Manila Standard - 2020 June 27 - Saturday

4 TERROR SUSPECTS SLAIN IN METRO; RODY WARNS ASEAN HEADS

By Vito Barcelo, Joel E. Zurbano and Rio N. Araja

group Daulah Islamiyah in an operation in Parañaque City yesterday.

The raid happened as the Anti-Terrorism bill still MILITARY agents and police killed four sus- awaits the signature of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Duterte on Friday cautioned fellow Southpected members of the international terrorist

east Asian leaders on the growing threat posed by terrorists as the world is facing challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic during the 36th annual Association of Southeast Asian Next page

TERROR SUSPECTS.

Four alleged members of the ISIS-inspired Daulah Islamiyah were killed during a raid on their hideout conducted by joint police-military forces in Paranaque City yesterday. Seized from the suspects were sevderal guns, ammunition and ISIS flag among others. PIO NCRPO

Rody: Reboot anti-virus plan

VIRTUAL SUMMIT. President Rodrigo Duterte joins other leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations during the 36th ASEAN Summit video conference at the Malago Clubhouse in Malacang on June 26, 2020. Presidential Photo

At virtual summit, leaders back Hanoi initiative

P

“The COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause disruptions worldwide with farreaching consequences. To survive, we need to make fundamental and systemic changes. And only a cohesive and responsive ASEAN can help us all safely navigate out of this perfect storm of a crisis. Greater cooperation and connectivity are vital for our region to thrive

VOL. XXXIV • NO. 123 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Friday ‘fresh’ tally bloats cases to 34K

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations should recalibrate its plans to ensure the region’s fast recovery from COVID-19, the Palace said Friday. under the new normal that COVID-19 imposes on all of us,” Duterte said in his seven-minute intervention.

Asean leaders agreed to work on a comprehensive recovery plan for the region amid the economic devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and welcomed the Hanoi Plan of Action Next page

HEATWAVE. Beachgoers sunbathe and play

in the sea on Bournemouth beach in southern England. Just days after lockdown ended and European travel restrictions were lifted, many were staying home in the cool as a heatwave hit the continent with temperatures touching 40 degrees Celsius. AFP

By Willie Casas, Rio N. Araja, Joel E. Zurbano and Vito Barcelo HEALTH officials reported 1,006 new COVID-19 cases Friday, 788 of which were “fresh” or newly validated and 218 of which were late results, bringing the total number of infections since the pandemic began to 34,073.

Friday’s “fresh” tally was just one case short of the highest single-day record of fresh cases of 789 on June 23.

At the same time, the Department of Health reported that 274 patients Next page

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM JUNE 25)

34,073

1,006 NEW

TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

788

1,224

12

FRESH

DEATHS

NEW

9,182

274

RECOVERIES

NEW

Jeepneys, UV Express vans back on the road next week—LTFRB

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

authorities due to COVID-19 pandemic, Chairman Martin Delgra of the Land JEEPNEYS will be allowed on the streets Transportation and Franchising and Regnext week after a three-month ban follow- ulatory Board said Friday.

Delgra said this a day after presidential ing quarantine protocols implemented by

• UK beachgoers trigger ‘major incident’ • Texas halts reopening, US cases soar AN ENGLISH seaside resort declared a major incident Thursday after thousands of people flocked to the beach on the hottest day of the year so far, despite the threat of coronavirus.

Britons were on Friday urged to abide

by social distancing rules over fears over a coronavirus resurgence.

The possibility that beaches could be closed has been raised by health secretary Matt Hancock, who said ministers would “take action” if rules continued to be broken.

WORLD ROUNDUP

NASA launches Lunar Loo challenge EVERYONE poops. gravity—from the Apollo missions Including astronauts, who have when waste management was, in since the early space era found ways NASA’s words, “a plastic bag which to do their business in near-zero Next page

Ex-senator Revilla dies; 93

By Nickie Wang “MY FATHER is gone. Please pray for him.”

These were the only words uttered by Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. when he went live on Facebook on Next page

spokesperson Harry Roque said the Inter- since passengers sit face-to-face inside it.

Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Buses and modern public utility vehiInfectious Diseases had yet to approve the cles have been allowed to ply the streets to return of jeepneys, which the government serve commuters since June 1, and based Next page views as a risk for getting COVID-19

Pride March dispersed: 20 arrested

By Willie Casas and Rio N. Araja TENSION arose during a rally by the members of the LGBTQI+ community in Mendiola, Manila on Friday after police arrested at least 20 of them during a violent dispersal.

Next page

PROUD PROTESTER. A policeman arrests a protester during the gay pride march near Malacanang in Manila on June 26, 2020. The protest was held amid ban on public gatherings as a general community quarantine was still in effect to control the spread of COVID-19.

Protesters, members of an LGBTQ group raised concerns over the plight of the gay community amid the pandemic and also voiced opposition to a proposed law that will give the state greater power to crush terrrorism. AFP

Foreign tourists eyed to revive industry—DOT soon be allowed by the Department of “We are looking at in the near future,

By Macon Ramos-Araneta, Maricel V. Cruz, and Vito Barcelo Tourism (DOT) to visit destinations in what we call travel bubbles or travel

this Southeast Asian archipelago to re- corridors,” Tourism Secretary BernaFOREIGN tourists from countries with vive the tourism sector hard hit by the dette Romulo-Puyat said Friday, citing relatively low cases of COVID-19 may coronavirus pandemic.

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News

SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Medics to Garcia: Tuob no cure

By Willie Casas

Duterte seeks innovative tack on sea dispute

may facilitate the virus’ aerosolization and contamination of nearby persons, objects or surfaces,” the PMA said.

The Department of Health, for its part, said Thursday tuob could not cure or prevent COVID-19 infection following its controversial use in Cebu.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire made the statement following Garcia’s controversial promotion of tuob.

Garcia had been promoting tuob to the villages as a possible home remedy for the pandemic, and after her niece in New Jersey, the daughter of her brother Mayor Garcia of Barili town, supposedly was healed of COVID-19 infection without medical help.

But medical experts have repeatedly

claimed that there is no scientific study yet showing that the home remedy for flu and common colds practiced for hundreds of years in Asian countries, including the Philippines, has therapeutic value.

Some medical associations in the Philippines have also issued statements discouraging the use of tuob as a cure for COVID-19.

“We stand by up-to-date medical evidence that steam inhalation has not been demonstrated to kill viruses, specifically the SARS-Cov-2 virus that causes COVID-19,” said a statement from the Philippine College of Chest Physicians, UP Medical Alumni Society Cebu Chapter, and Philippine College of Physicians Central Visayas Chapter.

The country’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc gave a sobering opening address on Friday that emphasised the “serious consequences” of the pandemic for economic development among ASEAN’S members.

“It has swept away the successes of recent years... threatening the lives of millions of people,” he said.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Duterte emphasized the need to step up the promotion of regional connectivity and sustainable supply chains, human capital development, and migrant workers’ rights.

The President also urged his fellow ASEAN leaders to strengthen the regional bloc’s capacity to address future outbreaks of infectious diseases, Roque said.

ASEAN leaders have conducted various virtual meetings with their dialogue partners to come up with strategies intended to defeat Covid-19.

Arresting the further spread of COVID-19 is the ASEAN’s top priority.

He added that Duterte also welcomed the creation of an ASEAN COVID-19 response fund to boost efforts to combat the pandemic.

“The President said COVID-19 has exposed our systems’ vulnerabilities, such as limitations in our health care and social protection,” Roque said.

The ASEAN country with the highest number of COVID-19 infections is Indonesia, followed by Singapore and the Philippines.

Roque said most Asean leaders have signified their intent to further boost their economic cooperation to mitigate the adverse impact of the COVID-19 crisis and facilitate the region’s quick recovery.

He noted that Asean leaders have also agreed to have “common responses” to contain COVID-19.

“Majority of them have sought economic integration because they believe it is the key for faster recovery from Covid-19,” Roque said in Filipino. With AFP

recovered from COVID-19 on Friday, bringing the total number of recoveries to 9,182.

Twelve more fatalities were reported Friday, bringing the death toll to 1,224.

Manila City Mayor Francisco Domagoso, meanwhile, said the COVID-19 spread in his city has reached a plateau, almost a month after community quarantine restrictions were relaxed in Metro Manila.

“For the past three weeks starting with the GCQ (general community quarantine), the COVID presence in Manila plateaued. It has not gotten bigger, it did not go down either. The numbers were just maintained,” Domagoso said in Filipino during an interview on ABS-CBN’s TeleRadyo.

“I hope that Manila residents listening will not relax,” Domagoso said.

As of Thursday, Manila had the third highest COVID-19 tally in the country, with 2,073 cases.

The city opened its own COVID-19 testing facility at the Sta. Ana Hospital on Thursday.

Domagoso said even though Manila is under a GCQ, some barangays in the

city are sometimes placed under a temporary lockdown if numbers of positive cases there are high.

On the other hand, Domagoso said the bed capacity of the quarantine facilities in Manila has not been filled up, which he said is “very good news.”

Meanwhile, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu ordered a lockdown in the entire central office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Visayas Avenue, Quezon City after two employees tested positive for COVID-19.

The agency will disinfect the premises and conduct contact tracing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 within the agency’s compound, Cimatu said.

He issued the directive while supervising the government’s COVID-19 response in Cebu City.

Undersecretary Benny Antiporda said the COVID-positive employees are assigned at the Environmental Management Bureau, which is located within the DENR compound.

“The two personnel were part of the skeleton force of the EMB, and they work directly with the office of the EMB director,” he said.

Intensified sanitation procedures have been conducted during the lockdown, apart from the regular disinfec-

tion being done thrice a week at the DENR office grounds since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The lockdown is good for only two and a half days to enable the agency’s skeleton workforce to immediately resume work on June 29, Antiporda said.

EMB director William Cuñado said all employees of the bureau will undergo self-quarantine for two weeks starting June 26 as a precautionary measure.

He said the EMB would continue to implement the alternative work arrangements as prescribed by the Civil Service Commission to ensure the safety and health not only of the employees, but also of its stakeholders.

“We encourage our stakeholders to continue their transactions with EMB by maximizing our online services,” he added.

Also on Friday, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said it has stepped up preparations for the repatriation of the remains of 301 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who died from various causes in Saudi Arabia.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III assured families of the OFWs that the bodies will be flown home by early next month after he was able to secure the approval of the Inter Agency Task Force for the repatriation of even the 152 OFWs who died from COVID-19.

The activists clashed with police during the rally in celebration of Pride Month near Malacañang and to protest against the anti-terror bill.

Manila Police District Chief Police Rolando Miranda confirmed that some protesters had been arrested, but did not

provide details.

Meanwhile, as she joined the celebration of Pride Month, Vice President Leni Robredo called on the LGBTQI+ community to continue promoting gender equality.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, she said, many things had changed but gender equality, dignity and freedom had not.

“There will come a time when we will return to all these, we will say that everything was worth the effort, eve-

rything was worth the sacrifice, everything was worth the fight. Just push,” Robredo said in a video message in her official Facebook account.

MPD General Assignment and Investigation Section chief Arnold Echalar said at least 20 protesters were arrested by police due to the illegal assembly and violation of the prohibition against mass gatherings amid the quarantine as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But netizens slammed the arrest of the protesters, claiming the police could not say what laws they had violated.

“Hindi po totoo ‘yan, bawal kasi ang pulis magsalita sa media para ma-prevent ‘yung technicality. Upon the turnover dito, sinabi naman ‘yung circumstance, so mayroong violation ‘yung mga hinuli. Kasi unang-una yung violation nila, illegal assembly, tapos yung RA 11332 nilabag nila dahil under GCQ pa tayo,” Echalar said.

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on the hierarchy set by the government, UV Express and jeepneys will only be allowed to operate if there is not enough public transportation available.

In a radio interview, Delgra said beginning Monday, UV Express vans would ply 30 routes for its initial resumption of operation.

While the LTFRB has yet to decide on how many routes and units of traditional jeepneys will return in Metro Manila, he said the iconic mode of public transportation would return within the same week as the UV Express.

Meanwhile, he said more routes of modern jeepneys have opened on Friday, bringing the total routes of modern jeepneys to 38 since they returned to the streets of Metro Manila this week.

This, after route 10, or the CubaoDoroteo Jose city bus route, opened on Wednesday which completes the 31 planned city bus routes of the LTFRB for the duration of the general community quarantine in the region.

Local authorities in Bournemouth said they were “appalled” at the scenes on its beaches, as the sunny weather saw an influx of thousands of people.

of the pandemic.

Twenty-nine states are now experiencing new surges, with more than 37,667 new cases recorded Thursday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – a level approaching a new record – with 692 new deaths reported.

Texas was among the most aggressive states in reopening in early June after months of lockdown, its leadership confident it had escaped the worst of the pandemic that has claimed almost 122,000 lives in the US, by far the highest number in the world.

“The State of Texas will pause any further

phases to open Texas as the state responds COVID-19 outbreak in Melbourne did to the recent increase in positive COVID-19 not threaten the country’s so far succases and hospitalizations,” Governor Greg cessful containment of the epidemic.

Abbott’s office announced in a statement.

Officials reported 30 new coronavirus infections in Melbourne overnight – the Toilet paper limits imposed in 10th straight day of double-digit rises in new cases in the city and surrounding Australia Supermarkets imposed purchase lim- Victoria state, while most other Australits on toilet paper across Australia Fri- ian regions have seen no or low singleday following panic buying by people digit new infections for weeks. rattled over a surge in coronavirus cases The Melbourne outbreak has sparked in the country’s second-biggest city. fears of a second wave of the epidemic “Stop it, it’s ridiculous,” Prime Min- as most parts of the country push ahead ister Scott Morrison told his compatri- with relaxing restrictions on business, ots after the rush on stores, insisting the public gatherings and travel. AFP

T

HE Philippine Medical Association on Friday slammed Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia after she criticized the efforts of doctors and health practitioners in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a report on “Unang Balita”, the PMA said instead of giving moral support to the medical front liners in Cebu, Garcia was putting them down.

“Instead of thanking them for their priceless service and their good faith in promoting the correct safeguards and health protocols, she attacked their integrity and good name. This is completely unacceptable,” the group said in a statement.

Garcia said in an earlier statement that “from the first time that we began promoting steam inhalation, we have never, ever claimed that this is a cure for COVID-19 because, in the first place, there is no cure yet.”

The PMA insisted that steam inhalation or “tuob” could even scatter the coronavirus and spread the contagion.

“Contrary to [Garcia’s claims], the tuob does not treat COVID-19. Worse, it

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Nations (Asean) Summit.

“While the challenges we face due to COVID-19 are considerable, we must never forget that there are also other threats that can further undermine our effort. The pandemic has not killed terrorism. It remains alive, lurking in the shadows,” Duterte said in a meeting with Asean leaders held online for the first time.

“Terrorism continues to pose a threat despite the present global challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Duterte said.

In his speech, Duterte said terrorist groups have struck even during relief operations.

He said such acts do not only happen in the Philippines but in many parts of the region, saying “these acts are unconscionable and we must, therefore, be always on the alert.”

He lamented how communist rebels attacked government troops securing employees of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), who were distributing cash aid to beneficiaries of the government’s social amelioration program during the pandemic.

He said members of terrorist organizations are sowing terror in some virus-hit nations despite governments’ efforts to help people affected by the health crisis.

The proposed Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 will replace Republic Act 9372 or the Human Security Act, giving the government greater leeway in its antiterror operations. But the bill has also come under heavy fire from human rights groups that say it can be used to stifle legitimate criticism and to harass the political opposition.

Under the measure, suspected terrorists can be detained for up to 24 days without a warrant of arrest.

During yesterday’s raid, the composite team from the military and police was serving a search warrant at the suspects hideout at Block 5, Lot 4, Annex 46, Better Living in Barangay Don Bosco around 12:26 a.m. when the suspects fired upon the authorities.

A firefight ensued and the suspects were shot dead.

to strengthen cooperation and supply chain connectivity within the bloc.

The Hanoi Action Plan, issued by the ASEAN Economic Ministers, also calls for the establishment of an ASEAN Response Fund to boost the 10-member regional bloc’s efforts to combat COVID-19.

Vietnam, the current chair of the ASEAN, on Friday warned the pandemic had swept away years of economic gains as Southeast Asian leaders met online for a summit.

The immediate focus for the 10-member bloc is the crippling cost of COVID-19, which has ravaged the economies of tourism and export-reliant countries such as the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

A special ASEAN meeting convened in April to tackle the pandemic failed to agree on an emergency fund.

Pride...

