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DUTERTE THREATENS MARTIAL LAW IF REDS HAMPER AID SEEING RED. President Rodrigo Duterte holds a

meeting with members of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Malago Clubhouse in Malacanang on April 23, 2020, taking a snipe at the Communist rebels for staging an ambush of a military convoy delivering relief goods before zeroing in on the day’s main agenda – extension of the enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila and other areas until May 15.

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

the armed forces and police. I might declare martial law and there will be no turning back,” Duterte said in a televised speech. Duterte also warned legal fronts of the communist rePRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Friday threatened to declare martial law after New People’s Army rebels bels that they would be arrested and should go hiding. “I have two more years. I will try to finish all of you, inkilled two soldiers who were escorting food and cash decluding you, the legal fronts, you should go and hide,” he said. liveries in the middle of a public health emergency. “I am now warning everybody, I am putting notice to Next page

ECQ ‘til May 15 in Metro Manila Also prolonged in Central Luzon, Calabarzon, some provinces

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

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has extended until May 15 the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in the Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and other provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao, stretching the lockdown to two months since March 15 to curb the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. In a televised press briefing, Presi- be placed under a General Community dential Spokesman Harry Roque said Quarantine (GCQ) where some restricother areas in Luzon that are not in- tions will be relaxed. cluded in the lockdown extension will Next page

VOL. XXXIV • NO. 66 • 2 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

100% OPEN

50 – 100% OPEN

50% ONSITE AND 50% WORK FROM HOME

100% CLOSED

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM APRIL 24)

7,192

NUMBER OF CASES

477

Rody ups reward for virus cure to P50m, vows more if he’s ‘happy’ By Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

lion, even as the confirmed cases of COVID-19 infections continued to rise. He made the announcement in a telePRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has vised meeting with his Cabinet members raised the reward to any Filipino who and the IATF, where he extended the efcan find a vaccine for the coronavirus fectivity of the Enhanced Community disease to P50 million from P10 mil- Quarantine in several areas in Luzon,

including Metro Manila, to May 15. He even hinted that the reward could jump to P100 million. “I am raising the bounty to P50 million because it is a collegial thing,” Duterte said. “If I am happy, another P50 million

762

RECOVERIES

211

NEW CASES

‘ICUs in MM hospitals near full capacity’

A NEW research study, announced at the White House in Washington, claims the new coronavirus is quickly destroyed by sunlight, but this still awaits external evaluation. William Bryan, science and technology advisor to the Department of Homeland Security secretary, told reporters at the White House that government Next page

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

Sunlight virus destroyer, says US scientists

DEATHS

INTENSIVE Care Units in Metro Manila hospitals are almost full due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases, which have breached the 7,000 mark amid the 40 recoveries and 15 deaths in the Philippines, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Friday. The DOH reported that as of 4 p.m. Friday, there were 7,192 confirmed cases with 211 additional cases. There are 762 recoveries and 477 total deaths. During a virtual presser, Vergeire admitted that ICUs in hospitals in the

[will be added to the reward]. “If I am very happy, I’ll make it P100 million.” Duterte said Filipino scientists could ask for additional research funding from the government through Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, if needed.

COVID DESTROYER. That the sun’s

ultraviolet rays capable of destroying the new coronavirus disease became a focal point of extensive research by American scientists. AFP

House proposes P613-b stimulus The sub-committee on the economic stimulus By Maricel Cruz, Macon Ramos-Araneta package prepared the Philippine Economic Reand Vito Barcelo covery bill, a merger of the proposals submitted A TOTAL of P613 billion for the stimulus pack- by Reps. Stella Quimbo of Marikina and Joey age that the government will use to restart the Salceda of Albay. The sub-committee was tasked to study economy has been proposed by a subcommittee in the House of Representatives. Next page

Another global health crisis in offing, World Bank warns A WORLD Bank study suggests the still uncontrolled coronavirus pandemic could trigger a “secondary” global health crisis – a possible increase in child and maternal deaths. An international consortium has warned diverting the scarce

News

SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 2020

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Policeman faces homicide rap By Rio N. Araja

OLICE Master Sgt. Daniel Florendo is facing a homicide complaint before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office for shooting and killing a former member of the Armed Forces for violating the coronavirus quarantine. Quezon City Police Chief Ronnie Montejo said Florendo had already gone through inquest proceedings online. “We based our findings on the evidence at hand. So whatever evidence we have... that’s what we have decided on for his inquest proceedings,” Montejo said. He said there was no evidence that could establish a conspiracy among the

other police officers who were present during the shooting of Winston Ragos, a retired soldier. Florendo, along with four police trainees, called Ragos’ attention near a quarantine control point in Pasong Putik village for allegedly violating quarantine rules. He said he and Ragos had a heated argument, after which he decided to shoot

Rody... From A1

ECQ... From A1

“What matters to me is the dedication and the load of work that they are performing. So if they need additional funding, all they have to do is ask Duque,” he said.

Duterte’s announcement came days after the Department of Health reported that the time it takes for COVID-19 cases to double has slowed down from three days in March to five days this week. The doubling time is among the factors which were taken into consideration in deciding the extension of ECQ, while other factors include the number of new cases and the health care system’s capacity to address the crisis. Among the areas under the extended lockdown until May 15 are Pangasinan, Benguet, Mindoro island, Albay and Catanduanes, Antique, Iloilo, Cebu and Cebu City, Aklan and Capiz in the Visayas and Davao del Norte, Davao City and Davao de Oro in Mindanao because these areas are considered high-risk in connection with the spread of COVID-19. The National Capital Region, with at least 13 million people and millions more informal settlers, accounts for more than two-thirds of the country’s 6,981 infections and 462 deaths, Roque said. He saida “general community quarantine” or GCQ will be enforced in low-risk and moderate-risk areas until mid-May. “If there is no deterioration, GCQ will be relaxed leading to normalization,” Roque said. Duterte based his decision on the recommendations of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), Roque said. The IATF has recommended areas under both the ECQ and GCQ to consider moving the reopening of classes to September. Establishments that fall under the socalled “Kid Industry” like amusement, gaming, and fitness should also stay closed. Large groups like religious gatherings and conferences remain prohibited. Roque said areas previously under ECQ but remain under GCQ will allow workers to go out and work in phases. Young people, senior citizens, and high health risks would stay at home. The non-leisure shops in malls in areas under GCQ may partially open. There will be mandatory temperature checks, wearing of masks, and alcohol use. Meanwhile, priority and essential construction projects would likewise be allowed to resume, subject to minimum health standards, physical distancing, and barracks for workers.

Pledge Duterte also pledged to grant additional funding for the production of vaccines against COVID-19. He made the vow as he acknowledged that Filipino scientists needed more funding to advance their vaccine research and development. Duterte expressed willingness to spend all of the public funds to combat COVID-19. He said he would “readily” provide extra money to boost the development and manufacture of vaccines against the disease. “I’d rather spend all of our money in connection with COVID,” he said. “If they need additional funding, all they have to do is make a request.”

Enough funds The Philippine Council for Health Research and Development has enough funds to continue its task to produce a vaccine against COVID-19, Duque said Friday. But Duque said he was not sure if the vaccine the council was producing was specifically for COVID-19. “I will still check if they have already included this [COVID-19 vaccine] in their research work,” Duque said. But he said his department was looking into all possible cures for COVID-19, including the use of Virgin Coconut Oil and traditional Philippine medicines.

Sunlight... From A1 scientists had found ultraviolet rays that had a potent impact on the pathogen, offering hope its spread might ease over the summer. “Our most striking observation to date is the powerful effect that solar light appears to have on killing the virus, both surfaces and in the air,” he said. “We’ve seen a similar effect with both temperature and humidity as well, where increasing the temperature and humidity or both is generally less favorable to the virus.” But the paper itself has not yet been released for review, making it difficult for independent experts to comment on how robust its methodology was.

Sterilizing effect It has long been known that ultraviolet light has a sterilizing effect, because the radiation damages the virus’ genetic material and their ability to replicate. A key question, however, will be what the intensity and wavelength of the UV light used in the experiment was and whether this accurately mimics natural light conditions in summer. “It would be good to know how the test was done, and how the results were measured,” Benjamin Neuman, chair of biological sciences at Texas A&M University-Texarkana, told AFP. “Not that it would be done badly, just that there are several different ways to count viruses, depending on what aspect you are interested in studying.”

Failed experiment Meanwhile, the experimental coronavirus treatment remdesivir has failed in its first randomized clinical trial, inadvertently released results showed Thursday, dampening expectations for the closely watched drug. A draft summary went online briefly on the website of the World Health Organization and was first reported by the Financial Times and Stat, which posted a screenshot. But Gilead Sciences, the company behind the medicine, disputed how the now-deleted post had characterized the findings, saying the data showed a “potential benefit.” AFP

‘ICUs... From A1 National Capital Region were almost full as their usage was already near the maximum. “It means they are really being utilized,” said Vergeire as she noted this was one of the reasons why Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19 included NCR, which has the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country, in the list of high-risk areas that should have extended Enhanced Community Quarantine. She expressed alarm that hospitals in the NCR would be overwhelmed as more cases were confirmed based on the projections of experts. By extending the ECQ, she stressed the government was hoping to continue to slow down the spread of COVID-19

Another global... From A1 healthcare resources of developing countries to the rapidly expanding COVID-19 pandemic could see a 45 percent jump in child and maternal mortality before the end of the year, an international health consortium has warned. Unless poorer nations in Africa, Asia and Latin America get a rapid infusion of drugs, medical oxygen, protective equipment and on-the-ground assistance, the global South is likely to see 1.2 million children and 57,000 mothers die over the next six months, according to a study under review by The Lancet

the former soldier. sons and must not be used to target any He said Ragos was trying to pull out group or to repress dissent or critics,” a gun from his bag, but Ragos’ relatives De Guia said. denied this. “Needless to say, fundamental rights remain even as some necessary measLegal standards ures need to be taken.” The Commission on Human Rights De Guia says quarantine guidelines said Friday the quarantine rules result- underscore the need to respect human ing from the coronavirus pandemic rights in the implementation. were still bound by legal standards. “In a state of public emergency, it “Any warrantless arrest should be might be convenient to resort to sweepwithin legal ambit, which strictly pro- ing measures that provide shortcuts. vides the specific circumstances when However, protecting public health enit is merited, commission spokesman tails due diligence and nuancing such Jacqueline Ann de Guia said. that all factors are considered and no “Further, the measures must be human dignity is trampled upon,” De strictly motivated by public health rea- Guia said. Public transport modes would also be allowed to operate at reduced capacity and local government units would enforce curfew at night for non-workers in low-risk areas that will fall under the GCQ until May 15, and if there is no deterioration, GCQ will be relaxed leading to normalization. Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, meanwhile, said local executives must seek the approval of the national government’s task force before they can amend quarantine rules or put their provinces or cities under lockdown. Roque said in areas under a GCQ, shopping malls will be allowed to reopen starting May 1 with new measures that discourage “lingering.” Mall goers will also be required to wear face masks and use hand sanitizers, Roque said. “Non-leisure” stores such as supermarkets, drugstores, banks, laundry service, restaurants for takeout or delivery, and hardware stores will be allowed to reopen. Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez said manufacturers of food and essential products will soon resume full operations as the government sets to motion the transition from ECQ to GCQ in some of the less affected areas in Luzon. Lopez said COVID-19 remains a threat to health and the economy but having enough food supply and other necessities like medicines, personal hygiene products and antiseptics like alcohol are also vital for survival. During the President’s public address aired Friday morning, updated reports by the Trade department showed that companies producing basic and essential products were given the green light to beef up their workforce beyond 50 percent. “We got them going at 80 to 90 percent staffed to avert incidence of shortage. In fact, we have at least two weeks inventory of processed foods, as I speak. We won’t have any shortages,” Lopez said. He noted there is enough supply of raw materials needed for food production and processing, good for about a month to 45 days. In areas where ECQ will be lifted to give way to GCQ, companies producing or manufacturing essentials will be allowed to file for incentives. Most likely, food processors and companies producing items important to the ongoing COVID response may get longer or additional income tax holidays. Firms producing protective gear are also entitled to incentives if they are reg-

istered with the Board of Incentives or the Philippine Economic Zone Authority. Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar, meanwhile, assured the public that there would be enough supply of food for the extended ECQ period. “As we have been reporting since the start of the COVID-19, our inventory for basic food commodities shows we have more than enough supply this year. We always reiterate this to avoid panic among our citizens,” Dar said. In a meeting with the IATF, Dar presented the food supply outlook for 2020 with most commodities ending with a surplus at year’s end. By end-December, rice inventory will be good for 94 days; corn for 234 days; fish for two days; vegetables for six days; and chicken for 253 days. “As we will experience some contraction in pork supply of around 43 days, we encourage consumers to shift to other alternative sources of protein like chicken, ducks, eggs, and processed meat products,” Dar said. The Department earlier reported that the country’s meat supply remains stable amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It has also discounted the possibility of pork importation due to an oversupply, particularly in the Visayas and Mindanao. Hog raisers said cold storage facilities are filled with pork. “Like any other food commodity, we just need to bring the supply from the source to the areas where they are needed most. That is what we are doing now, and we remain hopeful for better projections in the coming days,” Dar said. The Armed Forces of the Philippines on Friday said it is now adjusting its deployment of troops in regions that will remain under ECQ and in areas that will be placed under GCQ. “We will make the necessary adjustments in our troop deployments in coordination with the PNP and the LGUs in accordance with these changes in the coverages of community quarantine,” AFP spokesman Marine Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo said in a press statement. The Bureau of Immigration on Friday said travel restrictions set in place during the ECQ will remain during its extension. BI Commissioner Jaime Morente issued the statement following the announcement of President Rodrigo Duterte to extend the ECQ in several “high-risk” areas until May 15. Despite the missteps and shortcomings of some government agencies, the ECQ has minimized the spread of COVID-19, Senator Panfilo Lacson said.

and to buy enough time for health facilities to increase their capacity to take in patients. The DOH official assured the public the government was continuing to procure equipment such as ventilators to help COVID-19 patients in breathing, They had also requested the Department of Budget and Management for the procurement of P1.3 billion worth of ventilators. They also asked for the emergency hiring of 15,000 health workers to fight the coronavirus disease. Vergeire said they were also working on increasing the testing capacity of the country from 8,000 to 11,000 tests daily. “We also have a target of 28,000 tests so that we are able to detect enough in two months.” But despite the continuing battle against the highly infectious virus, Ver-

geire said the DOH had no plan to construct new hospitals or structures. Chinese medical experts who recently visited the Philippines proposed the building of new structures, temporary largescale hospitals, for COVID-19 patients. Instead of erecting new hospitals, Vergeire said they would rationalize the use of ICUs to free-up hospitals for critically-ill patients. “What we will do is that we’ll fix the process. We’ll add dedicated rooms, dedicated wards for COVID,” she said. At present, the Philippines has 75 COVID-19 referral hospitals that have a total bed capacity of 3,194 as of mid-April. Vergeire said Filipinos would have to adjust to the new normal and to practice minimum health standards such as physical distancing, proper hygiene, good nutrition and cough etiquette.

Global Health. The new coronavirus outbreak “could reverse decades of progress,” said Muhammad Ali Pate, global director for health, nutrition and population at the World Bank and director of the Global Financing Facility. “If routine healthcare is disrupted – as a result of unavoidable shocks, health system collapse, or intentional choices in response to the pandemic – the increase in child and maternal deaths will be devastating,” the authors said in a draft submitted for peer review. While Europe and North America have felt the brunt of the pandemic, with some two million confirmed cases out of a world total of 2.6 million, lock-

downs have slowed its spread on these continents even as the virus picks up pace elsewhere. In Africa, the week leading to April 21 saw a 43 percent jump in COVID-19 cases and a 38 percent increase in the number of COVID-19-related deaths, the World Health Organization reported Wednesday.

