Manila Standard - 2020 May 9 - Saturday by Manila Standard

DOH upbeat on rapid tests By Macon Ramos-Araneta THE country can now conduct 12,000 COVID-19 tests a day, enabling it to more quickly isolate and treat patients, the government said Friday as the number of confirmed infections rose to 10,463 with 120 new cases reported on May 8.

VOL. XXXIV • NO. 78 • 1 SECTION 4 PAGES • P18 • SATURDAY, MAY 9, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the rise in new cases was no cause for alarm as this reflected an improvement in the country’s testing capacity. At the same time, 116 more patients recovered from COVID-19, bringing the total number of recoveries to 1,734. Next page

WORLD ROUNDUP

• Virus in semen • Blood thinners • Tsunami of hate YET another warning from Chinese researchers on the possibility that the coronavirus could be sexually transmitted. This time, a team from Shangqiu Municipal Hospital, who tested 38 male patients at the height of the pandemic in January and February, suggested the new coronavirus could persist in men’s semen even after the patients had recovered. The team reported in the journal JAMA Network Open about 16 percent of those tested had evidence of the coronavirus in their semen. About a quarter of them were in the acute stage of infection and nearly 9 percent of them were recovering, the Next page

SWAB CENTER.

Philippine Red Cross chairman, Senator Richard Gordon, and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III (right) take a first-hand look at the new swabbing center at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on May 8, 2020. They are joined by Secretary Vince Dizon, deputy chief implementer of the campaign against COVID-19. The facility is intended to obtain specimen from suspected virus victims for eventual testing and isolation. Norman Cruz

MM mayors split on ECQ Hold virtual meeting today to unify stand on another 15-day extension By Joel E. Zurbano and Macon Ramos-Araneta

New normal wedding rites: Bride, groom, and a few kinsmen

OME Metro Manila mayors want a 15-day extension of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) when it expires on May 15, a move that would take the lockdown to 76 days, just one day short of the shutdown in Wuhan, China, where the novel coronavirus epidemic first broke out.

Not all the mayors support an extension, though, as others want their cities taken down to a general community quarantine (GCQ) that would ease some of the restrictions imposed on an increasingly restive population that has been unable to go to work. For example, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said the ECQ in San Juan and Valenzuela is expected to be downgraded to a GCQ because the rate at which cases are doubling has come down significantly. Members of the Metro Manila Council, composed of 17 mayors and

CATHOLICS should expect changes in the celebration of weddings, baptisms, and other rites in churches under the Archdiocese of Manila once the ban on religious activities is lifted as the country battles the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We will allow only simple weddings this year, with only the bride and the groom with one set of sponsors and the immediate family. No more entourage,” Apostolic Administrator of Manila, Bishop Broderick Pabillo, said on Friday. Baptisms will be held in small batches and only the parents and one set of godparents will be allowed per child, Pabillo said. “Let the parishes allow baptisms to be celebrated during set times on weekdays to decongest baptisms on Sundays,” he said. Pabillo noted that only one cotton with holy oil would be used per child, and it would be burned after the ceremony. “We can forgo mass confirmations this year. Those who are to be baptized as adults or who get married can be confirmed by the parish priest as church discipline dictates,” he said. As for confessions, churches are required to reconfigure their small

SC junks bid on Duterte’s state of health FLOWER MOON.

May’s full moon, known as the Full Flower Moon and the last of the year, rises behind the Statue of Liberty in New York City on May 7, 2020. AFP

By Maricel Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta THE United States has voiced concern over the Philippine governmentordered shutdown of top broadcaster ABS-CBN, which has been targeted by President Rodrigo Duterte. “We are concerned by the situ-

ation regarding ABS-CBN,” State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said. “An independent media plays a critical role in facilitating the open exchange of information and ideas which is vital to free, prosperous and secure democratic societies,” she said. Ortagus said free media was espe-

New way to dine out: In greenhouses

cially vital in promoting public health amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “This is true for the United States, the Philippines, as well as countries around the world,” she said. ABS-CBN was forced off the air by the National Telecommunications Commission over the stalled renewal Next page

To mask or not: World leaders scrutinized

AN AMSTERDAM art center is to serve diners in small greenhouses so that people can go out to eat again despite social distancing rules brought in due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Donald Trump has not donned one. Emmanuel Macron boasted a small French flag on his. Slovakia’s president made a fashion statement by sporting a fuchsia-colored one to match her outfit.

AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM MAY 8)

10,463

120

696

1,734

116

TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

DEATHS

RECOVERIES

NEW

By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court has dumped a petition by a lawyer asking it to compel President Rodrigo Duterte to disclose the state of his health by making his medical records public. A highly-placed source said the 15-member bench voted 13-2 against the petition filed by Dino De Leon, who claims he was compelled to take the issue to the high court after his Freedom of Information request to know the President’s state of health was denied. The source did not say why the high court denied De Leon’s petition. “I confirm the denial of the petition, but I have not seen the actual resolution of the Court yet,” Supreme Court spokesman Brian Keith Hosaka told

US wary of ABS-CBN shutdown; lawmakers hit out at NTC

COVID-19 PH

A vial of smallpox vaccine is enough to inoculate 100 people. AFP

Humanity’s triumph over small pox AS SCIENTISTS scramble for a COVID-19 cure and vaccine, the world marked on Friday a pertinent anniversary: humanity’s only true triumph over an infectious disease with its eradication of smallpox four decades ago. On May 8, 1980, representatives of all World Health Organization Next page