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Texas halts reopening as US cases soar

Texas halted steps to reopen its economy after a sharp rise in coronavirus cases, as the United States hits some of its highest infection rates since the start

Foreign...

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Since most of the country shifted to modified general community quarantine, the government has allowed domestic tourism activities to resume but at 50 percent operating capacity.

The tourism sector, which employs 5.7

million as of 2019, had lost 60 percent of revenue from January to May due to lockdown measures and strict travel restrictions implemented both locally and globally.

Special session

Senate Majority Leader Miguel Zubiri on Friday urged the executive department, particularly the Finance team, to know what they wanted and coordinate with both Houses to come up with a doable compromise.

Ex-senator...

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PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Friday enjoined the other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to look for “innovative” ways to resolve the long-standing disputes in the resource-rich South China Sea. Duterte, in a speech delivered during the 36th annual Asean summit, maintained that tensions among South China Sea claimants should de-escalate.

He said provocative acts could only trigger hostilities within the disputed waters.

“We must not lose sight of strategic interest in (the South) China Sea. We must find innovative ways and exercise flexibility to achieve our common goal,” the President said in his intervention.

He made the appeal to his fellow Asean leaders as he acknowledged there were still “alarming incidents” in the South China Sea. “We call on the parties to refrain from escalating tension and abide by the responsibilities under the international law, notably the 1982 UNCLOS (United Nations Convention for the Law of the Sea),” he said.

Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam are claiming parts of the South China Sea, while China is claiming most of the busy waterway.

Negotiations between the Asean and China are still underway for the crafting of a final and binding Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea, which aims to promote peace and stability in the highly contested waters.

Vietnamese deputy foreign minister Nguyen Quoc Dung said on Thursday that senior officials of the Asean and China would hold a meeting on July 1 to discuss the range of cooperation mechanisms, including the specific plans for the resumption of delayed negotiations for the crafting of the COC in the South China Sea. Duterte remained optimistic the Asean and China would come up with an “effective and substantive” COC in the South China Sea. “We remain committed to work closely with the member-states and China towards the early conclusion of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea,” he said.

NASA...

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Now the US space agency is calling on the world’s inventors to develop a toilet that works not just in microgravity, but also lunar gravity on a future lunar lander spacecraft, as part of its plans to return to the Moon by 2024 under the Artemis mission.

The winning design will receive $20,000, with $10,000 for second place and $5,000 for third. Children under the age of 18 are also encouraged to apply in a “junior” category where the prizes are public recognition and NASA-themed merchandise.

“This challenge hopes to attract radically new and different approaches to the problem of human waste capture and containment,” NASA wrote in a challenge overview that was posted Thursday (https://www.herox.com/LunarLoo).

The toilet should work on the Moon’s gravity, which is about a sixth of the Earth’s – so urine and feces will fall, though there will be less of a plop. AFP

through a rough time.”

In a statement he posted on social media, Revilla Jr. said their family’s patriarch succumbed to heart failure at 5:20 in the afternoon.

“He is now free from physical pain and in the loving arms of our Creator,” Revilla Jr. said.

Revilla Sr. had a stroke in 2008 and underwent angioplasty. He underwent another procedure related to heart disease in 2017.

News

SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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Students’ accounts’ hacker arrested

By Willie Casas

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N undergraduate 21-year-old hacker from Novaliches, Quezon City was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation on Thursday for allegedly hacking into the accounts of at least 100,000 students of different colleges and universities.

EXTENSION. Beams are installed along C-5 in Las Piñas City on Thursday, June 25, 2020 as part of the P9 billion LRT-1 Cavite Extension project. The extension will increase the line’s capacity to 800,000 passengers a day from the current 500,000.

IN BRIEF DOTR urged to enforce ‘Clean Air Act’ THE Clean Air Philippines Movement Inc. on Friday urged the Department of Transportation to “protect lives” by enforcing the Clean Air Act and Protect lives by enforcing the Clean Air Act, and Land Transportation and Traffic Code.

Leo Olarte, CAPMI president who is a lawyer and former Philippine Medical Association president, appealed to Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade to show empathy to the sorry state of jeepney drivers and operators who have been displaced by the lockdown.

He, however, asked the government to stay “steadfast on its duty to strictly enforce (with malice to none) the motor vehicle emission standards under the Clean Air Act or Republic Act 8749, and RA 4136 or the land transportation law to benefit all Filipinos, and not just a few groups.” Rio N. Araja

Lapid bill encourages use of Tagalog, dialect CITING the more than 170 dialects spoken in the Philippines, Senator Manuel “Lito” Lapid wants public announcements to be in Tagalog or in the vernacular.

He filed a bill to direct government agencies to translate all documents including announcements, advisories, press releases and other information on local and national disasters to Tagalog or the vernacular language.

According to Lapid, most, if not all advisories, announcements or issuances regarding impending disasters or calamities are delivered either in English or Tagalog.

But for a country like the Philippines where more than 170 languages are spoken, he noted that not all could understand English or Tagalog.

If the announcements are in Tagalog or vernacular language, Lapid said they will be wellinformed and prepared for impending disasters.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

Online-sellers accountable for damaged goods--–Win THE chairman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Trade and Industry wants to hold both e-Commerce platforms and sellers accountable for damaged or lost goods purchased online.

Senator Win Gatchalian, the panel chair, issued the statement in the wake of public outcry over a viral video that showed workers of a courier service deliberately mishandling packages.

“The ongoing practice is that consumers who buy from online platforms like Lazada, Shopee, and Zalora, are limited to the couriers services selected and offered by these eCommerce platforms,” he said.

“In order for the consumers to be able to purchase the items they want, they have no other option but to use the courier services utilized by these online platforms. And sometimes they literally have no choice because only one courier service is offered by the platform,” he said. Maricel V. Crouz

US, PH host virtual regional counterterrorism confab

By Rey E. Requejo MORE than 70 prosecutors, investigators and judges from several countries, including the Philippines and the United States held a virtual regional counterterrorism conference to share expertise and best practices for prosecuting terrorism cases.

The virtual counterterrorism conference held last Tuesday was hosted by the US Embassy’s Department of JusticeOffice of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training and the Philippine DOJ.

Aside from the US and the Philippines, other participating prosecutors, investigators and judges came from Indonesia, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Bangladesh and Malaysia who shared their expertise and best practices in prosecuting terrorism cases their respective countries.

In his speech, US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim lauded the regional cooperation to hold the virtual conference amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“This is a unique opportunity to hear from each other about common regional challenges and strengthen our resolve as we work together to find regional solu-

‘Probe intimidation of media by cops’ DEPUTY Speaker and Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman has expressed strong concerns on the recent allegations of harassment against members of the media by the Philippine National Police even as he warned against “overstepping law enforcement agents” being the “new normal” in the coming days.

At the same time, the former governor of the now-defunct ARMM called on the PNP leadership to investigate and get to the bottom of the incident that happened Thursday morning where a reporter of DZBB/GMA7, after concluding a simple traffic report, was questioned and intimidated by a group of policemen in Marikina.

“Magpapatawag pa lang kami ng imbestigasyon laban sa mga pulis Maynila na tila lumabis sa kanilang kapangyarihan kamakailan lamang, makakarinig na naman tayo ng ganitong kwento. Ngayon naman, taga-GMA7 ang nagrereklamo. Hindi ba nakaka-pangamba na ang nangyayari?” Hataman lamented.

“Nananawagan ako sa PNP leadership na imbestigahan ito at ang iba pang kaso ng media harassment at parusahan kung natagpuang lumabis sa otoridad ang nagkasala. Hindi lamang re-assignment na pwede pa silang magpatuloy sa kanilang pang-aabuso. Hindi dapat ito ang maging ‘new normal’ sa pagpapatupad ng batas,” he added.

SWAB TESTS. Around 326 vendors, stall owners and workers of Agora market in San Juan City ride a bus to undergo swab testing for COVID-19. Manny Palmero

Maynilad resumes work on re-aligning primary pipeline

By Rio N. Araja WEST zone Maynilad Water Services Inc. has already resumed work on the realignment of a 600mm-diameter primary pipeline along the northbound lane of Commonwealth Avenue from Fairlane Street to Regalado Street in Novaliches, Quezon City to help fast-track completion of the Metro Rail Transit line 7 con-

struction.

It is currently conducting pressure and leakage tests on the newly laid pipe segments.

The company aims to complete the pipe realignment by the end of August 2020.

To date, Maynilad has realigned and replaced 85.42 kilometers of pipelines in support of vital government

infrastructure projects, such as road upgrades and flood control projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways, Metro Manila Development Authority, and local government units.

The MRT Line 7 is a 22.8-kilometer train line with 14 stations that will run from North Avenue in Quezon City to San Jose del Monte in Bulacan.

Du30 honors PH Korean war vets

DOH launches ‘Substance Abuse Helpline’ IN the spirit of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, the Department of Health has officially launched the Substance Abuse Helpline 1550 to ensure unhampered access to professional assistance for substance abuse amid mobility restrictions due to the community quarantine.

In collaboration with the Dangerous Drugs Abuse Prevention and Treatment Program, the hotline will provide support and intervention to Persons Who Use Drugs (PWUDs), their families and the public. Moreover, the hotline was established to heighten awareness to the public and to allow easy access to information regarding substance abuserelated problems, despite the pandemic.

Through the hotline, trained helpline operators will provide brief assessment, intervention services, and referrals to treatments. Furthermore, all calls and information will be kept confidential to protect the privacy of those who sought for assistance. The Substance Abuse Helpline 1550 is available every Monday to Friday during regular work hours, accessible by landline and mobile phones. Willie Casas

tions,” the US envoy said.

Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento, who represented the Philippines, discussed the value of these efforts, saying “A fitting approach to overcome this enemy is a strong legal system, which emanates from an effective law, implemented by professional law enforcement agencies, prosecuted by competent and trained prosecutors, and administered by a stable judicial system.”

“A holistic approach from the domestic end, aided by our international partners, will make us better prepared to surmount this evil,” Malcontento said.

The NBI Cybercrime Division identified the hacker as John Rayven Aquino.

The NBI agents found scripts and programs on Aquino’s laptop used for hacking, according to a report on GMA’s “24 Oras.”

Aquino, as well as the group of hackers that he is part of, hacked at least 100,000 accounts of students who registered online for the upcoming school year.

“Sinabihan lang din po ako na subukan pasukin ‘yung mga schools. ‘Yung mga social media accounts po, wala po.

Email saka password lang po,” he said.

“Pero ang mga tao naman po ‘di ba, mostly iisang password lang po lahat?

That’s how we do it sa information po ng mga students kasi puwede po talaga ‘yong mabenta,” Aquino said.

Aquino said he had been trying to change and vowed not to hack into accounts again.

NBI Cybercrime Divison chief Vic Lorenzo said the hackers compromised accounts, allowing them to edit the contents of a school’s database.

“So lahat ng content no’ng mga database ‘yon, puwede mong i-edit. Pag na-edit mo ‘yon, puwedeng i-edit mo ang grades, makopya ‘yong mga modules.

Puwede ring exam. Kaya ‘yung whole integrity ng e-learning natin, mako-compromise,” Lorenzo said.

Lorenzo said the biggest issue to take note of is the security of e-learning facilities.

The NBI is still determining the extent of the data breach.

Meanwhile, NBI Director Eric Distor urged schools to report suspicious internet activities to authorities.

“I would like to encourage the universities and other schools to beef up their cybersecurity systems, especially during this time of transition to e-learning,” Distor said.

By Vito Barcelo

SMUGGLED. Some 150 million worth of smuggled vehicle accessories and parts were

seized by the Bureau of Customs and the National Bureau of Investigation at the warehouse of Lester Samson Lino at 419 Quirino Highway in Novaliches, Quezon City.

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte paid tribute to Filipino soldiers and called on everyone to take inspiration from the lives of soldiers who died in the Korean War on the 70th anniversary of the battle.

More than 7,000 Filipino troops were sent when war broke out in the Korean peninsula in 1950. The Philippines was the first Asian nation to respond to the United Nations to send troops to defend South Korea against a communist invasion.

“We must recognize bravery is not easy to muster. We must remember heroism is very seldom seen and we must reaffirm values so sacred they form the bedrock of our special bilateral ties,” the President said in a message.

“As the world faces emerging chal-

lenges yet, let the memory of those who fell in the Korean War inspire us all to rise together jointly in solidarity,” he said.

The President remembered the Philippine contingent whose heroism and sacrifice helped defend South Koreans in battles such as the Battle of Yultong and Battle of Hill Eerie. He defended such troop deployment abroad saying Filipinos have never hesitated in defending freedom.

“South Korea owes a debt of gratitude to more than 7,400 Filipinos shipped to the Korean peninsula beginning in 1950 to defend Seoul from invasion by North Korea. Of this number, 112 died in action. Mustering bravery is never easy but the public can draw inspiration from valiant Filipino soldiers who fought during the Korean War in overcoming today’s challenges, Duterte said.

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LGUs

SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2020 lgu@manilastandard.net editor.lgustandard@gmail.com

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

GRADUATION SPEECH. Maasin City Mayor Nacional Mercado speaks to ‘graduates’ at the Red Cross 143 COVID-19 Skills Camp in Danao Forest Park, some 15 kilometers away from the city (inset). Photos courtesy Maasin City LGU, Onel Salazar

ARC backstops local partners amid pandemic SMALL business owners who rely on daily sales are hard-hit by the rising health crisis. The government has taken measures to review policies on how to provide financial assistance to this sector.

At the same time, large private corporations heeded the call to utilize its resources and assist vulnerable segment of the economy. One such corporation is ARC Refreshments Corp. (ARC), the Philippine manufacturer and distributor of RC Cola Products.

ARC has been in the forefront of disaster relief since it launched its corporate social responsibility endeavor in 2012. Dubbed as #RCColaborate, the company rolled out programs and activities that foster leadership among the youth and providing community support in times of crisis.

Today, ARC is one with the nation in this fight against COVID-19.

With the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), dealers and store owners had difficulty getting their stocks due to increased checkpoints and lack of transportation.

This also added to their operations cost.

ARC recognized the need to provide business support for their loyal partners. The company immediately rolled out promos and discounts to assist business partners nationwide.

“Thank you for the promo, discounts, and free products provided to wholesalers at the checkpoint area,” a dealer from Maragusan, Davao de Oro remarked. “We hope for this continuous support. This is a big help for our business especially during this crisis.”

LRay thanks DAR for aid to Bicol farmers

By Abe Almirol NAGA CITY—Rep. Luis Raymund “LRay” Villafuerte of the second district of Camarines Sur joined DAR Secretary John Castriciones in a simple ceremony attended by farmers in Libmanan, a town west of Naga City on Thursday to distribute farm machineries and various inputs to agrarian reform beneficiaries.

“During the event, DAR released some of the 384 land titles or Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) with a total land area of 394-hectares to 260 agrarian reform beneficiaries,” says an agrarian reform program officer assigned in Camarines Sur. Meanwhile, DAR Bicol Region Director Arnel S. Dizon moved to Legazpi City on Friday to continue distributing food packs and farm inputs to 20,783 farmer beneficiaries listed in the agency’s database in this region.

“This is a challenging time for our farmer-beneficiaries. That is why we realigned our 2019 continuing fund and savings for this emergency relief assistance,” Dizon said in a statement.

A total of PHP 3.19 million were realigned to procure the food packs, Dizon added.

In Maasin, a different COVID ‘camp’ emerges First of two parts

By Ronald O. Reyes

T

HE coronavirus pandemic brings inevitable discrimination to returning locally stranded individuals and overseas Filipino workers from big cities reeling from the virus.

But not in the small city of Maasin in Southern Leyte province where community and church leaders forged ties to bring a different kind of love and care for their returning kababayans.

“After being in Cebu, where it caused me great anxiety and paranoia, being here is just perfect. It really helped me relax and just be away from everything,” said Onel Salazar during his stay at the Red Cross 143 Covid-19 Skills Camp in Danao Forest Park, some 15 kilometers away from the city.

“It really had a great impact, making us feel more closer to God during this crisis. And relieved us from the stress, anxiety and paranoia that we felt before the quarantine, knowing that God is always with us,” added the 26-year-old

mechanical engineer.

On June 23, Salazar joined with 28 other locally stranded individuals during a simple culmination program after they successfully completed their 14-day quarantine period.

Family and friends became emotional as they were finally reunited after two weeks of being separated.

Established by the Philippine Red Cross Southern Leyte chapter, in partnership with the City Government of Maasin, Diocese of Maasin, American Red Cross, private business sector, and other benefactors, the first Red Cross 143 Covid-19 Skills Camp in the country formally opened on June 8.