Pressure on food supply The coronavirus outbreak and government policies to limit the disease could disrupt food supply chains, potentially threatening food availability, even as prices remain stable in 2020, the World Bank cautioned. Prices of agricultural commodities are

Duterte... From A1 The President, who expressed his anger against the communist rebels, said they extorted money from big companies and stole firearms of slain soldiers in an insurgency that has lasted more than a half century. “If you continue with your lawlessness, killing here and there, maybe I will declare martial law because you NPAs are instigators,“ he said. Duterte has long been at odds with the communist rebels in the country, but there were several times that the Chief Executive urged the NPA to surrender and rejoin the society. He claimed a number of NPA rebels had surrendered since he became President on June 30, 2016. Bagong Alyansang Makabayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. scored President Duterte’s threat to declare martial law. Reyes said the public’s attention is being “diverted” with threats of martial law amid what he claimed were the “biggest problems” under the Luzon quarantine: “inadequate mass testing, slow social amelioration for the poor, the economic slowdown and the relentless assaults on human rights. “Why devote so much airtime on the NPA and martial law? These issues were hardly tackled and they are so much more important with the extension of the ECQ (Enhanced Community Quarantine) in many areas of the country,” he said. The Philippine Army recently claimed that suspected NPA members forcibly took relief goods meant for residents in a sitio in Balangiga, Eastern Samar. “According to the 1987 Constitution, the President may only declare martial law in case of invasion or rebellion, when the public safety requires it,” Reyes said. Reyes also said there was no mention of the government’s action on the fatal shooting of a former soldier by a policeman in Quezon City. He asked why the social amelioration program has reached only 4.7 million families out of the targeted 18 million, and why the COVID-19 infection rate among health care workers was so high. “Why is our attention being diverted with threats of martial law? Why take advantage of the COVID-19 crisis to impose more fascist measures while covering up the more pressing problems?” he said. He said there were enough mechanisms open to the peace panels to address the armed encounters between government troops and the communist rebels. Duterte has extended the ECQ to arrest the spread of COVID-19 in the National Capital Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and several other provinces until May 15, with some areas subject to reassessment.

House... From A1 measures to address the adverse effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the economy. The panel conducted two online hearings in which its members listened to the briefings of the administration’s economic managers, among them Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III and Bangko Sentral Gov. Benjamin Diokno on April 14 and 21. The bill, “Philippine Economic Recovery Act,” will be submitted to the Defeat COVID-19 Committee for approval and referral to the chamber.

Supplemental budget President Rodrigo Duterte may ask Congress to pass a supplemental budget to augment the funds for the government’s efforts against the coronavirus pandemic, Malacañang said Friday. Duterte’s spokesman Harry Roque said the government needed authorization from Congress to tap more funds. “We have funds, but the problem is we may have to enact a supplemental budget because we can’t spend the money without a mandate from our lawmakers,” Roque said in a radio interview. But he expressed confidence the lawmakers will grant such a request from Malacañang. likely to hold up better than oil, metals and other industrial materials that have seen demand plummet amid lockdowns and other measures to combat COVID-19, the World Bank said in a report. “Agriculture prices are less tied to economic growth, and saw only minor declines in the first quarter of 2020, except for rubber, which is used in transportation,” the report said. But while prices are expected to remain “broadly stable” this year “as production levels and stocks of most staple foods are at record highs,” the bank warned that producers could “face disruptions to the trade and distribution of inputs such as fertilizer, pesticides, and labor availability.” AFP

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SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF Liquor ban stays in Parañaque City SELLING of liquors remains prohibited in Parañaque City until May 15, Mayor Edwin Olivarez announced Friday. Olivarez said the restriction during the extended period of the Enhanced Community Quarantine aims to discourage residents from gathering at bars and streets and stop the spread of coronavirus. On Tuesday, alcoholic beverage makers asked the national government to lift the total liquor ban imposed in several cities in Metro Manila and provinces during the lockdown period. According to the Center for Alcohol Research and Development, “if this ban continues, the industry can no longer survive, a situation that can affect a large sector of the community.” Joel Zurbano

65 held in Sampaloc ‘hard lockdown’ AROUND 65 persons were apprehended during the first few hours of the 48-hour “hard lockdown” being implemented in Sampaloc, Manila amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Information from the Manila Police District Station 4 said there were 65 persons who were apprehended for quarantine violations since Thursday night up to 12 noon of Friday when the hard lockdown was implemented in the district. The apprehended individuals were brought to the district’s covered courts where they spent the night. Sampaloc District is composed of 192 barangays with more or less 300,000 residents. The hard lockdown started on 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 23, and will last until 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 25. For the measure, 31 control points were set up in the district manned by hundreds of policemen and soldiers. Willie Casas

FRONTLINER, TOO. Workers from power utilities such as the Manila Electric Co. are considered frontliners too as they perform maintenance work at a 105-foot-tall pole along Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City on Thursday, April 23. Meralco assures its consumers of no power interruptions during the Enhanced Community Quarantine.

DFA repatriates 19,407 OFWs By Rey E. Requejo

HE Department of Foreign Affairs said on Friday that the government has repatriated 19,407 overseas Filipino workers, with the arrival of more than 818 more overseas Filipinos. The latest batch of OFWs came from the United Kingdom, Equatorial Guinea, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Australia. The repatriates arrived on three separate chartered flights at the Ninoy Aqui-

no International Airport on Thursday afternoon and early morning on Friday. “DFA is unwavering in its commitment to assist kababayans who are severely affected by the global COVID-19

pandemic and to date, has successfully facilitated the repatriation of 19,407 Filipinos from all over the world,” the DFA said in a statement. Doctors from the Philippine Coast Guard administered rapid testing for COVID-19 on the repatriates upon their arrival. They were also briefed on quarantine protocols before they were transported to designated facilities where they will undergo mandatory 14-day quarantine. Meanwhile, 12 more Filipinos overseas have recovered from the COV-

NCRPO initiates own fund-raising event

We’re losing docs, nurses, says PMA

THE National Capital Region Police Office has initiated its own fund-raising to help the government in its fight against the coronavirus disease. Metro Manila police director Debold Sinas said the NCRPO took the challenge and participated in the ‘Team PNP Bayanihan Fund Campaign’ aimed to reach P200million target from voluntary donations of police officers nationwide. He said the 25,805 personnel from NCRPO and 116 personnel from the Regional Support Units will voluntarily donate P1,000 each or less. “There is no standard amount specified for their contribution. It is purely voluntary for we know that they too have families who are affected by this health crisis and most of them are sole providers,” said Sinas. So far, according to Sinas, they were able to generate a total of P30,360,973 from NCRPO personnel and RSUs combined. Joel Zurbano

By Rio N. Araja

CebuPac cancels all domestic, int’l flights OFFICIALS of the Cebu Pacific Air and its sister airline CebGo announced on Friday the cancellation of all domestic and international flights scheduled from May 1 to 15. The two airlines made the announcement after President Rodrigo Duterte approved the recommendation of the InterAgency Task Force to extend the Enhanced Community Quarantine imposed in Luzon, and the implementation of General Community Quarantine over other provinces. Restrictions are also implemented by local governments across the Philippines. CEB officials, however, said they will continue to mount all-cargo flights to support the movement of vital goods, including medicines and Personal Protective Equipment across the country. “We will provide updates on when we will restart passenger operations as soon as possible,” said CEB spokesperson Charo Lagamon. Joel Zurbano

Teachers, staff to get 5k aid from Manila By Willie Casas TEACHING and non-teaching personnel in the City of Manila are set to receive P5,000 cash assistance from the local government, totaling P64 million, amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko” Domagoso announced on Friday that he has approved the release of the P64million financial assistance to be given to teachers soon. “Ang lahat ng aming teacher and nonteaching personnel, sa aming elementary at public high school ay tatanggap ng 5,000 pesos bawat isa. Pinirmahan ko na kahapon yung P64 million more or less,” Domagoso said. The mayor said around 11,000 public elementary and high school personnel stand to benefit from the assistance. He added that the assistance will be directly deposited to the ATM cards of teachers and non-teaching personnel. “Maubos man ang pera ng gobyerno, masaya naman ako na natamasa ito ng tao sa panahon ng kakaibang crisis,” Domagoso said.

ID-19, bringing the total recoveries to 307, the DFA said. Confirmed COVID-19 cases increased to 1,122 across the Americas, Asia Pacific Region, Europe Middle East, or Africa. “Based on the latest figures, the rate of new recoveries at 4.07 percent remains higher than the rate of new deaths at 1.89 percent,” the DFA said in a statement on Thursday. On the other hand, the death toll has increased to 162 while patients undergoing treatment were recorded at 653.

HARD LOCKDOWN. (Inset photo) At least 950 police and soldiers were deployed to 198 barangays in Sampaloc Manila on Thursday night to conduct a 48-hour ‘hard lockdown’ in Sampaloc where COVID-19 cases reached 100. The Trabajo Market, located along M. Dela Fuente St., cor. España Blvd. in Sampaloc, Manila, practically became a ghost town after it was shuttered due to the lockdown. Norman Cruz and Jun Buscas

Start nat’l ID registration before June 30—solon By Maricel V. Cruz A PARTY-LIST congressman on Friday said registration for the National Identification System should start before June 30 to facilitate the delivery of assistance to people adversely affected by lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. A more functional national ID can save lives, Deputy Speaker and 1-Pacman Rep. Michael Romero said, adding that the ID card’s last digits could be used for quarantine to determine who can go out of their homes. “We want a much more functional national ID and system like what Singapore is using to distribute payment or aid to many workers. Despite inher-

ent data limitations of the National ID System or PhilSys, I suggest to acting SocioEconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua that he direct the Philippine Statistics Authority to start mass registration within 60 days or not later than June 30,” said Romero. Romero said he is also preparing a bill to amend the National ID Law. “So that the ID can be more useful, especially for selecting and targeting beneficiaries for government aid and services, as a stand-alone ID card. We want a much more functional or useful national ID like that of Singapore’s,” Romero said. Romero also suggested that mass registration should start in the smaller localities of Metro Manila like Pateros,

San Juan, and Marikina. “Mass registration could also be done in select barangays of Quezon City and Manila. Afterward, sign-ups can expand to other localities. “This way, we get something done fast or target the low-hanging fruits first.” In a statement, Romero also listed what he said were the shortcomings of the National IDF Law or Republic Act 11055, inluding “serious data limitations, ” because “as it is designed now, the PhilSys or National ID System can only be used to ascertain the identity of recipients of COVID-19 cash grants and other assistance. There are no income, employment, or other status information authorized to be collected for the PhilSys.”

THE Philippine Medical Association and Philippine Nurses Association on Friday lamented the sorry state of doctors and nurses attending to the needs of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in hospitals. In a dzMM interview, Dr. Joe Santiago, PMA president, said 24 doctors have already died “during the COVID-19 crisis while in line of duty.” “We do not want to name [some of] them for private reason,” he said. About 300 doctors have already been infected with the virus, he said. “Well, as of now, we still have personal protective equipment, but we need to sustain the supply,” he said. To reduce the spread of COVID-19, he said, some hospitals have allowed their doctors to adopt a work shift enabling them to take a two-week off “while another set [of doctors] coming in to report for duty.” The PMA is now adopting “tele-konsulta” as another measure to avoid faceto-face consultations with possible COVID-19 or non-COVID-19 patients, he said. Dr. Rosie de Leon, PNA president, also called on the Department of Health to provide the medical workers with enough supply of PPE so they could not contract the disease. “A [hospital] nurse has a normal duty of eight hours. But it would be better if we could reduce their duty hours,” she told a separate dzMM interview. “There are many persons under investigation, persons under monitoring and COVID-19 patients among nurses because they would exceed work hours of 10 to 12 hours,” she said. “They have to go to the comfort room, to eat and whatever so they would need to take off their PPE [in the meantime]. Let see what we can do [about it],” she added. She said government hospitals lack PPE. “The DOH has already ordered PPE. We are asking it to look into what hospitals are lacking of the PPE. If we do not have enough, COVID-19 cases would continue to go up, and that there would be no enough manpower [of nurses if they get sick],” she added.

QC expands financial aid program THE Quezon City government has earmarked P600 million for its expanded financial aid program amid the coronavirus disease19 pandemic. The amount would come from the city’s P2.8-billion supplemental budget for 2020 to expand the coverage of its Kalingang QC financial assistance program to all vulnerable sectors. “We saw the pressing need to expand the financial aid program after many ambulant and unregistered vendors were discovered during the first wave,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said. Among the unregistered vendors who were not covered during the initial distribution of P2,000 cash aid are sellers of dry goods and cellular phone accessories, she added. The expanded program shall also cover solo parents, persons with disability and senior citizens who are also affected

by the Enhanced Community Quarantine due to COVID-19. “We want to make sure that all vulnerable sectors will be covered so we allotted part of our supplemental fund for them,” Belmonte said. The city government earlier allotted P200 million for its 100,000 residents, covering drivers of public utility jeeps, tricycles, pedicabs, taxis, transport network vehicle service and AUV express as well as market vendors and other daily wage earners. As of April 23, 7 p.m., Quezon City has 1,085 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Rogelio Reyes, Public Employment Service Office chief, said as of April 21, around 36,582 beneficiaries have already received P2,000 each. The city government is facing a huge logistics challenge as far as distribution of the cash aid to over 200,000 senior citizens.

VIOLATOR. This motorcycle rider who violated the ECQ rules in a Kadiwan Market in Dasmariñas, Cavite was made to perform push-ups as punishment.

Opinion

SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 2020

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The Emmaus road during a pandemic TOMORROW is the Third Sunday of Easter. In the Gospel narrative of St. Luke, the risen Christ encounters the disciple named Cleofas and another disciple on their journey to Emmaus, a village seven miles from Jerusalem. Jesus did not tell them who he was straight away. Instead, he asked them, “What are you discussing as you walk along?” as the two were talking about the things that had occurred.

Another, better world is possible! They stopped, looking downcast. Cleofas said to him in reply, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?’’ And Jesus replied to them, “What sort of things?” They said to him, “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place.” And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures. As they approached the village to which they were going, they urged him, “Stay with us, for it

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. And while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that they recognized him, but Jesus vanished from their sight. They exclaimed, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” The disciples set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the 11 and those with them who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!” We have been on lockdown for more than six weeks now and we have just been informed this will continue until May 15—maybe even beyond. Many of us are anxious, fearful of getting infected by the coronavirus, even feeling abandoned and helpless. When Christ said to his disciples that they are foolish and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke, he might as well be directing the same gentle rebuke to us. But if only we open our eyes and hearts, we can see that God, in his tenderness and compassion, continues to accompany us even in the midst of this pandemic. When the disciples recognized Jesus, their hearts burned and instantly they set out to tell the others that Jesus had risen. They understood that death was not the last word in their lives, that they could not be “held in its power.” They were overwhelmed with joy and hope, knowing that Jesus had resurrected and risen, victorious against suffering and death. In his homily, last Divine Mercy Sunday, Pope Francis pointed out that: “Mercy does not abandon those who stay behind.” He emphasized that in looking forward to a slow and arduous recovery from the pandemic, the grave danger is that we will forget

Explaining the pandemic

EDIA network CNN and Sesame Street have teamed up to air a 90-minute primetime special, town hall-style, this weekend to explain coronavirus to children. The town hall is also aimed at helping families worldwide to stay connected and offer joy during these uneasy times of isolation or quarantine at home. With millions of children forced to stay home during the rampage of the pandemic, their parents—who certainly can pick up learning cubes as well— will be able to guide their children on the ABCs of COVID-19, which has infected more than 2 million worldwide

and killed thousands despite efforts by medical front liners. Such initiatives will keep children occupied, help them beat their boredom, address their anxiety and help them understand why they are not going out of the house and why they need to develop habits such as frequent handwashing, practicing physical distancing, and so on even after the lockdown is lifted.