News

SATURDAY, MAY 9, 2020

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MM... From A1 local executives in the National Capital Region are set to hold an online meeting today, Saturday, to discuss a resolution on what to do when the ECQ expires on May 15, said Paranaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez, who supports an extension. “All mayors of Metro Manila must have one stand regarding the ECQ extension when we hold our online meeting via Zoom, Saturday,” said Olivarez, the current chairman of the MMC. Olivarez said it would be difficult to have different quarantine levels since the 16 cities and the municipality of Pateros are “very interconnected, meaning residents usually live in one city and work in another.” “You can’t have one city in ECQ and the neighboring city on GCQ. That would be chaotic. If it’s ECQ, everyone should be on ECQ,” he said in Filipino. Under a GCQ, some forms of mass transport and establishments are allowed to resume operations but at a reduced capacity. Olivarez said the decision on whether or not to extend the ECQ in Metro Manila will be up to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF). “It will be up to the IATF to decide since the MMC is just a recommendato-

ry body,” the mayor said. The MMC is the governing board and policy-making body of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority. The ECQ was first declared March 17 covering the entire Luzon. It’s been extended in several areas, including Metro Manila, twice or until May 15. Olivarez said he supported an ECQ extension since COVID-19 remained most prevalent in Metro Manila, with over 6,000 of the nearly 10,000 cases. Quezon City continues to have the highest number of cases out of all Metro Manila cities, with 1,453 cases, but it also has the biggest population. The city of Manila comes next with 749 cases, followed by Parañaque with 499, and Makati with 471. Health officials, however, reported that San Juan and Valenzuela are among the Metro Manila cities that have shown a slowdown in the growth of COVID-19 cases. The IATF’s basis for lifting the ECQ will be the level of coronavirus spread in an area, its hospital capacity, and the state of its economy, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said. As of Thursday, the Department of Health data showed that of the 10,343 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country, 6,709 are in Metro Manila. In a TV interview, Año said lockdowns in San Juan, Valenzuela and Quezon province are expected to be eased. “San Juan’s doubling rate [of infec-

tions] has gone down; Valenzuela is also another example. That means there is a possibility that they could go under GCQ. Quezon is also okay, it’s not too [high],” Año said in a mix of English and Filipino. But he said the ECQ might be extended in Rizal, Albay, Zamboanga City, Davao City, and Cebu City because of their high rate of coronavirus infections. “What we can do is [to quarantine] a localized area. So we can confine three or four villages or a single province or municipality so that the rest of the province can move. Other areas can be placed under GCQ so people can be allowed to work,” Año said. Senator Francis Tolentino, meanwhile, said only cities and municipalities considered COVID-19 hotspots should remain under an ECQ after May 15. For Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, the highest consideration should be people’s lives. “Whether an area should be under ECQ or GCQ is a health issue, more than anything,” he said. He noted that data shows that COVID-19 cases in the country are still increasing by the day, rather than declining. “So is the curve now flattened? I have my doubts,” Drilon said, contradicting the findings of some DOH officials who see signs that the curve of infections is beginning to flatten.

Tolentino, on the other hand, said the lockdown can be eased with proper safeguards, such as social distancing in public transport and work areas. He also said the DOH should double its testing efforts this time to include private companies and their employees. Meanwhile, guidelines for passengers of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) have been released and will take effect once the train service resumes. In a statement, the Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) said the new guidelines would require LRT-1 passengers to wear face masks or be denied entry, thermal screening, barring those with temperatures higher than 37.6˚ C, and the enforcement of physical distancing in all LRT-1 stations and trains. “Physical distancing will be strictly enforced at the stations and trains, with floor markings as guidance,” the guidelines read. In addition, it said passengers will be encouraged to use stored value cards for contactless payment, use of foot baths or disinfecting mats in station entrances, and contactless enforcement of security through visual verification of passenger bags and the use of handheld metal detectors. The measures comply with the safety guidelines released by the Department of Transportation for mass public transportation in areas under the less stringent general community quarantine. With Rio N. Araja, Benjamin Chavez

US... From A1

DOH... From A1

of its operating license, which Duterte had repeatedly pledged to block. In Manila, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday repeated his assurance that the House of Representatives will do its job over the renewal of ABSCBN’s franchise. “The committee on legislative franchises will conduct hearings in a manner that is consistent with what we have always said,” Cayetano said in a social media post. “As for the sudden flip-flopping of the NTC and the unconstitutional meddling by the Solicitor General in the business of Congress, I promise you: there will be a reckoning.” Another official sought an investigation into the alleged conspiracy between Solicitor General Jose Calida and the National Telecommunications Commission to shut down ABS-CBN. Anakalusugan party-list Rep. Michael Defensor filed House Resolution No. 846 calling for the investigation of Calida and the NTC commissioners for graft and other offenses. He said the NTC should be held accountable for usurping the power of the House when it issued the ceaseand-desist order against ABS-CBN. Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, meanwhile, urged Cayetano to refrain from absolving himself and blaming others for the shutdown of ABS-CBN. Cayetano earlier Friday said the NTC “succumbed to pressure” from Calida when it forced the country’s largest media network off the air a day after its franchise expired. “It is utterly pretentious for Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano to say that the approval of the franchise renewal will now be prioritized in order to fix the mess that others made,” Lagman said in a statement. “Cayetano himself made the mess by blindly kowtowing to President Rodrigo Duterte’s repeated personal opposition to the renewal [of the franchise], which unduly stalled the approval of the extension.” But while some lawmakers and some sectors are calling for the NTC’s abolition, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and Senator Sherwin Gatchalian instead want to fire its commissioners over ABS-CBN’s shutdown. With AFP

