Manila Standard - 2020 June 14 - Sunday

VOL. XXXIV • NO. 110 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

An employee wearing protective gear disinfects a shopping mall as a preventive measure against COVID-19 in Caxias do Sul, Brazil. Brazil on Friday became the country with the second-highest coronavirus death toll in the world with 41,828 fatalities.

Experts say the true number of cases could be 10 or 15 times higher in Brazil, the largest country in Latin America. AFP

Highest single-day ’fresh’ cases PH infections breach 25,000 mark; Rody to decide on GCQ areas’ fate

By Willie Casas and Rio N. Araja

T

HE surge Saturday in the number of coronavirus infections has raised the total cases to 25,392, with the country recording its highest single-day “fresh” infections at 504.

Of the 607 added to the infected cases ledger, only 103 were part of the validation backlog.

The record number of fresh cases, or those reported to the patient within the last three days, came two days before President Rodrigo Duterte announces his decision on the fate of areas under General Community Quarantine on Monday.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque, in a radio interview, said the chief executive will decide the next steps to contain the spread of COVID-19 while balancing public health and the economy.

The Palace official said Metro Manila and other areas under might transition to modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), return to modified enhanced community quarantine, or remain under GCQ.

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM JUNE 13)

25,392

607 NEW

TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

504

1,074

22

5,703

252

DEATHS

RECOVERIES

FRESH

NEW

NEW

PARTS OF BEIJING UNDER LOCKDOWN

NICOTINE VS COVID? RESEARCH ONGOING

TOKYO OLYMPICS IN 2021 WILL BE SAFE

RESEARCHERS are looking at the potential of nicotine as a protective agent against respiratory inflammation caused by COVID-19.

NEXT year’s Olympics will be safe despite the pandemic, Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike said, pledging a ‘120% effort’ to ensure the postponed Games can go ahead.

PARTS of Beijing were placed under lockdown as six new domestic coronavirus cases were reported, fueling fears of a resurgence in local transmission.

WORLD / A3

But as far as the Department of Health is concerned, Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told the Laging handa briefing the DOH had not as yet issued any official recommendation from the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF).

She added any information on the quarantine status for Metro Manila come June 15 remained baseless, as the Task Force on the COVID-19 response would still have to issue a decision.

“We haven’t released any IATF recommendation about the June 15 decision. All that’s coming out now has no basis. We’re studying this carefully,” Vergeire said.

Vergeire said indicators factored into deciding the quarantine level include the time confirmed cases double, and level of usage of critical care facilities in hospitals.

Metro Manila shifted to GCQ on

BUSINESS / A4

BUT FIRST, PHILIPPINES!

HOW PANDEMIC AFFECTS OUR HOMES

THE #PinasMunaTayo campaign, a hugely online-driven program, aims to encourage Filipinos to spend their money in the Philippines first.

THE pandemic has revolutionized the way we spend time in our own homes, with many wanting to ‘bring the outside in.’

LIFE / B1

HOME/DESIGN / B2 twitter.com/ MlaStandard

June 1, following over two months of a strict lockdown, with businesses and transport operations resuming partially to spur economic activity.

Vergeire said that whether or not the doubling case rate increased or decreased, what’s important was that the public continued to observe measures against the virus.

A lower doubling time indicates slower spread of infection.

“We continue to follow preventive measures so we can continue the fight against COVID-19,” Vergeire said, reminding the public of the DOH warning on the use of antibody test kits sold online.

“The use of rapid antibody test kits is becoming prevalent. We see online sellers selling this. People have to be sure when they use this,” Vergeire said.

Vergeire stressed these test kits should be registered with the Food and Drug Administration and validated by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine.

Health officials earlier warned such rapid test kits could result in false positives.

At the same time, Vergeire said there

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was not enough proof to support a study claiming that airborne transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19 was possible.

The DOH had previously maintained that COVID-19 was transmitted through respiratory droplets amid circulation of online information that the virus might linger in the air in some situations.

In a related development, the Quezon City government has placed two other areas under special concern a lockdown due to a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases.

Assistant city administrator Alberto Kimpo identified the areas as 138 Ermin Garcia Street and 52 Imperial Street, both in Barangay E. Rodriguez.

“From two active cases, the number of COVID-19 cases in these two areas went up to 15, this came after Metro Manila eased into general community quarantine,” he pointed out.

To date, areas under special concern lockdown are Sitio Militar in Barangay Bahay Toro, Calle 29 in Barangay Libis, and Kaingin Bukid in Barangay Apolonio Samson.

STORIES ON PAGE 2

COVID LEAVES 4.1M STRANDED TAX ON ONLINE COMMERCE HIT

SPORTS / B4

‘SECRET GARDEN’ BACK ON LOCAL TV GMA Heart of Asia brings back Hyun Bin’s hit Koreanovela ‘Secret Garden’ starting tomorrow.

ENTERTAINMENT / B3

BORACAY REHAB ON TRACK ­—DENR HOUSE PASSES 389 MEASURES 3-STORY HOUSE FALLS INTO CREEK IN QC

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News

A2 SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Local stranded individuals take shelter at the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Baclaran, Parañaque City while waiting for buses to bring them home to their provinces. (Inset) At least 128 stranded individuals were transferred from NAIA to the Philippine Army Wellness Center where they underwent rapid testing for COVID-19.

Norman Cruz

Pandemic leaves 4.1m Filipinos stranded Move to tax online sellers A ‘unnecessary,

By Joel Zurbano

T LEAST 4.1 million Filipinos of working age have been stranded due to lockdowns imposed to arrest the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, a Social Weather Stations survey showed Saturday.

The mobile phone survey, which was conducted on May 4-10, showed the number of stranded persons account for 5.4 percent of the projected 75.8 million working-age Filipinos.

The number of respondents who said they were stranded outside of their place of residence was highest in Balance Luzon at 1.8 million, followed by Mindanao at 1.1 million, Visayas at 710,000 and

Metro Manila at 490,000.

More working-age men were stranded than women, and most of them were between 18 to 34 years old.

Sampling error margins were ±2 percent for national percentages, ±6 percent for Metro Manila, ±2 percent for Balance Luzon, ±3 percent for Visayas, and ±3 percent for Mindanao.

Meanwhile, at least 128 stranded pas-

sengers waiting for available flights at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport were temporarily transferred to the Philippine Army Wellness Center in Fort Bonifacio.

“We were given instructions to help our stranded kababayan,” said Army spokesman Col. Ramon Zagala in a radio interview.

The Air Carriers Association of the Philippines (ACAP), for its part, said it is closely coordinating with the government to mount additional domestic flights to cater to more air travelers, especially stranded Filipinos.

ACAP is working with the Department of Transportation, the Civil Aeronautics Board, the Manila International Airport Authority and other government agencies to find ways to expedite the mounting of

additional flights.

“We understand the need of our guests, especially Locally Stranded Individuals (LSIs), to fly back to their respective home provinces at the soonest time possible. At the same time, we also understand the concerns of the national government and concerned local government units with regard to the risks surrounding the surge of travelers from Metro Manila,” said ACAP in a statement.

“In the meantime, we appeal to all our passengers to proceed to the airport only when they have confirmed flights,” the group added.

Air travelers whose flights are cancelled or have a different travel date will not be allowed to enter the NAIA terminal by airport security.

Boracay rehab House passes 389 bills, stimulus measures on track amid pandemic

By Maricel V. Cruz

By Rio N. Araja AMID the COVID-19 pandemic, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu says he remains on track to complete the rehabilitation of the world famous Boracay Island in Aklan by May 2021.

The one-year extension given to the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF) was enough to achieve all its targets and lay the groundwork for a permanent government body that would manage the island, he said.

“The new executive order gives us another year and directs us to finish the rehabilitation of Boracay. We aim to do that as we propose a bill in Congress that would create a permanent management group for the island,” he noted.

President Rodrigo Duterte issued Executive Order No. 115, extending the term of the BIATF by one year or until May 2021.

The task force was originally set to end last May 8, or two years after it was created under EO 53.

Cimatu was referring to the proposed legislative measure creating the Boracay Island Development Authority or BIDA, an independent body that would oversee implementation of sustainable development activities on the island and ensure the continuity of BIATF’s accomplishments.

