Manila Standard - 2020 May 5 - Tuesday

ECQ extension in NCR eyed

Infections in M. Manila still rising, lockdown effect under review COVID-19 PH

TOUGHER MEASURES.

Members of the Manila Police District patrol Ylaya Street in the Divisoria district as the city government enforced a 48hour lockdown of Tondo and its environs to stem the spread of the coronavirus amid the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon.

Norman Cruz

AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM MAY 4)

9,485

NUMBER OF CASES

623 (16 new) DEATHS

VOL. XXXIV • NO. 74 • 2 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

1,315 (101 new) RECOVERIES

262

NEW CASES

By Vito Barcelo, Joel E. Zurbano and Willie Casas

ALACAÑANG on Monday said the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the National Capital Region (NCR) could be extended after the May 15 deadline as the number of coronavirus disease (COVID 19) cases continues to rise in Metro Manila.

M NEW NORMAL

• No aircon in clinics • Telemed consultancy • Only 5 patients daily

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Willie Casas PATIENTS should consult doctors first through telemedicine and physicians should limit their patients to five a day, observe physical distancing, wear personal protective equipment and change gowns after every other patient, the Philippine Medical Association said Monday.

In an interview with the ANC news channel, Dr. Benito Atienza, PMA vice president, also said clinics must no air-conditioning or electric fans and windows and doors must be opened,.

The clinic's staff should also be limited to one to two people, he added.

Patients should also wear face masks, but should first consult a doctor online on https://docph.org, Atienza said.

"This is aimed to decrease the patients going to the hospital’s emergency room," he said, noting that patients could request for medicine or prescriptions.

Atienza also called for the testing of doctors for COVID-19 as they are prepare to open their clinics.

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MAKING A POINT.

House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep Martin Romualdez gives his remarks during the special session on 'We Heal as One' at the plenary of the House of Representatives on Monday.

Looking on is House Minority Leader Benny Abante Jr (left).

Ver Noveno

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House resumes session, focuses on economic bills

Europe reopens as global cases top 3.5m ROME — Millions of Europeans emerged from lockdown on Monday, with hardesthit Italy leading the way out of its twomonth coronavirus confinement.

At least 3.5 million people are now known to have been infected by the disease, but US President Donald Trump offered hope for an end to the nightmare,

Palace: ABS-CBN franchise up to NTC

By Rey E. Requejo, Macon Ramos-Araneta, and Maricel V. Cruz LIKE broadcast news readers would say after reading the last paragraph of a 20-second video-taped item.

Malacañang said Monday the fate of the private broadcasting network ABS-CBN Corp. whose franchise

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque made this observation in a televised press briefing, saying science would be the key factor for the President to decide whether to extend the ECQ in Metro Manila or not.

However, Roque said it is still too early to say whether the lockdown should be extended since it is only four days after the general community quarantine (GCQ) was declared in some parts of Luzon.

“We still have to see any developments. There are still many people be being infected,” he said.

He said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infec Infectious Diseases (IATF) is still studying how effective the ECQ has been in con containing the spread of COVID-19.

Luzon was placed on lockdown from March 15 until April 15 but the ECQ was extended to May 1 to control the spread of COVID-19.

Before the May 1 deadline, Duterte announced another extension of ECQ in high risk areas, including NCR, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Cebu, and Davao while downgrading the ECQ to GCQ in areas with no reports on COVID 19 infections.

Meanwhile, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)

was scheduled to expire on May 4 lay in the hands of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Malacanang would wait for the NTC's decision on the warning of Solicitor General Jose Calida Sunday against issuing provisional authorities to ABSCBN in the absence of a franchise from Congress.

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saying there would be a vaccine by year's end.

Around 248,000 people have died since the coronavirus emerged in China late last year and swept across the globe, given wings by the vast network of air routes that in normal times keep the modern world ticking.

OFWs’ Philhealth premiums voluntary

By Vito Barcelo, Willie Casas and Maricel V. Cruz PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday ordered state-run Philippine Health Insurance Corp. to make the premium contributions of Filipino workers abroad voluntary.

He gave the order following the workers’ complaint that the proposed increase in their mandatory monthly contributions for their health insurance Next page

Lockdowns imposed on half of the planet in a bid to stem the spread have derailed economies and left tens of millions of people out of work.

Politicians are now grappling with how to get the wheels turning again without sparking a second wave of infections.

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SHIELDED.

A traditional Thai dancer wearing a protective face shield performs at the Erawan Shrine, which was reopened after the Thai government relaxed measures to combat the spread of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus, in Bangkok on Monday.

AFP

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By Maricel V. Cruz and Willie Casas THE House of Representatives on Monday focused on various economic measures needed to support the campaign to stem the spread of COVID-19 that has been bleeding government coffers and the economy as a whole.

Congressional leaders and the administration's economic managers are coming to a consensus on the economic recovery plan and Albay Rep. Jose Next page

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News

TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

‘POGOs must pay taxes first’ T

By Maricel V. Cruz

Rep. Joey Salceda said allowing the POGOs to resume could provide cash flow to the government, which was in dire need of funds to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said the issuance of GEL IDs would help the government know which POGOs were legitimate and thus capable of paying the proper taxes.

"PAGCOR [should] issue a GEL ID to each POGO employee," Salceda told reporters on Monday.

Last week, he estimated that the monthly tax take from the POGOs could reach as high as P2 billion if they were allowed to resume operations.

‘Ill-conceived plan’ Rep. Fidel Nograles said Monday

allowing the POGOs to resume to raise taxes to fight the COVID-19 pandemic would be ill-conceived.

He also opposed lifting the liquor ban to raise taxes.