No doubt, children have their own questions about the pandemic. Mothers and fathers also need help in parenting during these difficult times. Issues such as education, anxiety, screen time, and playdates will be discussed as well. We adults may be preoccupied with the adjustments we have to make in dealing with the pandemic. It is easy to overlook the fact that children may be perplexed at the sudden change in their routines as well. As parents and guardians it is our duty to help them make sense out of what is happening. And we need all the help we can get.

Turn to A5

Blaming health care workers AS MOTHER to two doctors who are at the front lines of fighting COVID-19, I know very well how they are trying their best to stay safe. The struggle of our health care workers in treating patients and saving lives is public knowledge. Their lives have radically changed in and out of work. Because they are constantly exposed to the virus, they can be carriers. We can only imagine the steps they take so they do not pass the virus to their families. Their personal lives are drastically different. There are HCWs who no longer go home to be sure that they do not spread the virus and that their families are safe. Those who go home and with families make sure that social distancing and disinfecting are strictly followed. Imagine HCW parents not being able to cuddle, hug, and kiss their kids. In the case of my daughter and son-in-law, we all decided that the best thing to do is for their two kids, aged five and nine years old to stay with me instead of them. We have been doing this since the start of the lockdown to keep the kids safe and for them to not worry too much and concentrate on their work. However, both doctors needed to go on self-quarantine after being exposed to colleagues who tested positive of COVID-19. During this time, while they both stayed home, they also perpetually wore masks, disinfected everything, and observed strict social distancing by dividing the areas of their home to avoid the possibility of passing the virus to each other. It is good that both tested negative for the virus, and were giv-

en the clearance to resume work in their respective hospitals. The kids connected with them virtually every day through video calls, pictures, videos, and audio messages. While the kids are fully informed of what is happening and why they could not be with mom and dad, it still breaks my heart when at times, our five- year-old would ask why they could not stay in their home, or why mommy and daddy could not come to visit. For a family that is very close to each other, this is very difficult.

Rather than insult them, the DOH must work doubly hard to protect them. It was only this week that my two doctors were able to visit their children. Even so, because of their constant exposure to COVID-19, they stayed outside and talked with the kids who were at the deck just so they could see and hear their mom and dad. Seeing this broke my heart especially when our little boy repeatedly shouted I love yous, threw multiple heart “bombs” to his parents, and followed their car with longing gaze as it was leaving until he could no longer see it. He could not articulate his feelings but we very well understood. I certainly do not want this as the “new normal” for my family. Multiply scenes like this with the number of families of HCWs that need to adapt because of this virus, and perhaps we will better understand how this pandemic is affecting HCWs in more ways than one. Turn to A5

Easier said than done SENATOR Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go got it right when he called on the national government to initiate “balik probinsiya” or a back-to-theprovince program, having realized that populations that are highly centralized in urban areas pose a great danger when an epidemic, or a pandemic, strikes. The more dense the population is, the higher the likelihood of spreading the disease and the encountering difficulty in controlling the situation. This has contributed largely to the government’s slow response in providing assistance to those affected. Go adds that the situation has been aggravated by the lack of urban planning and rural development. The spread of the virus in congested areas has also affected the distribution of resources. As such, Go said that once the Enhanced Community Quarantine is lifted, the government should prepare to move Filipino families out of Metro Manila, but only after the pandemic has been totally controlled. In doing so, national agencies and local government units will have an easier time in providing assistance to families when necessary. This is aside from the fact that the program, if executed effectively, will solve Metro Manila’s worsening traffic problem. And to effect his proposal, Go is proposing that those who wish to avail themselves of the program be provided incentives and livelihood opportunities. And that is where the problem lies. We need to entice those who have migrated to Metro Manila from the provinces in pursuit of the proverbial greener pastures, through incentives and livelihood opportunities. The much-maligned 4Ps not only failed

to achieve its objective of uplifting beneficiaries from poverty in general, but also promoted a culture of mendicancy. The negative effect of the 4Ps was exposed during the imposition of the Enhanced Community Quarantine.

Jobs must first be available in the provinces. It should be recognized that almost all of the beneficiaries of the 4Ps lack entrepreneurial skills. If they did have some entrepreneurial skills, they would have long utilized their 4Ps allocation for some livelihood opportunities. If we are indeed serious in enticing them back to their provinces, we should take into consideration the very reason why they had to migrate here in the first place—that is to try their luck in finding jobs that their hometowns cannot provide. So, for that reason, Go should prioritize his other proposal which is to encourage investors to bring their businesses to the province to encourage development in the countryside. If job opportunities exist, the government would not have a hard time convincing people to return to their respective provinces. To entice investors to bring their businesses out of

the provinces, government operations should be decentralized to make it easier for these businesses to process their documentary requirements. In fact, we could even go back to the proposal of Quezon Gov. Danilo Suarez to move national government offices outside of Metro Manila. In his proposal aired during a media forum late last year, Suarez on Friday urged the Palace to look into his proposal of transferring the country’s main government offices to the Pacific corridor in a bid to decongest Metro Manila. Suarez said he prefers to relocate national government offices to Quezon, not because it is his province but because most of the country’s trading partners are on the Pacific side. Doing so would create around five million new job opportunities for Filipinos in the government and private sectors, should the proposal push through, according to Suarez. And that’s only for Quezon alone. Suarez, however, maintains that Metro Manila should still be the financial and commercial center of the country. Decongesting Metro Manila has become more imperative than ever as the country struggles to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease. With social distancing becoming the new normal even after we come out of this pandemic, we can no longer afford any congested area in any part of the country. As Go aptly says, one important step is to move people from cities to the provinces—and we can only do this with corresponding employment opportunities, which drove them here to Metro Manila in the first place.

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Opinion After Ebola, Liberian doctors have head start on coronavirus By Zoom Dosso MANY Liberians remember Jerry Brown, the doctor leading the country's coronavirus response team, for his fearlessness during the Ebola crisis in the West African state. When the virus was poorly understood, and an infection tantamount to a death sentence, Brown risked his own life providing primary care for suffering patients. "I must admit, the Ebola crisis was difficult," said the doctor, who was named one of Time magazine's people of the year in 2014 for his Ebola work. The disease killed over 4,800 people between 2014 and 2016 in Liberia, the hardest-hit country in the West African outbreak. Just four years later, the country of some 4.8 million people is now staring down the barrel of a coronavirus outbreak. From his base in a military hospital 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the capital Monrovia, Brown said Liberia had to draw on its Ebola experience. "No individual effort can contain this virus," he said, explaining that several sections of society had to pull in the same direction to defeat Ebola. "I am sure we can do the same thing with corona," Brown added. Liberian doctors interviewed by AFP echoed the sentiment, saying they were optimistic that they had a head start on fighting the virus. There are still fears the country is woefully under-equipped for a large outbreak, however. Already decimated by back-toback civil wars from 1989 to 2003, Liberia's economy is also still reeling from the impact of Ebola. About half of the country also lives on less than $1.9 (1.75 euros) a day, according to the World Bank, and the healthcare system is underfunded and fragile. The authorities are acutely aware of the risk. After an initial slow start, the number of recorded cases has increased quickly. There are now 101 official coronavirus cases in Liberia, with eight fatalities. President George Weah declared a state of emergency and locked down Monrovia this month after warning of the gravest threat to the country since Ebola. The former AC Milan striker pointed to tragedies unfolding in countries such as Italy and Spain. "The horrific scenarios that are beginning to emerge should serve as sufficient warning for every one of us to spring into action," he said.

Ebola advantage Liberia's fight against Ebola boosted its initial response to coronavirus, according to the country's chief medical officer, Francis Karteh. Authorities quickly reopened five Ebola-era intensive care units spread across the country after detecting the first case in March, he said, adding that epidemic protocols were al-

ready in place. "We already had our contact tracing teams set, the community teams were still intact, and we only needed to reactivate them," Karteh said. Heounohu Hessou, a student doctor during the Ebola crisis who is now on the frontline, also said complicated logistics had already been worked out. "As far as clinical care (goes), we have the existing knowledge,” he said. But doctors are not blindly optimistic. Brown, for example, noted that change to Liberia's creaky health system had been "insignificant" after Ebola. "I foresee some of the same challenges that we had during the Ebola," he said. The health system was quickly overwhelmed during the last crisis, and violence erupted around the country as people clashed with security and health officials. Is also unclear if Liberia has sufficient protective equipment or ventilators, which can help critical COVID-19 cases breathe. The chief medical officer said the country has only one ventilator, however, media reports have cited five or six.

Still defiant One of the hardest impediments to stamping out the virus will be convincing people to obey health restrictions, doctors say. The government has locked down Monrovia, and banned large gatherings nationwide, as well as flights to and from virus-stricken countries. But police have had to disperse huge crowds of worshippers over the past few weeks, underscoring the difficulty of enforcing the measures. On Monrovia's first day of lockdown, April 11, confusion also reigned as people thronged the streets in some districts despite stay-at-home orders. As in other poor countries in the region, overcrowding in cities makes it hard to uphold social-distancing rules. Health Minister William Jallah urged citizens to respect the restrictions last month. "Despite the bitter experience from the Ebola, some people are still defiant when it comes to implementing advice," he said. Coronavirus cases remain relatively low for now, but they are rising. In neighbouring Guinea—which was also hit by Ebola, and suffers many of the same problems—infections have skyrocketed. Some doctors fear the death toll in Liberia may be understated. "Many of the patients with severe conditions have been dying in the communities, they die before getting here," said Brown, adding that some are unaware the virus exists. "If people don’t change their behavior, you can cure as many persons as possible in the hospital, people will still be coming," he said. AFP

From A4

those who are left behind and that we will be struck by an even worse virus— that of selfish indifference. According to Francis: “A virus spread by the thought that life is better if it is better for me, and that everything will be fine if it is fine for me. It begins there and ends up selecting one person over another, discarding the poor, and sacrificing those left behind on the altar of progress. The present pandemic, however, reminds us that there are no differences or borders between those who suffer. We are all frail, all equal, all precious. May we be profoundly shaken by what is happening all around us: The time has come to eliminate inequalities, to heal the injustice that is undermining the health of the entire human family!” In an interview about the pandemic, the Pope also stressed that the only way to conquer the coronavirus pandemic is through “the antibodies of solidarity.” It has shown the need to unite the entire human family, in the knowledge that what’s done in service of others, “our giving, our vigilance and accompanying in all possible ways” will not “be in vain.” We are walking in the road to Emmaus, with unique journeys that converge in communities of faith to which we belong. Let our eyes be opened to his presence in our lives. Let us cooperate with his amazing grace, as Andrea Bocelli sang so beautifully last Easter Sunday from the Duomo in Milan. It is not coincidental that San Carlos Borromeo, who led the fight against the Bubonic Plague in the 17th Century, is buried in that cathedral!. On the road from Emmaus, going to our new Jerusalem, with hearts burning, let us proclaim in word and deed: Christ is risen! Another, better world is possible! Facebook page: Professor Tony La Vina Twitter: tonylavs

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Relocating US companies out of China Conclusion AMERICAN policy makers supported by misguided economists believe that ordering its companies to relocate back to the US could restore its economic glory as the leading manufacturer commanding almost 70 percent of the world's total production. Enticing US companies is more of a pipe dream to restore the old glory where it once stood as a mighty economic powerhouse. It was the biggest wheat producer, the biggest steel producer and residually, the biggest car manufacturer, the biggest processor and exporter of meat and dairy products, enjoyed a monopoly in the production of aircraft and the biggest carrier, controlled the production, export and sale of oil, enjoyed a near monopoly in the distribution of the world’s top 10 agricultural products, and locked the export and sale of arms and ammunition to near monopoly. American economic might was reinforced by the Cold War to define the moral virtues of democracy and freedom. The USIS and the Voice of America served as propaganda bullhorns, and supported by array of American magazines portraying western lifestyle. Hollywood movies put color and fantasy to the American dream, and bombarded the air waves with music that reverberated decadent American culture. Every American businessman that travelled abroad was treated like maharajah just as every GI could pick a woman of his choice for a penny. American executives acted like swashbuckling cowboys arm-twisting local officials for concessions. As they would often say, the world is for them to grab. The glory projected that democracy and freedom is all for the taking. But it was a fleeting moment in history now lost forever. The US dollar that used to rule the world was politicized to persuade the financial polices of other countries. But no sooner, the US found itself sponsoring proxy wars that unexpectedly drained their financial resources. The Cold War that begun in 1950 proved to be most debilitating. As the leader of the so-called “free world,” the US found itself at war in the Korean peninsula. It involved itself in many conflicts until it ended up in disastrous defeat in Vietnam. Entrapped in a quagmire, the Vietnam War lasted for 10 years nearly causing the US economy to tumble. For the first time, the US economy was badly saddled with budget deficit, foreign debt and trade shortfall, all symptomatic of a dangerously sliding economy. US President Nixon then con-

Blaming... From A4

The Emmaus...

SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 2020

ceived of resuscitating the strength of the US dollar. He discarded the 1944 Bretton-Woods Agreement that pegged the value of gold to 33 dollar per ounce. That means the dollar will no longer depend on the value of gold, but measured by the strength of its GDP. That decision placed the world economy on a tailspin. The US dollar floated as it wished just as borrowers sunk deeper in debt because of depreciation to their currency. The Philippine Central Bank was forced to float (devalue) the peso and abolished the anti-usury law.

