Manila Standard - 2020 June 28 - Sunday

NATURE’S DISPLAY.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources posted on its Facebook account this photo of a series of lightning strikes in Manila Bay captured from Limay, Bataan on June 23.

Anthony Mungcal

VOL. XXXIV • NO. 124 • 2 SECTIONS 8 PAGES • P18 • SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

NCR likely to remain under GCQ Zubiri warns easing lockdown further will be ‘very dangerous’

By Willie Casas

Q

COVID-19 PH

UARANTINE protocols will not likely be eased next week, the Department of Interior and Local Government said as the majority of Metro Manila mayors are also inclined to keep the region under General Community Quarantine.

AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM JUNE 27)

34,803

738 NEW

TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

560

1,236

12

9,430

249

DEATHS

RECOVERIES

“Here in Metro Manila, based on the situation we see, we should not get our hopes up that there will be an easing of quarantine,” Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said in a radio interview.

Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez, chairman of the Metro Manila Mayors Council, said GCQ will likely remain in effect until July 15.

“That is our position. But whatever the Inter-Agency Task Force will recommend, we will implement,” Olivarez said.

Senators also appealed to the government to keep Metro Manila’s GCQ status

FRESH

NEW

NEW

PETS GET ANXIOUS DURING PANDEMIC Another member of the household is also experiencing a change in mental state at this time: our pets.

PETS / B4

amid fears that relaxing lockdowns further will result in a surge in cases.

“Our economy is already in a very difficult situation, and many of our countrymen are going hungry because they cannot go to work and cannot resume the operations of their businesses. But at the same time, the threat of coronavirus disease infection is scary,” Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said, adding that shifting to Modified GCQ will be “very dangerous.”

“We have to be very, very careful in opening up our economy in the next few

TO RISE ABOVE PIGEONHOLING The times have brought some changes even if the physical appearance has not. Gays and lesbians are generally tolerated although some opaque discriminations still remain.

A food catering company in Taguig City has reinvented its operations amid the pandemic to keep the business afloat and provide income to thousands of employees.

BUSINESS / A4 twitter.com/ MlaStandard

READY, BUT NOT IN ANY HURRY When Mikael Daez and Megan Young showed themselves holding a child in an Instagram post, fans got intrigued and immediately quizzed the couple, who tied the knot early this year.

ENTERTAINMENT / B3

LIFE / B1

CATERING FIRM EVOLVES BIZ MODEL

weeks,” Zubiri said.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said the GCQ is a good “middle ground” to boost economic activity while trying to arrest the spread of the pandemic.

“A GCQ set up is a good middle ground because our people can work and earn, and at the same time we can manage the increase of positive. I would recommend by July a GCQ set-up for another 15 days,” Gatchalian said.

President Rodrigo Duterte is set to announce on or before Monday new quarantine classifications.

“There is already a recommendation but this is still subject to review by the President,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said.

On Saturday, the number of COVID-19 cases reached 34,803 with 738 new infections, of which 560 are “fresh” or newlyvalidated cases.

Among the fresh cases, 212 are from Metro Manila, 184 are from Central Visayas, and 164 are from other areas

ENJOY HOTEL-LIKE LIVING EVERY DAY Comfort, world-class cuisine, and topnotch service—these are the merits of the suite life offered by Grand Hyatt Manila Residences.

MICROSOFT CLOSES ALL RETAIL STORES Microsoft said it will close all of its stores and move its retail operations online, keeping just four locations and transforming them into “experience centers.”

across the country.

Metro Manila was placed under GCQ on June 1. Cebu City, on the other hand, has been placed under Enhanced Community Quarantine, the highest lockdown level, while Talisay City was put under Modified ECQ. Malaya, for his part, appealed to Filipinos to practice individual discipline, saying the government has already done all it can to arrest the spread of the pandemic.

“The government has already done everything possible to stop the spread of COVID-19. We are one of the first countries to make face masks mandatory. We are one of the first countries to declare a lockdown. We did all we could given the situation,” he said.

“Now is the time for people to practice individual discipline. People should exercise individual responsibility – practicing social distancing and wearing of face masks. At the end of the day, we have to do all we can to beat COVID,” Malaya added.

STORIES ON PAGE 2

GOVT EYES $8.7B COVID-19 LOANS 2021 GAA COVERS VACCINE BUDGET SOME OFWS CAN’T BE REPATRIATED PASIG RIVER FERRY TO RESUME SOON P150M SMUGGLED CAR PARTS SEIZED

HOME/DESIGN / B2 facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

S

manilastandard.net

WORLD / A3 Missed your copy of Manila Standard? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circulation@manilastandard.net

News

A2

SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN FULL BLOOM. The humble water

hyacinths on Pasig River hamper a Philippine Coast Guard motor boat from travelling at normal speed. Norman Cruz

Gov’t eyes $8.72b loans amid pandemic 2021 budget T will cover HE government, standing up to the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and its economic fallout, plans to raise around P436 billion or roughly $8.72 billion in loans from foreign sources for its COVID-19 response and economic recovery efforts.

In an interview on Dobol B sa News TV on Saturday beamed nationwide, Finance Assistant Secretary Antonio Lambino II said the P436-billion target in foreign loan financing for the whole year was anchored on what he called the administration’s sound debt management strategy.

Lambino said despite the plan to raise loans, the Finance official said the Philippines would not default on its foreign debt

despite the pandemic.

In the middle of the health crisis, which has claimed thousands in infections and death toll, the Japan Credit Rating Agency Ltd. upgraded the country’s foreign currency long-term issuer rating to ‘A-,’ noting the Philippines’ fiscal soundness was expected to be impaired, as its fiscal deficit was “justifiable” and government debt was “comparatively subdued.”

At the same time, the S&P Global

Ratings maintained its BBB+ credit rating for the country as it expected the economy would rebound after the pandemic.

Lambino also said the amount of the country’s debt compared to the size of the economy was at a “respectable” level, adding as of the first quarter of the year, the government’s debt-to-gross domestic product ratio dropped to 41.8 percent from 42.0 percent year-on-year.

A lower debt-to-GDP ratio is generally seen as favorable, as it indicates the country is able to repay its debts.

Economic managers have projected that revenue collection in 2020 would be lower at 13.6 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) at P2.61 trillion compared to expected spending level at

P4.18 trillion or 21.7 percent of GDP due to the economic fallout resulting from the health crisis.

The World Bank said a debt level equivalent to half of the size of the economy was still a safe or manageable level for the Philippines as the government intends to increase debt level to augment funds for COVID-19 response and recovery efforts.

According to Malacanang, the Duterte administration had thus far borrowed from foreign lenders nearly $5.8 billion to finance its efforts against the pandemic.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque told an online briefing two days earlier: “We have so far borrowed $5.758B, that’s the total loan we have for our COVID responses.

Not all OFWs can be brought home—Bello

By Maricel V. Cruz SPEAKER Alan Peter Cayetano on Saturday said the House of Representatives would allocate funds in the proposed 2021 budget for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccine.

Cayetano said he considered the P4.3trillion budget the administration plans to submit to Congress as very conservative.

“We know they are being cautious about the deficit, but funds should already be allocated for the COVID-19 vaccine. And we can label it as COVID-related programs so that if the vaccine is not yet available, they can use the money for testing or procurement of medical supplies. They won’t have to go back to Congress for additional appropriation,” Cayetano said.