“These options endanger public health. We can tap other sources to fund the COVID-19 response that will not facilitate the spread of the virus,” Nograles said.

“For example, external loans and internal loans. The projected taxes raised from lifting the liquor ban will not come in a flash. It’s just a projection, not actual cash.”

And lifting the liquor ban “may result in unnecessary and incalculable problems that may add to this health crisis,” Nograles said.

Certification needed Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations will first need to certify they have paid the remaining taxes they owe the government

ECQ...

Metro Manila would be deployed following the government's decision to extend the enhanced community quarantine in the Metro Manila and other high-risk areas until May 15.

He added that he plans to meet with the Army and the Philippine National Police's Special Action Force to ask for assistance in the additional deployment of security forces.

“As always, we plead cooperation from the people of the Metro to please stay at home to make our common sacrifices worthwhile,” Sinas said.

On Sunday, 250 SAF police personnel were deployed in Tondo, Manila after Mayor Francisco Domagoso placed the entire District 1 under "hard lockdown."

But former Anakpawis party-list representative Ariel Casilao on Monday criticized the “overkill implementation” of the 48-hour hard lockdown in Tondo, Manila, where 1,000 policemen and 250 PNP SAF commandos were deployed to help carry out stricter lockdown measures.

The 48-hour lockdown in Tondo’s District 1, started Monday at 5 a.m. and will last until 5 a.m. Tuesday. Under the hard lockdown, residents of Tondo 1 District will not be allowed to leave their houses except those who are listed as authorized persons outside residence.

The local government is expected to conduct rapid testing for COVID-19 similar to what was done in Sampaloc during its 48-hour lockdown from April 23 to 25.

The measure was imposed by Domagoso to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 and allow for disease surveillance, verification, and rapid risk assessment. Manila’s District I is one of the densely-populated areas in the city and home to many urban poor communities including Baseco, Parola Compound, Isla Puting Bato, Delpan, Vitas, and houses buildings in the former Smokey Mountain dumpsite.

"We completely understand the need for mass testing. The government should have started COVID mass testing

weeks ago, but the deployment of 1,200 fully-armed police and special forces to secure Tondo is just too much and overkill," Casilao said.

The ongoing hard lockdown already resulted in the apprehension of more than 100 quarantine violators, mostly poor people who went out of their cramped homes.

Instead of speeding up the distribution of the social amelioration program or SAP, the government went on an arresting spree, Casilao said.

He added that poor people need speedy distribution of relief goods and financial aid.

“We can’t make the people stay inside their respective homes if they are hungry. The hard lockdown in fact is worsening their suffering. It further limits not only their movement but also restrains them from conducting any economic work that could help them at this time when their food stocks already ran out and relief goods from the barangay are lacking,” the lawmaker said.

China denies the claims, and the US Director of National Intelligence has said analysts are still examining the exact origin.

Most scientists say the disease arose naturally in the animal kingdom.

But Trump's chief diplomat on Sunday ran with his boss's position, citing "enormous" evidence that the virus originated in a Wuhan lab. He did not present any of that evidence.

"I think the whole world can see now, remember, China has a history of infecting the world and running substandard laboratories," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said.

The renewed anti-Chinese rumblings from Washington set financial markets on edge on Monday, as traders fretted about tensions between the world's two largest economies.

Major market Hong Kong shed four percent, while other Asian bourses lost two percent, and Europe started the day in the red.

Trump acknowledges higher toll The United States has the most coronavirus deaths in the world at more 67,600.

Trump had initially played down the virus, predicting the US would escape unscathed. He later warned it could cost 60,000 lives.

But at a live TV event on Sunday he acknowledged a higher eventual death toll.

"Look, we're going to lose anywhere from 75, 80 to 100,000 people," he said.

"That's a horrible thing. We shouldn't lose one person out of this." AFP

New...

Four other staff members working for senators Pia Cayetano, Ramon Revilla Jr. and Risa Hontiveros were also infected with COVID-19.

Although the threat of the coronavirus remains, the Senate opted to open the sessions.

Zubiri said they would conduct hearings and sessions online to ensure the safety of senators, most of whom are in the vulnerable age group.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said one of his staff members yielded a positive result from the rapid test.

Senator Panfilo Lacson brought several rapid test kits for senators and staff who would physically attend the session.

Zubiri said they expect Philippine Red Cross, chaired by Senator Richard Gordon, to conduct confirmatory tests using RT-PCR for those who tested positive using the rapid test kits.

"We also requested Red Cross to test senators who want to be tested,” he said.

At the same time, Sotto, Lacson and Revilla said the distribution of food and cash aid to families affected by the lockdown would not have been delayed had a national ID been in place. They called for a full-blown and immediate implementation of the National ID System.

The lockdown did not deter the House of Representatives from resuming sessions on Monday after its break for Lent but the session hall was almost empty and most of the legislators attended through electronic means.

Majority Leader Ferdinand Martin Romualdez in his welcome remarks said that the session done through teleconferencing was in line with Speaker Alan Peter Cateyano's policy that the chamber should resume working to rush needed legislation needed in the fight against the spread of the virus.

Due to physical distancing, only 25 of the some 300 congressmen were allowed to attend physically. The rest attended through electronic means.

HE head of the House of Representatives' ways and means committee says he sees no problem with the resumption of the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations as long as the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation requires their workers to have a Gaming Employment License or GEL ID.

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said local government units (LGUs) may impose ECQs in smaller areas such as towns or barangays, but need the concurrence of their regional inter-agency task force on COVID-19.

On Monday, the NCR Police Office deployed 294 more policemen to help enforcers implement the ECQ in Metro Manila.

NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas said the 294 unformed police personnel are members of the National Standby Support Force (NSSF) who are prepared to augment the NCRPO's mobile force battalion.

"These men will assist our deployment of personnel from the District Mobile Force Battalion to different quarantine control points regionwide. Our men have been deployed for 48 days straight already. We need to replace them and give them some rest," Sinas said.

Sinas said more security forces in

Europe...

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Italy—second only to the United States in its COVID-19 death toll— was gingerly emerging into the spring sunshine on Monday, with construction sites and factories getting back to work.

Restaurants reopened for takeaways, but bars and ice cream parlours will remain shut. The use of public transport is being discouraged and everyone will have to wear masks in indoor public spaces.

“We are feeling a mix of joy and fear," 40-year-old Stefano Milano said in Rome. ‘‘There will be great happiness in being able to go running again carefree, in my son being allowed to have his little cousin over to blow out his birthday candles, to see our parents," the father-of-three said.

Italy's economy—the eurozone's thirdlargest—is expected to shrink more than in any year since the global depression of the 1930s.

The previously booming economy in the United States was supposed to be the centrepiece of Donald Trump's November re-election bid.

But weeks of lockdown have left 30 million Americans out of work—and the president's poll numbers sagging.

Trump has increasingly taken to blaming China for the outbreak, and says there is proof it started in a Chinese laboratory.

'History of infecting the world'

House...

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Clemente Sarte Salceda's proposals on infrastructure, financial restructuring and labor-conditional loans will likely be adopted.

This developed as Deputy Speaker and Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte, on Monday appealed to the Senate to act swiftly in approving this measure that will benefit micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and provide the economy the stimulus it needs to rise from the fallout resulting from the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown imposed to fight it.

Villafuerte, one of the authors of House Bill (HB) 1909 or the proposed Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Rationalization Act (CITIRA), underscored the urgency for the Senate to pass its version of this tax measure under the Duterte administration’s Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP) as the Congress resumed session this week.

Villafuerte, who co-sponsored two other CTRP packages passed by the House but still pending in the Senate, issued this statement over the weekend as he supported the view by Secretary Carlos Dominguez III of the Department of Finance (DOF) that the final congressional approval of the proposed CITIRA is one more way for lawmakers to provide immediate relief to businesses amid the

health crisis that has battered the economy.

“CITIRA, which will not only lower the corporate income tax (CIT) but would also provide businesses planning to invest in the countryside a better, improved set of fiscal incentives, will be the catalyst that will rev up rural economies and create decent, well-paying jobs outside Metro Manila,” said Villafuerte.

Villafuerte said it is crucial for the government to provide financial assistance to MSMEs as a way to stimulate the economy and preserve jobs because these enterprises, numbering almost 1 million, employ a majority of Filipino workers and are suffering severe financial difficulties.

Salceda, chairman of the committee on ways and means and economic stimulus cluster co-chairman, said he has “discussed ideas extensively with the economic managers” and sees broad consensus on how the country’s COVID-19 economic recovery plan should look.

“We are working with around P380 billion on transitional measures and P75 billion on financial restructuring. We will iron out the details with the budget managers. That’s likely a P455 billion package for 2020,” Salceda added.

“I would not want to preempt the final version, because we’re still discussing the details, but there will be cheap loans, and there will be enhancements on Build, Build, Build. The loans will likely incentivize labor retention. I made sure to fight for that,” he said.

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The Department of Health reported 262 new cases as of May 4, bringing total COVID-19 cases to 9,485.

Metro Manila accounted for 122 of the new cases.

The DOH said 101 patients recovered Monday, bringing total recoveries to 1,315. Sixteen new deaths were reported, bringing total fatalities to 623.

On Monday, 14 Senate personnel tested using rapid test kits tested positive for antibodies and would need to be subjected to real time Reverse TranscriptionPolymerase Chain Reaction (rRT-PCR) tests to validate if they are COVID-19 positive.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III confirmed that out of the 500 subjected to the mandatory rapid testing, 12 tested positive. They were sent to hospitals for the swab testing for confirmatory testing. Two more positive cases were reported in the afternoon of the same day.

Sotto said two of those who yielded positive results are staff members of senators, as well as a waiter and a page, while the rest came from the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms.

At least three senators--Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, Aquilino Pimentel III, and Juan Edgardo Angara, had tested positive for the new coronavirus.

Angara, who recovered, tested positive again for the virus weeks after he was declared COVID-free. He was supposed to donate his blood for the government’s plasma infusion to help cure severe and critical cases of the coronavirus diseases when it was discovered he was infected again.

But health officials said what was detected in the senator’s system could be dead viruses or remnants of COVID-19 that are no longer infectious.

Palace:...

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Roque said: "This issue is a matter that must be dealt with (by) the NTC as a quasi-judicial body and we will wait for (its) response.”

Calida warned the NTC against issuing provisional authority to ABS-CBN which operates free TV Channel 2 and radio DZMM. The NTC, in a March 16 memo, had said all live permits to operate and maintain broadcast and pay-TV facilities that will expire during the enhanced community quarantine period will be automatically renewed.

Valid for 60 days The licenses will be valid for 60 days from the end of the quarantine period after which, the stations will be given two months to file for renewal of their permit or license without penalties or surcharges, the NTC said.

In a related development, the Department of Justice reiterated its opinion there was sufficient basis for the NTC to issue provisional authority to allow ABS-CBN to operate pending

before they can resume operations during the coronavirus lockdown, an official said Monday.

Pagcor Senior Offshore Gaming Operations Director Diane Jogno said this was among several requirements that the POGOS must comply with before they could resume.