The history has already been written.

ghost towns. The thought of issuing treasury bonds became their favorite financial band-aid. It allowed the US to adjust the flow of money by “quantitative easing.” Many speculators then loaned their treasury bonds as collateralized debt obligation to secure additional loan because the US Federal Reserve allowed the printing of money like that of Mickey Mouse money. As said, the decoupling of the dollar from the gold resulted in the uncontrollable increase in the value of the dollar, giving rise to outsourcing and made trade deficit an existential factor to the US economy. This twinun evil result gave rise to increasing unemployment due to high production uncompeti cost making US products uncompetide-industri tive and eventually led to de-industrializing the US economy. To encourage US companies in China now to return to the US is much easier said than done. Already a great majority of them do not favor the idea. As one would say, it is like asking US companies to ride on a time machine because the policy would demand a reversion of the dollar to the gold standard that happened in 1973. This is a losing proposition considering the following: First, relocating US companies could mean loss of the biggest market. China is their biggest market that relocation is inconceivable. Second, many are willing to replace US companies that will relocate, and are qualified to produce quality and better products at lower cost. Third, companies that may replace US companies could enjoy the advantage of the completed Belt and Road Initiative that restored the ancient Silk Road. This modernized railway now provides fastest and cheapest bulk delivery system to the vast market of Europe, the Adriatic, and Mediterranean and onward to Africa. Forth, this now amplifies the importance of connectivity in trade, a factor no investor would ignore. Fifth, companies that may relocate will still have to bring back their goods to China to avail of the transAsian railway for delivery of their products to Asia, Europe and Africa. China now stands as the most efficient and reliable cargo delivery system in the world. Sixth, the integration of Asia and Europe through the Belt and Road Initiative increased trade, and by circumstance, could isolate North America because crossing the Pacific and the Atlantic would now be more costly. To conclude, history has already been written by mankind. The blunder that has been done can never be rewritten just to erase that misjudgment. It was a US miscalculation that could ignite another world war or that mankind could just leap forward to build a community of shared future.

defi To allow countries with trade deficit to move on, the IMF facilitated the payment in "paper gold" or “special drawing right” where selected “rich” countries put their currency in one common basket. The members became free-loaders because the SDR allowed them to revalue their currency indirectly skipping the gold standard to make the dollar available. From the original price of $33 per ounce, the price of gold rose to more than $1,684.76. This correspondingly increased the value of the dollar just as other currencies deeply depreciated. As the value of the dollar appreciates, the prices of US goods and services kept on increasing. Exporting countries dependent on the dollar saw the rapid decline in the value of their export, thus trapping them in debt. The US, however, did not anticipate that increasing the value of the dollar would affect their local wage, cost of rent, value of real estate, interest on loans and services. On the whole, it affected the cost of living in the US. US economists differentiated real wage from nominal wages to sustain the “living wage” of the wage earners, meaning the increases have to catch up with inflation which affected the prices of basic goods and services. For more than 20 years, real wage in the US has remained stagnant. Many corporations naively entertained the idea that purchasing imported goods is cheaper and are thankful to the ever increasing value of the dollar without the thought that it could increase the cost of production and tighten the screw on employment in the US. Manufacturing and production steadily and silently declined. The US then conceived of outsourcing production. Today, many are evaluating the effect of outsourcing. Some say it turned out to be the fastest instrument to “de-industrialize” the US economy. As one observed, it was the US car manufacturers that made good their revenge not only in killing the once-powerful labor unions but assisted in converting the heartland of the US auto industry into rpkapunan@gmail.com

of April 17, 766 HCWs were positive and this was 13 percent of the total number of person that had the disease. This was much higher than the 2 to 3 percent average in the 22 countries that make up the Western Pacific region. 339 of the 766 COVID-19+ patients were doctors and 242 were nurses. From 766 on April 17, this jumped to 1,062 on April 22, or nearly 19 percent of all cases in the Philippines. This is VERY BAD. The number of medical doctors who perished is the highest worldwide. According to former Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral, at least 10 percent of all COVID-19 deaths are those of HCWs. As of April 20, an independent initiative to come out with a list of HCWs who died of COVID-19 indicated that 24 medical doctors and three (3) nurses have so far perished. It is probable that there are more who are not included in the list because the Department of Health does not release names. Why are our HCWs getting COVID-19 and dying? Primarily, it is because they are not adequately protected. That there has been an acute shortage of personal protective equipment is public knowledge. In fact it is the private sector that responded more to the appeals of most hospitals for PPEs than government. Towards the end of March, the DOH said that it procured around one million sets of PPEs. However, the number of what has already been distributed up to now is just a fraction of this number. No wonder, HCWs continue to depend on the private sector more than government. If all our HCWs refuse to work even just for a day the whole health system will collapse. Rather than blame and insult them, the DOH must work doubly hard to protect our HCWs. Without them, we will all be dead.

I am not even talking about those who get the virus and those who have perished because of it, directly or indirectly. This is why I got very frustrated when last Thursday, the Department of Health said that the possible reason for high COVID-19 infection rate among health care workers is NOT the lack of personal protective equipment. The Health department said that HCWs get the virus outside their workplaces. This statement is not only untrue but most absurd. It accuses our HCWs of carelessness. It mocks them as dumb. Has the DOH forgotten that some of the doctors whom we lost to COVID-19 were very well respected and considered as among the best in their fields? Surely, the DOH is aware that the HCWs it insulted are the same ones saving our people’s lives. The statement is baseless. This, perhaps is the reason why no data or any proof was presented when the statement was made. The Philippines’ COVID-19 situation, unfortunately, is worse than in most countries. As of April 22, officially, there were a total of 6,710 cases, 693 recoveries, and 446 deaths. However, not a few people believe that there are a lot more cases and deaths owing to the fact that the number of tested Filipinos remains quite low, and people have been dying untested or before test results are known. The numbers of COVID-19 positive health care workers and those who have died in the performance of their responsibilities are quite high. In a recent statement, the World Health Organization expressed that the number of @bethangsioco on Twitter Elizabeth Angsioco on HCWs afflicted with COVID-19 was very disturbing. As Facebook

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Muslims start Ramadan under virus lockdowns

Images of health workers are projected on the roof of the Omar Ibn Al-Khattab mosque in Foz do Iguacu, Brazil. AFP

House passes $483-b stimulus amid soaring losses in US jobs By Chris Stein

HE House of Representatives passed a new $483 billion economic stimulus bill Thursday as US job losses due to the coronavirus soared and businesses clamored for more support.

The House voted overwhelmingly for the bill, already passed by the Senate, and President Donald Trump indicated he would quickly sign it into law to pump more emergency funding into the world’s largest economy. The bill came as another 4.4 million US workers ﬁled new claims for jobless beneﬁts, bringing the total to 26.4 million since mid-March.

Unemployment has rocketed as much of the nation shut down to stall the spread of the virus, which has taken about 48,000 lives across the country since February. The House vote capped two weeks of wrangling by Democrats and Republicans over how to add to the massive $2.2 trillion CARES act enacted in late March to support businesses and families hit hard by shutdowns and layoffs.

The unemployment claims ﬁgures released Thursday show that layoffs have continued at a high rate for a ﬁfth week, despite help from Congress. The new package would provide another $320 billion for small businesses to keep their doors open and pay their workers, after the initial $349 billion in the Paycheck Protection Program was drained in just two weeks. The new funding will also provide $75 billion for hospitals, $25 billion to expand virus testing and $60 billion in disaster recovery loans and grants. Lawmakers donned masks to enter the House in small groups to comment on the legislation and then to vote, with

the chamber emptied out for a sweeping sterilization halfway through the session. To open or not to open? The fresh funding, which is driving up the US government’s financial deficit, comes as individual states and communities mulled reopening businesses and allowing the public to return slowly to the streets. Business owners and economists have said that without confident consumers willing to go out and spend, reopening shops and restaurants will have little effect. In states where the outbreak has been less severe, governors are beginning the slow process of returning to normal, some in response to a spate of anti-lockdown protests. AFP

Japan mayor under fire for ‘women dawdle at shops’ remark THE mayor of Japan’s Osaka has come under ﬁre for suggesting men should do grocery shopping during the coronavirus outbreak because women are indecisive and “take a long time.” Japan is under a state of emergency over the pandemic, and residents in some areas have been asked to shop less frequently and only send one family member out to get supplies to limit contact. Osaka Mayor Ichiro Matsui told reporters on Thursday that men should be entrusted with grocery runs because women “take a long time as they browse around and hesitate about this and that,” Kyodo news agency reported. “Men can snap up things they are told (to buy) and go, so I think it’s good that they go shopping, avoiding human contact,” the 56-year-old added. When challenged by a reporter, he acknowledged his remarks might be viewed as out-of-touch, but said they were true in his family. But online he was roundly condemned, with one Twitter user accusing him of being “disrespectful to women and men.” Another dubbed his comment “full of prejudice against women,” adding “there are indecisive men and nimble and sharp women.” “Does he think (shoppers) like to take time?” added a third. “They are thinking about menus and prices.” But there was some support for the mayor. “That’s right. Elderly women in particular are always chatting away, unconcerned about shopping,” wrote one user. AFP

Japan is under a state of emergency and residents in parts of the country have been asked to limit shopping trips to avoid spreading coronavirus. AFP

Britain’s beloved pub quiz moves online MUCH of the world is in lockdown, there’s a killer virus on the loose, but right now there’s only one question that needs answering: who was Madonna’s ﬁrst husband? Half the faces on the computer screen look blank, but other people start writing, and the quiz master moves onto the next round. The weekly pub quiz is a ﬁxture of life for many Brits—an opportunity to drink with their friends and show off their knowledge of largely useless facts. The pubs are now shut because of the coronavirus outbreak, but with everybody stuck at home, quizzes are thriving online. “It’s pure escapism for an hour or so,” said Dan March, who used to run pub quizzes and now holds one a week for friends via the online videoconference service Zoom. It is a virus-free zone, with questions ranging from general knowledge to popular culture, and it’s proving popular ast week he had 80 people logged in. Even away from pubs, quizzes are a

serious business in Britain. The gameshow “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” was developed here, and the ﬁendishly difﬁcult “University Challenge” has been broadcast on primetime TV for years. They even risk becoming part of the arts, after the National Theatre announced monthly quizzes as part of its lockdown programme, hosted by actors including Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen. Playing for glory March is himself an actor but has been writing quizzes for pubs as a sideline for 15 years, including at McKellen’s east London local. Unlike in the pub, the 46-year-old does not charge for his online quizzes, nor is there a prize. But he encourages people to have a drink and to play in teams, either within their household or to connect digitally with friends isolated elsewhere. Players are asked to mute their microphones while the questions are read out,

but he allows “a bit of banter” in between. The teams mark their own answers, unlike in a pub, where the tradition is to pass them to a neighbouring table. But March is not worried: “You’re playing for glory, and if you cheat, there is no glory.” Charity fundraiser Rachel Walker has also found herself inundated for requests for quizzes since lockdown began, and is currently hosting three or four a week. She only wrote her ﬁrst one at the request of friends a few weeks ago, but is now using them to raise money for the charity she works for, Marie Curie. The organisation specialises in end of life care and has more than 2,000 nurses working in Britain. Like many other charities in Britain, it has been hard hit by the lockdown. “All of our fundraising events got cancelled. We’ve lost millions,” she said. The quiz night donations are voluntary but it all adds up. AFP

How world copes with lockdown IN THE US it was toilet paper, in Mexico it’s beer and in France, predictably, ﬂour. The goods missing from stores reveal how the world is coping with coronavirus lockdowns. The winner for most bizarre shortage of 2020 is Afghanistan, where a rumour about a mustachioed newborn advising the purchase of black tea sent people ﬂocking to the shops. “I will live for two hours and have come to tell you that black tea is the cure to this virus,” reads the quote accompanying a picture of the baby, purportedly from the eastern province of Nangarhar, widely shared on Facebook.

The run on the ubiquitous black tea brieﬂy tripled prices before the rush calmed. In Mexico, beer—along with tequila— is a drink of choice. When the country went into its lockdown, the two national beer giants Heineken and Grupo Modelo—which makes the country’s beloved and now unfortunately-named Corona brand—announced they would stop producing. That prompted a wave of panic purchases and a deﬁant Twitter campaign: #ConLaCervezaNo, or “Don’t mess with the beer.” Sri Lanka tried to keep its population

from engaging in such vices: it has enforced a total ban on alcohol and cigarettes since its lockdown began on March 20, leading to an explosion in home brewing, an excise ofﬁcial said. The do-it-yourself distilling has caused a run on sugar, a key ingredient in producing the local moonshine known as kasippu. There had even been suspected “staged” robberies of liquor stores as shop owners tried to sell the precious commodity under the radar. Sound mind, sound body In Iraq, staying at home means long afternoons watching television or chatting

with relatives—and that requires salted sunﬂower seeds. Supermarkets are running out of the popular snack faster than ever as parents and students wile away hours they would have normally spent at work or school. AFP

MUSLIMS across the world began marking the holy month of Ramadan under unprecedented coronavirus lockdowns on Friday as the US added another half a trillion dollars to its already-massive support package to help its pandemic-ravaged economy. The virus has upended life around the planet as nations try to stop the spread of the disease that has so far claimed nearly 190,000 lives, infected close to 2.7 million people and hammered the global economy. Ramadan spirits have been dampened by movement restrictions in Muslim communities from Southeast Asia to the Middle East and Africa, with bans on prayer in mosques and large gatherings of families and friends to break the daily fast—a centrepiece of the month. But despite the coronavirus threat, clerics and conservatives in many countries including Bangladesh, Pakistan and Indonesia—the world’s largest Muslimmajority nation—have pushed back against social distancing rules, refusing to stop prayer gatherings in mosques. Several thousand people attended evening prayers on Thursday at the biggest mosque in the capital of Indonesia’s conservative Aceh province, and there were similar scenes at many sites in Pakistan. The World Health Organization has called for a stop to some Ramadan activities to lower the risk of infections, and authorities in several countries have explicitly warned of the threat from large religious gatherings. There have already been explosions of coronavirus cases from three separate Islamic congregations in Malaysia, Pakistan and India since the virus ﬁrst emerged late last year in China. Distancing measures and the severe economic impact of the pandemic has also meant many charitable activities during Ramadan, especially food distribution and other donations, have been hit hard. Salah Jibril, an unemployed Palestinian man who lives with his wife and six children in a cramped two-bedroom apartment in the Gaza Strip, said he was not sure how his family would cope without Ramadan donations. AFP

IN BRIEF Austrians discover farm work in COVID labor crunch AS IN many Western countries, one of the shocks of the coronavirus crisis in Austria was how vulnerable farms were when suddenly deprived of foreign labour—but the country is having some success in getting Austrians to plug the gap. The Schreiber family farm in the village of Steinebrunn in Lower Austria is a stone’s throw from the Czech border and normally relies on the free ﬂow of workers across it. When that border closed as the novel coronavirus spread through Europe, “we were helpless,” owner Gabriela Schreiber said. “We can’t make it alone without help,” she said, adding that they feared losing this year’s harvest. But while some Austrian farms are ﬂying in workers from eastern Europe— a pattern being repeated in several parts of the continent—smaller farms in particular are turning to a scheme set up by the agriculture ministry that matches people who are out of work with newly vacant jobs on the land. Some 20,000 people are looking for employment through the portal, called dielebensmittelhelfer.at (“the food helpers”). AFP

Netflix thrives amid pandemic WHILE coronavirus has brought Hollywood to a halt, Netflix has enjoyed record success. But will the streaming giant’s well-stocked slate of future shows be enough to maintain that growth? Netflix announced this week that it has finished filming the majority of movies and series due for release this year, playing down concerns that its flow of hit shows such as “Tiger King” could run dry, or the next “Unorthodox” be delayed. “Our 2020 slate of series and films are largely shot, and are in post-production remotely in locations all over the world,” said content chief Ted Sarandos. “And we’re actually pretty deep into our 2021 slate. So we’re not anticipating moving things around.” Analysts say Netflix’s scale, in terms of its sheer number of ongoing productions and global presence, make it bestplaced to weather the pandemic storm. “Any other studio... might have four or five films in the can, or in post-production that they can still work on. But Netflix has possibly hundreds,” said Jeff Bock, senior analyst at Exhibitor Relations. AFP

Business

SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 2020 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Extended quarantine sinks stocks S TOCKS sank Friday after President Rodrigo Duterte extended the enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon and the Philippines to May 15.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index slumped 134.57 points, or 2.4 percent, to 5,464.98 on a value turnover of P5.2 billion. Losers beat gainers, 105 to 76, with 48 issues unchanged. SM Prime Holdings Inc., an integrated property developer and owned by the Sy Group, fell 5.3 percent to P28.65, while Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. of the Aboitiz Group dropped 6.6 percent to P40.65. Major property developer Ayala Land Inc. declined 4.3 percent to P28.90, but

PLDT Inc., the biggest telecommunications firm climbed 5.5 percent to P1,227. Meanwhile, US oil prices were set to end a historically bad week on a positive note, extending gains Friday owing to rising Iran-US tensions, though equities edged down following a series of crushing economic data. As the rates of infection and deaths linked to the coronavirus show signs of easing in some countries thanks to draconian lockdowns, a fuller picture of the extent of its economic impact was beginning to emerge. Purchasing managers indexes—which gauge activity in countries’ factory and service sectors—came in at either lows not seen in decades or in history, highlighting the huge battle governments face in averting an extensive, painful depression. The readings came as the US said 4.4 million people applied for unemployment benefits last week, taking the total

virus-fueled job losses in the country to more than 26 million. Tokyo stocks ended 0.9 percent lower, while Hong Kong shed 0.4 percent and Singapore slipped 0.9 percent. Shanghai, Seoul and Jakarta fell more than one percent, while Mumbai dropped 0.5 percent. Taipei and Bangkok fell 0.2 percent apiece, and Wellington was off 0.3 percent. There was little major reaction to news that US lawmakers had approved nearly half a billion dollars in new stimulus, on top of the more than $2.2 trillion already passed. Adding to the downbeat mood was a Financial Times report that said initial trials of the remdesivir coronavirus drug being developed by Gilead Sciences had flopped. The news was a blow to investors and while Gilead said it was still awaiting data from multiple studies of the drug, which has shown promise in some analyses, it

sparked a sell-off on Wall Street with all three indexes ending virtually flat. That weakness seeped into Asia, which was on course for a weekly loss, having enjoyed two weeks of healthy gains caused by huge stimulus measures and hopes the disease was plateauing. “Beyond extraordinary policy support, the main reason for the strong recovery in risk sentiment is the unambiguous clarity of this recession’s driver compared to previous downturns that were more multi-branched and ostensibly more difficult to unwind,” said AxiCorp’s Stephen Innes. “The removal of a single recessionary input (the virus) via a vaccine or more effective treatment can pave the way for fast recovery in output. There’s a lot of hope riding on a cure, and with optimism around remdesivir as top view on the healthcare section, it’s a bit of blow for the market at week’s end.” With AFP