“What if there is a vaccine and they won’t supply unless you pay at once? So the funds should already be available in the budget,” he said.

Several countries are expecting to develop a vaccine in about a year.

Cayetano said he and his House colleagues “want to enter 2021 fully aware that the country has to meet the challenges of COVID-19 head-on.”

This developed as House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez hailed the initiative of the Duterte administration through Labor Sec. Silvestre Bello III to immediately repatriate the remains of overseas Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia, including those who died of COVID-19.

UP TO 22,000 SAMPLES DAILY. The Philippine

Red Cross on Saturday inaugurated the largest molecular laboratory in the country as the COVID-19 testing center at the Port Area in Manila formally opened. PRC chairman Senator Richard Gordon (right) led the inauguration.

Pasig River ferry system to resume soon

By Joel E. Zurbano THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority is set to resume operating the Pasig River Ferry Service system and will expand the operation in Laguna de Bay. The MMDA made the announcement Friday when it received 55-seater M/B Phileco, its latest ferry boat donated

by Reghis Romero II, chairman of the

Philippine Ecological Systems Corporation (Phileco).

The new boat brings to 11 the number of ferries used by the agency in the program.

MMDA chairman Danilo Lim said PRFS was preparing to operate soon which would be compliant to the physical distancing policy and other health protocols to ensure that the service would be safe for passen-

gers.

“Once operational, our passengers would continue to enjoy the free rides,” said Lim, during the turn-over ceremony of the boat held at the Guadalupe Station in Makati City.

Lim thanked Phileco for supporting the agency, saying the new boat was a big help to provide alternative mode of transport to Metro Manila residents.

P150m smuggled car parts from China seized THE Bureau of Customs, National Bureau of Investigation, and the Philippine Coast Guard have seized P150-million worth of allegedly smuggled car parts from China which were disguised as manufactured parts from Japan.

According to a BOC weekend statement, the car parts were discovered during a raid at the Maxtro Marketing Corporation and Bestat Auto Parts Corp. compound in Barangay Talipapa in Quezon City.

The raiding team found five warehouses inside the compound where several spare parts, car accessories, truck parts, auto parts, and other items from Japanese car manufacturers were stored.

Also found in the compound were several packaging materials imprinted with “Made in Japan.”

According to the BOC, repackaging inferior and substandard car parts and marking them as Japanese brands was a means of duping buyers.

GOOD FOR YOUR LUNGS.

Greenpeace Philippines has joined called on the government to establish not just protected but also healthy bike lanes to minimize air pollution.

coronavirus vaccine fund

By Vito Barcelo THE Department of Labor and Employment has told House legislators that even with big funding, not all distressed Overseas Filipino Workers can be repatriated and solve the problems faced by the authorities.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said even bigger funding would not bring home displaced migrant workers in the absence of other equally important factors.

“In repatriating our OFWs, we also have to consider the lockdowns imposed by countries where they are working,” Bello said during a hybrid public hearing of the House Public Accounts Committee chaired by Rep. Mike Defensor.

He said the ‘lock-ins’ and ‘lock-outs’ in infected nations were still major stumbling blocks in the process even if the Philippines opened its doors to migrant workers amid its own restrictions to stop the spread of the deadly virus.

Cebu’s priority Joint Task Force COVID Shield commander Police Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said containment of the COVID-19 outbreak in Cebu City would be a top priority for the police.

Eleazar issued the statement during a visit to the provincial capital Saturday to assess the situation as it remained under enhanced community quarantine, the strictest lockdown level, since June 16, amid the rising number of infections.

The city is the only part of the country under the highest quarantine level with over 4,400 cases.

“The first line of defense is containment and we have to implement that,” said Eleazar.

More than 100 Special Action Force commandos arrived in Cebu on Friday to augment local forces in implementing ECQ protocols. They visit small sitios to make sure everyone stays at home.

Reduced quarantine period The Department of Health is studying a possible reduced quarantine period for people who have recovered from COVID-19.

In the televised Laging Handa briefing on Saturday, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said experts have found that a diagnosed person on the 10th day of illness could no longer infect others.

“We are studying if we could reduce this 14-day quarantine after a patient has been discharged from the hospital or quarantine facility into just 7 days,” she said.

She clarified the initial 14-day quarantine for suspected COVID-19 cases would remain.

Vergeire added the DOH had revised its protocols on the follow-up testing of recovered cases.

Loan moratorium Government Service Insurance System President and General Manager Rolando Macasaet announced Saturday the state pension fund had extended its COVID-19 loan moratorium program for members, pensioners and other borrowers by another month or until June 2020, making it a four-month moratorium.

World

SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2020

A3

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

US restricts visas in latest move on HK PRESIDENT Donald Trump’s administration said it was restricting US visas for a number of Chinese officials for infringing on the autonomy of Hong Kong, announcing action as Congress seeks tougher sanctions.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States would curb visas for unspecified current and former officials of the Chinese Communist Party “who were responsible for eviscerating Hong Kong’s freedoms.”

The officials who were targeted were “responsible for, or complicit in, undermining Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy,” which Beijing promised before regaining control of the territory in 1997 from Britain, Pompeo said.

“The United States calls on China to honor its commitments and obligations in the Sino-British Joint Declaration,” Pompeo said in a statement, urging protections of “freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly.”

A State Department spokeswoman declined to say how many people were affected or even if they would all be denied entry to the United States.

“Individuals subject to this visa restriction policy will be evaluated for their eligibility under this policy when they apply and may be refused visas,” she said.

China is moving forward on a security law that would enforce punishment for subversion and other offenses in Hong Kong, which saw massive and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests last year.

Activists say the law would effectively undo the freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong, one of the world’s premier financial hubs.

But the Chinese embassy in Washington insisted in a statement that “no one has any legal grounds or right to make irresponsible comments on Hong Kong affairs citing the SinoBritish Joint Declaration.

“We urge the US side to immediately correct its mistakes, withdraw the decisions and stop interfering in China’s domestic affairs. The Chinese side will continue to take strong measures to uphold national sovereignty, security and development interests,” it continued. AFP

India braces for 1M cases by end-July INDIA now has more than 500,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, according to government figures released Saturday that showed a record daily leap of 18,500 new infections.

Authorities said a total of 15,685 people had died after another 385 fatalities were added to the toll in 24 hours.

The pandemic is not expected to peak in India for several more weeks and experts say the number of cases could pass one million before the end of July.

Some state governments are considering imposing new lockdowns. A hard-hitting nationwide lockdown that started March 25 is gradually being eased because of the damage caused to the economy.

The virus has particularly hit India’s densely populated cities and there are now major concerns for New Delhi which has overtaken Mumbai with nearly 80,000 cases.

The city’s government has predicted it will have 500,000 infections by the end of July. It is already using railway carriages to house patients and has taken over hotels and banquet halls to relieve the pressure on hard-pressed hospitals.

The government has been criticised over a lack of testing that experts say has hidden the true number of cases in India, which now stands at 509,000.