There were 11 new deaths, bringing total fatalities to 696. Vergeire said the increase in recorded cases was a reflection of more aggressive testing, detecting and isolating probable and suspected cases of the novel coronavirus. She said the move to clear backlogs in testing also led to an increase in the count of new cases. In a televised briefing, the deputy chief implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19, Vince Dizon, said the government intends to conduct 5,000 tests a day in four swabbing centers in Pasay City, Taguig City and Bulacan. By the end of May, the government will be able to conduct a total of 30,000 tests a day, he said. Compared to other countries like the United States, Vergeire said, the Philippines has relatively fewer cases due to the timely interventions by the government, such as the early lockdown that started on March 17. This, in turn, has stopped the health system from being overwhelmed. Because of the low cases in the country, Vergeire stressed our health system has not been overwhelmed. “We have not yet reached that point where bodies of patients are being left on the road,” she said. She said hospitals and health care workers can fully attend to COVID-19 patients to ensure their full recovery

from the highly infectious disease. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the government is constantly monitoring the global supply for test kits as it ramps up the country’s testing capacity. He said the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), the DOH and the Department of Budget and Management were working to obtain the testing supplies needed. He said sometimes, they only get 25 percent of the supplies they order. “We are really having difficulties here. We monitor this almost everyday,” Duque said. DOH has been working towards an expanded testing or targeted testing, although it missed its goal of 8,000 tests per day by the end of April. It is now targetting to increase the country’s testing capacity for COVID-19 to 30,000 tests per day by the end of May, as this will be able to give a “complete picture” of the pandemic in the country and will enable the government to come up with policies suited to address the crisis. Unlike mass testing, “expanded testing” or “targeted testing” intends to broaden the scope of tests to include and prioritize exposed but asymptomatic patients and healthcare workers. Duque also said the number of its certifying teams is enough to process the application of laboratories to conduct coronavirus disease testing. The DOH aims to accredit more than 50 more laboratories to have a total of 78 testing centers by the end of May. Meanwhile, the DOH said it was too

early to tell if Cebu province is the new epicenter of COVID-19 in the country after a spike in infections there. Vergeire said a big portion of cases in Cebu came from enclosed facilities, like jails, which she called “clusters,” and transmission outside these clusters was low. In other developments: • Quezon City reported a total of 1,512 cases, up from 1,464 on Thursday. No new deaths were reported. • National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief, Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas on Friday said 14 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported among its ranks. This brings the total number of Metro Manila cops who tested positive for COVID-19 to 47. • The Philippine Consulate General in Dubai on Friday reported that 23 Filipinos have died of COVID-19 in Dubai, up by six from the 17 reported on May 6. • The DOH said Remdesivir, which gained authorization from Japan and the US for the treatment of COVID-19, is part of the ongoing clinical trial in the Philippines. “Remdesivir is one of the investigational drugs included in the WHO Solidarity Trial, which the Philippines is participating in,” Vergeire said in a statement released Thursday night. She added this medicine has been developed initially for the possible treatment of Ebola and there had been some early evidence that this may reduce the duration of COVID-19 illness. Both US and Japan have approved the use of Remdesivir for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. With Rio N. Araja, Ronald Reyes

for thousands of years, with the earliest documented evidence of the vesicular skin lesions believed to be caused by the disease discovered on the mummy of Egyptian pharaoh Ramses V. The devastating disease was also the target of the world’s first vaccine, discovered by scientist and physician Edward Jenner in 1796.

to show what global cooperation is good for and eradicate the disease. They made the proposal during a meeting of the WHO’s annual assembly. “Immediately America agreed,” Brilliant said, juxtaposing the leadership and international cooperation seen back then, during the Cold War, to the “nationalism” coloring the current response to the novel coronavirus. “There was public will,” he said. Four decades later, as the world reels from the shock of the COVID-19 pandemic, decision-makers should look to the tireless efforts to isolate those infected with smallpox and trace their contacts for inspiration, said Rosamund Lewis, in charge of the smallpox file at the WHO. “We can learn a lot from smallpox for the COVID response,” she said. AFP

New way... From A1 The Mediamatic center is currently testing out the new way of eating as it waits for Dutch authorities to reopen restaurants that have been shut since March 16 because of the COVID-19 outbreak. “Corona now forces us to rethink how we can do hospitality,” the center’s director Willem Velthoven told AFP. “We used to have already these little

New normal... From A1 confessional boxes to allow social distancing. If this is not possible, confessions have to be done outside the confessional box, with a one-meter distance between the priest and the penitent, Pabillo said, adding that a special place should be designated for this where people can

Humanity’s... From A1 member-states gathered in Geneva and officially declared that the smallpox-causing variola virus had been relegated to the history books, two centuries after the discovery of a vaccine. Smallpox is a highly contagious disease that was transmitted via droplets during close contact with other people or contaminated objects, sparking high fever and a rash that left survivors permanently disfigured and often blind. But many did not survive. The virus killed up to 30 percent of all those infected and is estimated to have killed more than 300 million people in the 20th century alone. Smallpox is thought to have existed

But the idea of fully eradicating smallpox only emerged nearly two centuries later, in 1958, amid a “momentary ‘detente’ between the Russians and Americans,” US epidemiologist Larry Brilliant told AFP. At a time when smallpox remained endemic in more than 30 countries and was still killing more than two million people annually, the Soviets proposed

greenhouses here for art projects. We thought ‘ok let’s try what happens if we sit in these small places, does it feel good and can we serve in a safe way’ and it goes quite well actually.” Sitting next to a canal, the five small glass houses each have a little round table and two chairs – perfect for people who may want to go out once eating establishments reopen but don’t feel comfortable going back immediately to crowded restaurants. “Being together in large groups will

probably be out of fashion for a while but still coming in a social situation and really enjoying things together is something that we long for even more,” said Velthoven. Waiters hand in the food from outside the greenhouse and wear protective gear in front of their faces to guard against any “accidental exchanges” with customers, he added. “The greenhouses are so small that actually the serving staff wouldn’t even fit inside.” AFP

see that confessions are available. “Both the priest and the penitent should wear face masks. Priests may not hear confessions via telephone or Zoom teleconferencing, though they may use these methods to offer the penitents spiritual counsel,” he said. Meanwhile, parishes can also organize a “kumpisalang bayan” (mass confession) with penitential service to enable the people to come to confession, since they were not able to do last Lent,

Pabillo said. Depending on the number of people, two or three mass confessions may be held. “Proper social/physical distancing should be observed as during the Mass. The parishes in the vicariates can help one another here,” he added. Religious gatherings remain prohibited both under the enhanced and the general community quarantine to stop the spread of the virus.