“The Church has been part of this

project since the beginning. We were assigned to take care of the spiritual activities which formed an integral part of their stay in the facility,” said Msgr.

Oscar Cadayona of the Our Lady of the Assumption Parish Cathedral.

“This “Covid Camp” will make the dwellers feel whole and loved by the community. By having this camp, the people of Maasin show to the world what kind of community we have here in this particular part of the world. The prestige of a community is judged by the way it treats its members who are considered weak and vulnerable, to paraphrase St John Paul II,” said Cadayona in a report from Catholic news site Licas.news.

The prelate also congratulated the Red Cross, local officials, other partner government agencies, and the Diocesan Social Action Center “for this gesture of love and hope.”

Jonas Maco, Red Cross Southern Leyte chapter administrator, said they are looking forward to another batch of locally stranded individuals to be accommodated at the campsite.

“Our commitment continues. If we have the courage to begin, we also have the courage to succeed,” said Maco. (to be continued)

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor

Village lauded for help in raid of Sino ‘clinics’ FOR actively cooperating with the law enforcement agencies, the National Bureau Investigation has commended the officers of the Multinational Village Homeowners Association Inc. (MVHAI) for the successful dismantling of an underground hospital unlawfully operated by Chinese nationals in the gated subdivision.

Lawyer Ross Jonathan Galicia, NBI Task Force Commander, also praised the 35 detailed private security officers of the MVHAI for their dedication by providing vital information and the exact location of the underground clinic inside a house on Timothy St., which was raided last May 29.

Arrested during the raid were Chinese nationals Liang Junshai, Pingqiang Long, Yanyun Jiang, and Tang Hong Shan, who operated the clinic which did not have a single permit from the national and local governments.

“Such show of support and cooperation with the operatives of NBI-Task Force Against Illegal Drugs in carrying their mandate exemplified the true qualities of a security officers whose professionalism and dedication to service is worthy of recognition and emulation,” Galicia said.

Galicia said the underground clinic catered only to Chinese nationals working for Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO). For the past four years, hundreds of POGO employees are renting in big residential houses and condominium units located in Multinational Village.

Arnel Gacutan, president of MVHAI, said the association was respecting the NBI’s jurisdiction over the case. He explained that the MVHAI had no authority to pursue a separate investigation and deferred to the authorities as to the disposition of the case.

Gacutan said they fully cooperated with the combine forces city police and city health office who raided last Saturday the second illegal clinic in the subdivision reportedly being used to treat and test coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, mostly Chinese nationals.

He earlier urged law enforcement agencies to conduct another inspection at the subdivision following intelligence reports that there were more illegal Chinese medical clinics in the area.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency also appreciated the officers of the homeowner association for successful conduct of anti-illegal drug operation also in Timothy St., which resulted in the arrest of four foreign nationals and confiscation of shabu worth P6.9 million.

Sta. Ana hospital gains DOH virus test lab license

FCF bares aid to N. Vizcaya livelihood orgs

By Willie Casas

By Ben Moses Ebreo

THE Department of Health (DOH) has issued a license to operate for the City of Manila’s own COVID-19 testing laboratory located at the Sta. Ana Hospital.

Dr. Grace Padilla, director of the Sta. Ana Hospital, personally went to the DOH office in Sta. Cruz, Manila to obtain the license to operate for the testing laboratory.

Dr. Padilla presented the license to Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko” Domagoso as the latter was distributing about 10,000 handmade washable face masks for 30 barangays in the capital city.

Domagoso earlier said that once the COVID-19 testing laboratory is allowed to operate, it can handle about 200 swab tests per day.

The Mayor said this is in line with the Manila City government’s mass testing operations to fight the COVID-19 outbreak in the nation’s capital.

“We are ready to go, may awa ang Diyos. In the coming days, our small efforts to strengthen our position against COVID-19 will be stronger than ever,” Domagoso said.

Dr. Padilla said that Sta. Ana Hospital, where the Manila Infectious Disease Control Center (MIDCC), was able to comply with the DOH’s requirements through the help and guidance of the agency as well as the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).

“Tuwang-tuwa ako sa support ni Mayor at Vice mayor. Mahirap talaga makakuha ng license to operate for COVID-19 testing laboratories, very technical and very specific ang RITM,” Dr. Padilla said.

QUEZON, Nueva Vizcaya—FCF Minerals Corp. assisted livelihood organizations in this town last year as part of its enterprise development and networking support program, the mining firm said in a report.

FCF manages and operates the goldmolybdenum project in barangay Runruno in Quezon town.

Ian Moller, FCF Minerals Corp. manager for sustainability, said their financial assistance amounting to P370,000 generated 100 percent accomplishment and benefited 143 villagers in various barangays.

“This is part of our sustained yearly support to the livelihood organizations which have shown developments in their various undertakings in their respective communities. These organizations were able to help their members and their families too,” he said.

Moller said the beneficiary organizations are the Darubba Livelihood Women’s Association, Runruno Sewers Association, Runruno Indigenous Peoples Organization, Dumaliguia Women’s Association, Darubba Women’s Livelihood Association, Kinalabasa Rural Workers Association, Malilibeg Livelihood Association and the Baresbes Abot Palad Livelihood Association.

He said they were able to help the community livelihood organizations through their income generating projects such as hog fattening, inland fish farming, veggie chips production, vegetable production, loom weaving and, hammock making, among others.

BIKE REPAIR. With more people using bicycles both for work and to run their errands,

SM malls in Cavite -- SM City Bacoor, SM City Dasmariñas, and SM City Molino— have installed Bike Repair stations and Air Pumps, complete with essential bike repair tools, all free of charge. Organized Bicycle Parking Slots are in place as well, to ensure that bikers can park and can repair their bicycles in case of emergency. This aims to provide shoppers a convenient and a #SafeMalling experience. Norman Cruz

Opinion Where’s the game plan for OFWs? POWER POINT

ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO HAILED as the country’s “bagong bayani,” our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are now beset with very serious problems because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Around 10 percent of the country’s population (or over 10.37 million Filipinos) is composed of OFWs, according to the Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19 (IATF) as reported by South China Morning Post. Based on the 2019 OFW survey of the Philippine Statistics Authority, between April to September of the same year, there were 2.2 million OFWs; females comprised 56 percent and males, 44 percent; remittances for the period amounted to P211.9 billion; and for that year, personal remittances accounted for 9.3 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP); and the top destinations were Saudi Arabia—22.4 percent, United Arab Emirates—13.2 percent, Hong Kong—7.5 percent, Taiwan—6.7 percent.

Because of the pandemic, there are reports that hundreds of thousands of OFWs who have lost their jobs now want to come home. In a gulf news report on June 10 said that 300,000 jobless OFWs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are expected to come home within the next three (3) months. On the other hand, IATF Chief Carlito Galvez Jr. reportedly said that we are expecting 500,000 OFWs to be back within the year. Any which way we look at this, this is huge.

So far, according to Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), 8,301 Filipinos overseas contracted COVID-19, recoveries were at 5,055, and deaths were at 506 as of June 22, 2020. Moreover, of the 55,859 OFWs who have returned home as of June 7, 1,376 were COVID-19. 623 of them were admitted in health facilities, 267 recovered, and one died. Moreover, at least five OFWs committed suicide because of desperation after months of waiting to be repatriated home. The latest was a Filipina crew member of a cruise ship who committed suicide on June 9 in her cabin.

Because they no longer have money, some of our “bagong bayani” have resorted to eating rejected food. Others are reported to sell blood so they can eat.

According to IATF, 62,022 overseas Filipinos have come home from May 3 to June 22. And we know how messy the problems were in relation with their quarantine period. At least 24,000 experienced delays and inefficiencies in testing and the issuance of their certificates. Many OFWs waited for more than one week to get a swab test and some who could no longer wait paid P4,500 per swab test from the Philippine Red Cross (PRC). After getting tested, they had to wait for several weeks before test results were released. Even as they received news of their negative test results, they remained stranded for several weeks because of delays in the issuance of their test result certificates by the Philippine Red Cross (PRC). The certificates were required before they could be

released from quarantine.

Many repatriated OFWs had to spend their own money while on quarantine. Official guidelines say that OFWs’ expenses during quarantine, testing, and transportation will all be paid for by government until all necessary health protocols are completed. Yet, some quarantined OFWs paid P500 per meal (room service because they were not allowed to go out). There are those who had to shell out thousands of pesos for transportation for their COVID-19 tests. Many complained that the money they brought home for their families have almost been used up during their prolonged quarantine.

We have another crisis coming up.

Some OFWs who had no more money resorted to begging for food and necessities from the public on social media. A 42-yearold female OFW from Kuwait committed suicide on April 26 while on quarantine that started on April 4. She was supposed to finish by April 19 or one week before she took her own life. Mental health issues such as depression are real problems among our “bagong bayani.”

There was also the issue of exposure to risks of contracting COVID-19. According to OFWs, the exposure happened during their stay in quarantine venues that are congested. In one motel, a COVID+ couple had to wait for a few days before they were brought to the hospital. There was no social distancing in vehicles that transport them, also in airports for those flying to provinces, and in airplanes during flights home.

To top it all, OFWs suffered from inefficient and unresponsive government offices mandated to look after them. There were numerous complaints of OFW inquiries not being responded to, or given the roundaround. Many complaints were against the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

If these problems happened to those OFWs who have come home, how prepared is our government for the 300,000 to 500,000 who are expected to be home this year? Do we have enough facilities to house them if they are going to be quarantined? Does the Department of Health have enough testing kits, other needed supplies, and human resources to administer and process the tests?

I dare say that the next major problem we will have in relation with COVID-19 pandemic will be about the repatriation of our OFWs. Most important is the problem of reintegration. Most OFWs will come home with empty pockets because they have been out of work for months. How are they and their families going to be helped? Will they have jobs here? Is there a plan for their retooling, retraining, and reintegration?

If government will not act proactively, we have another crisis coming up. Where is the game plan for our OFWs? @bethangsioco on Twitter Elizabeth Angsioco on Facebook

Why complicate?

NAKED THOUGHT CHARLIE V. MANALO THE other day, three members of the House of Representatives—Deputy Speaker Paolo Duterte, Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Jay Velasco and ACT-CIS Rep. Eric Yap—filed House Bill No. 7031, renaming the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Pilipinas.

My only beef with the proposal to rename the airport is the name itself.

“We need a more representative branding for the international gateway of our country, thus our proposal renaming NAIA to the Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Pilipinas. Aside from it bearing our country's name, it is in our national language," Duterte pronounced.

According to the three lawmakers, changing the name to Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Pilipinas would reflect the legacy of the Filipino people, aside from the fact their proposed name bears no color, nor any political agenda.

Further, renaming the airport to Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Pilipinas, they claim will provide the country a competitive edge as our neighbors open their doors, too, to

visitors, at the same time giving every Filipino a great sense of pride and ownership of the country’s biggest and largest international airport.

Critics of the Duterte administration, expectedly, were quick to jump on the issue lambasting at the timing of the filing of the bill amid this pandemic.

Personally, though, I don’t see anything wrong with the timing as I believe the government is attending to the COVID-19 crisis alongside the other issues it is facing. The Legislative has done its share, empowering the Executive with funds and measure it needs to address the contagion. Most of us are inclined to believe the government’s actions are still wanting—then again, who was prepared for this situation?

If indeed the critics are serious in their claim that the filing of the bill was ill-timed, then maybe they could start by asking Congress to put on hold its hearing for the franchise application of ABS-CBN as we cannot afford Congress to devote much of its time hearing a private measure.

Anyway, the move to rename NAIA is not something new as this was initiated about two years ago by lawyer Larry Gadon.

In 2018, a group headed by Gadon pushed for the renaming of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to its original name, Manila International Airport, saying it’s not right to name the country’s prime gateway after a politician like the late Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino.

Actually, Gadon said then it’s against the law which states that naming of establishments or public places after dead personalities, requires a 10-year prescription period.

Ninoy died in 1983 but they already changed MIA’s name in 1987.

It was in 1987 that the original name of the biggest airport in country, Manila Inter-

Adelle Chua, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2020

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EDITORIAL

Facilitated privilege T

Now. Hold that. It matters not when the releases were made. That the discovery was made in the present administration should be good enough a starting point, not to review the law as some have proposed, but to implement the sanctions against those who violated Republic Act 10754.

HAT members of the same family in Quezon City were given six Persons With Disabilities identification cards is rather revolting, if disturbing, to say the least.

The discovery has emerged particularly at a difficult episode in the country's history while standing up to the crushing challenge of the coronavirus pandemic which forced many to be off their usual sources of income, mobility and whatever else.

Initial investigations by the city government have suggested that the ID cards are not supported by needed requirements, like application forms or other documents on record, and the release may have been “facilitated” by a city employee.

There have also been suggestions that the IDs themselves are fake, underscoring a spin that the releases happened in the predecessor administration.

the PWD IDs were given, are well off and well connected.

We know that Quezon City officials, including legal officer Niño Casimiro, mean well and are keenly looking at the wayward footprints on the still-wet pavements. After all, he has said that “certain officials” in city hall had facilitated the release of the IDs to the family.

Can they not therefore summon members of the family to help shed light on the purported anomaly, ask them to identify those who released the same to them—of course they can opt to remain silent, which would speak a legal brief—and go into a deeper probe and audit at the city's Persons with Disabilities Affairs Office?

There are penalties under the existing law, and the penalties are good enough to teach violators of the law a good lesson to this rather disturbingly distasteful practice that demonstrates yet another profile of the corrupt and the corrupted which apparently has become an obnoxiously unnecessary thread in the country's culture.

Imagine the things you can do when you are well off and well connected.

Under this law, registered PWDs are given a 20-percent discount and exemption to value-added tax to go with a 5-percent discount on basic necessities and prime commodities and free use of express lanes in commercial and government transactions.

It looks like the family members, to whom

India-China border clash THE melee between the soldiers of India and China last June 20, in Ladakh’s Galway Valley, served to rekindle the long and undemarcated boundary that separates the two countries in an area dubbed as the “roof of the earth.” Elevated at an average of 10,000 feet above sea-level, the 3,488-kilometer border stretches from India’s Arunachal Pradesh to the disputed territory of Kashmir. The disputed border covers about 13,000 square kilometres in Ladakh and Aksai Chin and about 35,000 square miles in the northeastern which China calls South Tibet.

The particular incident in June 20 happened on the ridge of Galwan Valley overlooking the strategic Darbul-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldi road leading to Aksai Chin and Karakoram Pass.

Although there was previous agreement that Chinese patrol will withdraw, it will not detract the fact that the melee started in an area occupied by a Chinese outpost.

India reported that 20 of its soldiers were killed in that rumble using stones and bamboo sticks stud with nails. Some said that Indian soldiers fell from the ridge into the Galwan River. China has not reported any casualty though some believe they too suffered injuries and that filtered out after China reacted to fake news stating that about 40 Chinese soldiers were killed.

The latest of the border war between China and India elucidates the difficulties to reach an agreement over boundaries bequeathed by the British, an imperial colonial power, notorious in consolidating and subdividing its dominions on the basis of what suits its economic interest. This explains why the Asian Subcontinent and Central Asia remain to have porous boundaries. Attempts to formalize them came after the whole of India was placed under the British Raj. Among the demarcated boundary-lines were: First, the Ardagh–Johnson Line. W. H. Johnson proposed the "Johnson Line" in 1865, which put Aksai Chin in Jammu and Kashmir. This was when China did not control Xinjiang, but was never presented to the Chinese.

Second, the Macartney-Macdonald Line.

This map was given by Hung Ta-chen to the British consul at Kashgar in 1893. The boundary, marked with a thin dot-dashed line matched the Johnson line.

In 1899, Britain proposed a revised boundary, initially suggested by Macartney and the Governor General of India Lord Elgin. This boundary placed the Lingzi Tang plains, which are south of the Laktsang range, in India, and Aksai Chin proper, which is north of the Laktsang range, in China.

Third, in 1927, the line was adjusted abandoning the Johnson line in favour of a line along the Karakoram Range to further south.

Fourth, after India’s independence in 1947, India fixed its official boundary in the west, which included the Aksai Chin, in a manner that resembled the Ardagh–Johnson Line— national Airport (MIA), was renamed to NAIA through Republic Act No. 6639.

Gadon said that naming the country’s premier airport after Aquino is just a way of promoting his name; an indoctrination. Some sort of brainwashing Filipinos to think he is a hero, which he is not, Gadon insists claiming the late senator committed acts that he should be held accountable for, such as his “fake account” of the Jabidah massacre in 1967 and his connivance with the communists in the bombing of Plaza Miranda in 1971.

