Manila Standard - 2020 July 3 - Friday

MRT reduces capacity after infections rise

By Darwin G Amojelar, Joel E. Zurbanoand Benjamin Chavez THE Department of Transportation said Thursday the capacity of the MRT-3 would be reduced on July 6 after the number of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases among its depot personnel increased to 127.

The agency said the 127 cases consisted of 124 Sumitomo Depot Personnel and three MRT3 Depot Personnel. MRT3 has 1,714 depot personnel.

At the same time, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board has allowed the limited operations of roadworthy traditional jeepneys starting today (Friday).

The agency said that it has allowed 49 routes for 6,002 vehicle units, or less than 10 percent of the total number of jeepneys that used to ply the streets of Metro Manila.

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CAPACITY CUT. MRT-3 passengers

at the Edsa-Taft station queue up to buy tickets, a scene replicated in many train stations. MRT will limit its capacity starting on Monday as a preventive measure to arrest virus infections after 127 of its maintenance crew tested positive for COVID-19. Lino Santos

VOL. XXXIV • NO. 129 • 2 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

China pork banned; alert up Agri dept warns smugglers, Customs orders tight scrutiny of food shipments President Rodrigo Duterte flashes the thumbs-up sign in this file photo. His four years in office are labeled ‘great’ amid his highly controversial war on illegal drugs and the raging virus pandemic.

USTOMS officers are on high alert over the possible entry of pork and meat products from China after the Agriculture Department and the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) banned the importation of these due to a new strain of the swine flu virus that can be transmitted to humans when consumed.

C

Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero said the Bureau of Customs (BOC) has been closely monitoring agricultural and other food items from China to ensure that proper procedures are followed to guarantee the safety of consumers and prevent the entry of food that may contain diseases.

He said imported foods such as meat products undergo initial examination by the Department of Agriculture and BOC examiners before they are released from the ports.

“After this initial examination, the reefer container is sealed by BAI for 100 percent examination by the National Meat Inspection Service in its accredited storage warehouse,” he said.

Guerrero has directed all customs port officials to be vigilant and examine

Duterte doing ‘great’ after 4 years—Palace

By Vito Barcelo MALACAÑANG on Thursday described President Rodrigo Duterte’s four years in office as “great” considering the many challenges the administration had faced, such as the fight against illegal drugs and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said that, with two more years in office, Duterte was doing great and cited his 80-percent approval ratings in the recent surveys.

“As far as the approval rating of the President is concerned, that does not drop to 80 percent, so the people approve of what the President is doing. That includes the

By Vito Barcelo

(AS OF 4 PM JULY 2)

38,805 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

1,274

294 NEW

52

FRESH

4

DEATHS

NEW

10,673

235

RECOVERIES

NEW

Senate sets probe of Jolo shooting incident Cebu hospitals reach critical level—DOH each suffered from three to eight gunshot wounds, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said Thursday.

In the Senate, Senator Risa Hontiveros THREE of four soldiers killed by police officers in Jolo, Sulu this week, who were filed a resolution calling for an investigasubjected to autopsy completed Tuesday, tion of the incident, with another opposi-

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Willie Casas

tion senator, Francis Pangilinan, saying the Senate should probe the shooting to give justice to the victims.

NBI Deputy Director Ferdinand Lavin said a forensic examination

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WORLD ROUNDUP

• US cases soar past 50,000 in 24 hours; WHO renews warning

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AT A GLANCE

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NEW daily coronavirus cases in the United States soared past 50,000 for the first time Wednesday, as the World Health Organization delivered a grave warning that the global pandemic is accelerating.

Restaurants, bars and beaches in the world’s worst-hit nation closed from California to Florida, as states reeling from yet another surge in the deadly virus braced for Independence Day festivities.

COVID-19 PH

SHOOTOUT OR RUBOUT? This undated handout photo received from the Army on June 30, 2020 shows bodies of slain soldiers

lying next to a vehicle in Jolo, Sulu. The Army accused police of shooting to death the 4 soldiers. Authorities were investigating whether it was a case of rubout or misencounter. AFP

By Willie Casas and Ronald Reyes THE Department of Health (DOH) is finding ways to help hospitals in Cebu province as several of these are reaching “critical level” amid the spike in COVID-19 cases there.

“Cebu reached their critical level already... last week. That is why we are monitoring them and giving them support,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said during a Thursday morning briefing.

Based on the DOH COVID-19 tracker website, bed occupancy in Cebu province has already reached 75.1 percent as of June 30.

Of the 60 facilities in the province, 19 are already in the danger zone or critical level and nine are in the warning zone.

Vergeire said the hospitals there have reached more than 80 percent occupancy in terms of isolation beds and Next page

Wage cuts to preserve jobs mulled; seafarers special lane launched ACTING Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Chua on Thursday said negotiating temporary wage reduction was needed to preserve more jobs amid the pandemic downturn.

During the virtual hearing of the House Committee on Economic Affairs, Chua said the temporary cut in wages was among the immediate steps toward the road to recovery to prevent

layoffs and retrenchments as the coun- step that we can take,” he said. try gradually reopens its economy.

“Over the long term or the medium “To keep as many jobs as much as pos- term, we know the economy is changsible and this temporary wage reduction ing and we cannot keep the same jobs if Next page that is consensual I think is the immediate

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Special session on stimulus bill up

By Vito Barcelo, Maricel Cruz, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Willie Casas

P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will call a special session of Congress to pass the proposed stimulus package for the COVID-19 response and recovery efforts, Malacañang said Thursday.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said it was important to pass an economic stimulus bill to propel the country’s recovery from the pandemic.

“Under the Constitution, the President may call for special sessions, which are usually held between regular legislative sessions to handle emergencies or urgent matters,” Roque said.

He made the statement even as the lead-

ership of the House of Representatives assured officials of the speedy passage of the Bayanihan 2 once Malacañang made the request, House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez said.

He also said the compensation fund for medical front liners falling victims to the Coronavirus disease would be included in the bill’s money provisions.

“We are still awaiting the official

MRT...

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China pork...

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Based on data previously released by the LTFRB, there are 579 routes through which approximately 74,000 jeepneys operate in Metro Manila alone.

Swab testing of all personnel enabled MRT3 and Sumitomo-MHI to immediately identify and quarantine all affected personnel, allowing MRT3, with IATF-EID guidance and upon advice of Sumitomo-MHI, to continue operations at reduced capacity.

MRT-3 management has given assurances all its stations personnel remained COVID-19 free.

Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan said that with the guidance of the IATFEID and upon advice of SumitomoMHI, MRT-3 was able to continue operations, with the possibility of reducing capacity) starting July 6, due to the number of maintenance personnel at the depot currently on quarantine.

The extent of operating level reduction (i.e., number of reduced trains) will be advised by Sumitomo over the weekend.

“Sumitomo requested to discuss on a day-by-day basis the level of operations that they can sustain as results of the mass swab testing continue to be released. In the meantime, Sumitomo advised that they are able to continue with operations to service MRT-3’s tens of thousands of passengers, although at a reduced level,” Batan said.

“While we try to do our best to keep the same maintenance performance through this week, we would like to discuss with DOTr MRT3 office day by day, how much maintenance level we would be able to keep, in view of the number of COVID-19 infected people,” Masanori Honda of Sumitomo said.

MRT-3 reached its highest GCQ ridership to date on June 19, carrying 67,821 passengers at its reduced capacity of 13 percent (153 passengers per train, down from 1,182 pre-ECQ). MRT-3’s Bus Augmentation Program also reached its highest ridership on the same day, carrying 8,835 passengers.

To augment MRT-3’s further reduced capacity due to the quarantine of some of its depot personnel, DOTr will be boosting its Bus Augmentation Program and EDSA Busway service, in coordination with the DOTr Road Sector, LTFRB, and MMDA.

carefully all reefer containers to ensure that dangerous pork and pork-related products will not be allowed entry into the country.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar, meanwhile, appealed to businessmen smuggling pork and pork products, especially from China, not to add to the country’s problems.

“We have also elevated the quarantine measures in seaports, and port areas, and airports so we can guard against these,” he said.

Pork and chicken from China are already banned because of foot and mouth disease and bird flu, but a new swine flu called G4, genetically descended from H1N1, could cause another pandemic while the country is still grappling with COVID-19.

China on Wednesday played down the threat of a new swine flu strain with pandemic potential that researchers discovered in pigs, saying the study is “not

World...

From A1 Global infections have hit their highest level in the past week, WHO data showed, with chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus saying new cases topped “160,000 on every single day.”

With more than 52,000 new COVID-19 cases in the United States alone in the past 24 hours, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally, several US states imposed 14-day quarantines on visitors in the buildup to the long

Wage...

From A1 they are not going to be jobs that are the most efficient and compliant to the new normal so we will have to think about preserving employment and not a particular job,” he added.

Marikina City Rep. Stella Quimbo, however, argued that wage reduction had a big impact on the country’s poverty rate, adding that it should be the government’s last policy resort.

“I know the Department of Labor and Employment recently issued a memo allowing wage reduction so long as it is consensual. The key is consent. That consent is going to be vitiated. [But] you don’t expect workers in a really good bargaining position,” she said.

Cebu...

From A1 intensive care units.

“They were able to bring down the numbers but it’s still in the critical level,” Vergeire said in Filipino.