‘Public will’

To mask... From A1 As the world starts emerging from coronavirus lockdowns, political leaders are being closely scrutinized over their choice to wear a mask—or not— as many people question seemingly mixed messages about the value of face coverings as infection barriers. Many Western governments counseled against face masks for the general public at the start of the outbreak, which has now claimed more than a quarter of a million lives worldwide. But as people start returning to work despite the absence of a treatment or vaccine, masks are now being encouraged or even required as a critical antivirus tool, along with hand washing and social distancing. As government advice has changed, leaders have had to decide: to cover up or not? “The decision to wear or forgo a mask in public is based on what mes-

World roundup... From A1 team added. “We found that SARS-CoV-2 can be present in the semen of patients with COVID-19, and SARS-CoV-2 may still be detected in the semen of recovering patients,” Diangeng Li of Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Hospital in Beijing and colleagues wrote. “Even if the virus cannot replicate in the male reproductive system,” the team added, “it may persist, possibly resulting from the privileged immunity of testes” – a term which means the immune system cannot fully reach the region to attack viral invaders.

Blood thinners A preliminary study has said treating coronavirus patients with blood thinners can help boost their prospects for survival. This emerged from the preliminary findings from physicians at New York City’s largest hospital system that offer another clue about treating the ferocious coronavirus, which has infected and killed thousands. The results of an analysis of 2,733 patients, published Wednesday (Thursday in Manila) in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, are part of a growing body of information on what has worked and what has not during the desperate few months when doctors have tried dozens of treatments to save those dying of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Valentin Fuster, a physician in chief at Mount Sinai Hospital and one of the study’s authors, said in an interview the observations were based only on a review of medical records and that more rigorous, randomized studies are needed to draw broader conclusions, but that the results are promising.

Guterres’ call UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an “all-out effort” to end the “tsunami of hate and xenophobia” sparked by the novel coronavirus pandemic, short of identifying countries. “The pandemic continues to unleash a tsunami of hate and xenophobia, scapegoating and scaremongering,” Guterres said in a statement. AFP

SC... From A1 reporters in a text message. Associate Justice Henri Jean Paul Inting authored the resolution, which was adopted during the Court’s virtual en banc session on Friday. The justices who concurred with the ruling were Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta, Senior Associate Justice Estela Perlas Bernabe and Associate Justices Andres Reyes Jr., Alexander Gesmundo, Jose Reyes Jr., Ramon Paul Hernando, Rosemari Carandang, Amy Lazaro Javier, Rodil Zalameda, Mario Lopez, Edgardo Delos Angeles and Samuel Gaerlan. Associate Justices Marvic Leonen and Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa dissented. In his petition for mandamus filed last month, De Leon argued that since the denial of his FOI request for the disclosure of the President’s medical records was unjustified, the high court should compel the Executive department to make Duterte’s health records available to the public. “Considering the unjustified denial of the FOI Request, Petitioner further inquired via email when the requested health records will be available,” De Leon said. “Petitioner failed to get a response to his query as of the time of filing of this petition despite repeated follow-up.” sage the leader wants to convey,” behavioral scientist Jacqueline Gollan of Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, told AFP. “They are more likely to wear a mask if the leader believes in promoting public health. They may forgo the mask if the leader believes that they should convey that the risk of transmission is low and things are normalized,” she said. Some have started to appear in public in simple medical masks or more protective N95 or FFP2 masks, others are opting for the washable fabric ones that many governments are encouraging the public to wear. But a handful, including US President Trump and Brazil’s leader Jair Bolsonaro, are bucking the trend and going about bare-faced. Over 50 countries now require people to cover their faces when they leave home, especially on public transport and in shops. But in many places, there are still not enough medical-grade masks to go around without eating into stocks needed to shield frontline doctors and nurses. AFP

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SATURDAY, MAY 9, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF

House okays bills creating 29 more RTCs

Trader arrested for fake alcohol THE National Bureau of Investigation on Friday announced the arrest of a local businessman on April 30 in Parañaque City for selling a less potent isopropyl alcohol. NBI Officer-In-Charge Eric B. Distor identified the suspect as Rolando Rapisura Jr., who was arrested in an entrapment operation by Agents of the NBI-International Airport Investigation Division. Rapisura was charged before the Office of the City Prosecutor of Paranaque City for violations of R.A. 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act and R.A. 7394 otherwise known as the Consumer Act of the Philippines. Distor said the arrest was made after operatives of NBI-IAID purchased two one-liter bottles of Family Care rubbing alcohol from a store in Paranaque City, which was advertised to be 75% isopropyl alcohol. Upon use, however, the product appears to be different from the one being sold in the market. Distor said that on that basis, the NBI forwarded a sample to the Food and Drug Administration with a request for determination of its isopropyl content. When the FDA rendered its result, it said that the sample contains only 44.7% isopropyl contrary to its representation to be 75%, Distor said. Willie Casas

Customs foils drug smuggling ANOTHER shipment of smuggled Chinese medicines was intercepted by Customs agents at a warehouse near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Thursday. The shipment of four kilos of Chinese medicines from Taiwan was sent through air cargo in one of the warehouses in Pasay City and was misdeclared as 15 US dollar worth of “plastic boxes.” The imported drugs is consigned to a Filipino male individual with an address located in Tondo, Manila. “This is what we are saying another scheme in evading the required License to Operate and Certiﬁcate of Product Registration from the Food and Drugs Administration on the importation of medicines,” said NAIA Customs district collector Carmelita Talusan. Joel E. Zurbano

