Manila Standard - 2020 April 20 - Monday

Martial law-type ECQ looms Defense chief orders military to gear up for stricter lockdown

By Francisco Tuyay, Macon Ramos-Araneta, Vito Barcelo, Rey E. Requejo, Maricel V. Cruz and Willie Casas EFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has ordered the deployment of more military troops as the Armed Forces prepares for a possible martial law-like takeover to implement more strictly the Luzon-wide lockdown.

D

Lorenza issued the directive as the Phil- tain the COVID-19 outbreak. ippine National Police on Sunday said AFP chief of staff Gen. Felimon Santos over 130,000 people have so far violated Jr. was tasked to mobilize troops in Metro guidelines on the Enhanced Community Manila, particularly in highly-infected Quarantine nationwide imposed to conNext page

VOL. XXXIV • NO. 61 • 2 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

ASG chief’s grandson, alleged bomber, killed THE grandson of Abu Sayyaf Group leader Radullan Sahiron was killed in a pursuit operation launched by the military in Sulu.

Acting on a reliable information, troops of the Joint Task Force Sulu conducted pursuit an operation to intercept two ASG members onboard a motorcycle in Baran-

DOLE upbeat on restarting workers’ aid

gay Bilaan, Talipao, Sulu at 9:45 p.m. of April 18.

Troops were then fired upon by the two, which forced the soldiers to retaliate and pursue the fleeing terrorists.

While still in pursuit, troops recovered the remains of one of the ASG members

left lying dead by his comrade in Barangay Lambana.

The neutralized terrorist was identified as a.k.a. Vikram.

“Vikram is an IED maker and involved during the Jolo Cathedral and 1st Brigade Next page

SULU SKIRMISH. Armed Forces’ helicopters and gunboat patrol the airspace and coastal areas in Sulu as the military pursues Abu Sayyaf terrorists who killed 11 state troopers in Patikul

on April 17, 2020. Photo #2 shows Army soldiers giving a snappy salute to one of the fallen soldiers during a send-off ceremony for their remains held at the Edwin Andrews Air Base in Zamboanga City. A day after the bloody clash, ASG chief Sahiron’s grandson, Vikram, the alleged bomb maker who figured in the Jolo Cathedral bombing last year, was slain by troops of the Joint Task Force Sulu. Mark Navales

THE Labor department says it may resume its cash assistance to the workers in the formal sector, with Congress urging an increase in the department’s funds for its emergency subsidy program.

“We are hopeful that some positive developments are coming along the way for our displaced workers,” Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said Sunday.

He cited the efforts by lawmakers, led by Senators Joel Villanueva and Christopher “Bong” Go, to pump more funds into the COVID Adjustment Measures Program or CAMP, Next page

War on virus: Recovering patients outpace fatalities for 5th straight day of deaths—56 against 12—bringing the piratory ailment was now at 409. opments” the greater number of recovBy Macon Ramos-Araneta, total recoveries to 572.

She said the number of confirmed eries than deaths caused by COVID-19 Rey E. Requejo, and Willie Casas

In a virtual presser, Health Undersec- COVID-19 cases in the country has the past days.

“Now, the recoveries are increasing FOR the fifth straight day, the number retary Maria Rosario Vergerei said the reached 6,259 with 172 new cases.

In the Senate, Senator Christopher as compared to deaths. But still, we of patients who recovered from the cor- number of COVID-19 patients who lost Next page onavirus disease surpassed the number their battle to the highly-contagious res- “Bong” Go considered “positive devel-

UP makes test kits in full swing

By Willie Casas, Rio N. Araja, Joel Zurbano, and Butch Gunio

LOCAL ROUNDUP

THE country will be able to do mass University of the Philippines. testing of as much as 16,000 tests per “Our manufacturing facilities are going day by May 1 following the approval Next page of the diagnostic kits developed by the

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM APRIL 19)

6,259

NUMBER OF CASES

409 DEATHS

572

RECOVERIES

172

NEW CASES

Trump warns: China could face consequences over outbreak Virtual mega-concert celebrates health workers Story on A6

PRESIDENT Donald Trump of the United States has warned that China could face consequences if it was “knowingly responsible for the coronavirus pandemic.”

“It could have been stopped in China before it started and it wasn’t,” Trump, replying to reporters’ questions, told reporters at a

it doesn’t rule out that the novel coronavirus was spread—accidentally—from a laboratory researching bats in Wuhan.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian—who White House briefing Saturday (Sunday in Manila). “And now the whole previously alleged that the US miliworld is suffering because of it.” tary might have brought the virus Next page The Trump administration has said

WORLD ROUNDUP

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News

MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2020

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Unioil sets off price cut: P1.20/liter

By Alena Mae S. Flores

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ONSUMERS can expect an oil price rollback of as much as P1.20 per liter this week to reflect the movement of price in the world market amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“Expect fuel prices to go down next week (April 21 to April 27). Diesel should go down by P1.10 to P1.20 per liter. Gasoline should go down by P0.50 - P0.60 per liter,” Unioil Philippines said in its weekly price forecast.

World oil prices plunged last week as traders are not convinced that the production cut implemented by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries will offset the huge slowdown in global demand due to COVID-19.

World oil prices went up slightly shortly after OPEC and its allied coun-

tries agreed to cut production by about a tenth of global oil supply.

On April 14, the 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.

Meanwhile, The Energy department lauded the downstream oil industry’s continued support to the national government’s COVID-19 response efforts.

“We commend our downstream oil industry for tirelessly providing muchneeded assistance to their employees, clientele, and the general public, most

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which provides a P5,000 one-time assistance to the workers affected by the lockdown resulting from COVID-19.

“We are grateful to Senators Villanueva and Go for their unwavering support in helping our workers tide them over during this health crisis,” Bello said.

His department last week announced it had stopped accepting requests for assistance under CAMP, and after being swamped with applications that quickly depleted

areas following reports of residents drinking on the streets, holding cockfights, and violating social distancing protocols.

“These sights do not inspire confidence that we will achieve our objective by the end of this month. That is why I have ordered the AFP chief of staff to deploy more troops in Metro Manila and other places with high COVID-19 incidence to augment the police to strictly implement social distancing and the ECQ,” Lorenzana said in a text message.

“We are worried about these people. There are too many people out in groups, in supermarkets, streets, and other places,” he added.

Lorenzana described the remaining 11 days of the lockdown as crucial to the final decision of President Rodrigo Duterte on whether to lift, extend, or modify the ECQ. Last week, the President threatened a “martial law-like” crackdown if the public continued to defy the restrictions imposed by the ECQ. “I am just asking for your discipline, because if you don’t like, if you don’t believe me, the military and police will take over to enforce social distancing and curfew. It will be similar to martial law,” the President said.

According to the latest PNP data, 130,177 violators were arrested, fined and warned as the police stepped up the quarantine implementation.

Luzon posted the highest number of violators with 80,180, followed by Mindanao with 26,216 and Visayas with 23,781 violators since the ECQ was implemented on March 17.

Police also nabbed 716 individuals allegedly engaged in hoarding and profiteering activities while 9,349 public transport vehicles were apprehended for violating the mass transportation ban.

On Saturday, PNP chief Gen. Archie Gamboa said the police force supports President Duterte’s intention to “decisively enforce a total lockdown for the entire period.”

Gamboa said some local officials have agreed to impose tougher measures against the ECQ violators.

“Some violators feel they can get away with the enforcement of quarantine rules and local ordinances. I call on all regional directors to put action to the strong words of the President. I expect all of you to support this,” Gamboa said in a statement.

He also ordered a massive crackdown on illegal activities violating physical distancing and gathering of persons such as illegal cockfight, card games, mahjong,

Families eligible The Interior department said Saturday the families of village watchmen and health workers nationwide were now eligible for the social amelioration program.

In a statement, Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista had issued a memo on Friday approving his department’s recommendation to include village front liners in the national government’s financial aid for low-income households during the COVID-19 crisis.

Part of the Interior department’s letter read: “It is the appeal of this department that the nature of appointment of barangay health workers and barangay tanods should not outrightly disqualify them from being included in the target beneficiaries under the SAP, particularly the emergency subsidy program.”

Post the list The Interior department has ordered the barangays to post the list of beneficiaries of the social amelioration program in prominent public places to ensure transparency in identifying them amid the enhanced community quarantine.

“We want the process of identifying the target beneficiaries under the SAP to be transparent,” Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said in a statement on Saturday.

“Hence, we have directed all our head barangays to post the master list of beneficiaries in strategic areas in their barangays so that the residents will also be informed if they will receive the financial assistance from the government.”

Año said it was also important for the barangay chairmen to fully disclose the list of beneficiaries so that residents could tell them if they thought they should be on the list. Vito Barcelo, Macon Ramos-Araneta, Rio N. Araja, Benjamin Chavez and Willie Casas

UP makes...

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especially to our frontliners, our present-day heroes. Now more than ever, we must stand as a united people. For us to heal as one, we must fight the pandemic as one,” Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said.

Oil industry players immediately extended their respective corporate social responsibility programs following the issuance of Republic Act No. 11469, or the “Bayanihan to Heal as One Act” that would adopt and implement measures to address the current national health emergency.

Among the oil companies that extended COVID-19 CSR response measures are Petron Corp., Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., Chevron Philippines Inc., Phoenix Petroleum Inc., Seaoil Philippines, Unioil Petroleum Philippines, Total Corp.-Philippines, Clean

Fuel Philippines, Jetti Petroleum Inc., Pryce Gases Inc., and Isla Gas Philippines.

Cusi said the oil firms’ assistance included donations of protective medical equipment and gear, provision of free fuel to frontliners, fuel discounts and subsidies, and partnerships with transport service providers.

For example, Petron, through SMC Infrastructure, partnered with the Transportation department to provide fuel subsidies to bus units participating in the agency’s Free Ride for Health Workers Program.

The fuel subsidy is worth P1.89 million and each bus unit is allowed to avail a maximum of 50 liters per day.

The three Petron stations assigned to accommodate buses participating in the Petron Fuel Subsidy are: Pacif-

and drinking sessions in public places.

The AFP on Sunday also confirmed the authenticity of a leaked internal memo ordering an expanded role for the military in enforcing the Luzonwide lockdown.

The memo from Air Force Commanding General Lt. Gen. Allen Paredes told unit commanders to prepare for “strict implementation” of an “extensive enhanced community quarantine.”

The order said the “AFP will be the overall in charge along roads and highways.”

Air Force spokesman Maj. Aris Galang said the memo, which was leaked on social media Friday, merely anticipated “any scenarios in case the President as commander-in-chief of the AFP would decide to implement his statements lately.”

Galang said the memo simply reflected the President’s pronouncements and that they were just telling their personnel to be ready.

Meanwhile, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases is expected to hold “extensive” discussions on the possible scenarios after April 30, the day the lockdown ends.

The IATF, the policy-making government body in the battle against the coronavirus, will then present its recommendation to Duterte.

“We will probably have one topic on Monday [today)] because all of us have recommendations and suggestions. But at the end of the day, first, the IATF will arrive at a consensus. Second, the President will ultimately make the decision on whatever will be our recommendation. That’s the process. Let’s wait for it on Monday,” he said He said the task force will try to “balance everything” and take into consideration the five parameters before deciding on next action plan address the pandemic and mitigate its impact on the people.

Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, PNP Deputy Chief for Operations and commander of the Joint Task Force Corona Virus Shield, said the country’s crime rate dropped by 58 percent during the ECQ implementation.

According to latest PNP data from eight focus crimes, Eleazar said 1,984 crimes were reported nationwide from March 17 to April 18 – 58 percent lower than the 4,776 crimes tallied from Feb. 13 to March 16.

The eight focus crimes are murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft, carnapping and motor vehicle theft.

For his part, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said the use of the Armed Forces to strictly implement the ECQ does not amount to martial law.

“If the use of the AFP is necessary to keep people off the streets then so be it,” he added.

Senator Panfilo Lacson said the President was just emphasizing discipline during the ECQ when he issued that warning.

“No military takeover. PRRD made the remark to emphasize discipline. He did not say we are under martial law,” Lacson said.

Lacson said he shared the view of the President that a “martial-law-style lockdown” might be needed as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to rise.

“We still can’t imagine that the curve will flatten. We’re far off from it because first of all, we still do not have massive testing,” said Lacson.

But human rights advocates said the government was using the wrong “militaristic” approach in dealing with the pandemic.

“We are not at war. We are in a state of defending a life with dignity of peoples and communities,” Dr. Nymia Pimentel Simbulan, chairperson of the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates and executive director of Philippine Human Rights Information Center said.

Simbulan said it is dangerous to use war as a metaphor in the fight against COVID-19 because it highlights reliance on the Armed Forces and on state violence as key instruments in addressing the pandemic.

“In a state of war, there is no room for questioning, there is no room for doubting, officials of the military would say.

General attitude should be to follow because that will ensure order and stability in society,” she said.

“That’s why if there are violators, the order is to hit them, punish them, torture them, use iron fist because that’s the only way you can force them to comply,” she said, referring to Duterte’s various statements during the lockdown.

In a statement Friday, London-based Amnesty International its Philippine section expressed alarm over Duterte’s threat of a possible military takeover similar to “martial law” to enforce discipline among Filipino who continue to defy the ECQ. “President Duterte’s warning that he will further extend police and military authority to respond to the pandemic, and possibly introduce a state of martial law, is worrying. Under the emergency legislation Bayanihan to Heal as One Act that is currently in effect, security forces already have wide powers to enforce the community quarantine,” said Amnesty International Philippines Director Butch Olano.

PCR tests, which the Health department consider the gold standard in detecting the new pathogen and are one-step tests that directly target confirmatory genes all out, and 6,000 to 8,000 tests are being for COVID-19. manufactured per day and we are hoping Medical items to increase this to 16,000 tests per day by The National Bureau of Investigation May 1,” said Raul Destura, the UP scientist who led the team that developed the has seized P41.7 million worth of medical items from profiteering, hoarding COVID-19 test kits.

He said the manufacturing of the new and overpricing since the government test kits began after all the approvals imposed a lockdown in Luzon and other areas due to the pandemic. were secured.

NBI Director Eric Distor said the supHe said the test kits were also RT-

tal budget for 2020 in the fight against COVID-19 and to address its impact on the community.

The city now has 1,042 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 34 villages under extreme lockdown.

Those added from the list were North Fairview, Novaliches proper and New Era. The 37-member city council passed the supplemental budget to fund the distribution of food packs and financial aid to the Supplemental budget residents, and the provision of hazard and Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte risk pay to the city government’s plantilla has signed a P2.8-billion supplemen- and contractual employees.

Trump warns:...

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likely jumped from an animal to humans in a market that sold wildlife.

But the existence of the facility has fueled conspiracy theories that the germ spread from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, specifically its P4 laboratory which is equipped to handle dangerous viruses.

Trump was asked whether China should suffer consequences over the pandemic which began in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December and has left more than 157,000 people dead around the world.

“If they were knowingly responsible, certainly,” he said. “If it was a mistake, a mistake is a mistake. AFP

into China—has rejected US media reports on the subject and said there is “no scientific basis.”

Trump also cast doubt on official Chinese figures showing the country has suffered just 0.33 deaths per 100,000 people.

“The number’s impossible,” he said.

“It’s an impossible number to hit.”

The United States, according to a chart displayed at the briefing, has had 11.24 deaths per 100,000 people while

France has had 27.92 and Spain 42.81.

Wuhan lab rejects claims At the same time, the director of a maximum-security laboratory in China’s coronavirus ground-zero city of Wuhan has rejected claims that it could be the source of the outbreak, calling it “impossible.”

Beijing has come under increasing pressure over transparency in its handling of the pandemic, with the US probing whether the virus actually originated in a virology institute with a high-security biosafety laboratory.

Chinese scientists have said the virus

plies included alcohol and hand sanitizers, thermal scanners, personal protective equipment and surgical and face masks that were scarce in the market when the lockdown was imposed on March 17.

Distor said 61 operations were conducted nationwide by the NBI-Manila and its Regional Operations units against those who took advantage of the current emergency health crisis.

ASG...

From A1 Combat Team bombings,” said Maj. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, Joint Task Force Sulu commander.

“He was also involved in the encounter with the 21st Infantry Battalion,” Vinluan added.

No soldier was harmed during the operation.

“Then again, this successful operation proves that the direct involvement of the communities would put up pressure on the Abu Sayyaf and constrict their move-

War on virus:...

From A1 don’t want people dying. That’s what is important right now—the patients recovered and the number of deaths decreased. We need to flatten [the curve], no more increase,” he said.

But at the same time, the Filipino Nurses United has expressed sadness and alarm over the increasing number of COVID-19 positive cases and deaths among nurses and other health workers.

“This highlights the extreme danger they are exposed to at work while being ill-equipped and poorly protected,” said a statement issued by Maristela P. Abenojar, FNU president.

As of April 17, the DOH reported that there are now 766 health workers infected with COVID-19, 339 of whom are doctors and 342 nurses.

