Manila Standard - 2020 May 8 - Friday

GDP contracts by 0.2% Economic managers fear further decline in second quarter

By Julito G. Rada, Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

T

HE economy shrank 0.2 percent in the first quarter, a sharp reversal from the 5.7 percent expansion a year ago, but officials warned that the second quarter would be even worse, given the continuing effects of the Luzon-wide lockdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said the first quarter decline in gross domestic product (GDP) was the first contraction since the fourth quarter of 1998, and traced it to a decline in manufacturing, transportation and storage, and accommo-

dation and food service activities.

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing; and industry contracted by 0.4 percent and 3.0 percent, respectively. Services, on the other hand, posted a growth of 1.4 percent.

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VOL. XXXIV • NO. 77 • 1 SECTION 4 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, MAY 8, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

DILG resets deadline for P200-b SAP

THE Interior department on Thursday extend- Amelioration Program. ed to May 10 the deadline for the local govern“Metro Manila is a populous region, so we ment units in Metro Manila to complete the have to give them additional days,” Interior Secdistribution of the first tranche of the financial retary Eduardo Año said in a television interview. assistance to poor families under the Social Next page

AID DEPRIVED. Residents of Tanza town in Cavite hold a piece of paper purportedly showing the names and signatures of 700 indigents who have yet to receive the cash aid under the social amelioration program until the last day of distribution on May 7, 2020. The residents say the Department of Social Welfare Department has promised to delivered the money to them on the second tranche of SAP. Jr Josue

Immigration braces for flight resumption

10,343

339

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

685

27

1,618

112

THE Bureau of Immigration said its officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and other international

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM MAY 7) TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

DEATHS

RECOVERIES

new deaths rose to 27. firmed cases to 10,343.

Thursday’s record-high number of On Wednesday, the DOH recorded THE Philippines recorded 339 new new COVID-19 cases was the second 320 new cases. From April 7 to May 5, COVID-19 cases Thursday, the highest consecutive day the country breached the number of new cases ranged from in the last month, while the number of the 300 mark, bringing the total conNext page

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

NEW

NEW

NEW

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Brazil death toll: 615 in a day BRAZIL posted a record number of 10,503 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus on Wednesday and 615 deaths in the last 24 hours – or at least one death every two minutes.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s spokesman was among those who tested positive for COVID-19, the latest case to hit close to the far-right leader who rejects social distancing measures.

PH: 339 new cases breach mark in 2 straight days

ON TRACK.

A worker of the Philippine National Railways sprays disinfectant on a train coach in Tutuban, Manila. PNR, LRT 1 and 2, and MRT train systems are gearing up for a resumption of operations with reduced capacity once the enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila is lifted and a less-strict general quarantine takes effect after May 15, 2020.

Norman Cruz

Solon, mayors press for shift to ‘new normal’

Army General Otavio Rego Barros, 59, one of the administration’s top public figures, “is home following all recommended protocols” after his positive test result was confirmed.

More than 20 top Bolsonaro officials have tested positive for the virus, including communications chief Fabio Wajngarten and National Security

By Maricel V. Cruz and Joel E. Zurbano THE country is now ready to graduate from lockdowns aimed at stemming the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and shift to a “new normal” – but still with some reservations, Albay Rep.

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ABS-CBN asks SC for TRO

ecommunications Commission from implementing its order shutting down the media giant.

The network appealed to the justices ABS-CBN on Thursday asked the Su- to set aside the NTC’s order and to ispreme Court to issue a temporary re- sue a permanent injunction against its straining order to stop the National TelNext page

By Rey Requejo, Maricel Cruz, Willie Casas and Macon Ramos-Araneta

By Nickie Wang

ONE IN EVERY 2 MINUTES. Coffins are unloaded to be buried in a mass grave at the Nossa Senhora cemetery in Manaus, Amazon

state, Brazil. At least 615 deaths occurred in the past 24 hours in Brazil, which also posted a record number of 10,503 new virus infections. AFP

ACCLAIMED director Peque Gallaga died of multiple health complications in Bacolod City, his hometown, on Thursday. He was 76.

Gallaga died at 11:45 on Thursday morning as confirmed by his brother Ricky Gallaga and June Rufino, a

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Peque Gallaga, acclaimed director, 76

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UN warns of illegal drugs’ shortage T

HE wide-ranging disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic and its associated lockdowns are leading to shortages of illegal drugs in some countries, according to a UN report released Thursday.

chains has been mixed, with trafficking routes by air being disrupted.

Land routes have also seen “drastic” reductions and increased interception.

The report says that in the case of heroin, “a recent uptick in heroin seizures in the Indian Ocean could be interpreted as indication of an increase in the use of maritime routes for trafficking” towards Europe.

As for cocaine, the report says “there are indications that the reduction in air traffic to Europe resulting from the COVID-19 measures may already have led to an increase in direct cocaine shipments by sea cargo from South America to Europe.”

However, it said that trafficking of

It also warns that the pandemic may be presenting some drug smugglers and organized criminals with new opportunities.

“There are indications that drug trafficking groups are adapting their strategies... and that some have started to exploit the situation so as to enhance their image among the population by providing services, in particular to the vulnerable,” the report says. AFP

velopment Authority director-general Karl Kendrick Chua said the country has faced significant socio-economic risks and shocks during the first quarter, all totally unexpected.

These include the Taal volcano eruption in January; a significant decline in tourism and trade starting in February due to the COVID-19 pandemic; and the need to implement the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon and other parts of the country starting March.