More than a week ago, Vergeire said COVID-19 hospital facilities in Cebu were already in the “warning zone.”

She said critical level means facilities are at least 70 percent occupied.

Cebu province and Cebu City are among the country’s emerging COVID-19 hotspots with many new cases recorded in these areas.

“So we had to enforce the community quarantine that was most strict so their health system could take a rest …and they can prepare in case the surge of cases continues,” Vergeire said.

Cebu City was placed back under an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), a strict lockdown level, on June 16 after two weeks of general community quarantine (GCQ) because of the continued rise in cases from the area.

It is the only city under such a quarantine level, with the rest of the country under more relaxed restrictions.

The Department of Health (DOH) reported only 294 additional COVID-19 weekend’s July 4 celebrations.

President Donald Trump reiterated his belief that the contagion will “at some point... sort of just disappear, I hope.”

But the US leader who has yet to be seen in public wearing a face mask during the pandemic added he would have “no problem” doing so.

US buys up COVID-19 drug Britain and Germany said they had sufficient stocks of remdesivir, the first drug to be shown to be relatively effective in treating COVID-19, and of which the United States has bought almost all supply.

Seafarers lane The government is establishing a green lane to facilitate the speedy and safe travel of seafarers, including their swift disembarkation during the coronavirus disease 2019 COVID-19 pandemic.

The joint circular for the “Philippine Green Lane” was signed Thursday by Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Interior Undersecretary Bernardo Florece Jr., and Justice Assistant Secretary Nicholas Ty. Locsin said the circular answered the call of the International Maritime Organization to put in place a framework for safe crew changes for thousands of sailors who need to leave their ships.

communication from the Palace,” said Romualdez, co-chairman of the Defeat COVID-19 Ad-Hoc Committee.

“The House leadership under Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano is committed to approve the Bayanihan to Recover as One bill or the Bayanihan II to help President Rodrigo Duterte kick-tart our economy and strengthen the government’s fight against the spread of COVID-19.”

Meanwhile, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said since Congress adjourned sine die without passing the second part of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, they were now working with other agencies to finance the benefits of health workers from other resources.

Under the Bayanihan Law, health care workers receive compensation

once they are infected, hospitalized or die of the coronavirus disease.

A health care worker who gets infected with the coronavirus will receive P100,000, while those who die of it will receive P1 million each.

Vergeire says the total number of health care workers who have contracted COVID-19 has reached 3,422, but only one of them is in critical condition.

And as of June 29, at least 2,514 of them have recovered.

Citing information from Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Roque says the Executive branch will ask the Senate and the House of Representatives to convene in a special session after the details of the stimulus package have been ironed out.

representative.”

The deadly COVID-19 pandemic, which has now infected more than 10 million people worldwide, first emerged in China and is thought to have originated in bats and jumped to humans through an unknown intermediary animal.

The new swine flu strain found in China, according to the study published Monday in the US science journal PNAS, had “all the essential hallmarks” to infect humans and raised fears over another potential pandemic.

But China’s foreign ministry moved to play down the fears on Wednesday.

“The G4 virus mentioned in the relevant report is a subtype of the H1N1 virus,” foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said in a routine briefing.

“Experts have concluded that the sample size of the report is small and not representative.”

Zhao added that “relevant departments and experts” will continue to step up monitoring of the disease, send warnings and handle it in a timely manner.

The new G4 swine flu strain is genetically descended from the H1N1 strain that caused a pandemic in 2009, according to the study, which was authored by scientists at Chinese universities and the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

G4 was observed to be highly infectious, they said, replicating in human cells and causing more serious symptoms in ferrets than other viruses.

Researchers took 30,000 nasal swabs from slaughterhouse pigs in 10 Chinese provinces, allowing them to isolate 179 swine flu viruses.

According to the study, 10.4 percent of pig slaughterhouse workers tested had already been infected.

So far, there has been no evidence of human-to-human transmission. China did not elaborate further on how many had been infected by G4.

“It is of concern that human infection of G4 virus will further human adaptation and increase the risk of a human pandemic,” the researchers wrote, calling for urgent measures to monitor people working with pigs. With AFP

cases on Thursday because of a change in the data process.

This brings the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country to 38,805.

The DOH also reported 235 new recovered patients, or a total of 10,673 recoveries.

There were also four new COVIDrelated deaths, bringing total fatalities to 1,274.

The DOH attributed the relatively fewer new cases recorded to a change in the “extraction time” or the time at which the agency’s Epidemiology Bureau (EB) extracts the testing data from their system.

“From 24 hours, the data we have now is only worth 19 hours because we changed our process,” Vergeire said in a televised briefing.

Vergeire said the temporary adjustment will give the epidemiology bureau more time to analyze the data.

“We are hoping that the data we will be giving will be more substantial and timely in the coming days,” Vergeire said.

Thursday’s fresh cases were based on the daily accomplishment reports submitted by only 51 out of 72 current operational (testing) labs.”

Of the additional cases, 52 are “fresh cases” and 242 are “late cases.”

Fresh cases refer to those whose test results were released within the last three days, while late cases are those whose results were released four days ago or earlier.

Of the fresh cases, 10 were from the National Capital Region (NCR), 17 were identified as repatriated Filipinos, and 25 were tagged as “others.”

Of the late cases, 50 were from NCR, 164 were tagged as “others”, and 28 are repatriates.

Despite the surge in new cases, Cebu Mayor Edgardo Labella on Thursday expressed optimism that the city government can reach the “maximum ideal” of 3,000 COVID-19 tests per day.

Through the commitment of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to bring more kits here, Labella said they can achieve the ideal number of tests per day, which will enable them to see the concentration of the coronavirus in the city.

The city government “has also organized 18 contact tracing teams to help with aggressive containment measures against the spread of the virus,” Labella said in a statement.

He thanked the Department of Health (DOH) for helping the city in acquiring more testing kits as promised by the IATF.

Washington announced this week that it had purchased 92 percent of all remdesivir production by the Gilead laboratory until the end of September – about 500,000 treatments out of nearly 550,000. Each treatment requires 6.25 vials on average.

President Donald Trump “has struck an amazing deal to ensure Americans have access to the first authorized therapeutic for COVID-19,” said Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar as the US death toll hit 127,000 – the world’s highest.

Gilead has set the price at $390 per vial in developed countries, or $2,340 for six vials used over the normal five-

day course, though US private insurers will pay $520 per vial.

Senate...

From A1 showed one soldier suffered eight gunshot wounds. He said three gunshot wounds were found on the other two.

The bodies of the three -- Major Marvin Indamog, Captain Irwin Managuelod and Sergeant Eric Velasco -- were brought to Manila on Tuesday.

The body of the fourth soldier, Corporal Abdal Asula, was immediately buried in accordance with Islamic tradition.

Meanwhile, Lavin said agents from NBI Western Mindanao immediately inspected the crime scene at downtown Jolo, upon their arrival on Tuesday.

Lavin said the NBI found two or three eyewitnesses who claimed they were near the site when the shooting happened.

However, statements of the witnesses

ABS-CBN: Big Dipper no tax shield

By Maricel Cruz and Vito Barcelo ABS-CBN is not using one of its subsidiaries as a “tax shield,” the officials in charge of tax collection and the special economic zones told lawmakers on Wednesday.

“As far as tax payments... by Big Dipper, I think they are paying more or less correctly their taxes,” Albino Galanza, a regional director of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, told a joint hearing at the House of Representatives.

Galanza was referring to Big Dipper Digital Content and Design, a digital archiving firm owned by ABS-CBN and registered with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority.

Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta suggested that ABS-CBN had used Big Dipper as a tax shield, which supposedly led to a negative 5-percent tax rate in 2018.

Records, however, showed that ABS-CBN’s tax rate that year was 4 percent.

Meanwhile, lawmakers on Thursday denounced the National Telecommunications Commission’s latest cease-anddesist order against the cable and digital TV platforms of ABS-CBN. Reps. Lito Atienza of Buhay, Joy Tambunting of Parañaque City, and Micaela Violago of Nueva Ecija warned of the repercussions of the CDO issued against ABS-CBN channels Sky Cable and TV Plus digital box, as well as the possible shutdown of the broadcast giant.

“Thousands of ABS-CBN employees could lose their jobs and this could worsen the country’s labor problems at this time of the coronavirus pandemic,” Atienza said.

Tambunting echoed Atienza, while Violago questioned the NTC’s timing in stopping the operations of ABSCBN pending its application for franchise renewal. She said this was while it allowed at least 15 other similarly situated broadcast companies to continue operating despite the expiration of their franchises.

Still, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III accused the lawyers of ABS CBN of intellectual dishonesty for claiming that the Labor department had approved the seasonal work arrangement for the broadcast firm’s program employees.

Duterte...

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According to the United Nations, the coronavirus crisis could cost global tourism and related sectors from $1.2 to $3.3 trillion in lost revenue.

The Netherlands confirmed the reopening of one of its tourist draws – its brothels and red-light districts.

“I’m totally booked,” said sex worker Foxxy, adding that she had held a “little party” when she heard restrictions would be lifted. AFP

drug campaign,” Roque said in a televised public press briefing.

“Although we’ve been hit by the pandemic, the overwhelming majority of our people support the President’s actions.”

Roque said the economy had been affected by the COVID-19 crisis, but the Philippines continued to maintain its good economic standing amid the pandemic.