The country is currently fourth in the world for the number of infections, behind the United States, Brazil and Russia, though it has a much lower death toll. AFP

DARK SHADOW OF THE MOON. A high

definition camera outside the International Space Station captured the annular eclipse of the sun in this snapshot from low Earth orbit near the border of Kazakhstan and China on June 21. In the foreground, a cargo spacecraft, the H-II Transfer Vehicle-9 from JAXA the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, is docked with the orbital outpost. NASA ISS Expedition 63

Top virus expert warns of ‘serious problem’

A

MERICA’S top infectious diseases expert has warned the United States is facing a “serious problem” from a resurgent coronavirus as the illness puts the brakes on reopening two of the country’s largest states.

Texas and Florida closed bars and reimposed other curbs on Friday as the number of infections in the US hit a single-day record with increases in 16 states, mostly in the south and west.

The contagion also continued its march through Latin America, where Brazil recorded another 1,140 deaths and Argentina toughened a lockdown in the capital Buenos Aires.

In Europe countries wrangled over plans to partially reopen the EU border, with officials fretting over the reliability of virus data from abroad, notably

China, where COVID-19 first emerged late last year.

Much of the Western world is pressing ahead with lifting restrictions on daily life despite warnings from health officials that haste could cost more lives.

“We are facing a serious problem in certain areas,” leading US immunologist Anthony Fauci said at the first briefing in two months by the White House’s Coronavirus Task Force.

“The only way we’re going to end it is by ending it together,” he said of the outbreak.

The US is recording more than 30,000 cases daily. With nearly 125,000 lives lost, it has by far the highest confirmed death toll in the world.

Texas had been among the most aggressive states in easing curbs but its strategy has backfired with the nation’s second most populous state seeing several daily records in the number of new infections.

“It is clear that the rise in cases is largely driven by certain types of activities, including Texans congregating in bars,” Governor Greg Abbott said.

European diplomats said they planned to exclude the US from travel to the continent when the bloc’s external frontier reopens on July 1.

EU envoys have argued on drawing up criteria and sources told AFP a meeting on Friday ended with a tentative list of about 18 countries free to travel. AFP

‘TikTok Grandma’ will work for Biden campaign AN AMERICAN woman who helped turn a Donald Trump rally into a fiasco has been hired by a grassroots organization campaigning for the election of presidential challenger Joe Biden.

Mary Jo Laupp has been dubbed “TikTok Grandma” since earning fame for her impassioned social media call for opponents of Trump to book out his campaign appearance in Tulsa, Oklahoma last week.

The result was a poorly-attended

speech in a stadium filled to less than a third of its capacity, despite the president’s re-election team boasting of huge interest ahead of time and more than a million ticket requests.

Laupp’s call on the short video sharing platform TikTok has been viewed more than two million times and was boosted by online communities of American fans of South Korean pop music, also known as K-pop.

Biden Digital Coalition co-director Caitlin Gilbert said Friday that the

51-year-old, a mother to four and grandmother of six, had joined her group to help with online campaigning for November’s presidential race.

Laupp told the New York Times that one of her first projects would be to help build a group of pro-Biden content creators on TikTok. The Iowa resident works in the music department of a high school and earlier participated in the unsuccessful Democratic campaign of Pete Buttigieg, a former Indiana mayor. AFP

President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order pledging to enforce prosecution for protesters who vandalize public memorials following a wave of civil unrest across America triggered by the killing of unarmed African American George Floyd, who died while a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck.

Protests for and against the removal of the Emancipation Memorial debate in Lincoln Park have prompted the Army to activate 400 unarmed National Guard troops in an effort to protect monuments.

AFP

as problematic and conveying racist stereotypes. Last January Azaria announced that, in agreement with producers, he was abandoning the role.

“Moving forward, THE SIMPSONS will no longer have white actors voice non-white characters,” Fox Studios said in a statement to AFP. The change will also affect the character of Dr Hibbert, a black man dubbed by the white actor Har-

FACEBOOK said it would ban a “wider category of hateful content” in ads as the embattled social media giant moved to respond to growing protests over its handling of inflammatory posts.

Chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said Facebook also would add tags to posts that are “newsworthy” but violate platform rules – following the lead of Twitter, which has used such labels on tweets from President Donald Trump.

The initiative comes with the leading social network facing a growing boycott by advertisers – with soft drink behemoth Coca-Cola and Anglo-Dutch giant Unilever joining Friday – as activists seek tougher action on content they deem to promote discrimination, hatred or violence.

The new policy on hateful content in ads will “prohibit claims that people from a specific race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, caste, sexual orientation, gender identity or immigration status are a threat to the physical safety, health or survival of others,” Zuckerberg said.

“We’re also expanding our policies to better protect immigrants, migrants, refugees and asylum seekers” from hateful ads, he continued.

Facebook has underscored its moves to stem racism in the wake of civil unrest triggered by the May 25 killing of African American George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.

“We invest billions of dollars each year to keep our community safe and continuously work with outside experts to review and update our policies,” a spokesperson said. AFP

Microsoft closes all retail stores, moves to online

MONUMENTAL PROTEST. US

‘The Simpsons’ ends hiring white dubbers for characters of color THE Simpsons will no longer use white actors to dub ethnic minority characters, the producers of the long-running animated series announced.

The decision includes a recurring character from the series, launched in 1989—Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, a grocer of Indian origin voiced in the American version of the show by white actor Hank Azaria.

The character has long been seen

Facebook curbs ‘hateful content’ in ads

ry Shearer who also lends his voice to many other characters on the series – from Homer Simpson’s boss Mr. Burns to the chirpy neighbor Ned Flanders.

The announcement came as Mike Henry, the white actor who voices the black character of Cleveland Brown in Family Guy, another animated series produced by Fox, announced on Twitter that he was giving up the role.

“It’s been an honor to play Cleveland on Family Guy for 20 years.

I love this character, but people of color should play characters of color. Therefore, I will be stepping down from the role,” he wrote.

Americans are in the midst of a reckoning on systemic racism and discrimination ignited by the killing of George Floyd, an African American man, by a white police officer in Minneapolis on May 25. AFP

MICROSOFt said it will close all of its stores and move its retail operations online, keeping just four locations and transforming them into “experience centers.”

The move means the more than 80 Microsoft stores closed due to the coronavirus pandemic will not reopen as the tech giant enters “a new approach to retail,” according to a statement.

“Microsoft will continue to invest in its digital storefronts on Microsoft. com, and stores in Xbox and Windows,” the statement said.

The four locations that will become Microsoft Experience Centers are in London, New York, Sydney and at the company’s Redmond, Washington headquarters.

Retail team members will “serve customers from Microsoft corporate facilities and remotely provide sales, training, and support,” the company said.

Microsoft said it will set aside $450 million to cover the costs of closing the locations. The number of employees who would be affected was not immediately available.

“Our sales have grown online as our product portfolio has evolved to largely digital offerings, and our talented team has proven success serving customers beyond any physical location,” said Microsoft corporate vice president David Porter. AFP

A4

SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2020

Business

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

Catering firm evolves to keep 2,300 employees The Parazapp UV Disinfection Cabinet invented by Engr. Elpidio Paras

Filipino inventor develops device to disinfect facemasks THE Department of Science and Technology Region 10 has evaluated the efficiency of a local invention to disinfect facemasks.