“We want to preserve all the good things that resulted from rehabilitation of Boracay and which brought it back to its rightful place as one of the best islands in the world,” he said.

The task force would focus on its priority rehabilitation activities for completion before May 2021, including the enforcement of easement laws to clear the beachfront and roads of obstructions.

Boracay Island and other tourist destinations were closed to tourists due to the enhanced community quarantine to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The island reopens on June 16, but only to residents of Western Visayas as the region shifts to a more relaxed modified general community quarantine.

THE House of Representatives, weeks behind its timeline for its first regular session, made up for the delay and passed 389 bills and resolutions including significant bills to support government’s effort to contain the spread of coronavirus 2019 and moves to mitigate the damage the lockdowns brought to the economy as well as the livelihood of millions of workers and small entrepreneurs.

Led by Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and under the stewardship of Majority Leader Martin Romuadez, the House made history when it held online sessions and committee investigations at the height of the lockdown.

When it adjourned sine die on June 5, the House had approved 389 measures

including six Coronavirus Disease 2019 response measures and nine priority bills, mentioned by President Rodrigo Duterte in his 2019 State of the Nation Address.

The SONA priority measures include: Postponement of the May 2020 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections, Establishment of Malasakit Centers, major tax reform measures such as Increasing and Restructuring the Excise Tax Rates on Alcohol, Heated Tobacco, and Vapor Products, the Corporate Income Tax & Incentives Rationalization Act (CITIRA); the Passive Income and Financial Intermediary Taxation Act (PIFITA), the Real Property Valuation and Assessment Act, the Creation of the Department of Filipinos Overseas and Foreign Employment, the Creation of the National Academy of Sports, and the Salary Standardization

Law of 2019, which increased the salary of teachers and nurses.

In addition, the House also approved: Republic Act No. 11465 or the P4.1-trillion 2020 General Appropriations Act and RA No. 11468, or the “National Day of Remembrance for Crash Victims, Survivors and their Families Act.” It is the first time the proposed national government budget was approved by the House within weeks of the start of the regular session. It was passed by the chamber in September 2019.

Cayetano congratulated his colleagues for their remarkable performance and hard work as the First Regular Session ended last week.

“To all my colleagues, I am very proud of you,” Cayetano remarked in his closing speech before the session adjourned.

NEW DINING NORMAL.

The service crew of a restaurant in Kawit, Cavite demonstrate on Saturday the implementation of social distancing measures among their customers in preparation for the resumption of dine-in services on June 15, 2020.

Norman Cruz

Cases await owner of QC house that fell into a creek

By Rio N. Araja THE Quezon City government has ordered relevant offices to look into the incident involving a three-story structure, which apparently did not have a building permit, that fell into a creek in Barangay Del Monte last June 12.

No one was reported hurt in the incident as the structure was being utilized as a storage area for the owner’s glass and aluminum business, it said.

City hall officials said based on initial investigation, the owner of the structure

failed to obtain a building permit from local government—which makes the structure illegal.

The Department of Building Official recommended the filing of a criminal complaint against the owner for violation of Section 301 of the National Building Code.

The DBO, Engineering Department and the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office also recommended reclaiming the easement of five meters and to coordinate with the Department of Public Works and Highways in build-

ing a retaining wall to reinforce against erosion.

The DBO urged all barangay chairpersons to report all illegal structures to the building official as mandated to them by Section 20 of the QC Local Building Code.

On the other hand, the Housing Community Development and Resettlement Department proposed the immediate relocation of 105 informal settler families in the area, of which 20 of them are living on West Riverside Street, the site of the incident.

insensitive’

By Macon Ramos-Araneta “ILL-TIMED and insensitive.”

That’s how Senator Sherwin Gatchalian branded the move of the Bureau of Internal Revenue to tax online sellers while the country was battling the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, which caused lockdowns in much of the country since March 16.

The BIR has directed online sellers to register their businesses and settle their taxes not later than July 31.

The Department of Finance, of which the BIR is one of its revenuegenerating agencies, said the move was not meant to go after merchants who have unreported sales or unpaid taxes, but rather to encourage them to register with the BIR. In an interview over DZAR, Gatchalian said the proposed taxation was not only an added “unnecessary burden” to entrepreneurs, but it would also compel online sellers to pass on the additional expenses to their customers He noted that right timing on imposing or increasing taxes was important.

It is not right for the BIR to impose tax on online sellers, most of whom are starting over after losing their jobs due to the Enhanced Community Quarantine, Gatchalian said.

Because it is important to maintain social distancing especially now that a cure for COVID-19 has not been discovered, Gatchalian cited the need to even encourage everyone to use technology to shift to the digital economy.

He also warned that “premature taxation” on online sellers at the height of the pandemic “will impede the growth of the country’s growing digital economy.”

“I believe premature taxation will only do harm than good to our growing digital economy,” Gatchalian said He called on the government to help create a “vibrant digital economy” by resolving some key concerns of the eCommerce industry, such as lack of trust, improving internet and logistics infrastructures, and lack of governing entities at the regional level.

“Before we impose new taxes on the digital economy, we should first think of ways on how we are going to develop this industry in order to provide more jobs and opportunities to all Filipinos,” he said.

Senator Juan Edgardo Angara earlier said the BIR timing in imposing taxes on online sellers was not the best, given the difficulties faced by Filipinos facing the challenge of the COVID-19. ‘’But these are not new taxes, but just collection of taxes due under existing laws. So if you ask a seller who has a store, he will say it’s only fair to have a level playing field since that seller pays the transaction taxes due,’’ said Angara, chairman of the Senate finance committee.

World

SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2020

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Joyce Pangco Pañares, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Trump postpones rally scheduled for ’Juneteenth’ DONALD Trump has postponed a controversial rally scheduled for the same day as a holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the US, following fierce criticism, he announced Friday.

The “Make America Great Again” rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma had been due to mark Trump’s return to the campaign trail, but he said on Twitter the event had been postponed “out of respect” for the June 19 “Juneteenth” holiday.

Critics had slammed Trump’s choice of Tulsa – the site of one of the worst race riots in US history – as anti-racism protests swept the country following the death of George Floyd in police custody.

“This isn’t just a wink to white supremacists – he’s throwing them a welcome home party,” Senator Kamala Harris tweeted after Trump first announced the rally.

The Republican billionaire announced on Wednesday that he would resume his campaign rallies in four states – Oklahoma, Florida, Arizona and North Carolina – despite the coronavirus pandemic that continues to rage in the US. Raucous rallies have been a hallmark of Trump’s presidency and a key to energizing his base, which he hopes will turn out in big numbers on November 3. He is currently lagging in the polls against Democrat Joe Biden.

Job approval for the president is also down after his response to the coronavirus pandemic and the recent turmoil over police brutality, sparked by Floyd’s death during his arrest in Minneapolis.

Although the coronavirus remains a threat, his campaign now feels that the crowds at daily street protests have lifted the political pressure on Trump to avoid large gatherings of his own.

Trump supporters must however sign a waiver promising not to sue if they catch COVID-19 at the event, according to his campaign website. AFP

EU’s haphazard route to postlockdown border reopenings AS EUROPEAN countries emerge from their coronavirus lockdowns and lift travel restrictions to revive their tourist industries, the EU has been aiming to coordinate the border reopening among its 27 members.

The bloc has recommended that the member states fully reopen their frontiers with each other on June 15, and many countries are planning to relax controls on that date.

But the border reopenings have been far from harmoniously coordinated.

Italy, which has been among the world’s hardest hit by the new coronavirus pandemic, reopened its borders on June 3, lifting all restrictions for travellers from within Europe.

Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Slovakia and Slovenia have also already begun to lift restrictions for foreigners entering their countries but excluded those from nations they deem as not safe – in many cases that list includes Sweden and the UK. Poland has reopened its borders to all fellow EU members and the UK from June 13.

Sweden meanwhile never closed its borders to EU countries.

Neither did tiny Luxembourg – but quickly found all its neighbours closing their borders instead.

In line with the EU’s plans to reopen borders in the bloc by mid-June, Belgium, France and Greece are lifting restrictions on Monday for travel within Europe.

Paris, however, has specified it wants reciprocity and so may impose restrictions on those countries blocking travellers from France.