“We averaged 6.5-percent growth annually in the past four years, inflation is under control, interest rates are low,” Roque said.

“We had a record credit rating attesting to the fact that the creditors believe that our policies are right. So it was actually a great performance as far as the economy is concerned.”

Roque said the administration remained focused on the campaign against illegal drugs, anti-corruption and poverty alleviation as among the cornerstones of the Duterte administration.

He said the four years of the Duterte administration had been generally fruitful.

“Much has been accomplished but much more needs to be done,” Roque said.

“It is a continuous work in progress in achieving and actualizing the promise of genuine and meaningful change for the Filipino people.”

should be properly assessed and counter-checked from the pieces of tangible evidence collected so far, he said.

Hontiveros said the Jolo shooting further fed the public’s distrust toward the PNP since this was not the first time this happened.

She cited the incident of Winston Ragos, another former military man gunned down by members of the police in Quezon City last April in the middle of the lockdown in Metro Manila.

“Our policemen should not be trigger-happy,” Hontiveros said.

In the resolution, Hontiveros said the two recent incidents demonstrated a disturbing pattern of police behavior that requires long-term strategic measures and legislative action.

“Extensive reform has to be done to restore the public’s trust in our institutions,” she urged.

Hontiveros also cited Philippine Army spokesperson Colonel Ramon Zagala’s statements saying none of the AFP personnel fired a single shot, amid reports the incident was a “misencounter.”

“Colonel Zagala revealed that the roughly nine police officers who shot at the soldiers fled the scene instead of cordoning off the area and calling for Scene of the Crime Operatives.”

“The police gunned down unarmed plainclothes soldiers, who could easily have been innocent civilians.”

She pointed out that the PNP had a lot to do to live up to its motto to serve and protect. “Our law enforcers should preserve peace in our communities, not disturb it,” she added.

Pangilinan said an independent and impartial investigation would help bring out the truth so that the victims and their families would find justice.

Dutch brothels reopen

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LGUs

FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2020

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Villar donates equipment to LPGH center

NEW GEAR. Dr. Rodrigo Hao, medical director of the Las Pinas General Hospital, receive one laboratory ventilator and one autoclave sterilizer (inset), which is part of the P1.2 million worth of equipment donated by Senator Cynthia Villar.

Plot to kill NegOr guv, wife uncovered D UMAGUETE CITY —Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo has revealed a plot to kill him and his wife following the arrest of three suspects early this week in Malay, Aklan.

In a press conference Wednesday in Pamplona, Degamo said an attempt on their lives was foiled after the three suspects were intercepted and arrested on board a Nissan X-Trail (XSL 752) at the Caticlan Ferry Port on Monday night.

He said on Sunday evening, he received a text message from a friend,

ULAP president Cua backs bill on anti-terrorism

alerting him and his wife against persons on board a sport utility vehicle carrying firearms and ammunition who were out to kill them.

He said there was a complete description of the make of the car and its plate number.

“Niadtong puntoha ako dayon gi alarma ang atong mga higala, atong mga connections didto sa Manila (At that point, I immediately alerted my friends and connections in Manila),” he added.

The police in Western Visayas reported later that they spotted a vehicle in Iloilo that matched the description given by the informant but, as it turned out, the passengers included a senior citizen and two siblings, Degamo said.

The following night, a friend contacted Degamo and reported that the SUV

was intercepted at 9 p.m. at the Caticlan Jetty Port in Malay, Aklan.

A police report identified the suspects as Marvin Halaman Miranda, 31, an Army Reservist and resident of Villareal, Bayawan City, Negros Oriental; Mario Morales Puyal, 62, a retired Army soldier and resident of Sitio Usawang, Barangay Ususan in Taguig City; and Adolfo Agbayani Obiacoro, 34, a tricycle driver of Imus, Cavite, and who claimed to be temporarily residing in Bayawan City.

Confiscated from the suspects were a number of assorted short and long firearms, several rounds of ammunition, and other personal items and documents.

“According to them, they (were) there to eliminate us mao nga na-alarma gyud ko

(that is why I became alarmed),” he said.

Degamo thanked officials of the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for arresting the suspects.

Asked for the possible reason for the attempt on his life and that of his wife, he said he believes it had something to do with the decision of the Supreme Court that he could still run as governor in the 2020 elections.

Referring to his political detractors while not mentioning names, Degamo said because the opposition cannot defeat him, “the only way to do it is to eliminate me and my wife.”

“In the next elections, I am telling you that I am running again as governor of the province of Negros Oriental,” he said. PNA

READY TO DELIVER. SM Center Pulilan’s partnership with the municipal government on its Bulacan Wheels On-the-Go delivery service will help at least 1,000 authorized jeep and tricycle drivers in the community, with another 1,000 drivers targeted to join the program.

By Jessica M. Bacud TUGUEGARAO CITY―Quirino Governor Dakila Carlo E. Cua, as president of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), expressed support for the government’s efforts against terrorism, and in particular the Anti-Terrorism Bill that is up for President Rodrigo Duterte’s signature.

Navotas gives P2.76m stipend to city scholars SM Bulacan malls tout Wheels on the Go delivery service

Cua said the government is taking the lead against terrorism, noting that the Philippines ranks ninth in “violent undertakings” across the globe according to the latest World Risk Index.

“The bill is widely talked about because it is relevant to the times. The Philippine government is trying to address and create such measures to protect the people taking note of the terrorist attacks right in the country,” Cua said.

“Generally, I would say that among the local executives, about 80 percent are supportive and have perceived the value and significance of the Anti-Terrorism Bill,” he added.

The governor admitted that some local executives have reservations, with the measure while others think it still needs development.

“While I understand the concerns of some people on the measure, any law may be imperiled to abuse, even the simplest ones, but that the government does its best to serve and protect the people,” Cua stressed during a video conference.

“Right in our province, we create jobs for the populace to give them a better quality of life and provided a locale where opportunities prosper for our residents,” he noted.

“We are promoting the province’s status as a vibrant economic hub for investors and local businesses. Part of our economic growth and variation strategy is to strengthen our tourism sector,” Cua said.

SENATOR Cynthia Villar continues to enhance the capabilities and responsiveness of Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center (LPGH & STC) in dealing with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

She recently turned over five units of hospital equipment to LPGH & STC, received by Dr. Rodrigo Hao, Medical Director. These include a passbox, biological freezer, biological refrigerator, autoclave sterilizer and ventilator.

“Now, more than ever, it is crucial for our local hospitals to have the necessary equipment and facilities to cope with COVID-19 cases on top of their regular patients. The ongoing pandemic is putting so much pressure on hospitals and frontliners, we need to support and equip them,” said Villar, who has been supporting her home city’s hospital since she was a congresswoman.

She authored Republic Act 9240 in 2004 that converted the then Las Piñas District Hospital into LPGH & STC and increased the hospital’s bed capacity from 50 to the present 200.

Villar recently filed Senate Bill No. 143 to increase in the bed capacity of LGPH & STC from the present 200 to 500 beds and upgrade its service facilities and professional healthcare services.

The proposed bill has been approved in the Senate.

A counterpart measure at the House of Representative, authored by Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar, was passed last March 2.

The senator has earmarked P500 million this year to fund the expansion of LPGH & STC. The construction of the additional eight-storey building is slated to be finished next year.

Last year, Villar also channelled P144 million to the city to purchase the land and start the hospital building’s construction.

The expansion of LGPH & STC will provide separate facilities for COVID-19 and non-COVID patients to avoid the spread of the virus, one building each, the senator said.

“That would also ensure that regular healthcare services are not disrupted,” the senator added.

LPGH & STC is a Department of Health-operated hospital that serves the National Capital Region (NCR) and neighboring provinces.

“There is an urgent need to expand and upgrade public hospitals and health facilities in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic that has increased the number of patients needing hospitalization. We have to be prepared,” she said.

The country has about 456 hospitals with a total bed capacity of 67,119. Approximately 41% of these beds are in government-owned hospitals while the remaining are in private hospitals.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

SM’s Bulacan Malls in Baliwag and Pulilan recently collaborated with their respective municipal governments to launch Wheels-On-the-Go, an alternative livelihood project for jeep and tricycle drivers in the community.

With this, local jeep and tricycle drivers have the opportunity to become the town’s partner delivery riders, and get service fees for every transaction following standard rates assigned by their respective associations.

Bulacan Wheels On-the-Go lets customers call designated delivery services hotlines to place an order. Each customer will be given an assigned partner delivery rider to purchase orders at chosen stores at SM Malls in Baliwag and Pulilan. Orders will be delivered right at their doorstep. Payments are made through cash on

delivery.

In Pulilan, Bulacan Wheels On-the-Go has around 1,000 authorized riders who cater to all establishments in the town. In the future, 50% of Pulilan’s 4,000 drivers are targeted to join the program.

“We at SM continue to finds ways to support the community. With Bulacan Wheels On-the-Go project, we are glad to be of help to the transportation sector while we keep up with the new norm,” says SM Center Pulilan Assistant Mall Manager Alvin De Galicia.

Prior to this, SM City Baliwag and the municipal government were able to provide alternative income to some 80 tricycle drivers turned delivery riders under the Bulacan 3 Wheels On-the-Go program.

Each tricycle drivers gets P100 for eve-

ry delivery service transaction, as well as benefits like good and flexible working hours, protective gears and uniforms.