Engr. Elpidio M. Paras, chief executive of Parasat Cable TV and an inventor, developed the Parazapp UV Disinfection Cabinet—a portable and low-cost disinfecting equipment that is composed of locally-available materials such as stainless steel cabinet, timer system and UV-C germicidal lamps.

Paras teamed up with DOST-X through the latter’s Regional Standards and Testing Laboratories for the initial evaluation of the germicidal properties and initial determination of the optimal exposure time for the Parazapp.

The RSTL team treated N95 facemask samples with Escherichia Coli (E. coli) bacteria and subjected the samples to different exposure times from 30 seconds to five minutes. The Parazapp achieved 83 percent to 97 percent reduction of E. coli populations when used for five minutes.

Through statistical methods, the team also estimated the proper exposure time needed to achieve higher reduction levels. At least 24 minutes of exposure

inside the Parazapp may be needed to achieve a 99.99 percent reduction of E. coli populations in the masks, and at least 38 minutes may be needed to achieve 99.9999 percent reduction.

Disinfection through UV radiation, however, has its limitations. UV disinfection is most effective for flat, nonporous surfaces and transparent substances. PPEs that are multi-layered and made of opaque materials may not achieve proper disinfection. UV radiation also poses threats of skin and eye damage to operators when exposed without protection.

The US Environmental Protection Agency requires at least 99.9999 percent reduction of bacteria to qualify as disinfection. This shows that the Parazapp has the potential for disinfection of E. coli bacteria and other microbes in masks.

With the current rise of COVID-19, the Parazapp can also be potentially used to disinfect viruses in PPEs and other materials.

But his would require further research and development with appropriate methods, testing equipment, and facilities, according to the DOST.

St. Luke’s Medical Center executives led by executive vice president and chief medical officer Dr. Benjamin Campomanes Jr. (left) receive two Scinomed plasma collection machines from Getz Healthcare Philippines.

St. Luke’s Medical Center to use plasma machines for virus treatment ST. LUKE’S Medical Center has upgraded its equipment for convalescent plasma therapy with the two Scinomed plasma collection machines from Getz Healthcare Philippines.

“St. Luke’s Medical Center is one of the first hospitals in the country to conduct convalescent plasma therapy for COVID-19 patients. We are very grateful to Getz Healthcare Philippines for their donation since these machines will greatly help us extend the best treatment for our patients,” said Dr. Arturo De La Peña, SLMC president and chief executive.

With the donation of the machines, SLMC can significantly increase the amount of plasma collection and in turn, the number of patients who can benefit from the treatment.

With these machines, collection of donor plasma can be completed in 40 minutes instead of the current 1.2 to 1.5 hours. This provides greater efficiency, increased donor comfort and safety and increased plasma collection given the same timeframe.

The machines can collect up to 1,000ml instead of the current 500ml. This increased volume of

plasma can be easily transferred to smaller bags, providing treatment to two to three patients, instead of the current one patient.

“St. Luke’s Medical Center will be the first in the country to use a state-of-the-art machine built specifically for the collection of plasma, increasing collection speed and donor comfort,” said Ian Grist, general manager of Getz Healthcare Philippines.

With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, convalescent plasma collection has become an urgent and important requirement in hospitals. More than 100 Scinomed iPCMs have been deployed in the United Kingdom and across Europe to collect convalescent plasma successfully.

St. Luke’s Medical Center is recognized as one of the leading and most respected healthcare institutions in the Philippines. Its two facilities in Quezon City and Global City boast some of the country’s most advanced healthcare technology and have attained global recognition for its excellence in the field of medicine. SLMC is committed to providing its patients with worldclass service and care.

Kitchen City commissary

A

FOOD catering company in Taguig City has reinvented its operations amid the pandemic to keep the business afloat and provide income to thousands of employees.

“We also heavily marketed our packed meals to corporations as their ‘Covid support’ to their employees who continue to work during the ECQ. On top of that, we also marketed our packed meals for donations to hospitals and frontliners,” he says.

Yambao says that this being not enough to sustain the business, they went direct to consumers via the launch of “The pandemic hit all industries and the food industry is Kitchen City Family Frozen Meals.

“We launched it on March 17, immediately after the annot spared. In the food industry, the hardest hit are the dinenouncement of the lockdown. So far, our changes have in restaurants. So many continue to be closed, and when yielded good results enough to continue employing our peothey open, revenues are just a fraction of what it once was ple.

In the future, we have bigger plans ahead in our direct before. People are not anymore going around. The behavior to consumer campaign,” he says. has shifted to home-office-home. For our company, our pivYambao believes that while food is staple, many of the ots to new business models have been received warmly by food companies will close once landlords start charging rent. our market,” says Peejay Yambao, president and chief execu“The ones that survive are the tive of Kitchen City. ones that have evolved and have Kitchen City, which Yambao invested into the right model. and Jun Abelardo established in For us, we expect our canteens 2011, is now one of the largest to open and play a greater part contract catering companies in in the sustenance of the employthe Philippines that caters to inees,” he says. stitutions, call centers, hospitals, Yambao says the heavy investmanufacturing plants, hotels and ments they made in food safety schools. protocols have helped them to The Food Kitchen commismeet higher expectations during sary is situated at Food Terminal the pandemic.

“We use leading Inc. in Taguig, with about 4,000 edge technology.

That’s why square meters that includes a the biggest companies trust us as fixed asset warehouse, freezer their food provider.

It is also the storage, butchering area, cookreason why the biggest contract ing area, packing area and adcatering company in the world, ministration office. The facility Compass Group, chose us to be is compliant with the food safety their Philippine partner,” he says. protocols such as Hazard analyYambao, a father of three, sis and Critical Control Points says the lockdown has not only and Good Manufacturing Practransformed his business, but tices. also made his family closer to The company employs more one another.

“I have a beautiful than 2,300 individuals. Yambao wife, a hard working son and two says it is important that the busilovable daughters.

It feels great ness remains operational to keep knowing everything that’s hapthem employed through the pening to them every day.

The global health crisis. lockdown made us closer.

It im“You can just imagine that proved my health as well.

I exerthese families are all relying on cise every day,” he says. us to make the right decisions on Yambao remains optimistic how to move the company forKitchen City founders about the future of Kitchen City, Peejay Yambao ward,” Yambao says in an e-mail given their customer-centric ap(sitting) and Jun Abelardo interview. proach and their concern for their Yambao, who graduated from employees.

Ateneo de Manila University “The joys of being an entrepreneur are firstly, the dynawith BS in Management Engineering in 1999 and worked mism of changing and seeing the results of your actions; for Procter & Gamble in Singapore before establishing his secondly, the happy faces of employees who you continue distribution company and venturing into the food industry, to employ regardless of the situation and lastly and more imsays Kitchen City’s business began to transform just before portantly, the flexible time it provides so that I can be in the the Luzon-wide lockdown. special events of my family,” he says.

Abelardo says that based on the experience of other Yambao encourages other entrepreneurs to remain hopecountries when they were in lockdown which allowed ful.

“Overall, with the current scenario, survival is already a only groceries, drugstores and food delivery to operate, victory.

Continue changing, continue evolving just to keep “we had to pivot our business to food delivery to remain yourself afloat.

When things settle down, the model you relevant.” have in place that made you survive, will be the model that “We operate over 100 cafeterias and employ more than will reap you rewards later on,” he says.

