Manila Standard - 2020 May 20 - Wednesday

HOUSE DROPS INTERIM PERMIT FOR ABS-CBN, PROCEEDS TO 25-YEAR LICENSE

VOL. XXXIV • NO. 87 • 2 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

By Maricel V. Cruz and Rey E. Requejo THE House of Representatives has decided to forgo a measure that would give ABS-CBN the provisional authority to operate until Oct. 31 and proceed with hearings on pending bills seeking a full 25-year renewal of its franchise.

‘ABS’ HEARING. House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and House Majority Leader Rep. Martin Romualdez deliver speeches during a plenary session on the ABSCBN congressional franchise on Tuesday. The Senate held its own hearing on the broadcast giant's license to operate led by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, vice-chair of the Committee on Public Services, with other senators and officials of the media company attending via video conferencing. Ver Noveno, Senate PRIB

Senator Nancy Binay said Speaker Alan Peter Cayetanoagencies made the government pushing for announcement late federalism Tuesday after consulting should rather engage in with his colleagues. an aggressive information campaign "Because of thisabout divisiveness and after the coronavirus disease instead consulting with members of the of focusing theirHouse... budgets I,on gathering together with the House of Representatives signatures for char Senator Nancy leadership decided Binay to forgosaid the government provisional agencies franchise and immediately proceed with the pushing for federalism should rather Next pageinformation engage in an aggressive campaign about the coronavirus disralism should rather engage in an aggressive information campaign

Gov’t targets 2m virus tests COVID Response official eyes testing capacity of 50,000 daily to hit goal

By Vito Barcelo and Willie Casas

T

HE Duterte administration aims to test at least two million Filipinos for the coronavirus and reach an ideal testing capacity of 50,000 COVID-19 tests a day, even as officials clarified earlier pronouncements that the government lacks resources to conduct mass testing.

DISTANCING-READY. Two workers of Valenzuela City demonstrate social distancing in an elevator at City Hall (left) as other workers demonstrate the seating arrangements at the local government's various departments going forward amid the coronavirus pandemic. Valenzuela PIO

Strict health protocols for returning workers set MALACAÑANG said Tuesday the Department of Health had issued guidelines for those returning to work in areas under eased quarantine protocols and restrictions.

Lockdown measures in Metro Manila, Laguna, and several parts of Central Luzon have been downgraded to a modified enhanced community quarantine from Saturday after two months of restrictions closed most businesses and led to the first

economic contraction in 22 years.

According to Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque, under the guidelines, employers must comply with the following: • Ensure the work space is properly disinfected, ventilated, and maintained • Monitor and record employees' temperatures and symptoms daily • Adopt and implement alternative working arrangements

• Enforce infection control procedures (wearing of masks, hand hygiene, cough etiquette) • Screen workers physically returning to the workplace for symptoms of COVID-19 • Establish Next page

Trump threatens to pull out of ’puppet’ WHO WASHINGTON―President Donald Trump has threatened to pull the United States out of the World Health Organization, accusing it of botching the global coronavirus response and of being a "puppet of China."

The American leader has been locked in a bitter spat with Beijing, alleging it covered up the initial outbreak in central China late last year before the disease unleashed death and economic devastation across the planet.

The WHO said it would launch an independent review of its response to the coronavirus pandemic, even as it kicked off its first-ever virtual assembly on Monday.

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To reach the goal of testing 2 percent of the country's population, testing capacity should be more than the current government goal of 30,000 daily tests, COVID-19 response deputy chief Vince Dizon told a Senate hearing.

"Right now the benchmark is between 1 to 2 percent of the population, but it is important to note that we need to test more in epicenters like the National Capital Region," Dizon said.

"The goal should be able to build up capacity to test up to 2 percent of the population, we are looking at 2 million in total and to be able to test up to 10 percent in the National Capital Region, which is our epicenter and in order to do that we need to ramp up testing capacity up to 50,000 test per day," he said. Next page

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM MAY 19)

12,942

NUMBER OF CASES

837 (6 new) DEATHS

2,843 (114 new) RECOVERIES

224

NEW CASES

DOH needs P67.6b more to fight pandemic as cases near 13,000 THE Department of Health (DOH) is asking Congress for a P67.62 billion supplemental budget to deal with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), an official said Tuesday.

Health Undersecretary Gerardo Bayugo told legislators during a virtual meeting of the House committee on Metro Manila development that the DBM approved only P45.72 billion of the total P67.62 billion budget proposal.

Bayugo said some P2.28 billion has already been realigned from the DOH's budget, which can be used to cover

the requirements for its COVID-19 response.

These realigned funds, he said, will be used for the Health Facilities Enhancement Program, for the purchase of test kits and personal protective equipment, and for the funding of measures to prevent and control other infectious diseases.

Bayugo also noted that a budget of P165 million is being used for health manpower, and that there are so far 6,225 approved slots for health care workers that the DOH can hire.

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23 village execs charged over SAP

By Joel E. Zurbano and Nash Maulana

COOL DOWN. A zookeeper gives Mali the elephant his daily bath at Manila Zoo on Tuesday. The 47-year-old Sri Lankan pachyderm is the most popular animal at the zoo. According to Manila's Public Recreation Bureau Director Alipio Morabe Jr., the elephant receives vitamins and nutritious food twice a day and vitamins to shield it against any diseases, including COVID-19. Norman Cruz

TALK of the long arm of the law.

Malacañang said Tuesday criminal charges had been filed against 23 village officials, out of a possible 117, for alleged anomalies in the distribution of cash aid to the poor during the Enforced Community Quarantine or lockdown.