SoKor fugitive sent back home IMMIGRATION officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport intercepted a South Korean fugitive wanted by authorities in his country for taking hostage and robbing a compatriot more than a year ago. The Korean, identified as Lee Myungseok, was intercepted as he attempted to board a Korean Airlines flight bound for Incheon, South Korea. BI Port operations chief Grifton Medina said Lee had just presented himself for processing at the BI departure counter when the immigration officer saw that the latter’s name was in the Interpol’s list of wanted international suspects. According to BI Intelligence Chief Fortunato Manahan, Jr., they immediately contacted Korean authorities about the case, upon endorsement of the primary immigration officers. “We immediately informed our Korean counterparts about his travel. He was allowed to board his flight, and was subsequently arrested at the Incheon airport where Korean policemen were waiting for him,” Manahan said.. Vito Barcelo

SAP DEADLINE. Residents of a barangay in Cavite queue up under the sun to receive cash aid under the Social Amelioration Program from the local government on Thursday. The Department of Interior and Local Government has given the LGUs until May 10, 2020 to finish doling out the first tranche of cash aid following complaints that many beneficiaries have yet to receive the promised aid.

‘Indigent workers must have first crack at dole’ By Maricel V. Cruz LEADER of the House of Representatives on Friday said workers in the informal economy, which comprise 25.7 million of the poorest among the poor in the labor sector, should be prioritized during the extension of the deadline for the distribution of cash assistance.

Deputy Speaker and Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez aired this call to the Department of Social Welfare and Development, saying that the agency should take advantage of the four-day extension in guaranteeing that the informal economy workers are able to access the cash assistance benefit. Fernandez slammed the DSWD “for putting in place a process that made it difficult and nearly hopeless for the poorest in the labor sector to access government’s aid through the Social Amelioration Program.”

“The DSWD should now lift restrictive processes that will only deny millions of informal sector workers of the said benefits,” Fernandez said. He also vowed support a congressional inquiry into what he described as the DSWD’s “unsatisfactory handling” of the SAP program. “This is a dangerous time and that is the reason why the power of oversight is being seen and being implemented right now,” Fernandez said. “During a crisis, we cannot be slow.

Time is of the essence” he said. According to Fernandez, the process observed by the DSWD required beneficiaries to undergo “identification, validation and revalidation,” which he described as counterproductive. He lamented that DSWD officials ignored the recommended process made by the Lower House only to make the country’s poor and near poor families wait longer for cash benefits urgently needed by them. “I have to say that the House leadership’s specific recommendations to the DSWD for a more expeditious SAP process were sadly ignored,” the Laguna lawmaker said. Workers in the informal sector were among the Filipinos under the enhanced community quarantine to have suffered most as a result of DSWD’s “questionable decision,” said Fernandez.

THE House of Representatives has approved eight bills creating 29 more regional trial court and metropolitan trial court salas in different areas in the country. The bills were approved by 210 congressmen who joined the chamber’s virtual session last Wednesday. Voting was done online. Approved were House Bills 6323, 6324, 325, 6326, 6327, 6328, 6329, and 6330 that would create 24 new RTC branches and five MTC branches when finally enacted. Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said the creation of the additional court branches would declog existing salas and speed up the dispensation of justice, eventually resulting in less jail congestion Of the 24 new RTC branches, eight shall be in Caloocan City; one each in La Paz in Abra, Moalboal in Cebu, and Victorias in Negros Occidental; two in Daet and Labo, Camarines Norte; four in Rosario and San Juan, Batangas; and five in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental. Additionally, two RTC and five MTC branches in Zamboanga del Norte were created. The House also unanimously approved on final reading HB 6498, which increases the bed capacity of the Naguilian District Hospital in La Union to 50 beds, and HB 6499, which mandates the increase of the bed capacity of the Quirino Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City to 1,000 beds and the upgrade of its professional health care services by authorizing the increase of its medical personnel complement. Both bills were unanimously passed with 218 votes each. Increasing the bed capacity of the two hospitals complements the House of Representatives’ thrust to raise and improve the capacity of the country’s hospitals to provide medical care to Filipinos, Cayetano said. Maricel V. Cruz

PCSO accepts online proposals for medical aid to Metro patients THE Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office n Friday said it will only accept online applications for medical assistance of patients in Metro Manila starting next week. “Effective Monday, May 11, filing and processing for medical assistance for confinement chemotherapy, dialysis, hemophilia and post-transplant medicines for NCR patients shall be done through online application only,” PCSO General Manager Royina Garma said in an advisory.

Those seeking medical assistance can go to the website of PCSO www.pcso.gov.ph and click E-Services and click NCR Online Application. Garma said this is due to the suspension of operations of the agency’s main and extension offices due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. She added that the PCSO will continue to find ways and means to reach out to people and assist the national government in its fight against COVID-19.