“Containing the spread of the virus and saving hundreds of thousands of lives through the imposition of the ECQ has come at great cost to the Philippine economy.... Even so, our priorities are clear--to protect lives and health of our people,” Chua said.

Chua said COVID-19 has certainly posed serious challenges to the country’s strong growth and development prospects.

“This is the first time real GDP growth fell into negative territory since 1998 during the combined El Niño and Asian financial crisis,” he said.

Chua said despite the challenges, the economy was still well positioned to recover strongly because of the country’s solid macroeconomic and fiscal management.

He said the recent legislation of crucial economic and tax reforms such as the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion or TRAIN Law, the Sin Tax Laws of 2019 and 2020, the Rice Tariffication Law, the Universal Health Care Law, and the Ease of Doing Business Law have all helped prepare for any crisis.

“We continue to enjoy low and stable inflation, particularly after the passage of the Rice Tariffication Act. In 2018 and 2019, we recorded the lowest poverty rate, unemployment rate, and underemployment rate in many decades, thanks in the large part to our Build Build Build program,” he added.

Despite the steep drop in first quarter GDP, the interagency Development Budget Coordinating Committee was sticking with its zero to the minus 0.8 growth projection for the year, he said.

ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Antonio Mapa said the big drop in GDP growth in the first quarter served as a warning for a “steep drop ahead.”

“We continue to price in a probable deep contraction as early as the second quarter due [to]stringent lockdown measures and the overall impact of COVID-19,” Mapa said.

“The first-quarter GDP report moves us to downgrade our current -2.2 percent full-year forecast to -2.9 percent for the year,” Mapa said.

Last year, GDP grew 6 percent, 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.

Economic managers projected a 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent GDP expansion for this year to be driven by investments and faster spending on infrastructure projects under the Build, Build, Build program.

But the COVID-19 pandemic convinced private and public economists to believe that the target could not be met, with some of them even saying that growth could be flat or worse within a negative territory.

Growth in consumer spending, which is the Philippines’ key economic driver, slowed to just 0.2 percent during the first quarter, hit by the closure of malls and shopping centers in areas under lockdown.

Many areas in the Philippines have been under quarantine since midMarch, and will remain so until at least mid-May, to contain the spread of the virus, including Metro Manila and surrounding areas where most economic activity takes place.

the next three to six months, according to UN estimates.

der to shut down ABS-CBN. “The Philippine government shutdown of ABS-CBN reeks of a political vendetta by President Duterte, who has repeatedly threatened the network for criticizing his abusive ‘war on drugs,’” said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

Senator Risa Hontiveros said the repeated threats of President Rodrigo Duterte to veto the approval of ABS-CBN’ franchise sent a strong signal about what he wanted to happen.

The report warns that particularly in the case of heroin, shortages could lead to the use of “harmful domesticallyproduced substances” instead.

Wider consequences of drug shortages could include “injecting drug use and the sharing of injecting equipment and other drug paraphernalia,” thereby increasing the risk of transmitting bloodborne diseases.

“Reports emerging from different

countries point to a shortage of drugs among end-consumers caused by reduction in imports of drugs and/or by strict lockdown measures,” the report from the UN’s Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) says, “with reports of heroin shortages in Europe, South-West Asia and North America in particular.”

The report says that the impact of the pandemic and the various measures taken to combat it on illicit drug supply

Solon,...

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GDP...

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Joey Salceda said.

“I have studied twice, thrice and so many times the evolving numbers, emerging scenarios and the national strategies and their implementation. I have discussed the data with scientists, chaos theorists, and economists. At this time, I am prepared - with a lot of trembling inside, thunder and lightning outside - to say that we are more ready for the consequences of a reopening,” he said.

However, Salceda, who was the first to call for the implementation of a lockdown among his colleagues at the Lower House, warned that the government must not be complacent once normal activities resume.

“Government strategists should steel our nerves during episodic spikes just in case and not fall for the easy default of an unplanned lockdown which we can only do at the expense of resources for our recovery,” he said.

“The task force should continue to increase testing, tracing, and treatment to achieve 8,000 daily by May 15 and 30,000 a day by May 30. No part of the day’s activities should disproportionately expose anyone to the possibility of infection.”

“We must all do our part -- the low-cost non-pharmaceutical interventions: wash your hands, wear face masks, avoid crowds, and maintain physical distancing even at home,” Salceda added.

He said localized lockdowns that are “local government-managed and not barangay-directed” can be maintained instead.

But in Metro Manila, Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez is supporting the recommendation of some local government units to extend the enhanced community quarantine after May 15.

“I’m joining other LGUs of Metro Manila to possibly extend the ECQ rather that gamble into downgrading to general community quarantine come May 15,” said Olivarez, the incumbent chairman of the Metro Manila Council.

MMC, composed of 17 mayors and other local executives in the NCR, is the policy-making body and the governing board of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

It approves metro-wide plans, programs and projects and issues rules, regulations and resolutions deemed necessary by the MMDA. Meanwhile, Malacanang released Thursday guidelines on the operation of malls and shopping centers in areas under GCQ.

The agency cited the impact of the eruption of Taal volcano and moves to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

On the expenditure side, items that declined were gross capital formation, 18.3 percent; exports, 3.0 percent; and imports, 9.0 percent. Household final consumption expenditure and government final consumption expenditure grew 0.2 percent and 7.1 percent, respectively.

In addition, net primary income from the rest of the world dropped by 4.4. percent resulting in the 0.6 percent contraction in the gross national income.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said the secondquarter GDP could be worse than the first, considering the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon covered almost two months of the second quarter—from middle of March to May 15, 2020.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the first-quarter decline was the inevitable outcome of the initial ravages on the global economy by COVID-19, which first surfaced in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 and then started “upending life as we know it” at the onset of 2020.