The alleged anomalies include splitting of the money, getting a cut or "tara," and falsification of the list of beneficiaries, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said in a virtual press briefing.

Four more cases will be filed in the next few days while 110 are under case buildup of the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Next page Group, Roque said.

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2020

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Explain ’bill shock,’ Meralco told

By Maricel V. Cruz, Joel E. Zurbano and Willie Casas

“Meralco should be made to explain why it is not guilty of violating the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act following the surge in the electricity bills of its customers while the country is under

a state of public health emergency and millions suffer from the economic fallout of lockdown measures to contain the spread of COVID-19,” House Deputy Majority Leader and Bagong Henerasyon

Rep. Bernadette Herrera said.

In the Senate, Sen. Win Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy, said his office had been receiving receiving complaints from consumers on their high electricity rates amid the prevailing Enhanced Community Quarantine.

In a statement, Gatchalian said: “Many of us are left wondering how Meralco has come up with such high charges especially during this time of the pandemic when many of us are facing mounting expenses and loss of livelihood.

“The problem lies with Meralco’s confusing electricity bill. Meralco has failed to provide Filipinos a clearer and justified explanation on why bills have

Gov't...

The number of new cases reported by the DOH from May 15 to 19 are, in daily order, 214, 215, 208, 205 and 22.

However, Roque said no country in the world will test every citizen amid calls for the government to conduct mass testing to determine the magnitude of the outbreak.

He also said it would be physically impossible to test all 110 million Filipinos.

“What we are doing is we’re trying to follow the best examples that we have and right now we’re trying to follow the footsteps of South Korea; and that is why the goal is to test 1.5 to 2 percent of the total population,” Roque said.

With infections showing no signs of stopping and a vaccine yet to be developed, health experts contend that mass testing—which experts say is identifying and isolating clusters and cases—would prove to be one of the quicker, more efficient ways to help curb the spread of the disease.

Speaking to CNN Philippines, global health expert Dr. Sanjay Gupta explained that most places around the world, including the country, are still under the "mitigation phase"—or only plainly dealing with the presence of the virus.

Measures, however, would have to be ramped up if countries seek to get to the "containment phase"—or identifying where the virus is spreading at the moment.

"Ultimately, we want to be in containment phase, and that means basically trying to put a box around the virus and contain it," Gupta said.

Government data showed that as of May 13, the country had conducted a total of 189,469 tests on 184,857 individuals. From May 8 to 13, the

average of conducted tests was 7,809 tests per day.

Roque claimed that the Philippines has stringent measures when it comes to testing its returning citizens, adding the government requires all returning Filipinos to take a PCR-based test, unlike other nations that are only testing those who are symptomatic.

Assistant Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro slammed Roque’s statements that put the burden of testing on the private sector.

"The World Health Organization itself said that mass testing is key in containing COVID-19. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque admitted that government still has no plans to conduct mass testing as government eases restrictions in the community quarantine and workers return to their offices revealing that this administration still has no comprehensive and systematic medical solution in combating this virus after two months of the enhanced community quarantine," Castro said.

Castro said targeting 2 percent of the population for testing will not be enough especially with its snail-paced response.

Government should target mass testing and not just a percent of the population.

Mass testing targets all suspected and probable cases, senior citizens and those with pre-existing conditions and people in high-risk communities.

"Identifying positive cases is the first step in combating this virus. We must be able to swiftly identify and isolate suspected, probable and confirmed COVID-19 patients and inform all those who they may have had contact with to also isolate and monitor their health for symptoms. These, of course, will not be

effective if the Duterte administration continues its sluggish response, make more excuses of how it cannot implement mass testing and not listen to the people's demands," Castro added.

Castro said President Rodrigo Duterte should stop blaming local government units (LGUs) and his critics, stop passing its primary responsibility to the people to the private sector and realize that because of his administration's slow response and neglect for adequate medical solutions, the country has not been able to control the wide spread of the virus.

"The Duterte administration was already given additional powers to ensure medical solutions to combat COVID-19 and strengthen the public health system,” she said.

Community quarantines alone will not stop the spread of COVID-19, she said.

Former Anakpawis party-list Rep. Ariel Casilao also slammed the government’s failure to effectively respond to the pandemic, saying the modified enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) would be useless without mass testing.

“Clearly, the Duterte regime failed to effectively respond to the pandemic after the two-month lockdown, as it denied the people’s demand for a medical solution last March, primarily mass testing. This blunder is price-tagged with the 0.2 percent contraction in the gross domestic product,” Casilao said.

Moreover, he said that it was clear that the Duterte administration is now passing the buck of mass testing and transportation to the private sector, as it did to the local government units during the early part of the lockdown.

stop the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) from implementing its cease-and desist order that forced the media giant to go off air early this month.

During the en banc session, the SC justices instead ordered the NTC, the House of Representatives and the Senate to file their respective comments on the media giant’s petition challenging the validity of the shut-down order issued by the commission earlier this month following the expiry of the ABS-CBN’s legislative franchise.

Court spokesman Brian Keith Hosaka said the Court gave the NTC, the House of Representatives, and the Senate 10 days from receipt of notice to comment on the petition.

While the television network named only the NTC as a respondent in its petition, the Court separately impleaded both Houses of Congress and also required them to file a comment, Hosaka said, in a text message.

The tribunal also gave the NTC five days to reply to the comments to be filed

by Congress.

“The (Court) actions were unanimously approved by the 14 justices of the Supreme Court,” Hosaka said.

ABS-CBN earlier prodded the Court to immediately issue a temporary restraining order to enjoin the NTC from implementing its cease and desist order, arguing that the CDO was issued without notice and hearing, to the detriment of its 11,000 workers.