Meanwhile, Senator Juan Edgardo Angara believes that to contain the spread of COVID-19 faster, the government must hasten the implementation of mass and random testing, particularly at the community level.

Angara aired his concern about how many COVID-19 cases were not being detected and were still spreading the virus in their communities.

Around 18 to 20 percent of COVID-19 carriers are asymptomatic, meaning they show none of the symptoms common to the virus.

At present, the DOH-certified laboratories can only test up to 4,000 a day so they are prioritizing those who are severely ill, vulnerable and those with pre-existing health conditions.

Due to the limitations, individuals who are asymptomatic are not being tested.

Once the capacity of the DOH-certified labs is able to hit 8,000 a day, then even the asymptomatic individuals, including the frontliners can be tested, health authorities said.

“We need massive and random testing. With massive and random testing, you can spot the silent carriers and then the individuals concerned and their communities will be able to respond appropriately to stop the spread of the virus,” Angara said.

Elsewhere, the Bureau of Correction has confirmed its first case of novel coronavirus case after a 72-year-old inmate at the Correction Institution for Women tested positive to the COVID-19.

Justice Undersecretary and spokesman Markk Perete disclosed on Sunday the BuCor, under the administrative supervision by the Department of Justice, has reported that the CIW inmate was admitted at the Sta. Ana Hospital on April 13.

Earlier, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology confirmed that 18 inmates and personnel of the Quezon City Jail have been tested positive for coronavirus.

The isolation facility in Quezon City was set up after an inmate died of suspected COVID-19 last March 25.

Some 17 persons deprived of liberty were placed in isolation after contact tracing and were tested for COVID-19.

Nine of them tested positive.

The bureau announced in its Facebook account that the inmate was diagnosed at the CIW infirmary with community acquired pneumonia last Monday and was immediately recommended for hospital referral and subsequently admitted at the Sta. Ana Hospital on the same day.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Friday held its first virtual En Banc session to discuss the petition filed by relatives of several persons deprived of their liberty or DPLs seeking the issuance of an order directing the temporary release of their relatives considered as political prisoners due to COVID-19 pandemic.

The petitioners also requested the Court to create a Prison Release Committee that would urgently study and implement the release of all other prisoners in various congested prisons throughout the country who are similarly vulnerable.

The Free Legal Assistance Group and parylist representatives belonging to the Makabayan Bloc are also pushing for the early release of elderly and sick PDLS to decongest prison and jail facilities to contain the spread of the virus. ments as well,” said Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, WestMinCom commander.

“May you continue to feed us with reliable information as we beef up our operations to run down terror groups and end discord and instability in our area of operation,” Sobejana added.

Vikram’s body was brought to Kuta Heneral Teodulfo Bautista Station Hospital for proper disposition.

The ASG has ties to Islamic State militants seeking to set up a caliphate in Southeast Asia.

On Friday, the group killed 11 soldiers and wounded 14 others in its deadliest attack in over a year, the military said. AFP

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MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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MMDA sacks two traffic enforcers for extortion

By Joel E. Zurbano CHAIRMAN Danilo Lim of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority has ordered the dismissal of two traffic personnel from the service for their alleged involvement in extortion in Makati City.

Lim’s directive came a day after traffic constables Darwin Reyes and Elmer Balunsat were arrested and detained by the police following a complaint by two food delivery drivers.

“We will not allow anyone to taint the good image of the agency. Both of them are

automatically terminated from service. The agency has no room for this kind of traffic enforcers. Wrongdoings should never be tolerated,” he said.

Both traffic enforcers are on job order status.

Investigation showed that the two motorcycle riders were on their way to deliver food to their customers around 5 p.m. last Friday when they were flagged down by Reyes and Balunsat on the southbound loading and unloading bay section of EDSA-Ayala in Barangay San Lorenzo, Makati

City, and demanded money, P500 and P100, in order for them to pass the thoroughfare.

Both food delivery riders yielded to the traffic enforcers’ demand but they quickly sought the assistance of the members of the Makati City Police who were conducting “Oplan Sita” at Arnaiz corner Park Square Drive and proceeded to the enforcers’ post.

The riders identified the two enforcers who extorted money from them that resulted to their arrest. Police were able to recover pieces of evidence--P500 and P100 bills--from their possession.

NBI nabs two suspects for online hacking in QC

By Willie Casas

N

ATIONAL Bureau of Investigation agents have arrested two suspects in Quezon City recently for online hacking.

FIRE EVACUEES. Hundreds of evacuees from a recent fire in Happyland in Tondo, Manila now reside in modular tents set up at the Amado Hernandez Elementary School on Sunday, April 19. (Inset) Residents help firefighters extinguish the fire that reached Task Force Bravo. Norman Cruz

Indian national helps in COVID relief efforts AMIDST the country’s COVID-19 health emergency crisis, Manjinder “James” Kumar, an Indian national, once again responded to the needs of the times by embracing a cherished Filipino trait—’bayanihan.’

Just days after the lockdown was implemented, Kumar embarked on a personal mission doing his share pitching in the “bayanihan” efforts alongside various entities extending help in different forms and means.

Almost every day, he is out distributing PPEs and relief goods to various hospitals, police checkpoints and small communities.

Growing up in a poor family, he knows and experienced the realities of poverty.

Through hard work and perseverance, he has eventually achieved success. And given his attained status, his heart has remained empathic to the plight of the poor.

His family arrived and settled in the country when he was seven years old. He grew up with a mixed Filipino-Indian culture.

Career and passion In retrospect, Kumar said: “I’ve always been good with people; call it fate or destiny but my uncle trained me to assist fellow Indian expats so that they could live, do business and thrive here in the Philippines. Soon, I mastered the trade, and got to set up my own consultancy firm, which not only assisted expats in documentation but also offered legal assistance, among many things.”

Winning nat’l ID bidder slammed

SMC donates 40,000 locally-produced PPE SAN Miguel Corporation has said that it expects to get hold of the first 10,000 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) coveralls from local garment manufacturers through the Department of Trade and Industry today, April 20. This comes after the conglomerate completed the delivery of 40,000 sets of protective gear to over 60 health facilities in the country.

The local manufacturers tapped by the DTI belong to the Confederation of Wearable Exporters of the Philippines.

“We are inspired by how companies and individuals are coming together in new ways to address the challenges of COVID-19.

We thank the DTI and the CONWEP for this. We stay committed to helping ease the strain on our medical system and protecting our medical health workers,” SMC president and COO Ramon S. Ang said.

Recently, SMC has started donating the first batch of ventilators to five public hospitals even as it awaits delivery of more machines along with high-flow oxygen devices

for use in caring for COVID-19 patients.

These life-saving ventilators were delivered to Philippine General Hospital, San Lazaro Hospital, Quirino Memorial Medical Center, East Avenue Medical Center and Lung Center of the Philippines. Fiftyfive units of high-flow oxygen device will also be delivered in the next coming days.

The latest donation is part of the P500million fund the conglomerate earmarked to help and protect medical frontliners save lives in the fight against the deadly virus.

NBI Officer-in-Charge Eric Distor identified the suspects as Jayson Dela Cruz and Kevin Marmolejo who were arrested during entrapment operations by agents of the NBI Cyber-Crime Division (NBI-CCD).

Suspects Dela Cruz and Marmolejo were charged before the Office of the Chief City Prosecutor of Quezon City for violations of RA 8484 (Access Devices Regulation Act of 1998) in relation to RA 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012).

The NBI made the arrest after receivig a letter from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas requesting for an investigation of the growing number of phishing sites designed to appear as legitimate online banking portals of major commercial banks.

These sites’ purpose is to gather the log in credentials of legitimate bank account holders, providing the means to open the online banking accounts of the users and to drain their funds.

The NBI has determined that preliminary to the theft of funds from the hacked online banking accounts, the hackers usually procure access including, but not limited to, automatic teller machine cards, personal identification numbers, usernames and passwords for legitimate online banking accounts in the names of the victims. The suspects would then use these accounts to hold and withdraw the stolen funds using the identities of the victims.

Distor said that on April 14, the NBICCD received an intelligence report that Dela Cruz posted an advertisement on Facebook offering to purchase access devices for online banking accounts. With this, an entrapment operation was conducted resulting to the arrest of Dela Cruz in Quezon City.

Recovered from the scene of the crime were BPI Debit Card issued under the name of Joseph Anano Teves, and a cellphone.

Dela Cruz was also scheduled to meet Marmolejo in a bank in Novaliches, Quezon City in the afternoon of the same day, prompting the NBI to conduct a follow-up operation.

This also resulted to the arrest of Marmolejo during the operation.

DAR suspends all probes, case trials

By Rio N. Araja THE Department of Agrarian Reform on Sunday announced the extension of a temporary suspension of the agrarian law implementation legal proceedings and processes due to the extended Enhanced Community Quarantine.

“All scheduled hearings, on-site inspection and investigations, meetings, dialogues, mediation conferences and other proceedings pursuant to the regular or special agrarian law implementation rules are suspended until April 30, 2020,” Secretary John Castriciones said.

The proceedings shall be rescheduled by concerned DAR offices with proper notice to the concerned parties or based on the

agreements of the involved parties upon the lifting of the lockdown and resumption of regular government operations.

According to Castriciones, the filing of petitions and appeals, motions, pleadings and other submissions involving all regular and special agrarian law implementation cases that fall due during the Enhanced Community Quarantine or up to April 30, 2020 is extended for 30 calendar days, counted from May 1, 2020, unless the period of quarantine is again extended.

“The period of suspension of the regular and special agrarian law implementation proceedings shall be lifted on May 1, 2020, unless a new extension of the ECQ is announced,” he said.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES. People on Sunday pass by a graffiti with a message that encourages the public to stay home due to the threat of COVID-19 along Service Road in Makati City. Norman Cruz

By Rio N. Araja

Immunization should continue—Win

BAYAN Muna Party-list Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate on Sunday scored the company that was awarded the right to implement the national identification system on the security and sovereignty aspect of their system.

In a statement, the lawmaker said one of the issues about Idemia is it is a fully foreign-owned company with “dubious” background.

Idemia was the lowest bidder that bagged the national ID system, which was cheaper by P200 billion.

Initial reports from the World Bank showed Idemia was blacklisted from participating in any activities of the global finance organization due to unfair and questionable practices.

WITH this year’s World Immunization Week on April 24-30, Senator Win Gatchalian called on local government units especially the barangays, to ensure that immunization services are not compromised despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gatchalian said that in planning COVID-19 measures and responses, the government should consider minimizing the risk of mortality if immunization services continue.

However, he emphasized that in providing immunization services, social distancing and infection control procedures should be properly maintained.

Last year, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) estimated that there were

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

INSPECTION. DPWH Build, Build, Build Committee Chairperson Anna Mae Lamentillo, District Engineer Medel Chua and Planning and Design Devision Chief Lydia Chua inspect the newly converted ‘We Heal As One’ Center at Ultra. DPWH Secretary Villar noted that the conversion was completed in a span of only three days. Norman Cruz

2.9 million unvaccinated Filipino children who remain vulnerable to life-threatening diseases.

The previous year also saw an outbreak of measles and polio in the country. Immunization rate in the past years declined from 88 percent in 2013 to 73 percent in 2017 and among the causes of this drop were public hesitancy, vaccine stock-outs, shortage of trained workers, and accessibility of far-flung areas.

“The immunization of babies is one of the most important measures to take care of the health of our children,” said Gatchalian.

“We should not forget our immunization program, but this should be done safely especially with the continuing COVID-19 threat in the country,” said Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture.

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Opinion

MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2020

Good habits, good systems CROSSROADS

J.A. DE LA CRUZ WITH just 10 days before the end of the Extended Community Quarantine, everybody is focused on the lifting strategy to be imposed by government come April 30. Will there be an extension of the lockdown, say for

Facts and figures matter. Jobs and businesses matter. But foremost, lives matter. another two weeks or so, like what happened the first time the imposed period was about to occur? Or will it be a month like what India and the UK have done after their own monthlong impositions? Will it be a rolling one such as seems to be the case in Japan and Singapore? Or should it just be a modified, selective lockdown as seems to be the guidance of US President Trump?

The government has 10 days to think things over. We should expect President Duterte to give a hint of his predisposition when he makes his weekly report to Congress and the people on the implementation of the lockdown as provided for under the Bayanihan-to-Heal-as-One Act. Actually, when he gave his report to the nation last week, the President already hinted at what he had in mind. His extending the ECQ for another two weeks was, in a sense, his means of getting a firmer handle

on the situation before he makes a final decision. His decision matrix was clear: get the medical/health situation on track to a degree that the country can handle then we can talk about lifting in whatever form. Lives are foremost, the rest can follow. Not that he was insensitive to the clamor of the poorest and most vulnerable sectors who have cried out early on that they can only endure stay-at-home orders up to a certain point. Otherwise, they will risk getting infected as they will die of hunger anyway.

Nor was the President unaware of the plight of the middle income classes, specially the salaried workers or OFWs or pensioners or those whose businesses' continued existence cannot be more than a month or a quarter under a strict lockdown situation. He had all these in mind when he said foremost, lives matter.

Which is why the continuing focus on the first lockdown protocol: Stay safe, healthy and be a non-COVID-19 spreader. Yes, Sir. It is the rate of transmission of this invisible enemy which we should all look at. Pending the discovery of a vaccine (six to 18 months is the period of reckoning, say scientists and medical experts as of this writing), our main goal is to bring the level of transmission to the lowest possible rate. Which is why staying at home, frequent handwashing, wearing of face masks, social/physical distancing, banning of non-essential travel and large gatherings are important. These are the simple and cheap good habits as the authors of that incisive article "How Long Will Covid 19 Last? The Power of Good Habits and Good Systems" issued by the Asian School Business (ASB) based in Kuala Lumpur described them.

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

A time to go OURTEEN senators—including the Senate President and other administration allies—last week passed a resolution demanding the resignation of Health Secretary Francisco Duque for his poor handling of the COVID-19 crisis.

F

The senators said Duque’s "poor planning, delayed response, lack of transparency, and misguided and flip-flopping policies and measures" in addressing the pandemic posed a danger to the lives of Filipinos in general and healthcare workers in particular.

The resolution came soon after the Department of Health was reported to have hemmed and hawed over the application of Marikina City to have its own testing center. The mayor of Marikina said he knew he could land in trouble for his act, but he was willing to risk violating the law because every day counted—after all, COVID presents a life-and-death situation.

But Duque stays. “I will continue to serve the country to the best of my abilities,” he said. “I will continue to be in the trenches with our health care workers and frontliners.” Next he was seen praising Marikina’s initiative.

The Palace says Duque still enjoys the President’s trust.

In contrast, National Economic and Development Authority head Secretary Ernesto Pernia announced his resignation Friday, citing personal reasons and development policy differences with his Cabinet colleagues. In a swift move, an undersecretary for the Department of Finance was appointed as acting NEDA chief. The Palace made no expression of trust.

Amid speculation on the real reason for his leaving, Pernia resorted to comparing the present administration to a dysfunctional orchestra.

These two cases highlight that different people are driven by different motives for throwing in the towel.

Resignation is a complicated word, and depending on who is pondering it and on the circumstances surrounding that person, it could be interpreted as a manifestation of surrender, or a valiant and principled stand, an indication of cowardice or guilt, or the humble acknowledgment that the task is too dif-

ficult for one’s intellect or fortitude.

It could be seen as a last resort after one has tried too hard to make compromises acceptable to conscience— and failed.

In other countries, government officials resign when they are implicated in any scandal, failure or error, even if only on the principle of command responsibility. But Filipinos are more familiar with the kind that clings on to their seats even with a preponderance of evidence of incompetence at best, or wrongdoing at worst.

Remember, too, the matter of succession. Booting someone from office or prevailing upon them to quit is just half the story. How can the people make sure that the next official would be better, without vested interest or potential profit?

These hold true during ordinary times. They are crucial these days, when decisions made and not made means lives saved.

Different officials may have different interpretations of a good time to go. But since they are public servants, their primary consideration must be the good of the people they swore to serve, and not their ego.

Dilemma

WE ARE between a rock and a hard place, between the devil and the deep blue sea.

In another 10 days, the extended lockdown over NCR, the rest of Luzon, and many other major cities and provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao will end. Government, particularly the President no less, will have to make a decision on whether or not to continue with the lockdown that has paralyzed economic activity and caused problems of hunger and basic survival among three-fourths of the population.

The public health officials would likely be for the continuation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine.

As it is, we are far from flattening the curve; neither have we reached the peak of the coronavirus contagion in the country. The simple truth is we had to take the extreme measure of lockdown because we did not act quickly or properly enough. In Tagalog, “natulog sa pansitan” for a loooong time.

Unlike other countries in the region, our health officials failed to do what was right. We did not close our borders early enough. We did not test early enough. We did not even use the machinery of government, e.g., the police, the LGUs, even the military, to track down those who may have been in contact with the early cases of infection.