Dominguez said he sees further declines in the second quarter with the economy in an extended stupor, before mounting a hoped-for bounce-back in the second semester on the back of government-led plans to accelerate state spending on infrastructure and social programs and other measures to restore consumer confidence and induce a quick economic recovery.

But an economic recovery is contingent on finding and gaining access to an effective cure or vaccine, Dominguez said.

Acting National Economic and De-

The United Nations on Thursday issued a new appeal for $4.7 billion in funding to “protect millions of lives and stem the spread of coronavirus in fragile countries.”

The money is on top of the $2 billion the UN already called for when it launched its global humanitarian response plan on March 25. It has received about half of that money so far.

“The most devastating and destabilizing effects” of the novel coronavirus pandemic “will be felt in the world’s poorest countries,” UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock said in the statement.

“Unless we take action now, we should be prepared for a significant rise in conflict, hunger and poverty. The spectre of multiple famines looms,” he warned.

The full $6.7 billion is expected to cover costs of the humanitarian response plan until December.

COVID-19 infections are expected to peak in the world’s poorest countries in

ABS-CBN...

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The bills on the renewal of its franchise had been pending in Congress since 2014.

Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. is seeking the NTC’s abolition in a bill following its order to ABS-CBN to shut down.

Albay Rep. Joey Salceda said “it is the exclusive jurisdiction of Congress to determine whether a broadcast network should be granted the privilege to operate, and whether that privilege should remain.”

Agusan del Norte Rep. Lawrence Fortun filed a resolution condemning the NTC’s action.

“I strongly believes the House of Representatives has to officially express its sentiment on the contemptuous act of the NTC that is effectively a brazen mockery of both Houses of Congress,” Fortun said.

Ako-Bicol party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin said the NTC’s decision violated due process, while Cibac party-list Rep. Eduardo Villanueva said it robbed 11,000 families of a source of livelihood.

Human Rights Watch said President Rodrigo Duterte should rescind the or-

Records showed that around 50 cargo planes flew in and out of NAIA in the past days.

“These pilots and crew are all subject to routine immigration processing and inspection, be they foreigners or Filipinos,” the BI chief added.

He also noted that sweeper flights, or outbound flights carrying foreigners back to their home countries, as well as medical flights were also exempted from the suspension, thus BI officers remained on standby to attend to these special flights.

“We have not further decreased our manpower as this is a temporary measure by the government to decongest quarantine facilities in Metro Manila,” said Morente.

“We understand that the ports are to be

reopened once this goal has been achieved, and we are ready for that,” he added.

Morente said seaport operations likewise remained operational for arriving cruise and cargo vessels.

“These vessels carry many Filipino seafarers that wish to return home, hence we are also duty-bound to continue operations in our seaports,” he said.

implementation.

The network told the high court that the NTC committed a grave abuse of discretion when it issued its order, instead of deferring to Congress and issuing a provisional authority to allow it and its stations to continue operating.

The NTC issued its order on May 5, a day after the network’s franchise expired.

Immigration...

From A1 ports were standing by for the resumption of flights to the Philippines later this week.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said Immigration Officers assigned at the airports would still continue to render fulltime duties despite the suspension of inbound commercial passenger flights.

Morente said aside from conducting immigration inspection and boarding formalities for international passengers, BI officers were also mandated to process the pilots and crew of cargo, maintenance and utility flights that enter and leave the country.

Brazil...

From A1 Minister Augusto Heleno.

Bolsonaro has condemned the “hysteria” around COVID-19. He says social distancing measures are needlessly hurting the economy, and regularly flouts them himself, hitting the streets in Brasilia and working the crowd in close quarters at rallies by his supporters.

UN seeks extraordinary measures

Construction sector Senator Win Gatchalian has urged the government and its contractors to ensure the safety and well-being of construction workers as the government eyes the resumption of the construction of big-ticket projects under the ‘Build, Build, Build’ flagship program of the Duterte administration.

cannabis was unlikely to be affected in the same way as cocaine or heroin “given that its production often takes place near consumer markets.”

New opportunities

‘Worse’ than Pearl Harbor Donald Trump has said the coronavirus pandemic is a worse “attack” on the United States than either Pearl Harbor or 9/11, taking aim once again at China, which he said should have stopped the disease in its tracks.

The president has ramped up his rhetoric against Beijing in recent weeks, as the death toll in the US has continued to climb, and as he agitates to re-open the shuttered – and stuttering – economy.

“It should have never happened,” Trump said of the disease that emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan last year.

“Could have been stopped at the source.

Could have been stopped in China.” AFP

Peque...

From A1 close friend to the screenwriter and director, in separate messages to the media.

On May 5, Rufino shared in a Facebook post that the award-winning filmmaker was brought to the hospital due to “complications from his past health conditions.” His family later confirmed he also had pneumonia.

Born Maurice Ruiz de Luzuriaga Gallaga, the veteran director and screenwriter had a career that spanned almost five decades. His most revered works were the classics Oro, Plata, Mata (1982) and Scorpio Nights (1985).

Gallaga debuted as a filmmaker when

PH...

From A1 102 to 295.

In Southeast Asia, the Philippines has the third most number of COVID-19 cases, next to Singapore and Indonesia.

Total fatalities climbed to 685 as of May 7, while the number of recoveries stood at 1,618, with 112 new recoveries.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Region 7 had 205 new cases, while Metro Manila had 110 new cases.

