronavirus, at the International Islamic University Malaysia in Gombak, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. AFP

Will Dasovich

J

Cooking shows, digital fitness via Facebook live

UST like everyone else, social media stars, vloggers, musicians, artists, and performers find ways to cope during these trying times. Most of them raise funds to help frontline heroes in the battle against the pandemic. For some, the digital wave becomes a platform to help boost productivity from home.

BOOSTING THE IMMUNE SYSTEM YouTuber and fitness enthusiast Wil Dasovich recently held a digital fitness campaign to help people boost their immune system.

He had a 15-minute ab-workout which consisted some fat-burning moves, including leg raises, the Russian twist, side plank and reach through, and toe reach among others.

According to Dasovich, exercising and eating the right nutrients can help boost the immune system. He also shared some fitness and health tips, including intermittent fasting and autophagy.

For Dasovich, exercising is just one of the many ways to improve productivity at home especially during the quarantine period. “In a time of crisis, how we respond to situations is what defines us,” Dasovich said.

Check out his 15-minute abworkout on Facebook: https://www. facebook.com/wildasovichfanpage/ videos/2770955372980166/.

KITCHEN INNOVATION A rising Instagram star and chef, Edward Bugia had a live Facebook kitchen experiment as he turned a simple pancit canton into Pad Thai.

Adding a dash of creativity, Bugia cooked a homemade Shrimp Pad Thai using two packs of pancit canton. He also made his own pad Thai sauce using the Pancit Canton packed condiments while adding a few more ingredients in the mix.

While he cooked his innovated pancit canton, Bugia engaged with his audience as he promised more live cooking sessions for them.

Bugia finished off his delicious Pancit Canton-turned-Shrimp Pad Thai with a wonderful plating as he enjoyed the taste of Thailand with his beautiful wife Trixie.

Learn this new innovated Pad Thai recipe as seen on his Facebook: https:// www.facebook.com/edward.bugia/videos/10156882945097385/.

PLDT-Smart powers up work-from-

Chef Edward Bugia

home productivity Last March 16, the government placed the entire Luzon on lockdown in the hopes of containing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

Since then, Filipinos have to quickly adapt to a new lifestyle and work routine —one that requires them to live digital.

Transportation systems have been halted. Malls have been closed. Curfews have been imposed; and work-fromhome arrangements have been in place.

The current crisis has forced people

Keep little ones occupied at home with Print & Play ideas from HP Inc. THINKING of what else you can do at home with your little ones?

It’s time to try flexing some creative muscle with your little ones while doing something new!

Keep them entertained with new curated Print & Play activities from HP. Suitable for

ages 2 to 12, kids can try out hours of craft making, mazes, dot-to-dot drawing and many other puzzles.

Whether you are looking for content to support your child’s home-based learning or trying to juggle work and play, you can find printable arts & crafts to create fun and en-

Parents can refer to the study findings to understand how to best use different formats to facilitate positive learning outcomes without taking the joy out of learning.

gaging experiences to bond with your kids. With HP Print & Play, parents can choose from a range of activities that are best suited to their children’s needs to achieve the best possible learning outcomes.

WHY WE PRINT & PLAY—THE HP NEW ASIAN LEARNING EXPERIENCE STUDY With the need to spend more time at home, parents are on the lookout for exercises that can stimulate a child’s mind and invoke a greater love for learning.

HP’s New Asian Learning Experience Study identifies millennial parents’ attitudes towards learning and how their personalities impact the way their children learn. Our study shows that while print and digital each have their own strengths, a combination of digital and print was most beneficial in helping children stay focused and engaged while they learn.

Parents in the Philippines said that printed materials were better used for activities related to art (61%), math (60%), and memorization (50%), whereas electronic materials better facilitated learning in music or auditory skills (60%).

HP Print & Play was created from a need to help parents bridge the gap between education in school and learning at home by supplementing their child’s learning while making playtime at home more engaging.

to go digital with work meetings held via Microsoft Office Teams or Google Hangouts and people relying heavily on fast Internet and connectivity.