The network said it is losing P30 million to P35 million, mainly in advertising revenues, every day it is off the air and told the court it may eventually have to let go of workers, reduce salaries and benefits, and cut expenses if the "financial hemorrhage" is not stopped.

Sources in the judiciary disclosed that the Court resolved to hold off taking action on the urgent plea of the ABS-CBN for TRO until after they have received the comments to be filed by NTC and Congress.

With Rio N. Araja

Strict...

with reduced capacity and higher operating expense, and yet financially viable to operate.

“The adjustments will cost money— small by Ramon Ang standards, but a fortune for a jeepney driver or an independent taxi operator who hasn’t seen a fare for more than two months.”

Recto was referring to the chief operating officer of the food conglomerate San Miguel Corporation.

According to Recto, “the installation of plastic dividers in taxis, dividing curtains in jeepneys, the migration to cashless fare will be a big investment for them.

“Even the regular disinfection of vehicles is another cost that will whittle down their daily income. Alcohol “na hindi lang pang-sports, pang-pasada pa” will not be given for free.

“Add to these the requirement for jeepney and van drivers to record the names and contact numbers of their passengers and they will have their hands full, literally.

“Government should assist their transition to the new normal. Their crucial role entitles them a place in front of the line for the stimulus fund. After all, what they get from the government will not be for their personal consumption, but to retool the vehicles for the riding public’s safety.”

According to Recto, “Such assistance also does not require project proposals or complex financial spreadsheets. It is retail spending, which can be carried out with ease.

“But in the plethora of government proposals—PH-PROGRESO Plan of the economic managers, to cite one— the transport sector does not seem to have a prominent and urgent role. It appears they have been ghosted by the government.

Recto said, even before COVID, MRT, LRT and PNR were already struggling to operate above capacity.

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PARTY-LIST legislator on Tuesday warned that Manila Electric Company (Meralco) might be held liable under Republic Act 11469, or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, should it fail to “satisfactorily address” the “bill shock” experienced by its customers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

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So far, the government has not hit its target of 30,000 tests a day by the end of May. At 50,000 tests a day, it would take 40 days to test two million people for the virus.

Meanwhile, Malacañang said the government is hoping to test 1.5 to 2 percent of the country’s population of 110 million.

The government’s target would be between 1,650,000 to 2,200,000 tests as the government has so far tested 207,823 unique individuals, which is a measly 0.19 percent of the country’s total population.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said his earlier statement that “the government has no plans to conduct mass testing” was “taken out of context” as he said the government is now doing “expanded testing.”

Health Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire also said the government is engaged in expanded COVID-19 testing rather than mass testing.

“What we are doing right now is expanded testing and we are testing the vulnerable and severe cases. We have since expanded it to include those with mild symptoms,” Vergeire said.

Despite more tests and hundreds of thousands of test kits made available through government purchases and donations, the Department of Health has reported over 200 new coronavirus cases daily over the last five days, indicating that the country is far from flattening the curve of the disease.

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hearings for the full 25-year renewal application of the ABS-CBN franchise," Cayetano said.

Last week, Cayetano and several House leaders filed House Bill 6732 that grants a provisional franchise to ABS-CBN for a "limited time" or until Oct. 31. The bill was approved on the same day it was filed by constituting Congress as a committee of the whole.

But several legislators cited legal problems with this approach as the Constitution requires a bill to be passed on three separate readings on as many days, unless it is certified urgent by the President.

After withdrawing HB 6732 for a provisional authority, Cayetano tasked the House committee on legislative franchise chaired by Palawan Rep. Franz Alvarez to immediately conduct hearings on the pending bills on ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal, and ensure that all stakeholders will be given the opportunity to air their sides.

"The hearings must be fair, impartial, comprehensive and thorough," Cayetano said.

Cayetano, who had earlier delayed the hearings on the franchise renewal, warned supporters and critics of the giant network not to muddy the waters.

"To the extremists outside Congress who are either for or against ABSCBN franchise renewal, don't poision the debate,” he said. “It will not help your cause nor enrich your position. Let love and reason carry our passions and argument, not hate and obsession."

Cayetano said Congress was forced to shift its attention to the ABS-CBN franchise renewal instead of the government efforts to combat the threat of Covid-19 for everybody's welfare.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Tuesday took no action on the urgent plea of ABS-CBN Corp. for the issuance of a temporary restraining order to

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referral network for employees who will develop symptoms • Promote physical and mental resilience among workers Roque said the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) would cover the cost of coronavirus testing using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, while employers would shoulder the costs of rapid antibody test kits.

The Department of Health said workers who were asymptomatic, with history of travel or exposure to the disease, on the date of work resumption would not be allowed to physically return to work and must consult with the company's primary care provider.

Those who experienced symptoms in the last 14 days prior to their date of work resumption must present certification of quarantine completion, it said.

The agency earlier said coronavirus testing was required only of persons exhibiting symptoms.

According to the DOH, employers may test a representative sample of workers, based on those who are at high-risk of contracting COVID-19 due to their nature of work such as frontliners.

They may also screen those using rapid anti-body test kits approved by the Food and Drug Administration every 14 days, it added.

In the Senate, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto issued a statement, saying “Test, track and treat” were not the only concerns of workers (but) travel and transport too. They can only get back to work if they can go to places of work safely without COVID hitching a ride.

Recto said: “But the new normal in the pandemic world calls for public transport

Trump...

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23 village...

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At least 44 mayors have been asked to explain the slow distribution of cash aid, Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya earlier told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo, beamed nationwide.