Vergeire said the surge in new cases was due to the boost in testing capacity and response measures to test, detect and isolate.

Vergeire and Dr. John Wong, an epidemiologist with the Inter-Agency Task Force’s (IATF) sub-technical working group on data analytics, said the Philippines is beginning to flatten the curve on infections, thanks to public cooperation on the ECQ. “All our sacrifices in the past weeks did not go into naught. We are now seeing signs that the curve is being flattened. This means because of our cooperation in the initiatives of the government, we had started to slow down the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases so as not to overwhelm our hospitals and health system,” Vergeire said.

“But we should not be complacent. Our fight is not over. Aside from strengthening our national testing capacity, we will continue to focus on quarantine protocols, proper sanitation, physical distancing, use of PPEs like masks, and other preventive measures,” she added.

Wong said the data shows that the doubling time, or the time it takes for a metric to increase two-fold, has increased significantly for both new cases and deaths.

“This means that the rate of increase for both these numbers has slowed down,” he said.

He also said that while there would be no decline in new cases just yet, once testing is ramped up nationwide, the government could buy the health system more time until a vaccine or cure is developed.

“When we relax the ECQ, we will see another surge of cases,” he said.

With Willie Casas, Rio N. Araja

DILG...

From A1 He also ordered the Philippine National Police to exempt the people distributing cash aid and its recipients from the curfew in their localities.

Año said local government officials were already doubling their efforts to finish the distribution of cash assistance from the government.

Malacañang said Some 75 percent of the low-income households had already received the cash aid from the national government under the SAP. Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said only 25 percent of the first tranche of the emergency subsidies had yet to be distributed to the SAP beneficiaries.

Under the P200-billion SAP, the local government units are tasked to distribute the emergency subsidies of P5,000 to P8,000 to the poor families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Labor department said Thursday more than a million workers had already received financial assistance from it, including Filipino workers abroad, as it winds up its social amelioration programs to help cushion the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said his department’s assistance programs had reached 1,059,387 workers and had disbursed about P4.44 billion and a separate P1.05 billion in emergency funds.

He said the department would need an additional P2 billion in emergency funds to help a significant portion of the 368,703 migrant who had sought the cash aid as of May 5.

But the Kabataan Party-list said the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte was still too slow in releasing the social amelioration payouts to the target beneficiaries. he directed Binhi in 1973. Some of his most notable films include a segment from Shake, Rattle & Roll (1984, 1990, 1991), Magic Temple (1986) and Tiyanak (1988).

His last listed work was T’yanak (2014) with his constant collaborator, Lore Reyes.

Gallaga wrote 14 films, including the remake of his own masterpiece Scorpion Nights in 1999. He also appeared in 11 movies as an actor, including a pivotal role in Jose Rizal in 1998.

Gallaga’s last directorial work was the action fantasy Magikland. The movie is in post-production, and is billed as the most expensive local film ever produced and is intended for the 2020 edition of the annual Metro Manila Film Festival.

He is survived by his wife Madie Gallaga and son Wanggo.

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INC vows ‘all-out aid’ to indigents T

HE Iglesia Ni Cristo has pledged "all-out aid" to underprivileged families and frontliners involved in efforts to contain the Covid-19 outbreak and said on Tuesday that it has ramped up "direct assistance and sustained enabling efforts" to members and non-members alike by distributing food packs for the whole country and providing PPEs for frontliners in medical institutions.

According to INC Auditor-General Glicerio B. Santos Jr., with its strategically-positioned Ecclesiastical Districts around the Philippines, the INC continues to mount massive food distribution programs across the country while observing rules prevailing under the ECQ. "INC Executive Minister Brother Eduardo V. Manalo has directed the Church to give all-out aid and assist government efforts to quickly alleviate hunger by distributing food packs around the coun-

try, maximizing the logistics advantages of having Churches and District offices all over the archipelago," said Santos Jr..

In addition to this, Santos Jr. said the Church would also provide all-out aid in efforts to prevent the spread of the virus by providing "tangible and usable assistance to our brave frontliners."

The INC recently donated one thousand pieces of personal protective equipment and a thousand gallons of disinfectant to the National Kidney and

Transplant Institute worth two million pesos, with NKTI expressing gratitude for Church initiatives aimed at helping doctors, nurses and medical personnel.

INC likewise also recently donated 1,000 PPEs and 500 cavans of rice to the Malasakit Movement, which was received

by MMDA Spokesperson Asec. Celine Pialago. The Church previously provided hospitals in Quezon City with 13 million pesos' worth of PPEs and disinfectant.

"This batch of PPEs and equipment is the latest wave of supplies we have been giving to our hospitals. We won't stop here. We are in fact already preparing our next set of donations," explained the INC official.

When the ECQ started, the INC initially donated five million pesos to the Quezon City local government for Covid-19 related relief as well as three mil-

lion pesos to the local government of Davao City on top of earlier equipment donations to various QC hospitals.

Santos Jr. added that the INC has been closely coordinating with the InterAgency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATFEID) for the use of the Philippine Arena, the Philippine Sports Stadium, the Garden Suites, and various facilities inside the Ciudad de Victoria in Bocaue, Bulacan as a "mega facility" for centralized medical operations and massive testing facility by the government.

Ciudad de Victoria’s Garden Suites shall likewise be used to house and quarantine around 150 Overseas Filipino Workers that have been repatriated from various parts of the globe. More OFWs are expected to arrive at the INC's multipurpose compound in the coming days.