For more than a month, our public health officials preened over an amazingly, if unbelievably low number of cases, frozen at three, then five. During that period, we did not source enough test kits, not even PPEs for our health workers. Now we are scrambling to get test kits and PPEs, but we are competing for the precious, scarce resources that Donald Trump’s US of A is trying to corner, because the “licensed” American prevaricator was in denial for the longest time.

And the numbers keep rising. Intelligent and effective mayors like Rex Gatchalian of Valenzuela, Benjie Magalong of Baguio, Marcy Teodoro of Marikina, Francis Zamora of San Juan, Abby Binay of Makati, and Gov. Johnvic Remulla of Cavite are now realizing that the DOH upon which they were relying upon is simply unreliable; that the community transmission, especially among their poor communities, has become so widespread. They are discovering the sad truth only now precisely because for the longest time, neither testing nor tracing was done efficient-

Do we revive an economy so limp, or flatten a contagion curve that was acted upon too late? ly, extensively and effectively by our public health officials. There must be many more LGU officials who have done much to protect their constituency, but being far removed here in Taiwan, I can only name a few that the media have reported.

The economic impact has been terrible: the economy is down on its feet. If the situation protracts while we wait for “science” to declare us safe, our economy will turn belly up.

People will be starving. Government resources will be stretched beyond capability to act, and then the danger of anarchy prevailing becomes a nightmarish possibility.

Frustrated and resigned NEDA Director General Ernie Pernia put it very succinctly when asked why he gave up in the midst of battle: “when the orchestra isn’t well orchestrated, there seems to be a problem.”

Indeed, how can you play a symphony when the members of the orchestra are befuddled and confused, with the conductor, the seemingly “indispensable” Secretary of Health, plays contra tiempo to science and sense?

Ten days isn’t a long time to come Turn to A5

EvEryman

The backliners

By Ernesto G. Banawis THE novel coronavirus or COVID-19 has brought the entire nation to its knees. Ferocious, insidious, and infectious, the virus has already claimed the lives of over 3,000 people and taxed the resources of the government and medical institutions.

The nation is now engaged in a war against an enemy with a strange origin and identity and for which an effective antidote or cure has yet to be found.

The entire citizenry has to be harnessed as an army to confront the crisis. It has to be organized and deployed as a disciplined and patriotic as a military contingent.

The frontliners The first line of defense or frontliners are those who are directly attending to COVID-19 patients. They are the doctors, nurses, and medical aides in hospitals and clinics to where confirmed cases are brought for confinement and treatment.

They are the highest ranking officials in a medical army organized primarily to wage the war against the epidemic. A number have died while in active service. They have been hailed as heroes. They deserve the honor and recognition.

It takes courage to take a job where one’s own life is at stake. To die in a mortal combat with an enemy whose nature you have no knowledge or even an inkling of is a sacrifice of immense dimension.

The second line of defense The second line of defense is made up of officials and members of the military and police establishments who have been tasked to enforce the orders of the president and the directives of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF). Also in this line of defense are the officials and employees of the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Department of Social Welfare and Development, down to the local government officials and DSWD field staffers.

The reserve force The biggest contingent is composed of the civilian population and employees of temporarily-closed government institutions. They constitute the reserve force.

The last line of defense or the backliners This group is small, barely one percent of the population. And yet it is the most formidable line. The backliners are composed of the richest individuals, the titans of trade and industry, and owners of the country’s biggest business corporations.

With their enormous financial and manpower resources, they constitute the most experienced, best trained, disciplined, and reliable strike force against the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

The man directing the deployment of the entire army is President Rodrigo Roa Duterte being the commander- in- chief.

Congress has given him emergency powers to deal with the epidemic.

Turn to A5

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Opinion Quo vadis?

THE FIFTH GOSPEL JUDE ACIDRE THE sight of Pope Francis walking alone to an empty St. Peter’s Square is one of the most powerful images to ever come out of this COVID-19 pandemic.

The emptiness of the square where tens of thousands used to congregate for the weekly papal audiences and occasional liturgies mirrors the empty churches around the world. One cannot be but moved to prayer as if the entire humanity had fallen to its knees to plead for an end to this crisis.

Undeniably, the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak has changed our everyday lives in many ways. At a time when we are physically distanced from one another, never has the family ever been so united in prayer, hope and action.

Our churches may be closed, but parents and their children have once more discovered the value of prayer in the home. Our houses may provide safety and comfort, but many of our doctors, nurses and all those on the frontlines have left their own homes and selflessly risked their own health to ensure that every COVID-19 patient receives the needed medical care. Our businesses may be struggling, but our generosity to reach out to the least in our society, and the most vulnerable to this crisis has not by any measure wavered.

The rhetorical question, “Where is the Church?” has been raised many times throughout these weeks of community quarantine. Truthfully, the Church is not one to bring attention or receive affirmation for its works of charity, because crisis or no crisis, the Church has always been there in the fields of healthcare, education and social outreach.

More so in this time of the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, as parishes cancel public liturgies, more of its efforts have been diverted to its social action initiatives. Our churches and schools have been opened to provide free accommodation not only to street dwellers and the homeless, but even to those working on the frontlines. Many parishes have

The backliners From A4

With the most vital arteries of the national economy shut down, and the rest of the people imprisoned in their homes, President Duterte enjoys absolute power which he can exercise without accountability, except to his conscience, to his people, to his country and to the Lord.

The President has assured the people that everything is under control and that he is on top of the situation. He said that he has yet to exercise his power to call on the leaders of the business community to lend their financial and manpower in the war effort. The time has come for him to enlist their cooperation and support.

These are the people who dominate the most lucrative arteries of the national economy. The wealth of the 50 wealthiest Filipinos amounts to about $27 billion or P1.350 trillion.

The most devastating effect of the crisis is the breakdown and dislocation of the national economy. The projected growth of the economy this year is below zero which means experiencing a severe economic recession.

This is where the backliners should be

Dilemma From A4

up with a choice, or even a compromised decision.

Hungry people deprived of daily sustenance cannot wait for the curve to flatten, which isn’t likely until perhaps July or August, if ever. Business, whether big or small or medium-scale, cannot survive the fall-out of no productivity, no operations, no logistics and no income. And government coffers will dry up no matter how Sonny Dominguez and Ben Diokno try to squeeze revenues from an idled economy.

Perhaps the suggestion of Joey Concepcion, even Secretary Año is the only middle ground possible— instead of enhancing the lockdown, select the places where community quarantine would continue, and allow the lifeblood of our economy to flow even in a measured manner.

“When we say ‘barangay quarantine’, you don’t start by locking down a certain city, you start by considering quarantines for barangays that

taken the initiative to take care of the poorest of the poor in their own communities, providing food packs, mostly contributed by the faithful themselves.

In fact, Caritas Manila, the social service arm of the Archdiocese of Manila, has taken the lead of effectively and efficiently extending assistance amounting to more than a billion worth of gift certificates which has been distributed to more than a million families within Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

May this COVID-19 crisis be indeed be a time of our choosing—to be Church, to be Christ today.

But this question begets another question, “Who is the Church?” Is the Church we seek that of the hierarchy and the clergy? Is the Church we are looking for the institution that has been long criticized, at times unfairly, whenever it speaks for truth and justice? When we ask, “Where is the Church?”, are we asking for its funds and resources and why the supposedly billions in stocks and other investments have not been divested and spent to provide for those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic?

If we find ourselves asking these questions, then we have missed the truth of what it means to be Church. If we equate the Church to the bishops, priests and religious alone, then we have failed to understand our own vocation as baptized Christians. If we define the Church’s role in terms of temporal power and secular influence, then we have forgotten our mission to live out the Beatitudes—to be poor in spirit, to be merciful, to be pure of heart, and to hunger and thirst for righteousness.

If we expect that the Church’s treasures are but the billions in real estate, stocks and investments in its portfolio, then we miss to appreciate an even greater treasure in the selfless service that many Catholics in various callings have so generously shared with the community.

Where is the Church? Our experience today teaches us that the Church is not to be found in those grandiose buildings made of stone. It is to be found in the homes, in the families, who in this time of trial remain fortified by faith.

The Church is in its parishes, schools and hospitals who despite the odds continue to serve beyond the call of the duty. The Church is to be found in the generosity of its faithful, who even in a time of their own need, are able and willing to share their blessings to those who need it even more.

We are the Church, and the Church we seek is to be found in our hearts. Cri Crisis or no crisis, we are called to witness to this faith, whose greatest command commandment is to love God and others. Prior to the extraordinary Orbi et Urbi blessing to pray for an end to the COVID-19 cri crisis, Pope Francis called on Christians to “seize this time of trial as a time of choosing, a time to choose what matters and what passes away, a time to separate what is necessary from what is not.”

That confronted by the fragility of our own existence, in the face of our fear and worry, Jesus is calling us to rediscover our faith. That begins “when we realize we are in need of salvation” and are not self-sufficient on our own.

There is an apocryphal account of the apostle Peter fleeing from Rome to escape the impending persecution by the Romans. Along the Via Appia, he meets the risen Jesus walking towards the city.

Peter asks him, “Quo vadis?” “Where are you going?” To which Christ replied, “I am going to Rome to be crucified again.” Realizing then the folly of his ways, Peter gains the courage to continue his ministry and returns to Rome, where he was martyred by being crucified upside down.

In this time of pandemic, it is difficult not to be worried and concerned about what the aftermath of this crisis will bring. It is easy to be trapped within our own selfish concerns, finding for a way out, an escape from the challenges of our times. But Christ meets us along the way, and in our wanting a way out, he finds a way to come into our lives, into our pains and doubts, and there he asks us that as Christians we are called to be Church—to be his presence in the world, especially in the most trying times.

MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2020

A5

Enough chicken and pork supply, but...

THE pandemic has plunged the whole Luzon island in lockdown, triggering a sudden drop in demand of all commodities and services and practically slamming the breaks on what has been an unprecedented economic velocity for the country. As the government continues its daily guideline tweaks to address some harmful nuances in implementation, the uninterrupted supply of food carries critical urgency because its failure has a real destabilizing potential.

Food security has always been one of the top national concerns of the people.

called in. President Duterte could now exercise his power to enlist the services of the country;’s most successful entrepreneurs and the best and brightest minds in the private sector who have the experience in confronting a crisis and in handling damage control operations.

Even if only 10 percent of the liquid assets of the wealthiest Filipinos is earmarked to finance the productive capacities of the most vial arteries of the national economy, the country can readily recover its economic health.

This huge capital can immediately be funneled to finance corporate farming all over the country. Similar programs can be made for the fishing industry, the meat and dairy industries, and other food production concerns.

This gigantic undertaking, however, must be financed, managed, and pursued by the donors of the funds themselves. They can set up a foundation which will design and oversee the entire economic recovery program.

In effect, the wealthy contributors will not be donating or giving for free their money to the government or the people. They simply will be investing a portion of their financial resources in a collective corporate enterprise in

cooperation with those engaged in any particular endeavor or occupation. This massive economic recovery program will will promote a truly inclusive economic growth and development.

The fund donors themselves could spearhead the recovery efforts in industries where they have been most successful.

The Sy family may head the distributive or the wholesale and retail trade. The Villars and the top real estate developers could draw the housing programs for the middle class and less fortunate families.

Ramon Ang will surely be the top choice to handle the food processing industries.

Enrique Razon could handle the capital intensive transportation industry. The Ayalas could readily and capably manage the recovery of the tourism industry.

There are highly respected entrepreneurs in other lines of business whose experiences will be most valuable. The richest citizens of the country could be the catalysts in finally overcoming the crisis and in promoting the economic ascendancy of the Filipino people.

Mr. Ernesto Banawis is former general manager of the Philippine News Agency.

He is a student of government and history.

Recent news articles quoted the Department of Agriculture reporting a total of 251,450 pigs culled since the African Swine Flu (ASF) outbreak, but industry claims it is lower by their estimates. The ASF also scared consumers who then shifted to chicken and dropping demand by four percent to 1.729 million Metric Tons from 1.806 million MT. The DA also said that chicken meat imports will increase by one percent to 370,000 MT compared to 366,000 MT last year. It said that local production, though estimated to increase by 10 percent (1.6 million MT), will not be enough to meet domestic consumption predicted to be at 1.89 million MT. This takes to account lower and delayed shipments in this year’s chicken meat importation because of disruptions from the lockdown.

This conflicts with latest news reports citing DA forecasts based on inputs from hog and poultry industry stakeholders projecting that seven regions will produce more pork than their requirements and 11 regions will have chicken surplus throughout the year.

On the other hand, the pork and chicken industries are calling for a halt of all importation and to stop the issuance of new import permits because of the reported oversupply.

According to industry sources, the current numbers of frozen inventory of chicken is already at 60.3 million kg, of which 35.3 million kg are imported and 25 million kg are locally produced. These figures are 4 million kg higher than the numbers posted by the National Meat Inspection Service.

The pork industry likewise called for a stop in importations for the remaining quarters of the year owing to the plentiful buffer stocks and the drastic drop in demand because of the ongoing Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ). Furthermore, the reported surplus of pork meat in Visayas and Mindanao could possi-

have high infection rates,” said Presidential Adviser Concepcion.

But whether even that would work without increasing the numbers of the sick would depend on whether the delayed supplies coming mostly from China would arrive in time, and whether a health system strained by three months of unbelievable pressure can yet deliver the needed results.

It is not as if the pandemic, being “novel” is reason not to know which way to act. Our nearest neighbor to the north, Taiwan, which is also nearest to the origin of the virus, was in far worse shape at the beginning of the year. But they acted fast. They tested; they traced; they used an efficient health system to treat the tested and traced patients, all in a transparent manner communicated each day effectively, to their people and to the world.

There was a model in Taiwan, and even elsewhere in our continent, but we minded them not, perhaps because “politics” and “diplomacy,” as stated by our health secretary (for fear of China?), was deemed more important than science and sense until the situation had become too impossible

without quarantining population and economy.

The Senate through 15 of its members, or even 18 if you add the Liberals, including its president, signed a resolution asking the health secretary to resign for negligence and ineffectiveness. And yet he “soldiers on” in this “third world war,” he says, because the appointing authority has been reluctant to let go, yet.

I recall a statement earlier released anonymously but later attributed to former Antipolo City congressman and former ranking police officer Gen. Romeo Acop a month ago, appealing to “those who are physically, intellectually and morally weak and incapable of giving your best, we hope you find the courage and patriotism to step aside and let others more capable to do the job.”

But enough of that. The Health secretary has sought refuge from the President who still “maintains trust and confidence” as the recycled spokesman, my friend Harry Roque, averred. So let us hope and pray he delivers.

The State and our President are in

such a difficult situation, of having to choose between reviving an economy so limp, or “flattening” a contagion curve that was acted upon too late, and shows no clear promise of light at the end of the 45-day tunnel.

His is a very heavy cross to bear. *** We thank the government of Taiwan for donating 300,000 face masks which arrived last Wednesday, and has been turned over by TECO and MECO to the Department of Health at the airport cargo terminal.

The undersecretary of Health who accepted the donation, along with directors of the Office of Civil Defense, was even reluctant to have her photograph taken with MECO and TECO officials because of the “One China Policy,” and agreed only when the OCD officials volunteered proudly. She did have her photo taken, but only when a box was reversed so the marking “Taiwan can help” would not be seen.

Afraid of China? Surely the Chinese ambassador does not even know her, nor would be so crass as to complain about a humanitarian gesture by

bly be sent to Luzon to augment the supply.

The Philippines has a World Trade Organization agreement that requires a minimum access volume (MAV) commitment in the importation of chicken and pork meat. In 2018, MAV for pork is 54,210,000 kilos while chicken meat at 23,490,000 kilos.

However, 2018 pork importation reached 387,895,977 kilos, way over the MAV allocation by 333,685,977 kilos while chicken imports reached 310,851,343 kilos, likewise exceeding MAV allocation by a whopping 287,361,343 kilos.

This is a clear indication of over-importation and the lack of government safeguard mechanisms resulting in falling prices that threaten the viability of chicken and hog producers.

Atty. Bong Inciong of the United Broilers Association suggests that in this crisis situation, the Philippines should suspend compliance with its commitment to the WTO and instead maximize the current local supply.

He further points out that aside from the WTO agreement, there is a bilateral agreement between the Philippines and the US regarding the market access of chicken importation wherein a portion is allotted for the US chicken and proposes to import corn instead which would help lower feed costs and eventually lower retail price for consumers.

Moreover, the industry wants to be allowed to import corn from non-ASEAN countries at lower tariff rates to help in lowering the cost of animal inputs. The lowering of the feed ingredients will help the livestock producers in lowering their cost to produce, increasing their competitiveness in the market.

The feed millers are willing to help out the local farmers by buying their local produce and buying from the non-ASEAN countries during off-harvest season. The tariff that will be collected will be allocated to the local farmers for their post-harvest facilities and advancement in corn farming.

There are several ECQ related factors that are currently affecting the industry such as additional charges on importation because of the slow process of Customs releasing. Industry sources say that importers are already experiencing slow releasing at the port resulting to additional charges on storage, detention and demurrage. They suggest that these charges incurred during the ECQ period should be waived or at least discounted.