A P30,000 reward awaits citizens who report graft and corruption, he added.

The government, confronted with the coronavirus pandemic, earmarked P200 billion

for emergency subsidies of P5,000 to P8,000 for poor families for the months of April and May to help them during the lockdown—from March 16 to May 31, 2020.

A total 18,046,093 families received financial assistance from the program, Roque had said.

Meanwhile, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto on Tuesday said the government's second installment of financial assistance should be given to beneficiaries even if their communities had been downgraded to a general quarantine area.

A resolution tabled by the European Union called for an "impartial, independent and comprehensive evaluation" of the international response to the pandemic, which has so far infected nearly 4.8 million people and killed more than 317,000.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus acknowledged there had been shortcomings and told the virtual assembly he welcomed calls for a review.

Meanwhile, the coronavirus pandemic

gone up so high.”

Gatchailian said his office had started initial inquiries on whether or not Meralco had taken advantage of the current pandemic situation to the detriment of the Filipino consumers.

At the same time, groups belonging to the Power for People Coalition (P4P) on Tuesday sent a P19.12 billion bill to the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) for all refunds and interest that remain unpaid by the electricity distributor since 2003.

The bill was sent via email to the Meralco Corporate Office, in response to the bills sent by Meralco to consumers, which have set social media ablaze as complaints of excessive billings were posted even on Meralco’s own social media page.

could cut up to 9.7 percent off the global economy, the Asian Development Bank said, doubling its previous estimate as the virus stifles trade and leaves millions jobless.

The estimated impact would cost as much as $8.8 trillion based on a range of scenarios, but ADB said government interventions could help offset the losses inflicted by the crisis.

Up to 242 million jobs will be lost due to the virus, more than seven times higher than the employment losses seen during the global financial crisis a decade ago. Foregone labour income could top $1.8 trillion. AFP

Farms damaged by ‘Ambo’ to get P700m in aid

By Othel V. Campos THE farms damaged by Typhoon “Ambo” will soon receive part of the P700 million Quick Response Fund after the Agriculture department validated the reports of the damage it inflicted on the farms in Eastern Visayas and Luzon.

The damage to farms have hit P1.14 billion, including the P793-million lost to bananas, vegetables and other high-value crops.

The loss to rice and corn crops have initially been estimated at P301.7 million, while the loss to the fisheries and livestock sub-sectors have been assessed at P25.5 million and P23.4 million, respectively.

"We were fortunate that the losses were not that heavy as we issued early warnings and recommendations to our regional field offices several days before the storm hit eastern Visayas,” Agriculture secretary William Dar said.

He ordered the prepositioning of rice, corn and vegetable seeds in regions 1, 3, 4-A, 5, 6, 7, 8 and the Cordilleras.

Those included 109,586 bags of rice seeds, 10,116 bags of corn seeds and 1,195 kilograms of vegetable seeds. Animal drugs and other biologics for livestock and poultry were also distributed.

Chinese POGO owner nabbed with 18g shabu

By Joel E. Zurbano POLICE have arrested two Chinese nationals, one of them an employer of a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operation, during an entrapment Monday night in Pasay City.

Arrested were Chuo Xiao, 27, a resident of Pamplona in Las Piñas City, and Han Xiaodong, 35, a POGO employer and a resident of Unit 8-B, Plaza Condominium in Salcedo Village in Makati City.

Police also seized more than 18 grams of metamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu worth P125,000 from the suspects.

A composite team from the National Capital Region and the Pasay City police conducted the operation on Gil Puyat Avenue and Taft Avenue in Pasay City around 7:20 p.m.

The authorities suspect the foreigners are involved in the illegal drug trade in southern Metro Manila, saying the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency considers them as high-value targets.

Police also seized from the suspects one small paper envelope, one digital weighing scale, P4,000 used in the entrapment operation and a Toyota Fortuner with registration plate WIO 643.

The suspects are now detained in Pasay City pending the filing of criminal charges against them.

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224 new COVID-19 cases reported THE Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday reported 224 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the nationwide total to 12,942.

Six new deaths were reported, bringing total fatalities to 837, while 114 patients recovered from the disease, bringing the total number of recoveries to 2,843.

Cebu mayor says most cases asymptomatic Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella on Tuesday said 95 percent of the city’s positive COVID-19 cases are asymptomatic, as he assured the public that they have been isolated.

“As of yesterday, [we have recorded] 1,749 positive cases, but 95 percent are asymptomatic,” Labella said during a virtual press briefing.

Labella said the local government has placed the patients in barangay isolation centers.

“They are quite the risky ones. They don't have the symptoms, no fever, no cough, and they go around so we isolate them,” he said in Filipino.

The mayor attributed the increase in positive cases of COVID-19 to the strategic mass testing currently being conducted together with the cities of Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue. The city has so far tested more than 10,000 individuals, he said.

Medical graduates deputized THE Department of Health (DOH) has issued a memorandum that allows medical graduates to engage in limited practice of medicine as deputized physicians, without need of any certificate of registration from the Professional Regulation Commission.

For those to be assigned in primary health care facilities, the medical graduates are expected to treat and manage cases to help reduce the burden in hospitals already overwhelmed by COVID-19.

Willie Casas and Maricel V. Cruz

News IN BRIEF DOJ to probe Ragos case in June

WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2020

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House to tackle disruption of classes

By Maricel V. Cruz and Willie Casas

THE Department of Justice will start next month its preliminary investigation on the killing of retired Army Corporal Winston Ragos near a quarantine checkpoint in Quezon City last April.