1,000. Most of the cafeterias were closed for three months.

Kitchen City delivers frozen versions of 60 choices from We had to change business models to generate revenues so their signature dishes such as beef caldereta, kare kare, roast that we can keep employing our people,” Yambao says. beef, salpicao, sisig, dinuguan, paksiw, adobo, curry, fish fil“We have been fortunate that our change in business modlet, salmon and tuna dishes, laing, tofu dishes and desserts in el yielded better than expected results,” Abelardo says.

Metro Manila, Rizal, Laguna and Cavite. It is also opening Yambao says that to keep their canteens open, “we shifted delivery hubs in Bulacan and other areas. the model to packed meals instead of the normal canteen setRoderick T. dela Cruz up to reduce interaction.”

Youth & Culture B1

SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2020

Bernadet­te Lunas, Editor

@manilastandardlife

manilastandardlife@gmail.com

@MStandardLIFE

LGBT PRIDE:

To rise above pigeonholing Text and photos by Diana B. Noche

L

IVING “normal” in a bigoted environment is a form of day-to-day torture, to pretend to not notice the curious glances and to disregard the gossips that cut deep. It is inevitably a road to negativity and frustrations as members of the third sex attempt to leapfrog over the drawn “lines in the sand” society has consigned for them.

Gender segregation is an emotionally loaded concern. There is a popular prejudice and a generalized contempt for the “queer” community. Those who had come on out into the sunlight were viewed with scorn as caricatures in their mascaraed eyes, wigwagging false eyelashes, layers of makeup, eagle-claw colored nails, high heels, and sequined gowns. They have, decidedly, turned all the conventions upside down.

Rejection and ridicule are long-standing themes in a queer’s life. Society in general had been on the loose in showering members of the third sex with derision and contempt.

It’s a brave act to be who they really are and be able to speak their piece about their culture, and to be able to exercise their legal rights, albeit in the very limited degree of tolerance from society. It is also about being able to enjoy the basic stuff of life, such as loving one person and being loved in return without feeling like thieves in the night.

Several gay rights movements have helped bring about a major shift where the right-wing “valuecrats”/liberal popular culturists split somehow loosened up the boundaries at a point where mutual understanding became the ethos around the world so that the recent views expressed by “It’s all a matter of taste” replaced old norms in morality as well as etiquette.

It was a tipping of society’s scales to that level where the underclass grew under a collaborative commitment to give their similar feelings one unitary voice.

There were several protests and marches directed at suppressing instances of rebuff and discrimination in the workplace, in particular, or of whatever act that generates manifestations of gender-

RALLY FOR THEIR RIGHTS. Members of the LGBTQ+ community come together to stand up for their rights and fight against oppression and discrimination. In photos are participants in various gay parades in San Francisco, California (1994-1998).

related ostracism.

The San Francisco Pride Parade on Market Street is an annual continuing protest as well as celebration of the gay community worldwide intended as an expression of their imagination, creativity, and connection.

The Gay Liberation Front in Los Angeles, California pioneered the movement. It offered mental health and related services to the LGBT community at

its Los Angeles LGBT Center. The first magazine for lesbians was published by Edythe Eyde a.k.a. Lisa Ben in 1947.

The first active protest of the gay movement was also in Los Angeles, 10 years preceding the trailblazing Stonewall riots in New York City on June 28, 1969. The Stonewall riot was the incident that became the trumpet call for the gay rights movement.

The city of New York refused to

issue licenses to bars that catered to gays, drag queens, and black gays. The Stonewall Inn, a gay bar on Greenwich Village, was raided by the police after a group, when told to disperse, would not move away. Transgender Marsha Johnson threw the first brick at the police barricade that started the riotous demonstration releasing the gay community’s repressed personal conflicts and disaffinities.

The times have brought some changes even if the physical appearance has not. Some tags associated with gay people—bakla, bading, tibo, paminta, badette, butch, alfa, billy boy—are now barely used as derogatory addresses.

Gays and lesbians are generally tolerated although some opaque discriminations still remain.

An incident involving Jennifer Laude, a transgender, found dead in a motel room in Olongapo City, was killed in “self-defense” by US Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton when he realized Laude was a man. In Lucena City, 55-year-old Mary Jo Añonuevo, also a transgender, was stabbed 33 times inside the bar she owned.

The LGBT Rights Bill, also called the SOGIE Bill (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Equality) which was approved on September 20, 2017 as House Bill 4982 prohibits and penalizes any discriminatory act against LGBT people.

In the 2007 general election, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) disqualified Ladlad, the political party for gay concerns. The Supreme Court, however, overturned the COMELEC decision and allowed Ladlad to participate in the May 2010 elections.

It is noteworthy that Geraldine Roman became the first transgender to be elected to the Philippine Congress. Corollary to this, Harvey Milk was the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in California with a seat at the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

On the downside, the Catholic Church still disallows same-sex marriages despite some proposals to legislate it have been attempted.

Whatever prejudgment society may have stigmatized the gay community with, the heavy-handed catcalls and repressive social norms have dampened, enabling them to work with what they have and grapple with the more usable potentialities in their lives without fear of rejection and without the caricature labelling.

Do these names sound familiar?

Andy Warhol, Oscar Wilde, Michelangelo, Tchaikovsky, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Walt Whitman, Gianni Versace, Tennessee Williams, Caitlyn Jenner, Chaz Bono, Jake Zyrus, Paolo Ballesteros, Ice Seguerra, Vice Ganda, Mark Bautista, Arnell Ignacio.

The list is long.

PRIDE MONTH 2020 Google PH hosts online Pride forum

Spotify's Unlike Any Other global campaign celebrates LGBTQIA+ creators and fans, highlighting Pridethemed playlists.

Spotify celebrates LGBTQIA+ creators, fans STREAMING platform Spotify marks this year’s Pride Month with Unlike Any Other, a global campaign celebrating LGBTQIA+ creators, and connecting them to fans around the world.

Spotify’s Pride campaign in the Philippines features two local pride playlists.

“Bahaghari,” a PH dedicated Pride playlist, features works from international and local LGBTQIA+ artists and allies, including tracks like Love Even If, This Love Isn’t Crazy, and Hanggang Kailan Aasa.

The second playlist is a special Pride edition of “Kilig Pa More,” the LGBTQIA+ twist on a hit romance playlist, offering the same electrifying experience unbound by neither gender nor sexual orientation.

Meanwhile, the global campaign offers new

content and experiences available in the hub including Amplify: Pride – a hub where fans can find LGBTQIA+ music and podcasts; House of* Ballroom Playlists – curated playlists by top figures of ballroom culture, including Jason Ozzie Ash, Byrell The Great, Jack Mizrahi Gucci, and Jonovia Chase; My LGBTQ+ Soundtrack – social share cards encouraging queer creators to celebrate their queer moments via song and invite their fans to share their own.

A key element of Spotify’s 2020 Pride creative is the Progress Flag, designed by Daniel Quasar in 2018. The Progress Flag adds five stripes to the traditional rainbow Pride flag to represent trans and non-binary individuals, marginalized communities of color, those we have lost to AIDS, and those living with HIV today.

SOME of the country’s most inspiring members of the LGBTQ+ community are coming together virtually on June 30 for “Pride Conversations,” an online event hosted by Google Philippines.