Greece, on the other hand, has gone further, also allowing travellers from farther afield, such as Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, China, Israel and Lebanon.

Germany is due to end land border checks on June 15, while the Dutch government has announced it would ease warnings against non-essential foreign travel from the same date.

Austria, which has already opened its borders to most of its neighbours, will on June 16 lift travel restrictions with a total of 31 countries – but has excluded Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

The Czech Republic is also allowing free travel with a number of European countries from Monday, but restrictions are still in place with those deemed a risk due to their levels of coronavirus infections.

Spain will only lift travel restrictions on July 1, with Portugal saying it will also open its border with Spain on the same day. AFP

Paramilitary police officers wear face masks and goggles as they stand guard at an entrance to the closed Xinfadi market in Beijing on June 13, 2020. Eleven residential estates in south Beijing have been locked down due to a fresh cluster of coronavirus cases linked to the Xinfadi meat market, officials said. AFP

Parts of Beijing locked down due to fresh COVID-19 cluster

P

ARTS of Beijing were placed under lockdown on Saturday as six new domestic coronavirus cases were reported, fueling fears of a resurgence in local transmission.

People were prevented from leaving their homes at 11 residential estates in south Beijing’s Fengtai district after most of the cases were linked to a nearby meat market, city officials said in a press briefing.

Beijing’s first COVID-19 case in two months, announced on Thursday, had visited Xinfadi meat market last week

and had no recent travel history outside the city.

China’s domestic outbreak had been brought largely under control through vast, strict lockdowns that were imposed after the disease was first detected in the central city of Wuhan last year.

These measures had largely been lifted as the infection rate dropped, and the majority of cases reported in recent months were citizens living abroad who were tested as they returned home during the pandemic.

Among the six new domestic cases announced Saturday were three Xinfadi market workers, one market visitor and two employees at the China Meat Research Centre, seven kilometers away. One of the employees had visited the market last week.

Authorities closed the market, along

with another seafood market visited by one of the patients, for disinfection and sample collection on Friday.

AFP reporters saw hundreds of police officers and dozens of paramilitary police deployed at the two markets. Workers were seen hauling several crates of seafood out of Jingshen seafood market, also in Fengtai district.

Fengtai district officials announced Saturday that the district has established a “wartime mechanism” and “field command center” to deal with the fresh wave.

Nine nearby schools and kindergartens have been closed. On Friday, Beijing officials delayed the return of students to primary schools across the city, and suspended all sporting events and group dining. Cross-provincial tour groups were suspended on Saturday.

SIT-IN. Protesters maintaining social distancing hold placards during

a demonstration against the government’s handling of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in Kathmandu on June 13, 2020. AFP

China sentences Australian to death for drug trafficking An Australian national has been sentenced to death in China for drug trafficking, in a ruling that could further inflame tensions between Beijing and Canberra.

Australia’s foreign ministry said it was “deeply saddened” by the verdict and reiterated the country’s opposition to capital punishment.

The man, named in Chinese pinyin as “Kamu Jielaisibi” and identified by Australian media as Cam Gillespie, was handed the death penalty

by Guangzhou Intermediate People’s Court on Wednesday, according to a notice posted on the court website.

The notice revealed no details about the defendant besides his Australian nationality.

According to Chinese local media, the man was arrested at Guangzhou Baiyun Airport, northwest of Hong Kong, in December 2013 with more than 7.5 kilograms of methamphetamine in his checked

luggage.

A spokesperson for Australia’s foreign ministry said consular assistance was being provided to the man, but they would not confirm his identity citing privacy obligations.

“We are deeply saddened to hear of the verdict made in his case,” the spokesperson said, adding that Australia “opposes the death penalty, in all circumstances for all people.”

“We support the universal abolition of the death penalty and are committed to pursuing this goal through all the avenues available to us.”

China is Australia’s largest trading partner, as well as a major source of lucrative international students and tourists.

But relations have been troubled in recent years and worsened after China reacted furiously to Australia’s call for an independent probe into the origins of the deadly coronavirus pandemic. AFP

Brazil virus death toll now world’s second-highest—ministry BRAZIL on Friday became the country with the second-highest coronavirus death toll in the world with 41,828 fatalities, surpassing Britain, according to health ministry data.

The country recorded 909 deaths in the past 24 hours. There are 828,810 confirmed infections among a population of 212 million, the ministry said.

Experts say the true number of cases could be 10 or 15 times higher in Brazil, the largest country in Latin America.

The United States has by far the highest death toll and caseload in the world.

Three and a half months after Brazil’s first virus case was detected, the outbreak is far from controlled, although some major cities like Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro have moved to reopen their economies.

Sao Paulo state, with 46 million people, is by far the hardest-hit, with 10,368 deaths – about a quarter of the country’s total – and 167,900 infections.

Rio de Janeiro has seen 7,417 deaths and nearly 78,000 cases.

As of Friday, Britain had recorded 41,481 deaths from COVID-19. AFP

Toronto’s ‘Graffiti Alley’ repainted to fight racism DOZENS of street artists have painted over parts of Toronto’s “Graffiti Alley” in shades of black and gray in a message of solidarity with anti-racism protesters following the death in US police custody of George Floyd.

The new sober murals contrast with the brightly colored original paintings in this spot popular with tourists on the south side of Canada’s largest city.

Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr, a raised fist – the artwork depicts heroes and symbols of the African-American community, as well as victims of police brutality.

A portrait of the 46-year-old Floyd is among them. The African American died in police custody after a white officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes in Minneapolis on May 25.

His death sparked two weeks of protests in cities across the United States and around the world.

Floyd’s likeness in “Graffiti Alley” bears a black band across his mouth reading “I can’t breathe” – his last words as he pleaded with officers before he lost consciousness.

“But we can hear you,” the artist added around Floyd’s face.

The project is aimed at raising awareness about the anti-racism movement, and for artists to show their support, one of the organizers, Moises Frank, told AFP. “I think using art as a tool of talking against oppression is a really powerful and beautiful way of protesting,” the 25-year-old said.

“People are starting to realize that (racism) is an issue that we’re not going to shy away from talking about anymore,” he said.

“I hope it’s only the beginning of the conversation.”

One mural depicts a panther with yellow and orange eyes, a tribute to the activism of the Black Panthers.

Another shows a raised fist with the caption, “Still fighting 4 black lives.” AFP

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Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor / Roderick dela Cruz, Issue Editor business@manilastandard.net

Lady contractor sees homes evolving amid pandemic A

LADY general contractor and designer expects changes in the way homes, commercial establishments and public spaces are designed and built amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“COVID-19 has a huge impact on the interior design industry. Our homes, commercial and public spaces will encompass the new awareness of the personal safety concerns of the people,” says Joy Gladys Jabile-Ejercito, the general manager and principal designer of JJE Design and Construct.

“Though open spaces in homes, offices, public spaces will be at a decline, there will be a new definition of spaces especially at home. Spaces will be segregated so as not to be easily exposed to the virus. The foyer will become the transition zone with the sanitizing and changing areas. There will be work spaces, home-school area and virtual meet-up area. With these new spaces, the Wi-Fi connection will become one of the basic needs or necessities,” says Jabile-Ejercito, an active member and former corporate secretary of the Philippine Institute of Interior Designers board of trustees.

Despite her hectic schedule, she is also a triathlete, marathoner, cultural advocate, one of the best dressed women of the Philippines awardees, an awardee of Society for Cultural Enrichment Inc., a ramp model, an active member of Business Network International, a member of Rotary Club Makati Premier District, a mother of four children and wife of a surgeon. She taught at the Philippine Women’s University School of Fine Arts and Design and headed the Interior Design Review Center of the same university in 2008.

She is a regular lecturer and speaker in various schools and universities in the Philippines. In January 2018, her project was featured in the coffeetable book of My Home. In the same year, her residential project was featured in the front cover of My Home magazine.

Jabile-Ejercito says that to avoid the spread of the virus and infection, interior designers will have the role to specify anti-bacterial finishes, including those that already exist like copper. They will also include design nudges to direct everyone where they can sanitize or wash their hands and employ RFID technology for temperature screening or UV light for disinfecting spaces without being exposed to humans.

“For the construction industry, there are certain elements that are standard in the healthcare facilities might be applied in public spaces such as reduction of the number of flat surfaces where germs can sit and installation of proper ventilation systems,” she says.