This came after the Philippine National Police and the family of Ragos filed a homicide complaint against Police Master Sergeant Daniel Florendo Jr. before the DOJ. “The case is now for DOJ preliminary investigation. Hearing set in mid-June,” said DOJ Secretary Guevarra said in a text message to reporters.

Commenting on allegations that the .38 caliber revolver found in the pouch of the 34-yearold Ragos was “planted,” Guevarra said: “All evidence will come out during the preliminary investigation. Let us just wait for it, in fairness to all parties involved.

Earlier, a video that went viral reportedly showed that last April 21, the police officer shot the retired Army Corporal twice in the body after the victim allegedly did not follow the orders of Florendo and four police trainees who were with him. Rey E. Requejo

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ONGRESSMEN have vowed to address the class disruption that has affected students and faculty members; tertiary schools and educational institutions and their personnel because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Arrested teacher Mas posts P72k bail AN OLONGAPO City court has ordered the provisional release of the public high school teacher from Zambales who was arrested last week over a tweet offering P50-million for President Rodrigo Duterte's head.

Mas posted bail of P72,000, Judge Richard Paradeza of the Olongapo Regional Trial Court ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to release him unless he is detained for another lawful cause.

The judge set the 25-year-old teacher's arraignment and pre-trial for May 28.

“After eight long days of illegal detention, Ronnel Mas, a school teacher, has finally been granted provisional liberty after the family posted bail and Branch 72 of the Regional Trial Court issued a releaseorder,” the militant teachers’ organization Alliance of Concerned Teachers-Philippines said in a statement on Tuesday.

“This initial victory sends a powerful message that the seemingly abosulte power of a repressive regime can be and will be challenged by even the most ordinary Filipinos such as Teacher Ronnel,” ACT said. Willie Casas

QC COVID-19 cases climb to 1, 832 THE number of confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has already ballooned to 1,832 in Quezon City as of May 18, 7 p.m.

In its official Viber account, the Quezon City government reported 110 new recoveries bringing the total to 576.

There were 14 new cases of death as of Monday with a total of 161 deaths.

The city government has placed certain areas in barangays Bahay Toro, Culiat, Sauyo, Batasan Hills and Tatalon under a 14-day special concern lockdown since May 13 due to the high number of COVID-19 cases. Rio N. Araja

BIKE RIDE. Grab Express rider mounts four seRts of newly-purchased bicycles for his clients at a bike shop in Barangay Maliksi of Bacoor City on Tuesday, May 19. With the coronavirus pandemic changing the use of public transport because of social distancing, more and more people are getting on their bikes as community quarantine remains. Ey Acasio

No to wage cuts, yes to cash aid, KMU tells DOLE

By Willie Casas THE militant labor organization Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) on Tuesday slammed the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) implementation of a labor advisory allowing wage cuts on employees’ salaries.

“What all the Filipino workers need right now from the government are immediate cash aid and safe workplaces, not wage cuts,” said Ed Cubelo, Kilusang Mayo Uno-Metro Manila spokes-

person in response to the recently issued Department of Labor and Employment Labor Advisory No. 17 Series of 2020.

Section 5 of DOLE Labor Advisory No. 17 states that, “Employers and employees may agree voluntarily and in writing to temporarily adjust employees’ wage and wage-related benefits as provided for in existing employment contract, company policy or collective bargaining agreement (CBA).”

“Permitting wage cuts will only further burden the workers who are already mired in debt and bills due to the two-month lockdown imposed by the Duterte administration. Instead of wage cuts, the workers need cash aid immediately. Not all workers were given financial aid because DOLE only gave assistance to 657,201 formal workers when it was the same government institution who said that 2.5 million workers were displaced due to the lockdown,” said Cubelo.

NBI nabs internet sensation ‘Marcos’ THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Tuesday arrested an internet personality for alleged violations of the optometry law.

The NBI arrested Francis Leo Marcos, a businessman, who became known online for his "Mayaman Challenge," where he urges neighbors in his affluent Quezon City neighborhood to give aid to the poor amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The bureau said Marcos was arrested by the NBI's cybercrime division over a case in Baguio City for violation of Republic Act No. 8050.

Details were not immediately given by the NBI. The NBI said his official YouTube page has over 1 million followers, while several Facebook pages and support groups are under his name, with tens of thousands of subscribers. Willie Casas

THE Supreme Court has expanded the pilot-testing of video conferencing to address the delay in the resolution of pending cases arising from the physical closure of courts nationwide due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The SC, through

In a privilege speech, Committee on Higher and Technical Education chairman, Baguio City Rep. Mark Go said that his panel is committed to come up with new learning modes and review the most effective grading scheme and promotion system that can be adopted by schools as part of the “new normal.”

“I would like to enjoin my esteemed colleagues to swiftly implement and act on recommended interventions and policies that are most acceptable to stakeholders. The shift to online platforms, even in ablended learning environment, may alienate students from low-income households who may have limited connectivity,” Go said.

Kabataan Party-list Rep. Sarah Jane Elago, who interpellated Go, said that the shift of schools to online classes has put at a disadvantage, in terms of academic performance, students who experience risks and setbacks due to connectivity problems.

Elago ealier filed House Resolution 831 that calls for the grant of passing grades to all students.

“Our call is to focus on learning at hindi po doon sa mismong (and not on actual) grading, numerically, and just work on the preparation to strengthen remedial efforts kung paano natin hahabulin ang mga dapat pang habulin pagdating sa (on how to catch up with whatever was missed in so far as) learning capacities and competencies ng ating mga estudyante (of the students) are involved,” she said.