House eyes unit for infectious diseases

By Maricel V. Cruz THE chairperson of the House of Representatives' Committee on Health is seeking to modernize the country’s preparedness to address public health emergencies by creating a specialized agency that will handle communicable diseases.

Quezon Rep. Angelina Tan, the panel head, filed House Bill 6633 that proposes the creation of the Public Health Emergency Services Modernization Program which shall "undertake necessary reforms in the recruitment, training, employment and management of the country’s public health emergency personnel; acquisition and upgrading of appropriate technologies, laboratories, and equipment; and provision for the needed relocation, improvement, and construction of facilities to enhance the country’s preparedness and response to public health emergencies."

“The Philippine health system, just like the great majority of national health systems in the world today, is obviously ill prepared to address the challenges of COVID-19 pandemic. We are stumbling to handle the large influx of COVID-19 patients and we will continue to do so with future respiratory pathogen infections unless we do something now to upgrade our capability to face major public health emergencies like this pandemic," Tan said.

Customs seizes 3 shipments of illegal drugs

IN BRIEF NBI nabs 2 suspects for human trafficking WHILE the government is faced with the emergency health crisis brought about by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and extended enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), two human traffickers were arrested by operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Quezon City on Tuesday, in line with the relentless campaign of the government against exploitation of women and children.

NBI Officer-In-Charge Eric Distor identified the suspects as Maricole Ramos and Alexander Peralta who were apprehended by agents of the NBI-Anti Human Trafficking Division (NBI-AHTRAD) in an entrapment and rescue operation in an apartelle in Fairview, Novaliches, Quezon City.

Ramos and Peralta were charged before the Office of the City Prosecutor of Quezon City via online for violation of Republic Act 9208, otherwise known as the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, as amended by R.A. 10364 sec 4 par (a) in relation to Sec 6 par (a) (Qualified Trafficking in Persons

by Minority and violation of R.A. 11469 (Bayanihan to Heal as One Act) since both suspects do not have quarantine pass.

Distor said that in the course of the operation, a 17-year old and an 18-year old trafficked victims were rescued and had been placed under the custody of the Social workers. Distor said the case stemmed from an intelligence report received by the NBIAHTRAD on April 30, 2020 that a certain individual has been recruiting and offering minor girls for sexual exploitation to clients for a fee.

The report further disclosed that suspect Ramos has a Facebook account with name Maricole Ramos II (Marrieon Kyle) who allegedly offers young girls ages 14-21 years old for sexual services to customers for a fee of P3,000.00 and has been using Trivago, Airbnb and similar platforms to book accommodations (hotels, condominium, penthouse, apartelle) where supposed child trafficking may take place. Willie Casas

Task force probes radioman’s killing

UAE DONATION. The Philippine government receives from United Arab Emirates Ambassador to Manila Hamad Al-Zaabi

(right) his government's donation of assorted personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies to support the Philippines' fight against COVID-19. Three Cabinet officials (from left) Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Health chief Francisco T. Duque III and Secretary Carlito Gavez, chief implementer of the war on the new coronavirus, accept the donation.

DAR freezes adjudication board amid lockdown

By Rio N. Araja AGRARIAN Reform Secretary John Castriciones on Thursday said operations of the Department of Agrarian Reform Adjudication Board remain suspended in areas still under "enhanced community quarantine because of high risk to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

In compliance with the second lockdown extension, Castriciones issued Memorandum Circular No. stating that "the office of the DAR Adjudication Board members and the regional

and provincial adjudicators in the said areas shall continually be closed for the duration of the further extended ECQ until May 15, 2020."

The adjudicating offices in the provinces and cities deemed to have low to moderate risk to COVID-19 cases, as well as those outside the quarantined zones shall be of service in their new normal operation under the general community quarantine and in conformity with measures adopted by concerned local government units.

Castriciones said all mandatory mediation conferences and hearings that were

scheduled between March 15 and May 15 by the DARAB in areas still under ECQ are "continually suspended and reset." The date is subject for further notice.

He said the reglamentary period for the filing of pleadings, motions, position and other relevant papers , as well as, for the rendition of judgment, motions and orders is reset anew, to run starting on May 18 based on the actual balance as of March 15.

The DARAB central office through its secretariat, shall start receiving transmittal of records on appeal on May 18.

By Joel E. Zurbano NINOY Aquino International Airport district collector Carmelita Talusan ordered her men to double their alert against unscrupulous traders engaged in technical smuggling.

A new modus operandi was discovered by Talusan's team after it intercepted three shipments of Chinese drugs misdeclared as "Resin Handicraft" at a warehouse near the airport.

"This is a new modus in evading the required License to Operate and Certificate of Product Registration from the Food and Drugs Administration on the importation of medicines," said Talusan.

"Be more vigilant in the profiling and conduct of mandatory random X-ray inspection on all shipments prior to release in order to prevent illegal schemes in evading Customs and related laws," she said in a memorandum sent to personnel of X-ray Inspection Project, Enforcement and Security Service, Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service, and Customs Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force.

Customs NAIA personnel seized some 2.2 kilos of Chinese drugs that landed at the DHL warehouse without necessary documents or clearance from the Food and Drug Administration late last month.

The shipments, concealed in three separate packages to three different consignees with same shipper address, were misdeclared by the importer as “Resin Handicraft,” a clear case of technical smuggling.

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FIL-CHINESE AID. At least 200

construction workers stranded in Binondo district of Manila as a result of the Luzonwide lockdown receive food packs bankrolled by the Filipino-Chinese Community Calamity Fund through the Federation of FilChinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry represented

by Nelson Guevarra, external affairs chairman, in the presence of MMDA traffic chief Edison Nebrija and Jeff Lao, chairman of Barangay San Nicolas.