Jabile-Ejercito has been in the in-

dustry for 26 years and founded her own company on Sept. 10, 2017 which marked her 46th birthday. Today, JJE Design and Construct is one of the most aggressive and progressive in the industry with a solid roster of clients that includes residential, commercial and hospitality structures. Their designs are considered timeless, sustainable and universal.

JJEDC’s clients include owners of residences, hospitals, clinics, offices, shops / stores, boutique hotels and resorts. Her dream project is to design and do an interior fit-out of a whole hotel or condo building and to construct a low-rise [up to 6 floors] building. “Furthermore, I dream to have interior design projects abroad and construction projects in other regions of the Philippines,” she says.

A daughter of a military general, she wanted to become a doctor in college and enrolled for Agricultural Chemistry at UP

because it does not only make the spaces aesthetically pleasing to the eyes, relaxing and comfortable but functional effectively and efficiently. Through my learnings, interior design is also psycho-social. It helps promote the wellness and well-being of the users and encourage enhanced teamwork and communication, support business process and improve staff welfare and morale,” she says.

“I find fulfillment in finding solutions to the problems. I enjoy going through the process of visualizing, looking at the details, planning, and implementing. Seeing my design and drawings come to life is simply amazing,” says Jabile-Ejercito.

Before she established JJEDC, she has done design and construct in several projects. The most fulfilling project was when she handled Diseno Lindo as the vice president for design. Throughout that time, she learned how to deal with clients,

“ECQ and COVID-19 have greatly affected the interior design and general construction industry. During the lockdown, there was no client engagement. The only revenue we had was the pending progressive billing that a client needed to pay. The client was also hesitant to pay because he needed to budget his funds in these uncertain times. It was understandable. I had to show compassion and asked for understanding because I also need to support my workers who are dependent on me,” she says.

JJEDC now focuses on planning and design which they do digitally and online.

“Collaboration and coordination are done through the Zoom platform. We are currently discussing the new direction of the company. The work from home is not new in our company as we have been doing it because we spend more time visiting jobsites. Now more than ever, we just need

Los Banos before shifting to BS Biology in the second semester. “I only got involved with interior design when I was looking for a stepping stone in UP Diliman so I can transfer there. Interior Design was easier to transfer to as it was not a quota course. My plan was to shift to BS Biology after. But then, I got to enjoy Interior Design. For one, being an artist is in my blood. My dad’s hobby is painting, sketching, drawing. He was the artist in his school and I was also the artist in my school. So I pursued it and came to love it,” she says.

When she graduated from college and passed the interior design licensure examination, her father put up Arqui Interfaz Construction and Development Corp. to build low-cost housing for the military.

“I find interior design very interesting

close businesses, go through the design process efficiently and effectively, execute her design, manage people and time and become accustomed to accounting, residential construction, furniture construction and project management.

The outlook for JJEDC and the building industry was bullish before it was interrupted by the health crisis. “Before the pandemic, the interior design industry was performing well especially with the ‘Build, Build, Build’ projects of the government and the private sectors. People would buy properties and have them built on, repaired or renovated or even done with interior fit-out. People invested in properties to own or to be rented out that interior design was sought-after,” she says.

to formalize and enforce it to protect the health and safety of the staff. The jobsite visits will be case to case and only if it’s urgent and necessary,” she says.

Jabile-Ejercito says that in the aftermath of the pandemic, builders and designers will consider adequate lighting with good audio and virtual connection, personal bubble that serves as comfortable social barriers, physical distancing, comfort zones in social environments and interior design that promotes mental and physical health through lighting, materials sound and acoustics.

“As economy acclimatizes, work from home will not be an afterthought where we can create beautiful and functional office in the comforts of our home,” she says.

Exporter turns into PPE maker THE Department of Trade and Industry-Export Marketing Bureau lauded a local personal protective equipment maker for spearheading the PPE Bayanihan Project for healthcare frontliners.

Since the country has been under quarantine, all but essential businesses were closed, including leather goods manufacturer The Leather Collection.

The company, availing business matching services from the DTI-Export Marketing Bureau, was already exporting its products.

They had to shut down operations due to the covid-19 pandemic. Instead of being discouraged, TLC chairman Federico Sevilla Jr. and CEO Yolanda Sevilla used the time to spearhead the PPE Bayanihan Project for healthcare frontliners.

To date, they have donated more than 15,000 PPE units (face shields, isolation gowns and jumpsuits) to 82 hospitals, rural health units and health centers in Metro Manila, Laguna, Batangas, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Antique, Quezon, Leyte and Bataan.

The PPE Bayanihan Project began when the Fashion Design and Merchandising School of the College of St. Benilde asked for materials to make PPEs. TLC gave water-resistant lining material and Benilde FDM acknowledged their donations in a Facebook post.

A friend of the Sevillas heard of their donation and donated P100,000 seed money to fund the project. Another donated rolls of water-resistant material. A third called to say he had a network of home-based sewers in Bulacan who could make the PPEs. With all these elements in place, the PPE Bayanihan Project was launched. Its objective is to provide health care workers with PPEs as the demand for these items was high and the supply scarce. PPEs are very important to protect the health of the medical workers and prevent the transmission of COVID-19.

More friends and friends of friends got into the bandwagon—donating and soliciting donations, vetting requests for donations from hospitals, rural health units, health centers and healthcare workers.

TLC functioned as the operations center—receiving and accounting for donations of money and materials; sourcing, qualifying and repurposing materials; product research and design; prototyping and approval of prototypes by anesthesiologists; coordinating production; receiving and dispatching finished goods which included face shields, isolation gowns and coveralls or jumpsuits.

More people, she says, will move away from congested residences. “During this pandemic, people all the more thought of having their own homes or moreover, in the suburbs, away from the virus and infections. They will shy away from areas where there is a large gathering of crowds,” she says.

Jabile-Ejercito remains optimistic about the outlook for the industry. “Interior design and construction have not been completely impeded by this pandemic. This quarantine has inspired people to nest and re-decorate. In the age of pandemic, the home has become our world. Everyone wants to take care of the wellness and well-being at home to support the body, mind, and spirit throughout these difficult and challenging times.

“I am ready to meet the challenges. To meet the challenges, interior designers, here and abroad, are now rising up by offering services virtually using online virtual platforms. Some are even brainstorming new packages to meet clients’ changing needs. Most do virtual meetings and consultations with clients, architects, and the rest of the project team for the design process. Floor plans and images of fabrics and finishes are sent electronically to give the team direction. Design decisions can be made virtually to keep the design process moving forward.

She says to brace for the new world, the design and construction industry is now researching for modern technologies to specify to clients. “The public spaces will move toward more automation to mitigate contagion. There will be speeding up of the development of the touchless technology that are automated, voice-activated, hands-free, celfonecontrolled. Eventually, there will also be the profuse use of Siri to control things without having to touch,” she says.

Generally, people will now appreciate more the things that matter, she says.

“The materials things now have lesser relevance. That will be the family, health and safety. In this age of pandemic, people will just want to survive by not getting sick and for the business to survive,” she says. Roderick T. dela Cruz

Scientists study nicotine as protective agent against coronavirus RESEARCHERS are looking at the potential of nicotine as a protective agent against respiratory inflammation caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2—the strain responsible for Covid-19.

“There are studies showing that smokers are under-represented among Covid-19 patients, especially hospital patients,” Dr. Konstantinos Farsalinos, a Greek cardiologist, said during the virtual Global Forum on Nicotine. “We think that nicotine is the most plausible candidate for these smoking-related effects.”

Farsalinos, a research fellow at the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center in AthensGreece, said it is possible that nicotine, and not smoke, is the one responsible for the lower susceptibility of smokers to Covid-19 infection and hospitalization.

“In this is true, we expect that the beneficial effects of nicotine are going to be masked by the adverse effects of smoking,” Farsalinos said.

“The low smoking prevalence among hospitalized Covid-19 patients led us to generate a new hypothesis—that perhaps there is an interaction between SARS-COV 2 and nicotine acetylcholine receptors,” he said. Farsalinos said more studies and experiments were needed to prove this hypothesis.