As the entire nation combats the lethal impacts of the pandemic, Filipinos nationwide find better ways to cope and live this new normal. In this digital wave, everyone now relies on a fast internet for work to be done. With this, PLDT and Smart continues to enhance its networks to empower every Filipino, especially in this time of crisis.

Disney+ streaming service hits 50 million users SAN FRANCISCO—The Walt Disney Company on Wednesday said its television streaming service has already won 50 million paid subscribers just five months after its launch in the US. Disney+ rolled out in India and eight Western European countries in recent weeks.

About eight million of its paid subscriptions are in India, where Disney+ is offered in conjunction with existing Hotstar service.

“We’re truly humbled that Disney+ is resonating with millions around the globe, and believe this bodes well for our continued expansion throughout Western Europe and into Japan and all of Latin America later this year,” direct-toconsumer and international chairman Kevin Mayer said in a release.

The Walt Disney Company last month rolled out Disney+ streaming service in seven European countries, but had reduced bandwidth —and hence reduced output quality —because of the heavy demand on network infrastructure during the

Amid pandemic, a turning point for telemedicine WASHINGTON—For a follow-up visit after her recent cancer surgery, Gail Rae-Garwood opted for a video consultation with her specialist, avoiding a long journey—and potential exposure to COVID-19 in medical offices.

“I am so thankful not to have to go out that I’ve enrolled my grumpy husband into tele-visits, too,” said the 73-year-old Arizona woman who was able to upload data from a blood pressure cuff and glucose monitor to her physician.

The coronavirus outbreak has severely strained the health system, but telemedicine is being seen as a vital way of coping including for those impacted by the outbreak.

“COVID-19 is very conducive to telemedicine,” said Omar Khan, a family physician and head of Delaware Health Sciences Alliance in Wilmington, Delaware.

Khan said doctors can make a preliminary diagnosis by evaluating symptoms such as fever and cough, and the patient’s travel and contact with others.

A lab order to confirm an infection can be transmitted electronically to minimize contact.

“Eighty percent of people with coronavirus don’t need to go to the hospital,” Khan said. If an infection is detected, “they move from quarantine to isolation” and many still don’t need to leave home.

Khan said he has been handling all his consultations remotely for the past two weeks, and that patients are handling the shift well.

“They know the danger,” he said. “They don’t want to put themselves or health care workers at risk, and don’t want to come to the hospital unnecessarily. At a time like this a hospital is a scary place.”

HIGHLIGHTING VALUE The crisis has highlighted the value of telemedicine, long touted as a way to deliver medical care to people in underserved areas and to deal more efficiently with issues ranging from minor emergencies to mental health.

“A crisis sometimes ends up giving you an incentive to change things,” said Preeti Malani, a University of Michigan professor of medicine who led a 2019 survey of telemedicine for older adults.

A year ago, Malani said, the survey showed many older adults had little knowledge or interest in telemedicine, but the situation has now changed dramatically.

“In a matter of days we’ve completely switched and par ticularly older adults who may be vulnerable to complications are being told not to come to

coronavirus crisis.

Strict confinement rules are keeping millions of people at home in a bid to curtail the outbreak, effectively providing an enormous captive audience for the US entertainment giant’s contender in the streaming market.

After its US launch last November, Disney+ is now streaming in Austria, Britain, France, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Spain and Switzerland.

Disney is hoping its subscription rate of 6.99 euros a month (£5.99 in Britain and $6.99 in the US) will be a small price to pay for in-home access to its blockbuster films and franchises.

It aims to compete with Netflix, Apple and Amazon by leveraging its huge catalogue of Disney animated classics along with its Pixar, Marvel and National Geographic movies— not to mention its wildly successful “Star Wars” franchise.

Leading television streaming service Netflix reported having 167 million subscribers in a quarterly earnings report early this year. AFP

The chief of a telemedicine centre Andrei Tyazhelnikov talks to the media in Moscow. The city of Moscow opened a telemedicine centre to treat and support coronavirus patients who are well enough to stay home.

clinic,” said Malani.

EASING OF REGULATIONS With the virus raging, regulatory barriers to telehealth services have quickly come down.

US authorities last month waived

restrictions that had prevented telemedicine for government-sponsored Medicare and Medicaid and a rescue package passed by Congress included some $200 million to help providers establish remote care.