By projecting him to be a hero, Gadon says Aquino’s clan can continue to dominate Philippine politics.

Nonetheless, Gadon extends his appreciation to Duterte, Velasco and Yap for finally seeing the wisdom in proposing to change the name of NAIA. However, what I find weird is the choice of name of the three lawmakers. Aside from the fact that is too lengthy and which could even give foreigners a hard time pronouncing.

And be it in Filipino or English (Philippine International Airport) could create confusion as there are other international airports in the country. There are international airports in Clark, in Cebu City, Davao City, etc.

So, why not simplify matters and just revert it back to its original name, Manila Interna-

Maybe the best option for India is not to follow the call of the “Pied Piper” for that could only lead them to complete ruin and economic disaster. The clamor of the US to relocate production from China to India is more of an empty talk. Ultimately, it is those affected that will still decide whether the new site will offer them the best and the highest chance of earning profit.

Maintaining the status quo of economic cooperation is a tempting win-win formula they cannot avoid. At present, China is India’s biggest trading partner accounting to 18 percent of its imports and 9 percent of its exports. Report says India relies more on China not only for finished goods but also for intermediate goods used for domestic production.

According to Money Control Ready Reckoner, 75 percent of the smartphones sold in India are made by Chinese companies. The number of smartphone users in India is expected to rise by 84 percent that is from 468 million in 2017 to 859 million by 2022.

Apple says iPhone is “built everywhere in the world” but many of its components still come from China. China accounts for 67 percent of its imports in electronic components (market Size Rs 5,300 billion). Semiconductors and integrated circuits, which are the heart of modern electronic devices, such as laptops and phones, are among the components that India buys from China.

67 percent of India's active pharmaceutical ingredients come from China. India imported $2.6 billion worth of these chemicals during the April-December 2019 period. Of this, $1.8 billion worth of APIs came from China.

45 percent of consumer durables are imported from China. The sector is estimated to be around Rs 763 billion ($11.2-billion in FY19). AC, refrigerators and televisions lead the pack. 45 percent of the smart TVs sold in India are Chinese, with alternatives costlier by 20-45 percent. 38 percent of imported leather goods like shoes come from China. The market size of the leather products is worth Rs 780 billion ($11.5 billion in FY19).

18 percent of India’s auto components come from China with a market worth Rs 3,590 billion ($53-billion). India imports $460 million worth of synthetic yarn and $360 million worth of synthetic fabric from China annually. It also imports over $140 million worth of accessories like buttons, zippers, hangers and needles.

With this statistical economic comparison, it would appear that the tension generated by India is more of misplaced nationalism coupled with pride that China has overtaken it.

This is aggravated by Pakistan also economically threatening to surpass them. Should Pakistan board China’s BRI it will open wide its gates to the Arabian Sea to bring forth the magic of prosperity though unhampered trading.

BACKBENCHER

ROD P. KAPUNAN but the Chinese government never admitted that India's basis for defining the border was “chiefly by long usage and custom.”

Fifth, the McMahon Line (1913–14), a proposed boundary between Tibet and India for the eastern sector. Beijing soon objected to the proposed Sino-Tibet boundary. Beijing refused to sign the final and more detailed map.

Sixth, the Trans Karakoram Tract. On 13 October 1962, China and Pakistan began negotiations over the boundary west of the Karakoram Pass.

It’s more misplaced nationalism than anything else.

The brief war in 1962 that lasted a month took place in the area known as Aksai-Chin and in the Northeast Frontier of Assam, cost China an estimated 2,022 casualties while India suffered the loss of 1,383 men. According to official military estimates, the war achieved China's policy of securing its borders in the western sector, as it retained de facto control of the Aksai Chin.

Minor skirmishes at the Nathu La and Cho La in 1967 and the Doklam military standoff in June 2017. The area is in the disputed territory of Doklam, near the Doka La pass. Bhutan issued a demarche asking China to restore the status quo as of before June 16.

Some interpret the heightened tension as India’s response to the clarion call of President Trump to relocate US businesses from China which India is not prepared given its poor infrastructure, lack of skilled labor and stringent foreign investment restrictions.

India insists that there is no border that links China with Pakistan. India claims the proposed pan highway passes through disputed area of Gilgit and Baltistan, ignoring India’s concern for its sovereignty and territorial integrity. As if to tighten the belt, India revoked the special status granted under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution to Jammu and Kashmir. Analysts say that unless the tension over Kashmir is resolved, China will not be able to continue the highway to reach all the way to the port of Gwadar. India has rejected the BRI, citing CPEC, which passes through India-claimed territory as an infringement of its sovereignty. tional Airport as proposed by Gadon? Why complicate things when we don’t have to?

Just asking. *** The other day, I had a brief chat with a politician-friend and we discussed possible scenarios for some local politicians, especially those who failed their constituents during this crisis.

While many, my friend claims are expected to lose following their miserable performance the last three months, he projected a battle royale in their province as local leaders there, as of this early, are already waiting for the next Christmas party a gubernatorial aspirant is expected to host.

According to my friend, the husband of this wannabe governor, a regional director of a government line agency. threw P10 million in crisp P1,000-bills in the air, sending all their guests—all locally elected officials, scrambling on their knees.

“Parang house blessing kung magpa-agaw ng pera. Pero hindi barya, tig-iisang libo,” my friend said.

Couldn’t they had just handed the cash directly to each of their guests?

While my friend claims the wannabe governor will be facing an uphill battle against the incumbent governorm given his leaders had been tested by his constituents in the 2022

rpkapunan@gmail.com elections, the money expected to pour from the side of the challenger would surely play a major factor.

Well, that is worth watching for.

MORE OPINION ONLINE (www.manilastandard.net) EAGLE EYES

TONY LA VIÑA

A stranded Philippines

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher ManilaStandard

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World

FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2020

CESAR BARRIQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Trump seeks end to Obamacare U S PRESIDENT Donald Trump’s administration has asked the Supreme Court Thursday to strike down Obamacare, which has provided health insurance to tens of millions of Americans.

The third challenge to the landmark law, formally known as the Affordable Care Act, comes as the United States records some of its highest coronavirus infection rates since the contagion hit the country.

Under Obamacare, millions of Americans are required to buy health insurance or face a tax penalty.

But in 2017 Congress eliminated the fine for people who failed to sign up—known as the individual mandate—removing a key part of former president Barack

IN BRIEF Thailand targets narco millions

THE downfall of a meth syndicate laundering tens of millions of dollars of drug money through Thai gold shops, oil and construction firms has cast rare light on the staggering scale of Asia’s narco profits—and the ruses used to hide them.

Thailand is Southeast Asia’s meth “superhighway,” with drugs from remote Myanmar labs pouring through the border destined for the local market or overseas as far as Australia, New Zealand and Japan.

Prices have dropped as the drug labs ramp up production of yaba—the tiny caffeinated pink or green pills guzzled

by Southeast Asian truck drivers to clubbers—and the more expensive and highly addictive crystal meth known as “ice.”

Millions are hooked on drugs in Thailand, where prisons are stuffed with petty dealers and addicts.

But the drug lords remain beyond reach, hidden behind a web of middlemen and complex money laundering schemes.

Authorities say they are finally ready to change the game by going after drug money sloshing through Thai banks, construction businesses and cryptocurrency accounts.

“We have found an irregular flow in the banks of $5.4 billion—it may not all be drugs,” Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin told reporters this week.

“But we are confident there is at least $388 million in drug-related assets— drug money is being turned into gold, zinc (panels), steel rods and oil.” AFP

Obama’s policy.

The Department of Justice argues “the individual mandate is not severable from the rest of the Act.” Because of that “the mandate is now unconstitutional as a result of Congress’s elimination ... of the penalty for noncompliance,” it said in a late filing.

As a result “the entire ACA thus must fall with the individual mandate.”

The DoJ also argues that ACA coverage protecting people with pre-existing conditions—rules that mean insurers cannot refuse customers because of their age, gender or health status—should also be overturned.

The Supreme Court will hear the case in its next term starting October, but US media reported that it is unlikely to be examined before the presidential election in November.

Democrat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi condemned the Trump administration’s move and called it an “act of un-

fathomable cruelty” during the pandemic.

She claimed if passed 130 million Americans with preexisting conditions could lose the ACA’s protections, and as many as 23 million citizens could be left without any insurance.

“There is no legal justification and no moral excuse for the Trump administration’s disastrous efforts to take away Americans’ health care,” she said.

The US has been particularly badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic—and unlike Europe and parts of East Asia, has never climbed down from its peak.

Twenty-nine states are now experiencing fresh surges, with almost 40,000 new cases recorded, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

US health officials now believe based on antibody surveys that about 24 million people may have been infected at some point – 10 times higher than the officially recorded figure of around 2.4 million. AFP

Pedestrians, including members of the labor force, walk on a zebra crossing during a rainy morning outside Shinjuku station in Tokyo on June 25, 2020. According to the International Monetary Fund, the COVID-19 pandemic comes with a catastrophic hit to the global labor market, indicating that the global decline in work hours in the second quarter of the year is likely to be equivalent to a loss of more than 300 million fulltime jobs. AFP

Australian intel raids target lawmaker over China links AUSTRALIAN intelligence officers and police raided the home and office of an opposition politician Friday as part of an investigation into alleged Chinese influence operations, officials said.

Security agents searched the properties linked to New South Wales state legislator Shaoquett Moselmane, amid long-standing allegations of links to the ruling Chinese Communist Party.

The Australian Security Intelligence Organization confirmed to AFP that “search warrant activity is occurring in Sydney as part of an ongoing investigation.”

They added that there was no “specific threat to the community.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia would “stand up” to any attempt at foreign interference.

“The threats in this area are real, the need to take action is necessary,” Morrison said. “We won’t cop anyone coming and seeking to interfere in our political system.”

Moselmane’s pro-Beijing position has long raised eyebrows even among colleagues in the Labor Party.

New South Wales Labor Party leader Jodi McKay told reporters she was informed about the operation on Moselmane’s home and office and said she had begun the process of suspending his membership of the party.

“It’s dreadfully concerning,” she said. “It’s important that every MP focuses on the people in their state.”

Moselmane has publicly praised Xi Jinping’s “unswerving” leadership during the coronavirus pandemic, contrast-

ing it favorably with Australia’s own response.

Local media have reported he hired a staffer who trained at Beijing’s Chinese Academy of Governance, a school of party members going into public office.

The operation is another signal of authorities’ new willingness to tackle allegations of Chinese subversion of Australian politics and is likely to raise the temperature in an already fractious relationship between Beijing and Canberra.

Last year the former head of the Australian Security Intelligence Organization, Duncan Lewis, said China wanted to “take over” Australia’s political system with an “insidious” and systematic campaign of espionage and influence peddling.

Lewis at the time cited the case of Labor party powerbroker Sam Dastyari – dubbed “Shanghai Sam”—who was forced to resign in 2018 after taking tens of thousands of dollars from a Communist Party-linked donor.

Morrison’s government passed foreign interference legislation following revelations that wealthy Chinese businessmen with links to Beijing had been bankrolling local parties and candidates across the political spectrum.

The law notably required the registration of any person or organisation acting on behalf of a foreign government.

As part of that crackdown, the government barred a high-profile Chinese businessman who held permanent Australian residency from returning to the country. AFP

In-person events beckon as Biden stays low-key

Gas tank blast rocks Tehran

AN INDUSTRIAL gas tank exploded in Tehran overnight, Iran’s defense ministry said Friday, after the blast lit up the night sky in images widely shared on social media.

The tank blew up around midnight, with Fars news agency saying “a number of social media users reported seeing an orange light” in the east of the Iranian capital.

“A gas tank exploded in the Parchin public area. Thank God, there were no casualties,” defense ministry spokesman Brigadier General Davoud Abdi said.

The blaze was brought under control by firefighters, and investigations were under way to determine the cause, he told state television.

Fars, which is close to ultra-conservatives in Iran, said that according to “videos sent by (our) readers, this light was seen for a few seconds.”

It cited an “informed source” and said the site of the incident was not related to the military.

Manila “At the entrance of the (nearby) Standard Parchin military zone, there is no moveTODAY ment or traffic of fire and rescue vehicles,” the news agency added.

AFP could not immediately verify purported videos of the explosion that went viral on Twitter.

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POUNDING THE PAVEMENT.

MASKED SHOWGIRLS. Entertainer Emilie Condamine poses after participating

in a fashion show in front of the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign on the Las Vegas Strip to kick off the pro-mask wearing campaign “Mask Up for Nevada” put on by Experience Strategy Associates amid the spread of the coronavirus. Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak has recently signed a directive requiring people to wear face coverings in public places throughout the state beginning today (June 26) in response to a four-week upward trend of new daily virus infections. AFP

DONALD Trump’s bungled coronavirus response and crackdowns on protesters have thrust Joe Biden into the driver’s seat of the US presidential election, but the Democratic challenger must decide when to start campaigning in earnest and battle his opponent head on.

Polls show American voters have little faith in Trump’s ability to defeat the pandemic, and 130 days out from November’s election Biden has surged into a commanding lead despite holding few in-person events since mid-March.

But with campaign inflection points fast approaching – notably his pick of a running mate, expected in early July, and the Democratic National Convention in August – Biden must consider how to balance adhering to coronavirus safety measures and appearing as more than just a virtual candidate.

Hurling criticism at the president from his Delaware home is not a viable long-term strategy for Biden, common

Taiwan’s transgender Cabinet member IN AN age of polarizing populism, Audrey Tang puts empathy and seeing “all sides” at the core of her politics, an approach she says is bolstered by her transgender identity.

Taiwan’s digital minister is the world’s first openly transgender cabinet member and has blazed a trail ever since she quit school aged 14.

As a self-taught programming whizz, she started her own company two years after leaving education. She then forged a career in Silicon Valley before returning home to enter government­—an unusual step for a self-described “conservative anarchist.”

But President Tsai Ing-wen’s administration headhunted her in 2016, attracted by her lack of party-political background and iconoclastic approach.

“I think it’s easier for us because we don’t have this binary thinking,” Tang, 39, told AFP when discussing what her transgender identity brings to the job.

“We don’t think that there’s half of the world that’s different from us.”

Tang publicly transitioned in her early 20s, changing her Chinese and English names and adopting the pronoun “she”—although on her cabinet personnel file she wrote down no gender.

It is the experience of living through different identities, she said, that allows her to see multiple perspectives.

“I have some shared sentiments, some shared lived experiences and I can empathize more with people who suffer from the different minorities,” she said.

“I am not taking any particular side. I am taking all the sides.” AFP Audrey Tang

sense and experts dictate.

“I don’t see how that’s sustainable through the fall election,” professor Barry Burden, director of the Election Research Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, told AFP. “There will come a point where Biden will need to be a physical presence on the campaign trail, if only to reassure voters he is a real person, in good health and ready to serve.”

That coming out should occur in July, Burden said, so Biden can hone his public messaging and take advantage of the potent imagery of sharing a stage with his new vice presidential pick.

Mocked by Team Trump for repeatedly broadcasting from his basement studio, Biden appears to be making a gradual shift toward in-person events.

On Thursday, he traveled to Lancaster, Pennsylvania where he wore a mask and sat with families in a brick-lined garden to discuss health care. AFP

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Business PSEi June 26, 2020 TOP GAINERS

TOP LOSERS

B3

SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2020 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market bounces back; telecom firms lead rally T HE stock market rebounded Friday following a strong lead from Wall Street and the surprise move of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to reduce the benchmark interest rate by 50 basis points to an all-time low of 2.25 percent.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index surged 73.58 points, or 1.2 percent, to 6,191.84 on a value turnover of P5.3 billion. Gainers edged losers, 99 to 91, with 54 issues unchanged.

The Monetary Board, BSP’s policymaking body, said late Wednesday it expects a protracted and uneven global recovery. “Hence, there remains a critical need for continuing measures to bolster economic activity and support financial conditions, especially the ef-

fective implementation of interventions to protect human health, boost agricultural productivity and build infrastructure,” it said.

DITO CME Holdings Corp., the third major telecommunications company, advanced 6.1 percent to P3.65, while PLDT Inc., the biggest telecom firm, climbed 5 percent to P1,250.

Globe Telecom Inc., the second-largest telecom, rose 3.5 percent to P2,130, while Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which is into toll roads, water and electricity distribution, hospitals and infrastructure, also increased 3.5 percent to P3.80.

The rest of Asian markets bounced back Friday from the previous day’s steep losses, but an increase in infections across the planet is fanning worries about a second wave.

Still, most Asian markets advanced Friday. Tokyo, Sydney, Seoul and Bangkok were all more than one percent higher.