Go vowed that Elago’s resolution will be taken up by the committee in its hearing next week to address the plight of students. As for measures to aid students experiencing connectivity issues but are still required to take online exams this week, Go said the committee will discuss the issue in another meeting.

Saying that only 20 percent of state universities and colleges (SUCs) are capable of implementing online learning, Go urged Congress to support the establishment of lending programs for HEIs and TVIs to address their needs and the challenges they face due to the pandemic.

P’que workers told to submit COVID test results

By Joel E. Zurbano

MALL RE-OPENING. People shop for clothing at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City as the NCR eases into MECQ, with some shopping malls and specialty stores re-opening for the first time after 2 months of enhanced community quarantine. Norman Cruz

SC expands pilot-testing of video-conferencing of pending cases

By Rey E. Requejo

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the Office of the Court Administrator, issued OCA Circular No. 96-2020 designating 84 court stations from different region across the country that have been authorized to pilot test hearings through videoconferencing of all matters pending before them, in both criminal and civil cases.

Court Administrator Jose Midas Mar-

quez said the SC has mandated the use of videoconferencing in both criminal and civil cases, whether newly-filed or pending and regardless of the stage of the trial.

“Considering that the entire country has been on different levels of quarantine in the last two months, court action on pending cases before courts which

have not been authorized to conduct hearings through videoconferencing has been delayed. Hence, there is a need to authorize more courts across the country to conduct hearings through videoconferencing to address unacted matters which in the meantime have accumulated,” Marquez said in the latest OCA circular.

E-games beef up PH economy—ASPAP

ARRESTED. Francis Leo Marcos speaks to the media after an arrest warrant was served against him due to the previous case that was filed against him in Baguio, for allegedly violating the Optometry Law or RA8050 at the NBI Headquarters in Manila on Tuesday, May 9, 2020. Norman Cruz

A GAPING hole in the national budget brought about by the pandemic puts authorities under pressure to intensify revenue generating efforts.

Members of the Accredited Service Providers of PAGCOR (ASPAP) today cited the significant role of offshore gaming operations to help the nation rise from the crippling effects of COVID-19.

No less than House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman, Rep. Joey Salceda, has estimated that POGOs contribute around P94.7 billion annually to the country’s gross domestic product. He said that tax collection from POGOs in 2018 and 2019 alone reached P22.4 billion, inclusive of value added tax (VAT) from rent and

from workers consumption.

PAGCOR’s own forecast provides a more compelling reason to allow the resumption of POGO (Philippine Online Gaming Operator) operation, ASPAP spokesperson Atty. Margarita Gutierrez said. It projects annual collection of fees to reach P10 billion, while withholding taxes on both foreign and local POGO workers are estimated at P12.25 billion.

Add to that rental VAT payments for offices and housing (around P3 billion), Department of Labor and Employment permits (P6 billion), and fees of direct hired agencies (P3 billion), PAGCOR says the annual collections from taxes and fees from POGOs should be around P34 billion.

THE Parañaque City government on Tuesday reminded all returning employees to submit within one week their respective COVID-19 test results or face penalty.

Lawyer Melanie Soriano-Malaya, chief of the Business Permit and Licensing Office, said that under the Executive Order 37 signed by Mayor Edwin Olivarez state that public and private employees are required to mandatory testing to reduce the transmission of the virus in the city.

With the easing of modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in Metro Manila, 50 percent of workers have returned to work as select industries and malls were allowed to resume operations.

To avoid face-to-face contact with others, Malaya urged returning employees to email the test results at covid19clearance@bploparanaque.com or any letter/correspondence relating to EO 37 of the city can be emailed at requests@bploparanaque.com.

Malacañang is leaving it to private firms to conduct COVID-19 testing for their employees. Around 200 companies are preparing to conduct a million rapid antibody tests among their employees this month, sources said.

Malaya said employers are required to screen their workers for coronavirus symptoms, travel history and possible exposure to the virus is the past 14 days prior to the reporting to work.

“Employees who failed to submit COVID test result faces corresponding charges and fine, “she said, adding that the EO is in the exercise of police power of the local government unit in keeping in mind the general welfare of people.

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

A4

WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2020

Business

PH ignores loan proposed by IMF IN BRIEF Meralco told to explain fee charged on apps ENERGY Secretary Alfonso Cusi asked Manila Electric Co. to explain the P47 convenience fee it charges to online payment platforms.

“We would like your company to explain to us immediately the rationale of your payment scheme and confirm if the above information is correct and approved by management,” Cusi said in a letter to Meralco president Ray Espinosa dated May 14.

Cusi said the department had been receiving reports that the power retailer’s system obliges the paying customers to depart from existing payment arrangements, such as through banks, and and go through the app where they have to pay a convenience fee of P47 per transaction.

Cusi said the department recognized the efforts of Meralco to help consumers settle their power bills more conveniently through the launch of an app, but the fee was an additional burden to consumers. Alena Mae S. Flores

By Julito G. Rada

T

HE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas will not tap the new borrowing facility offered by the International Monetary Fund to members affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, saying the country’s macroeconomic fundamentals and external position remain strong.

Called Short-Term Liquidity Line, it is a new borrowing facility offered by the IMF to aid members as part of its response to the pandemic. It is designed as a liquidity backstop for members with very strong policy frameworks and fundamentals but face potential, moderate or short-term liquidity needs because of external shocks that generate balance of payments difficulties.

“BSP sees no need to avail of IMF’s short-term liquidity line,” BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said Tuesday in a message to reporters.

“As I said before, structural reforms and sound economic management have helped the Philippines enter the COVID-19 crisis from a position of strength,” Diokno said.