Taking part in the discussion are Antipolo City barangay councilor Kristine Ibardolaza; Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery fellow Dr. Berry Beriña; motorcycle enthusiast and vlogger Gaki Azurin, more popularly known as GakiMoto; comedian, host, and YouTube creator Mikey Bustos; and Google Philippines program manager Melai Lopez.

The event will be streamed live on Google Philippines YouTube channel at 5:00 p.m.

“Google is committed to inclusion, and this Pride month we’re excited to share how we always support the LGBTQ+ community in a number of ways—from sustaining a diverse workplace culture to providing grants and hosting events around

the world to continue the discussion on equality,” said Mervin Wenke, communications and PR head for Google Philippines.

Wenke added, “We are glad to further show this commitment through our products like Google Maps which is helping enable a virtual Pride March initiative this year.”

Google as a company fosters a diverse and inclusive culture where LGBTQ+ employees are respected, celebrated, and empowered. Some of the benefits for Google’s LGBTQ+ employees around the world including the Philippines include same-sex health benefits (health coverage for Googlers and their partners), employee assistance program, and parental leave.

Googlers also have the freedom of establishing their preferred pronouns (he, she, xe, they) so colleagues will know how to best address an LGBTQ+ employee in the workplace.

Google Philippines' 'Pride Conversations' features inspiring Filipino LGBTQ+.

B2

Home/Design

SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2020

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

EVERYDAY HOTEL-LIKE LIVING

C

OMFORT, world-class cuisine, and topnotch service - these are the merits of the suite life offered by Grand Hyatt hotels.

flanking Grand Hyatt Manila hotel and Grand Central Park in North Bonifacio Global City.

The development will offer customized a la carte services such as a private chef to whip a feast for parties, avail of general cleaning and errand-runner services to take care of daily chores; concierge and secretarial assistance to help in minor business or personal tasks; Real estate developer, Federal Land Inc., in partnership with limousine or transportation service; pet care service and more.

Japanese financial firm ORIX Corporation, is introducing The Grand Hyatt Manila Residences offers a permanent Grand Hyatt Manila Residences, a two-tower development check-in to an elevated way of living.

Free aid to Lamudi brokers TO aid brokers during the pandemic, real estate platform Lamudi, recently provided up to 50 RFO (ready-foroccupancy) and rental listings for free.

The modified listing offer was simplified to a two-step process: brokers simply need to log in to their Lamudi account or register with a valid email address.

They can then start uploading their properties. Brokers and agents get the following benefits: effortless digital transition onto a platform that gets 1.5 million monthly site visits; an opportunity to level the playing field; a one-stop-shop for lead management; a way to get international leads from home.

The demand on Lamudi has already recovered 100%, which is good news for brokers. If they market their listings on the right channel, they can catch highquality leads from the Philippines and from overseas, which will aid in their recovery during the GCQ. Visit lamudi. com.ph to register, and start listing your properties online.

MPIC COVID facility focuses on pandemic patients spike OUR Lady of Lourdes Hospital (OLLH), the designated COVID-19 referral facility of Metro Pacific Hospital Holdings Inc. (MPHHI), continues to accept suspect, probable and confirmed patients in support of the government’s efforts to flatten the pandemic’s curve.

OLLH is a 230-bed capacity level 3 hospital operated by the Metro Pacific group. “MPHHI, including OLLH, is one with the government in preventing the spread of the pandemic in the country,” Augusto Palisoc Jr., CEO of MPHHI, said.

Since its designation on March 23 as referral center, the number of its confirmed COVID patients has grown by four times until early this month. It initially opened its doors to 9 confirmed patients which spiked to 41 by June 5.

Likewise, probable COVID cases has grown more than 12 times. from only 12 patients, when the center opened in March, to 150

by June 5.

To accommodate the increasing number of COVID patients in the facility, OLLH has opened multiple wards to separate patients of different symptom profiles.

Aside from wards for COVID confirmed patients, there are separate dedicated quarantine wards for suspect cases, wards for patients developing respiratory

problems thus classified as probable cases, and wards for healthcare professional (HCPs) and healthcare workers (HCWs).

To augment the limited number of healthcare workers in the facility, an additional 48 nurses were deployed in OLLH from MPPHI’s nationwide network of 15 other hospitals.

The center also received more RTPCR Testing allocations from DOH accredited labs such as RITM, UPNIH and another MPHHI hospital Makati Medical Center.

Dr. Joyce Santos, OLLH’s VP for Medical Services, said as part of MPHHI’s protocols to prevent new in-hospital infection clusters, OLLH is strictly implementing and continuously improving patient care processes for COVID and nonCOVID cases.

In line with this, Dr. Santos added, OLLH conducts periodic testing of frontliners as well as prompt contact tracing and quarantine procedures once health-workers develop symptoms.

Staving off the lockdown blues

BEING confined to your home does not mean being constrained in your daily activities. With your flexi-unit, you can transform every corner of your home into a play, de-stressing or hobby zone. And what’s more, you can get the members of your family to join in the fun.

Turn your living room into an art zone Whether you like mixing watercolors or sculpting with clay, you can set up the living room to start an art project with the kids. Getting creative is a great way to pass time and de-stress, both for you and for your little ones. You can use the finished product as a decorative item -- frame the artwork and hang on your bedroom wall, or place the clay sculpture on your display cabinet, and make it a conversation piece with your post-quarantine guests.

Meditate in your bedroom With the constant barrage of news about the virus, no one can blame you if you’re feeling a bit anxious or scared. Turn away from the negativity and start meditating in your room and give your mind a much-needed break.

Tune in to sounds of nature from Spotify, sit still, listen to the rustle of the waters, breathe in, let go and relax.

Bring out the chef in you You know you’ve been wanting to try cooking that dish that you saw online. This is your chance to be your own masterchef! Storm the kitchen and whip up a feast with your mom or grandmother. Who knows, you may even get some handy tips from them to level up your cooking game! You can even create a food diary to document

your culinary adventure. When your friends come over after the ECQ, they will be in for a gastronomic surprise.

DIY your own spa Bring the spa home by transforming your bathroom into a relaxation haven.

Soak your feet in a warm bath mixture of soap, a few drops of essential oil and a potpourri of scented petals. Complete the spa feel with soothing sounds and scented candles, and you’ve got your own home spa!

Transform your dining area into a workshop Get everyone in the family involved in a home workshop for creating improvised face shields, face masks or antibacterial wipes. SMDC’s Facebook page has several easy-todo DIY activities that you can follow.

Not only will this keep you de-stressed and productive, it will also teach your kids the value of kindness and compassion. Donate these products to your community or to our frontliners.

Bring a sense of calm through music Step out onto your balcony and share your musical talent – whether it’s singing or playing a musical instrument. Or put on a show with your kids dancing and entertaining your neighbors. A little live entertainment will be a welcome respite from the melancholy prevailing over the current situation.

The times may be saddening and challenging. But with the right attitude and a little creativity, you can make the most of the situation and make it productive, fulfilling and fun. Right in the comfort of your home.