The pork and chicken industry, now hurting because of an artificial drop in demand, suggests measures that would address distribution and retail problems such as the extension of shipping permits within Luzon, stimulus packages such as tax incentives or holidays, increasing market hours to accommodate more consumers, and to resume operations of fastfoods, drive-throughs and deliveries to increase the food demand while complying with social distancing.

its “political pariah.” *** Over the past weeks, we grieve whenever persons close to us die because of the COVID pestilence, even as we continually thank the Almighty each day that we are mercifully spared.

While we are happy that persons we hold in high esteem, such as Education Secretary Liling Briones and former Prime Minister Cesar Virata have been spared by the deathly specter, we are at a loss when someone like Cathy Bello, former colleague in the Senate staff and a dear friend, succumbs to the death sentence of the virus. To her family, particularly Secretary Bebot Bello, our profound condolences.

Though he had a lingering illness not related to the virus, we also grieve for the departure into the Great Beyond of our good friend and legal counsel, Secretary Jun Factoran. Jun and I shared many happy moments over lunch and other matters at the Thursday Group hosted by Manny Zamora, and before that, in the FSGO headed by the late Sen. Ting Paterno.

A6

MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2020

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World/Business

Virus fears keep Orthodox Easter believers at home MOSCOW—More than 260 million Orthodox Christians celebrated Easter Sunday, with church leaders asking worshippers to stay at home to avoid spreading the novel coronavirus.

Orthodox Christians, the world’s third largest group of Christian believers, this year celebrate Easter a week after Catholics and Protestants because they follow a different calendar.

Last week’s Easter celebrations took place in empty churches while Pope Francis livestreamed his traditional message from the Vatican as the pandemic that has killed more than 150,000 made massed worship too risky.

Most Orthodox Christians will also skip traditional midnight services, even though Eastern Europe and the ex-Soviet Union where most live have relatively low numbers of confirmed cases of the virus so far.

Moscow Patriarch Kirill, who leads 150 million believers, has urged the faithful to pray at home and not go to church until he gives his blessing.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is dropping his usual attendance at an Easter service and will go to a chapel in the grounds of his residence outside Moscow.

In Moscow and the surrounding region, where most Russian COVID-19 cases are concentrated, churches will hold services behind closed doors with broadcasts online or on television.

However churches will remain open in many regions of the country, which has reported around 36,800 cases of coronavirus and more than 300 deaths. AFP

Spanish virus lockdown prolonged as toll tops 20,0 00 MADRID—Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Saturday announced the nationwide coronavirus lockdown would be extended two weeks to May 9, hours after the official death toll passed 20,000.

“We have done the hardest part through responsibility and social discipline...we are putting the most extreme moments behind us,” Sanchez said. But Spaniards must not jeopardize the fragile gains made so far with hasty decisions.

The restrictions currently in place would however be loosened slightly to allow children time outside from April 27, said Sanchez.

Until now only adults have been able to leave the house for specific reasons: to go to work, to go shopping for food or medicine, for a medical appointment or to walk the dog.

But there were growing calls to let children outside, as is permitted in most other countries observing a lockdown.

Spain, which has been under confinement since March 14, has recorded 20,043 deaths from the virus, the latest health ministry figures showed – the third-highest official toll after the United States and Italy.

Health officials nevertheless say Spain has passed the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak which killed up to 950 people a day on April 2, and pressure is slowly easing on hospitals. AFP

In this screengrab, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts of the musical group The Rolling Stones, Jennifer Lopez, Stevie Wonder, Lady Gaga and Elton John perform during the “One World: Together At Home” presented by Global Citizen on April 18. The global broadcast and digital special was held to support frontline healthcare workers and the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for the World Health Organization, powered by the UN Foundation. AFP

Virtual mega-concert celebrates health workers N EW YORK—A virtual concert packed with A-listers— from The Rolling Stones to Taylor Swift to Billie Eilish— entertained fans around the world with a show celebrating health workers, as billions shelter at home due to coronavirus.

Lizzo, Jennifer Lopez, Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney and LL Cool J also joined in the Lady Gaga-curated online party, which was backed by the international advocacy organization Global Citizen in partnership with the World Health Organization.

Before opening the show, Lady Gaga— who began working with Global Citizen

and the WHO weeks ago to fundraise for the battle against COVID-19—said she was praying for medical workers and also “thinking of all of you that are at home, who are wondering when this is all going to be different.”

“What I’d like to do tonight, if I can, is just give you the permission to, for a moment – smile,” she said as she broke into a

PILING UP. Demonstrators, using simulated body bags for props, protest President Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic on April 18 in Chicago, Illinois. The protest was part of an effort taking place near Trump properties in several cities across the country. AFP

Pandemic threat! Is your business prepared?

DISASTER, according to the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, is “a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or society involving widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses and impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope with using its own resources.”

The pandemic COVID-19 is a major disaster. Whether this catastrophe is intentional or unintentional, or due to negligence, is a secondary concern because communities and governments need to address immediately pressing needs not only to ensure well-being and survival but also to sustain the economy.

Thus, for any business, disaster management is critical because the organization needs to know the threats from the looming danger despite the lack of adequate information (for example, how the virus spreads) and limited resources (for instance, ventilators for the sick and personal protective equipment for the health professional). The appropriate actions should be comprehended and identified. Moreover, forces and elements that affect each activity must be considered together with its impact and effects on internal and external stakeholders, environments and to the organization itself. All these are planned under time pressure to survive the adversity.

Any organization needs to make sure that it is prepared for emergencies and disasters. Disasters can be managed through four different steps: prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. The steps of

handling crises can be achieved via the traditional management methods of planning, leading, organizing and Controlling.

First, top management should ensure strategic planning is done well. Through proper planning, an organization would satisfy the preparedness phase to facilitate its readiness to organize, lead and control. In the planning stage, it is best to draw different scenarios to see how various events will affect the organization.

For example, the long-term effect on office space rentals could be a declining occupancy; consequently, there will be a drop in revenue because of relocations or business closures in affected areas. Thus, there should be a risk assessment that identifies hazards and its impact on specific events, and the processes to address the risk.

Risk reduction plans should be crafted and may include new functions and expansion for required competencies; response strategies and procedures; adaptability to different threats; detailed explanation of all functions, roles and responsibilities; a periodic review of vulnerabilities and resources; backup plans; and continuous training and planning processes, among others.

Second is the unification and integration of efforts achieved through organizing.

In this step, pertinent structures are put in place, making individual activities, tasks and responsibilities embedded within the organizational culture via efficient communication.

Risk communicated through one-way information dissemination, dialogue and social interaction would be about hazards, susceptibilities, preventive measures and response.

What is germane is the third management method of having a dynamic leadership that would face the situation on hand accurately and precipitously. Decisionmaking is central to crisis management.

Leading in disaster situations involve confronting the incident directly, rapidly and accurately.

The effectiveness and efficiency of actions can be achieved through strategic, tactical and operational levels of authority, control, and coordination. This will guarantee the effectiveness and efficiency of action. A leader must allow others to work in their best abilities. To be able to lead, the leader should know the internal human and material resource capability of the organization. Efficient logistics is critical in emergency response. Tasks and implementation must be well explained to all participants to establish familiarity.

Fourth is control of the processes so that mistakes can be eliminated, if not reduced.

Controls will safeguard the effective, efficient, swift and comprehensive implementation of all undertakings. Resources can be well managed by measuring if goals had been achieved or not. There ought to be close supervision of the crisis teams’ activities. The organization must know its limitations to prepare and be able to ensure the availability of needed resources.

As the country starts to recover, businesses may not be able to begin fully operations right away. And so, planning, as humanistic management theory espouses, should protect human dignity and contribute to everyone’s well-being. Therefore

rendition of Nat King Cole’s “Smile.”

Stevie Wonder then wowed with a tribute to the late soul legend Bill Withers.

Sitting at his home piano, Wonder, who turns 70 next month, played “Lean On Me” before launching into his own “Love’s In Need Of Love Today” in his singular crystal-clear voice.

Mick Jagger also appeared ageless despite his 76 years as he delivered the classic “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” as his fellow Stones played from their respective homes, including a grinning Charlie Watts on the air drums.

Also at her piano Swift played the vulnerable “Soon You’ll Get Better,” which the pop phenom wrote about her mother’s struggles with cancer.

Global Citizen intended the primetime event broadcast on major television networks worldwide—and hosted by American late-night television personalities Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert—not as a fundraiser but as a moment of unity through song.

They also planned it as a “rallying cry” to support health workers, while coronavirus has at least 4.5 billion people forced or urged to stay home.

Prior to the event, Global Citizen began urging philanthropists, companies and governments to support the WHO in its coronavirus response efforts, saying it has raised $35 million for local organizations and the international health body’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. AFP

ANA LISA ASIS-CASTRO, DBA

Green LiGht

continuity plans should include how to remain viable when there is no business (e.g., the decision of Singapore Airlines to cut executive pay to cope with this disaster) or how to operate for several weeks or months with a skeletal force because some employees might be sick or quarantined, maybe caring for their sick family members, or sadly, may have died.

Hence, creating a business continuity plan that is crafted appropriately to the uniqueness of the business, which describes how an organization will continue to function during or after a disaster, is significant to the survival of an organization.

It is the responsibility of executives, the strategic planners of a business, to ensure that their organization will be able to continue its existence and ensure its market competitiveness as it manages the disruptive events of a pandemic.

So, is your organization prepared for this pandemic threat?

Ana Liza Asis-Castro is a part-time faculty at the Management and Organization Department of the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business, De La Salle University. where she teaches in the MBA program.

She recently placed fourth in the Philippine Professional Real Estate Consultant Licensure Exam and has been a Licensed Real Estate Broker for over 30 years. She welcomes comments at ana.liza.asiscastro@ gmail.com.

The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the position of De La Salle University, its faculty, and its administrators.

IN BRIEF HK activists jailed over rallies HONG KONG—Police in Hong Kong carried out a sweeping operation against high-profile democracy campaigners on Saturday, arresting 15 activists on charges related to massive protests that rocked the Asian financial hub last year.

Among those targeted was 72-year-old media tycoon Jimmy Lai, founder of antiestablishment newspaper Apple Daily, who was arrested at his home.

The group also included former lawmakers Martin Lee, Margaret Ng, Albert Ho, Leung Kwok-hung, Au Nok-hin and current lawmaker Leung Yiu-chung.

They are accused of organizing and taking part in unlawful assemblies in August and October, according to the police.

Five were arrested on suspicion of publicizing unauthorized public meetings in September and October.

“The arrestees were charged or will be charged with related crimes,” superintendent Lam Wing-ho said.

All 15 are due to appear in court midMay. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the arrests “deeply concerning,” saying in a tweet that “politicized law enforcement is inconsistent with universal values of freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.” AFP

Mining accident kills 9 in Sumatra NINE people were killed by a landslide at an illegal gold mine in Sumatra, an Indonesian official said Sunday.

The accident happened Saturday in South Solok in West Sumatra province when a group of 12 people were digging for gold at an abandoned mine.

The area has several abandoned mines from the colonial era.

“Eight men and one woman went in to dig and were buried by a landslide. We evacuated their bodies early this morning,” district spokesman Firdaus Firman told AFP. Three people keeping watch reported the accident to local officials when the group failed to emerge from the mine.

The victims were local farmers digging the gold without proper equipment or protective gear.

The location and the rainy weather also hampered rescue efforts.

“All victims are accounted for and there’s no more missing,” Firman said, adding that police and the local disaster agency are investigating.

Illegal and unlicensed mines are prevalent across mineral-rich Indonesia and the scene of frequent accidents. AFP

44 jihadists found dead in Chad prison N’DJAMENA, Chad—A group of 44 suspected members of Boko Haram, arrested during a recent operation against the jihadist group, have been found dead in their prison cell, apparently poisoned, Chad’s chief prosecutor announced Saturday.

Speaking on national television, Youssouf Tom said the 44 prisoners had been found dead in their cell on Thursday.

An autopsy carried out on four of the dead prisoners revealed traces of a lethal substance that had caused heart attacks in some of the victims and severe asphyxiation in the others, he said.

The dead men were among a group of 58 suspects captured during a major army operation around Lake Chad launched by President Idriss Deby Itno at the end of March.

“Following the fighting around Lake Chad, 58 members of Boko Haram had been taken prisoner and sent to Ndjamena for the purposes of the investigation,” said Tom. AFP

Business

A7

MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2020 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market to pause on profit taking S

By Jenniffer B. Austria

HARES prices are expected to trade sideways this week with a downward bias on potential profit taking after four straight weeks of gains.

“The week’s close at 5,789.97 highlights profit-taking activities after it broke my 5,800 level target. It managed to register a top at 5,946.05. Expect some profit taking activities,” BDO Unibank Inc. chief investment strategist Jonathan Ravelas said.

“The next move should carry the index toward the retest of the 5,000/5-500 levels in the near-term. Immediate support and resistance is seen at 5,500 and 5,900 levels, respectively,” he added.

Justino Calaycay, research head from Philstocks Financial Inc., noted that the index last week made its first serious attempt to restore the 6,000-point mark, a level it last held in mid-March.

Calaycay said the market’s recent uptick had been supported by an increase in the average daily value flows despite the shortened trading hours.

“At the current pace of value flows, and assuming the full-trading hours, we would be hitting close to P7 billion per session. Further, from its lowest close at 4,623.42 last March 19 the benchmark has rebounded by no less than 25 percent,” Calaycay said.

The Philippine Stock Exchange last week advanced 5.1 percent to close at 5,789.97, while the broader All Shares Index rose 4.8 percent to 3,492.23.

Share prices climbed as Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas unveiled more measures to support the economy and fur-

ther eased the policy rates that remain supportive of the capital markets.

All major counters ended in the green, led by mining and oil which rose 8.5 percent, followed by industrial which climbed 7 percent and financials which advanced 6.8 percent.

The services index rallied 5.9 percent while the property and holding firms added 4.4 percent and 4 percent, respectively.

Foreign investors were net sellers for the week by P6.19 billion, which the average daily value traded increased to P7.6 billion from the previous week’s average of P5.7 billion.

Weekly top price gainers include Cirtek Holdings Philippines Corp., which jumped 46 percent to P8.72; Integrated Microelectronics Inc., which surged 45.7 percent to P5.60 ;and Jollibee Foods Corp., which climbed 20.8 percent to P145.

Weekly top price losers were Chemical Industries of the Philippine Inc.,

which declined 25.7 percent to P104; PH Resorts Group Holdings Inc., which decreased 17.3 percent to P3.30; and Golden Bria Holdings Inc. which fell 12.8 percent to P330.

Global stocks, meanwhile, finished a positive week on a strong note Friday, rallying as government officials moved ahead with plans to gradually reopen the economy.

Investors shrugged off atrocious economic data, with analysts pointing to a number of other positive catalysts, including a report indicating promising research on a Gilead Sciences drug to treat coronavirus and Boeing’s announcement that it will resume US commercial plane production.

In one of the first moves by a major US state, Texas Governor Greg Abbott approved retailers to employ a “to go” model that requires re-opened stores to deliver items to customers’ cars or homes. With AFP

Manila Standard BuSineSS Weekly StockS revieW STOCKS

APRIL 13-17, 2020 Close Volume

Value

Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI Bright Kindle Resources China Bank COL Financial Eastwest Bank Ferronoux Holding First Abacus I-Remit Inc. Manulife Fin. Corp.

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp.

PB Bank Phil Bank of Comm Phil. National Bank Phil. Savings Bank Philippine trust Co. PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank Vantage Equities

48.9 105.00 60.90 0.78 19.94 15.5 7.86 3.15 0.57 0.97 615.00 0.285 41.65 0.61 8.8 16.00 24.75 43.95 118 163 17.78 104.5 1600.00 54.00 0.96

24,700 27,946,560 15,998,890 309,000 1,462,200 2,165,700 2,558,300 96,000 2,000 20,000 260 960,000 41,845,400 365,000 77,400 5,200 5,402,500 5,000 190 2,940 234,100 6,083,620 165 62,080 4,000

FINANCIAL 1,197,280.00 2,887,299,477.00 977,075,525.50 214,690.00 29,095,156.00 33,130,428.00 20,033,833.00 272,990.00 1,140.00 19,050.00 161,335.00 272,850.00 1,654,966,890.00 231,090.00 677,455.00 83,224.00 126,319,050.00 216,965.00 21,212.00 483,903.00 4,169,182.00 639,818,912.00 268,590.00 3,342,918.00 4,100.00

Aboitiz Power Corp.

AC Energy Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Axelum Basic Energy Corp.

Bogo Medelin C. Azuc De Tarlac Cemex Holdings Century Food Chemphil Cirtek Holdings (Chips) Conc. Aggr. ‘A’ Conc. Aggr. ‘B’ Concepcion Crown Asia Da Vinci Capital Del Monte DNL Industries Inc. Eagle Cement EEI Emperador Euro-Med Lab First Gen Corp.