Diokno cited he country’s overall

BOP surplus of $7.84 billion in 2019, the highest in the last seven years. The surplus is two times higher than the $3.7-billion surplus projected for this year.

“Second, the peso is stable. Year to date [as of May 15, 2020], the peso has outperformed most of its peers in the region which is least depreciated and second to the TWD [Taiwan dollar], which is the only currency that appreciated versus the US dollar,” Diokno said.

Diokno said another factor that made the BSP confident of not tapping the IMF borrowing facility was the level of gross international reserves of the country.

As of end-March 2020, the GIR stood at an all-time high of $89 billion, equivalent to 5.3 times the short-term debt based on original maturity and 3.8 times based on residual maturity.

FedEx names Kawal as Asia-Pacific chief CLARK FREEPORT—FedEx Express, the world’s largest express transportation company and a subsidiary of FedEx Corp., announced the appointment of Kawal Preet as the new president of the Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (AMEA) region.

Kawal, previously senior vice president of operations of the North and South Pacific regions of FedEx Express, will officially assume her position June 1, 2020. She replaces Karen Reddington, who served as president of Asia Pacific region since January 2015.

Reddington is now the regional president of Europe and CEO of TNT. Kawal will lead the overall planning and implementation of corporate strategies and operations, and will manage nearly 40,000 team members across 103 markets and territories that make up the AMEA region, accounting for nearly half of the destinations FedEx Express serves. Jess Malabanan

GSIS pensioners given more time

THE Government Service Insurance System said Tuesday the pension fund is again extending the deadline for the Annual Pensioners’ Information Revalidation to June 30, 2020.

“Old-age and survivorship pensioners born in March, April and May need not go to GSIS branches to renew their active status for the time being. We advise them to postpone visiting our branches. They can do their APIR at a later date through our GWAPS kiosks located in large government offices, provincial capitols, city and municipal offices, selected SM and Robinsons malls and GSIS offices. Anyway, they have until 30 June 2020 to do their APIR,” said GSIS president and general manager Rolando Ledesma Macasaet.

APIR requires all old-age and survivorship pensioners to personally appear before GSIS offices during their birth months as a prerequisite to continue receiving their pensions.

MPIF ASSISTS CAVITE. Metro Pacific Investments Foundation donates over 1,000 sacks of rice and 1,000 grocery bags to the province of Cavite. With the help of PLDT Inc., the goods were repacked and mobilized for delivery to the provincial government. At the turnover ceremony are (from left) PLDT relationship management executive Arlyn del Prado, PLDT business head Michael Nolasc, Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla and MPIF president Melody del Rosario.

EastWest Bank’s income jumped 75% to P2.3b in Q1 EASTWEST Banking Corp., one of the largest universal banks in the Philippines and a unit of Filinvest Development Corp., said net income in the first quarter jumped 75 percent to P2.3 billion year on year, driven by sustained strength of its core businesses.

Bank chief executive Antonio Moncupa said Tuesday the first-quarter performance translated into a return on equity of 18 percent.

“The higher income in the first three months of 2020 was driven by better margins from its core lending and deposit-taking business and higher trading gains,” Moncupa said.

Moncupa said the bank’s net profit rose despite the increase in its loan loss provisions by ₱1.6 billion to ₱2.4 billion, which was 2.8 times higher from

last year in anticipation of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to the business.

The lockdown, the only viable response to stem the spread of the virus until a vaccine is found, has shuttered the economy and is expected to make it difficult for some businesses and consumers to service loans.

“We were looking forward to another record year, at least ₱8.0 billion in income for 2020–until COVID-19 struck.

Now, we have to be ready that profits could be lower this year. We have to book ‘anticipative provisions’ for loan losses and may need to continue doing so in the coming months as the economic damage to households and businesses from the virus-induced disruption unfolds,” Moncupa said.

“This pandemic is unprecedented and is still playing out. With no historical guide to anchor on, it is difficult to estimate bad debts. A lot now depends on government policy interventions. Consumers and businesses, especially MSMEs, need assistance,” he said.

Moncupa said the Philippines fortunately has healthy fundamentals and programs to assist households and businesses to contain the damage were on the table.

“These unfolding programs and the swift, proactive and decisive policy adjustments of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas give us hope that the damage could be managed, and the recovery will be fast. But let’s see how it goes,” he said. Julito G. Rada

DOTR expects all replacement jobs in MRT-3 line finished by September

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Department of Transportation said it expects to complete all rail replacement works at Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3 by September this year, ahead of its February 2021 target date.

The agency sped up rehabilitation works despite the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine order in Luzon.

Rail replacement works were previously done from 11 in the evening to 4 in the morning only, or during the non-operating hours of the MRT-3 line.

Since resumption of rail replacement works was approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases on April 6, working hours were extended from 7 in the evening to 5 in the morning.

The MRT-3 management now expects all rail replacement works to be completed as early as September 30, 2020.

About 36,540 linear meters out of 65,892 linear meters of rail have been replaced (55.45 percent), out of which 5,616 linear meters were replaced during the ECQ period.