“We will be very strict with this requirement that they settle their remaining unpaid taxes to the BIR [Bureau of Internal Revenue],” Joqno said.

She said a POGO must provide proof that it had no liabilities with the BIR as of March 2020 as proof it had paid its taxes.

A POGO would also need to present a certificate of registration with the BIR, update its payment of regulatory fees with Pagcor, and pay a minimum guarantee fee for April even if it did not operate that month.

franchise renewal in Congress.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra made the statement after the ABS-CBN’s legislative franchise expired on Monday and Congress had yet to take action on its franchise renewal bills.

"There is sufficient equitable basis to allow broadcast entities to continue operating while the bills for the renewal of their franchise remain pending with Congress," Guevarra said in a text message to reporters.

While there are laws requiring television and radio stations to secure a franchise before operating, the DOJ chief noted there was no law concerning entities that had been granted a franchise and operated for years, but whose timely application for renewal had not been acted on "for reasons not attributable" to them.

Calida cautioned NTC Last February, the House of Representatives Committee on Legislative Franchises asked the NTC to grant ABSCBN a provision authority to operate effective May 4. The NTC later said it would heed the DOJ advice and likely issue a provisional authority.

Gasoline prices up, diesel down with kerosene

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE country’s oil firms raised the price of gasoline by P0.75 per liter but rolled back the price of kerosene and diesel by P0.60 per liter and P0.10 per liter, respectively effective 6am Tuesday.

“Phoenix Petroleum Philippines will implement a decrease in the price of diesel

by P0.10 per liter and increase the price of gasoline by P0.75 per liter effective 6am of May 5,” the company said in its advisory.

Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., PTT Philippines, Seaoil Philippines, Total Philippines and PetroGazz also adjusted pump prices to reflect the movement of prices in the world market.

Unioil Philippines announced over the weekend fuel prices will have a “mix movement” this week.

Unioil forecasted the diesel prices would go down by P0.20 per liter but gasoline will go up by P0.60 to P0.70 per liter.

Last April 28, the oil companies rolled back their prices of gasoline by of P0.20 per liter, diesel by P1.80 per liter and kerosene by P2.15 per liter.

Prior to Tuesday’s oil price movement, total year-to-date adjustments stand at net decrease of P15.2 per liter for gasoline, P16.89 per liter for diesel and P21.90 per liter for kerosene, according to the Energy Department.

OFWs’...

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would be a big burden as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the President ordered PhilHealth to make the workers’ payments voluntary and not mandatory.

“While we are in a crisis now, the decision of the President is for us not to add more difficulties for our [migrant workers], especially at this time when so many of them are repatriated and have lost their jobs,” Roque said in a televised press briefing.

He said the workers would no longer be required to first pay PhilHealth their premiums before they were issued the papers allowing them to leave the country.

He said the proposed increase in their PhilHealth contribution was 0.5 percent and not 3 percent.

PhilHealth responds “PhilHealth fully understands the sentiments of our [workers abroad] regarding the increase in their premium payments,” the state insurance firm said in a statement.

The company said the increase in the premium payments was announced last year, that the payment terms would be flexible to cushion the impact of the increase, and that the purpose of the increase was to provide affordable and adequate health care to all Filipinos.

Premium increase slammed Migrante International, the global alliance of Filipino migrant organizations in 24 countries, slammed the increase in PhilHealth’s insurance premium.

"This increase overburdens [migrant workers] who are already troubled by retrenchments and loss of income due to the COVID-19 pandemic and recession,” the group said in a statement.

The Gabriela Women’s Party expressed outrage over PhilHealth’s alleged insistence on the hefty mandatory premium payments and imposition of compounded interest on missed payments.

"With this imposition, PhilHealth and the Duterte government are once again showing us that they have hearts of stone and have no sense of compassion for us at all," the group said in a statement.

The Kilusang Mayo Uno slammed PhilHealth’s announcement increasing the migrant workers’ mandatory contribution from 2.75 percent to 3 percent for those earning P10,000 to P60,000 per month.

“Why burden our [workers] with mandatory payments when the government cannot even provide them sufficient aid in this time of crisis?” said KMU chairman Elmer Labog said.

Tax holiday pushed Deputy Majority Leader Precious Castelo has pushed for a tax holiday for the thousands of health workers helping in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

She has filed a bill called the Tax Holiday Act of 2020, which recognizes the danger health workers face in the fight against the pandemic. It proposes giving them a “special risk allowance” under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Law that the legislature passed on March 23.

Castelo, a deputy majority leader, also urged the PhilHealth to seek additional money from Congress if it is running short of funds for COVID-19 cases.

“It is important that the government’s health insurance program has enough funding for the hospitalization and treatment of COVIDE-19 patients,” Castelo said.

News IN BRIEF QC gov’t sets up mobile morgue for cremation THE Quezon City government has set up a mobile morgue to accommodate at least 40 cadavers awaiting cremation.

QC Deputy administrator Alberto Kiimpo said they have retrofitted a 40-foot refrigerated container van as a temporary storage facility of those who have died of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) or other illnesses.

"We have maximized the space inside so we could give a decent place for the deceased residents of Quezon City," he said.

The bodies would then be turned over to the city-run Baesa Crematorium on Quirino Highway.

"The storage facility is free as well as the cremation for the indigents identified by the social services and development department. Those indigents have been prioritized. If there are others who are not, we could also extend our services," Kimpo said. Rio N. Araja

TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Navotas mimics Manila lockdown M

By Willie Casas and Jun David

ORE than 200 persons who allegedly violated quarantine protocols were arrested on Sunday, the first day of the hard lockdown imposed in Tondo 1 District in Manila to stem the spread of the coronavirus, the city government reported.