First Holdings ‘A’ Fruitas Holdings Ginebra San Miguel Inc. Greenergy Holcim Philippines Inc. Integ. Micro-Electronics Ionics Inc Jollibee Foods Corp.

Liberty Flour LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Macay Holdings Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide MG Holdings Mla. Elect. Co `A’ Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp.

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petroenergy Res. Corp.

Petron Corporation Phinma Corporation Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

Pilipinas Shell Pryce Corp. `A’ RFM Corporation Roxas and Co. Roxas Holdings SFA Semicon Shakeys Pizza SMC Food and Beverage SPC Power Corp.

Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vivant Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

26.8 2.13 7.6 0.51 0.95 2.52 0.185 84 13.60 1.07 14.38 104 8.72 53 58 27.8 1.85 4.6 3.8 5.910 8 5.50 7.98 2.5 17.78 55.1 1.42 32.60 1.0000 11.98 6.5 1.070 145.00 35.05 4.7 3.32 6.00 11.08 6.56 8 0.140 269.00 4.00 1.78 2.35 3.21 8.95 10.86 19.1 4.23 4.51 1.44 1.3 1.11 6 58 8 0.105 0.76 126.8 2.49 0.82 14.40 0.71

9,977,600 73,298,000 3,335,100 11,754,000 998,000 7,604,000 1,330,000 580 7,400 30,531,000 2,421,400 120 40,743,100 2,250 600 7,700 62,000 55,000 311,000 13,743,900 2,616,700 10,595,100 26,130,900 27,110,000 9,044,400 115,310 69,557,000 410,400 14,440,000 2,155,600 7,951,000 5,674,000 17,270,800 200 9,000 74,000 31,300 24,573,300 26,927,600 11,187,840 60,000 1,961,310 80,000 2,997,000 335,000 26,326,000 3,700 1,375,600 5,918,000 41,000 106,000 7,889,000 320,000 12,908,000 39,187,500 2,414,930 385,900 1,570,000 1,105,000 9,411,550 83,000 49,225,000 2,400 6,653,000

INDUSTRIAL 271,518,525.00 150,036,410.00 23,983,121.00 6,032,300.00 956,150.00 19,038,890.00 228,300.00 47,888.00 99,352.00 33,247,970.00 35,084,124.00 12,480.00 338,653,182.00 113,150.00 34,700.00 211,740.00 115,410.00 250,500.00 1,162,180.00 79,413,756.00 20,469,585.00 58,734,400.00 208,295,262.00 61,911,340.00 163,486,242.00 6,285,793.00 97,917,880.00 13,548,025.00 13,233,610.00 25,520,168.00 48,268,969.00 5,956,650.00 2,473,681,542.00 7,005.00 41,500.00 237,850.00 177,682.00 277,537,490.00 165,447,788.00 83,192,469.00 8,400.00 522,997,060.00 282,520.00 5,355,850.00 792,850.00 79,834,210.00 32,990.00 14,538,120.00 109,258,136.00 187,740.00 475,800.00 11,177,860.00 433,690.00 13,383,260.00 228,729,712.00 139,509,513.50 3,098,480.00 168,010.00 790,500.00 1,184,225,217.00 195,650.00 40,589,310.00 34,506.00 4,501,180.00

Abacus Cons. `A’ Aboitiz Equity Alliance Global Inc. Anglo Holdings A Anscor `A’ Asiabest Group ATN Holdings A ATN Holdings B Ayala Corp `A’ Ayala Land Log Cosco Capital DMCI Holdings F&J Prince ‘A’ Filinvest Dev. Corp.

Forum Pacific GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Jolliville Holdings Keppel Holdings `A’ Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

Lopez Holdings Corp.

LT Group Mabuhay Holdings `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Pacifica `A’ Prime Media Hldg San Miguel Corp `A’ Seafront `A’ SM Investments Inc. Solid Group Inc. South China Res. Inc. Top Frontier Transgrid Wellex Industries Zeus Holdings

0.570 44.05 7.10 0.55 5.96 7.6 0.460 0.495 597 1.650 4.95 4.37 3.89 9.35 0.195 490 3.89 53.80 6.29 5 0.45 2.79 7.8 0.475 2.7 3.1900 0.750 100.00 1.99 860.00 0.95 0.72 144.200 161.10 0.2070 0.135

36,237,000 10,473,100 38,481,200 1,718,000 19,300 129,500 8,450,000 3,360,000 4,200,990 21,510,000 18,911,500 52,111,000 25,000 55,100 140,000 1,420,310 445,000 15,852,490 100 100 1,090,000 6,332,000 12,648,100 340,000 351,562,000 2,000 525,000 4,018,480 3,000 2,062,710 49,000 153,000 13,190 20,230 780,000 10,660,000

HOLDING FIRMS 20,582,810.00 462,573,405.00 275,650,317.00 947,960.00 116,456.00 908,629.00 3,802,350.00 1,579,900.00 2,338,827,640.00 33,889,230.00 93,046,288.00 228,478,520.00 90,890.00 471,421.00 27,300.00 647,341,628.00 1,707,260.00 866,856,991.00 629.00 500.00 494,200.00 17,834,600.00 96,030,177.00 155,850.00 930,027,100.00 6,390.00 395,280.00 403,236,229.50 5,550.00 1,758,763,230.00 45,600.00 103,160.00 1,965,497.00 3,550,647.00 155,910.00 1,549,320.00

767,600 8,029,000 4,600 445,000 7,566,000 81,225,100 704,000 8,486,000 10,100 25,630,000 25,000 193,000 3,310,000 310,000 333,700 1,324,300 1,210,000 10,000 69,304,000 3,066,000 6,000 205,216,000 32,230,000 5,115,000 2,400,000 1,820,000

PROPERTY 8,985,304.00 4,537,000.00 40,256.00 471,270.00 4,253,060.00 2,613,347,355.00 979,070.00 32,099,420.00 61,003.00 9,458,150.00 18,020.00 140,450.00 414,070.00 82,700.00 2,352,111.00 21,445,200.00 363,900.00 790.00 65,936,910.00 2,511,650.00 23,540.00 581,190,760.00 4,620,130.00 4,067,540.00 799,700.00 450,760.00

8990 HLDG A. Brown Co., Inc. Anchor Land Holdings Inc. Araneta Prop `A’ Arthaland Corp.

Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. `A’ CEB Landmasters Cebu Holdings Century Property City & Land Dev. Cityland Dev. `A’ Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

DM Wenceslao Double Dragon Empire East Land Ever Gotesco Filinvest Land,Inc. Global-Estate Keppel Properties Megaworld MRC Allied Ind. Phil Infradev Phil. Estates Corp.

Phil. Realty `A’

11.800 0.55 8.21 1.040 0.550 31.550 1.38 4.03 6.04 0.365 0.72 0.750 0.122 0.270 6.970 16 0.300 0.079 0.96 0.80 3.99 2.8 0.143 0.8000 0.3300 0.248

APRIL 6-8, 2020 Close Volume

Value

47 98.50 57.05 0.60 20.4 15.3 7.6 2.59 0.5 0.94

41,400 11,156,850 13,587,120 64,000 167,300 112,500 621,700 168,000 10,000 224,000

1,920,380.00 1,120,785,413.00 814,654,975.00 37,720.00 3,374,799.00 1,746,832.00 4,815,724.00 426,230.00 5,000.00 192,930.00

0.290 36.3 0.68 8.65 16.00 19.86 43.45 76.6 169.3 17 105 1620.00 53.80 1.08

2,100,000 15,969,400 53,000 5,100 200 2,288,700 480 10 2,530 75,200 2,074,490 85 28,120 15,000

618,100.00 596,994,255.00 33,580.00 44,118.00 3,200.00 45,198,118.00 52,165.00 766.00 428,906.00 1,308,884.00 222,769,704.00 135,665.00 1,505,781.00 15,030.00

27.25 2.02 6.99 0.5 1 2.58 0.172 86 13.20 1.03 14.3

7,250,100 43,602,000 720,000 2,301,000 393,000 7,951,000 2,930,000 970 5,600 11,259,000 3,789,300

205,013,395.00 88,535,040.00 4,765,169.00 1,176,900.00 384,000.00 20,458,870.00 478,230.00 82,649.50 74,300.00 11,809,760.00 52,947,470.00

5.97

8,925,400

55,365,655.00

48 25.05 1.9

200 1,200 38,000

9,600.00 30,060.00 70,770.00

3.6 5.050 7.55 5.40 7.98 1.87 17.3 52.25 1.33 32.00 0.7700 12.20 4.46 0.960 120.00 39.00 4.7 3.19 5.80 10.56 4.6 6.3 0.140 266.20 4.94 1.8 2.42 2.57

67,000 12,605,800 812,200 2,732,500 16,851,400 3,707,000 3,332,500 51,250 43,350,000 1,156,300 1,938,000 662,200 2,362,000 328,000 7,533,030 900 5,000 29,000 10,500 13,657,400 5,541,000 3,454,800 4,420,000 1,227,200 1,000 1,148,000 64,000 11,101,000

215,270.00 62,735,101.00 6,177,401.00 14,638,831.00 135,027,196.00 7,043,520.00 59,058,122.00 2,611,000.00 56,184,820.00 36,988,925.00 1,490,560.00 8,111,094.00 10,544,430.00 314,400.00 837,860,635.00 34,900.00 23,200.00 90,690.00 64,147.00 143,019,485.00 25,369,050.00 21,562,370.00 519,980.00 317,815,018.00 4,940.00 2,050,910.00 155,860.00 28,424,280.00

10.18 18.06 4.5 4.52 1.45 1.36 0.79 5.12 54 7.77 0.109 0.74 122 2.49 0.77 15.10 0.60

191,800 1,873,500 167,000 160,000 2,377,000 20,000 1,490,000 12,428,300 849,390 605,600 12,110,000 413,000 6,454,360 105,000 13,902,000 2,300 4,061,000

1,950,152.00 34,658,026.00 735,980.00 696,790.00 3,351,610.00 27,630.00 1,161,130.00 63,293,653.00 45,297,736.50 4,726,617.00 1,292,250.00 287,000.00 751,620,858.00 270,370.00 11,169,010.00 34,582.00 2,412,390.00

0.520 41.95 6.64 0.53 5.90 5.61 0.455 0.485 498 1.500 4.84 4.00 4.06 8.50 0.180 399 3.80 54.50

8,790,000 6,511,300 9,940,600 446,000 43,900 41,300 64,291,000 1,754,000 1,690,130 5,951,000 6,138,600 50,680,000 2,000 27,800 4,190,000 807,170 282,000 6,751,460

4,518,460.00 279,764,765.00 68,182,325.00 229,425.00 263,818.00 235,686.00 26,888,695.00 831,795.00 817,838,720.00 9,105,910.00 30,200,627.00 204,169,840.00 8,140.00 236,510.00 754,200.00 325,315,630.00 1,038,830.00 370,153,037.00

5 0.43 2.87 7.45 0.490 2.49 2.8000 0.720 94.50

1,000 350,000 2,124,000 10,480,900 55,000 145,902,490 13,000 336,000 1,056,330

5,000.00 149,050.00 6,373,960.00 77,504,668.00 25,930.00 369,640,720.00 35,520.00 240,810.00 99,297,804.00

870.00 0.95 0.68 156.000 174.50 0.2080 0.132

1,155,800 1,048,000 258,000 14,270 18,740 930,000 1,710,000

991,266,720.00 922,110.00 163,900.00 2,120,339.00 3,485,929.00 176,790.00 223,770.00

11.600 0.55 6.41 1.100 0.570 32.000 1.35 3.8 6.04 0.375 0.72 0.740 0.135 0.260 6.900 16.16 0.300

394,400 4,236,000 200 2,318,000 6,318,000 27,942,300 258,000 6,090,000 3,800 5,720,000 7,000 731,000 40,000 500,000 559,200 988,500 180,000

4,597,484.00 2,306,850.00 1,282.00 2,383,010.00 3,678,880.00 906,761,695.00 344,140.00 22,068,120.00 22,768.00 2,132,000.00 5,150.00 521,460.00 5,400.00 120,930.00 3,721,508.00 15,820,612.00 53,500.00

0.91 0.75 3.50 2.72 0.145 0.7300 0.3400 0.275

60,527,000 1,194,000 4,000 209,293,000 12,190,000 2,119,000 1,250,000 780,000

56,333,830.00 902,510.00 14,000.00 553,756,970.00 1,724,160.00 1,497,410.00 420,600.00 195,580.00

STOCKS

APRIL 13-17, 2020 Close Volume

APRIL 6-8, 2020 Close Volume

Value

Primex Corp.

Robinson’s Land `B’ Rockwell Shang Properties Inc. SM Prime Holdings Sta. Lucia Land Inc. Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. Vista Land & Lifescapes Vistamalls

1.73 15.26 1.47 2.66 31.95 1.95 1.230 4.070 3.610

148,000 23,442,600 2,108,000 901,000 63,857,100 592,000 15,564,000 10,028,000 367,000

253,310.00 360,662,096.00 3,115,040.00 2,455,180.00 1,955,306,040.00 1,135,500.00 19,367,430.00 40,858,750.00 1,310,100.00

2GO Group’ ABS-CBN Acesite Hotel AllHome APC Group, Inc. Apollo Global Asian Terminals Inc. Berjaya Phils. Inc. Bloomberry Boulevard Holdings Cebu Air Inc. (5J) Centro Esc. Univ.

Chelsea DFNN Inc. Discovery World DITO CME Holdings Easy Call “Common” FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Golden Haven Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. Imperial Res. `A’ IPeople Inc. `A’ Island Info LBC Express Leisure & Resorts Lorenzo Shipping Macroasia Corp.

Manila Broadcasting Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Metro Retail MetroAlliance A MetroAlliance B NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

PAL Holdings Inc. Paxys Inc. PH Resorts Group Phil. Racing Club Phil. Seven Corp.

Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons RTL SBS Phil. Corp.

SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Waterfront Phils.

Wilcon Depot

6.2 17.4 1.28 5.8 0.305 0.039 15.92 2.37 5.92 0.0320 51.75 6.5 2.92 3.03 1.85 2.09 5.05 830 2230 4.97 330.00 0.92 80.5 1.47 8.4 0.083 12.5 1.41 0.68 4.90 11.10 0.390 2 1.52 1.77 1.77 1.700 1.69 7.19 2.08 3.30 8.5 130.10 2.38 1138.00 0.210 0.315 45.75 61.00 5.84 1.30 0.385 0.173 0.450 14.980

371,800 1,278,700 7,000 19,949,300 5,010,000 25,800,000 7,500 350,000 36,738,600 42,900,000 1,631,930 3,900 6,200,000 419,000 28,000 313,793,000 86,700 60 476,495 1,464,400 3,430 5,987,000 13,602,060 20,000 700 2,940,000 71,300 1,499,000 36,000 39,815,900 4,500 1,790,000 483,000 16,678,000 16,189,000 178,000 11,029,000 295,000 134,200 39,000 400,000 1,000 531,380 23,416,000 979,820 17,480,380 48,410,000 32,407,000 2,255,670 1,900 15,564,000 75,030,000 12,410,000 5,150,000 23,366,500

SERVICES 2,259,011.00 22,570,056.00 8,960.00 111,060,947.00 1,568,350.00 1,025,400.00 122,700.00 807,660.00 217,765,051.00 1,277,200.00 84,434,941.50 25,392.00 17,451,770.00 1,288,370.00 51,760.00 604,531,730.00 447,039.00 49,800.00 1,043,086,740.00 7,280,167.00 1,148,166.00 5,030,060.00 1,078,229,616.00 29,400.00 5,880.00 251,850.00 864,170.00 2,141,280.00 25,100.00 204,114,919.00 48,210.00 659,500.00 971,050.00 25,520,030.00 27,152,130.00 297,480.00 18,715,520.00 503,820.00 934,629.00 80,090.00 1,356,800.00 8,500.00 69,030,433.00 54,982,930.00 1,110,392,195.00 3,646,140.00 15,169,000.00 1,470,476,285.00 141,269,553.50 11,101.00 20,751,230.00 28,301,900.00 2,149,360.00 2,111,150.00 310,347,582.00

Abra Mining ACE Enexor Apex `A’ Atlas Cons. `A’ Atok-Big Wedge `A’ Benguet Corp `A’ Century Peak Metals Hldgs Coal Asia Dizon Ferronickel Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. Lepanto `A’ Lepanto `B’ Manila Mining `A’ Manila Mining `B’ Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. Nickelasia Nihao Mineral Resources Omico Oriental Peninsula Res. Oriental Pet. `A’ Oriental Pet. `B’ Philex `A’ PhilexPetroleum Philodrill Corp. `A’ Semirara Corp.