The installation of six pieces of long welded rails from the GMA-

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

76.50 PTS. 5,555.85

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED

660,646,940 90,278 4,045,754,111.17 90 80 44

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2020

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

50.7800

Japan

Yen

0.009321

0.4733

UK

Pound

1.220300

61.9668

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129016

6.5514

Switzerland

Franc

1.028595

52.2321

Canada

Dollar

0.717309

36.4250

Singapore

Dollar

0.705368

35.8186

Australia

Dollar

0.651500

33.0832

Bahrain

Dinar

2.649217

134.527

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266276

13.5215

Brunei

Dollar

0.702889

35.6927

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000067

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.031230

1.5859

UAE

Dirham

0.272279

13.8263

Euro

Euro

1.091800

55.4416

Korea

Won

0.000816

0.0414

China

Yuan

0.140637

7.1415

India

Rupee

0.013228

0.6717

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.229358

11.6468

New Zealand

Dollar

0.603300

30.6356

Taiwan

Dollar

0.033405

1.6963 Source: BSP

DTI eyeing higher tariffs to supplement gov’t revenue

By Othel V. Campos THE Department of Trade and Industry is considering higher tariffs on certain imported products to add to the government revenue.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said the government was still assessing the country’s trade situation and which products could withstand the increase in tariffs.

“This is going to be minimal. It’s just to raise funds and still under study. It’s not for protectionism but to raise some revenues for government,” he said in a telecast Tuesday.

The additional tariff can boost government revenues, which include those generated from the Philippine offshore gaming operators, or POGOs. The government has been disbursing funds to families and workers whose movement is restricted in areas covered by the enhanced community quarantine order, and those in hard lockdown districts.

The Trade Department, meanwhile, advised mall operators to strictly implement minimum health protocols, including the donning of masks and social distancing in elevators.

“Mall operations is at 20 percent.

While we announced that retail can reopen, most of them, at the malls, have not really started to operate yet,” Lopez said.

Mall operators were also advised to keep the temperature in the malls higher to discourage people from loitering around.

“So they (mallers) can just do their thing like run their errands quickly and go back home,” Lopez said.

Business owners were advised to be proactive to keep their labor pool safe and healthy.

Carpooling and shuttle services are being considered as one of the options to transport employees from home to the work site and offices, but employers should provide the support.

Lopez reiterated the department’s offer to provide loans to micro, small and medium enterprises through the SB Corp.

The department has given MSMEs access to a P1-billion loan package at 0.5 monthly interest for enterprises that have been in operation for one year.

2 1600

Telecom, retail firms resilient under ECQ TELECOMMUNICATIONS companies and retail-related firms are expected to be resilient amid current economic conditions as these provide essential services to people in the middle of the enhanced community quarantine, according to stockbrokerage firm BPI Securities.

BPI Securities said while a lot of companies whose earnings and businesses were affected by the ECQ, telecommunication companies and supermarket chains, however, were expected to perform better during the period.

“Within the Philippine context, you would want to buy companies that sell staple items that benefit slightly from this work-from-home arrangement. So the companies that we think fit the bill include some of the supermarket chains. I think telcos, given that they have the broadband business, would be good stocks to own as well,” BPI Securities president Haj Narvaez said. Jenniffer B. Austria

PSE INDEX CLOSING

Kamuning Station to the AranetaCubao Station (Southbound) was finished on April 15, while 14 LWRs were completely installed from the Araneta-Cubao Station to the Santolan-Annapolis Station (Southbound) last April 23.

Rail replacement works from the Santolan-Annapolis Station to the Ortigas Station started on May 2.

After completion of rail replacement activities, the MRT-3 will conduct a system check on October 2020 to test the alignment of tracks, overhead catenary system and even the signaling and communications systems of the mainline.

Once all rail replacement activities are completed, the operating speed of MRT-3’s trains are expected to increase gradually from the current 30 kph to 40 kph by October, 50 kph by November and 60 kph by December.

The increased speed will translate into a lower headway, or waiting time between trains, from the current 8.5 minutes down to 3.5 minutes. Along with the increase in operational trains from the current 15 up to 20, MRT-3’s capacity is expected to double from the current 300,000 to 600,000 passengers a day.

SMART MOBILE STORES.

Mobile subscribers and partner retailers can now gain access to reloading stations even while under the enhanced community quarantine order, thanks to the initiatives of local government units and Smart Communications Inc. To help make its service more widely available even under ECQ, Smart started working with LGUs and barangay personnel as they roll out mobile stores in barangays and cities affected by the lockdown.

This allows Smart, TNT and Sun prepaid subscribers to reload their phones and buy PLDT and Smart Bro devices, whenever they buy fresh produce or supplies in the mobile markets rolled out by the city LGU.

First Gen booked lower profit of P3.3b in first 3 months of 2020

By Alena Mae S. Flores FIRST Gen Corp., the power generation unit of the Lopez Group, posted a net income of P3.3 billion ($65 million) in the first quarter of 2020, down 20 percent from P4.2 billion ($81 million) year-onyear.

First Gen attributed the reduced net income to lower electricity sales across all platforms, though partially offset by reduced interest expenses and taxes.

“With this unforeseen pandemic, 2020 will be challenging for all. Though elec-

tricity is an essential need, First Gen has not been spared from the difficulties. The lockdown imposed in March has translated to lower electricity demand,” First Gen president and chief operating officer Francis Giles Puno said in a statement Tuesday.

Recurring net income attributable to equity holders also reached P3.3 billion ($65 million) in the first quarter, down 15 percent from P4 billion ($77 million) on year.

First Gen operates 3,492 megawatts of clean, low-carbon and renewable portfolio, which accounts for 21 percent of the

country’s gross generation.

First Gen primarily uses clean and indigenous fuels such as natural gas, geothermal energy from steam, hydro-electric, wind and solar power.

“We are now more than ever strengthened in our strategy to catalyze the country’s movement towards a decarbonized future. We believe that we should leave this place better than when we found it, and First Gen will play a catalyzing role producing more clean and renewable energy projects throughout the Philippines,” Puno said.