Norman Cruz

Bayan Muna sees risks in ‘over-leveraged’ Phoenix PHOENIX Petroleum, owned by businessman Dennis Uy, owes 11 banks more than P30 billion in loans which he needs to pay in the first six months of 2020, a local website has reported.

Because of this, Bayan Muna chairman Neri Colmenares reiterated Thursday his warning that the reported ballooning debt and the deteriorating debt ratio of Uy and his companies “is a serious cause for concern, especially since government banks and financial institutions have stakes in his fortune.”

Uy, who hails from Davao City, has close ties with

President Rodrigo Duterte, who was mayor of the southern metropolis for over two decades before ascending to Malacañang in 2016.

In a report by Bilyonaryo.com.ph, it said the total P30.167 billion in loans by Phoenix is 40 percent higher than the P21.479 billion in short-term loans the company had in 2019.

Before the year ends, Phoenix still has a P20-billion loan to pay, the report added. Owing to this, P50 billion out of the P64 billion in loans by the company must be paid this year.

JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Friday ordered the Presidential Task Force on Media Security to investigate the killing of radio broadcaster Cornelio Pepino in Dumaguete City last Tuesday, May 5.

Guevarra, chairman of the PTFoMS, said he issued the instruction after learning about the death of 48-year-old Cornelio, a reporter-anchorman of radio dyMD Energy FM, and host of the commentary radio program “Pukpokin Mo Baby.”

“I have given instructions to the Presidential Task Force on Media Security to probe this latest incident,” Guevarra said in a text message.

Although the Philippine National Police has already began investigating the crime, the Justice Secretary hinted out the possibility that he would direct the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to do a separate probe on the killing.

“If necessary, I will also direct the NBI to render assistance to the task force or conduct a parallel investigation,” he said.

P6.8-m shabu seized in Makati; 4 arrested AUTHORITIES arrested four women and seized P6.8 million worth of shabu during a police anti-narcotic operation in Makati City last Wednesday.

Joint elements from the Manila Police District-Station 5 and Makati Police Station conducted the buy-bust operation at house number 2897 H. Santos, Tejeros Street around 2 p.m. following intelligence reports received by the MPD about the illegal drug trade in the area.

A policeman who acted as a poseur buyer was able to buy shabu from the suspects. After the transaction, he signaled his team to proceed with the arrest.

The suspects—Agatha Caray, 45; Mary Grace Caray, 41; Abegail Calvez, 37, and Jovy Linares, 37—are now detained at the Makati City Police jail and will be charged with violation of the Dangerous Drugs Act before the city prosecutors office.

Aside from the one kilo of shabu worth P6.8 million, the police also confiscated from the suspects two mobile phones, a pink color bag, and the marked money used in the entrapment operation. Joel E. Zurbano

Region 3 police creating ‘eco park’ CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga—The regional police headquarters is developing an ‘ecopark’ in a vacant space here that would obviously change the atmosphere and scenery of the male-dominated police camp, a top official of the Police Regional Office 3 said in a statement.

The project, according to Police BGen. Rhodel Sermonia, director of PRO3, is like a breath of fresh air with the present situation we are experiencing due to the deadly novel corona virus and the extended enhanced community quarantine.

Sermonia said the Eco Park is Central Luzon police contribution to "Kaligkasan" (Kaligtasan at Kalikasa), a PNP program in which the objective is protecting and preserving the environment and at the same time create a tourist attraction inside the police camp.

“Planting trees is our own little way of helping protect our environment aside from beautifying the surroundings of the camp, the trees would help in providing fresh air to us and the surrounding communities,” said Sermonia. Jess Malabanan

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

A4 FRIDAY, MAY 8, 2020

Business

Canned goods maker Century hikes profit by 31% to P1.4b

By Jenniffer B. Austria CENTURY Pacific Food Inc. one of the country’s largest food companies, saw its first-quarter net income rise 31 percent to P1.4 billion year-on-year, boosted by the strong demand for canned good products amid enhanced community quarantine period.

Century Pacific said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Thursday said first-quarter consolidated revenues jumped 24 percent to P12.1 billion.

Sales of the branded businesses– marine, meat and milk–were up 31 percent to P10.1 billion, accounting for 83 percent of the overall revenues.

Growth was seen across all business units as majority of the company’s products are shelf-stable and consumed at home.

Tevenues from the commoditylinked OEM export businesses were largely flat year-on-year, with some capacity being re-allocated to domestic requirements.

“During these challenging times, we recognize the importance of making our products as accessible as possible nationwide. Amidst logistical and operational challenges, we are able to run our factories and supply chain round the clock, thanks in part to the Department of Trade & Industry and the Inter Agency Task Force, as well as the agility and resourcefulness of our own team,” Century Pacific chief finance officer Oscar Pobre said.

“Much of the credit goes to our frontliners—in production, logistics, and sales—who have been working day-in and day-out to support our products’ availability in retail stores and the various relief operations mounted by local government units, NGOs, and private sector. One of our top priorities is the health, safety, and well-being of these frontliners, alongside that of our other employees,” he added.

Operating expenses increased 46 percent after incurring additional costs in the implementation of the employee assistance programs and enhanced procedures to ensure health and safety in the work place.

3m customers of co-ops enjoy free electricity

By Alena Mae S. Flores SOME three million customers of electric cooperatives will benefit from free electricity in March and April, according to National Center of Electric Cooperative Consumers Inc. NCECCO chairman Rodrigo Sacedor said Thursday all 121 electric cooperatives operating nationwide have given their support to the Pantawid Liwanag program.