Dr. Riccardo Polosa, a professor of Internal Medicine at University of Catania and director of the Center for Smoking Prevention and Treatment at the University Hospital, said several cohort studies in France, the UK and Israel showed that smokers were less likely to be infected by SARSCov2 than non-smokers.

“The mounting evidence does not point to smoking as a risk factor at least. It is not a risk

factor for those susceptibilities. As a consequential educated guess, given that combustion-free nicotine delivery systems are much less toxic than combustible cigarettes, let me tell you that vaping and using heat-not-burn products is highly unlikely to be a risk factor for Covid-19 infection and disease,” Polosa said during the same forum.

Experts, however, clarified that the smoking epidemic could kill more than 7 million people this year, greater than the expected number of deaths from Covid-19.

“Tobacco is the real pandemic. It is on track to kill five times as many people as Covid-19,” said Dr. John Oyston, a medical doctor from Canada.

GFN, traditionally held in Warsaw, Poland, is an annual conference organized by London-based Knowledge Action Change Limited to discuss the merits of tobacco harm reduction products such as e-cigarettes, heat-not-burn tobacco products and snus as safer alternatives to combustible cigarettes. Nearly 600 individuals participated in the 2020 forum which delivered presentations from 30 expert speakers on the theme “Nicotine: science, ethics and human rights”.

The participants in the forum talked about the latest evidence on the interplay between nicotine, smoking and COVID-19; the impact of the deliberate and continued misattribution of the so-called ‘EVALI’ lung-injury crisis to nicotine vaping instead of illicit THC; moral panics over low youth vaping rates taking precedence over the health of millions of adult smokers and vapers and Big Philanthropy’s effect on global public health.

Scientists and experts in public health and tobacco control highlighted the need for

1.1 billion smokers, and millions of adults who have switched away from smoking, to access appropriately regulated safer nicotine products such as vapes (e-cigarettes), Swedish snus, nicotine pouches and heatnot-burn tobacco products.

For decades it has been known that it is the burning of tobacco, and the release and inhalation of smoke, that causes disease.

Nicotine itself is not a carcinogen. The UK Royal College of Physicians said in a 2016 report that “any long-term hazards of nicotine are likely to be of minimal consequence in relation to those associated with continued tobacco use.”

“Tobacco harm reduction is good public health. It starts with the people who matter­ —people who smoke, and people who have switched to a chosen alternative —and it fosters and encourages change. Tobacco harm reduction is not antithetical to tobacco control; it should be part of it,” said GFN conference director Professor Gerry Stimson, emeritus professor at Imperial College London and former honorary professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

“Currently, obstacles to widespread adoption of tobacco harm reduction include big US philanthropic foundations with a myopic view of tobacco control, creating divisions where none should exist, and international organizations wedded to a narrow view of what defines success.

The global public health community must develop more ambition about what can be done – as well as a healthy dose of compassion for the individuals living with the consequences of inaction, of whom around seven million will die this year,” Stimson said. Roderick T. dela Cruz

Youth & Culture B1

SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2020

Bernadet­te Lunas, Editor

manilastandardlife@gmail.com

@manilastandardlife

@MStandardLIFE

But first, Philippines!

Campaign promotes economic patriotism LOVE LOCAL. As the country gradually reopens, the government and private sector urge the spending public to shop, dine, and travel in the Philippines first to help revive our economy.

By Bernadette Lunas

A

MBASSADOR Benedicto Yujuico, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, likened our country’s current economic state to a patient intubated in the emergency room—still breathing and fighting for his life.

“Our goal is to move this patient from the ER to a regular room,” Yujuico said during a video conference via Zoom livestreamed on June 12.

Yujuico, together with Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña, Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat, Alliance Global Group, Inc. chief executive officer Kevin Tan, and Resorts World Manila chief executive Kingson Sian, urged the public to support local businesses to revive and stimulate our economy as the nation gradually reopens.

The public-private partnership has given birth to #PinasMunaTayo campaign, a hugely online driven program that aims to encourage Filipinos to spend their money in the Philippines first, working on the premise that the country’s economic growth is driven by consumption.

The campaign focuses on three components: travel, food, and shopping.

“TriPinas” aims to revive the tourism sector by promoting domestic destina-

#PinasMunaTayo online campaign highlights three components: LasaPinas (food), TriPinas (travel), and ShoPinas (retail). In photos, from left: DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez, Rovilson Fernandez, and DOST Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña.

tions, “ShoPinas” pushes for buying locally in support to the retail sector, and “LasaPinas” reinforces the love for country by experiencing local food and hospitality.

“By choosing to travel, shop, and dine around the country, we can help local businesses to get back on their feet,” Romulo-Puyat said in a pre-recorded video.

Yujuico seconded, adding that patronizing Philippine-made products can help MSMEs (micro, small, and medium enterprises) rehire their workers who were rendered unemployed amid COVID-19 pandemic.

On June 5, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported around 7.3 million

individuals were jobless in April 2020, equivalent to 17.7 percent unemployment rate, the highest ever on record.

Despite the record-high jobless rate, Yujuico said, citing PCCI-led survey, that majority of entrepreneurs, or about 60 to 70 percent, “are still confident they can restart their business.”

“All countries will be focusing on getting back on their feet,” said Sian, reiterating, “Spend your money in the Philippines. Walang tutulong sa atin kundi tayo rin (We only have each other).”

This call for economic patriotism, Tan said, could help the country during the transition period, when more businesses are being allowed to open and

operating capacity gradually increases.

For instance, dine-in service in restaurants in areas under GCQ (general community quarantine) will resume in limited capacity (30 percent) on June 15. However, only establishments that strictly follow health protocols issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force will be allowed to accept dine-in customers.

Leading the charge from the private sector, Tan said AGI would help promote local products on social media and at Megaworld lifestyle malls and hotels.

Hitting two birds with one stone, Tan said, “We can use tourism to promote Filipino products. We plan to bring a lot of products from all over the country into

specific destinations so they can be readily available to the public. Promote them in our lifestyle malls, hotels, and resorts.”

Lopez said showcasing local products in malls and other shopping centers is vital to change the mindset of Filipino consumers to choose local. #PinasMunaTayo proponents clarified that the campaign is for all businesses and consumers in the Philippines. “It’s a nationwide campaign, no application process necessary,” said Yujuico.

“We aim to make sure this advocacy is well known all over the Philippines.”

Visit www.facebook.com/PinasMunaTayo to know more about the campaign.

Beautifully dangerous: The perils of gadget use

By Mikaela Kristina Acido-Muega TECHNOLOGY can be as useful as a sword, but can cut as deep if not used properly.

Like gallant knights, clad in armor and on a horse, we can use our swords to face our adversaries.

Our gadgets are like weapons. We can use them for good or get too high of ourselves and use them improperly.

Sometimes, a knight may get too reckless with his sword, hurting himself and others. The same goes for gadgets.

When school is out, many usually pass the time playing video games. And since these electronic games are within nearly everyone’s reach, many use them more often. And most people spend so much time playing video games sedentary.

Sitting or lying down is the most comfortable position for playing video games, and this can lead to obesity and other serious health issues. Excessive

YOUNG LIFE

gadget use can affect eyesight and brain.

The blue light can strain your eyes, especially if you hold the gadget close to your face. Recent studies show continued exposure to blue light over time can lead to damaged retinal cells.

Gadget use can also lead to sleeplessness and restlessness. Here’s a familiar scenario: You get on a train hoping you can pass the time playing Tomb of the Mask. However, you forgot your phone in your house, and since you want to play so badly, you can’t sit still. You fidget and shake your legs, looking for something to do.

When used properly, gadgets are a prized weapon that brings more perks than perils.

Some might ask, “So I’m hooked on my gadget, but why?” When you enjoy something, be it reading a book or laughing at some memes, your body releases the feel-good hormone dopamine. It is the same hormone released when a cigarette addict smokes.

Dopamine is released when someone hooked on technology experiences pleasure when playing video games, surfing on the Internet, watching video clips, or checking posts on social media. This is why some researchers have called gadget addiction “the new smoking.”

Studies show social behavior, cognitive, and emotional development can also be affected by gadget abuse, to the point where one fails to acknowledge their relatives and friends in real space and time. More screen time usually leads to less face time.