United Paragon

0.0010 6.4000 0.93 1.99 10.94 1.1500 2.74 0.204 7.07 0.740 0.195 0.079 0.086 0.0066 0.0071 0.57 1.69 0.95 0.3500 0.5000 0.0087 0.0095 2.25 4.18 0.0083 12.60 0.0040

315,000,000 1,291,300 9,098,000 223,000 103,500 134,000 2,219,000 4,150,000 48,700 35,832,000 260,000 20,260,000 3,230,000 164,000,000 46,000,000 1,018,000 55,829,000 467,000 70,000 1,280,000 111,000,000 28,800,000 3,167,000 11,260,000 45,000,000 9,782,100 36,000,000

MINING & OIL 320,200.00 7,753,073.00 8,266,750.00 441,510.00 1,103,598.00 149,910.00 5,909,750.00 871,300.00 326,300.00 26,306,830.00 50,620.00 1,609,100.00 240,670.00 1,068,800.00 328,800.00 571,790.00 96,831,320.00 442,210.00 24,550.00 605,450.00 928,800.00 266,400.00 6,967,180.00 47,324,240.00 380,000.00 124,178,180.00 146,100.00

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Alco Preferred B Alco Preferred C Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ CPG PREF A DD PREF First Gen G GLOBE PREF P GMA Holdings Inc. GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B House Preferred MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred 2B PCOR-Preferred 3A PCOR-Preferred 3B PF Pref 2 PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 3B SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F SMC Preferred G SMC Preferred H

15.7 101 99.8 510 490 100 97.5 102.5 500 4.89 950 997 98.7 99.5 995 1010 1010 104 104 995.5 76.1 74.45 74.9 75 75 74 74

437,700 10 600 10,560 17,450 830 175,040 16,360 8,580 153,000 70 12,160 2,520 5,230 265 1,125 500 2,330 2,730 9,010 105,810 3,860 220 212,610 26,110 122,340 266,040

LR Warrant

0.800

WARRANTS & BONDS 2,068,000 1,695,110.00

PREFERRED 6,967,968.00 1,010.00 55,957.50 5,263,220.00 8,529,014.00 82,755.00 17,059,624.00 1,688,730.00 4,287,752.00 749,300.00 66,550.00 11,961,730.00 239,764.00 520,113.00 263,675.00 1,140,350.00 503,750.00 231,462.00 275,247.00 8,971,400.00 8,043,092.50 285,908.50 16,479.00 13,943,385.00 1,955,796.50 9,174,966.00 19,890,446.00

Value

1.74 13.74 1.52 2.77 29.20 1.85 1.180 3.930 3.500

41,000 9,859,500 742,000 1,032,000 43,483,900 1,841,000 2,363,000 5,839,000 160,000

67,880.00 139,555,384.00 1,117,380.00 2,833,450.00 1,303,441,030.00 3,431,860.00 2,786,150.00 23,553,540.00 561,640.00

5.87 16.84 1.2 4.7 0.285 0.038

202,100 1,743,100 15,000 6,635,000 2,400,000 30,200,000

1,183,423.00 28,863,458.00 17,900.00 30,890,830.00 666,500.00 1,149,700.00

2.26 5.68 0.0280 48.05 6.59 2.61 3.29 1.85 1.7 5.19 830 2160 5.09

297,000 14,365,400 83,200,000 989,490 900 2,679,000 158,000 2,000 86,948,000 72,000 10 287,745 951,700

654,660.00 84,197,484.00 2,277,300.00 48,887,352.00 5,931.00 7,009,370.00 442,440.00 3,720.00 146,939,020.00 151,250.00 8,300.00 621,116,480.00 4,818,179.00

0.74 73.75

1,266,000 4,985,860

952,810.00 369,501,235.50

8.49 0.080 12.18 1.39

3,000 1,210,000 15,800 1,136,000

20,224.00 99,830.00 187,984.00 1,554,890.00

4.20 11.90 0.375 2.06 1.46 1.44 1.59 1.600 1.75 6.70 2.14 3.99 8.5 132.00 1.96 1100.00 0.200 0.300 41.40 61.50 5.75 1.21 0.385 0.158 0.415 12.580

7,863,000 2,200 1,260,000 49,000 8,745,000 2,443,000 26,000 6,175,000 83,000 111,800 18,000 13,000 3,300 163,160 14,469,000 505,370 2,850,000 17,290,000 15,321,500 1,998,810 56,200 3,903,000 4,340,000 5,020,000 1,650,000 6,383,800

33,585,110.00 23,934.00 439,450.00 97,440.00 13,090,290.00 3,537,780.00 39,890.00 10,119,600.00 143,930.00 742,274.00 38,580.00 47,950.00 25,810.00 21,529,864.00 28,502,540.00 571,360,125.00 571,640.00 5,185,300.00 622,884,645.00 119,795,291.50 299,691.00 4,950,970.00 1,688,900.00 809,280.00 695,200.00 80,445,210.00

0.0011 5.1900 0.75 1.70 10.86 0.7800 2.62 0.239 6.17 0.660 0.189 0.077 0.083 0.0066 0.0064 0.53 1.62 0.91 0.3550 0.4500 0.0084

397,000,000 391,500 2,794,000 203,000 18,700 18,000 1,017,000 1,020,000 84,900 19,079,000 5,610,000 10,790,000 4,740,000 62,000,000 29,000,000 860,000 17,892,000 1,630,000 1,690,000 2,740,000 78,000,000

397,700.00 2,044,223.00 2,048,670.00 348,080.00 202,974.00 14,040.00 2,653,800.00 205,490.00 526,191.00 12,260,590.00 1,050,260.00 781,620.00 385,650.00 400,600.00 191,300.00 485,940.00 28,728,010.00 1,460,720.00 576,700.00 1,247,750.00 642,700.00

2.04 3.84 0.0082 11.60 0.0045

1,971,000 5,070,000 26,000,000 6,718,700 74,000,000

3,977,300.00 19,708,600.00 208,200.00 80,228,384.00 291,600.00

15.3 100

247,500 1,530

3,655,990.00 151,180.00

497 490 99.5 97.5 108 499.8 4.89 998 990 95 99.45 1039 1015 1006

3,280 560 3,380 48,840 40 40 200,000 10 1,210 3,710 15,200 10 1,465 7,000

1,631,440.00 274,400.00 336,270.00 4,761,335.00 4,320.00 19,992.00 977,780.00 9,980.00 1,196,670.00 352,433.00 1,494,425.00 10,390.00 1,486,975.00 7,042,000.00

102.5 995 76.3 74.9 74.4 75 75.05 75 74.85

950 9,610 17,420 8,510 500 244,510 22,850 132,650 83,940

97,200.00 9,553,825.00 1,320,366.00 634,159.50 37,200.00 18,313,748.00 1,691,157.50 9,943,482.50 6,175,231.50

0.880

175,000

151,330.00

SME 82,457,390.00 2,091,823.00 9,037,570.00

1.61 5.7 0.55

4,018,000 242,700 9,900,000

6,814,610.00 1,426,800.00 5,168,250.00

Italpinas Kepwealth Xurpas

1.64 6.35 0.59

51,496,000 340,100 16,064,000

First Metro ETF

87.5

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 185,020 16,270,700.50

84.5

108,000

9,248,794.00

9.85 9.6 0.85

DOLLAR DENONIMATED SEC. 1,100 10,607.50 4,940 47,855.00 23,800 20,870.00

9.8 9.7

3,220 10,330

31,566.00 100,308.00

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2 USD TECH B2

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Abra Mining DITO CME Holdings Megaworld Manila Mining `A’ Oriental Pet. `A’ Ayala Land `B’ STI Holdings AC Energy Fruitas Holdings

VOLUME 351,562,000 315,000,000 313,793,000 205,216,000 164,000,000 111,000,000 81,225,100 75,030,000 73,298,000 69,557,000

STOCKS Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Ayala Land `B’ Jollibee Foods Corp.

Ayala Corp `A’ SM Prime Holdings SM Investments Inc. Metrobank Puregold Universal Robina PLDT Common

VALUE 2,887,299,477.00 2,613,347,355.00 2,473,681,542.00 2,338,827,640.00 1,955,306,040.00 1,758,763,230.00 1,654,966,890.00 1,470,476,285.00 1,184,225,217.00 1,110,392,195.00

Smart opts to reallocate frequencies amid virus

By Darwin G. Amojelar SMART Communications Inc. said it expanded its 4G network capacity throughout the country by reallocating some of its frequency due to rising Internet usage amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Smart reallocated its assigned 1800 MHz frequencies from 2G to 4G/LTE, which began in the Visayas region on April 12 and would continue across the country over the next two weeks.

The shift will impact on a large share of Smart’s LTE sites throughout the country and increase the volume of data traffic that these facilities can handle.

LTE is an all Internet-protocol data network that offers the fastest and most widely available data service in the country today. Enhancing its LTE service offers Smart the fastest way to improve wireless data service throughout the country.

Moreover, the positive impact of this change is enhanced by the fact that the 1800 MHz band is the most commonly-used frequency among LTE smartphones available in the market today.

As a result, the vast majority of Smart customers using LTE handsets will get to enjoy the improved service.

“We are making this transition at this time because the usage patterns of our customers have been shifting decisively in favor of data and the Internet. The majority of our customers have already moved from using 2G handsets to smartphones, and, increasingly, to LTE devices,” said PLDT-Smart senior vice president for network planning and engineering Mario Tamayo.

“This migration to data and digital services has stepped up since the COVID-19 outbreak. People are increasingly relying on their smartphones to keep them connected to their loved ones, to work or study from home, or to stream video and mobile games.

Data connectivity is also essential to the frontline agencies and their people who are at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19,” he added.

Tamayo said customers using 2G handsets would continue to be wellserved because Smart’s network retains sufficient capacity to handle voice calls and SMS on 2G.

EDC employees launch fund drive to aid frontliners

By Alena Mae S. Flores EMPLOYEES of Energy Development Corp. of the Lopez Group have joined the fight to help health frontliners against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and families affected by the enhanced community quarantine.

EDC employees launched a fundraising campaign, Tindog Pilipinas, Dili Mo Namo Pasagdan (Rise Philippines, We Will Not Let You Down), to generate donations that would provide over P200,000 worth of PPEs and food packs to healthcare frontliners in hospitals not only in Metro Manila but even in other parts of the country.

“We continue to express our gratitude for how our company takes care of us, employees, by paying it forward, by showing our deepest appreciation to the frontline workers who continue to bravely serve the country amid this COVID-19 pandemic,” said Allan Barcena, EDC head of corporate social responsibility and public relations in a statement.

The geothermal leader also contributed to the Pantawid ng Pag-ibig campaign of ABS-CBN, which provides food to families who cannot make a living due to the quarantine in place.

To date, the total amount of donations pooled by the employees of EDC has reached P1.8 million, which is on top of the P100 million pledged by mother company First Philippine Holdings to the Pantawid ng Pag-ibig Program and another donation of P100 million by the Lopez Group to the Department of Transportation’s efforts to bring OFWs safely back to the Philippines.

With the extension of the enhanced community quarantine to April 30, the organization extended aid to the contractual workers, who might not have enough cash reserves to get through the entire period without pay.

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

A8

MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2020

Business

Gov’t revenues fell in first quarter

By Julito G. Rada

R

EVENUES collections of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and Bureau of Customs fell P10.17 billion in the first quarter to P600.86 billion from a year ago, pulled down by the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon amid the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, according to the Finance Department.

Data showed the first-quarter collection was P156.26 billion short of the P757.12billion revenue target for the period.

“Collections for March took the biggest hit, as both bureaus only hauled in a combined P163.15 billion for the month, or

P34.5 billion lower than the P197.64-billion take for the same month last year, and P85.36 billion short of the target of P248.5 billion for the period,” the agency said.

The government imposed the ECQ in Luzon on March 16 to slow the spread

of the coronavirus disease 2019 and extended it until April 30. Local government units in the Visayas and Luzon also implemented similar containment measures.

The Finance Department announced the decline in revenue collection while it was trying to raise billions of pesos for the massive subsidy program to help millions of poor families and workers displaced by the lockdown.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said estimates by the Development Budget Coordination Committee showed that if the economy would post zero growth this year because of the health, social and economic impacts of the pandemic, the government would lose around P286.4 billion in revenues.

A 1-percent contraction in the gross

domestic product would result in revenue decline of P318 billion.

The DBCC earlier projected that the BIR and BOC would collect P3.307 trillion in combined revenues in 2020. The BIR was tasked to collect P2.576 trillion of the target, while the BOC was supposed to raise P731 billion.

“Our tax collections are definitely going to be a bit lower than our original target but as I said, these are things that we can finance,” Dominguez said.

Data showed that the BIR collected P455.45 billion in the first thee months, 2.86 percent or P13.41 billion below the P468.86-billion collection in the same period last year. It was also 22.86 percent short of the BIR’s P590.43-billion target for the period.

IN BRIEF SSS taps PayMaya to distribute cash aid STATE-RUN Social Security System has tapped PayMaya Philippines Inc. for the disbursement of cash assistance under the Small Business Wage Subsidy (SBWS) program starting next month.

“This is especially convenient and beneficial for employees in small businesses who were unable to work during the enhanced community quarantine period. More than ever, fast and easy access to funds for their daily necessities becomes critical at this time,” Orlado Vea, founder and chief executive of PayMaya, said.

“We are happy to be part of government’s thrust in using e-Money as a convenient tool for cash distribution,” he added.

The disbursement of wage subsidies and other loan proceeds is an expansion of the partnership between SSS and PayMaya, which together launched a more convenient way to pay for member contributions using the SSS mobile app in late 2019.

Eligible employers and their respective employees can now link their PayMaya accounts in the My.SSS online portal, so they can conveniently receive their wage subsidies when the disbursements start next month. Darwin G. Amojelar

Liquor makers push for lifting of total ban A GROUP of local liquor manufacturers asked the national government and local government units to lift the ban on the sale and purchase of liquor during the enhanced community quarantine period in Luzon.

“We appeal collectively to lift the total ban imposed nationwide on the purchase and sale of alcoholic beverages,” the Center for Alcohol Research and Development Foundation Inc. said in a letter to Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez.

CARD Foundation Inc. chairman Gerardo Tan Tee, who is also the chairman of Absolut Distillers Inc., said while the alcohol beverage Industry acknowledges that public health and safety has always been the primordial concern of the government, the total ban “effectively drives out the industry from the market and unduly forfeits the capital which had already been invested in the products already produced and bottled for distribution to the market but were prohibited for sale.”

LGUs told to let in telecom personnel THE National Telecommunications Commission has urged local government units and homeowners associations to be more considerate in allowing the entry of telecommunications personnel to ensure the upkeep of the country’s internet connection during the enhanced community quarantine period.

NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba said connectivity was now essential for Filipinos to cope with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“Telecommunications now serve as one of our lifelines. Having internet at home or mobile data allows us to keep updated with the current COVID-19 crisis and helps us get connected with our loved ones. Online grocery or food shopping, banking, study, consultation with medical experts, and entertainment are also some of the vital uses of the internet today,” Cordoba said.

Now on its fifth week, the ECQ has forced more businesses to direct their employees to do work from home arrangements.

Similarly, the Business Processes Outsourcing industry, a consistent pillar of the economy and a steady source of employment to many Filipinos, has required their employees to do work from home.

Darwin G. Amojelar

SAN MIGUEL DELIVERY. San Miguel Corp. completes delivery of 40,000 sets of personal protective equipment to more than 60 health facilities in the country, including the Lung Center of the Philippines (shown), the Quezon Institute and Quirino Memorial Medical Center. The company is also taking delivery of the first 10,000 PPEs manufactured locally by members of the Confederation of Wearable Exporters of the Philippines. These are all part of the P500-million fund earmarked by the company to help hospitals and medical frontliners in the battle against coronavirus disease 2019.

Japan Tobacco to set up global center in Manila GENEVA-BASED Japan Tobacco International announced over the weekend a plan to establish a global business service center in Manila to serve its markets in the Asia-Pacific region.

JTI did not mention the amount of investments but said the expansion would generate hundreds of employment opportunities for those who lost their jobs amid the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019.

“The Manila GBS Center becomes JTI’s third global hub after recently opening two similar centers in Warsaw, Poland and in St. Petersburg, Russia,” JTI said in a statement over the weekend.

“The GBS center will employ up to 350 people within the next three years, bringing the total number of JTI employees in the Philippines to 5,000 including those in a manufacturing plant in Batangas province,” it said.

The global tobacco company expects the facility, similar to its factory in Batangas, to help soften the recessionary impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It said the center would provide sophisticated solutions, consulting and analytics to satisfy complex operational challenges in the areas of finance, marketing and sales, people and culture, procurement, global supply chain and information technology.

The business center is expected to increase the operational efficiency of all JTI markets in the Asia Pacific region by streamlining activities, harmonizing business processes and sharing best-practices not only in the region but across the 130 countries the company operates in.

“We thank the government for allowing us to make significant strategic investments in the Philippines over recent years,” John Freda, general manager of JTI Philippines, said.

Freda said the establishment of the Manila GBS Center was proof of the company’s confidence in the Philippines market and evidence of its continuing commitment to create jobs in support of national development.

“We are pleased to add the GBS Center to our employment offerings in the Philippines further underpinning our commitment to helping the government in creating job opportunities in the country,” Freda said.

The country’s unemployment rate is predicted to climbe to 8 percent this year from 5.3 percent previously amid the pandemic with the economy projected to grow a shade below 1 percent.