“The agency, adhering and complying to the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, emphasizes and strengthens this auxiliary role especially in providing healthcare to Filipinos, bearing a part of the weight and augmenting government efforts in these strained and challenging times,” she added. For queries, contact the hotline numbers for Globe: 09178807150/ 09273139380; for Smart: 09190683699/ 09490310843 from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

PCSO GM Royina Garma

MM relocation on voluntary basis By Vito Barcelo

Delivery bikers join drug drive JOYRIDE PH on Friday is asking its delivery bikers to help the government go after illegal drugs and other criminality amid the lockdown due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Noli Eala, JoyRide vice president for corporate affairs, said their bikers do not just have the responsibility to buy essentials for their clients, but “they are also one with the government to help curb crime in these trying times.” “The onset of COVID-19 has changed the lives of people, especially shaping the behavior of criminals. We must stay vigilant as some of the criminals such as illegal drug users love to exploit our distraction with disasters such as this pandemic,” Eala said. Neptalie Ferrer, a “vigilant” JoyRide delivery biker on Friday found a sachet of suspected marijuana sandwiched inside a bread loaf for delivery in Pasig City. He said he received a booking in a condominium from a one Cookies Sagarbarria of Riverfront Residences, Barangay Maybunga, Pasig at about 10:20 a.m. for delivery on Manapat Street, Malabon City for a P314 booking free. The rider immediately sought police assistance and reported that the package could contain a suspicious item. Rio N. Araja

FOOD PACKS. Army Vice Commander Maj. Gen. Reynaldo Aquino and ADB vice president Ahmead Saeed discuss the military unit’s relief operations. ADB has extended a P250-million donation to support the distribution of family food packs to Metro Manila households. Each food pack includes 10 kilos of rice, 50 assorted canned goods, 20 sachets of milk and coffee, Aquino said.

THE Balik Probinsiya, Bagong Pag-asa Program, which aims to decongest Metro Manila and promote countryside development, is on a voluntary basis for Filipinos who are willing to relocate to their respective home provinces, Palace spokesperson Harry Roque said on Friday. “This would be voluntary and no one would be forced to do so. Those who would like to avail of the program will receive incentives and livelihood projects under the medium and long term programs,” Roque said in a television interview. Roque said programs would be created by the national government so that the public will realize that there are still opportunities and livelihood in provinces. President Duterte on Wednesday signed Executive Order No. 114 which aims “to ensure balanced regional development and equitable distribution of wealth, resources and opportunities through policies and pro-

grams that boost countryside development and inclusive growth, provide adequate social services, and promote full employment, industrialization and an improved quality of life in rural areas.” The “Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pagasa” (BP2) program is a pet project of Duterte’s former aide, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, which aims to decongest Metro Manila. The EO creates a BP2 Council to ensure a whole-of-government action of the implementation of the BP2 program. Roque said the government is finding ways and means to assist those who wish to return to their respective provinces subject to the quarantine requirements. Under the proposed Balik Probinsya program, Metro Manila residents who want to be relocated to their respective provinces after the Covid-19 outbreak will be provided free transportation and livelihood assistance. The proposed relocation would begin once the Covid-19 pandemic is over.

Spike in air pollution level feared after ECQ lifting By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Cynthia Villar on Friday issued a warning raised by experts about a possible spike in air pollution level, which went down after the entire Metro Manila and other places in the country was placed under an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. She noted that experts are already worried that air pollution levels might increase once the ECQ is lifted on May 15. “So we should keep this positive momentum going. It should be part of the “new normal” that we are talking about. We should put in place post-lockdown environmental safeguards and strategies,” said Vil-

lar, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. Aside from health and hygiene, Villar noted that a clean and green environment also plays a crucial role in preventing the spread of COVID-19 and minimizing its effects. For a start, Villar said the government can pursue initiatives to improve air quality. She said emissions of a variety of gases related to energy and transport have been significantly reduced due to limited economic activity and mobility of people. Before the ECQ, she said the Philippines ranked 57th out of 98 most polluted countries in the world in 2019 based on the IQAir AirVisual’s list. She said the level of concentrations of

particulate matter called PM2.5 averaged 17.6 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m3) in the country last year, an increase from 14.6μg/m3 in 2018. These exceeded the World Health Organization’s (WHO) safety limit of 10 μg/m3. During the first week of the lockdown, PM2.5 concentration level went down to 7.1 ug/m3 from 20 ug/m3. PM2.5 is defined as particulate matter that is 2.5 micrometers or smaller in diameter. These particles, a mix of soot, smoke, metals, chemicals, dust and other elements, can easily be breathed in and are associated with respiratory illnesses. Villar also said there are studies that link air pollution level to higher risks to con-

tracting coronavirus. A study by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health showed that higher levels of PM2.5 were associated with higher death rates from the Covid-19 disease. An increase of only one gram per cubic meter can cause an equivalent 15% increase in the COVID-19 death rate. The senator also said she intends to review the implementation of the Clean Air Law or Republic Act 8749 passed in 1999. It includes among its provisions, improving gasoline quality by reducing the level of aromatics, and requiring factories to install anti-air pollution devices. “The law was passed 21 years ago, just like other old laws, it needs to be reviewed, some of its provisions may need amending or updating,” she said.

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

SATURDAY, MAY 9, 2020

Business

Foreign fund managers flee PH IN BRIEF Stocks down; Ayala, Manila Water climb THE Philippine Stock Exchange Index on Friday closed at 5,621.94, down 31.22 points as investors weigh dimmer growth prospects as hinted by the first-quarter economic figures reported on Thursday. Philstocks Financial said investors traded cautiously as government expressed concern the gross domestic product would likely contract further in the second quarter of the year. Manila Water Co. Inc. rose 8.6 percent to P12.70 after the company reported a four-percent increase in first-quarter net income while parent Ayala Corp. climbed 6.3 percent to P704. Meanwhile, moves to ease lockdown measures and reopen economies around the world fired world equity markets Friday as investors looked past a string of depressing data suggesting the planet is heading for its worst downturn since the Great Depression. Jenniffer B. Austria, with AFP

By Julito G. Rada

OREIGN fund managers pulled out their investments from the domestic financial markets in March as they reacted negatively to the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic to the global economy, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Friday.

Data from the BSP show registered foreign portfolio investments or “hot money” for the month posted a net outflow of $961 million, a reversal of the $40-million net inflow a month ago. The figure was also higher than the $739-million net outflow in the same month a year ago. Total outflows in March hit $1.9 billion against inflows of $954 million.