“Since the implementation of the 48hour hard lockdown in Tondo 1 yesterday, about 204 quarantine violators have been apprehended by the Manila Police District,” the Manila Public Information Office (MPIO) said in a report posted on Facebook.

On the other hand, the Divisoria Night Market continued operations as Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno said

vendors may continue to sell. However, there were fewer vendors and buyers.

Navotas, meanwhile, appeared to be following Manila's lead, as Mayor Toby Tiangco Saturday signed an executive order that will put the city under extreme enhanced community quarantine starting May 6, 5 a.m. until May 15, 11:59 p.m.

The decision to implement the ex-

treme ECQ came after the Navotas Contact Tracing Team confirmed that most of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients went to various markets and grocery stores within and around the city.

Additionally, records of the City Health Office showed that COVID-19 cases in Navotas have been steadily increasing in the past two weeks.

The mass testing for COVID-19 in Manila started on Sunday, and 109 tested positive in the antibody testing.

These 109 cases will undergo swab tests to confirm test results.

On Monday, mass testings were conducted on frontliners exhibiting symptoms and those with exposure to COVID-19 cases as identified through contact tracing.

THE Department of Agrarian Reform and Department of Agriculture have joined hands in a massive enrollment of agrarian reform beneficiaries to the registry system for basic sector in agriculture.

They have agreed to "advise their own field offices to strengthen their collaboration for the massive enrollment of farmerbeneficiaries to DA's database system on basic information of farmers and farm parcels through identification, application, enrollment and field validation," Undersecretary for Support Services Office Emily Padilla said.

The farmers' enrollment to the registry system for basic sector in agriculture would enable them to avail themselves of government aid, such as those being offered by the Philippine Crop Insurance Assistance and Rice Competitive Enhancement Fund.

She cited the initiative of DA for conferring with and requesting the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. to consider the officially submitted list of agrarian reform beneficiaries in its insurance coverage while the system upgrading for the registry system for basic sector in agriculture is being completed. Rio N. Araja

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

DBM urged to release 2020 budget for SUCs

Video-conference trials confidential—SC ruling THE Supreme Court has enjoined all concerned judges, litigants and court personnel that videoconference trial proceedings and other processes pertinent to its conduct are considered confidential.

Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez made the reminder in compliance with Circular No. 93-2020, which provides the guidelines for the implementation of the pilot testing of hearings of criminal cases involving persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) through videoconferencing which was launched as part of the measures to stop further spread of COVID-19.

Marquez warned that any unauthorized sharing of details about the conduct of videoconferencing may be considered as contempt of court and will be dealt with accordingly. Rey E. Requejo

Fishers group rejects Chinese ban at WPS THE militant national fishers group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) on Monday denounced and rejected the Chinese fishing ban in the South China Sea that will run from May 1 to August 16, 2020.

“They have no right and moral ascendancy to declare a fishing ban in the guise of conserving fish stocks in marine waters that they have no any legal claim, and they have massively destroyed through reclamation activities,” said PAMALAKAYA in a statement.

Part of its annual summer fishing ban to “conserve fish stocks,” Beijing vows to “arrest illegal fishers from Vietnam and Philippines.”

The three-and-a-half-month fishing ban covers the Paracel Islands and Scarborough Shoal—parts of the South China Sea that Vietnam and Philippines also claim, they said.

PAMALAKAYA said the international tribunal based in The Hague has already favored Philippines’ claim over the Scarborough Shoal, and other parts of the Spratly Islands being occupied by China. Willie Casas

The hard lockdown in Tondo 1 which was ordered by Domagoso to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 will be in effect until 5 a.m. of Tuesday, May 5.

Meanwhile, among those arrested was a man who went out intending to buy noodles.

The man said he saw some people in the market and so he decided to step out of the house.

An 18-year-old was nabbed twice.

The first instance was when he left his house to go to the barber, and the second time when he was on his way home after he was released by the police station.

He said he tried to explain to the police arresting him for the second time that day.

"Sinabi ko ho kaso galit ang pulis.

Sinigawan ako," the youth added.

Jinggoy violated lockdown rules, DILG asserts

Farmers enrolled under DAR’s registry system

THE Commission on Higher Education on Monday appealed to the Department of Budget and Management spare them from the non-release of 35 percent of its 2020 budget for state universities and colleges.

CHEd chairperson Prospero de Vera said the DBM has issued a circular mandating all government agencies "for their activities" that it could only release 65 percent of their respective budget allocation as a measure to fight the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

"That's why I wrote and appeal to the DBM to exempt us for the sake of Republic Act 10931," he said.

With a 35 percent hold on CHEd's budget, indigent students of SUCs would be badly affected over CHEd's expected failure to reimburse the tuition and miscellaneous fees to SUCs, he said. Rio N. Araja

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CARRYING ON. Barangay volunteers of Bulihan in Silang, Cavite wear personal protective equipment while performing their duties as frontliners against COVID-19 on a sweltering Monday afternoon. Inset shows members of the Manila Police District receiving two truckloads with 2,000 sacks of rice from the Federation of Fil-Chinese Commerce and Industry for the consumption of police frontliners in Metro Manila during the enhanced community quarantine. JR Josue, Norman Cruz

DFA: Pinoys to be sent home once airports open Philippine Embassies and Consulates abroad, stands ready to assist stranded OFWs due the temporary closure of the THE Department of Foreign Affairs airport," Arriola said in a statement.