Baliwag Delivery Services hotlines are Cluster 1 (0977-246-5137); Cluster 2 (0977-246-5135); Cluster 3 (0977-2465136). Delivery service is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and orders must be made one day before delivery date. Purchase allowed are minimum of P300 and maximum of P2,000.

Meanwhile, Pulilan residents may visit Pulilan Pabili System Facebook page for the directory and details on how to place order. Delivery service is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Also check SM City Baliwag and SM Center Pulilan on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for additional information on open stores and menu guide.

Ormoc’s Gomez calls for awareness to survive virus IT IS no doubt that COVID-19 cases in the Philippines have increased drastically since it started in February 2020. However, unlike when it started to penetrate different parts of the world, this pandemic is more manageable than before, as doctors and scientists have conducted ample research to treat patients better.

Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez believes that understanding how COVID-19 infects people and how it is transferred from one person to another can help increase the chance of not catching the virus.

The actor turned politician encourages his constituents to take note of the important things about COVID-19 as this can help protect themselves.

He recalls that, initially, “we thought that COVID-19 ties up with pneumonia which weakens a patient’s lung and causes

AWARENESS A MUST. Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez encourages his constituents to take note of the important things about COVID-19 as this can help protect themselves. death. Hospitals and doctors then thought that ventilators are the most effective way to treat a patient.”

“Fast forward to today, scientists have proven that the virus caused blood clots in the blood vessels of the lungs and other parts of the human body which causes the reduced oxygenation. Because of this, it is proven that ventilators are not enough,” Gomez said.

Medications that help blood thinning and clotting, such as Asprin and Heparin, have become protocol treatments in June, he noted. This, along with many other facts about COVID-19, gives patients a higher chance of surviving the illness.

Gomez stressed that “the times are changing and science is continuously innovating. By educating ourselves on the new scientific progress about COVID-19, and the new treatments that our medical experts are discovering, we can all survive this pandemic.”

By Jun David THE City Government of Navotas has released P2.76 million for the allowance of last year’s NavotaAs Scholarship Program beneficiaries.

Some 334 academic, art, athletic and fisherfolk scholars got up to six months’ worth of allowance.

Recipients of merit scholarship received P15,600; Navotas Polytechnic College, P3,900; high school, P4,950; and teachers, P3,000 for the months of January to March.

Art scholars received P9,900; athletic, P11,400; and fisherfolk, P4,950, for their January to June stipend.

“Providing quality education in this time of pandemic is a challenge. Thankfully, we are ready following the launching of our NavoSchool-in-a-box and modified modular distance learning. We hope the allowance our scholars received will help them secure whatever they need once classes start,” Mayor Toby Tiangco said.

“The Department of Education has extended the enrolment to July 15. We encourage all students to enroll. Let us ensure that our children continue to earn quality education despite COVID-19,” he added.

The city government established the NavotaAs Scholarship Program in 2011. The program initially covered students who excelled in academics and teachers who wanted to pursue graduate studies.

In 2016, the program opened for students who competed and won in sports competitions. In 2017, the scholarship included students who excelled in visual arts, music, dancing, theatre arts, and creative writing or journalism.

A year after, children or relatives of Top Ten Outstanding Fisherfolk were also added to the program.

A6

Opinion

FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Tablets for students of an ailing nation THE revival of the Good Manners and Right Conduct (GMRC) as a distinct course subject in the DepEd’s curriculum only means that it worked then and needs to be brought back.

GMRC is one of the salient aspects of the “old system” that have been either removed or diminished when the country’s basic education shifted to the elitist K-to12 curriculum.

Our children will be the ones left long after we—and COVID-19— are long gone.

The time-tested GMRC had effectively inculcated the embodiment of genuine Filipino qualities and values of discipline, courteousness, respectfulness, godliness.

It had for decades instilled social responsibility, cooperation, and compassion for one another.

After being watered down and incorporated into K-to-12’s social studies subjects, GMRC will now be taught as a distinct subject in Kindergarten through Grades 1-6, thanks to RA 11476, authored by Senator Migz Zubiri. The President has signed this into law.

It will be reinforced by Values Education in Grades 7-10, as well as blended in the Grades 11-12 subjects.

This is one bright side of the school scene that we look forward to, as the scheduled August class opening hangs in the face of continuous influx of COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila, Cebu City and elsewhere in the country.

The President is trying to figure out where to get money for DepEd’s proposed “blended learning” which requires the use different media formats, such as radio, television, personal computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and printed modules.

Manong Digong said the government may give out transistor radios for the benefit of the greater number of students who cannot afford laptops or PCs. I sure hope this public health predicament will not reduce poor children’s education into a daily four-to- six-hour session of listening to transistor radio for math and science lessons.

Can anyone think of a more backward and pathetic scenario than that? I cannot imagine how agonizing listening to algebra and chemistry lessons over the radio is.

We cannot help, at times, questioning the government’s priorities and strategies while it looks at a blank wall for answers to

EDITORIAL

the nation’s serious problems.

Come to think of it, we have allowed dine-in customers at restaurants at their 30-50 percent seating capacity without face masks, even as they observe physical distancing.

We have also opened Boracay island to tourism, unceremoniously inaugurated by a group Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) hooligans who violated quarantine rules.

One of these turned out to be COVID-19 positive.

Now, why can we not permit face-to-face or in-person school classes at 30-50 percent of classroom seating-capacity groupings, with alternating class schedules (AM/PM classes or Mon-Tues-Wed/Thur-Fri-Sat).

If strictly supervised by school officials, teachers, and parents, I believe this is doable at least in regions, localities, or school districts where COVID-19 cases are low.

I trust that our teachers will be able to enforce health and safety protocols just as they do in other countries that have resumed face-to-face school classes.

I’m confident that teachers can make it work with the help of parents, and this is where GMRC comes in, to foster genuine Filipino qualities and values of discipline, courteousness, respectfulness, godliness and to nurture social responsibility, cooperation and compassion for one another.

And during the days that students don’t come to school, teachers should be able to lend a tablet to every student where he or she can do an interactive assignment that does not need the internet.

This is an opportune time for Education authorities and experts to review and assess the relevance of the elitist K-to-12 program which is designed to hinder students’ access to higher education, particularly the poor who are downgraded to vocational courses.

Unfortunately, K-to-12 which was haphazardly implemented seven years ago amid lack of specially trained teachers and lack of vocational training facilities.

It has resulted in dismal performances in the National Achievement Test and the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA).

DepEd’s K-to-12 program is patterned after the U.S. basic educational system which is not even listed as one of the world’s best, anyway.

Consistently rated as the best, Finland’s basic education offers the Upper Secondary (Grades 10-12) optional.

Senior High is also optional in most other top-rated countries that have invested heavily on basic education, including Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Denmark, Russia, Norway, Israel, Switzerland, Netherlands, Sweden, and Hong Kong.

With the P1.3 trillion economic stimulus package the Congress has passed, there is no reason why DepEd cannot at least provide a tablet to every poor student, which can make a hell of difference for an ailing nation.

Education should be a top priority because our children will be the ones left long after we and COVID-19 are long gone.

Museum or mosque? Top Turkey court to rule on Hagia Sophia

By Fulya Ozerkan with Raziye Akkoc in Ankara TURKEY'S top court convened Thursday to consider whether Istanbul's emblematic landmark and former church Hagia Sophia can be redesignated as a mosque, a ruling which could inflame tensions with the West.

The Council of State evaluated a case brought by several associations during a short hearing and will announce its decision on the fate of the UNESCO World Heritage site within 15 days, state broadcaster TRT reported.

The sixth-century edifice—a magnet for tourists worldwide with its stunning architecture—has been a museum since 1935, open to believers of all faiths.

Despite occasional protests outside the site by Islamic groups, often shouting, "Let the chains break and open Hagia Sophia" for Muslim prayers, authorities have so far kept the building a museum.

Hagia Sophia was first constructed as a church in the Christian Byzantine Empire in the sixth century but was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453.

Transforming it into a museum was a key reform of the post-Ottoman authorities under the modern republic's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

But calls for it to serve again as a mosque have sparked anger among Christians and tensions between historic foes and uneasy NATO allies Turkey and Greece.

High-profile symbol

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said last month the decision was for the highest administrative court—known as the Dani-

Adelle Chua, Editor

stay—adding: "The necessary steps will be taken following the verdict."

But Erdogan also said last year it was time for Hagia Sophia to become a mosque as it had been a "very big mistake" to convert it into a museum.

"The Danistay decision will likely be a political one. Whatever the outcome, it will be a result of the government's deliberation," said Asli Aydintasbas, fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.

But she said the government will weigh several issues, including relations with Greece, Europe and with the US where "religion is an important matter."

Anthony Skinner of the risk assessment firm Verisk Maplecroft said converting Hagia Sophia into a mosque would "kill at least two birds with one stone" for Erdogan: he could cater to his Islamic and nationalist base, and sustain if not exacerbate tensions with Greece, while seeking to cast Turkey as a formidable power.

"Erdogan could not find a more high-profile and potent symbol than Hagia Sophia to achieve all these goals at once," he told AFP. The Turkish leader has in recent years placed great emphasis on the battles which resulted in the defeat of Byzantium by the Ottomans, with lavish celebrations held every year to mark the conquest.