“Outflows for the month ($1.9 billion) were higher by 43.5 percent compared to the level recorded for February ($1.3 billion). This may be attributed to the general risk-off sentiment in the market that has prompted investors to liquidate portfolios and keep money in cash amid heightened worries over adverse economic impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19)

pandemic and despite the initial fiscal stimulus package of the government,” the BSP said. The United States accounted for 68.5 percent of the total outflows. About 93.0 percent of investments registered during the month were in securities listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange, pertaining mainly to property companies, holding firms, banks, food, beverage and tobacco companies and transportation services firms. The balance comprised of investments in peso government securities. The United Kingdom, the US, Singapore, Hong Kong and Luxembourg were the top five investor countries for the month, with a combined share of 83.9 percent of the total.

NLEX Corp. said it has so far provided P2.95 million worth of free toll to 3,610 doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals battling the coronavirus pandemic. The amount has been waived in appreciation of the unwavering service of medical frontliners during these challenging times. As part of its program to support the mobility needs of healthcare workers in the COVID-19 efforts, the company offered toll exemption in NLEX and SCTEX through Easytrip RFID stickers for the entire duration of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine. “We are delighted to help thousands of our heroes who put their lives on the line. During this extended ECQ, we remain committed to prioritize the unhampered movement of essential workers and basic commodities,” said NLEX president and general manager J. Luigi L. Bautista. Darwin G. Amojelar

RCBC, PH remittance centers OK partnership

Toyota reopens, bares strict health protocols TOYOTA Motor Philippines Corp. set up new standard operating procedures and comprehensive precautionary measures as it reopens business to ensure the safety of all customers and employees. “While we are facing challenging times, this also presents an opportunity to come back better and stronger, to review our current processes and find improvements, to constantly provide ever better products and services, and to make our team members’, customers’, and partners’ lives safer and more convenient,” said Toyota president Atsuhiro Okamoto. Dealers will check the temperature of customers and employees and perform regular disinfection of the entire facility, with higher frequency in common areas. Othel V. Campos

31.22 points 5,621.94

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED

470,943,404 119,108 5,860,154,514.45 75 90 55

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • FRIDAY, MAY 8, 2020

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.00000

50.5140

Japan

Yen

0.009410

0.4753

Pound

1.237900

62.5313

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129017

6.5172

Switzerland

Franc

1.027644

51.9104

Canada

Dollar

0.715154

36.1253

Singapore

Dollar

0.707264

35.7267

Australia

Dollar

0.649400

32.8038

Bahrain

Dinar

2.645013

133.610

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266312

13.4525

Brunei

Dollar

0.704771

35.6008

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000067

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.030845

1.5581

UAE

Dirham

0.272279

13.7539

Euro

1.083300

54.7218

Korea

Won

0.000820

0.0414

China

Yuan

0.141143

7.1297

India

Rupee

0.013195

0.6665

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.231374

11.6876

New Zealand

Dollar

0.608600

30.7428

Taiwan

Dollar

0.033462

1.6903 Source: BSP

Meralco says May electricity rates down by P0.2438/kWh By Alena Mae S. Flores

Health workers get P3-m free toll—NLEX

RIZAL Commercial Banking Corp. has teamed up with local remittance centers that now allow claiming of proceeds done from RCBC Online Banking to selected partners, aside from RCBC branches and ATMs. The bank’s remittance partners include MLhuillier, Palawan Pawnshop and Palawan Express Pera Padala, Bayad Center, and LBC Payments & Remittance Centers. Through its improved Send Cash service via remittance centers, clients may now send up to P5,000 per transaction to recipients who are unbanked or do not have an account with RCBC. To send money, clients need only to access their account through the RCBC Online Banking website and fill out the recipient’s information. Once Send Cash transaction is completed, a reference number will be sent to the beneficiary that will be used to claim the money in physical locations such as selected remittance centers or RCBC branches and ATMs.

PSE INDEX

Friday, May 8, 2020

BDO MEDALS. BDO Unibank Inc. receives a Gold Anvil Award for its employee publication, The Wayfinder, which keeps its 38,000-strong workforce informed and promotes a culture of oneness. It also received three Silver Awards, two for its digital videos on financial management, and one for its homecoming event for the permanent installation of Filipino artist David Medalla’s “Cloud Canyons No. 31” at the BDO Corporate Center Ortigas. One of BDO’s winning videos is an animation that provides budget tips for Valentine’s Day, while the other features Miss Universe 2015 and BDO brand ambassador Pia Wurtzbach sharing advice on “adulting” and saving tips with former UAAP courtside reporter Angelique Manto, who is one of her biggest fans. Displaying the awards are Honey Reyes (second from left), senior assistant vice president and head of corporate communications, and team members (from left) Mayie Tanglao, Carlo Leo Manuel and Lionel Lopez-Dee.

Exports of automotive electronics, others increased in 1st quarter By Othel V. Campos MAJORITY of electronics exports reported increased sales in the first quarter of 2020 despite the COVID-19 pandemic, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority show. Automotive exports jumped 79 percent to $57.4 million from $32.1 million in the three-month period, while consumer electronics surged 40.9 percent to $201.9 million. Office equipment increased 20.9 percent to $133.2 million. Control and instrumentation rose 7.9 percent to $117 million, while medical/industrial instrumentation, gained 7.5 percent to $31.5 million. Exports of semiconductors were up 0.5 percent to $6.5 billion. The combined gains posted by the six

sub-sectors, however, were not enough to offset the losses in the sub-sectors that declined, namely electronic data processing, communication and radar, and telecommunication. Overall exports of electronics as a result fell 2.5 percent to $8.6 billion in the first quarter from $8.8 billion year-onyear, reversing the gains recorded in the first two months. “We are saddened but not surprised. We are studying the global market to help Philippine exports respond to the changing demands brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the travel constraints, we recommend exporters to explore online market spaces as a strategy even after the pandemic,” said Trade Exporter Marketing Bureau director Senen Perlada. Total Philippine merchandise ex-