Negative effects of gadget abuse on behavior also include depression, ag-

More screen time usually leads to less face time.

gression, anxiety, and even paranoia The author is a student at Quezon City when a person misplaces their gadg- Science High School. et—73 percent of gadget users panic when they misplace their phone according to Berkeley.

Productivity in school can likewise be affected by gadget addiction. Funny YouTube videos, for instance, are a SHARE your unpublished essays perfect distraction. with the readers of Manila StandWe write our own fairytales and if ard. Chosen essays will be pubwe use our swords in the wrong way, lished in the Young Life corner we might have a not-so-happily-everthat comes out every Sunday. after ending.

This space is open for young Our gadgets can be used to do a lot of writers, aged 13-29 years old. good things: there are applications that Send your essay (maximum of can be utilized to deliver food, buy and 800 words) with photo/s, if availsell goods, educate the public, and more. able, to manilastandardlife@ A bit of entertainment won’t hurt. gmail.com with the subject: Set a reasonable time limit and once “Young Life - (title of your esyour time is up, stop. It might be chalsay)” along with a brief descriplenging at first, but once you get the tion of yourself. hang of the routine, you will become more productive and successful.

HEY, YOUTH!

B2

SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2020

Joel D. Lacsamana, Editor E-mail: jdlacsamana@gmail.com

Home/Design

THE TIMES, THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’ How the pandemic will affect our homes

T

HE COVID-19 pandemic has revolutionized the way we spend time in our own homes. Because of the forced isolation of the past three months, many people now want “to bring the outside in.”

CONFINED TO BARRACKS The experience of the past few months has convinced many Filipinos that the “new normal” home should deliberately enhance and support physical and mental health.

Being cooped up for an extended period has made us rethink the ideal interior, one that has the capacity to improve mental and physical health.

What then will be the top musthaves for any pandemic-ready home in the future?

FUNCTIONAL BALCONIES, SEPARATE ROOMS, IMPECCABLE ACOUSTICS To be blunt, open-plan spaces make it more difficult to quarantine someone who has Covid-19 or protect the more vulnerable. Those who live within family homes and shared households might once again see the appeal of individual sitting rooms, kitchens and dining rooms as providing somewhere apart from their bedrooms for its inhabitants to spread out and spend time on their own.

This could be a boon for those of us working from home and needing a quiet place to work.

It makes sense to search out moments of comfort during times of uncertainty. Some of us may start to feel a deeper connection to the objects within our homes that stir memories of people, places and events that hold personal significance. These items will be placed in prominent positions, becoming totems that are rich in meaning.

WINDOWS TO THE SOUL We have been looking at (or rather through) our windows a lot more than we did before; and through other people’s windows for that matter.

When we are indoors, they are a portal through which we can be transported: large scale alternatives to the digital screens we are increasingly glued to.

Expect much attention to be lavished on windows in the new normal. From creative curtains, to the happy little teddies that are lovingly placed to look

out at the world, to painted rainbows tacked up to the panes of glass. These will be the breadcrumb trails left by children and their families to say “Wow, this sucks. But we’re here. It’s going to be OK.” LIVING BALCONIES Balconies will increasingly be configured to let the outside in, especially for those of us without access to a private rooftop.

Where we have tended in the past to design one large balcony off a living

space, smaller balconies could be appended to other rooms. These would create opportunities for mini-gardens and allow each person in the apartment to have me-time.

AN OFFICE AT HOME Experience has shown us that working from the kitchen table, or at a desk randomly pushed into a spare corner, is not the best way to be productive.

Significant thought will be given to how we can create a beautiful, functional office

at home to support our remote working lifestyle. This will create challenges in small spaces, that will be overcome by applying clever design solutions.

EMBRACING COMBINED LIVING SPACES Zoom conference calls and virtual family meet-ups are fast becoming our new normal. These practices will continue to be our reality, post Covid-19.

We will become more conscious of the aesthetics of these video

interactions and spaces will be designed specifically with this in mind. Lighting, color, and acoustics will all be creatively utilized to design the optimum virtual space.

“Zoom rooms” – spaces conceived to provide picture-perfect backdrops for the now-ubiquitous video conferencing platform, will be the in thing. These include, for example, “a book-filled office”, or “a cozy hammock situation” or even “a modern man-cave bedroom”. The objective is to create an amenable space that conveys a sense of who you really are.

Such attention to detail can go a long way in reassuring a client that they are in good hands.

EXPENSIVE? Does one need to spend a lot for this? Hopefully not, as the economic crisis may see the end of the “oligarch aesthetic” – a desire to make a splash by conspicuously dropping cash.

Instead, quiet, nuanced gestures and subtle surface textures are going to become increasingly important as people move away from “processed” finishes.

Megawide kicks off 2020 with 41% revenues uptick despite COVID-19 MEGAWIDE Construction Corp.

(Megawide or the Company) reported revenues of P19.8 billion in FY2019, 24% higher than the previous year, with strong recovery by the construction business, continued momentum of airport operations, and positive traction from landport operations.

“We are building on the strong performance of all our segments for the full year of 2019 and the first quarter of this year,” said Edgar Saavedra, Megawide chairman and CEO. The robust performance continued in the first quarter of 2020 as revenues went up by 42% to P5.1 billion. Net profit for the period was recorded at P206 million amid the onset of the COVID-19 global pandemic.

CONSTRUCTION RECOVERY The construction segment posted a 20% growth in revenue to P15.2 billion in FY2019 and contributed 77% to the Group’s total.

In the first quarter of 2020, the construction business continued to rebound as revenues increased 52% year-on-year to P3.9 billion, despite the imposition of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) across Luzon in the second half of March.

AIRPORT OPERATIONS SLOWDOWN But the global onset of

DIGITAL HOME-BUYING HERE TO STAY. AboitizLand is adapting to the “new normal” by employing innovative steps and offering digital-based end-to-end home buying. This strategy is here to stay, even accelerate post-COVID-19, according to AboitizLand president and chief executive officer Dave Rafael, following a positive response from AboitizLand’s residential clients amid the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). Interested buyers may use AboitizLand’s 360-degree virtual tours on its website www.aboitizland.com to view amenities, features as well as property locations, or request for an actual video of the unit. “We are not going to ease up; we barely scratched the surface,” Rafael said.

COVID-19 affected both international and domestic travel early in the year with the imposition of travel restrictions. As a result, airport revenues for Terminal 2 at MactanCebu International Airport Mactan declined by 10% to P803 million in the first three months of 2020 as total passenger volume fell by 21% to 2.4 million.

LANDPORT GAINING TRACTION The Parañaque Integrated Transport Exchange (PITX) continued to gain more traction in 2019 as revenues reached P555 million from P18

million in 2018.

Since its opening last November 2018, passenger foot traffic steadily increased. The number of trips from the terminal (shown in photo) accelerated to almost 5,200 trips daily from 3,300 at the start of the year, consisting of city, provincial and long-haul buses; modern and traditional jeepneys; and domestic shuttle services.

In the first three months of 2020, the landport delivered P287 million in revenues and significantly compensated for the slowdown in airport operations.

RP ENERGY TEAMS UP WITH ONE MERALCO FOUNDATION TO FIGHT COVID-19. Redondo Peninsula Energy, Inc. (RP Energy), through the support of

One Meralco Foundation, recently donated 26 desktop computers to support the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) in its efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The computers, will be used in the molecular laboratory that is being set up by the PRC and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) at the PRC Logistics and Training Center within the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Zambales. SBMA Chairperson Wilma T. Eisma said: “The laboratory is expected to process around 2,000 test results per day once operational.” At the turnover (from left to right): Vilma Feji, PRC-Olongapo chapter administrator; Wilma Eisma, SBMA chairperson;, Jason Gavina, RP Energy CSR manager and Jeffrey Tarayao, One Meralco Foundation president.

Entertainment

SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2020

B3

Nickie Wang, Editor; E-mail: nickie.standard@ gmail.com

Staying positive amid quarantine life

Matteo Guidicelli shares his motivation to stay positive amid quarantine life.

I

F THERE is one trait that Filipinos are known for, then that is our ability to stay positive regardless of the circumstances. Whether it be braving a typhoon or taking long, stressful hours of travel due to traffic congestion, we can always find a reason to smile and ways to get by with any challenge.

Amid the current global health crisis, however, it may, arguably, seem way harder for some to remain optimistic, especially as it presents new challenges that bring massive changes in the way we live.