She also advised affected Filipinos said the repatriation of distressed Filipinos abroad will resume once the air- abroad to check with their airlines as to schedule and rebooking of flights. ports in the country reopen.

"To date, the DFA has facilitated Foreign Affairs Undersecretary repatriation of 24,422, of which Sarah Lou Arriola advised overseas the Manila 16,936 are seafarers and 7,486 are Filipinos who are intending to return Standard TODAY workers," the DFA official to the Philippines but were affected land based by the temporary closure of the Ninoy said.

Arriola disclosed that approximateAquino International Airport and need assistance to get in touch with ly 20,000 overseas Filipino workers the Philippine Embassy or Consulate are undergoing mandatory quarantine in Metro Manila as of Sunday. nearest them.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Immigra“The DFA, through its over 90

By Rey E. Requejo and Vito Barcelo

Cops bust South syndicate, seize P300k worth of shabu

By Joel E. Zurbano AUTHORITIES arrested a suspected member of a big-time drug syndicate operating in the southern part of Metro Manila and seized more than P300,000 worth of shabu during a buy-bust operation Sunday afternoon in Pasay City.

Southern Police District acting director Col. Emmanuel Peralta said the arrest of Michael dela Cruz, alias Maymay, 34, is part of the continuing crackdown on drug dealing in Metro Manila.

Dela Cruz, a resident of 1921 M. Reyes Street, Barangay Bangkal, Makati City, is now detained and was charged with violation of the Dangerous Drugs Act before the Pasay City prosecutors office.

Anti-narcotics operatives from the Pasay City police station conducted the buy-bust operation at the corner of Roxas Boulevard service road and Cuneta Avenue in Baranbay 76 around 5:50 p.m.

Police seized from the suspect a total of 48.9 grams of shabu worth P332,520, a Yamaha motorcycle, and a 1,000 peso bill used in the buybust operation.

The confiscated drugs were turned-over to the SPD Crime Laboratory for chemical analysis.

Police said the suspect is an active member of a criminal gang engaged in the illegal drug trade listed in the SPD narcotics watch list.

The latest police operation was made in close coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-National Capital Region and barangay officials in the area. Peralta commended the Pasay City police for the latest achievement. When he assumed post as SPD director, Peralta assured Metro Manila police chief Debold Sinas that he will continue the police intensified intelligence-driven anti-illegal drugs operations, particularly on middle level high valued targets.

tion said that arrival and departure of passengers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminals dropped to almost 80 percent in the month of April following the government’s suspension of international flights due to the COVID 19 outbreak.

In April, the BI recorded 41,249 arrivals and 23,187 departures at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminals 1,2 and 3.

“Most of those who arrived are Filipinos including overseas workers, and their families, while majority of those who left the country are foreign nationals who wished to go back to their home countries,” he said.

THE Interior and Local Government Department on Sunday said that former Senator Jinggoy Estrada violated lockdown guidelines in conducting an unauthorized relief drive in San Juan City as he did this without prior coordination with the city government.

According to DILG Secretary Eduardo Año, Estrada violated several rules of the enhanced community quarantine when he distributed free bangus (milkfish) in San Juan on Sunday. Estrada was brought to the police station for his actions but was later released.

"Naintindihan naman natin 'yung kagustuhan ni former senator Jinggoy na makatulong pero dapat ay ayon ito sa legal na pamamaraan at sa panuntunan ng ECQ guidelines," Año said in a press briefing.

(We understand that former Sen. Jinggoy just wants to help but it should be in a legal way and in adherence to the ECQ guidelines.)

Estrada, a former mayor of San Juan, had accused the police of singling him ut whey his staff was questioned for violating physical distancing measures during the relief operations.

He also accused San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora of trying to stop him from helping residents.

"Wala daw ako permit. Namimigay lang tayo ng bangus...Bakit ako hinihingan ng permit? Why single me out? It's plain harassment," he said.

(They said I didn't have a permit. I was just giving away free fish...Why should I ask for a permit? Why single me out? It's plain harassment.)

“Bakit porke ba Estrada, hindi puwedeng magbigay ng tulong sa San Juan?”

Estrada asked.

The former senator added that “local politics” was behind his arrest for alleged violation of the lockdown.

Estrada said he was doing relief efforts in San Juan, as he served as its mayor for nine years and vice mayor for four years.

Tne former lawmaker also said policemen also asked him for a permit from the DILG in order to give donations.

A Celebration of Life

MARIO FLORES POLICARPIO, SR.

passed away peacefully on May 3, 2020. His remains lie in state at 149 Luwasan/Daang Munti San Vicente, Santa Maria, Bulacan. Interment at Parada Catholic Cemetery, Parada, Santa Maria, Bulacan on May 6, 2020.

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

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TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2020

Business

Spot prices in electricity market down to P1.50/kwh

By Alena Mae S. Flores AVERAGE prices at the electricity spot market dropped to as low as P1.50 per kilowatt-hour in April, the lowest recorded, due to low demand during the month in the wake of the enhanced community quarantine rules.

“The entire month of April is under ECQ and the average price is estimated at P1.50 per kwh,” Robinson Descanzo, chief operating officer of the Independent Electricity Market Operator, operator of the country’s Wholesale Electricity Spot Market.

Descanzo said March charges covered only half of the ECQ, thus the average price in March was P2.47 per kilowatthour.

The government imposed the ECQ from March 15 to April 15 and extended to to May 15 to help “flatten the curve” of coronavirus disease infections.

“The whole of April was under ECQ thus the market resulted to the estimated price of P1.50 per kWh because we just completed the settlement run, which showed that that is supposed to be the settlement price for April,” Descanzo said.

He added if the ECQ is lifted, WESM charges will slowly go up.