ports dropped 24.9 percent in March to $4.5 billion from $6 billion in the same month last year, after posting growths in January and February. The March figure brought export sales in the first three months to $15.7billion, down 5.2 percent from $16.6 billion a year ago. Electronics comprised 54.7 percent of the total value of Philippine merchandise exports, while non-electronics made up the rest of 45.3 percent. The negative showing was a result of the double-digit decreases in the export sales of 9 of the top 10 major export commodities. Among these were metal components, down 40.9 percent; machinery and transport equipment, -33.1 percent; electronic products -24 percent; ignition wiring, -22.9 percent; and coconut oil, -22.2 percent.

CUSTOMERS of Manila Electric Co. will experience lower power rates in May as the overall rate for a typical household dropped P0.2483 per kilowatt-hour to P8.7468 per kWh from P8.9951 per kWh in April. The lower rate is equivalent to a reduction of around P50 in the total bill of residential customers consuming an average of 200 kWh a month. Meralco attributed the reduced rates to lower generation charges as the company claimed force majeure from its power supply agreements amid low demand due to the enhanced community quarantine. The generation charge declined P0.2537 per kWh to P4.3848 per kWh from P4.6385 per kWh in April. “Because of the very significant reduction in power demand in its service area during the ECQ (enhanced community quarantine) period, Meralco invoked the force majeure provision in its power supply agreements (PSAs) for the duration of the lockdown, reducing fixed charges for generation capacity that would have been charged by suppliers,” the company said. Meralco said the force majeure claim totaled P877 million in May, equivalent to savings of P0.3452 per kWh, representing reduction in fixed costs, and avoided charges from the temporary suspension of the midmerit supply contracts recently approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission. The generation charge in April reflected a P129-million reduction in fixed costs due to Meralco’s force majeure claim. The reduction due to force majeure claim combined with lower fixed costs totaled over P1 billion. Meralco said charges from the PSA dropped P0.2116 per kWh mainly due to the force majeure claim, while cost of power from independent power producers also decreased by P0.6418 per kWh due to higher average plant dispatch, lower fuel prices and peso appreciation. PSAs and IPPs accounted for 52 percent and 46 percent of Meralco’s total supply, respectively.

2 1600

SEC names four scammers, cautions public versus similar investment tricks By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Securities and Exchange Commission urged the public to exercise due diligence before investing to avoid falling into a scammer’s trap, after identifying four more more groups engaging in unauthorized investment-taking activities. The SEC in separate advisories issued on May 7 warned the public against dealing with individuals or groups representing and promoting the Bayanihan Program of Billy Ford Andrada, My Gold Rev/ My Gold Rev Philippines, Friend$hip/ Friend$hip Philippines and World of Captcha (WOC). The SEC said Bayanihan Program, My Gold Rev, Friend$hip and WOC had not registered securities such as investment contracts nor secured the necessary licenses to solicit and take investments from the public, as required by the Securities Regulation Code. The SEC advised the public against investing in Bayanihan Program, My Gold Rev, Friend$hip and WOC, which have not even registered as corporations or partnerships with the commission.

Under a modus operandi, Billy Ford Andrada solicits a minimum investment of P2,000 and promises a 50-percent return plus a five percent direct referral bonus. The SEC earlier identified a certain Billy Ford Delos Santos Andrada as the owner of Billford Trading and Bill Ford VIP Trading Inc., whose investmentsolicitation activities in the guise of a piggery business have been the subject of an earlier advisory. My Gold Rev, meanwhile, offers business plans for $20 to $100,000. Investors may supposedly earn a daily profit of 2percent to 3.5 percent for 80 to 100 days, or a 260-percent to 450-percent return on investment. Friend$hip, meanwhile, collects a subscription fee of $7.99 or P385. Members receive $1 for every referral in the first to the fifth levels of their network. Friend$hip claims to be an American company with a business address in New Jersey, USA. The group is headed by Rodnelio “Ron” Chang Capua as president and chief executive officer, according to several Facebook posts.

SAN MIGUEL ‘NUTRIBUNS.’ San Miguel Corp. is fighting hunger with its ‘nutribuns,’ energy-filled breads which it started producing for the sole purpose of making food available to the hardest-hit communities in the country due to COVID-19. It has, so far, distributed 600,000 pieces and continues to produce at 29,000 buns a day. Each bun has 250 calories and is high in dietary fiber and a good source of iron and iodine.

PAGCOR welcomes move to screen offshore gaming operators STATE-RUN Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. on Friday welcomed the call of Rep. JB Bernos, chairperson of the House Committee on Games and Amusements, for a “stronger vetting process of Philippine offshore gaming operators,” after an illegal or nonregistered offshore gaming operator in Makati was discovered by authorities on May 5, 2020. As the country’s gaming regulator, PAGCOR denounced all forms of ille-

gal gambling in the country – whether it is land-based or online. “Hence, we welcome this recent move by authorities to apprehend illegal online gaming operators or what we now officially call NOGOs,” it said in a statement. “It can be recalled that our intensified efforts to crackdown illegal online gambling can be traced way back on March 21, 2019 when Pagcor entered into a mutual cooperation agreement with the Philippine National Police, National Bureau

of Investigation, Bureau of Immigration and the Office of Cybercrime under the Department of Justice,” it said. Because of the limitations of its charter, Pagcor has no police powers. Hence, it could not arrest or prosecute illegal gambling operations. What it can do within the bounds of its charter is to regulate gaming entities, and ensure revenues from such operations will be used for the benefit of the country. Julito G. Rada