This pandemic has been overwhelming hospitals, restricting access to public spaces, disrupting industries, bringing mental health challenges, and forcing people to stay indoors— all these lead to what they refer to as the “new normal.”

With these new challenges and amid uncertainties, how can we still choose to have a positive mindset?

For Matteo Guidicelli, maintaining a positive attitude is crucial to adapt quickly to the current situation.

“Sometimes, it may seem depressing, especially now that everything is different. Our lifestyle, somehow, changed and, even our livelihood is affected. Some even lost their jobs,” said Guidicelli during a podcast with Joey Marcelo, CEO of Santé, and Paul Caluag, Santé’s chief network development officer.

Staying healthy and strong is also cr ucial. Guidicelli shared that creating and maintaining a routine

For Sarah G’s husband, being a channel of blessings, creating a routine, and staying healthy can help a person adapt to the new changes brought about by the ‘new normal.’ can help in doing the activities they need to do every day.

“Just because we are staying at home, it does not mean we do not have anything to do. There are so many more chores, work, and more piling up. By maintaining a routine, it will be easier to go about all these

Nationalism and heroism on ‘Storytelling Sundays’ THE Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) launched its family-themed Storytelling Sundays series last month, featuring a mix of music, shadow puppetry, animation, and performances by various storytellers.

This June, PETA’s Storytelling Sundays focuses on the themes of nationalism and heroism, as Filipinos celebrate Independence Day to honor past and modern-day heroes.

As the country begins to face the new normal and other challenges brought by the General Community Quarantine and the COVID-19 pandemic, PETA’s Storytelling Sundays aim to fit its featured stories to teach lessons on current social issues to audiences.

“For three Sundays of June, we’re devoting to stories that center on heroism—what makes a hero out of even ordinary Filipinos,” says Storytelling Sundays writer Felinda Bagas. “No matter who we are, what our situations are, we can all be heroes for our country.”

The first of the June series opened June 7, with two stories: Marvino’s League of Superheroes

by Rae RivalCosico, performed back to back with song-turned-story Ako’y Isang Mabuting Pilipino by singersongwriter Noel Cabangon.

In time for Independence Day, on the second week of June, PETA is featuring stories about Andres Bonifacio and Gregoria De Jesus, Ngumiti si Andoy

by Xi Zuq and Ang Lakam-

bini at Ako by Becky Bravo, today.

For June’s finale episode, Storytelling Sundays revisits and reinvents of one of PETA’s beloved plays, Christine Bellen’s Batang Rizal on June 28, a condensed adaptation for the digital platform with new animation. This line-up of stories aims to inspire a love for country and people across all ages, during a time when we need it most.

Apart from the theme of nationalism, Storytelling Sundays gives a treat for Father’s Day on June 21 with Russell Molina’s Tuwing Sabado and Ano’ng Gupit Natin Ngayon?, two stories about fatherhood that tell how, in so many ways, our fathers and father-figures influence who we are, how we think, and what kind of persons we could be.

Storytelling Sundays this June is presented by an exciting roster of storytellers: Rak of Aegis’ wellloved ‘Tolits’ Jerald Napoles and Pepe Herrera, renowned folk singer Noel Cabangon, Noel Comia, Jr., and Bourne Livelo from Tagu-taguan Nasaan Ang Buwan?, PETA’s own Gold Villar-Lim, and master storyteller Bodjie Pascua who will be making a comeback in one of the episodes.

Storytelling Sundays streams through PETA’s Facebook Page www.facebook. com/petatheater.

Comedian Jerald Napoles is one of PETA’s storytellers in its June edition of ‘Storytelling Sundays.’

activities,” said Guidicelli.

“I have set up a mini-gym, where I do some biking every morning when I wake up. In the afternoon, I run and cook for my wife. I just try to make everything routine-based and alive,” he added.

Guidecelli also noted that there are

ways to stay fit despite not having the proper workout equipment at home.

There are resources or videos online where anyone can learn some simple workouts.

Coping up with the new normal should also be part of everyone’s priority. For instance, Caluag said that Santé is preparing new measures to ensure physical distancing practices in their working environments. They also coined a better term for it as they refer to it as “better normal.”

“We must maximize opportunities to come up with better ways to operate and beat the challenges that we will face while helping our business partners to work better and thrive.

That is why we are bringing our training, seminars, and conferences online,” said Caluag.

As for Guidicelli, he considers using his influence to help those in need. Recently, he, together with some organizations, initiated an online benefit show called One Voice PH, which raised more than P10 million and helped distribute goods to places where it is needed the most.

With Matteo Guidicelli on board, Santé also aims to continue inspiring people to live more and do more through its premier organic health and wellness products and services.

To learn more visit its website at santebarley.com.

HYUN BIN’S

‘Secret Garden’ back on local TV STARTING tomorrow, GMA Heart of Asia brings back the hit Koreanovela Secret Garden on Philippine television.

The K-Drama is an award-winning romantic comedy featuring Hyun Bin—popularly known as Captain Ri Jeong-hyeok of Crash Landing On You and Cyrus of My Name is Kim Sam Soon—and Ha Ji Won, lead star of Hwang Jini.

A magical accident intertwines the fates, and even the hearts, of Owen (Hyun Bin) and Jamie (Ha Ji Won), two people from very different backgrounds. Owen is an eccentric bachelor who is about to inherit his family’s department store business. Although he is annoyingly arrogant and lazy, his employees respect him for his smartness.

On the other hand, Jamie is not the average, girly kind of woman. She is very unique in many ways she is an orphan, stuntwoman and principled person altogether. Coming from opposite worlds, Owen and Jamie often argue and mock each other until their bodies get switched when they woke up one morning.

Witness how this magical twist opens their eyes and hearts to each other as they live the other person’s life in the much-awaited comeback of Secret Garden after Stairway to Heaven on GMA’s Afternoon Prime block.

South Korean heartthrob Hyun Bin plays Owen in the tagalized version of the hit K-Drama, ‘Secret Garden.’

B4

Sports SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2020

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

sports@manilastandard.net • sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Varner leads as McIlroy, Spieth lurk

Miraitowa (left), the official mascot of the 2020 Summer Olympics, and Someity (right), the official mascot of the 2020 Summer Paralympics are seen in a room of Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in Tokyo. AFP

Brogdon: Some NBA players might skip return NEW YORK—Indiana Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon says some NBA players are considering skipping the planned 22-team restart to the coronavirus-halted 2019-20 campaign in Orlando next month.

The NBA shut down in March due to the deadly virus outbreak but is expected to return in late July once final details are worked out between the league and the National Basketball Players Association.

Speaking on a podcast by New Orleans Pelicans guard J.J. Redick, union executive Brogdon cited several reasons why some players are having second thoughts, including coronavirus safety issues and concerns over isolation for weeks in the Florida “bubble” environment.

“I’ve talked to a few guys that are super interested in sitting out possibly,” Brogdon said. “I was actually talking to (Oklahoma City guard) Chris Paul the other day, and he said, ‘Man, this is an individual decision that every man has to make for himself.’

“And I think that’s exactly what it is. It depends on your perspective.”

Brogdon said that some players are concerned about going into quarantine for weeks as major changes in the black community are underway across the United States in the wake of George Floyd’s death while in police custody and the worldwide protests and social movements that followed.

Playing basketball when racism and police brutality concerns are high might not be a comfortable mix for some players, Brogdon said.

“Some guys are going to say, ‘For health reasons, and COVID, and the long-term effects that we don’t understand about COVID, I want to sit out,’” Brogdon said.

“Other guys are going to say, ‘The black community and my people are going through too much for me to basically be distracted with basketball. I’m not going to prioritize this over the black community. I’m going to sit out.’

“Then there’s another group of guys... who are going to say, ‘This is the most amount of money I’m going to make in my lifetime. It doesn’t make sense to hand this money back.

I can do so much good in my community if I have this money.’ AFP

Tokyo Olympics will be safe, governor promises T

OKYO—Next year’s Olympics will be safe despite the coronavirus pandemic, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike has said, pledging a “120-percent effort” to ensure the firstever postponed Games can go ahead.

Koike—who announced Friday she would stand for re-election next month —said the city was committed to holding the event as a “symbol of human triumph” over the virus, but admitted it would be downsized.