“If the whole of May is still in ECQ, its possible the rates will be around P1.5 per kwh or slightly higher. On the other hand, if the ECQ is lifted on May 16, prices will go up and may reach P3.5 per kwh for 15 days and so the average price for the May could reach an average of P2. 47 similar to March,” the official said.

IEMOP earlier announced that prices that in the first half of April ranged from zero per kWh to P2.973 per kWh as the total demand in the Luzon and Visayas grids averaged just 9,541 MW while supply reached 13,911 MW (or over 4,300 MW supply margin).

Demand plunged significantly as the ECQ shut down commercial and industrial businesses while people were told to stay indoors to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

IEMOP also said a new trend in the demand profile was also observed in which spot prices were mostly higher during the night than in the afternoon.

SUN LIFE GREPA FACELIFT. Sun Life Grepa Financial Inc. (Sun Life Grepa) revitalizes its Makati, Quezon City, Binondo, and Bulacan branches to reflect a modern, multi-functional and ecological design. The new design enhances collaboration and innovation with an agile mindset, while also sporting energy-saving capabilities within flowing, open space layouts. Leading the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Binondo outlet renovation are (from left) Sun Life Grepa Binondo branch head Boyet Saul; cluster head Bhong Matienzo; Sun Life Grepa president Richard Lim; chief agency officer Roy Padiernos; and Binondo sales office head of marketing services Gerry Tirona.

Q1 economic growth likely slowed to 1.8%—Moody’s

By Julito G. Rada

conomic growth likely slowed to 1.8 percent in the first quarter of 2020, significantly down from a 6.4-percent expansion a quarter ago, as the onslaught of the coronavirus 2019 pandemic heavily impacted global trade, Moody’s Analytics said Monday.

E

“Philippine GDP is expected to have grown by 1.8 percent y/y in the March quarter, following a 6.4-percent expansion in the December quarter, as the economy starts to feel the impact from a visible slowdown in external demand,” Moody’s said in its Asia-Pacific Economic Preview published May 1.

The government is set to announce the first-quarter GDP data this week.

Despite the imminent slowdown in the January-to-March period, Moody’s projection showed the Philippines’ expansion would still be better than the -2 percent of Indonesia and -6.5 percent of Hong Kong.

“The COVID-19 outbreak has ravaged Europe and the US, dealing a

heavy blow to production and consumption, with several economies going under lockdowns. The worst is far from over, especially for the US, as the casualties from the pandemic touched new highs in recent weeks,” Moody’s Analytics said.

The GDP grew 6 percent in 2019, the low end of the target range of 6 percent to 7 percent, despite the delay in the approval of the P3.7-trillion national budget.

The government in latter part of 2019 set a 6.5– to 7.5-percent expansion for 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic compelled both public and private economists to say the forecast will likely be missed, with some even projecting a nearly flat growth this year.

Cemex says 3-month profit fell to P89m

WORLD VISION HELP.

World Vision in the Philippines allots over P60 million raised from different funding sources and donations, including corporate partners and individual child sponsors, to fund its ongoing COVID-19 Emergency Response.

Proceeds directly went to World Vision’s implementation of COVID-19 response, including (photo) the distribution of 13 triage tents to the hospitals and the provision of basic Personal Protective Equipment to the frontliners.

By Jenniffer B. Austria

Consumer group seeks scientific debate on nicotine issue A CONSUMERS’ union urged all stakeholders to focus on emerging scientific evidence to inform and shape the debates around safer nicotine products and tobacco harm reduction to avoid a lot of misinformation and misunderstanding about nicotine.

“People should stop fear-mongering on nicotine and instead look at it through objective, science-informed eyes. It is not the nicotine that causes serious harms, but the tar and poisonous gases produced by combustible cigarettes,” said Antonio Israel, president of the Nicotine Consumers Union of the Philippines.

Israel said smoking tobacco is the most harmful way of using nicotine.

“But many people find it hard to stop smoking because it is very difficult for them to go without nicotine. Fortunately, less harmful nicotine products such

Over the weekend, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the Philippines was in a better position to weather the impact of the coronavirus 2019 pandemic because of its fiscal and economic strength.

Dominguez issued the statement after The Economist ranked the Philippines sixth among selected emerging economies in the world, and the best among those ranked from the Southeast Asian region.

“This assessment shows that improving our revenue flows through our tax reform program, being judicious with expenditures and investments, and maintaining a well-balanced debt management strategy are serving the country well,” Dominguez said.

He said the country had the confidence of the international community which would go a long way in helping the government finance its COVID-19 response measures.

He said the same confidence would also help the country attract investments and create jobs on its road to recovery.

as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products have been developed to help people switch from smoking and thus avoid its many health risks.”

Israel cited a new French study entitled “A nicotinic hypothesis for COVID-19 with preventive and therapeutic implications.” It suggested a substance in tobacco, possibly nicotine, may be preventing patients who smoke from getting sick with COVID-19.

“Our cross-sectional study strongly suggests that those who smoke every day are much less likely to develop a symptomatic or severe infection with Sars-CoV-2 compared with the general population,” the researchers concluded. “The effect is significant. It divides the risk by five for ambulatory patients and by four for those admitted to hospital. We rarely see this in medicine.” They are awaiting approval

from French health authorities to conduct further studies using nicotine patches on COVID-19 patients and health workers at Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital.

The researchers from Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris and the Pasteur Institute questioned 480 patients at PitiéSalpêtrière Hospital who tested positive for COVID-19, 350 of whom were hospitalized while the rest with less serious symptoms were allowed home.