“With the solidarity and resilience of those who believe in the rural electrification movement, the Pantawid Liwanag has been supported unanimously by all electric cooperatives,” Sacedor said.

Pantawid Liwanag is a corporate social responsibility program initiated by the Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association Inc. (PHILRECA). It is aimed at poor electricity consumers affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

Customers who consumed not more than 50 kilowatt-hours will be given free electricity for the months of March to April.

Sacedor said electric cooperatives gave their support even as they were facing difficulties amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“Among these concerns are low power demand due to economic slowdown, deficient collection efficiencies due to quarantines and community lockdowns, high generation costs due to fixed charges and many more which generally affects the financial and overall operations of the ECs,” Sacedor said.

“What lifts us up in the One ECMCO Movement to take and carry this emergency and huge share of responsibility is the fact that it is likewise an opportunity for the electric cooperatives to give back to our valued MCOs (member-consumer-owner),” Sacedor said.

PSE INDEX

Thursday, May 7, 2020

13.89 points 5,653.16

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED

477,901,207 89,262 4,856,544,007.73 63 112 42

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2020

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

50.5560

Japan

Yen

0.009429

0.4767

UK

Pound

1.234900

62.4316

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129007

6.5221

Switzerland

Franc

1.025326

51.8364

Canada

Dollar

0.706714

35.7286

Singapore

Dollar

0.703433

35.5628

Australia

Dollar

0.639600

32.3356

Bahrain

Dinar

2.650341

133.990

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266312

13.4637

Brunei

Dollar

0.700967

35.4381

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000067

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.030878

1.5611

UAE

Dirham

0.272279

13.7653

Euro

Euro

1.079900

54.5954

Korea

Won

0.000814

0.0412

China

Yuan

0.140776

7.1171

India

Rupee

0.013142

0.6644

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.231374

11.6973

New Zealand

Dollar

0.600700

30.3690

Taiwan

Dollar

0.033343

1.685 Source: BSP

IN BRIEF

Stocks rise, ignore negative GDP data EMERGENCY FACILITIES. San Miguel Corp. completes the construction of 10 emergency quarantine facilities in several Armed Forces of the Philippines camps nationwide. Each with a 15-bed capacity, the quarantine facilities will accommodate individuals who tested positive for Covid-19 with mild or no symptoms. The collaboration with the AFP will also reduce the strain on health facilities that cater to other medical cases in these areas.

Diokno undeterred, sees strong GDP pickup in Q4 B

By Julito G. Rada

ANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno on Thursday expressed optimism the country will still manage to achieve the most-coveted “A” credit rating by 2022 despite the decline in economic growth in the first quarter by 0.2 percent due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This pandemic hit at a time when we are on a roll… The road to ‘A’ might take a backseat because the concern now is how to help the people. [But] we are still confident to achieve the ‘A’ rating by 2022,” Diokno said in an online

press briefing.

Diokno said he was disappointed with the first-quarter GDP turnout. But citing historical data, he said the slowest quarter for 2019 was the second quarter (at 5.5 percent), adding “there is hope and we are expecting a strong bounce back in the fourth quarter.”

He said achieving the “A” rating requires focus in pursuing appropriate policies to make the economy back to a high growth trajectory.

Global debt watcher S&P Global Ratings in April last year raised its longterm sovereign credit rating on the Philippines a notch higher to “BBB+” from “BBB” with a stable outlook, citing the country’s above-average economic growth, a healthy external position, and sustainable public finances. The rating was a notch away from the “A” rating category.

The upgrade put the Philippines at par with Mexico, Peru, Thailand, and Trinidad and Tobago. It is also higher than the “BBB” ratings of Italy, Portugal,

Hungary, Panama and Uruguay.

The stable outlook reflected S&P’s assumption that the Philippine economy would continue to achieve above-average real GDP growth over the medium term, supporting the sovereign’s credit profile.

The economy in the first quarter of 2020 declined 0.2 percent, a sharp turnaround from the 5.7-percent expansion a year ago, pulled down by the impact of Taal Volcano eruption and the coronavirus 2019 pandemic that stalled global economic activities during the period, the Philippine Statistics Authority said Thursday.

PSA said the January-to-March data was the “first contraction since the fourth quarter of 1998.” It was also a reversal of the 6.4-percent growth posted in the fourth quarter of 2019.

The economy last year managed to grow 6 percent, the low end of the target range of 6-7 percent despite the delay in the approval of the national budget amounting to P3.7 trillion.

PLDT decreases capital spending this year by 25%

By Darwin G. Amojelar PLDT Inc. on Thursday reduced its capital spending by at least 25 percent this year, mostly because of the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon that affected its network rollout.

The country’s largest telco said its capital expenditure for 2020 of P83 billion would probably be pared anywhere between 20 percent and 25 percent, suggesting the capex levels will be in the P60-plus billion level.

The company’s network roll out activities have been constrained by the reduced mobility of its network teams since the ECQ was imposed.

The government implemented ECQ on March 15 and extended it until May 15 this year to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

PLDT also said its network rollout

for the balance of 2020 would prioritize projects that support the changing demand profile of customers, and help corporates revive their business under these new conditions.

The company reported a drop in net income to P5.9 billion, 12 percent lower than the previous year, after taking into account the equity share in the results of Voyager Innovations and revaluation losses in Rocket Internet.

PLDT raised service revenues by 9 percent to a new high of P41.5 billion in the first quarter of 2020.