Singapore rose 0.9 percent, Jakarta

edged up 0.2 percent and Wellington was marginally higher.

But Hong Kong fell 0.8 percent after the US Senate approved a bill that would lay out sanctions on Chinese officials who undermine the city’s autonomy as Beijing pushes forward with a controversial national security law.

The bill would allow sanctions against Chinese officials and the Hong Kong police, as well as banks that conduct “significant transactions” with them.

Shanghai was closed for a holiday.

With several US states--particularly Texas, Florida and California―reporting a rebound in cases, there is an increasing sense that leaders will have to stall their economic re-openings and in some cases reimpose containment measures.

And the World Health Organization has raised concerns of a new surge in Europe, where lockdown easing has seen flights between countries resume and bars, restaurants and cinemas reopen. AFP

MOST ACTIVE

BUSY AGAIN. People wearing facemasks carry shopping bags as they walk near Herald Square on June 25, 2020 in New York City. New York businesses opened their doors to returning waves of workers June 22 as the city that was once the epicenter of the global pandemic marked an important milestone in its return to normalcy, even as other US states were seeing an alarming rise in COVID-19 cases. AFP

UK shopping mall giant Intu faces collapse LONDON—British shopping center giant Intu, whose properties have been ravaged by the coronavirus lockdown, warned on Friday that it was likely to collapse after talks failed to restructure its finances.

Intu, which owns giant shopping malls including MetroCentre and the Trafford Centre in northern England and Lakeside in the southeast, had been seeking to progress talks with creditors ahead of a midnight deadline.

Shopping centers were forced to close for three months after the government imposed a nationwide lockdown on March 23 in a bid to halt the COVID-19 outbreak. Restrictions began to be eased this month.

In a statement on Friday, Intu announced that “insufficient alignment and agreement has been achieved” with its creditors.

“The board is therefore considering the position of Intu with a view to protecting the interests of its stakeholders,” it added.

“This is likely to involve the appointment of administrators. A further announcement will be made as soon as possible.”

Administration is the process whereby a troubled company calls upon independent financial help in a bid to restructure the business, remain operational and to try to minimize job losses.

Intu had warned on Tuesday that some of its shopping centers “have reduced rent collections as a result of COVID-19.”

KPMG has been put on stand-by in case the group enters administration, while there was also “a risk that centers may have to close for a period,” Intu stated earlier in the week.

British supermarket giant Tesco, meanwhile, announced Friday that its first-quarter sales jumped eight percent, boosted by rocketing online purchases as people switched to grocery deliveries during the nationwide coronavirus lockdown.

Total sales surged to £13.4 billion ($16.6 billion, 14.8 billion euros) in the company’s first quarter—the 13 weeks to end-May—compared with a year earlier, the nation’s biggest retailer said in a trading update.AFP

Fed orders major banks to stop share repurchases WASHINGTON—The Federal Reserve on Thursday ordered 34 major US banks to suspend share buybacks in the third quarter and limit dividend payments to shareholders.

The decision is the first such move since the global financial crisis 12 years ago, and limits how banks can spend their capital amid the coronavirus pandemic that has caused a sharp economic downturn.

The announcement came as the US central bank announced the results of its banking system stress tests for the year, along with additional checks in light of the pandemic.

“For the third quarter of this year, the Board is requiring large banks to preserve capital by suspending share repurchases, capping dividend payments, and allowing dividends according to a formula based on recent income,” the Fed said in a statement.

The stress test results varied depending on the severity of the downturn modeled, but Fed Vice Chair Randal Quarles said the outcomes were generally positive.

“The banking system has been a source of strength during this crisis, and the results of our sensitivity analyses show that our banks can remain strong in the face of even the harshest shocks,” Quarles said in a statement.

However, the Fed noted that in some of the more severe scenarios, “most firms remain well capitalized but several would approach minimum capital levels.”

“All large banks will be required to resubmit and update their capital plans later this year to reflect current stresses, which will help firms re-assess their capital needs and maintain strong capital planning practices during this period of uncertainty,” the Fed said, in addition to announcing the new rules on buybacks and dividends.

Share repurchases have represented about 70 percent of payouts to shareholders from large banks in recent years, the Fed noted.

The central bank rolled out trillions of dollars in liquidity to stop financial markets from seizing up as the coronavirus forced businesses to close in mid-March, sending unemployment up to 13.3 percent in May. AFP

Wirecard fraud an ‘unparallelled scandal’—German finance minister BERLIN, Germany―The dramatic collapse of payments provider Wirecard is an “unparalleled scandal,” Germany’s finance minister said Thursday, after the group filed for insolvency as it admitted that 1.9 billion euros missing from its accounts likely did not exist.

Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said the debacle “must be a wake-up call that we need more oversight, more controls” over such financial firms.

“The scandal is unparalleled in the financial world,” he said.

Wirecard’s former CEO Markus Braun was this week detained on suspicion of falsifying accounts before being released on bail, in a saga that has evoked memories of the Enron accounting scandal in the United States.

Auditing company EY accused Wirecard of carrying out fraud on a global scale, adding that it had been given false statements when it was poring through the firm’s 2019 accounts.

“There are clear indications that this was an elaborate and sophisticated fraud involving multiple parties around the world in different institutions with a deliberate aim of deception,” EY said.

The damning assessment came hours after Wirecard filed for administration.

Wirecard said it had opened bankruptcy proceedings with a district court in Munich “due to impending insolvency and over-indebtedness.”

Trading in the group’s shares was temporarily halted by the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, but when it resumed

the stocks collapsed, closing at 3.53 euros. Just over a week ago, it stood at around 100 euros.

From vice to DAX Founded in 1999, the Bavarian startup rose from a company piping cash to porn and gambling sites to a respectable electronic payments provider that edged traditional lender Commerzbank out of the DAX 30 index.

Once held up as an example of an innovative, nimble company outsmarting lumbering banking giants at their own game, Wirecard’s fall from grace began in January 2019 when questions emerged about accounting irregularities in its Asian division.

The Financial Times in particular flagged the issues in a series of articles.

But the company in turn accused the FT

of colluding with speculators to drive down their shares.

At one point, prosecutors in Munich even launched an investigation against one of the FT’s journalists.

But the allegations persisted, leaving Wirecard’s stocks on a rollercoaster ride for several months.

Final nail The final nail in the coffin came last Thursday when auditors Ernst & Young said they were unable to find 1.9 billion euros of cash in the company’s accounts.

The missing cash makes up a quarter of the balance sheet.

The sum was held to cover risks in trading supposedly carried out by third parties on Wirecard’s behalf and was meant to be sitting in trustee accounts at two Philippine banks. AFP

‘Tears of joy’: Eiffel Tower opens after a three-month closure

By Eléonore Hughes and Maria Elena Bucheli PARIS―Tourists and Parisians panted their way up the stairs of the Eiffel Tower Thursday as the iron monument reopened after its longest closure since World War II due to the coronavirus, with the lifts still closed as a health precaution.

The initial crowds of dozens of people braving blazing early summer heat were a far cry from the usual queues at the tower’s base in the center of the French capital.

But the moment of the reopening of the great edifice was a symbolic one the country emerges from the virus lockdown.

The first visitors had to tackle the steep climb to the first or second level by the stairs, with elevators as well as the top observation deck off-limits because of social distancing concerns.

“I’m tearing up, but they’re tears of joy. It’s an emotional moment after these difficult months,” said Therese, visiting from the southern French city of Perpignan.

“I’m going to climb, but slowly,” said the 60-year-old, wearing the obligatory face mask. “And if I don’t make it, it’s no big deal!”

‘More peaceful’ Those brave enough for the chal-

A woman enjoys a hot and sunny day in the Champs de Mars garden near the Eiffel Tower in Paris on June 25, 2020. AFP

lenge in the heat mounted via the eastern leg or pillar of the 10,100-ton landmark, coming back down via the west pillar to prevent ascending and descending visitors crossing on the stairs.

Turning around halfway is not allowed, and many people stopped their ascent at the first floor―more than 300 steps from ground level.

As security guards went around reminding people to wear keep their masks on, Mexican engineering student Alex Mena, who lives in Belgium, said

he timed his first-ever visit to Paris to coincide with Thursday’s reopening.

“Coming to Paris without seeing the Tour Eiffel is like eating cake without the cherry,” he said, even though he found wearing a mask “annoying.”

Tape markings on the ground enforced social distancing, and site operator SETE has promised “daily cleaning and disinfection of public spaces at the tower.”

The middle seats on three-person benches were marked off-limits, and

visitors were offered sanitizing hand gel at regular intervals.

SETE director general Patrick Branco Ruivo said the tower’s top level would not reopen until July 15.

When it does, just eight people will be allowed per elevator instead of the usual 45.

The 104-day closure cost the company 27 million euros ($30 million) in lost sales, Branco Ruivo said, with visitor numbers not expected to return to normal anytime soon.

The Eiffel Tower usually receives about seven million visitors per year, some three-quarters from abroad, but ticket sales will remain limited to prevent potentially dangerous crowds.

The absence of crowds was no problem for Iris Wang, a 25-year-old from China. “It’s more peaceful and quiet,” she told AFP. ‘Now is the time!’

France is one of the world’s most visited countries, and its tourism industry has taken a hard hit under the lockdown to halt the COVID-19 pandemic, with hotels, restaurants, museums and theaters closed for three months.

France lifted restrictions at European borders on June 15, and the tourism industry hopes that foreign visitors will start pouring in again as the summer season kicks off. AFP

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

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SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2020

Business

PITC cancels G2G rice importation IN BRIEF

GMA Network rolls out digital box GMA Network Inc. rolled out cheaper digital television device to solidify its leadership.

GMA chairman and chief executive Felipe Gozon said digital terrestrial television receiver “GMA Affordabox” was specifically developed to be made accessible to millions of Filipino households.

“In celebration of this milestone of reaching seven colorful decades in the industry, we are more than grateful for the Filipinos’ continued trust in GMA Network as we reaffirm our commitment to deliver excellence in news and entertainment,” Gozon said.

The device features a multimedia player and a personal video recorder, including nationwide emergency warning broadcast system.

GMA Affordabox costs P888 with no monthly fees, cheaper by nearly half compared to the P1,499 TVPlus of rival ABSCBN Corp.

ABS-CBN launched its digital set top box in 2015 and sold 8.9 million devices as of end 2019. Darwin G. Amojelar

By Othel V. Campos

P

HILIPPINE International Trading Corp. cancelled the planned government-to-government importation of 300,000 metric tons of rice which are supposed to arrive in the lean months of July and August.

PITC’s decision will enable the private sector to proceed with rice imports under the Rice Tariffication Law that liberalized the rice trade sector.

“Under the Rice Tariffication Law, PITC is the agency tasked to merely implement any directive from the Agriculture Department to import rice under a G2G arrangement. The provisions of the RTL basically open up rice importation to any private group,” said Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez. PITC is an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Lopez said the initial decision for the proposed G2G importation by PITC was due to the apparent insufficient local inventory in the rainy season. It also reflected the government’s reaction to Vietnam’s announcement to stop rice exports in April.

“It will be recalled that the initial decision for the G2G importation plan was a result of the potential threat to maintaining a good buffer supply of rice for the country. Earlier computations from DA showed a threat to the targeted level of buffer stock following

the imposed ban of rice exportation of Vietnam in April,” Lopez said.

Vietnam is the top supplier of rice, accounting for over 90 percent of Philippines rice imports. The Philippines imports around 7 percent to 14 percent of its total rice requirement.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier asked the Vietnamese government through Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc to lift its rice export ban. Vietnam then made a commitment that it would contribute to securing a stable supply of food for the Philippines.

“With the lifting of the rice export ban of Vietnam, we can expect more comfortable buffer stock levels moving forward,” Lopez said.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar said with the rice imports handled by the private sector traders as stipulated by the RTL, their purchase of rice imports will mean generating greater tariff revenues for the government.

SEC approves RLC’s P20-b bond offering THE Securities and Exchange Commission approved Robinsons Land Corp.’s public offering of fixed-rate bonds worth P10 billion with an oversubscription option for P10 billion.

The SEC said in a statement it considered favorably the registration statement of the publicly listed property developer that would offer the fixed-rate bonds at face value. The company has the discretion to offer the bonds in two series—Series C Bonds due 2023 and Series D Bonds due 2025.

The bonds, with tenors of three-years and five years, will be issued and listed with Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp. on July 17. Robinsons Land expects to net P9.87 billion from the base offer or P19.755 once it exercised the oversubscription option in full.

The company will use the net proceeds to partially fund its capital expenditure budget for 2020 and 2021; partially repay shortterm loans maturing in the second half; and fund general corporate purposes including, but not limited to, working capital.

Alena Mae S. Flores

Emperador posts P10.7b in revenues EMPERADOR Inc., the world’s largest brandy company which owns the Emperador Brandy and Fundador Spanish Brandy de Jerez, posted revenues of P10.7 billion in the first three months of 2020, down by just 3 percent from P11 billion in the same period last year amid the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

The company also reported a P1.5-billion net income attributable to equity holders of the parent firm in the first quarter, lower by 16 percent compared to last year.

“Coming from a spirit tax increase, the brandy segment was performing well in the first two months but was cut short particularly in mid-March when the entire Luzon island was placed under quarantine, disrupting operations and the flow of our products. This was further aggravated by the liquor ban. We hope the velocity of sales to resume when the country returns to normal. We know that we will celebrate again soon,” said Emperador president Winston Co. Emperador, a publicly listed company at the Philippine Stock Exchange, owns Emperador Distillers Inc., Scotch whisky maker Whyte and Mackay Group and Bodegas Fundador in Spain.

ALTUS Property Ventures Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Robinsons Land Corp., on Friday listed its shares by way of introduction under the small, medium and emerging board of the Philippine Stock Exchange.

Altus Property listed 100 million common shares with an initial listing price of P10.10 per share under the SME board.

Listing by way of introduction allows a company to list shares with the PSE without having to sell them to the public immediately.

Under the PSE rules, listing of securities by way of introduction may be appropriate when the securities of an unlisted issuer are distributed by way of property dividend by a listed issuer to shareholders.

Friday, June 26, 2020

73.58 points 6,191.84

TOTAL VOLUME 1,071,419,891 TOTAL TRADES 93,003 TOTAL VALUE 5,297,655,674.74 ADVANCES 99 DECLINES 91 UNCHANGED 54

F oreign E xchange R ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2020

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

50.0130

Japan

Yen

0.009333

0.4668

UK

Pound

1.242600

62.1462

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129026

6.4530

Switzerland

Franc

1.053963

52.7119

Canada

Dollar

0.733353

36.6772

Singapore

Dollar

0.718649

35.9418

Australia

Dollar

0.688600

34.4390

Bahrain

Dinar

2.651113

132.590

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266624

13.3347

Brunei

Dollar

0.716076

35.8131

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000071

0.0036

Thailand

Baht

0.032342

1.6175

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.6171

Euro

Euro

1.121700

56.0996

Korea

Won

0.000832

0.0416

China

Yuan

0.141693

7.0865

India

Rupee

0.013240

0.6622

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.233863

11.6962

New Zealand

Dollar

0.642800

32.1484

Taiwan

Dollar

0.033901

1.6955 Source: BSP

Alorica bullish, bares 4,000 job openings despite virus ALORICA Inc., an American business process outsourcing company, announced 4,000 job openings in the Philippines despite the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the industry.

The company said it would provide opportunities to jobseekers and career-shifters, even as the COVID-19 pandemic led to fundamental changes in how businesses were operating.

“The business process outsourcing industry remains to be a key pillar of the Philippine economy, and Alorica has pivoted to provide current and prospective employees with flexible and safe working options,” Alorica said in a statement.

“The BPO industry continues to provide essential services, even during a post-pandemic scenario. Our teams are supporting customers from all over the world, from fulfillment to financial transactions, as well as assisting in internet and telecommunications services,” said Bong Borja, Alorica’s president of Asia-Pacific operations.

“As we continue to grow and service some of the biggest brands in the world, we’re pleased to be able to help support the local economy and provide thousands of jobs, especially to many who have become unemployed as a result of this health crisis,” Borja said.

Alorica recently launched #NowYouCan campaign, which highlights the possibilities for current and prospective BPO workers. The company said it was looking to augment its workforce by close to 4,000 by the end of July.

The company is offering employment at its sites in Alabang, Cebu, Centris, Clark, Cubao, Davao, Fort, Ilocos Norte, Lipa, Makati, Marikina, Pasay and Sta. Mesa which are all strategic and accessible work locations for urban professionals.