Manila Standard BuSineSS daily StockS review Friday, april 24, 2020

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

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

48.5 60 101.9 0.88 19.9 16.2 7.96 2.84 0.94 600 0.295 39.45 0.65 8.65 23.4 162.5 41.2 17.94 106 1,510 54.8

48.5 61.5 101.9 0.88 19.98 16.42 7.98 2.84 0.94 600 0.295 39.5 0.65 8.65 23.9 163 42.45 17.94 106 1,510 54.8

48 59.2 99.6 0.88 19.84 16.2 7.78 2.84 0.9 600 0.29 38.75 0.65 8.5 23.4 162.5 41 17.5 102 1,510 54

FINANCIALS 48 1,300 59.5 1,272,440 100 2,092,570 0.88 1,000 19.84 113,300 16.4 74,400 7.85 283,600 2.84 6,000 0.9 3,000 600 20 0.29 40,000 39 4,574,900 0.65 10,000 8.5 26,200 23.5 68,500 163 350 41 2,500 17.52 34,600 102 347,160 1,510 500 54 12,100

63,000 75,838,087 209,750,110.50 880 2,252,210 1,213,312 2,220,026 17,040 2,780 12,000 11,650 178,774,415 6,500 223,027 1,614,620 56,980 103,735 610,264 35,729,060 755,000 653,465

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

27.4 2.28 7.68 0.52 2.61 0.17 1.03 14 140.3 8.68 13.96 24.3 59.9 69.8 1.79 3.5 5.6 7.97 5.12 7.98 2.94 18.56 55.9 1.44 1.17 11.4 5.91 1.13 137.8 4.6 3.5 6.34 10.9 6.08 7.2 258 0.115 1.91 2.5 3.2 8.88 11.96 18.66 4.5 1.45 1.39 1.04 6.12 59 7.9 0.74 120 0.83 0.7

27.4 2.36 8.36 0.54 2.72 0.18 1.05 14.06 140.3 9.1 13.96 24.3 59.9 69.8 1.79 3.52 5.69 8.47 5.24 7.98 3.3 18.66 56.05 1.45 1.22 11.4 6 1.15 137.8 4.6 3.5 6.34 10.94 6.09 7.2 262.4 0.144 1.91 2.5 3.26 8.88 11.96 18.8 4.5 1.7 1.44 1.06 6.12 59 7.95 0.8 120 0.83 0.72

26.35 2.24 7.68 0.52 2.6 0.17 1.03 14 140.3 8.32 13.96 23.55 49.05 69.8 1.76 3.36 5.45 7.97 5.05 7.9 2.9 18.24 55.5 1.39 1.12 10.9 5.7 1.13 133.7 4.6 3.4 6.31 10.7 5.85 6.55 255 0.115 1.87 2.35 3.12 8.88 11.1 18.18 4.49 1.44 1.38 1.03 5.87 57 7.8 0.74 116.5 0.8 0.69

INDUSTRIAL 26.55 883,500 2.31 9,113,000 8.31 2,294,200 0.53 1,148,000 2.67 1,955,000 0.18 50,000 1.04 2,555,000 14 640,200 140.3 50 8.4 11,502,600 13.96 100 24 21,900 50.5 430 69.8 110 1.79 109,000 3.52 43,000 5.5 1,501,500 8.45 58,300 5.08 5,018,600 7.9 3,070,400 2.9 22,867,000 18.48 2,901,400 55.5 9,910 1.4 11,107,000 1.22 5,407,000 11.28 578,600 5.8 621,500 1.15 260,000 134.3 1,040,620 4.6 1,000 3.5 7,000 6.34 4,800 10.7 1,426,100 6.05 467,700 6.65 1,871,100 256 146,090 0.144 120,000 1.91 3,120,000 2.35 25,000 3.14 2,520,000 8.88 1,300 11.38 499,900 18.2 609,900 4.5 9,000 1.63 9,927,000 1.43 27,000 1.06 528,000 5.97 386,200 57.7 346,220 7.95 30,000 0.79 41,000 118.4 1,141,500 0.81 2,443,000 0.69 315,000

23,458,280 20,899,340 18,644,508 606,320 5,222,020 8,700 2,657,520 8,975,352 7,015 100,745,375 1,396 525,730 22,099 7,678 193,740 150,090 8,253,596 483,044 25,612,643 24,377,604 70,292,340 53,643,628 554,356 15,673,980 6,356,510 6,487,928 3,605,959 298,270 140,113,927 4,600 24,100 30,318 15,382,756 2,803,310 12,533,703 37,457,966 14,670 5,928,190 59,050 7,972,900 11,544 5,852,878 11,179,250 40,490 14,864,980 37,810 555,340 2,312,577 19,860,791 237,642 31,780 135,349,064 1,984,590 218,980

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

0.6 43.45 6.45 0.53 6 7.15 0.53 0.5 575 1.73 4.9 4.35 449 50.6 0.46 2.72 7.6 0.465 2.68 3.15 0.81 98 840 0.98 165 145 0.178 0.15

0.6 43.45 6.49 0.56 6 7.15 0.57 0.54 579 1.84 4.9 4.35 449 51.5 0.5 2.73 7.69 0.51 2.68 3.15 0.81 98.45 840 0.98 165 145 0.19 0.17

0.58 40.65 6.2 0.53 5.97 6.55 0.5 0.5 550 1.72 4.79 4.18 441.2 48 0.46 2.62 7.5 0.465 2.58 3.11 0.72 96.6 810 0.98 162 145 0.172 0.15

HOLDING FIRMS 0.59 2,591,000 40.65 1,761,900 6.36 9,317,200 0.56 14,000 5.97 23,000 7.01 9,900 0.53 8,634,000 0.54 244,000 550 381,330 1.83 6,992,000 4.79 537,000 4.18 2,878,000 443.4 212,340 49 1,631,740 0.47 150,000 2.69 809,000 7.69 602,100 0.51 130,000 2.59 29,178,000 3.11 19,000 0.8 416,000 97 258,550 814 247,630 0.98 20,000 162 300 145 500 0.19 190,000 0.16 15,520,000

10 0.54 1 0.57 28.9 1.31 3.92 5.9 0.35 0.72 7.1 15.9 0.3 0.9 0.8 2.59 0.157 0.325 0.81 0.233 1.49 15.2 1.54 2.67 27.5 1.85

PROPERTY 10.5 52,100 0.56 1,598,000 1.02 84,000 0.59 1,472,000 28.9 17,380,700 1.31 73,000 3.98 170,000 5.9 3,000 0.35 3,580,000 0.74 31,000 7.17 49,200 16.1 88,800 0.3 60,000 0.9 10,052,000 0.83 12,000 2.59 24,782,000 0.164 13,250,000 0.325 10,000 0.82 448,000 0.235 160,000 1.51 691,000 15.5 5,214,900 1.54 127,000 2.69 30,000 28.65 16,089,200 1.88 18,000

8990 HLDG A BROWN ARANETA PROP ARTHALAND CORP AYALA LAND BELLE CORP CEB LANDMASTERS CEBU HLDG CENTURY PROP CITYLAND DEVT DM WENCESLAO DOUBLEDRAGON EMPIRE EAST FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED PHIL ESTATES PHIL INFRADEV PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND

11.48 0.55 1.03 0.59 30.25 1.31 3.95 5.9 0.365 0.72 7.15 16.1 0.3 0.94 0.8 2.68 0.165 0.325 0.85 0.24 1.52 15.6 1.55 2.67 30.25 1.89

11.48 0.56 1.08 0.59 30.5 1.32 3.98 5.99 0.365 0.74 7.2 16.1 0.3 0.94 0.83 2.71 0.166 0.325 0.85 0.24 1.65 15.6 1.55 2.7 30.25 1.89

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP -4,800 -47880128.5 -42652834.5 -1,188,038 -728,505 46,749,265 -277,880 -15,768 -21,143,652 -17,933,145 2797519.9997 -253,821 643,800 -49,720 -127,440 7,015 -252,870 -304,700 -41,590 -3,212,794 -50,634 -2,681,394 -11,962,890 -97,270 19495904.0004 -138,290.50 -123,910 -328,250 -3,696,224 -35,847 13,388,699 -6,479,612 -631,769 -8,518,267 -21,490,256 -4,320 4,699,800 -1,442,530 -600,808 -7,884,576 -4,490 14,050 576,086 4,327,383.50 -55,474,289 -76,230 1,400

NAME

HIGH

LOW

VOLUME

VALUE

SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND VISTAMALLS

1.2 4.1 3.96

1.33 4.15 4.09

1.2 4.02 3.93

1.28 4.06 4

3,194,000 713,000 57,000

4,064,270 2,892,200 228,830

-1264190.0001 -

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

10 16.78 1.24 5.9 0.31 0.039 16.88 2.27 5.71 0.03 47.05 3.6 2.81 1.32 2.27 7.67 2,200 4.93 320 0.93 82.2 8.4 0.08 1.78 13 1.51 0.79 4.78 0.37 1.73 2.17 2.1 10.68 1.9 1.68 7.29 2.81 137.8 2.6 1,174 0.31 0.24 46.95 61.6 1.22 0.35 0.196 0.415 14.1

12.5 16.8 1.24 5.9 0.32 0.039 16.88 2.6 5.71 0.03 48 3.68 3.03 1.51 2.33 7.67 2,216 4.93 320 0.95 82.2 8.4 0.08 1.78 13.5 1.51 0.79 5.09 0.37 1.75 2.89 2.82 10.68 1.91 1.69 7.35 3.1 137.8 2.6 1,230 0.315 0.275 46.95 61.6 1.24 0.36 0.206 0.42 14.4

9.5 16.6 1.11 5.7 0.31 0.038 15.4 2.27 5.46 0.029 47 3.42 2.81 1.32 2.22 6.8 2,172 4.92 320 0.89 78 8.4 0.079 1.78 13 1.5 0.79 4.69 0.36 1.71 2.06 2.1 10.68 1.85 1.65 7 2.81 130 2.42 1,172 0.305 0.24 45.95 60.8 1.2 0.335 0.196 0.4 13.8

SERVICES 10.92 16.6 1.11 5.75 0.32 0.039 16 2.49 5.5 0.03 47.55 3.42 3.03 1.51 2.28 7 2,208 4.93 320 0.91 78 8.4 0.079 1.78 13.4 1.5 0.79 5.09 0.36 1.72 2.64 2.51 10.68 1.88 1.69 7.3 2.99 130 2.45 1,227 0.315 0.265 46.4 60.8 1.2 0.355 0.203 0.42 14.1

5,156,200 74,000 9,000 1,637,000 480,000 1,500,000 8,500 1,145,000 4,701,000 7,600,000 137,800 3,472,000 27,000 2,000 40,507,000 320,900 54,135 54,000 60 1,244,000 797,280 1,000 550,000 3,000 1,700 122,000 22,000 10,297,000 290,000 1,620,000 31,020,000 1,012,000 100 1,637,000 211,000 16,900 35,000 72,450 2,277,000 371,905 6,020,000 47,690,000 3,980,300 475,570 2,532,000 9,710,000 9,000,000 1,550,000 4,922,800

58,618,684 1,237,072 10,120 9,488,023 151,300 57,600 134,516 2,827,990 25,917,961 227,800 6,525,800 12,240,010 80,620 2,830 92,115,680 2,267,630 119,128,610 266,030 19,200 1,131,670 63,779,560 8,400 43,800 5,340 22,650 183,260 17,380 51,003,150 104,600 2,787,810 80,695,900 2,577,640 1,068 3,082,600 348,770 122,763 103,920 9,648,138 5,648,290 452,470,040 1,851,650 12,472,330 184,528,275 28,992,740 3,059,240 3,371,950 1,810,460 628,800 68,737,970

-526,768 4,507,734 -1,854,096 -1,576,845 -22,520 -3,141,750 -37,620,160 -12,800 -10370622.5 -1,300 -13842260.0003 -303,500 -19,290 87,450 -231,570 123,090 102,133,905 -299,800 10,495,555 -9,303,856 -2,222,650 34,000 20,178,186

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

0.001 7.22 1.03 1.9 10.7 1.03 2.71 0.209 6.7 0.75 0.198 0.079 0.088 0.0065 0.0075 0.58 1.63 0.89 0.495 0.0083 2.33 4.52 12 0.004

0.0011 7.22 1.05 1.9 10.7 1.03 2.71 0.209 6.7 0.75 0.218 0.085 0.094 0.0066 0.0075 0.58 1.69 0.96 0.495 0.0084 2.34 4.74 12.02 0.004

0.001 6.7 1 1.9 10.7 1.03 2.71 0.205 6.5 0.73 0.196 0.079 0.088 0.0065 0.0075 0.56 1.6 0.89 0.48 0.0083 2.29 4.31 11.82 0.004

MINING & OIL 0.0011 144,000,000 6.75 240,700 1.02 3,706,000 1.9 3,000 10.7 500 1.03 10,000 2.71 50,000 0.205 160,000 6.5 4,600 0.75 1,009,000 0.203 940,000 0.083 15,530,000 0.094 1,370,000 0.0066 87,000,000 0.0075 5,000,000 0.58 325,000 1.62 7,987,000 0.96 12,000 0.48 490,000 0.0084 14,000,000 2.32 564,000 4.46 1,242,000 11.82 956,500 0.004 16,000,000

145,000 1,656,293 3,827,380 5,700 5,350 10,300 135,500 33,060 30,350 747,170 190,840 1,259,720 121,380 570,900 37,500 185,100 13,122,180 11,400 236,400 117,300 1,306,660 5,565,350 11,367,590 64,000

-673 57,000.00 -3,760,480 -302,830 -206,200 -4,990,594 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B2R CPG PREF A DD PREF FGEN PREF G MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 3A PCOR PREF 3B PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 4 SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

15.78 495 99.5 100 107.5 100 1,000 1,011 98.8 1,005 76.5 74.9 74.2 75.5 74.4 74.1 75.5

15.9 504.5 99.5 100 107.5 100 1,000 1,020 98.8 1,010 76.5 74.9 74.2 75.5 75.05 74.1 75.5

15.78 495 99.5 100 103.2 100 1,000 1,011 98.8 1,005 76.4 74.9 74.2 75.5 74.4 74.1 75

PREFERRED 15.9 510,000 504.5 1,550 99.5 500 100 6,720 103.2 3,420 100 130 1,000 100 1,020 230 98.8 380 1,010 555 76.4 2,200 74.9 10 74.2 30 75.5 40,000 75.05 11,160 74.1 3,720 75.5 7,000

8,108,212 769,845 49,750 672,000 353,030 13,000 100,000 234,510 37,544 558,050 168,280 749 2,226 3,020,000 831,057 275,652 526,000