“I will make a 120-percent effort,” Koike, 67, said in an interview with AFP, but declined to say how confident she was that the sporting extravaganza would open as planned.

Tokyo 2020 became the first Olympics ever postponed in peacetime earlier this year as the coronavirus marched across the globe, upending lives and forcing the cancellation of sporting and cultural events.

They are now scheduled to begin on July 23, 2021—though they will still be known as the 2020 Games—but medical experts have raised concerns that the delay will not be long enough to contain the virus and hold the event safely.

Officials in Japan and from the International Olympic Committee have warned it will not be possible to postpone again.

Koike said she was continuing to “make all-out efforts in the battle against the virus to put on a Games that is full of hope”.

And she pledged an event “that is safe and secure for athletes and fans from abroad as well as for residents of Tokyo and Japan”.

A simpler, cheaper Games Japan has got through the first coronavirus wave better than many countries, with just over 900 deaths out of fewer than 18,000 confirmed infections.

But it has faced persistent criticism for conducting relatively few tests that could understate the true number of cases.

Officials point to the comparatively low death rate as evidence that a recently lifted state of emergency—imposed in response to rising cases in April— and a public awareness campaign on social distancing have worked.

“Tokyo residents know that the summer Games next year in 2021 is not possible unless the impact of coronavirus calms down,” Koike said.

“That was among the things that pushed them to make these efforts.”

Japanese and Olympic officials have repeatedly said it is too early to tell how the pandemic will have evolved by the run-up to the rescheduled Games.

For now, Koike said “simplification and cost reduction” are the main planks of discussions, along with potential safety measures.

“What kind of (virus) tests and how?

How much social distancing is necessary? These will depend on future discussions,” she said.

- Preparing for a second wave The final price tag of postponing the Games remains unclear and the delay has also rattled sponsors.

A survey this week showed twothirds of Tokyo 2020’s corporate sponsors are on the fence about continuing their backing.

But Koike insisted the event would still be an “excellent opportunity” for sponsors and said she would be asking for their “continued support”.

The governor, who broke with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to run for the job in 2016, will stand for a second four-year term next month. AFP

Caruana bounces back vs So

By Peter Atencio IT’S on to the finals for Italian-American grandmaster Fabiano Caruana.

The world no. 2-ranked Caruana got the crucial points in his last two matches against Filipino GM Wesley So, for a 9.5 – 8.5 triumph at the close of their two-day 12-game encounter in the 2020 Clutch Chess International online tournament.

The 2835-ELO rated Caruana arranged a 12-game championship showdown with world no. 1 Magnus Carlsen, who slipped past Armenian GM Levon Aronian, 12-6.

So, currently ranked no. 8 in the world, was ahead on points, 6-2, at the end of the first day.

But the 26-year-old So saw his lead slip away following losses in Game 7 and 8, when Caruana first took a 53-move triumph, followed by a 41-move win in their Queen’s Pawn Game.

So hung on to the lead for the last time in Game 8 following a 57move beating of Caruana.

After that, Caruana moved away in Game 10 with a 25-move victory over So in their Caro Kann Defense Game, earning three points in their first of two clutch matches in Game 11 in 80 moves.

Then, they ended Game 12 with a draw in 28 moves.

“Doesn’t matter if I lose by 1 point or 8 points,” said Caruana at the end of their two-day encounter.

In Game 11, So was actually ahead when Caruana misplayed his positional edge during a time scramble. But So committed a costly mistake on the 73rd move, when he lost a passed pawn and resigned a few moves later.

“Fabiano today and yesterday were not comparable,” said So, whose Wesley So final earnings, including bonuses, totalled to $37,000.

UAAP volley stars to host TBH talk show on Liga, iWant

To Be Honest hosts Eya Laure, Ponggay Gaston, Michelle Cobb, and Rosie Rosier

FROM being opponents on the court, UAAP volleyball stars in Eya Laure, Ponggay Gaston, Michelle Cobb, and Rosie Rosier are joining forces in “TBH” (To Be Honest), the newest talk show on LIGA cable sports channel, iWant, TFC, and the ABS-CBN Sports YouTube channel.

In the program, student-athletes Eya, Ponggay, Michelle, and Rosie hope to inspire young modern Filipinas through fun and honest conversations about timeless and relevant topics with guest athletes. Episode one of “TBH,” which will air on June 23 at 8 am, with replays at 1 pm and 6 pm, will feature them breaking down their experiences, frustrations, and realizations during the new normal.

The quartet will be shooting episodes from the comfort of their homes as Metro Manila remains to be under community quarantine. Being indoors in the past three months,

however, has not stopped them from learning and exploring.

Eya, UAAP Season 81 Rookie of the Year, has been busy with online classes for her second year as a Tourism Major in the University of Santo Tomas and has also enjoyed making vlogs. Talking about what to expect on “TBH,” she said viewers will be able to appreciate their content.

“The four of us will be able to share our experiences that people will be able to relate to and will get to see our personalities off the court,” she said.

Like her, two-time UAAP champion Michelle is interested in vlogging but has been occupied with her newfound passion for baking. De La Salle University’s prized setter, who is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Behavioral Sciences, shared that their new show also gives her another thing to look forward to these days.

LOS ANGELES—Harold Varner overcame a triple-bogey start to maintain the lead at the halfway stage of the Charles Schwab Challenge on Friday as the hard-charging Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth appear poised to strike.

Varner, one of three black players in the top 200 in the world rankings, fired a four-under-par 66 at Colonial Country Club to reach 11-under 129 after 36 holes in the US PGA Tour’s return event after a three-month shutdown due to the new coronavirus pandemic.

“I have learned a lot about myself through adversity. America is going through adversity right now so it is pretty eye-opening,” said Varner, later referring to protests against the death of George Floyd, a black man killed recently as he was detained by white police officers.

Jordan Spieth and Bryson DeChambeau are tied for second, one stroke back after a second consecutive 65s, while world number one McIlroy fired a 63 to join Collin Morikawa and Xander Schauffele sharing third on 131.

England’s Justin Rose and American Justin Thomas are tied for seventh.

This week’s Charles Schwab Challenge is full of firsts, the biggest change being the absence of spectators.

Players have to undergo temperature screenings, regular COVID-19 testing and practice social distancing.

“When that first birdie putt went in and I didn’t get a clap ... my hand was trying to go up to wave to someone in the gallery, but there’s obviously no one there,” McIlroy said.

The field includes 15 of the world’s top 20 players, but some bigger names from outside of North America skipped it because travelling to the US would mean two-weeks quarantine.

After an opening 63 to match Britain’s late-starting Rose for the firstday lead, Varner took a seven at the par-four 10th hole to begin his second round, soaring off the tee and finding a bunker and rough before reaching the green.

Varner bounced back with birdies from four feet at 11 and 10 feet at the par-three 12th and par-three 16th holes. AFP

BEST Center founder Jorge dies in sleep NICANOR “Nic” Jorge—Best Center founder and president, former secretary general of the Basketball Association of the Philippines, former national coach, and the youngest ever to coach the University of the Philippines (UP) Maroons—died in his sleep on Saturday. He was 78.

He is survived by wife Marilyn, his children Nick, Veronica and Victor, and Monica, and grandsons Niccolo and Enzo.

Jorge was known to his friends as both a dreamer and a mover, proof to this was his founding in 1978 of the Basketball Efficiency and Scientific Training Center (Best Center)—the pioneering sports clinician that launched the careers of many basketball stars when there was no national youth development program for the sport yet.

The gentle giant Jorge did not stop producing the sports stars until his death. Among the Best Center products, who rose to become the biggest names in the sport are Benjie Paras, Jerry Codiñera, Boybits Victoria, Jun Limpot, Rey Evangelista, Patrick Fran, Paolo Mendoza, Chris Tiu, Joseph Yeo, Larry Fonacier and Kiefer Ravena.

Jorge did not discriminate as he also rooted for women’s basketball development.

At the same time of his founding of the Best Center, Jorge also coached the Philippine team that saw action in the 1978 Fiba World Cup in Manila. He also coached the Manhattan Shirthmakers and the Sunkist Juice Lovers in the early years of the Philippine Basketball Association.

Jorge served as the UP Maroons’ coach at the young age of 21.