JTI’s investment in its Manila GBS Center is the latest addition to a string of investments it made in the last three years. Julito G. Rada

Gatchalian eyes inclusion of electric bill in social amelioration plan

By Alena Mae S. Flores SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian asked the Energy Regulatory Commission and the Department of Energy to include electric bill subsidies in the government’s Social Amelioration Program for affected communities.

Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate energy committee, cited Section 4(x) of the Bayanihan Act where the government could reprogram, reallocate and

realign budget to fund measures “that address and respond to the COVID-19 emergency, including social amelioration for affected communities and the recovery of areas, sectors and industries severely affected.”

The government earlier announced some three million poor customers with an electricity consumption of less than 50 kilowatt-hours a month would no longer be charged under the Pantawid Liwanag program of electric cooperatives.

Other private distribution utilities such as Manila Electric Co. are not involved in the said program.

Gatchalian commended the ERC for swiftly acting on his call to undertake measures to protect electricity consumers during the extended enhanced community quarantine including the staggered payment of electricity bills.

ERC issued an advisory on the staggered four-month payment scheme of electricity bills after Gatchalian wrote

the commission asking to help ease the burden of affected consumers, whose payables are piling up with the extension of due dates.

Meanwhile, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi signed a memorandum directing power sector participants, including private and public corporations, local government units and consumers to continue implementing and adhering to the guidelines on the deferment of payments of obligations and dues.

Okada Manila expects sales in 2020 to drop P15b amid Luzon lockdown

By Jenniffer B. Austria JAPANESE company Universal Entertainment Corp. said its local gaming business under Okada Manila is expected to book a 15-billion-yen (P7 billion) decline in revenues this year following the suspension of operations with the implementation of Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine.

Universal Entertainment said Okada Manila had suspended operations since March 15 in response to the request of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. to stop all gaming operations amid the increasing threat of coronavirus disease 2019.

It said while the enhanced community quarantine was extended until April 30, it assumed that the operational suspension of

Okada Manila could be extended for another half a month, or a total of two months.

“As the quarantine impact caused by the operation suspension for two months, it is expected that net sales will decrease by 15 billion yen, operating income will decrease by 6 billion yen and net income attributable to owners to decrease by 6 billion yen,” Universal Entertainment said.

“Due largely to these factors, the company has elected to perform a downward revision for consolidated business results for the full fiscal year as above,” it said.

Okada Manila registered total revenues of P9.1 billion in the first quarter, down 9.45 percent from P10.05 billion in the same period last year because of the temporary shutdown of operations beginning March 15.

Salceda warns of rice price crisis as drought hits Asian nations A CONGRESSMAN warned of a possible rice price crisis in the weeks to come as drought continues to pummel staple grains sources like Thailand and Vietnam, aggravating the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on rice importing countries such as the Philippines.

Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda, who chairs the House ways and means committee and serves as co-chairman of the House stimulus cluster, said a rice price crisis would make the country’s response more costly, as world stocks are being kept out of trade by export bans.

He said the Agriculture and Trade Depart-

ments should anticipate apparent challenges in supply pointing to “warning signs” of upcoming issues on rice price and accessibility in the coming weeks.

“I was shocked when I started buying rice from the NFA [National Food Authority] for my relief donations, then at P1,250 per bag only. When the NFA stock ran out, we purchased from commercial stores and the prices progressively shot up and recently hit P1,850 per bag. What happened? I thought there was a rice price freeze,” he said.

Data showed that as of March 1, the country’s total rice stock inventory stood at 2,178.64 million metric tons, 1.9 percent

lower year-on-year and 8.3 percent lower month-on-month. The harvest season was not expected to start until May. Salceda said China’s withholding from Mekong and temptations towards export ban were posing risk to supply. “The current COVID-19 crisis should remind policy makers that food security and health goods security are two vital national concerns,” he said.

Salceda also cautioned DA and DTI about possible manipulations from rice cartels to take advantage of the emergency and derail government’s urgent efforts to deliver foodstuffs on time to communities under the enhanced community quarantine.

CARING FOR FARMERS. Mitsubishi Corp. and BDO Foundation join forces in an initiative that benefits a farmers’ organization in Nueva Ecija. Sealing the partnership agreement are Mitsubishi Corp. Manila general manager Keiichi Matsunaga (left) and BDO Foundation president Mario Deriquito.

Trump, White both eager for US sports to resume

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

MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2020

B1

By Reuel Vidal UFC President Dana White is more confident than ever that the May 9 (May 10 Philippine time) event of his promotion will push through after a conference meeting with US President Donald Trump.

Trump held the conference meeting with the heads and officials of the professional sports associations in America. The US president pressed his desire for sports events to resume soonest saying, “We have to get our sports back” on numerous TV interviews.

The professional leagues included the NBA, NFL, MLB, MLS, NHL, WWE and UFC among others.

White said he was grateful to Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje for accepting the challenge to headline the card.

“Both guys accepted the fight despite the circumstances that are going on. They just trusted me and just said: ‘All right man. We’ll train.

We don’t know where this fight’s gonna be. We don’t know how it’s all going down, but we’re in.’ It’s tough for guys to train. You know, a lot of unknowns,” said White in a recent interview by Dennis Miller on the RT America YouTube Channel.

White said that he, his family and his organization have been diligent in following the isolation directives from the US government and the CDC. But at the same time he said it was important for the public to resume normal activities.

“Instead of hiding from this thing my thought process is always let’s get out in front of this until we beat it.

How do we figure out the solutions to these problems? That’s the way that I always think. That’s the way that I’ve always thought,” said White.

“And I appreciate the fact that obviously my employees and my fighters do appreciate that and they stood their ground with me and they were ready to go out and perform.”

While he can comfortably stay at home and quarantine himself White said he will fight to hold his events for the benefit of the public especially UFC employees and fighters.

“Listen at the end of the day—and I don’t mean to say this in an arrogant way or anything like that—I don’t need to do this. I can go home and quarantine myself. Just sit in my house until this thing’s over. And you know, ride this thing out,” said White.

“But I’m built that way. I have a commitment to my 350 employees that work for me and expect to get paychecks and take care of their families and my over 600 fighters who also have to take care of their families.”

Sports In this file photo Dominic Reyes (left) and Jon Jones trade blows during their UFC 247 Light Heavyweight title fight won by Jones. AFP

Djokovic: ‘Big 3’ will help other players P

ARIS, France—Novak Djokovic said on Saturday (Sunday Philippine time) that he, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are organizing aid for players struggling with the paralysis of the game due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“I spoke to Roger and Rafa a few days ago,” Djokovic, the world number one, said in an Instagram chat with friend and rival Stan Wawrinka on Saturday (Sunday Philippine time).

“We had a long conversation about the near future of tennis, what is going to happen, how we can contribute and how we can help especially lower-ranked players, who are obviously struggling the most.”

“The majority of the players who are ranked between 200, 250 in the world, and the 700th or 1,000th do not have federation support, do not have sponsors. They are completely independent and left alone,” he said “Guys who are ranked between 200250, especially to 700...are thinking of leaving tennis right now.”

He said players, the ATP and the four

Grand Slams “would all get together and will contribute to a player relief fund that ATP will distribute.”

“It looks, hopefully, that there will something between $3 million (2.75 million euros) and $4.5 million that is going to be distributed,” he estimated.

Djokovic said the cash could come from the prize money for the seasonending World Tour Finals or the final bonus pools for top players.

‘Future of tennis’ “Maybe if we don’t have any tournaments this season, we can take a certain percentage from our prize money form Australian Open in January,” he said.

“These guys are the grass roots of tennis. The future of tennis. We need to show them they still can rely on support of the top guys.”

According to reports in tennis me-

dia, Djokovic, as president of the ATP Players’ Council, which also includes Federer and Nadal, proposed to members that players in the top 100 for singles and the top 20 in doubles contribute according to their rankings.

The proposed scale runs from $30,000 for a top-five player to $5,000 for those between 51 and 100.

That would raise approximately $1 million and the ATP would make a similar contribution.

On Friday, ATP chief Andrea Gaudenzi echoed the call for unity on the tour website.

“Our guys are at home, obviously unable to play, unable to earn money and financially struggling, so we will try to help,” he said, adding that the ATP faced the problem of not knowing how long the crisis would last and how much revenue it would lose.

“I’ve been quite touched by the top players who reached out, the big names expressing their desire of helping the lower-ranked players and putting those players first.” AFP

Kobe’s wife Esteban leads fund drive for health workers pays tribute on wedding anniversary LOS ANGELES, United States— Vanessa Bryant celebrated the 19th anniversary of her wedding to her late husband Kobe Bryant on Saturday (Sunday Philippine time) with a touching Instagram post.

“My king, my heart, my best friend. Happy 19th wedding anniversary. I miss you so much. I wish you were here to hold me in your arms. I love you,” she wrote, posting a picture of the couple.

Five -ti me NBA champion Bryant and the couple’s 13-yearold daughter, Gianna, were among nine people killed in a helicopter crash in Los Angeles on January 26.

Gianna, along with her basketball teammates Payton Chester and Alyssa Altobelli, who also died in the crash, were honored at Friday’s WNBA draft as honorary selections.

Vanessa Bryant recorded an emotional message for the draft broadcast, saying being drafted into the women’s league “would have been a dream come true” for Gianna.

After the conclusion of the draft on Friday night, the WNBA announced the creation of the Kobe & Gigi Bryant WNBA Advocacy Award, given to “an individual or group who has made significant contributions to the visibility, perception and advancement of women’s and girls’ basketball at all levels.” AFP

BEING part of the national team, Ateneo Lady Eagle Maxine Esteban made sure to do her part to help the medical frontliners and communities affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Well, at first I wanted to make my break productive. I really thought of how I can do my part as a Filipino citizen and as a national athlete to help out our frontliners,” shared the 19-year-old Ateneo sophomore, who was part of the Team Foil squad that won bronze during the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

“I feel like the youth has to actively participate and take part in helping the government find ways to reach out to the medical frontliners and the affected communities.”

Last April 10, the 19-year-old, together with her sisters, launched a fundraising drive named “A Small Thing Goes A Long Way.” Definitely, even the smallest of donations ended up being big in her drive.

In just one week, Esteban has raised P339,000.70 and has gathered 50 pieces

Maxine Esteban

of Uratex pillows and 92 bottles of alcohol.

Esteban could not help but be overwhelmed by the continuous support her drive has received.

“I was really surprised because I saw Ate Hidilyn (Diaz) raise funds also that is why I started one as well. I think she reached almost one-hundred thousand pesos. So I was surprised when I saw my friends donating a lot and some people I don’t even know,” said Esteban, UAAP Season 81’s Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player in women’s fencing.

Beneficiaries of “A Small Thing Goes A Long Way” include UST Hospital, UERM Memorial Hospital, and National Children’s Hospital, to go along with affected communities in San Juan City. The pillows, on the other hand, will go to families in San Juan and UERM. Esteban’s fundraising activity will go on until April 26, 2020.

Here are the ways one can add to Esteban’s drive: (1) BDO Wilson Street, Account number 6580077300, Account name Maxine Isabel Esteban; (2) G-Cash, Cellular number 09175284329

Rondina sells jerseys, shoes for frontliners

By Peter Atencio VOLLEYBALL star Cherry Ann Rondina is raising funds to help frontliners in their efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

The 23-year-old beach volleyball player is selling some of her jerseys and shoes which she used while playing for University of Santo Tomas in college.

Rondina, also known as Sisi, is a member of the national women’s team which won bronze at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games. She is raising funds for personnel manning the checkpoints and doing tests for Barangay Luz in Cebu City.

Barangay Luz was placed under “community lockdown” after recording 82 cases of the coronavirus (Covid-19) last Friday.

Two barangays are now in the same situation after Sitio Zapatera was also closed down.

Sitio Zapatera is considered the epicenter of the virus outbreak in the city.

“This is for the frontliners who are guarding Barangay Luz. Kapwa ko Cebuano,” said Rondina, who grew up in Compostela, Cebu, in a statement on Twitter.

Rondina currently plays for the Creamline beach volleyball team.

She started representing the University of Santo Tomas in UAAP Season 77, playing in beach volleyball where she won the championship and bagged the MVP award.

She debuted in indoor volleyball in UAAP Season 77.

After a disappointing season 78, Rondina reclaimed the UAAP Season 79 Beach Volleyball title with her new partner, Jem Nicole Gutierrez. She also bagged her second Most Valuable Player Award.

In UAAP Season 81, Rondina and rookie Baby Love Barbon earned UST’s 6th Beach Volleyball Championship title, making it the winningest team in the UAAP Beach Volleyball Tournament.

Rondina got her 4th Most Valuable Player Award.

Animam asks for donations to help BMC

Jack Animam (with ball) of National University protects the basketball against a UP Lady Fighting Maroons defender.

JACK Animam of National University is doing her part in the country’s battle against the Covid-19 pandemic.

And the five-time UAAP Women’s Basketball champion is choosing to help out her hometown of Malolos, Bulacan.

Upon knowing that the medical staff of Bulacan Medical Center badly need personal protective equipment and basic necessities, the 21-year-old decided to start a fundraising drive for them.

“Yung BMC is near us kasi

and I saw yung dami ng patients that come in sa kanila.

Naisip namin na why not gumawa ng fundraising para sa mga frontliners dito sa Bulacan,” said Animam, who was part of the Gilas Pilipinas Women’s team that won gold in bout 5-on-5 and 3x3 basketball tournaments of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

“Just a little help para mapunan yung mga sakripisyo nila.”

Being part of the national team, Animam also knows that this is one of her responsibilities—to help out in a time of national crisis.

“Of course being part of the national team does not mean na you only have to do your part sa court. You have to do your part as a Filipino citizen lalo na kung mayroon ka namang platform na magagamit,” she continued.

So far, Animam has raised P38,500 with donations coming from all corners.

Here are the ways one can help out Animam’s drive: (1) PayMaya, Liiya Patricia Santiago, +639957810238; (2) GCash, Jack Danielle Animam, +639272563958; and (3) BPI Savings, Jack Danielle Animam, 2269187819.

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

B2

MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2020

How

KIM CHIU

Be reminded of the beauty that animals and nature bring into our world in the most immersive wildlife media experience in ’Epic Earth’ as it premieres on Animal Planet and Discovery Channel.

celebrated her birthday

The Earth’s call to #ActNow

A

S THE world continues to face the threat of coronavirus pandemic, Kim Chiu, who turned a year older yesterday, offers a new single under Star POP aptly titled “’Wag Kang Bumitaw.”

AS THE COVID-19 situation remains uncertain, countries all over the world continue to take precautionary measures to keep each one safe such as use of masks, social distancing, and extending community quarantines.

There’s a silver lining to the world’s current situation. With people confined in their homes, the concentration of NO2 fell dramatically in China, Italy, Spain and other countries around the globe as well.

Our world is home to the most fascinating animals, and with climate change happening, not only does it affect us, but also them as well.

If there is one thing we can learn from the community quarantine, it’s that the actions of mankind greatly impact the world from environmental pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and depletion of natural resources.

This is seen in how some bodies of water have cleared up during the quarantine and how air pollution has lessened in cities.

The scale of challenges facing our planet can seem daunting, but with the upcoming celebration of Earth day on April 22, let us all be reminded of every action, whether small or big, can help make a difference to our world.

The #WorldIsOurs and it is up to us to #ActNow and do our part to save it. Earth Day can serve as a reminder on how human action––and inaction, for that matter––impacts nature and other animals.

Furthermore, it can be a time of reflection and reconnection for what you can do for the planet. Be reminded of the beauty that animals and nature bring into our world in the most immersive wildlife media experience you’ll ever have in Epic Earth as it premieres on Wednesday, April 22, at 9:00 p.m. only on Animal Planet and Discovery Channel.

According to the screen star, the song is dedicated to those who have been feeling weary and disheartened.

“We made this song months ago and during that time I was very reluctant to launch it, so the song was pushed back,” she recalled.

Kim detailed how a text message she received on Good Friday from a friend who was on the verge of giving up caused her to remember the song.

“I told myself, ‘I think I have a song that’s about not giving up.’ So I listened to it then I called my producer Rox Santos and told him that this is the perfect time to release the song,” she shared. “‘Wag Kang Bumitaw” is a far cry from Kim’s usual releases, which tackle love and friendships, as it reminds listeners to carry on and have faith in God’s plan despite experiencing endless hurdles along the way.

The inspirational track is written by Jun Lirios, with music by Leah Negapatan. It was produced by Star POP head Rox Santos and arranged by Michael “Cursebox” Negapatan. Its release also coincided with Kim’s birthday yesterday, April 19.

“I hope this song can inspire people to not give up no matter how hard this time can be. These are tough times but when you have God with you, you know that it will soon come to pass.

Just have faith and ‘‘Wag Kang Bumitaw,’” she said. “‘Wag Kang Bumitaw” is now available for streaming on various digital platforms. For more details, like StarPOP PH on www.facebook.com/starpopph, and follow it on and Instagram (@starpopph).