“With COVID-19 still a part of our reality, Alorica is continuing to enforce comprehensive health, safety and sanitation measures to protect our people, in compliance with government guidelines. These include strict social distancing, mandatory thermal checks, heightened disinfecting and sanitizing activities, daily health surveys, assigned safety officers, complimentary shuttle service and more,” it said.

2 1600 CITI’S DONATION. World Vision personnel receive supplies from credit card points donated by Citi credit cardholders.

Qualified Citi credit cardholders can use their rewards points to assist those at the forefront of the fight against Covid-19. Citi Philippines is working with World Vision and the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation to help medical frontliners and the families who have been affected by the lockdown.

PCC exempts gov’t joint ventures from merger review THE Philippine Competition Commission issued a circular exempting joint venture projects between government agencies and private entities under the framework of the National Economic and Development Authority from compulsory merger notification.

The new circular will take effect on July 11. The commission is streamlining the application process for exemption of JV projects covered by the NEDA joint venture guidelines.

“The PCC has been continuously streamlining its processes in support of the government’s push to ease doing business. Significantly, PCC’s issuance of these rules is aligned with the government’s relief, recovery and resiliency efforts, which direct the speedy roll-out of critical infrastructure projects in response to the current crisis,” said PCC chairman Arsenio Balisacan.

Altus Property lists P1-billion worth of shares in PSE by way of introduction

By Darwin G. Amojelar

PSE INDEX CLOSING

The listing price of P10.10 per share was based on the fairness opinion conducted by Navaro Amper & Co., which showed that value of the company is P1.1 billion to P1.22 billion or P10.10 to P12.20 per share.

Altus Property owns and operates Robinsons Place Ilocos in Ilocos Norte.

Robinsons Land earlier sought the approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission to declare 100 million common shares as property dividend to existing shareholders of record as of Aug 15.

The property dividend declaration was approved by the SEC in March.

Other companies that were previously listed in the PSE by way of introduction were Top Frontier Holdings Inc., AgriNurture Inc., Integrated Microelectronics Inc. and Trans Asia Petroleum Corp.

The NEDA guidelines cover joint venture arrangements between private entities and government-owned or -controlled corporations, government corporate entities, government instrumentalities with corporate powers, government financial institutions and state universities and colleges.

Under the circular, the PCC will conduct a competitive assessment of the JV project in parallel with the approval process of the implementing agency, or NEDA’s Investment Coordination Committee.

This will expedite the rollout of key development projects that would otherwise undergo the regular merger review only after they have been awarded to the private sector proponent.

This, in effect, exempts the government agency and the private entity from notifying the PCC of the JV upon signing of a definitive agreement.

The government agency may apply for a certificate of project exemption on behalf of the prospective bidders or proponents. In its review, PCC will provide inputs on the project documents and assess how the JV project may affect competition in the relevant markets.

It said that if competition concerns arise in the review, the agency may require the prospective bidders to undertake specific commitments to address them.

The PCC will issue a certificate of project exemption in favor of the winning private sector participant only if the transaction will adopt PCC’s inputs in the final project documents. It said the failure to follow the requirements under the circular requires both parties to file their notifications under the regular merger review process.

Othel V. Campos

BIGGEST SHIP.

The Port of Melbourne welcomes the CMA CGM Ural, the largest container ship by maximum capacity to call at the port. The 299-meter vessel is one of six currently deployed on the Southeast AsiaAustralia trade route called the ‘AAX1’. It made its way around Australia’s southwest coast and arrived at Melbourne’s Webb Dock for handling by terminal operator Victoria International Container Terminal, a subsidiary of International Container Terminal Services Inc.

ERC asks distribution utilities to shoulder cost of net metering

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Energy Regulatory Commission ordered distribution utilities to shoulder the cost of meter under the net-metering program.

The ERC issued a resolution clarifying certain provisions of the amended netmetering rules issued last year to properly guide electric power industry stakeholders and encourage more qualified end-users to participate in the net-metering program.

It seeks to clarify ERC Resolution No.

6, Series of 2019 pertinent to the amendments to the rules that allow the net-metering program for renewable energy.

The net-metering program as mandated by the Renewable Energy Act transforms an ordinary electricity consumer to become a “prosumer,” with the ability to generate electricity for his own consumption and sell any excess generation to the distribution grid.

An ordinary electricity consumer can become a “prosumer” if he can generate electricity for its own consumption while

any excess generation can be sold to the distribution grid.

“We have clarified certain provisions in the amended net- metering rules by providing explicit definitions, conditions or situations and to avert varying interpretations by the stakeholders”, ERC chairperson Agnes Devanadera said.

The ERC addressed the issues raised by stakeholders of which the most concern is the cost of the renewable energy certificate meter and the attendant installation cost.

Sports

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

SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2020

Hughes fires 60 to take Travelers lead over McIlroy

FROM BLUE TO RED. Thirdy Ravena is bringing his talent to Japan’s B.League.

Matic backs fellow Serbian Djokovic BELGRADE—Manchester United’s Nemanja Matic on Thursday backed his fellow countryman Novak Djokovic, who was widely slammed for hosting a tennis exhibition where he was one of four players to test positive for the coronavirus, and said the world number one was the “cat” who will chase away the “mice.”

“Mice came out of the hole and gave themselves the right to criticise the world number one, in tennis but also how he relates to all other people in the world,” Matic wrote in an open letter of support to Djokovic published by local media.

“But I don’t care. Very soon the cat (Djokovic) will be on the court, and the mice in the hole.”

The midfielder stressed that the tournament in Belgrade was organized in line with the Serbian law.

He labelled the event “great” and voiced hope it will become traditional.

“The only thing for which I resent Novak is that he apologises to the mice who criticise him for no reason.

“No, Nole. They will apologise to you - soon.”

Djokovic, Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki all tested positive after taking part in the second leg of the charity event last weekend in Croatia.

Players had embraced across the net, played basketball and even danced in a nightclub the week before in Belgrade.

Djokovic on Tuesday issued an unstinting apology for the nowcancelled Adria Tour in the Balkans, where social distancing was minimal and matches were played in front of thousands of fans.

The 33-year-old Serbian said he is “so deeply sorry” that the tournament “caused harm”.

His wife Jelena has also tested positive after the couple travelled back from Croatia to Belgrade to be tested.

Croatia’s retired NBA player Dino Radja also voiced support to Djokovic.

“An unbelievable amount of shit on Novak these days,” Radja wrote on Facebook on Wednesday. AFP

Ravena welcomes new challenges, bigger foes

By Peter Atencio

T

HIRDY Ravena said he will have to get used to playing with red as the color of his uniform and facing bigger, stronger opponents.

Now that he has signed up for the San-en NeoPhoenix club team in Japan’s B.League, red will be the new hue of his jersey in the years to come.

“I never wore red in basketball until this year. So I’m very excited to rock this color,” said Ravena.

The 23-year-old former Ateneo Blue Eagle was introduced on Friday by his club team in a zoom press conference that they hosted from their prefecture in Aichi.

Ravena, who is in home quarantine in their family residence in Taytay, Rizal, said he had always blue and white while in high school and college, and while playing his alma mater, the Ateneo Blue Eagles. He also wore blue and white as a part of the Gilas Pilipinas national team.

“This color (red) has something to do with my new team. I’m used to having

blue and white because of my university,” added Ravena, who wore a scarlet shirt and dyed his hair in a similar shade as well.

Ravena said many former NBA players are expected to show up in the league in the coming season.

And he is looking forward to meeting them on the floor.

“The league attracts a lot of big man imports outside of the NBA and I can’t wait to compete against these former NBA players,” said Ravena.

Ravena’s entry into the Japanese cagefest is part of the organization’s plan to expand its reach in Asia.

The Phoenix is one of the eight teams the First Division’s Central Conference, with Toyohashi City General Gymnasium as its home court.

And there’s a total of 18 squads in Division 1.

Ravena is the team’s second import, next to Serbian Steven Jelovac.

After signing up last Wednesday, Ravena said he hopes to join his squad before the opening of the 2020-2021 season.

“I hope to bring with me a lot of Filipino fans as well,” added Ravena, who noted that there are 8,000 Filipinos working and living in the Hamamatsu area.

Ravena, a member of the three-time champion with Ateneo Blue Eagles, will now be preparing to see action in the B.League’s fifth season.

“It would be amazing if I could be a great help to the success of the club,” said Ravena.

Ravena is among the first cagers to join the B.League through the “Asian Player Quotas” instituted in November last year.

New policies have been introduced in the 2019-20 B. League season, which was forced to end with one-third of the regular season remaining in late March because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Liverpool ends 30-year drought LIVERPOOL—Liverpool ended a 30-year wait for the English title as they were crowned Premier League champions on Thursday, triggering jubilant scenes as fans ignored socialdistancing to celebrate uproariously.

Jurgen Klopp’s men sealed a 19th league title with a record seven games remaining after Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat of secondplaced Manchester City left the 2018 and 2019 champions an unbridgeable 23 points adrift.

Liverpool’s first English title since 1990—further delayed by the coronavirus shutdown—earns them their maiden trophy in the Premier League, which was introduced in 1992 and has been won 13 times by their arch-rivals Manchester United.

Klopp was in tears after Liverpool’s long-awaited win, which follows their Champions League and Club World Cup victories last year, when they finished just a point behind City in the Premier League.

“It’s such a big moment, I am completely overwhelmed,” an emotional Klopp told Sky Sports. “Tonight it is for you out there.

“It’s incredible. I hope you stay at home, or go in front of your house if you want, but not more. We do it together in this moment and it is a joy to do it for you.”

However, thousands of fans, many in face masks, converged on Anfield, lighting flares, chanting and celebrating with a replica trophy, while motorists drove up and beeped their horns.

Congratulations poured in from around the world with basketball star LeBron James, actor Samuel L. Jackson and former world number one tennis player Caroline Wozniacki among those paying tribute.

‘I’m hoping there is more’ Liverpool, who were tantalisingly close to glory when the coronavirus forced the suspension of English football in March, demolished Crystal Palace 4-0 at their home ground

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Fans celebrate Liverpool’s English Premier League title conquest following Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over Manchester City, outside Anfield stadium in Liverpool, north west England.

Liverpool was crowned champion without kicking a ball on Thursday as Chelsea’s 2-1 win over Manchester City ended the Reds’ 30-year wait to win the English title. AFP

of Anfield on Wednesday to stand on the brink of the title.

City needed to win at Stamford Bridge to keep the Premier League alive but slipped to a 2-1 defeat.

Liverpool’s 19th English title, which puts them one behind United’s record haul of 20, owes much to the transformational impact of Klopp.

“We followed him and believed him,” said captain Jordan Henderson. “It’s been an amazing journey.

“I’m hoping there is more. We just keep hungry, keep wanting more and following him.” AFP

NEW YORK—Mackenzie Hughes lit up TPC River Highlands in Connecticut on Thursday, firing 10 birdies in a 10-under-par 60 to seize a three-shot lead in the US PGA Tour Travelers Championship.

The 29-year-old Canadian’s careerlow round was the lowest in tournament history.

He came up short on a 40-foot birdie attempt at his final hole to miss out on a 59, but had a comfortable lead over world number one Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele and Viktor Hovland, who shared second on seven-under-par 63.

“It was pretty fun,” Hughes said.

“The hole starts to look pretty big.

You’re just thinking about making birdies. Unfortunately I came up one short, but I beat my career best so that made me feel pretty good.”

Hughes shined over the same Cromwell, Connecticut, layout where American Jim Furyk fired a US PGA record 12-under 58 in the 2016 final round.

Four-time major champion McIlroy of Northern Ireland had six birdies and an eagle against a lone bogey to make it first in the clubhouse on seven-under.

Schauffele and Hovland followed suit in the afternoon, Schauffele reaching eight-under through 15 before a bogey at the 17th dropped him back.

Hughes teed off on 10 and launched his birdie binge with a 30-footer from the fringe at 11. He birdied five straight to close the back side.

“It was a slow build,” said Hughes, who rolled in a 31-foot birdie putt at 18.

“I just convinced myself to keep the pedal down and keep making birdies.”

He followed a birdie at the second hole with three birdies in a row starting at the par-five sixth to give himself a chance to crack 60, draining a dramatic 30-footer at the par-three eighth. AFP

6-time world champ Duran hospitalized with COVID-19 PANAMA CITY—Panamanian Roberto “Hands of Stone” Duran, six-time boxing world champion, was hospitalized in non-life-threatening condition Thursday with the novel coronavirus, his children said on the same day that Panama hit a new record of daily cases.

“Test results have just arrived for my dad, and they confirm he is positive for COVID-19,” the legendary fighter’s son Robin Duran said on Instagram.

“Thank God for now he doesn’t have symptoms beyond a cold. He is not in intensive care nor on a respirator, just under observation,” he added.

Robin Duran had posted hours before that the 69-year-old had been hospitalized as a precaution for a “respiratory virus,” which turned out to be COVID-19.

“We just spoke to the doctor who told us that his lungs are fine and there are no indications of severe (illness),” Robin Duran said. “We continue to have faith that everything will be ok.”

Duran boxed 119 fights between the ages of 16 and 50—with 103 wins and 16 losses. He was knocked out four times, but did the same to his opponents 70 times, earning him the “Hands of Stone” nickname.

Duran is a national hero in Panama as one of the country’s most famous athletes along with former New York Yankees baseball player Mariano Rivera, former Olympic long-jump champion Irving Saladino and former soccer players the late Rommel Fernandez and Julio Dely Valdes. AFP

Sangiao on potential Pacio-Adiwang clash: 2 heads better than 1

Lito Adiwang (left) sits at the fifth spot of the ONE strawweight division.

MARK Sangiao hopes to avoid a potential clash between two of his prized wards as Team Lakay continues to hold a stranglehold on the ONE Championship strawweight division.

The prodigious Joshua “The Passion” Pacio continues to rule as the ONE Strawweight World Champion with two title defenses in his second reign as a titleholder.

But not that far behind is his teammate Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang, who sits at the fifth spot of the division following two impressive wins in the main roster after graduating Rich Franklin’s ONE Warrior Series.

A collision course could be unavoidable

if Adiwang continues to dominate opponents and Pacio stays on his throne, which will make things really interesting in the long run.

“For now, we haven’t really talked about it.

I haven’t talked to Lito since the lockdown started last “For me it really depends, but like what Honorio said, a brother is a brother. For now, I haven’t heard of them talking about it.”

The soft-spoken mentor admitted that he did not expect questions to be asked about a potential match-up this early, especially since Adiwang came on board only a few years ago.

But the rapid development of his two young stars made it happen, and San-

giao promises to be very careful about his decision-making process if that time comes.

“I have the final say in this,” Sangiao said. “When Lito came in, the idea never really crossed my mind because he was still in OWS. But people are always going to talk about it, even in Geje and Danny’s case because they’re in the same weight class.”

Still, he hopes to avoid that match-up altogether, but if his athletes insist, then there is really nothing he can do about it. “I am a firm believer that two heads are better than one, but if it comes to that, and it’s what they want, then I can’t do anything about it,” Sangiao said.

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Tech & Gadgets

SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2020

rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

Acer’s new Swift 5 fuses style, portability, performance T

AIPEI—Acer recently announced its new Swift 5 notebook that offers a new take on productivity, powerful yet light enough to be carried around throughout the day.

Chromebook Spin 713

2K Chromebook Spin 713 based on Project Athena launched

The ultraportable device is a beacon of both design and performance, sporting a professional aesthetic that is backed up by impressive functionality. This year’s model features ultra-narrow bezels that allow for a 90% screen-to-body ratio, a touchscreen with Antimicrobial Corning® Gorilla® Glass and new colors, such as mist green.

“The new Swift 5 pushes the envelope on what thin-and-light notebooks can be,” said James Lin, General Manager, Notebooks, IT Products Business, Acer Inc. “A productivity powerhouse housed in a sleek and ultraportable chassis, the Swift 5 is an excellent option for professionals who are always on the move and seeking a device capable of keeping up with them.”

Less Than 1 kg1: Do More With Less The Acer Swift 5 is an ultrathin-and-light notebook that sits at the intersection of style, power and portability. Its 14.95 mm (0.59 in) chassis is made from high-grade magnesium-lithium and magnesiumaluminum, allowing it to pack the next gen Intel® Core™ processors with powerful integrated graphics based on Intel’s new Xe architecture and optional NVIDIA® GeForce® MX350 GPUs while staying under 1 kg1 (2.2 lbs). This power makes it possible to seamlessly run multiple applications at once, and 1 TB of high-speed PCle SSD storage on top of up to 16 GB LPDDRAX ensures that they load quickly.

Furthermore, those in the office or on a conference call will appreciate the ability to control how much sound the device makes by alternating between three cooling modes: silent, normal or performance.