8,106,622 -

LR WARRANT

0.79

0.78

WARRANTS 0.79 4,000

3,150

ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH XURPAS

2.25 7.2 0.66

2.33 7.25 0.66

2.13 6.9 0.61

2.18 7.15 0.64

FIRST METRO ETF

83.5

MS 1,524,250 74,413,635 59,252,022 7,520 137,910 68,943 4,608,030 131,600 213,392,310 12,510,410 2,579,280 12,128,310 94,371,850 81,183,146 71,200 2,175,100 4,550,636 63,100 75,854,410 59,300 317,860 25,121,716.50 202,127,350 19,600 48,660 72,500 33,960 2,505,390 585,218 880,440 88,580 855,760 511,353,825 95,750 674,630 17,709 1,274,850 22,720 352,180 1,423,000 18,000 9,133,200 9,900 64,849,460 2,141,370 3,250 369,480 37,690 1,043,380 80,599,468 195,910 80,620 465,182,705 33,740

70,390.00 -13,180,840 -42,744,295 -62,625,110 -179,000 -226,950 -4,559,640 -9,622,468 -66,019,365 -485,070 -2,561,781 -17,272,650 -7,488,884 -133,921,240 -

-62,886 5,500 -239,048,170 -3,930 -575,670 -10,800 164,580 -605,036 -733,450 -30,536,610 1,580 -18,937,226 -53,770 -153,417,450 -

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

OPEN

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2

9.7 9.7

Trading Summary

FINANCIAL

12,161,805

INDUSTRIAL

110,787,890

HOLDING FIRMS

82,850,066

PROPERTY

102,742,699

SERVICES

206,322,229

MINING & OIL

301,116,761

GRAND TOTAL

829,261,323

9.6 9.7

SME

9,011,000 89,800 4,150,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 83.5 27,770 9.6 9.7

DDS

890 320

19,911,690 632,729 2,613,230 2,344,917.50 8,596 3,104

177,470 -64,270 115,552.50 -

VALUE 1,188.69 (down) 6.44 722,516,865.57 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 7,209.48 (down) 57.59 814,559,363.285 HOLDING FIRMS 5,361.78 (down) 180.14 874,996,430.01 PROPERTY 2,715.46 (down) 124.13 1,300.57 (up) 2.26 1,246,097,492.53 SERVICES MINING & OIL 4,592.45 (down) 16.99 1,516,955,293.107 PSEI 5,464.98 (down) 134.57 40,771,301.185 All Shares Index 3,350.73 (58.08) 3,350.73 5,241,401,214.70 Gainers: 76; Losers:105; Unchanged: 48; Total: 229

EEI cancels cash dividend of P0.40 amid uncertainties By Jenniffer B. Austria EEI Corp., the construction arm of the the Yuchengco Group, canceled a planned P0.40-per-share cash dividend to shareholders to ensure liquidity amid current economic conditions. EEI said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Friday its board of directors approved the cancellation of a cash divided it announced on March 13 to protect the interests of shareholders, employees and other stakeholders from the COVID-19 pandemic. “The corporation seeks to ensure that it has sufficient funds on-hand to address any contingencies that may take place due to the on-going pandemic and the economic uncertainties ahead,” EEI said. “The company would like to assure its shareholders that this step is necessary and reasonable in order to ensure the continuity of the Company and return to profitable operations in the coming years,” it added. EEI prior to COVID-19 outbreak had anticipated more projects in the coming years amid the booming construction industry government projects under the ‘Build, Build, Build’ program of the Duterte administration. With the emergence of the global pandemic, however, EEI said the outbreak would hamper operations and create setbacks and delays for all construction companies and the businesses of its clients. “In this challenging and difficult time, EEI Corporation is responding decisively with calculated measures to protect the welfare and interests of all its stakeholders; leveraging on its strength and depth from its 89 years of experience and expertise,” the company said. EEI during the lockdown period paid the wages of all its workers to protect them and their families from going hungry and become. EE used its construction capability to rapidly build and deploy COVID-19 quarantine areas and other medical facilities in cooperation with government and other private entities.

PepsiCo backs COVID-19 relief initiative in PH PEPSICO Inc. and philanthropic arm PepsiCo Foundation have contributed $500,000 (P25.4 million) along with top business groups to raise more than $30 million (P1.6 billion) under Project Ugnayan. The Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation, Caritas Manila and its partners are implementing Project Ugnayan to reach over 12.5 million individuals and deliver assistance to Metro Manila’s vulnerable communities, with approximately 100 million meals by April 30, 2020. The assistance is in line with PepsiCo’s “Give Meals Give Hope” and “Millions of Meals” initiatives that were recently rolled out in Vietnam, Thailand, India,and Pakistan. “The coronavirus pandemic has affected the lives of millions of people worldwide. But, this impact has been acutely felt by those most vulnerable in society and those on the very front lines of this crisis–in our health and social care services,” said Wei Wei Yao, PepsiCo senior vice president and general manager Asia. “At PepsiCo, we want to use our expertise in food to make sure we’re playing a part in the national relief effort. I do hope that by joining hands with communities and Project Ugnayan in the Philippines, this ‘Give Meals Give Hope’ program will grow stronger and then together, we will combat the effects of COVID-19,” she added. Nitin Bhandari, the new general manager of PepsiCo, Food & Beverages, South East Asia, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, said he was looking forward to living in the Philippines after the country’s enhanced community quarantine ends. “We are all in this together. United for the Philippines by giving millions of nutritious meals to help alleviate hunger among the most vulnerable communities, to give hope and to honor our frontline heroes,” he said.

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

SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 2020

Business

ADB lends $1.5b for virus response T By Julito G. Rada

HE Philippines and the Asian Development Bank signed Thursday a loan agreement that will allow the government to gain access to up to $1.5 billion in budgetary support for its stepped-up efforts against the coronavirus disease 2019. The loan for the COVID-19 Active Response and Expenditure Support program of the Philippine government is under the ADB’s Countercyclical Support Facility Pandemic Response Option. ADB said the quick-disbursing budget-support facility would help countries like the Philippines in mitigating the severe economic shocks caused by

the COVID-19 pandemic and bankrolling measures to prevent the further spread of the highly contagious virus. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III signed the loan agreement on behalf of the Philippine government while ADB country director for the Philippines Kelly Bird signed on behalf of the bank. Dominguez said the loan was part of

the national government’s external financing program this year to help fund the necessary programs to defeat COVID-19 and bridge the higher deficit requirement estimated at P990.1 billion (around $19.5 billion) brought about by the pandemic’s economic fallout. “We thank the ADB under the leadership of President Masatsugu Asakawa for swiftly responding to the Philippines’ call for funding support in this time of crisis. We thank the bank as well for streamlining its operations to quickly deliver its assistance and for tripling the size of its response package from $6.5 billion to $20 billion to help developing member-countries combat COVID-19,” Dominguez said. Asakawa reiterated the ADB’s strong

commitment to providing swift and effective assistance to help the Philippines mitigate the economic and social impacts of the pandemic. “Our new financing, the largest budget support ever to the Philippines, is part of a well-sequenced support package that will provide financial and technical advice to help the government meet the challenges posed by a crisis that is wreaking havoc both globally and nationally,” Asakawa said. Under the terms and conditions of the CARES loan, the first $500 million that the Philippines can tap from the ADB’s CPRO facility will be disbursed in US dollars amounting to $250 million and the euro equivalent of the other half of the amount.

BDO’s profit declined by 10% to P8.8b in 1st quarter BDO Unibank Inc., the largest lender in terms of assets controlled by the Sy family, said Friday net income dropped 10 percent in the first quarter to P8.8 billion from P9.8 billion a year ago on weak capital market conditions amid the onslaught of the coronavirus disease 2019. “The core lending and deposit-taking businesses sustained their growth despite the imposition of the enhanced community quarantine [ECQ] in mid-March. However, weak capital market conditions impacted on BDO’s investment portfolio and dragged the bottomline,” the bank said in a statement. Net interest income amounted to P33 billion on stable margins. Customer loans went up by 11 percent to P2.2 trillion on continued growth across all market segments, although the ECQ had started to disrupt the operations of borrowing clients classified as “non-essential”. Total deposits rose 9 percent yearon-year to P2.6 trillion, even with scaled down branch operations in Metro-Manila and Luzon due to transportation and mobility restrictions arising from the ECQ. Non-interest income amounted to P9 billion, largely contributed by fee-based income with P8.1 billion and insurance premiums with P3.9 billion. “Weak capital market conditions resulted in unrealized mark-to-market losses in BDO Life’s equities and unit-linked portfolios, leading to consolidated trading and forex losses. Gross operating income reached P42.0 billion vs. P42.6 billion in first quarter 2019,” it said. Operating expenses were slightly lower at P26.8 billion from P28.3 billion in the comparative period last year largely due to reduction in volume-related expenses and lower policy reserves related to unit-linked funds. The bank said it maintained its conservative credit and provisioning policies, setting aside provisions of P2.3 billion, even as gross non-performing loan ratio remained stable at 1.3 percent and NPL cover still high at 151.4 percent. Julito G. Rada

IN BRIEF

PH not yet selling major assets, says Dominguez

FINANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez III on Friday said the government is not yet considering selling major assets to raise funds to be used for the fight against COVID-19. President Rodrigo Duterte said in a Cabinet meeting aired Friday morning the government would borrow and if needed, sell assets to raise funds to finance its pandemic response, which so far already amounted to P352.7 billion. “We have not reached the point at which we are considering sale of major government assets,” Dominguez said in a viber message Friday. Although saying the money of the government used to respond to the pandemic was sufficient for now, Dominguez conceded the state did not have the authority to spend more. “That is our problem right now. We have cash but we don’t have the authority to have bigger spending. We are making sure that all of our spending will be for the benefit of the poorest of the poor,” he said. “We are reserving the balance for the ‘Build, Build, Build’ projects so that after this COVID pandemic, we have money to invest in ‘Build, Build, Build’,” Dominguez said. Julito G. Rada

PPA bares 30-day relief on port lease payments

STATE-RUN Philippine Ports Authority on Friday announced a 30-day reprieve in the payment of rental and concession fees amid the enhanced community quarantine. The memorandum circular, which was signed on Thursday, is in accordance with the Bayanihan We Heal as One Act encouraging private and government entities to give respite to people as the country continues to reel from the effects of the coronavirus 2019 pandemic (COVID-19). The directive specifically states that all qualified PPA lessees and port operators are granted the payment extension without incurring interests, penalties and other charges. PPA general manager Jay Daniel Santiago said the grace period should start from the last due date of the rent or concession fee payment falling within the ECQ period. “This initiative is also part of the ‘Bayanihan sa Pantalan’ as it aims to give the port users and other stakeholders the muchneeded relief while the country continues with its struggle from the clutches of COVID-19,” Santiago said. Darwin G. Amojelar

Grab, Lalamove get free insurance from Manulife

SWEET TREATS. Goldilocks delivers food packs and sweet treats to medical frontliners of Navotas City Hospital. Goldilocks during the donation, sent out a message of gratitude to NCH’s medical frontliners for keeping their community safe and healthy and for their ‘dedicated service especially in these trying times.’

MANULIFE Philippines will provide free insurance coverage worth P3 billion to more than 60,000 active two-wheel riders of Grab and Lalamove. Manulife Philippines recognizes the importance of delivery partners, who continue to brave the streets and serve the community during these challenging times, to help keep Filipinos safe at home. The free coverage will help protect and safeguard the riders and their families in the event of injury or death while they are on the job. “Delivery riders are essential in bringing necessities and important supplies safely to our doorsteps during this community quarantine,” said Manulife Philippines president and chief executive officer Richard Bates. “By supporting Grab and Lalamove riders, we show our appreciation to these heroic front liners, who are keeping Filipino businesses moving and communities safe. The free insurance coverage is a token of our gratitude for their work and sacrifice,” Bates said.

GDP to contract 2.2% this year with ECQ extension Oil firms back By Julito G. Rada THE Philippine economy will likely decline 2.2 percent this year after President Rodrigo Duterte decided to extend the enhanced community quarantine in major areas in Luzon by another 15 days, or until May 15, an economist from the local unit of Dutch financial giant ING Bank said Friday. “The extension of the lockdown coupled with the loss of remittance support and a meager fiscal response all but scuttles any hope for growth in the second quarter. This development forces us to drop down our expectations for growth this year with full-year 2020 GDP hitting a worst-case scenario level of -2.2 percent,” ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Antonio Mapa said in a message to Manila Standard. “Economic data reported recently and in the coming weeks will show further symptoms of the impending economic malaise ahead. Brace for economic impact,” Mapa said.

CEBUANA’S DONATION.

Cebuana Lhuillier Foundation Inc. executive director Jonathan Batangan (left) turns over rapid testing kits to different local government units and partner agencies in Metro Manila, including those in Parañaque City. The company is set to donate and distribute 20,000 rapid antibody test kits and personal protective equipment to local government units and healthcare facilities.

Mapa said he was “awaiting an increase in fiscal spending to match the almost four-week extension to the original ECQ.” Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Francisco Dakila earlier said remittances would likely decline this year by 0.2 to 0.8 percentage points because of the pandemic. Money sent home by Filipinos working overseas rose 4.1 percent in 2019 to an all-time high of $30.133 billion from $28.94 billion in 2018. The original month-long enhanced community quarantine in Luzon was supposed to end on April 12, but the government decided to extend it to April 30. Following a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force, President Rodrigo Duterte extended for the second time the quarantine period until May 15 in the National Capital Region, Calabarzon, Central Luzon and a few provinces in Luzon where there are high number of infections. The move aimed to effectively contain the spread of the disease that al-

ready claimed the lives of hundreds of individuals in the country. Meanwhile, the Management Association of the Philippines urged businesses to take advantage of the extended ECQ to prepare and set up health protocols in the workplace. “Business should take advantage of the extended period to work on their health protocols in preparation for the eventual lifting of the lockdown, which hopefully will happen sooner or later,” MAP president Francisco Lim said. “This is essential as there will be a new normal in the workplace until a vaccine and cure are out in the market, which will take months or even years to happen,” Lim said. Lim said he was supporting the extension of ECQ in Metro Manila to prevent the spread of the virus. “It is a necessary evil. We need it for the country to do massive testing at the grassroots level and better prepare our healthcare system,” Lim said. With Jenniffer B. Austria

All domestic and international flights of Cebu Pacific, PAL still suspended By Darwin G. Amojelar PHILIPPINE Airlines and Cebu Pacific announced Friday that all domestic and international flights will remain cancelled until May 15 after the government extended the lockdown period in Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon. “COVID-19 is unprecedented and has certainly impacted our business. As the situation is fluid and there’s still a fairly high degree of uncertainty, it’s hard to give estimates or an outlook, but among all Philippine carriers, we have the strongest balance sheet,” Cebu Pacific corporate communications director Charo Logarta Lagamon said. “We came in to the crisis with almost P18 billion in cash, as well as access to credit lines,” she said. Lagamon said the priority of Cebu Pacific was to ensure the health and safety of its personnel and customers. “Second is to ensure we remain resilient,” she said.