BACK ON TRACK. Site activities of Meralco PowerGen Corporation (MGen) project companies resumed recently following the easing of quarantine restrictions imposed by the Philippine government amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Atimonan One Energy, Inc. (A1E) gradually resumed activities at its site in Atimonan, Quezon – with full remobilization expected in the coming weeks.. A1E has been strictly implementing health and safety protocols at the site, including use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). An isolation facility was also set up should there be employees or workers that would be required to undergo quarantine.

The facility was inspected by Atimonan’s Municipal Health Office. A1E is a wholly owned subsidiary of MGen, which is building a power generation portfolio of high efficiency, low emissions baseload power and renewable energy projects in a bid to support the country’s growing demand for reliable and cost-competitive electricity.

Entertainment

By Nickie Wang

F

OR young couples, the question “when are you going to have a baby?” always pops up in every conversation. We know that deciding to start your own family is a crucial decision as it can be one of the most rewarding areas in every young couple’s life.

B3

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

Ready but not in a hurry Miss World 2013 Megan Young and actor Mikael Daez had dated for six years before they exchanged ‘I Dos’ in January.

When Mikael Daez and Megan Young showed themselves holding a child in an Instagram post with caption “ECQ (enhanced community quarantine) baby,” fans got intrigued and immediately quizzed the couple, who tied the knot early this year.

“We’ve met our first niece from Mikael’s side of the family kasi nanganak yung sister niya recently.

We met her for the first time, she was really cute and really sweet,” the beauty queen told Manila Standard in an online interview.

“And natuwa lang kami sa pictures na pinost namin, because she’s so cute, she’s only two weeks old. As for the baby plans, and as posted also on my Instagram, it will happen when it happens. And I’m always ready,” the actor butted in.

The couple admitted that social distancing has affected their relationships with their friends and relatives, including their fans and supporters. But the couple created a kind of environment to make sure that they would still have a healthy relationship with people that matter to them.

“When it comes to a point na we know that we have a little extra [money], we try to help out the ones closest to us. Like we try to make sure that we take care of ‘yung mga kasama naming sa bahay, we make sure that their families are safe and well pa rin,” the Miss World 2013 shared.

“Our driver, kahit stay-out siya, okay pa rin ba yung kalagayan niya kahit na wala siya sa bahay namin. So we just try to make sure that the people around us are also well because they take really good care of us and we want to make sure that we take really good care of them also,” the 30-year-old beauty added.

Obviously, they turn to each other to pass the time while they are isolated from the rest of the world. Megan and Mikael are taking this quarantine period to strengthen their bond as a couple.

“It’s definitely a difficult time because there’s a lot of uncertainty. Will a vaccine be available, are we always going to be able to stay healthy during

Brian McKnight Jr. re-recorded the timeless ‘Marry Your Daughter,’ which is given a fresh spin by Tarsier Records’ founder and producer Moophs.

Brian McKnight Jr. releases new track under ABS-CBN’s Tarsier Records

these times? That’s always a worry that Mik and I go through every day.

One thing that Mik and I have chosen to do is to look at things from a different perspective,” Megan stated.

“For us, how can we stay healthy, how can we stay safe, how can we help each other during this process because staying at home 24/7 has its ups and downs.

How can we be a better partner to each other are always in our minds,” she carried on.

Mikael agrees with his wife’s statement. He said that they always remind each other to appreciate their small wins and make compromises so things would work for them.

“We still have our family, my brothers lived here during ECQ, and sobrang na-appreciate ko ‘yung fact na magkakasama kaHARDCORE. Megan and Mikael interact with their ming magkakapatid. Mefans through Facebook Live while doing their favorite gan’s family is safe with pastime—online game.

KATHRYN, MARIS

bond with fans in virtual graduation party WHAT can’t we do these days?

Everything is online now—from webinars to e-bonding nights, online classes to quiz nights—and we have all mostly adjusted our interactions to be purely digital.

On May 28, Sunsilk celebrity endorsers Kathryn Bernardo and Maris Racal celebrated the achievements of the Graduating Class of 2020 through a 45-minute program on Facebook Live.

The two stars shared how they worked through their own struggles to get to where they are now. From overcoming challenges like balancing school and work to staying positive, focused and hopeful given any situation, both stars opened up and showed their true beautiful selves.

The digital event highlighted how graduation becomes one of the most important events in a girl’s life. The

SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2020

panel discussed how a once-in-a-lifetime occasion can be a defining moment for every student out there who has had to go through numerous lessons, exams, and grueling nights just to make that victory march to their diploma.

Ten representatives from different schools around the country were also featured in the program and got a chance to meet their idols in this virtual party.

The event ended with a commencement speech by Kathryn that encouraged the graduates to continue believing in “habamazing” possibilities, and a touching rendition of “Umagang Kay Ganda” by Maris.

Participants were made to feel special with this Sunsilk online graduation party that served as a perfect way to celebrate the achievements of the Graduating Batch of 2020.

Lauren and Victor living together. So para sa akin, those are small wins,” Mikael shared.

One thing that keeps the couple preoccupied especially this ECQ is their passion for online gaming. The two have been interacting with their fans through livestreaming on Facebook. Mikael, who describes himself as a hardcore gamer, encourages his wife to level up her game.

“We take gaming seriously,” Megan said in jest.

“I have a gaming stream on Facebook, which I started February last year, I really started it as a hobby, something that I can do while there are no tapings. And I enjoy watching other people stream. Mikael was really one of the people who pushed me to do it because I was very hesitant at first.”

“Well, that’s how we support each other,” Mikael ended.

Megan and Mikael are not in any rush to have children of their own.

Sunsilk ambassadors Kathryn Bernardo (left) and Maris Racal

AMERICAN singer-songwriter Brian McKnight Jr. has come up with a new version of his breakout hit “Marry Your Daughter,” released under Tarsier Records on June 26.

The track, which was given a fresh spin by Tarsier Records’ founder and producer Moophs, was unveiled as ABS-CBN Music’s effort to bring in international talents and music to the country, apart from championing Filipino artists to the global stage.

“This song literally changed my life,” Brian shared on Instagram.

“To everyone, all over the world, and especially my people in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Africa, I’m more thankful than you know for turning a demo that was leaked, into a breakout hit overseas.”

“Marry Your Daughter,” a onetake recording by Brian and his brother Niko about a man facing his future father-in-law for approval, went on to be a viral hit in places like Guam, Indonesia, and the Philippines between 2008 and 2009. A few years later, the two independently released a mastered version of the song in digital streaming platforms, which as of writing has gathered over 16 million streams on Spotify and continues to be in the Top 200 charts of iTunes in the Philippines.

The son of 16-time Grammy nominee Brian McKnight Sr., Brian has released three EPs since the success of “Marry Your Daughter,” namely If We Survive, JeepMusikVol.1, and Junior.

He dropped his first-ever LP in April, 919soul, a 13-track album that boasts of ‘90s hip-hop sound combined with modernday electrosoul.

B4

SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2020

Desiree Carlos, Editor

daycarlos28@yahoo.com

Pets

How to deal with anxiety in dogs during a pandemic PET TALES

BY DESIREE CARLOS

H

UMANS are now feeling cooped up and stressed out due to COVID-19 and the isolation we have to maintain to keep ourselves safe from infection.

Unnoticed or unknown to many pet owners, another member of the household is also experiencing a change in mental state at this time: our pets.