An ultrathin-and-light notebook strives to pack as much power and performance as possible into an ultraportable chassis. It features the next gen Intel® Core™ processors with powerful integrated graphics based on Intel’s new Xe architecture and optional NVIDIA® GeForce® MX350 GPUsi.

play, both of which support multi-finger gestures to offer an incredibly intuitive experience. The screen features 300 nits brightness1, covers 72% of the NTSC gamut and is surrounded by ultra-narrow bezels on all four sides that allow for up to a 90% screen-tobody ratio, creating a vivid and immersive viewing Svelte Aesthetics and a Stunning Screen experience that makes the Swift 5 perfect for enjoying The Swift 5 has an elegant design that comes in movies and relaxing after work. two color palates: mist green or safari gold, both with gold accents. The notebook’s all-metal chassis is de- Antimicrobial Corning® Gorilla® Glass fined by confidently sharp angles and a minimalist The Swift 5’s touchscreen display is covered with profile that makes it an excellent option for image- a layer of Antimicrobial Corning® Gorilla® Glass2, conscious professionals. That being said, the Swift which has been specially formulated to reduce the 5’s design is not all about looks. This year’s model growth of odor and stain-causing microorganisms on includes a specially designed hinge that slightly ele- the touch display. vates the device while the screen is opened, allowing for Additionally, users have the option to further ina more ergonomic typing experience, better thermal clude an antimicrobial coatingv on the touchpad, keyperformance and, most notably, makes the device’s board and all covers of the device. beautiful screen more prominent.

Full Connectivity and All-Day Battery Life Opening the notebook reveals a generously large The Swift 5 features a large 56 Wh1 battery that trackpad and a 14-inch FHD IPSiv touchscreen dis- lasts all day and can be fast-charged in a pinch, granting

4 hours of usevi off just a 30-minute charge-time. A host of connectivity options such as USB Type-C, Thunderbolt™ and USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, in addition to dual-band Intel® Wi-Fi 6 (GIG+) and Bluetooth 5.0, make it an excellent choice for professionals and users who need to work on the go. For convenience and security, the Swift 5 is also equipped with an embedded fingerprint reader for Windows Hello. It also supports Wake on Voice, enabling users to activate and query Windows 10 even when the screen is off.

Pricing and Availability The Acer Swift 5 will be available in North America in October starting at USD 999.99; in EMEA in October starting at EUR 1,099; and in China in October, starting at RMB 6,999.

Exact specifications, prices, and availability will vary by region. To learn more about availability, product specifications and prices in specific markets, please contact your nearest Acer office via www.acer.com.

Up to 50% discount on XTREME appliances at Shopee Flash Sale XTREME Appliances will be joining this exciting Shopee Flash Sale from June 24 to June 28, 2020 (Wednesday to Sunday), through their social media accounts and online store. All shopee customers can get exclusive price reductions on selected bestselling XTREME products like 32inch LED TV, 60-cm Gas Range, Manual Microwave Oven, and 1.0L Rice Cooker.

The XTREME 32-inch LED TV showcases high definition picture quality (1366x768), dynamic sound quality, HDR Premium and slim bezel. It also comes with a 2-year warranty and a remote control.

Latest addition to the product line up of XTREME is 60-cm Gas Range.

It highlights a 67L gas oven capacity

XTREME 32-inch LED TV at P5,765

Everise launches ‘Love Experience’ JUNE is Pride Month. Pride is a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community, but it is also about fighting for acceptance across the world.

June was chosen to remember the Stonewall Inn riots against a police raid in New York City which sparked the movement toward equality. The LGBT flag, created by American artist, gay rights activists and US.army veteran, Gilbert Baker, made its debut in 1978 as a symbol for the gay and lesbian political movement. Each colour of the flag has a specific meaning: red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, blue for harmony, and violet for spirit. Since then, the LGBTQ+ has made sweeping progress thanks to advocates and allies around the world.

Love isn’t a product, it’s an experience.

This year, global experience company, Everise, is showing support with their “Love Experience” (LX) campaign and Heartbeat Headset, a symbol for the people in the company to encourage empathy and acceptance of all.

“We are a people-first organization, supporting diversity, inclusion and equality.” says Sudhir Agarwal, Founder and CEO of Everise.

“The headset is a symbol for our ongoing commitment to effect positive change in our communities across the globe,” Agarwal added.

The LX Heartbeat Headset was created to spark dialogue about how change has to come from within—it represents a vehicle for communication and is intended to remind people that no matter who is on the other end of the line, it is important to listen with an empathetic ear and turn any hateful speech into an open and tolerant dialogue.

A limited number of headsets will be made available for customer experience agents, or champions as they are referred to by the company, to use proudly while helping customers with their queries.

A little Love goes a long way Everise proves that celebrating diversity and championing causes like pride can have real business impact as well. The company shows positive employee feedback with an industry-leading score of 4.4/5 and a 91% referral rating on Glassdoor, a leading employer review website.

Employees were encouraged to share their thoughts in support of the Love Experience campaign.

and 4 grill burners. Its sleek design is composed of enamel doors, fixed drawers, and painting handles.

Function meets style with XTREME Manual Microwave Oven.

Available in color silver and mirror. It has 20L capacity and 5 power heating levels that are helpful in your daily meal preparations.

Complete your cooking device with XTREME 1.0L Rice Cooker.

This kitchen essential is made of quality metal body finish and glass cover.

It has 400W power and 5 cup-feature that saves your more energy and time.

The prices of items for the Shopee Flash Sale are as follows: 32-inch LED TV from P11,500 to P5,765; 60P18,990 to P14,995; Manual Microwave Oven from P2,995 to P1,989; 1.0L Rice Cooker from P795 to P589.

For updates and other promotions, visit XTREME Appliances Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok accounts.The complete list of products is available on XTREME website, Lazada and Shopee pages.

TAIPEI—Acer recently expanded its offering of Chromebooks for consumers and businesses with the new stylish Acer Chromebook Spin 713 (CP713-2W) and Acer Chromebook Enterprise Spin 713, featuring 10th Gen Intel® Core™ commercial processors that deliver the latest in connectivity, productivity, performance and platform stability, designed to enable the superior productivity and performance that businesses need when working in the cloud. It brings together cutting-edge hardware, specs and design with the speed, security and simplicity that Chrome OS is known for.

Part of Intel’s Project Athena innovation program, the new Acer Chromebook Spin 713 is powered by the latest 10th Gen Intel® Core™ processorsiii that offer first-rate performance and battery life. In addition, its 2K 13.5-inch VertiView display features a productivity-boosting 3:2 aspect ratio, creating extra vertical space and reducing scrolling.

Project Athena Innovation The Acer Chromebook Spin 713 (CP713-2W) was co-engineered with Intel as part of Intel’s Project Athena innovation program, which was designed to incubate and deliver the most advanced laptop experiences and designs.

It passed rigorous testing to achieve the technology specifications and key experiences ensuring that it consistently delivers the responsiveness, instant wake and battery life that ambitious people need to focus from anywhere.

“Acer’s Chromebook 713 demonstrates the co-engineering efforts driven by Acer and Intel through the Project Athena innovation program,” said Josh Newman, Vice President, Client Computing Group at Intel. “Powered by the 10th Gen Intel Core processors, Acer’s first Project Athena-based Chromebook provides exceptional performance and enables premium productivity for business professionals.”

The powerful 10th Gen Intel Core processors for the latest in processing performance allows for handling multiple apps, pages, extensions and more. Users will experience more than a full day of productivity on the device’s fast-chargeable battery that offers 10 hours1 of usage. It comes with up to 16 GB DDR4 SDRAM and up to 256 GB of PCIe NVMe SSD storage.

Productivity-Boosting VertiView Display The new Acer Chromebook Spin 713 features a 13.5-inch VertiView display with a 3:2 aspect ratio that provides 18% more vertical screen space and reduces the need to scroll. Displaying in 2256 x 1504 resolution, the IPSiv display offers brilliant 2K clarity whether streaming video or using apps from the Google Play store. Plus, both the touchscreen and touchpad are made of Corning Gorilla Glass, so they resist scratches while providing smooth navigation.

Thinner bezels ensure that the notebook’s vibrant images stand out. Dual integrated stereo speakers provide firstrate audio, while dual microphones effectively pinpoint sound to allow for clearer communication.

5G, Artificial IoT anticipate strong rebound 5G technology, which features “high-speed,” “low-latency” and “wide-link” capabilities, is expected to bring smart manufacturing, smart medical care, smart retail, Internet of Things (IoT), Internet of Vehicles (IoV), and even smart cities, and bring more convenience into people’s lives. The development of 5G is expected to tremendously benefit humanity as many countries worldwide continue to strive to introduce 5G services. Taiwan's 5G spectrum auctions have even surpassed 138 billion NT dollars (about 4.586 billion US dollars), showing the importance of 5G in the evolution of mobile communications. The domestic demand and capacity resumption with the China local market will be affected by the current outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). However, if the epidemic is brought under control in the first half of 2020, a rebound in the second half can be expected due to deferred demand and booming 5G applications.

The year 2020 was expected to be a year that will experience an explosive 5G growth by a wave of phone replacements from the consumers’ end. As coverage rate increases and integrates Artificial Intelligence (AI), cloud platforms and edge computing, it will be widely used in fields such as manufacturing, medical treatment, and transportation,

creating many new business opportunities. The sales in electronic products from China takes up to 25% of the world market including mobile phones, computers, and televisions. The demand and supply have been impacted shortly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; however, 5G is still an inevitable element in the development of mobile communications. Once the spread of the virus is controlled, the promising 5G and Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) developments will rebound strongly.

Taiwan's advantage comes from a solid foundation of its semiconductor and ICT in-

dustries. Semiconductor wafer foundry from Taiwan takes the lead in the world with advanced high-end processes. With production capacity mainly operating in Taiwan, the impact from the epidemic has been cushioned by its high factory automation efficiency. Since the fast transmission speed of 5G is limited to short-distance transmission and the necessity to cooperate with various fields, a great demand for customizable and diverse small cells manufacturing has greatly increased. The Taiwan ICT industry, with its professional expertise, experience, and flexible manufacturing ability, is at full throttle to assist Taiwan enterprises breaking into the 5G market.

Taiwan Excellence’s award-winning brand, Edge-Core, has developed a big data backhaul technology to reduce design and deployment costs by referencing future 5G market demand to drive a new generation of mobile network services. The 5G wireless router developed by D-Link Technology can establish a large-scale mesh network, which allows users to easily connect various IoT and smart home devices. Zyxel's intelligent information security defense and parental control wireless router combines speedy performance, information security, parental control, and other features, making it the perfect gatekeeper for home networks.

Tech & Gadgets

SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2020

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Globe E-skwela tackles online lesson creation LIVE demonstrations on applications of online instructional design as well as industry best practices were featured during the latest installment of Globe myBusiness’ E-skwela online learning series.

Leading the discussion on lesson creation and materials development in the new normal were industry experts and full-time faculty members, Lea SacdalanAbarentos and Jag Garcia, of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. They were also joined by Globe Education Industry Lead Mark Arthur Payumo Abalos who served as moderator for the webinar.

Together, the panel of experts discussed and presented key concepts and teaching strategies on the topics of Learning Experience Design and Digital Storytelling to help onboard basic and higher education instructors on how to set up an engaging digital classroom for students.

Creating meaningful online learning experiences The role of teachers has seen the biggest shift during the pandemic, in what Abarentos describes as an evolution towards becoming effective learning designers. To overcome instructional challenges in online and remote learning, she explains that by learning how to transform content into something more interactive can significantly level up student engagement.

According to the web designer and developer, such is the essence behind Learning Experience Design, that is, to design course content that achieves learning outcomes through the ‘creation of meaningful experiences’ and using varied learning tools and teaching approaches.

To achieve this, Abarentos demonstrated how she takes a course outline syllabus and transforms it into a Learning Experience Design Plan by using a Learning Management System (LMS) on top of other online tools. She highlighted six main steps in the process: Discover, Define, Curate, Develop, Learn, and Evolve.

To know which best strategies in teaching to apply, Abarentos encouraged teachers to first discover and assess the learner/students needs through personal sessions or through a survey. This may range from issues in accessibility to learning materials, to even more personal challenges such as each student’s own learning capabilities.

The next step would be to revisit and transform the course syllabus based on the ‘pain points and then refining it as you curate it. This is the most tedious step, says Abarentos. Teachers must select and identify the ‘must-have’ from the ‘nice-tohave content’. This means having to decide if students can easily use the needed technology and then choosing the most appropriate mode of delivery.

A giant digital sign is seen at Facebook's corporate headquarters campus in Menlo Park, California. Several US firms have joined a call by activists to halt ad spending on Facebook over concerns the leading social network has fallen short in efforts to crack down on hate speech and incitements to violence. The sporting goods maker Patagonia added its name to the list on June 21, 2020, joining rivals North Face and REI and the freelance staffing agency Upwork. AFP

Firms boycotting Facebook ads over failure to curb hate speech S

AN FRANCISCO—US telecoms giant Verizon joined the growing list of brands vowing to stop buying advertising on Facebook on Thursday over its perceived failure to crack down on hate speech and incitements to violence.

“We're pausing our advertising until Facebook can create an acceptable solution that makes us comfortable and is consistent with what we’ve done with YouTube and other partners,” said John Nitti, Verizon chief media officer.

Multiple companies—most recently Ben & Jerry’s—have announced they will halt advertising purchases in July after the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) called for the boycott as part of the “Stop the Hate for Profit” campaign.

Facebook’s “hate speech, incitement, and misinformation policies are inequitable,” ADL chief executive Jonathan

Greenblatt said in a letter Thursday.

Greenblatt noted the social media giant’s “haphazard” placement of advertising, pointing to an example in which a Verizon ad appeared next to “a video from the conspiracy group QAnon drawing on hateful and anti-Semitic rhetoric.”

Facebook is under increasing pressure for its hands-off approach to misinformation and inflammatory posts, particularly

by US President Donald Trump.

The social media company made an estimated $70 billion annually from ads, the coalition—which includes the National Association for the Advancement

Infinity-O display to fully showcase its Super AMOLED technology. This function, paired with a near bezel-less body, offers an exceptional viewing and gaming experience with an expanded range of color and clarity.

Samsung is also launching the Galaxy A31 equipped with a Quad Camera set up with 48MP Main lens that lets Gen Z take clearer shots at any time of the day. It has an 8MP Ultra Wide-Angle Camera with a 123° field of vision and a 5MP Depth Camera that adds a creative blur on photos.

Aspiring photographers can also capture their subjects in more detail using the 5MP Macro Lens. Its 20MP Front Camera even takes their selfie game to a whole new level.

The Galaxy A31 is equipped with a 5000mAh battery paired with a 15W Fast-Charging technology for an all-day experience. Games and movies can be fully enjoyed on the 6.4” Full HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity-U Display that provides richer and vibrant colors.

Through the new A-series, owners can meet fellow Galaxy users and join in on discussions in the Samsung Members Community via the Samsung Members app. This also allows them to unlock special offers, discounts, and so much more.

The Galaxy A51 and A31 are available starting June 26 for P17,990 and P14,990,

Facebook Vice President John Hegeman said in a blog post the social media giant would be seeking to direct people to “authoritative” information about the COVID-19 outbreak through its hub on the pandemic.

For posts with links mentioning COVID-19, Facebook is considering a “notification screen that provides information about the source of the link and directs people to the COVID-19 Information Center for authoritative health information,” he said.

“Through providing more context, our goal is to make it easier for people to identify content that's timely, reliable and most valuable to them.”

Hegeman also said a notification would be added to warn users trying to share old stories which may have lost relevance.

UN urges ‘moratorium’ on facial recognition tech use in protests

Showcase your most awesome self with new SAMSUNG Galaxy A51, A31 EARLIER this year, SAMSUNG launched the Galaxy A71 which promotes Gen Z’s love of producing and sharing content.

Now, the tech brand is introducing two new and affordable A-series phones that will help them capture their most awesome self —be it their passions, interests, or talents, for everyone to see.

The Galaxy A51 sports an all-around Quad Camera that encourages Gen Z individuals to be creative in how they express themselves online. Its 48MP Main Camera can shoot vibrant photos day or night, while the 12MP Ultra-Wide Lens captures more of the world with a wider field of vision. The most creative mobile photographers would be happy to experiment with the 5MP Macro Cam, which can take close-up shots with incredible detail, and the 5MP Depth Camera’s Live Focus for an artistic background blur. Even selfies are clearer with the 32MP Front Camera.