Cebu Pacific’s flights will remain canceled until May 15 in line with the extension of enhanced community quarantine imposed over much of Luzon and the implementation of general community quarantine over other provinces. “However, Cebu Pacific will continue to mount all-cargo flights to support the movement of vital goods, including medicines and Personal Protective Equipment across the country,” the airline said. “We will provide updates on when we will restart passenger operations as soon as possible,” Cebu Pacific said. PAL said its regular, commercial flights would also remain suspended until May 15. “Should the lockdown be lifted by end-day of May 15, there will be a gradual and calibrated resumption of operations starting May 16. The complete list of flights to be operated once the ECQ is lifted will be released as soon as possible,” PAL spokesman Cielo Villaluna said.

lifting of ECQ in low-risk areas By Alena Mae S. Flores THE oil industry on Friday welcomed President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to extend for 15 days the enhanced community quarantine in high-risk areas, including the National Capital Region, and the easing of restrictions in low-risk areas. “COVID-19 crisis of mankind, I think we can survive this alive and healthy. We should thank God,” Petron Corp. president Ramon Ang said when asked for comment. Duterte allowed the partial operation of transportation systems under the general community quarantine for low-risk areas which signaled some kind of relief to oil companies whose demand plunged significantly during the ECQ. “We support the decision of the IATF on the ECQ extension because this is a more sustainable approach to economic recovery. We welcome the IATF’s decision to relax the quarantine restrictions in certain areas of the country because this begins the recovery process already. We are still hopeful that the situation will slowly get better after this,” Unioil Philippines president Kenneth Pundanera said. Phoenix Petroleum Philippines senior vice president Raymond Zorrilla said in general, the extended ECQ would be beneficial for the safety and health of the public. “We do hope it will alleviate the plight of the energy sector as there was decision to resume, under certain conditions, public transportation, flight operations, construction and other industries requiring fuels for their respective operations,” Zorrilla said. The liquefied petroleum gas sector suffered a 30-percent market loss since the ECQ started on March 17, according to Arnel Ty of Omni Gas. “Due to the lockdown that resulted in ‘stop operations’ of many manufacturing companies, including essential product manufacturing, 40 percent of LPG dealers and outlets stores were forced to close down,” Ty said.

Phil Mickelson (left) putts as Tiger Woods walks by on the fifth green during the second round of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 8, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. Woods and Mickelson haven’t seen set a date for their charity golf showdown alongside NFL stars Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, but the trash talk is already abundant. Woods, a 15-time major winner and the reigning Masters champion, told sponsor GolfTV on April 23, 2020 that group text messages between the famed foursome have been heavy on bragging rights over championships captured. AFP

Sports

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

SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 2020

PAGCOR’s commitment to PH sports unceasing

Woods, Lefty trash talking already ahead of showdown Season 83 schedule of UAAP in shambles By Peter Atencio THE schedule of Season 83 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines will be affected by the extension of the enhanced community quarantine to May 15 in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon and “all other high risk” provinces in Luzon. UAAP Executive Director Atty. Rene Saguisag said this as the league is about to turn over its hosting rights to De La Salle University. Saguisag added that adjustments will be made, now that the school opening for the coming school-year will most likely be pushed back. At the moment, Saguisag said they don’t know yet if Season 83 will be on schedule in September, or if it will be delayed until October. “It will all depend on the situation and on what the government will decide,” added Saguisag. Earlier, Season 82 was cancelled President Rodrigo Duterte extended the enhanced community quarantine imposed on the country until April 30, 2020. The extension of the ECQ resulted in classes and other school activities remaining suspended until the third week of May. Since the quarantine began last March, none of Season 82’s collegiate events were able to resume, like volleyball and football. Baseball, softball, athletics, lawn tennis and 3×3 basketball never had the chance to have an opening game. The league will address the repercussions of the further extension of the ECQ once the coronavirus pandemic has been put under control.

IAMI—Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson haven’t set a date for their charity golf showdown alongside NFL stars Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, but the trash talk is already abundant.

Woods, a 15-time major winner and the reigning Masters champion, told sponsor GolfTV on Thursday that group text messages between the famed foursome have been heavy on bragging rights over championships captured. “There has been a little bit of trash talk already, a little bit of banter back and forth,” Woods said. “Whether it’s ‘I might need extra caddies to carry my Super Bowls,’ because he has more Super Bowls than my partner or, ‘I’ve got more majors than Phil, so I’m going to have to have a truck come up to the first tee and U-Haul it out,’ we’ve had banter back and forth, and it has been fantastic. “It’s typical us. It’s what we do. We like to give out the needle and to give

out the needle you’ve got to be able to take it. It has been fun and it’ll be like that when we play, when we compete.” The Match: Champions for Charity was announced on Wednesday, with no date, location or format revealed, although Woods confirmed he and retired two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Manning will face six-time Super Bowl winner Brady, the New England Patriots legend who signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last month, and Mickelson, a five-time major winner. Mickelson defeated Woods i n ext ra holes to win a $9 million oneon-one showdown in November 2018 at Las Vegas. “After feeling the sting of defeat the

first time around, looks like @TigerWoods is bringing a ringer to The Match (#PeytonManning),” Mickelson tweeted. “I’m bringing a (goat emoji for Greatest of All Time). @ TomBrady—Ready to hit (bombs)?” The event will be used as a fundraiser for coronavirus pandemic relief efforts. “We’re coming together to help other people,” Woods said. “We’re coming together to showcase golf in a different way, but it’s about charity. That’s the reason why we’re all doing this.” The event, which must be approved by the US PGA Tour, could show how a foursome can compete in a televised event with no spectators and observe social distancing safeguards to prevent the spread of the deadly disease. The PGA Tour is looking at ending what would be a three-month hiatus on June 11 at Fort Worth, Texas, with no spectators. AFP

Pacio lists his lockdown essentials ON MANY occasions, ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong has stated that he would never sign an athlete like Conor McGregor because he doesn’t embody the values of the company. In many respects, ONE Strawweight World Champion Joshua Pacio is the polar opposite. Pacio is a shining embodiment of the traditional martial arts values. Nicknamed “The Passion,” Pacio is a man who relies firmly on his faith. In these times of uncertainty it’s something that he has turned to for reassurance. “The important thing for me in this kind of situation is praying to God. He is the only one who knows what’s going to happen, trusting in God in this kind of situation is important and of course we should trust Him not only in these situations but in good times or bad,” says Pacio. Pacio is part of a unique band of brothers at the famed Team Lakay of Baguio City, Philippines. Remarkably, he is one of five athletes who have realized their dreams of becoming World Champions at ONE Championship. “My teammates inspire me every day, they are the reason why I’m a champion, they helped me get to where I am today, they motivate me in downtimes and help me realize what my mistakes are,” Pacio says.

Under the watchful eye of legendary coach Mark Sangiao, Pacio and his team combine a strong work ethic with deeprooted values to achieve unprecedented success. They didn’t start out with any fancy equipment, but the strength of their collective mindset gave them everything they needed to succeed. While the current COVID-19 situation is far from ideal for an elite martial arts world champion, Pacio’s experience as a member

of Team Lakay has put him in good stead. “The hardest part is that we can’t go to the gym to train, that’s why we find ways to train inside our homes. In the past years, we were lacking training equipment in the gym. This is not new to us, so we find ways to stay sharp. Luckily, I have punching mitts and manong (older brother) Kevin [Belingon] and I are in the same barangay (village) so we hold pads for each other,” says Pacio.

Joshua Pacio

Don’t forgo fitness: Creative ways to exercise at home By Samantha Clayton

OLY, ISSA-CPT–Vice President, Worldwide Sports Performance and Fitness, Herbalife Nutrition WEIGHT can creep up when working from home for a long period of time. However, regular exercise can help you stay lean and healthy and avoid gaining weight. Here are my favorite tools and tricks to keep me on track with my fitness goals while at home: Try Free, Online Workouts Performing exercise in combination with balanced nutrition will improve your overall sense of wellbeing, improve your body composition, and positively impact your body confidence. Free workouts available online provide the flexibility to fit in fitness when it is most convenient, including during the busy holiday season. Listen to New Music There’s nothing quite like fun, new music to give you that boost to get off the couch, run that extra mile in the treadmill, or push through a heavy lifting session. Down-

load new tunes, trade playlists with a friend, or reshuffle your existing library to keep your workouts interesting. Try Mini Stretch Bands Inexpensive mini stretch bands, which come in various resistance levels, can be your best buddy for warming up hips, glutes, shoulders and back, or use them for a fast and effective resistance routine. Jump Rope Jumping rope is a good old-fashioned way to warm up and get your heart rate going. Warming up for 10

minutes can also help prevent injury. You can use an interval-style training method and use your jump rope for your entire routine. Every little bit you do to stay focused on your fitness while working from home will help you afterward. Consider each good choice you make a gift to your future self. Herbalife Nutrition is a global company that has been changing people’s lives with great nutrition products and a proven business opportunity for its independent members since 1980. The Company offers high-quality, sciencebacked products, sold in over 90 countries by entrepreneurial members who provide one-on-one coaching and a supportive community that inspires their customers to embrace a healthier, more active lifestyle. Through the Company’s global campaign to eradicate hunger, Herbalife Nutrition is also committed to bringing nutrition and education to communities around the world. For more information, please visit IAmHerbalifeNutrition.com.

THE Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has not been remiss of its financial commitments to its mandated beneficiaries like the Philippine Sports Commission. In a press statement, the state-gaming agency said it is doing its best to continuously be of service to the nation, especially in this difficult time as a reaction to a statement by the PSC Commissioner Ramon Fernandez that PAGCOR’s “monthly allocation to the PSC on hold.” On April 21, 2020, the PSC announced its intention to implement the Social Amelioration Program for national athletes and coaches amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Fernandez was quoted as saying that the PSC is “studying the process since the agency will source the money from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), which has placed its monthly allocation to the PSC on hold.” Contrary to Fernandez’s statement, PAGCOR clarified that it has just remitted P150.75 million to PSC on March 31, 2020. This amount represents the state-gaming agency’s mandated contribution to PSC for the month of February 2020 alone. PAGCOR has already released P99.42 million for its mandated contributions to PSC for the month of March. The PSC, however, has not yet claimed the check. Because of these recent contributions, PAGCOR’s total contributions to PSC from January to March 2020 already amounted to P409.01 million. Compared to same period last year, this amount decreased by 4.7% due to PAGCOR’s lower revenues brought about by the suspension of all gaming operations in the country amidst the COVID -19 pandemic. But in 2019, the total PSC share remitted by PAGCOR reached P1.79 billion. This amount excludes the stategaming agency’s P842 million grant for the rehabilitation of Philsports Complex Multipurpose Arena and Rizal Memorial Complex, as the country hosted the 30th Southeast Asian Games in December 2019. In fact, aside from its remittances to PSC and other mandated contributions, PAGCOR has already contributed a total of P26.5 billion to the government from March to April 2020 to help fight the pandemic.

New Tour de France dates put Vuelta, Giro on defensive MADRID—Holding the Tour de France is fundamental for the wellbeing of cycling but respect for the Spanish and Italian Grand Tours must be maintained, Vuelta a Espana director Javier Guillen insisted on Thursday. Guillen’s comments come after the Tour, which accounts for nearly two thirds of cycling’s earnings, was rescheduled to start August 29, clashing with the Vuelta’s traditional dates. “All for the Tour, but not the Tour against all,” Guillen told Spanish sports daily AS. “We are fully aware of the Tour’s magnitude and the necessity of holding it. But we can’t just save the Tour we need to save the whole calendar.” The Vuelta in its usual form would be the third three-week cycling Grand Tour of the season after May’s Giro and July’s Tour, usually starting three weeks after the French race ends. But the Tour is now slated to be contested from August 29 to September 20, with the Vuelta still scheduled for between August 14 and September 6. “You can’t discredit an international event such as La Vuelta, In Spain these days after the football cycling is the event with the most international coverage,” added Guillen. New dates for the Giro and Vuelta will be announced before May 15. The decision to move the Tour out of its traditional slot in the summer holidays, means the usual roadside crowds of around 12 million would be less dense. Elite cycling will breathe a huge sigh of relief as the Tour accounts for most of its earnings. “The Tour represents around 60 percent of earnings in a season,” French team AG2R boss Vincent Lavenu said in early April.

Life

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

TOURISM AND CULTURE

SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 2020

NEW NORMAL. Hong Kong shows the world that there is a light at the end of this long, dark pandemic tunnel so long as everyone, those in authority and ordinary people, works together.

How Hong Kong protects its people

to keep the art community connected and entertained.

ONG KONG shows the world that there’s a light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, so long as people work together to keep everyone safe and everything functioning as smoothly as possible.

Artistic relief

The city has managed to flatten the curve and control the spread of coronavirus without implementing a lockdown, keeping the number of positive cases at a little over 1,000 as of this writing. But extra safety precautions are still in place. Intelligent Sterilisation Robot deployed at the Hong Kong International Airport to kill germs and viruses. In a ranking by Deep Knowledge Ventures (DKV), Hong Kong placed in the top 10 Asia Pacific countries considered to be the safest places to be in during the outbreak. DKV ranked 20 Asia Pacific countries based on the lowest likelihood of infection, lowest chance of mortality, and highest likelihood of recovery based on efficiency of quarantine and government management, monitoring and detection, as well as emergency treatment readiness. These are the safety measures put in place to ensure that citizens are taken care of.

Utilizing technology In light of the current situation, trains, buses, and taxis have all stepped up with more rigorous cleansing procedures and services to give their riders peace of mind. Leading the way is train service company MTR Corporation, which recently started to utilize an army of Vapourised Hydrogen Peroxide Robots to strategically and thoroughly decontaminate its train carriages and stations. High-contact station facilities such as ticket issuing machines, elevator buttons, and handrails are disinfected with bleach solution every two hours. Even the air conditioner filters on the trains are washed and replaced at more frequent intervals than before.

Art Central showcases pieces by several artists on its website such as ‘Channels’ 2019. (Photo from Da Xiang Art Space)

At Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), Intelligent Sterilisation Robots (ISR)—previously only used in hospitals—have been deployed to kill germs and viruses using a combination of UV light technology, 360-degree spray nozzles, and air filters. HKIA is the first airport in the world to use ISRs in a non-clinical setting.

Bus companies sterilize their facilities, providing passengers muchneeded peace of mind.

Washable face masks by G.O.D.

sengers, and many have bottles of hand sanitizer attached to the back of the driver’s seat for riders to use at their convenience. Not to be outdone, double decker bus company KMB has started installing hand sanitizer dispensers on buses, as well as at various stations. KMB buses also provide floor mats sprinkled with bleach solution to conveniently help disinfect passengers’ shoes as they get on board.

allow guests to experience the joys of social gatherings while social distancing. The world-renowned Art Basel Hong Kong 2020 swapped a physical exhibition for online viewing rooms, showcasing more than 2,000 art pieces from 235 galleries from around the globe. Art Central, another large-scale art fair, allows visitors to easily sort through more than 500 artworks by artPublic transportation ist, exhibitor, size, price, and medium. Creative solutions Other virtual galleries such as K11 Art promotes safety Most taxi drivers today are driving with Despite cancellations, many of the city’s Foundation, Sotheby’s Hong Kong, and face masks on as a courtesy to their pas- organizers have come up with a Plan B to M+ Collections Beta are also available

Asia Society Hong Kong, meanwhile, has teamed up with The Hong Kong Art Gallery Association to stage a one-month sculpture exhibition, featuring pieces from international and local galleries, and a full-day Art Talk Programme that is live-streamed on Facebook. Homegrown community platform ART Power HK sprung up this year to make up for the gap in the regular arts calendar by partnering with respected authorities and hosting a series of thoughtprovoking events and conversations online. Staying true to his brand’s playful spirit, Douglas Young of lifestyle chain G.O.D. (Goods of Desire) reminds the community to keep positive amid the COVID-19 pandemic by launching a line of fabric face masks available in multiple colors and quirky designs. “Naturally, they are just fashion masks, but I want to inject a sense of humor to help people reduce stress during the current situation,” shared Douglas.

Keeping the public informed On the health protection front, the Centre for Health Protection provides a comprehensive case-tracking news bulletin on its website to provide residents with the latest coronavirus news.

OMF Lit to donate proceeds to Mandaluyong hospitals Safe haven in the mountains Exclusive mountain resort Tagaytay Highlands implements safety measures led by its COVID-19 task force to keep residents safe and healthy.