Muslim clerics have occasionally recited prayers in the museum on key anniversaries or religious holidays.

Turks divided

Greece closely follows the future of Byzantine heritage in Turkey and is sensitive to the issue as it sees itself as the modern successor to Orthodox Christian

A less restrictive quarantine W in Metro Manila and the Calabarzon corridor, comprising the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon to get the Philippine economy going. Metro Manila and Calabarzon are the country's center of economic activities, accounting for over 60 percent of the gross doThe harsh quarantine measures that mestic product. started in mid-March have taken their toll on jobs and the economy in generThe task force al. Many unemployed workers are itching to get their jobs back but the limited must recalibrate availability of mass transportation have its COVID-19 frustrated them from reclaiming their occupation. measures.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III sounded the alarm Tuesday when he The government can both contain called for a more aggressive reopening of the economy. Sounding pragmatic the spread of COVID-19 and reopen about the pandemic, the finance chief the economy as long as health protocorrectly assessed that COVID-19 would cols are observed. The Inter-Agency be around for a while unless a vaccine Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases should focus on hotspots, or was found.

Mr. Dominguez has urged for a mod- districts or villages where the infecified general community quarantine tions are high, and spare the rest of the

ITH the rest of the world easing up on their lockdown measures, the Philippines should do the same and quickly reopen the economy.

nation from harsh quarantine rules.

The strict quarantine rules have already led to a sharp rise in unemployment and steep drop in manufacturing and exports after lockdown hit its peak in April.

Private economists, meanwhile, agree that the economy can quickly turn around in the third quarter once business activities start to normalize.

The reopening of the economy in May has already shown initial positive results. The manufacturing index recovered while government spending doubled as early as April. A further reopening of the economy will immediately restore the supply chains and freight transport services, which in turn should keep food prices at bay and offset the recent spike in crude oil prices.

The task force must recalibrate its COVID-19 measures and start easing them for the sake of the economy and those who are trying to reclaim their jobs.

Cybercrimes 101 I RECALL first seeing a computer in an exhibit at San Beda High School sometime in 1981. At that time, we would only use typewriters for our written school requirements, while the more technologically-advanced used electric typewriters.

As a young lawyer more than a decade later, I had a beeper that would receive messages from those who wanted to talk with or see me. Then came the mobile analog phones in the mid-90s together with my first taste of the email in a computer. From then on, digital life seemed to evolve in a much faster way than any of us could have ever imagined: text messaging on phones were introduced, as well as cameras, email access, and other computer-like features.

A great part of our lives are now dictated by online and internet activities— we buy, sell, play games, watch movies, interact, meet, and fellowship, and videoconference on our devices. The way we live our lives has truly changed. And with this change, we have to face the fact that offenses may be committed, and persons may be aggrieved.

This is why the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 was passed.

There are three (3) general classifications of cybercrime offenses under the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, these are: (a) offenses against confidentiality, integrity and availability of computer data and systems; (b) computer-related offenses; and (c) content- related offenses. Offenses against confidentiality and integrity of computer data or system may be committed by the illegal access of computer data; illegal interception by technical means of computer data; data or system interference, whether intentionally or recklessly resulting to damage, deletion or deterioration of computer data, electronic document or data message including the introduction or transmission of viruses; misuse and possession of devices including comput-

Byzantium.

Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni, who sent a letter of protest to UNESCO last week, said the move "rekindles national and religious fanaticism" and is an attempt to "diminish the monument's global radiance."

She accused Turkey of using the monument "to serve internal political interests," arguing that only UNESCO had the authority to change Hagia Sophia's status.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday urged Turkey to keep Hagia Sophia as a museum, and to ensure it remains accessible to all.

"The United States views a change in the status of the Hagia Sophia as diminishing the legacy of this remarkable building and its unsurpassed ability... to serve humanity as a much-needed bridge between those of differing faith traditions and cultures."

Turks are divided over its status.

Istanbul shoemaker Mahmut Karagoz, 55, said he dreams he can one day pray under the dome of Hagia Sophia.

"It is a legacy by our Ottoman ancestors.

I hope our prayers will be heard, this nostalgia must come to an end," he told AFP. However economics student Sena Yildiz said she believes Hagia Sophia should stay as a museum.

"It is an important place for Muslims, but also for Christians and for all those who love history," she said. AFP

FOOTNOTES TRANQUIL G.S. SALVADOR III er programs, computer password, access code, or similar data for the purpose of committing any of the acts under the Cybercrime Prevention Act; and cyber-squatting (Section 4(a)1-6).

Let us think and re-think before we post.

Cyber-squatting is the acquisition of a domain name over the internet in bad faith to profit, mislead, destroy the reputation, and deprive others from registering the same. The domain name must be similar, identical, or confusingly similar to an existing registered trademark, identical or in any way similar with the name of a person other than the registrant, in case of a personal name, and acquired without right or with intellectual property interests in it (Section 4(a)6). For offenses under this classification, it is evident that it may be committed primarily by persons who have information and technology proficiency or those who we may call as “computer savvy.”

Computer-related offenses, may be committed by computer related forgery, fraud and identity theft. Computer-related forgery occurs when the input, alteration, or deletion of any computer data results in the false authentication of otherwise inauthentic data; or when someone who knowingly uses data gathered from computer-related forgery for the purposes of perpetuating it. Comput-

er-related fraud on the other hand is committed when the unauthorized input, alteration, or deletion of computer data or a program causes damage with fraudulent intent. Computer-related identity theft is the intentional acquisition, use, misuse, transfer, possession, alteration or deletion of identifying information belonging to another, whether natural or juridical (Section 4(b)1-3). These are cybercrimes usually involving credit card fraud, i.e. unauthorized purchases, online banking or credit card transaction scams, unauthorized use of one-time-pins issued by banks or other financial institutions, or phishing, which according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is a “scam by which an internet user is duped into revealing personal or confidential information” to be used by the scammer.

The content-related offenses are cybersex, child pornography and cyber libel. All of these offenses are committed with the aid of a computer system.

Cybersex is the willful engagement, maintenance, control, or operation, directly or indirectly, of any lascivious exhibition of sexual organs or sexual activity with the aid of a computer system, for favor or consideration. On the other hand, child pornography consists of the unlawful or prohibited acts defined and punishable by Republic Act No. 9775 or the Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009, committed through a computer system.

Cyber libel or online libel are the unlawful or prohibited acts of libel as defined in Article 355 of the Revised Penal Code committed through a computer system or any other similar device (Section 4(c)1,2 and 4). The offense of unsolicited commercial communication in Section 4(c)(3) was declared unconstitutional under Disini v. Secretary of Justice, G.R. No. 203335.

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INVITATION TO APPLY FOR ELIGIBILITY AND TO SUBMIT COMPARATIVE PROPOSALS (IAESP) The City Government of Sto. Tomas (LGU-Sto. Tomas City), received an unsolicited proposal from the Original Proponent for the Joint Venture Agreement for the Financing, Improvement, Rehabilitation, Expansion, Operation and Maintenance of the Water Supply System of Sto. Tomas Waterworks System.

More than 100 dead in jade mine landslide THE bodies of at least 100 jade miners were pulled from the mud after a landslide in northern Myanmar on Thursday, in one of the worst ever accidents to hit the perilous industry.

Scores die each year while working in the country’s lucrative but poorly regulated jade industry, which uses low-paid migrant workers to scrape out a gem highly coveted in China.

The disaster struck after an early bout of heavy rainfall close to the Chinese border in Kachin state, the Myanmar Fire Services Department said in a Facebook post.

“The miners were smothered by a wave of mud,” the statement said. “A total of 113 bodies have been found so far.”

They had apparently defied a warning not to work the treacherous open mines during the rains, local police told AFP. Rescuers worked all morning to retrieve the bodies from a mud lake, pulling them to the surface and using tyres as makeshift rafts.

Police told AFP that 99 bodies were found by noon, with another 20 injured.

They said search and rescue efforts had been suspended because of more heavy rains.

The workers were scavenging for the gemstones on the sharp mountainous terrain in Hpakant township, where furrows from earlier digs had already loosened the earth.

Photos posted on the fire service Facebook page showed a search and rescue team wading through a valley flooded by the mudslide. AFP

Pursuant to the Sto. Tomas LGU P4 Code, negotiations ensued between the City Government of Sto. Tomas (LGU-Sto. Tomas City) through its P4 Selection Committee (P4-SC) and Original Proponent on the JV Proposal. Subsequently, an agreement was reached between The City Government of Sto. Tomas (LGU-Sto. Tomas City) and Original Proponent to form a Contractual Joint Venture to undertake the JV Project.

In compliance with the Executive No. 27, Series 2020, the City Government of Sto. Tomas (LGU-Sto. Tomas City), through its P4-SC, invites Interested Private Sector Proponent/s (PSPs) to challenge the JV Proposal by submitting comparative proposals for the following:

LOCATION OF PROJECT:

Sto. Tomas City, Batangas

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

The project involves a joint venture between the City Government of Sto. Tomas (LGU-Sto. Tomas City) and the Winning Private Sector Proponent to undertake the following: (i) to optimize existing water sources and to develop new/additional sustainable water sources to meet long-term water demand; (ii) to reduce and/or maintain distribution losses (Non-Revenue Water) to national or industry acceptable levels; (iii) to expand service coverage to unserved barangays and improving Sto. Tomas Waterworks System (STWS) Facilities; (iv) to ensure, as far as possible, uninterrupted 24hour water supply to connected Consumers; and (v) to ensure that water supplied to consumers comply with PNSDW requirements.