Animal experts have said dogs and cats have stress thresholds just like humans. Too many changes—an owner suddenly working from home, the dog can not go out walking, or there are too many children in the house—can lead to anxiety in dogs.

“They can lose their coping mechanisms, “ said Sammy Caiola in “Stress During Covid 19 Can Affect Your Dog or Cat. Here’s What You Can Do” in capradio.org.

Sadly, humans may not notice the changes in their pets or might brush aside excessive barking or a change in behavior as a simple dog trick or a cat’s way to get attention.

Aside from the sudden disruption in the dog’s or cat’s routine, our anxiety can trickle down to them, Caiola said.

“They’re not sitting there wondering if we are gonna succumb to a horrible virus, but certainly our concerns become their concerns,” Caiola quoted Liz Stelow, a veterinary behaviorist at UC Davis.

They feel our emotions, Caiola stressed.

Many owners have called pet trainors about their dogs who are acting strangely.

Louise was a very jolly dog until the heavy rains two weeks ago and after three months of the whole family being on lockdown. She now experiences anxiety attacks which we have been managing through the help of a vet and recommendations of friends who have gone through the same problem.

“There’s something new, there’s something that changed … and they start barking, chewing, digging, biting, fighting,” Caiola quoted James Summey, owner of JTS Dog Training in Sacramento, California.

“It might have gone under the radar for a while, but that one little stressor just kind of pushes them over the edge, and it really shows [owners] what their dog’s true colors are,” Summey added.

Louise wears a calming vest when she is having an anxiety attack.

Summey recommended basic obedience training, saying repetition, patience and consistency might help the pets.

It is important for a dog or cat to maintain a certain semblance of a routine, he said.

“If you normally take them on a morning walk or a nightly walk, continue to do that… And if they are normally kenneled during the day while you’re at work, you need to still kennel them and separate yourself, maybe work in a home office or separate room,” said Kayla Corey, a trainer with a Northern California obedience company called Bark Busters.

“The consistency is really important," Corey said.

But Caiola noted that Liza Stelow of UC Davis stressed training “is not an end-all-be-all solution. She says dogs that are exhibiting anxious or aggressive behavior, either toward their owners or toward other dogs, might have something more complicated going on.”

Stelow said fighting is an emotional issue, not an obedience issue. This means the dog does not need a teacher or trainor but an equivalent of a therapist for dogs.

“Your dog probably needs anti-anxiety medication while you work out whatever else is going on,” Stelow said.

“Veterinary behaviorists can write those prescriptions, but Stelow says many are not seeing new patients due to

COVID-19. She suggests concerned pet owners call their veterinarians to ask about behavioral treatment,” sad Caiola.

If professional help is not available yet or you want to do more for your pet, Caiola cited Stelow’s recommendations to maintain a state or normalcy for your pet in the time of a pandemic.

1. Check your emotional state and how this affects your pet.

“If I had a dog that was particularly worried when I melted down, I might try to find another place in the house to do that, so he didn’t have to take part in it,” Stelow said.

2. Give your pet an alone time. Give your pet some distance when he growls or when she hisses, instead of reprimanding the pet. Space and distance can help them calm down.

“When you’re trapped at home with your dog who’s growling at you and you ask him to stop, he may end up escalating. Take it as a warning that they’d like you to step away, and actually do that,” Stelow said.

3. Some research has shown playing classical music and certain audio books can also help your pets relax.

Our dog Louise has been having anxiety attacks. The final trigger, we believe, was the sound of the rainfall when it rained so hard about two weeks ago. The sound of the rainfall made her panic. She was panting too much we were afraid she

would have a heart attack.

The first thing we did was to consult a vet. A blood test was done to rule out any heart problem. The results showed she is very healthy.

She was given a calming medicine that has natural ingredients as we try to avoid chemical-based meds that might damage her liver and kidneys. This calming pill for dogs is given only when she is panting heavily.

When she is panting or barking nonstop, we also switch on the aircon and the television because we found out these calm her. A panic attack causes the body to generate heat in the body, thus the dog (or human) needs to cool down.

A dog (or human) experiencing panic attack will also use up a lot of energy, thus the dog (or human) needs more food. We make sure Louise has more food she likes at this time.

Lastly, we bought a calming vest. It is quite different from a dress or a shirt for dogs as it is a little more tight when worn but the material is soft. We paid a lot of money for that warmer but it helped her somewhat and we would do anything to make her feel comfortable.

You can also use put your dog on the bed and cover her with a soft blanket as blankets calm dogs.

If your dog is pacing or barking excessively and panting heavily, please bring your dog to your vet at once.

Help for Butanding caretakers sought

By Scottie Efondo THEY guide interactions between humans and whale sharks in Donsol, Sorsogon to ensure the experience is safe even for those who do not know how to swim.

They act as guides and life guards for this extraordinary meet-up with such fantastic animals that Filipinos call butanding.

They help protect the environment to ensure these special animals are not harmed and the waters where the butandings visit are kept clean.

They are called the Butanding Interaction Officers, or BIOs. They are the frontliners of Donsol’s whale shark tourism, acting as both tour guides and life guards.

As long as the whale sharks regularly visit the waters of Donsol, the BIOs will continue to protect the butandings and the environment.

But they too need help at this time due the effects of covid-19 on many aspects BIOs guide a tourist during an interaction with a butanding.

(Photo from WWF-Philippines)

of the Filipinos’ life.

The thriving months for tourism --March and April—were turned into periods of quarantine. This adversely affected not only the whale shark tourism operations but the entire economy of the Donsol community.

There are around 40-50 BIOs in Donsol, and their livelihood has been severely affected by the pandemic.

Due to lack of income in the tourism industry, they have been struggling to feed their families and to provide for their basic needs.

To help them, the De La Salle University - Dasmariñas Chorale launched #Conservatunes: Livestream Fundraising Concert for the Environment! in partnership with WWF-Philippines last June 22 . They hope to raise funds to provide food assistance and livelihood equipment to help 200 families in Donsol and the 50 whale shark protectors.

The online (Facebook) concert was

aired and will be aired 5-6 pm and 8-9 p.m. every day until June 30.

The De La Salle University - Dasmariñas Chorale is composed of students from different colleges who strive to promote appreciation for choral music, and to uphold Filipino faith and culture. The choir aims to guide its members in their personal formation towards becoming people who fully live by the Lasallian core values of faith, zeal in service and communion in mission To help the Butanding caretakers: Step 1- Go to "simply giving fund raising" site by clicking this link: http://bit. ly/dlsudchoralewwf Step 2- Click "Donate Now" button below the screen.

Step 3- Fill up the form.

Step 4- Once finished, click the "Donate Now" button again to proceed and wait for your confirmation slip.

You can also use debit/credit card or paypal to donate via Simply Giving.

A BIO holds a butanding baby. (Photo from WWFPhilippines)

You may also donate thru GCASH using Bank Transfer to the following bank accounts:

tion, Inc. Account Number: 1993053194

BDO Kabang Kalikasan ng Pilipinas Foundation, Inc. Account Number: 004210003967

Email your transaction confirmation at dlsudchorale@gmail.com and donations@ wwf.org.ph to receive updates regarding the campaign.

BPI Kabang Kalikasan ng Pilipinas Founda-

#ChangeTheEnding #DLSUDChorale