This new A-series smartphone is equipped with a 4000mAh battery that can handle prolonged use. When the battery is running low, the A51’s Fast Charging technology can power the device and bring it back online quickly. This is augmented by an advanced Octa Core processor, and up to 128GB of memory and 8GB of RAM to deliver a smooth performance.

The Galaxy A51 boasts a 6.5” FHD+

of Colored People (NAACP)—behind #StopHateForProfit claimed in a statement on the ADL website.

“We respect any brand's decision, and remain focused on the important work of removing hate speech and providing critical voting information,” said Facebook’s Carolyn Everson, vice president of global marketing solutions.

Sporting goods makers Patagonia, North Face and REI, as well as the freelance staffing agency Upwork have all said they would boycott Facebook.

Meanwhile, Facebook said Thursday it was looking to add notifications about the source of coronavirus-related posts and will warn users when they share stories that are more than 90 days old.

The moves aim to add more context to stories shared on the leading social network and seek to stem the flow of misinformation.

Galaxy A31

respectively. Both devices come in Prism Crush Black and Prism Crush Blue.

A-series Awesome Offers Those who will purchase the Galaxy A51 from June 26 to July 5 can get freebies worth P2,800. This includes a JBL Go 2 Speaker as well as two months of Youtube Premium and Youtube Music subscriptions.

In addition, customers can purchase the device until July 31 for as low as P1,499.17 per month with 0% interest up to 12 months of Credit Card Installments. They can also enjoy a P2,000 token via the Trade In, Trade Up Offer in participating Samsung Experience Stores and Abenson Stores.

GENEVA—The UN human rights chief called Thursday for a “moratorium” on the use of facial recognition technology during peaceful protests, stressing that it could increase discrimination against people of African descent and other minorities.

Michelle Bachelet's appeal came as her office published a report about the impact of new technologies on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of assemblies, including peaceful protests.

“There should be a moratorium on the use of facial recognition technology in the context of peaceful protests, until states meet certain conditions including human rights due diligence before deploying it,” Bachelet said in a statement.

The report was requested by the United Nations Human Rights Council two years ago, but it comes as demonstrations have erupted in a number of countries.

“New technologies can be used to mobilise and organise peaceful protests, form networks and coalitions, and help people to be better informed about demonstrations and the reasons they are happening, thus driving social change,” Bachelet said.

But, she stressed, “as we have seen, they can be—and are being—used to restrict and

infringe on protesters’ rights, to surveil and track them, and invade their privacy.”

The UN report pointed out that technology-enabled surveillance had been a major factor in shrinking civic space in a range of countries, with some states using intrusive online surveillance and the hacking of social media accounts used by protest organisers and demonstrators themselves.

It voiced particular concern over facial recognition technology, “which allows for the automated identification, surveillance and tracking of protesters.”

Facial recognition has numerous uses that could simplify people's lives, as seen with Apple using it to unlock smartphones.

But the technology has a dark side, with facial recognition integrated into China's massive public surveillance system and its social credit experiment, where even minor infractions of public norms can result in sanctions.

As protests about police violence and racism spread across the United States, pressure mounted on the tech firms behind the technology.

Microsoft and Amazon announced they would suspend sales of facial recognition software to police forces, while IBM said it would quit the business.

Under pressure, Google to pay some outlets for news content WASHINGTON—Google announced plans Thursday to pay some news organizations for content in a departure from its past practice following pressure from governments and media groups around the world.

While details of the plan were not known, the move could represent a significant shift by the internet giant and follows initiatives

by Facebook and Apple to create news products in partnership with media outlets.

Google said it would pay media partners in three countries and cover the costs of pay-walled news sites to give users free access to a dedicated news app.

The program will begin with "local and national publications in Germany, Australia and Brazil" and is set to expand to more countries soon, the tech giant said.

"A vibrant news industry matters—per-

haps now more than ever, as people look for information they can count on in the midst of a global pandemic and growing concerns about racial injustice around the world," said Brad Bender, Google's vice president for news product management.

Google intends to pay for "high-quality content for a new news experience launching later this year" to allow media groups to "monetize their content," Bender said.

News industry's woes The move comes with many news organizations struggling with declining print readership and challenged by the digital ecosystem where ad revenue is dominated

by Google and Facebook.

Google has been accused of siphoning off online revenue and has faced legal battles in France and Australia over its refusal to pay

news organizations for content.

The California giant has countered that it helps drive traffic and revenue to online news sites. It has also announced several efforts to aid journalism through its Google News Initiative.

The Google move comes after Facebook said last year it would create a "news tab" in partnership with media groups to promote journalism and stem the flow of misinformation.

Apple launched its news app in 2015 which helps promote media subscriptions and in 2019 added a paid service called Apple News+ which shares revenue with newspaper and magazine publishers.

Google's initial partners include the Spiegel Group in Germany and Brazil's Diarios Associados. Australian publishers Schwartz Media, The Conversation and

Solstice Media are also among the partners, according to public broadcaster ABC. Helping whom?

David Chavern, president of the News Media Alliance, which represents the US newspaper sector, said the announcement was "vague and confusing" and may be designed to help Google negotiate its legal battles with media.

"It is a step in the right direction, but only a quite small one," he said.

Gabriel Kahn, a professor who follows media economics at the University of Southern California, said Google's move is not what the industry has been seeking.

"Google has crossed an important philosophical threshold—the idea of paying the producers of the content that it distributes," Kahn said. AFP

he Google logo is seen at the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. Google announced plans to pay some news organizations for content in a departure from its past practice following pressure from governments and media groups around the world. AFP

RAMON L. TOMELDAN Editor

C4

SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2020

Motoring

KEEP ON TRUCKING

Hino rolls out new 10-wheeler HINO Motors Philippines, the exclusive distributor of Hino trucks and buses in the country, has introduced the newest addition to its 500 series of medium-duty trucks, the all-new Hino FL 10-wheeler.

The Facebook livestream launch of the latest Hino truck also marks the company’s first virtual launch in the Philippines.

Designed to provide Total Support, the all-new Hino FL 10-wheeler truck sets a new standard for medium-duty trucks with its improved safety and comfort, superior reliability and optimum fuel economy. With all these features, the Hino FL 10-wheeler truck is ready to cater to the various trucking and logistics needs of Filipinos nationwide.

“We at Hino will always be a committed and solid business partner that continuously innovates and adapts to the changing needs of our customers. We expand our product portfolio and broaden our trucking solutions to provide our customers with the right Hino truck that meets their business needs. With this new Hino truck, we aim to partner with more businesses and establishments and support more Filipinos in this time of need. We assure our customers of the Hino promise of reducing total running cost and downtime and maximizing lifetime value through the excellent quality of our aftersales services”, said HMP Chairman Vicente T. Mills, Jr.

HMP President Mitsuharu Tabata highlighted the Hino FL 10-wheeler truck’s significance to Hino’s decades-long mission. “Every part of the new truck unit is engineered to deliver powerful performance. Like its predecessors, the truck bears the premium Japanese quality Hino is globally known for. This new truck embodies Hino’s mission of making the world a better place by helping people and goods get where they need to go – safely, economically and environmentally responsible,” shared Mitsuharu.

Powerful truck performance The new Hino 500 truck, which has a complete truck model name of FL8J, supports a load capacity of up to 18,620kg and a total gross vehicle weight of 26,000kg. It is powered by Hino J08E, a six-cylinder and Euro 4-compliant engine that delivers increased output, greater cooling, improved fuel efficiency and lower carbon emission.

The truck uses a nine-speed manual transmission system and has 320L fuel capacity. It can reach up to 108kph maximum speed and 2,600rpm maximum engine speed, with 40.4 percent gradeability at full load capacity. Its suspension features semi-elliptical leaf springs on both the front and the rear side.

Improved safety and comfort Highlighting Hino’s emphasis on safe-

ty, the all-new Hino FL truck is equipped with full-air dual circuit brakes with antilock braking system (ABS), featuring leading and trailing shoe brake system with auto brake shoe adjuster and air operated spring brake to assist during parking.

The truck is built with Hino’s Easy Start (ES) technology, which assists the driver in safely maneuvering the vehicle during steep inclines by maintaining a breaking force that prevents the truck from rolling backward and making other

accidental movements. The ES technology simultaneously allows the driver to reduce fatigue by resting their feet off the brake pedals and automatically releasing the brakes once the clutch is engaged. This feature, which operates in both forward and reverse gears, optimizes the truck’s overall performance by minimizing maintenance costs through reduced stress placed on the brakes and clutch while boosting driver comfort and safety.

Ford F-150: Two more for the offroad FOR about 43 years now, Ford pick-up trucks claim to have set a global standard, with the Ford’s F-series among the bestsellers in the American car firm’s lineup.

Four decades and still counting, Ford pays homage to its F-150 pick-ups by offering two variants via the digital platform: F-150 4x4 Platinum SuperCrew AT and F-150 4x2 Lariat SuperCrew AT.

“The F-150 is definitely a strong addition to our pickup truck portfolio as we continue to lead the segment with the widest range of trucks, now totaling fifteen (15) variants. The F-150 is packed with segment-defining features and capabilities that have made it the truck of choice across America and the world,” said PK Umashankar, managing director,

Ford Philippines. “We are excited to bring back this legendary Ford truck to Filipino customers who seek next-level power and refinement in their pickup.”

The F-150 powertrain is equipped with 3.5L V6 EcoBoost engine with Auto Start-Stop Technology, capable of generating 380PS of power and 637NM of torque. This is coupled with a 10-speed automatic transmission with SelectShift to deliver tremendous power for heavyduty use while staying exceptionally fuel efficient. An Electronic Shift-On-The-Fly (ESOF) 4x4 System comes equipped on the F-150 Platinum variant.

Exclusively on the F-150 4x4 Platinum AT exterior is a silver mesh satin-aluminum grille and tailgate applique, chrome side mirror caps, door and tailgate handles, tail-gate step with tail-gate lift assist, bright beltline moldings, high-gloss black B-pillar applique and platinum badge on fender sides, twin panel moonroof, as well as power deployable running boards.

The Philippine-spec F-150 4x2 Lariat AT variant is one step ahead from the standard Lariat variant as it comes with the sport appearance package with a bodycolor grille with black mesh, side mirror caps, door and tailgate handles, magnetic angular step bars, and SPORT box decals.

The interior also features a unique Lariat finish on the instrument panel, media bin lid and doors, as well as leather seats Safety features

The F-150 is also equipped with a host of smart and safe features that enhance the driving experience for both drivers and passengers.

The F-150 features Ford Co-Pilot 360 - Ford’s safety suite composed of PreCollision Assist with Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), Lane Keeping System (LKS) and Auto-High Beam Headlamps.

For convenience, it is equipped with a remote start system, remote tailgate release, 8-inch LCD touchscreen, SYNC® 3 with AppLink®, Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ compatibility, 2 smartcharging USB ports and 12V Powerpoint, navigation system, 8-inch productivity screen in the instrument cluster, and a 10-speaker with subwoofer sound system powered by Bang & Olufsen.

The F-150 is packed with driver-assist technologies (DAT) which include 360-degree camera with split-view display, Active Park Assist, Curve Control, Hill Start Assist, SOS Post-Crash Alert System™, Trailer Sway Control, RainSensing Wipers, and Reverse Sensing System.

The F-150 will be available at Ford dealerships nationwide beginning June 25, 2020, with a starting retail price of Pp2,698,000 for the F-150 4x2 Lariat SuperCrew AT and Php2,998,000 for the F-150 4x4 Platinum SuperCrew AT.

30 Vios units gird for anti-virus drive LIKE armored tanks prowling the battlefied, at least 30 Toyota Vios units will soon be seeing action to to the boost the mobility of frontline health workers who are waging an all-out war on COVID-19.

Starting next month, these four-door compact sedans will roam around the medical arena to transport doctors, nurses and other medical workers to and from public hospitals in Metro Manila and Laguna.

Their commissioning to “combat duty” has been made possible on the strength of a memorandum of agreement between Toyota Motor Phils as donor and the Department of Health as beneficiary of the Vios units.

The Health department hosted a simple ceremony to mark the official turnover of the Vios units at its Central Office in Sta. Cruz, Manila with Secretary Francisco Duque III leading the turnover rite.

Showing strong support to the government, Toyota officials in attendance were TMP chairman Alfred V. Ty, TMP vice chairman David Go, and TMP president Atsuhiro Okamoto.

Also on hand to witness the momentous event was Japan Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda who continuously promotes strong ties between the Japanese business community, the Philippine government and the Filipino society at-large.

In his short message during the simple ceremony, the TMP president commended healthcare workers for their sacrifice and hard work, saying, “Toyota salutes all healthcare workers in the country the brave heroes who continue to work relentlessly to care for the sick and preserve life… Please accept Toyota’s humble contribution of providing mobility services through our proudly Philippinemade and ever dependable Toyota Vios.”

Capping off the simple event was the actual turnover of one (1) Vios unit each to Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, San Lazaro Hospital, and San Lorenzo Ruiz Women’s Hospital.

TMP will complete the turnover of units to identified public hospitals by July 2020.

Toyota said it strongly believes that providing mobility to healthcare front-

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and TMP executives sign the memorandum of agreement on the TMP donation of 30 Vios units to be deployed to several public hospitals in Metro Manila and Laguna.

liners will help in the country’s current battle with the pandemic.

TMP Chairman Alfred V. Ty remarked, “I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to the Philippine government for its strong leadership during this difficult time. And, of course, I send our utmost appreciation to all our front liners for their

outstanding dedication and selflessness.”

He further assured Toyota’s role in assisting the country at this time, saying, “As a strong partner for nation building, we are committed to heed the call of Filipinos as they begin to rebuild their lives.

We need to help them get back to work every day. We have to make sure that we

Concept is first step to reality, Nissan says SOMETIMES, the point of a concept car is just to explore a concept. It can showcase blue-sky thinking about a future world with technology that’s more science fiction than reality. Concepts can also give us a glimpse of design studies freed from real-world limitations, sparking a sense of wonder.

But Nissan has also developed a number of cutting-edge concept cars over the years that eventually made the jump from auto show eye candy to customers’ driveways. From best-selling crossovers to the latest in electric vehicle technology, here’s a look at Nissan concepts from the past decade – and a peek at the next EV crossover on the horizon.

The latest concept to become a reality is the “tough but sophisticated” Nissan Xmotion, seen in production form as the all-new, third generation Nissan Rogue. The concept took inspiration from Japanese culture and traditional craftsmanship and fused it with Western-style utility. In production form, the all-new Rogue takes those cues with a design that is adventure-ready for the whole family. Perhaps the most interesting transformation was the evolution of the singular boomerang headlights of the concept into two separate lighting elements. And while the rear-hinged rear doors of the concept didn’t make it to production, the new Rogue’s rear doors open nearly 90 degrees, making it easy for passengers of all ages to hop in and explore.

As a concept, the Nissan Resonance unveiled dramatic styling features that would become hallmarks of Nissan design for years to come. The V-Motion grille stood out prominently on the concept and the small black portion near the upper rear section (D-pillar) led to the “floating roof” aesthetic that has carried through to not just crossovers, but even the most recent Nissan sedans, such as the Versa and the Sentra. The third-generation Nissan Murano adopted the concept’s essence, along with the boomerang headlights and floating roof. One big standout in the production Murano was the interior, which arguably went beyond the promise of the concept.

Though it took two years for the production version of the Nissan Kicks to debut after the concept was revealed in Sao Paulo, the level of design and detail retained was well worth the wait. Both concept and production models even shared similar two-tone color schemes, grey on the body and orange on the roof – inspired by Brazil itself. Launched first in South America, the Nissan Kicks has gone global to many other markets, and is embraced by car buyers who love its size, value, tech features, great utility and the ability to really personalize the vehicle to their tastes.

The Ariya Concept’s horizontal `wave’ display is tailored for the human eye

can take them to the hospital when they need care. We must ensure that essential workers can transport themselves to their work places to care for our loved ones. When we can once again move freely, we will be there to bring families and friends together.”

On top of the vehicle donation, TMP, in partnership with Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF), currently provides ten (10) connected and sanitized shuttles to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) health workers. All shuttles are in compliance to the “new normal” guidelines to ensure that healthcare workers are well-protected, TMP said.

Toyota’s donation represents one of the single biggest deeds by a local carmaker in this time of virus pandemic although San Miguel Corp. and its fuel company Petron Corp. have kicked in over a billion-peso-worth of support for the frontliners in terms of protective equipment, fuel subsidy among others. Also joining the anti-virus campaign -to name a few - are Hyundai , Hino, Ford Group and Caltex who have also made sizable donations – all for the common purpose of defeating COVID-19, an invisible but pernicious enemy. R. Tomeldan