LEGAL ELIGIBILITY 1.1

Riot police detain a man as they clear protesters taking part in a rally against a new national security law in Hong Kong on July 1, 2020, the 23rd anniversary of the city’s handover from Britain to China. AFP

C

until Tuesday—undermines the city’s independent judiciary and stifles freedoms.

Britain has said the law breaches China’s pre-handover “One Country, Two Systems” promise to grant residents key liberties— as well as judicial and legislative autonomy—until 2047.

It has responded by announcing plans to allow millions of

Hong Kongers with British National Overseas status to relocate with their families and eventually apply for citizenship.

“We will live up to our promises to them,” foreign secretary Dominic Raab told parliament.

That move has infuriated Beijing, which says Britain promised not to grant full citizenship rights to Hong Kongers ahead of the 1997 handover.

“If the British side makes unilateral changes to the relevant practice, it will breach its own position and pledges as well as international law and basic norms governing international relations,” China’s embassy in London said Thursday.

“We firmly oppose this and reserve the right to take corresponding measures,” it added.

Britain is not alone in announcing plans to offer Hong Kongers sanctuary or increased immigration rights as fears multiply over the semi-autonomous city’s future under the new law.

On Thursday, Australian leader Scott Morrison said he was “very actively” considering offering Hong Kongers safe haven.

Taiwan has opened an office to help Hong Kongers wanting to flee, while a proposed bill in the United States offering sanctuary to city residents has received widespread bipartisan support. AFP

Tougher sanctions vs Beijing sought

START THEM YOUNG. A Yanomami indigenous boy holds a face mask at the 4th

Special Frontier Platoon, in the indigenous land of Surucucu in Alto Alegre, Roraima state, Brazil amid the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. AFP

Actor wins record defamation payout battle between Rush and the Daily Telegraph, which accused him of inappropriate sexual behavior toward female cast members.

In a front-page article published in 2017, the Daily Telegraph wrote that the Sydney Theatre Company received a complaint that Rush had inappropriately touched a female co-star during a staging of “King Lear.”

A Sydney judge had described the content as a “recklessly irresponsible piece of sensationalist journalism.” AFP

THE US House of Representatives agreed unanimously to seek tough sanctions on Chinese officials and Hong Kong police after Beijing imposed a security law that clamps down on unrest in the city.

After a day in which Hong Kong authorities arrested hundreds of protesters, the House on Wednesday quickly passed the act that had already passed the Senate last week.

Due to technical changes, the Senate will need to vote again and a senator said it could happen on Thursday.

“The Chinese regime just thinks that they can act with impunity and repress the spirit of democracy,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi said before the House passage.

“If we refuse to speak out on human rights in China because of commercial interests, we lose all moral authority to speak out for human rights any place in the world,” said Washington’s top elected Democrat, long a vocal proponent of human rights in China.

President Donald Trump has not said if he will sign the bill but one of his allies briefly held up the Senate version, seeking changes.

Trump publicly hesitated last year before signing another rights bill on Hong Kong which also lays out sanctions against Chinese officials for infringing on the city’s autonomy.

Unlike the previous act, the new legislation would make sanctions mandatory, limiting Trump’s ability to waive them. In a crucial pressure point, it would also slap sanctions on banks that conduct transactions with violators. AFP

Russians back reforms allowing Putin to stay until 2036 RUSSIANS overwhelmingly approved a package of constitutional changes in a nationwide vote, partial results showed Wednesday, allowing President Vladimir Putin to potentially extend his two-decade rule until 2036.

With just over 85 percent of ballots counted after the end of seven days of voting, 77.8 percent of voters had supported the reforms, according to election commission figures cited by Russian state agencies.

There had been little doubt of vot-

FINANCING, IMPROVEMENT, REHABILITATION, EXPANSION, OPERATION AND MAINTENANCEOF THE WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM OF THE STO. TOMAS WATERWORKS SYSTEM (STWS)

1.

HINA promised Thursday to take countermeasures against Britain if it presses ahead with plans to extend citizenship rights to Hong Kongers after Beijing imposed a sweeping security law on the restless

HOLLYWOOD star Geoffrey Rush won a record multimillion-dollar payout Thursday after an appeal by a Rupert Murdoch-owned newspaper against a defamation ruling was thrown out by an Australian court.

The Oscar-winner will receive $2 million for lost earnings and compensation after a court rejected an appeal seeking reduced costs and a retrial of the case.

The decision – against News Corp’s Australian subsidiary Nationwide News – is the latest twist in the ongoing legal

NAME OF PROJECT:

Applications for eligibility shall be evaluated based on a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion. An PSP shall be considered eligible upon compliance with the following minimum qualification requirements:

China, UK clash over fate of Hong Kongers Beijing has faced a groundswell of criticism from primarily Western nations over its decision to impose a new law outlawing acts of subversion, secession, terrorism and colluding with foreign forces.

Adding to concerns, Hong Kong’s influential Bar Association published a new legal analysis warning that the wording of the law—which was kept secret

STO. TOMAS WATERWORKS SYSTEM

TODAY FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

ers backing the changes, which Putin announced earlier this year and critics denounced as a manoeuvre to allow him to stay in the Kremlin for life.

But top Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny slammed the results as a “huge lie” that did not reflect real public opinion.

The amendments had been passed weeks ago by Russia’s parliament and copies of the new constitution were already on sale in bookshops, but Putin had said voter approval was essential to give them legitimacy.

The reforms include conservative and populist measures— like guaranteed minimum pensions and an effective ban on gay marriage—but crucially for Putin also reset presidential limits allowing him to run twice again after his current six-year term expires in 2024.

The Kremlin pulled out all the stops to encourage voting, with polls extended over nearly a week, the last day of voting declared a national holiday and prizes—including apartments, cars and cash—on offer to voters. AFP

2.

4.

a.

A duly licensed sole proprietorship owned by a Filipino citizen; or

b.

A partnership or corporation created pursuant to the Corporation Code of the Philippines and registered with the SEC.

c.

A Consortium of two or more entities with at least sixty percent (60%) of both voting and non-voting interest in the said Consortium being owned and held, by citizens of the Philippines and/or by Philippines registered corporations at least sixty percent (60%) of both the total number of outstanding shares of stock, whether or not entitled to vote in the election of directors are owned by Philippine nationals.

1.2

The nationality of the PSP shall be determined via the Grandfather Rule.

1.3.

If the PSP is a Consortium, each member of the Consortium must be disclosed during the pre-qualification stage and the Lead Member thereof must be specifically identified. For this purpose, the Lead member must have at least fifty-one percent (51%) equity interest in the Consortium, and the total percentage interest of all Consortium Members must be one hundred percent (100%).

1.4.

The PSP or each Consortium member must execute Omnibus Sworn Statement.

TECHNICAL ELIGIBILITY 2.1.

3.

The PSP must be either of the following:

The PSP must have completed a project similar or related to the JV activity whose value, adjusted to current prices using the National Statistics Office (NSO) Consumer Price Index (CPI), must be at least fifty percent (50%) of the cost of the JV activity subject of the selection process within the relevant period as determined by the P4-SC. For the avoidance of doubt, cost of the JV Activity/Project pertains to the contribution of The City Government of Sto. Tomas (LGU-Sto. Tomas City) and the Original Proponent representing the present value of capital expenditures amounting to Five Hundred SeventySix Million Two Hundred Eighty-Three Thousand Six Hundred Thirty Pesos (PhP576,283,630.00).

FINANCIAL ELIGIBILITY 3.1.

The PSP should have the capability to finance the completion of the entire JV Project evidenced by financial documents to be submitted and will form as an integral part of the Financial Proposal.

3.2

A letter from a domestic universal/commercial bank, or an international bank with a subsidiary/branch in the Philippines, or any international bank recognized by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), attesting that the PSP is one of its current clients, and is in good financial standing.

ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA ARE SPECIFIED IN THE INSTRUCTIONS TO PSPS Only those PSP/s that are deemed eligible shall be entitled to submit Comparative Proposals, which must be in accordance with instructions contained in the Request for Proposal Documents (RFP Documents).

The P4-SC shall evaluate the proposals using the Quality Based Evaluation/ Selection (QBE/QBS) procedure. The criteria and rating system for the evaluation of the proposals shall be provided in the Instructions to Interested Private Proponent/s (IPSPs).

The following procedures, schedules and instructions shall be strictly observed: ACTIVITY

1. Publication IAESP

of

SCHEDULE (using Philippines Standard Time) the

ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS

July 3, 2020

2. Posting of the IAESP

July 3 to July 10, 2020

3. Purchase of Eligibility Documents for a nonrefundable fee One Million Pesos (PhP1,000,000.00) in cash or Manager Check made payable to The City Government of Sto. Tomas (LGU-Sto. Tomas City).