AN EXCLUSIVE leisure destination in Tagaytay had quite a challenging start to the year. The Taal Volcano eruption forced it to close. It reopened weeks later. Then came coronavirus, which has required operations limited. Despite an ongoing pandemic, it continues to offer what it offers best—a safe haven in a tranquil setting—with added safety protocols to ensure health and safety of its residents and members, and their guests. According to Tagaytay Highlands, it’s an ideal place in which to spend quarantine. It has wide open spaces and low density communities where physical distancing is easy to do, its relaxed environment can help manage stress and anxiety, it boasts complete facilities and utmost privacy and security. Tagaytay Highlands has quickly adapted to the current situation, implementing stringent health and safety measures for residents’ benefit. Following the Department of Health’s guidelines, the mountain resort created its own COVID-19 task force for the duration of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine. A skeleton force also continues to operate under the guidelines to service its residents.

Temperature is checked at every main entrances of the property.

Led by Tagaytay Highlands’ company physician, the task force closely monitors the situation inside and outside the complex, provides updates, and participates in collective efforts to maintain cleanliness and safety in the property. All frontline workers are mandated to wear face masks for protection. Alcohol and hand sanitizers are available in key areas of the property. Its medical clinic is accessible 24/7 with doctors and trained nurses, ambulance service,

and an isolation facility available. Other protective measures are likewise being observed in the premises. For instance, all individuals undergo thermal scanning upon entering the property. Temperatures are again checked at all main entrances. All public areas, including entrances, exits, and frequently touched surfaces, are routinely disinfected and equipped with foot baths. Residents and personnel under workfrom-home arrangements are also urged to follow health and safety precautionary measures in their respective places. Access to emergency hotlines for estate and residential communities, and other Club concerns, are made available for easy reference. Tagaytay Highlands’ dining establishments—The Great Room at The Spa and Lodge, Highlander Steakhouse, and Highlands China Palace—accept take-out and delivery orders within a prescribed period. The convenience store is also open. Within the estate, homeowners’ mobility is limited to accessing basic services, and loitering is highly discouraged. All construction works in the property have been suspended until further notice.

PUBLISHING house OMF Literature lets T. DY, and Heartbreaks and Breakreaders help frontline workers in Manda- throughs by Bettinna Carlos. luyong hospitals by purchasing books. Collected profits from the aforemenRevenues from this month’s e-book tioned e-books will be used to provide sale of selected OMF Lit titles on Ama- NCMH workers personal protective zon will be doequipment, vinated to the tamins, disinNational Centfectants, and er for Mental other vital Health. supplies to The titles help them proinclude It’s Ok tect and take To Be Not OK care of their by Federico patients. CurVillanueva, rently, there Language are 75 COVof Grace by ID-19 cases, Arnel Tan, both patients Lovestruck and health Sakit No More workers, at the by Ronald medical instiC. Molmisa, tution. Passion and Meanwhile, Power by 30 percent Various Writof proceeds ers, Enough from books Is Enough purchased on by MelMarie sh o p.o m f lit . Caparros, com from A Night Bird April 15 to May Publishing house OMF Literature will donate Sings of Blind- proceeds from the sale of its inspirational books 15 will go to the ness and Fear health workers and e-books to hospitals in Mandaluyong. by Janina River, of Mandaluyong Letters to A SinCity Medical gle Woman by Karen Huang, Gentle Center, the only government hospital Disciplines by Jonathan Nambu, Grace within the community where OMF Litat Work by Grace D. Chong, Allowance erature office is located. Na Hindi Bitin by Ardy Roberto and Free shipping applies for minimum Philip Roa, Regret No More by Nelson order of P500 throughout this period.

Entertainment

SATURDAY, APRIL25, 2020

nickie.standard@gmail.com

Multi-awarded chorale group holds online fundraising concert

ORO San Benildo, the multi-awarded resident chorale group of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), kicks off Coro Sessions Live: An Online Fundraising Concert to raise funds for basic medical supplies and food packs to the frontliners of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), who are partners of the college for its Project Safe Shelter.

Other recipients of donations include neighboring barangays affected by the enhanced community quarantine amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The performances are spearheaded by Coro San Benildo alumni including independent singer-songwriter and soloist Mark Atienza, 2019 National Music Competition for Young Artists finalist and baritone and tenor singer Marvin Bautista, and tenor classi-

cal artist and multi-awarded vocalist Mark Bautista. Freelance musical theater performer, voice teacher, and 9 to 5 Manila vocalist Paula Paguio, performing arts teacher, freelance musician, voice coach, and singer-songwriter Hannah Dela Rosa, Believe Music’s Label Manager, session musician, and Malana and The Espasouls band member Pauline Lauron complete the lineup.

Coro San Benildo has participated in choral competitions local and internationally, where they garnered international distinctions including Folklore Category in the 1st Hoi An International Choral Competition in Vietnam, and 1st Sing ’n’ Joy Louisville International Choral Festival and Competition in Kentucky, U.S.A. The group likewise bagged a number of top prizes in the 54th Seghizzi

International Choral Competition in Gorizia, Italy and Champion titles in the Youth Choir Competition in the 70th Llangollen Musical Eisteddfod in Wales, United Kingdom. Final Coro Sessions Live will be held today starting 7:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m Watch them live here: https://www. facebook.com/corosanbenildo.benilde/

EXTRA INTERNATIONAL

Check in to self quarantine with

Hit sitcoms ‘Friends,’ ‘Big Bang Theory’ find new home STREAMING platform HBO Max—expected to be a major player in the crowded online entertainment market—will launch on May 27, WarnerMedia announced Tuesday. The debut of the hotly anticipated service—the new home of hit sitcoms Friends and The Big Bang Theory—comes months after competitors Apple and Disney entered the fray in late 2019. HBO Max is also offering its service at a much higher rate than its rivals —$14.99 a month, as opposed to $8.99 for Netflix, $6.99 for Disney+ and $4.99 for Apple TV+. The subscription rate is in part explained by the fact that it will feature original content from premium cable channel HBO, the home of Game of Thrones, The Sopranos, Sex and the City, Veep and other major series. WarnerMedia, a subsidiary of telecoms giant AT&T, is betting that customers will not shy away from the price in order to access its impressive catalog of content. WarnerMedia is hoping to rack up 75-90 million subscribers by the end of 2025 in the United States, Latin America and Europe. Customers who already subscribe to HBO will have access to HBO Max at no additional cost. WarnerMedia has not yet announced a launch date for the service outside the United States. AFP

Streaming platform HBO Max will launch on May 27 and will carry ‘Friends’ and other major series.

PLDT-Smart Foundation donates over 50,000 face masks, PPEs for frontliners OVER 50,000 face masks and other PPEs have been turned over by PLDT-Smart Foundation (PSF) to various hospitals in Metro Manila including the Philippine General Hospital, which is one of the COVID referral hospitals in the country. Several hospitals and government response teams also received 50 hazmat suits each from PSF with the assistance of the Makati Medical Center Foundation. This includes the Rizal Medical Center, Philippine Heart Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, East Avenue Medical Center, Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines. “We are one with our frontline health workers in fighting this pandemic. All our efforts are focused on equipping them

with the resources they need to protect and nourish them as they combat this virus,” said PLDTSmart Foundation President Esther Santos. As part of this effort, ZTE Corporation recently turned over 10,000 surgical face masks to PSF to be distributed to hospitals in Metro Manila for the country’s frontline health workers. To know more about the efforts of the PLDT Group in beating the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit https:// beta.pldt.com/covid19/.

SNAPSHOT

The Philippine National Police is provided with reusable face masks and Ascorbic Acid from PSF.

Interested donors may support this initiative through BDO bank transfer (Account name: College of Saint Benilde Inc; account number: 004580243334) or via GCASH QR Code available in the organization’s official accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @CoroSanBenildo. For inquiries, contact Benilde CSA Coordinator Catherine Panganiban at +63949 1770494.

Ogie Alcasid’s praise song

Ogie Alcasid drops a new single while at home

SINGER-SONGWRITER Ogie Alcasid finds reassurance in God’s abundant love amidst today’s pandemic with his newly released single “Live for Jesus,” his first collaboration with Regine Velasquez and couple Jaya and Gary Gotidoc. “It is my hope and prayer that this song inspires us to keep believing that despite the crisis, we will survive this,” Ogie said. “Jesus is our answer. It is also during these times that we are weak when our savior is strongest. How His grace is sufficient for us.” The praise song, launched on April 17 under Star Music, features backup

vocals by the Songbird and the Queen of Soul, as well as a short rap verse from Jaya’s husband, Gary. With words and music by Ogie, “Live for Jesus” was arranged by Mark Lopez and mixed and mastered by Tim Recla. The singer-songwriter said he took inspiration from the Bible verse 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV) in writing the song, which says, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

“Ogie, along with Regine and Jaya, has also recently joined other Kapamilya artists in bringing hope through Christ’s love and helping ABS-CBN’s “Pantawid ng Pag-Ibig” program by singing the prayer song “Ililigtas Ka Niya.” Regine has also released her new rendition of “Heal our Land” with the Villancico Vocal Ensemble earlier this month. Praise Jesus in the face of hardships by listening to “Live for Jesus,” out now on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube. Check it out on MusicShare’s Music Heals playlist on Spotify.

Cartoon Network’s

‘Monster Beach’ premieres today

FIND out if surf-siblings, Jan and Dean will experience the best—or worst—summer of their lives with an out-of-thisworld tropical getaway, Monster Beach. Cartoon Network’s Monster Beach follows the frightfully funny adventures of surf-siblings Jan and Dean. Enjoying an endless summer vacation, they have a monster good time on the island of Iki-Iki hanging out with their laidback uncle and a bunch of mischievous, thrill-seeking monsters. Together with their new fiendish friends, they cruise

around in hopped-up hot-rods to unravel the mysteries of a local surf legend and prevent the bad guys from ruining their fun. Monster Beach is much more fun than your typical tropical getaway. After all, life’s a real adventure when your friends are misfit monsters. Written and produced in Australia, animated in Malaysia, this is Cartoon Network’s biggest-ever Asia Pacific original. Catch the show every Saturday and Sunday at 12:15 p.m. on Cartoon Network.

Entertainment JETT PANGAN

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 2020

revives ‘Salamat‘ for special tribute video

Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams in a scene from the romantic movie, 'Blue Valentine.'

HE VERY Dawn’s WANG Jett PanNICKIE gan found himself WANG singing a familiar song in unfamiliar territory when he had to revive “Salamat” in a tribute video reflecting meaningful connections in the time of COVID-19.

Produced by Smart Communications, The Dawn’s frontman traded the original rock arrangement of the song for a subdued yet moving version of the late ’80s classic. Jett said singing “Salamat” during this difficult time was at the very least emotional and reminded him of life’s simple constants. “Recording ‘Salamat’ in this context was a lot more emotional. It reminded me of just how important it is to feel support from family and friends in a very trying time even if we’re apart.” He added, “There was a sense of comfort knowing that even if I’m physically limited to do ‘normal’ things because of the quarantine, I’m still able to take part in sharing a song that can help inspire people to hang in there and look forward to the day that we can go on with our lives without fear.” The video talks about simple connections that truly matter. This part of technology has been available to us even before the enhanced community quarantine but we tend to appreciate it more now as we rely more on the internet to reach out to our loved ones and friends. Aware of the limitations of the current situation, Jett shared, “People seem to view the song as a shout-out to one another, at a time when we can't hug or even shake hands but nevertheless try to unite in stopping the spread of the virus.” The singer and stage actor also

Rekindling viewers’ lust for love with ‘Movie Nights on Metro’ METRO Channel is hosting Movie Nights on Metro, featuring a fine collection of rom-coms, romantic dramas, and chick flicks to help ease cabin fever and inspire viewers to fall in love all over again until May 2. On Saturday, Meryl Streep fans are in for a treat as her film Great Hope Springs with Tommy Lee Jones— about elderly couple Kay and Arnold Soames who participates on a one-week counseling to reignite their marriage— airs tomorrow. Meanwhile, for those who are looking to find reasons to fall in love again, catch the story of Dean Pereira (Ryan Gosling) and Cindy Heller (Michelle Williams) on April 30 (Thursday) in Blue Valentine, a poignantly beautiful

Leon Bridges, John Mayer’s dreamy new track Scenes from the special tribute video about meaningful connections amid global lockdown.

‘The Unseen’ in Reporter’s

Notebook special presentation REPORTER’S Notebook airs a special presentation on the unseen face of COVID-19 this afternoon after Tadhana on GMA-7. In the special episode of the documentary, viewers get a rare look inside the workings of a medical facility within Metro Manila. Jun Veneracion talks to Ninia, a nurse who is among the health workers involved in testing suspected COVID-19 patients. Because of daily exposure to the virus, she and her husband who is also a nurse, must sacrifice taking care of their own child. In the Philippines, where massive testing is yet to begin weeks after the

and heartbreaking film where the couple recounts the tale of their courtship, marriage, and estrangement. Other flicks to watch out for Age of Adaline, which airs tonight, The Big Wedding on April 27 (Monday), Seeking a Friend for the End of the World on April 28 (Tuesday), and What to Expect When You’re Expecting on April 29 (Wednesday). Discover what it’s like to fall in love again in the time of quarantine by tuning in to Movie Nights on Metro, 10:00 p.m. every night on Metro Channel, the home of chic living from the country’s authority in style, Metro. Metro Channel is available on SKYcable channel 52 (SD) and channel 174 (HD), and on SKYdirect channel 31.

lockdown was implemented mid-March, Maki Pulido talks to the families of those who died without having been tested or finding out their results. As the COVID-19 pandemic takes its toll across the Philippines and the rest of the world, many find themselves in isolation. Families are separated. Patients await treatment in hospitals. Health workers and those in essential services including journalists covering the pandemic must isolate from their loved ones to face an unseen enemy. “COVID-19: The Unseen” airs at 4:05 p.m.

recalled the first time he recorded “Salamat.” “The main guitar chords within ‘Salamat’ were inspired by another song of The Dawn called ‘I Stand With You.’ It’s a case of one song giving birth to another. When we (The Dawn) created this song, we wanted it to express hope in any situation. Thus, the original lyrics went: ‘Sa lungkot at kaligayahan/Tunay na kaibigan, kasamang maasahan,” Jett recalled. He also shared that The Dawn intended for the song to serve a bigger purpose: “We hoped it would truly inspire people. Me and my bandmates in The Dawn enjoy creating songs that offer a glimmer of hope because it inspires us to go on living as well.” Here’s the link to the video: https:// www.youtube.com/wa tch?v=jqoGev6cgnY &feature=youtu.be&fb clid=IwAR2z7aoyL5yA zyViDrG79HMewtsoa3_ xkHrJ2nSBStqdUV62X4qHn1xeWqE. Follow Smart Communications on Facebook and @livesmart on Instagram and Twitter for more details.

John Mayer (left) and Leon Bridges performing at The Greek Theater in 2018.

GRAMMY Award-winning R&B artist Leon Bridges has released “Inside Friend” featuring singer-songwriter John Mayer. The special one-off track, which is not tied to an album or part of a larger project, was recorded during an impromptu jam session and studio hangout last year. Says Leon, “The concept for ‘Inside Friend’ came about from Mayer and I joking around in the studio about what an ideal date for an introvert or homebody like myself would be. I tour most of the year, so I’d rather invite a gal over to lounge comfortably in the crib as opposed to going out somewhere

crowded.” “The song stayed on the back burner for a while because it didn’t fit within the context of my third project, but the current state we’re in globally compelled us to dig this backup and finish it. I hope people find it soothing and uplifting while we hole up indoors and get through this,” he adds. “Inside Friend” is one of many recent releases from Leon, following on the heels of Texas Sun, a collaborative EP with Khruangbin, as well as his feature on Noah Cyrus’s “July”. For more information on “Inside Friend” visit Leon’s official website https://www.leonbridges.com/.

Health workers must isolate themselves from their loved ones to face an unseen enemy.