TRICENARIAN. Kim Chiu started out in showbiz in 2006 as a teen housemate in the famed yellow house on Eugenio Lopez Drive. Now 30 years old, Kim is regarded as one of the reliable stars of her generation.

Stay fit with Araneta City’s virtual activities IN LINE with its #TogetherWeHeal slogan, Araneta City has arranged a series of live online activities via its official Facebook page to help Filipinos attain healing and fight fatigue brought by the extended enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

Tomorrow, the “City of Firsts” teams up with Slimmer’s World for the Zumba Fitness online session with instructor Lara Delariman to keep the online community moving amidst the ECQ. This activity will provide netizens a dose of slimming and toning exercises with Zumba exercises that are effective calorie burner, cardiovascular system

enhancer, and stress reliever.

On April 17, Araneta City partnered with Addlib Dance Studio for Connect to Fitness, an online dance workout headed by dance master Macki Pineda.

On Saturday, April 18, Araneta City opened an interactive acoustic sessions with featured guest, singer and song writer Alex Corner. Viewers were serenaded with Corner’s soothing and romantic voice as he performed acoustic songs and a couple of his original compositions.

Follow Araneta City on its official Facebook page to catch more exciting virtual events and other live online happenings for the entire ECQ period.

The Zumba Fitness online session of Araneta City, in partnership with Slimmer's World, streams on Facebook at 5:00 p.m. tomorrow.

ARIAS ALWIN IGNACIO THE COVID-19 pandemic is our time’s greatest equalizer. Even God and the forces of the Universe seem to be just watching us from a distance, and the answers to our prayers are not coming as swiftly as we expect.

Access to places of worship are prohibited, social media has become the source of information, and saving what is left of humanity are inspiration and courage from the stories of ordinary people.

We are also thankful to all the artists who have bonded to give us their gifts of music and poetry, and their influence to raise funds for the frontliners and our countrymen in need.

One of my most favorite performance videos is the UP Symphony Orchestra’s sublime version of Joey Ayala’s “Walang Hanggang Paalam.”

Arranged for a string quartet by Janine Samaniego, members of the quartet who performed one of Ayala’s most loved anthems are Samaniego, who acted as concert master, principal second violin Julienne Bonacua, principal viola Micah James Sanchez, and principal cello Patrick John Espanto.

Hearing the string quartet was an aural experience like no other. Ayala’s iconic ditty became more heart-wrenching, touching your core, making your eyes well with tears.

They may not be as famous as the singing superstars in the “We Heal As One” video and the many concerts featuring the Philippines’ finest and world class singers, in the call for bayanihan sa musikahan ini-

Music and madness tiative, but we can appreciate the vocal styling of Ina Feleo, who played her ukulele and sang “Moon River,” Kelvin Miranda who belted out Bob Dylan’s “Blowing In the Wind” with his acoustic guitar, and Richard Manabat’s interpretation of Carole King’s “You’ve Got A Friend.

Feleo, Miranda and Manabat are three accomplished character actors who are staples in soap operas and movies, always playing the antagonist, or the loyal best friend, and from time as in the case of Fe-

Singer and actor Kelvin Miranda

leo who did Endo, and Miranda who was a stand out in Dead Kids.

From the men and women of Actors Playground, an inspirational song by Jose Jeffrey Camanag and music by maestro Jesse Lucas, “Tatawirin Ng Pag-Ibig,” is a song filled with anticipation of a better tomorrow, utilizing the most powerful force of all, love, to help us through this most trying of times.

If you want a more radical kind of expression, then by all means, look for the Music For Peace page on Facebook.

The page features young artists whose rap numbers are not for the faint hearted, including those people blinded by the political colors they brag and wear.

For those who are into classical music, Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion’s “The Prayer,” theme song of the animated motion picture “Quest For Camelot,” gets a fresh interpretation from Philippine musical theater prince Arman Ferrer and Nicole Laurel Asensio.

And yes, for those of you who missed Binondo: A Tsinoy Musical, with music by Maestro Von De Guzman, book and lyrics

by Ricky Lee, Gershom Chua and Eljay Deldoc, the cast, chorus and musicians of the musical are all featured in a well-edited and rousing opening number video called “Sa Bawat Sulok ng Binondo” with stellar solos from Ferrer, Noel Rayos, and Sheila Valderrama-Martinez.

What I enumerated today is just the tip of the iceberg of world class artists who are doing their share in giving calm, hope, and peace to this mad, mad world of ours.

Yes, we should and must thank all of them for their music!

Life

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

FOOD

MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2020

5 WAYS to give back

B3

to the community

By Steph Llarena

T

HERE are many ways a person can lend a helping hand in difficult times. Organize, volunteer, donate. Several communities in Metro Manila work together to help their respective frontline workers who make life in quarantine much easier.

Security guards, receptionists, janitors, housekeepers, and maintenance personnel continue to provide basic services despite the current disruption across SM Development Corporation (SMDC) communities.

“If not for them we wouldn’t be able to keep the peace and cleanliness of our building, so it’s very important to take care of them,” says Aileen Reyes, a resident of Shine Residences in Pasig.

Mike Pastor, an FMCG executive and father of two who resides at Light Residences in Mandaluyong, shares, “We are lucky here in SMDC because a grocery and a pharmacy are found right on the ground floor. I am sure many of us want to help in any way we can but accessing basic goods and services might be a challenge. I am glad these retail spaces are found within my home.”

SMDC shares five ways residents can do to give back to the backbone of their communities:

Share a meal

Purchase healthy produce and other essentials for the “community frontliners.” Those who can’t afford to give multiple food packs may prepare an extra helping of their dishes to share with their frontliners.

Superstore feeds frontline heroes

Support donation drives

Support or organize a donation drive in the community wherein neighbors can pitch in for grocery items, vitamins, and personal protective equipment to be given to security guards, receptionists, and maintenance personnel.

Keep them protected

Because they man the frontlines, they are exposed to more people and waste.

Be a responsible resident and consciously keep distance from them and practice proper waste disposal. SMDC encourages residents to place their used gloves and face masks in sealed plastic containers before immediately disposing of them. Call the attention of neighbors who do unsanitary practices.

Express gratitude

A simple note of thanks, a “thank you” greeting, a salute, a clap are some of the many free things one can do to make frontline workers feel valued. “They may not mean much to you, but these thoughtful gestures of gratitude provide inspiration to keep them going,” said SMDC.

Follow the community’s safety protocols

Following safety protocols ensures everyone’s safety. Capt. Kim Cortes, a commercial pilot and a resident of Breeze Residences in Roxas Boulevard, puts it simply, “Whether you’re a unit owner or a service provider, we’re all in this together and we need to care for each other.”

Pizza Hut rolls out ‘worry-free’ delivery procedure

Pizza Hut’s ‘worry-free’ delivery procedure ensures customers proper handling of their orders.

RESTAURANT chain Pizza Hut has launched its “worry-free” delivery procedure to ensure customers their orders are prepared and delivered in the “safest way possible.”

“While the enhanced community quarantine has been extended until April 30, we have launched a worry-free delivery procedure to assure our customers that their safety is our topmost priority,” said Lorent Martin Adrias, Sr., marketing manager of PPI, the local franchisee of the pizza restaurant chain.

The procedure requires delivery riders to properly wash their hands and sanitize

their hot bags, money pouches, and delivery motorcycles before and after every delivery. Riders are required to wear face mask at all times. Physical distancing is practiced when interacting with customers.

Upon arrival, riders will place the pizza and money pouches at the customer’s doorstep, and then keep a safe distance of at least one meter before calling them to receive their order.

For orders via phone, customers can dial 8911-11-11 or order online at www. pizzahut.com.ph. They can also order via GrabFood and Foodpanda.

Healthcare workers receive groceries from Landers Superstore delivered by the Philippine Army.

HEALTHCARE personnel manning the frontlines in the fight against coronavirus get a much-needed sustenance and supplies from a membership superstore.

Landers Superstore recently organized a relief program to provide medical workers with free food and groceries. The Philippine Army helped in the distribution.

Together with its partners Popeyes, Kuya J, 8990 Holdings Inc., Isla Sugbu Seafood City, and Majestic Restaurant, the superstore distributed 595 boxes of Landers Central pizza, 315 buckets of Popeyes Chicken, and 46 bags of groceries containing essential items like toiletries and snacks to 34 hospitals and six army checkpoints.

Each box of pizza and bag of groceries contain heartfelt messages of thanks and encouragement from Landers’ staff and members.

The hospitals that received donations were Philippine General Hospital, San

Lazaro Hospital, Asian Hospital and Medical Center, The Medical City, St. Luke’s Medical Center QC and BGC, Cardinal Santos Medical Center, UERM Memorial Hospital, Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, Chinese General Hospital, Philippine Heart Center, and East Avenue Medical Center in Metro Manila; Perpetual Help Medical Center in Biñan, Laguna; and Cebu Doctors Hospital, UCMed, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, and Cebu Velez General Hospital in Cebu City.

Meanwhile, the army checkpoints that received donations were those stationed in Alabang, Susana Heights, Canlubang Exit, Zapote Service Road, Brgy. MacArthur Highway, and NLEx Camachile.

Landers said the project aims to reach out to more hospitals and checkpoints in the next few days.

BITES

Say hello to Aloha JOLLIBEE’S seasonal Aloha Yumburger is now back on the menu.

The cult-favorite burger is made with Jollibee’s signature beef patty, bacon strip, lettuce, cheese, honey mustard dressing, and a slice of pineapple, all sandwiched in

two buns.

The Amazing Aloha Yumburger is available in ala carte and meal.

Prices may vary depending on location. Orders may be placed via #8-7000, jollibeedelivery.com, GrabFood, or Foodpanda.

Pets

Desiree Carlos, Editor daycarlos28@yahoo.com

B4

MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2020

LOCKDOWN HEROINES 1

Vendors feed chained and stray dogs in Bulacan PET TALES

BY DESIREE CARLOS

E

VERYDAY, they walk three hours to feed 30 dogs and 12 cats who were abandoned by the caretaker of a friend in Plaridel, Bulacan.

When the lockdown was enforced starting March 15, they noticed more and more thin and hungry dogs along the way from Pulilan to Plaridel.

They decided to bring more food so that they can also feed the dogs chained to posts and trees who can not look for food, the stray dogs and cats, and the owned dogs whose owners are also going hungry. They also brought water.

Vendors Jenica Victoria or Jhec, 28, and her mother Mary Grace Josephine Victoria , 48, can not help but feed the many animals who are starving just like the humans during the Luzon-wide lockdown.

Jhec said they have a permit to travel on foot every day to go to Plaridel from the agriculture department regional office in the Pulilan municipal hall.

“Nakita namin ang hirap ng mga stray dogs at cats. Wala silang makainan dahil walang bukas na mga carinderia o kahit yun mga street vendor na tinatanghuran nila, walang maibigay na talaga sa kanila, “ Jhec said. (We saw the suffering of the stray dogs and cats. They do not have any source of food because the eatery is closed, and even the street vendors have nothing to give to them.)

“Sobrang kawawa po talaga, “ said Jhec.

Seeing the pitiful condition of the dogs and cats, Jhec and her mom Grace decided to bring extra food and feed dogs and cats along the way.

It gets so tiring, she admitted, as it can get so hot while walking those miles to Plaridel.

But Jhec and Grace love dogs and cats and thus, they just have to find a way to help every day, as long as they can.

Jhec, also an on-call cook, said she took after her mother who she saw feeding and petting dogs and cats while she was growing up.

They have been rescuing or taking in poor

Dog-safe

mosquito-repellant plants EVERY human and every pet love summer time as they get to bond more outside their homes.

But it is not always safe to be outdoor, specially since there are mosquitoes that are dengue-carriers which can be fatal to humans and there are mosquitoes that carry heartworm larvae that can lead to a dog’s death if left undetected and not removed or killed.

Gardens and outdoors can be safe if you put plants that repel mosquitoes.

Brandy Arnold, in “6 Dog-Safe Plants That Naturally Repel Mosquitoes (& Other Pests!)” in the Dogington post website, identified plants that dog owners can plant in one’s garden or in pots which can be placed in the patio, terrace or balcony, or inside the house.

1. Catnip (Nepeta cataria) Cats love catnip. But mosquitoes hate it.

“Some studies have actually shown catnip to be several times more effective at repelling mosquitoes than DEET, a potentially dangerous chemical used in many bug repellents. Catnip is easy to grow and can be planted in pots strategically placed around the yard and seating areas to keep bugs at bay. Just remember, while you’re repelling mosquitoes, you might be attracting the neighborhood cats, “ Arnold said.

2. Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) Lavender’s smell or aroma brings balance to the body, aromatherapy experts said.

Aside from being a beautiful, colorful, and fragrant addition to your garden, mosquitoes also hate the calming, fresh scent of lavender.

“Lavender can be planted in your garden, right in the ground, or grown in pots on your deck, porch, or windowsill, both indoors and out for a splash of color, a fresh, calming fragrance, and to keep those tiny vampires away from you and your pets,” Arnold said.

Jhec Victoria (left) and mom Grace with their rescues.

kittens since she was a child, Jhec added.

A few years ago, she became a member of Save Animals of Love and Light Inc. (Save ALL) and saw the post on an abandoned pup who needed a home before the typhoon was to hit the country. She decided to step up and adopt the poor puppy. Since then, she has been recuing animals. She and mom Grace now have 21 rescues with them: 18 dogs and 3 cats.

These days, their routine consists of waking up early and feeding their rescues at home and cleaning their place, then walking for three hours to Plaridel and feeding as many dogs and cats they can along the way, then feeding their friend’s rescues and cleaning the place too, then walking for about 2 hours to go back to Pulilan.

“Napapagod din po kami. Pero masaya po kami na nakakatulong sa mga aso at pusa, at sa mga homeless na may mga aso at pusa. Inaabutan din po namin sila. Sa kabila ng pagod, sobrang saya po sa kalooban, “ Jhec said. (We also get tired. But we are happy we are able

to help the dogs and cats and the homeless humans who have dogs and cats.)

“Hindi man namin kaya makatulong sa mga tao, at least sa hayop makatulong kami,” Jhec said. (We might not be able to help humans, but we can at least help the animals.)

Humans, she said, get help from the government. The animals, on the other hand, have no one to help them except for a few animal lovers who can still go out and have food to spare, she said.

Jhec and Grace put signs beside the food containers they leave for stray dogs and cats, asking humans not to get the food meant for the animals.

There are some humans who do not have compassion for animals and throw away the food, she noted.

Aside from feeling good being able to help animals in need, Jhec noted that the feeding gives her and mom time to strengthen their bond.

3.Basil (Ocimum basilicum) This hardy herb is easy to grow. It is also a tasty addition to a lot of recipes.

The best news is: Mosquitoes detest basil!

“Unlike most other insect-repelling herbs, basil doesn’t have to be crushed or ground in order to release the scent and oils that keep mosquitoes at bay. There are a wide variety of basil plants, all of which provide some relief from the flying pests, but lemon basil and cinnamon basil are the most effective. Bonus: Basil plants naturally repel house flies, too!” Arnold said.

(Next week: A frontline rescues kittens)

Richie (left) and Margaux, Save ALL’s rescued dogs , love roaming in the garden. They are not left unspervised.

4. Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) Lemon Balm or horsemint is also easy to plant and repels mosquitoes.

“Thriving well in both sunny spots or in the shade, this plant gives off a strong scent similar to citronella that mosquitoes despise. Grow it in a pot and place in the center of your patio table, beside entryways, or around the yard to keep the area clear of mosquitoes. And, best of all, while mosquitoes can’t stand Lemon balm, bees and butterflies don’t mind it at all!” Arnold said.

5. Peppermint (Mentha piperita) The strong, minty aroma of peppermint makes many insects, including mosquitoes, steer clear of peppermint plants.

“However, because these plants tend to grow aggressively, you may prefer planting them in pots and strategically placing them around sitting areas, on windowsills, and near entryways, rather than planting in the ground. Plus, while they’re non-toxic to dogs, many enjoy the taste and smell and will nibble or roll around in them, killing the plant. Bonus: Use the leaves to add flavor to teas and other delicious minty recipes!” Arnold said.

6. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) Another plant that is pet-safe and very useful in the kitchen is rosemary. It is good for dogs too. Rosemary can be put in a dog’s food for a shiny, thick coat “Unpleasant to both mosquitoes and other flying insects, rosemary is quite versatile. Plant in pots, protect your herb garden from insects, or use around the perimeter of your yard to keep insects away while at the same time attracting butterflies,” Arnold said.

Plants to avoid:

Jhec and mom Grace feed hungry dogs and cats and vow to do so everyday until the lockdown is lifted.

Arnold warns against putting plants that are toxic to dogs and cats. Do some research before adding plants to your garden.

If you have toxic plants in the garden, do not leave your dog unsupervised.

“Citronella, while highly effective against mosquitoes, is deadly to dogs, as are Geraniums, certain varieties of Marigolds, and Garlic plants,” Arnold said. DC