July 3 to August 3, 2020

The Eligibility Documents may be purchased ONLY from the P4-SC at the Office of The City Government of Sto. Tomas (LGU-Sto. Tomas City)

4. Submission of Eligibility Documents

On or before August 10, 2020 (until 10:00 am only)

Deadline of Submission of Eligibility Documents to the Office of The City Government of Sto. Tomas (LGU-Sto. Tomas City)

5. Opening of Eligibility Documents

August 10, 2020 @ 1:00 PM

P4-SC will determine the completeness of the eligibility documents based on a pass or fail criteria. For those PSPs with incomplete, irregular or patently insufficient submission shall be considered failed. For those PSPs whose eligibility documents appear to be complete shall be further evaluated to determine its eligibility.

6.

Determination Eligibility

of

On or before August 17, 2020

P4-SC will evaluate the eligibility documents of the PSPs to determine if they are eligible or ineligible, and the PSPs will be notified of the result of the evaluation.

7. Purchase of Tender Documents by PSPs declared “eligible” for non-refundable fee of One Million Pesos (PhP 1,000,000.00), payable either in cash or Manager’s Check made payable to The City Government of Sto. Tomas (LGU-Sto. Tomas City).

August 17 to August 31, 2020

Tender Documents may be purchased ONLY from the P4SC Secretariat at the Office of The City Government of Sto. Tomas (LGU-Sto. Tomas City)

8. Pre-selection conference will thereafter be held.

November 30, 2020 (1:00 pm)

All Eligible PSPs are encouraged to attend the conference to be held at the Office of The City Government of Sto. Tomas (LGU-Sto. Tomas City)

9. Submission and Opening of Comparative Proposal

January 4, 2021 (until 10:00am only)

Comparative Proposals shall be addressed to: Salvador M. Geling Chairperson - P4-SC The City Government of Sto. Tomas (LGU-Sto. Tomas City)

For any queries and/or clarifications, please address your communication in writing to the Chairperson of the P4-SC at the address indicated above or fax at 0434055470 and email at mpdc_stb@yahoo.com.

P4-SC reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, waive any minor defects therein and accept the offer it deems most advantageous to the government.

All proposals must be accompanied by a Proposal Security in the form as required by P4SC which may be in cash, certified check, manager’s check, letter of credit, or bank draft/ guarantee issued by a reputable local/foreign bank, or a surety bond callable on demand issued by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) or an entity duly registered and recognized by the Office of the Insurance Commissioner, or any combination thereof payable to The City Government of Sto. Tomas (LGU-Sto. Tomas City) equivalent to 2% of the estimated participation of the Original Proponent for the entire cooperation period amounting PhP 9,922,159.00.

The City Government of Sto. Tomas (LGU-Sto. Tomas City) assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify any PSP for expenses incurred in the preparation of the comparative proposals.

The PSP shall be solely responsible for having taken all the necessary steps to carefully examine and acquaint himself with the requirements and terms and conditions of the selection documents with respect to the cost, duration and execution/operation of the project as it affects the preparation and submission of its proposal. The City Government of Sto. Tomas (LGU-Sto. Tomas City) shall not assume any responsibility regarding erroneous interpretations or conclusions by the PSP out of data furnished or indicated in the competitive selection documents.

(MS-JULY 3, 2020)

seas

A8

News

FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Housing program sought for teachers in various localities

IN BRIEF

Cops nab five drug dealers; seize P680k worth of shabu POLICE arrested five suspected drug dealers and seized P680,000 worth of shabu in an entrapment operation early Thursday morning in Paranaque City.

Arrested were Ali Saliling alias Apple, 30, and Baikan Mokamad, 47, both residents of Barangay San Antonio; Apolinio Plata Jr. alias Pol, 39, and Melvin Juarez alias Burog, 25, both of Barangay Moonwalk, and Francis Darwin Matugina, 33, of Barangay Sto Niño, all in Parañaque City.

Members of the Paranaque City Police - Station Drug Enforcement Unit led by P/Maj. Anthony Alising arrested the five suspects during a buy-bust operation conducted at Block 4 Lot 2 Nora Luisa Subdivision in Barangay San Antonio Valley 8. Joel E. Zurbano

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

Solon sees ‘resilient ‘economy’ after pandemic A PARTY-LIST lawmaker on Thursday assured European business groups in the Philippines that the House of Representatives is exerting all efforts to build a “resilient economy” through long-term economic and industry reforms.

Deputy Speaker and AAMBIS-OWA Rep. Sharon Garin said other measures aimed at addressing the adverse economic impact of two-month enhanced community quarantine have made “significant progress” in the Lower Chamber. Garin is the co-chair of the Subcommittee on Economic Stimulus Response Package and one of the principal authors of ARISE Philippines Act or House Bill 6518, Among these bills are the COVID-19 Unemployment Reduction Economic Stimulus Act (CURES), Bayanihan to Recover as One (Bayanihan 2), and Financial Institutions and Strategic Transfer Law. Maricel V. Cruz

BOC surpasses June collection despite crisis AMID the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID 19) pandemic that affects the overall trading environment and a stringent community quarantine, the Bureau of Customs was able to surpass its June 2020 collection target by 4.4% or P1.8 billion.

In a statement, the BOC said it collected P42.539 billion against its target of P40.739 billion in June.

Based on the preliminary report from the BOC-Financial Service, eleven of the seventeen collection districts were able to hit their respective targets, namely: the Port of San Fernando La Union, Port of Legaspi, Port of Cebu, Port of Tacloban, Port of Cagayan De Oro, Port of Zamboanga, Port of Davao, Port of Subic, Port of Clark, Port of Aparri, and Port of Limay The BOC’s positive revenue collection performance is the result of intensified collective effort of all ports and the gradually improving volume of importation. Vito Barcelo

STATE OF MANILA. Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso delivers his 2nd State of the City Address inside the Manila City Hall Session Hall on July 2, 2020. Beside him is Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna Pangan. Norman Cruz

Stop Smokey Mountain deal, Colmenares asks COA A

By Maricel V. Cruz

will be subject to approval by the President and Congress based on the Administrative Code of 1987, he added.

FORMER legislator has asked the Commission on Audit He also cited a May 12, 2020 Audit Observation Memorandum to NHA General to stop the National Housing Authority from entering Manager Marcelino Escalada, Jr., COA, into a compromise deal with a private contractor of the which noted discrepancies between a controversial landfill development in Manila. court-approved P1.12-billion NHA-RBI compromise agreement and a 2019 NHA Former Bayan Muna party-list representative Nery Colmenares, in a letter dat- briefing paper submitted to Senator Juan ed June 26, 2020, told COA Chairman Michael Aguinaldo that as a taxpayer and Miguel Zubiri where the agency allegedly public interest advocate, he is opposing rowings to feed millions of hungry and admitted that it already overpaid RBI by the NHA’s plan to pay P1.12-billion and jobless Filipinos during the COVID-19 P301.7-million. transfer five (5) hectares of government pandemic, it’s unconscionable for NHA Colmenares also questioned the NHA’s land in the Smokey Mountain Develop- to disburse limited public funds to pay dogged persistence to pay RBI for the supment and Reclamation Project in Vitas, questionable settlement fees to a private posed settlement. “Former NHA officials, Tondo to settle court cases with private entity,” Colmenares, secretary general of including NHA’s own lawyer – the Office contractor R-II Builders, Inc. (RBI).

Bayan Muna, said. of the Government Corporate Counsel Colmenares said state auditors have According to Colmenares, no less than – have cautioned against the deal. They questioned the compromise deal, a copy the Office of the President has instructed question the computation of NHA’s supof which--he said-- has not been submit- NHA officials to first submit the ques- posed liabilities, legal interests as well as ted to COA. tioned compromise deal to COA and se- valuation of government land that’s part of “At a time of severe economic hard- cure its opinion. Afterwards, COA‘s rec- the deal. With all these questions, why the ship and as government resorts to bor- ommendations rush to pay?” he asked.

PCUP breaks 100,000 mark in helping poor amid COVID-19

TECO DONATION.

Officials from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines, led by Press Director Jerry Chuang (middle) and Wei-Chung Chang (right) visited Manila Standard on June 29, Monday, to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic with Manila Standard publisher Rolando Estabillo (left). TECO turned over 550 pieces of face masks made in Taiwan to Manila Standard journalists and personnel.

Ey Acasio

By Rio N. Araja

ASPAP hits lawmakers for discouraging offshore gaming operation in PH GAMING service providers expressed dismay at lawmakers who shunned the likelihood of more offshore gaming operators closing shop in the country as a result of stringent tax rules imposed on the industry.

The Accredited Service Providers of Pagcor said the government needs revenues and the gaming service industry is one good source of it but tax rules have to be clear, according to ASPAP spokesman Margarita Gutierrez.

ASPAP said that lawmakers should carefully consider the economic repercussions of what they wish to happen considering the crippling effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

The POGO Service Providers’ exit will do more harm than good for the country’s economy, especially during this time when the Government needs more revenues in order to address all the financial assistance necessary to help the less fortunate people of the society.

“If this continues, we will lose a lot more than what these lawmakers want the public to believe ,” said Gutierrez. “The economy will further suffer along with the government’s COVID-19 response programs as we will lose a significant revenue-generator. The property sector will take a hit and job losses from the industry will compound the unemployment

problem,” she said.

ASPAP’s statement comes after some senators seemingly expressed glee over the looming exit of POGO and eventual demise of PSPs which provide thousands of jobs and billions of pesos in government revenue.

“That is what we cannot comprehend.