They found that of those admitted to hospital, whose median age was 65, only 4.4 percent were regular smokers.

Among those released home, with a median age of 44, 5.3 percent smoked. The researchers stressed they were not encouraging people to smoke, and pointed out that smokers who become sick with COVID-19 often develop more serious symptoms.

CEMEX Holdings Philippines Inc. said first-quarter net income declined 47 percent to P89 million from P168.6 million year-on-year mainly due to lower operating earnings mostly as a result of COVID-19 community quarantine measures.

Cemex said in a disclosure Monday to the stock exchange net sales decreased 10 percent during the first quarter of 2020 from P5.6 billion in the comparable period last year.

“These are extraordinary times we live in. Around the world, governments, industries, and people are taking measures to deal with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and CEMEX Holdings Philippines is not an exception,” Cemex president and chief executive Ignacio Mijares said.

“Our focus during these challenging times is on three priorities: first, to protect the health and safety of our employees and their families, customers, suppliers, and communities; second, to support our customers as much as possible in a responsible way; and third, to ensure the long-term business continuity of CHP,” he added.

While domestic volumes rose eight percent during the first two months of the year, they were offset by the effects of the enhanced community quarantine measures in Luzon and other restrictions around the country during the second half of March.

Cement volumes as a result decreased by four percent during the quarter from a year ago.

Cemex’s domestic cement prices dropped six percent in the quarter compared with the same period in the previous year.

The cement company’s total debt stood at P13.48 billion at the end of March, a decrease of around P6.6 billion from December 31, 2019.

Quarantine rules of LGUs may hamper local air travel

By Darwin G. Amojelar LOCAL airlines are ready to operate under general community quarantine rules, but the 14-day rules of local government units may affect the appetite of domestic tourists to travel.

“There is low travel demand but local carriers want to fly. The challenge is that LGUs have their own rules separate from GCQ status and this needs coordination,” Robert Lim, vice president and executive director of Air Carriers Association of the Philippines, said.

“If you leave Manila and arrive in Puerto Princesa airport, the moment you step out the airport complex the passenger must comply with the local ordinance that subject you to a 14 day quarantine. People would not want to travel that destination,” Lim said.

The national government is expected to lift the enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon by May 15.

The Department of Transportation earlier ordered the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, along with other airport authorities, to seriously consider the reopening of airports in areas covered by the GCQ to accommodate commercial aviation operations.

“The reopening of airports in GCQ areas to commercial aviation will gradually jump start airline operations now hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. This will plant the seeds for domestic tourism. This should seriously be considered,” Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade said.

CAAP Director General Capt. Jim Sydiongco said airlines have existing and established air route network within the Visayas and Mindanao, which can be put into operation.

“Some airlines are readily capable of mounting inter island flights to serve communities from one GCQ area to another GCQ area using the inter Visayas and/or Inter Mindanao air routes,” Sydiongco said. The practice is known in the aviation sector as the hub and spoke model.

IN BRIEF

Diokno: Lower inflation to give MB more room

BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said a further slowdown in inflation rate will provide the Monetary Board greater room for policy easing in the months ahead.

Diokno said in a message Monday since monetary policy works with a lag, it will be prudent to see how the past aggressive policy measures it has adopted have been absorbed by the financial system.

“Clearly, the more benign inflation provides the board greater room for easing... Notwithstanding, the BSP will continue to monitor market conditions to any emerging risks to the outlook for both inflation and economic growth, thus, ensure its resolve to deploy necessary policy responses and measures, if warranted,” Diokno said.

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the BSP cut policy rates by 125 basis points and reserve requirement by 200 bps. Julito G. Rada

RCBC increased Q1 profit by 77% to P2.3b

RIZAL Commercial Banking Corp., the ninthlargest lender in terms of assets, said net income in the first quarter 2020 jumped 77 percent year-on-year, bucking the threats posed by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

“Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. sustained its strong momentum in the first quarter of 2020... The robust performance of the core business and trading gains boosted the bottom line to reach P2.3 billion,” the bank said in a statement Monday.

RCBC’s annualized return on equity improved to 11.1 percent and annualized return on assets to 1.28 percent.

Gross revenues rose 23 percent year-on-year to P10 billion as net interest income and noninterest income climbed 19 percent and 29 percent, respectively. Interest income from loans and receivables grew by 12 percent on the back of strong volume growth and sustained margins across all customer segments. Julito G. Rada

Infra projects can now resume in GCQ areas

INFRASTRUCTURE projects under the government’s Build, Build, Build program can now resume in areas under the general community quarantine, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways.

“On areas under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), construction workers accredited by the DPWH will be allowed to work on quarantine and isolation facilities, health facilities, emergency and maintenance works, flood control, and other disaster risk reduction and rehabilitation works,” Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said.

“On areas under the General Community Quarantine, private and public construction projects will be allowed to resume following compliance to the construction safety guidelines prescribed for the implementation of infrastructure projects during the COVID-19 Public Health Crisis,” he added.

Darwin G. Amojelar

Philippine fruit exports reach new markets

FRUIT exports like avocados, cacao and coconut milk have successfully reached their maiden destinations to China, Belgium and Russia despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Now is the time for Philippine agricultural products to thrive,” said Trade Export Marketing Bureau director Senen Perlada.

He said the Bureau would strengthen coordination with the Agriculture Department and Foreign Trade Service Corps to match supply with demand.

“COVID-19 may lead to market access issues and non-tariff measures. It may be more difficult to comply with stricter regulations, certifications, external and domestic regulations. The Bureau commits to assist exporters, especially MSMEs, to comply with these requirements and introduce their products to the world,” said Perlada. Othel V. Campos