The increase was driven by data and broadband services, particularly on its wireless network, which now account for 71 percent of total revenues.

However, the outlook for the balance of 2020 has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the ECQ implemented on Luzon and later extended to

other parts of the country starting the second half of March 2020 until the middle of May. “Moving forward, there will be likely some softening of revenue growth in the second quarter this year. But overall, we expect revenues to stay on the growth path versus last year,” said Manuel Pangilinan, chairman, president and chief executive of PLDT said.

“Moreover, by focusing on helping companies, communities, families and individuals find the digital solutions that put them back on-track to prosperity, we will ensure that our services are maintained at a superior level across all sectors. This is the most sustainable way for PLDT to build a future in this New Normal,” he added.

PLDT’s telco core income was down 5 percent to P6.87 billion in the first quarter of the year from P7.20 billion last year.

THE Philippine Stock Exchange Index on Thursday rose 0.2 percent to 5,652.13 despite the contraction in the the gross domestic product in the first quarter.

Shares traded on positive note as investors brushed off the contraction in the first-quarter GDP on rpsopects the country may ease the lockdown after May 15, according to Luis Limlingan, managing director for Regina Capital and Development Corp.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has been the major culprit as with the major economies across the globe that are also experiencing the same slowdown. However the local bourse still managed to eke out reasonable gamins with expectations that the country may have soon reached the bottom and the reopening of the economy is soon and imminent,” Limlingan said.

Jenniffer B. Austria

PSE okays P1.59-b MerryMart offering THE Philippine Stock Exchange approved the P1.59-billion initial public offering of MerryMart Consumer Corp., the grocery chain owned by billionaire Edgar Sia II. Sia, which also owns half of listed DoubleDragon Properties Inc., is braving the volatile market due to new coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

MerryMart, based on the offer terms approved by the PSE, will 1.594 billion common shares at a price of up to P1 per share. The offering period will start from May 27 to June 5.

The shares will be listed under the main board of the Philippine Stock Exchange on June 15.

The grocery chain tapped PNB Capital as the sole book runner of the offering.

MerryMart will use net proceeds from the offering to expand the company’s retain chain.

Jenniffer B. Austria

ICTSI says net profit fell 18% in 1st quarter INTERNATIONAL Container Terminal Services Inc. on Thursday reported an 18-percent drop in net income in the first quarter of the year partly due to COVID-19 related expenses as it slashed capital expenditures by $100 million this year.

The port terminal operator posted a net income of $59.6 million in the January-to-March period, down from $72.4 million in the same period last year due to the lower operating income, increase in interest on concession rights payable and COVID-19 related expenses.

“The effect of the virus was felt in the latter part of the first quarter and our volumes compared to the previous year were largely flat,” said ICTSI chairman and president Enrique Razon.

The company’s gross revenues from port operations for the quarterfell 2 percent to $375.8 million from the $383.8 million in the same period in 2019. Darwin G. Amojelar

BPOs set to revise revenue growth goals THE Contact Center Association of the Philippines may revise revenue growth projections amid the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on local operations.

CCAP president Jojo Uligan said in an virtual press briefing business process outsourcing companies had not stopped operating but the challenge of infrastructure rendered about 40 percent of the workforce idle.

“We need to review revisit everything, make adjustments if we have to. Definitely we need to look at our revenue projection and make adjustment based on the effect of COVID-19,” he said.

The CCAP announced a growth of 4 percent to 5 percent early this year.

“I think evidence already alluded that there’s definitely an impact to our growth rate for this year. I’m sure even our clients will revisit their projections for 2020 and make certain adjustments whether going up or has it been going down (already). That’s all part of the alignment and recalibrations that we need to do,” Uligan said. Othel V. Campos

Robinsons Land reports income of P3.34b

COVID-19 CENTER. The We Heal As One Center-Philippine Sports Arena is turned over to the Philippine National Police Medical Corps on Wednesday. Gracing the turnover ceremony are (from left) PNP chief General Archie Francisco Gamboa, Deputy Chief Implementer of the National Action Plan Against COVID-19 and Bases Conversion Development Authority president and chief executive officer Vince Dizon, Office of Civil Defense administrator Ricardo Jalad and Department of Public Works and Highways NCR director Ador Canlas and Build Build Build committee chairperson Anna Mae Lamentillo.

ROBINSONS Land Corp., the property unit of the Gokongwei Group, registered a net income of P3.34 billion in the first three months of the year, up 82 percent from the same period last year, on strong residential sales.

Robinsons Land said first-quarter consolidated revenues rose 70 percent to P11.57 billion.

The property firm said the residential business posted a 241-percent year-onyear increase in sales to P6.70 billion as it reduced the buyer’s equity threshold to 10 percent from the previous 15 percent to be more reflective of the operating performance and align with the domestic industry practice.

However, the investment portfolio, which includes shopping mall and office businesses, posted flat revenues in the first three months of the year. It attributed the lower revenues to operational disruptions caused by the imple-

mentation of enhanced community quarantine in mid-March to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

“RLC continues to be optimistic about its growth outlook as it builds a larger and more diversified platform. Our strong fundamentals and solid balance sheet will help us navigate the challenges brought about by the new coronavirus,” said Robinsons Land president and chief executive Frederick Go said.

“We will also seek opportunities and new ways of doing business to deliver long-term sustainable value. As we emerge from the enhanced community quarantine, our priorities are the welfare and wellbeing of our employees, business partners, and patrons,” Go added.

Meanwhile, the property company said it cut down its planned capital expenditure this year to P24 billion from original target of P27 billion.

Jenniffer B. Austria