At a time when we need to come together to get out of the devastation brought by the pandemic, some lawmakers are bent on pushing our country and fellow Filipinos to further despair by driving away what is considered a source of “free money” - but a fully legitimate industry” Gutierrez lamented.

The ASPAP spokesperson also rejected the senators’ statements that PSPs are not settling their tax obligations, adding that their members “dutifully pay” regulatory fees as well as the corporate and withholding tax of their workers.

“We pay our obligations to the government and to say that PSPs are not a loss is akin to saying that the government does not need any revenue-generating sector,” said Gutierrez. “The government is taking out foreign loans to raise revenues while some quarters are driving away a legitimate and regulated industry proven to generate billions of pesos in taxes.

Aren’t we doomed with such a policy?

Although we laud the government’s pro-

active approach as seen in the foreign loans being applied for, let us not discount the other sources of funds that are currently available, such as but not limited to the fees from the PSPs. which are more than willing to comply and pay its dues to the government” Gutierrez explained that the PSPs are contributing around P94.7 billion to the local economy that could reach as high as P104 Billion this year. Income from PSPs showed steady growth through the years – from P73.72 Million in 2016, revenues from the sector increased significantly to P3.12 Billion in 2017, P6.11 Billion in 2018, and P5.73 Billion in 2019.

In the first quarter of 2020, PSPs have already contributed P1.8 billion in regulatory fees alone and from 2016 to March 2020; revenues collected from PSPs – including application, processing and regulatory fees – have amounted to P20.83 Billion. These figures are expected to increase dramatically due to the temporary shutdown in PSP operations, included in the requirements set forth by PAGCOR and BIR, the payment of taxes and other unpaid obligations, if any, are prerequisites to the resumption of operations. This is included in the cooperation between government agencies and ASPAP in the crackdown against the Non-registered Offshore Gaming Operators (NOGOs).

THE Presidential Commission on Urban Poor is proud to say that it has breached its 100,000 mark in helping the poor amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Alvin Feliciano, PCUP chairperson and chief executive officer, said the agency was able to surpass its target through the cooperation and assistance from the private sector, including foundations.

PCUP has reached out to 111,570 families in its relief assistance, he said.

Feliciano vowed to continue extending public service to those who have been severely affected by the impact of the COVID-19 crisis.

“In fact, the commission’s field of operations is now readying new schedules to areas where help is badly needed,” he said.

“We will include different barangays in the National Capital Region that coursed their request through the official Facebook page of PCUP,” he added.

ADMINISTRATION Senator Francis Tolentino proposed the creation of a portability housing program for public school teachers assigned in various localities.

“Meaning, if you invested a certain amount in a locality as a teacher temporarily based in Molave for instance and later on you decide to transfer to other locality, the amounts you paid during your first five years in the temporary shelter program will be carried over to your permanent housing facility,” he said.

Tolentino, chairman of the Senate Committee on Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement, raised this possibility during Wednesday’s hearing on measures pushing for various housing programs for teachers.

Tolentino said his proposal would be beneficial to teachers on a temporary teaching assignment in a particular area where a housing project exists.

“Halimbawa bagong teacher ako, bumili ako ng bahay sa isang komunidad pero hindi naman ako magiging permanente doon. Dapat iyong naihulog ko, iyong amortization ko dapat ma-carry doon naman sa paglilipatan ko na permanently na lugar,” Tolentino explained.

The payment of the temporary housing project will be continued by another new teacher who will be assigned in that area, he added.

Jimmy Sarona, acting Executive Vice President of Home Guaranty Corporation, said Tolentino’s proposal is worth looking into as teachers are not permanently assigned to a place.

However, Sarona said the proposal should be studied further because of the existing policies of the Home Development Mutual Fund or PAG-IBIG and other housing agencies on real estate mortgage and contract to sell.

Roque says sorry for visiting Subic theme park

By Vito Barcelo PRESIDENTIAL Spokesman Harry Roque apologized to those who were offended after photos of him taking a dip with the dolphins hit social media despite a Metro Manila-wide quarantine which prohibits non-essential travel.

Duterte’s mouthpiece said he did not violate any quarantine protocol or guidelines laid down by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases when he visited the Ocean Adventure in Subic Bay amid coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), saying the province is under Modified general community quarantine which allows some tourist spots and leisure parks to open.

“I am the only one there when I took a dip with the dolphins. No other persons or visitors were there during that time,” Roque said in a television interview.

He also said that as an APOR (Authorized Person Outside of Residence), “I can travel within and across areas under any form of community quarantine in order to do my duty as a government official.”

“I am from the area, looking after my business which I had before I joined government service, something I could not do when Bataan was still on lockdown,” he said.

The photos posted on social media were already taken down, but some netizens criticized Roque.

However, the Palace spokesman insisted that he did not violate any rules, adding if anybody felt offended by his visit during the pandemic, he is sorry.

Roque explained that he passed by the theme park on his way to his farm in Bataan.

SORRY. Palace spokesperson Harry Roque faced the media to apologize to the public for visiting the Ocean Adventure Park in Subic Bay.

IN BRIEF

DITO gets extension to roll out network THE National Telecommunications Commission granted DITO Telecommunity Corp., a joint venture of businessman Dennis Uy and China Telecoms, another six months for the technical audit of its network rollout.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology said the NTC issued a resolution extending the July 2020 technical audit under the certificate of public convenience and necessity provisions of DITO because of the COVID-19 crisis.

Under the current extension, DITO was given six months to deliver the commitments for the technical audit requirements, including providing a speed of 27 megabits per second to cover 37 percent of the population.

DITO chief administrative officer Adel Tamano said that only the technical audit schedule was moved. DITO’s other commitments, such as the commercial launch by March 2021, will proceed as scheduled, he said.

Darwin G. Amojelar

Globe Telecom to boost digital infrastructure

GLOBE Telecom Inc. said it will invest more on digital infrastructure and services amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are investing billions of pesos to connect the rest of the public to the digital world to enable things like working and learning from home and yet, there are so many obstacles along the way,” said Globe president and chief executive Ernest Cu. “I think it is really incumbent upon our local officials to provide telecom infrastructure to their constituents.

Telco is like water or power. It is something that people need and want,” he said.

Globe is spending over P60 billion on infrastructure builds to increase capacity and network upgrades around the country. “I think the cities of the future will be fully powered by digital. Filipinos are becoming more open to trying new things. Opportunities in digital are happening and it’s something that we are also exploring,” he said during a recent interview with other captains of the industry.

Darwin G. Amojelar

Business Converge ICT hires four banks to plan P35-b IPO F

By Jenniffer B. Austria

IBER internet company Converge ICT Solutions Inc. hired four banks to arrange a P35-billion initial public offering this year, sources said Wednesday.

Banking sources confirmed a Bloomberg report that Converge ICT, which is owned by Pampanga-based businessman Dennis Anthony Uy, had tapped Bank of the Philippine Islands, BDO Unibank Inc., Morgan Stanley and UBS Group AG for the planned share sale.

Sources said the company would shortly file an IPO application with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Converge ICT’s IPO could be the biggest share sale in the country since the maiden offering of Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc., which raised P28 billion in proceeds in 2013. Analysts said the Converge ICT IPO would enable it to raise fresh capital to aggressively finance expansion plans amid increased demand for faster internet as millions of people are working and learning from home because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Converge ICT took in United States-

based Warburg Pincus, one of the world’s biggest private equity firms, as a minority investor through a $250-million equity investment last year. The company plans to use proceeds from the equity investment to finance a $1.8-billion nationwide internet backbone.

The Philippine Stock Exchange said it was expecting more listings this year, including the country’s first Real Estate Investment Trust offering despite the current volatile trading conditions.

PSE president and chief executive Ramon Monzon said in a statement the successful IPO of MerryMart Consumer Corp. and the listing by way of introduction of Altus Property Ventures Inc. in June could boost capital activities in the market.

“Hopefully, these two new listings will help prop up trading activity even as we await the listing of the first REIT IPO,” Monzon said.

TOURISM REOPENING.

The Trade and Tourism Departments discuss proposals for increased operational capacity of hotels, restaurants and other establishments under the general community quarantine, provided that businesses adhere to government protocols and health parameters in the country remain stable. Attending the meeting in Pasig City are (from left) Marco Polo Ortigas Manlia general manager Frank Reichenbach, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez and Pasig Mayor Victor Sotto.

AC Energy launches $60-m green bonds AC Energy Inc., the power generation unit of Ayala Corp., launched additional $60-million senior green bonds due 2024 via a private placement to finance renewable energy expansion plans.

The latest issuance brings the total green bond issuance of AC Energy to $470 million, consisting of $360 million due 2024 and $110 million due 2029.

“AC Energy’s green bonds further strengthen our liquidity and enable us to continue scaling up our renewable investments despite the challenging environment,” AC Energy president and chief executive Eric Francia said in a statement.

The green bonds were issued under AC Energy’s $1 billion medium term note program established in 2019 and will be listed on the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited.

Alena Mae S. Flores

June revenue collections rebounded 28% to P211b REVENUE collections rebounded 28 percent in June from a 49-percent slump in May after the government eased the restrictions in Metro Manila that allowed offices to reopen.

Data from the Finance Department showed the combined collections by the Bureau of Internal Revenue and Bureau of Customs reached P211.50 billion in June, up P59.28 billion or 28 percent from the same month last year. They were also much higher than P135.5 billion collected by the two agencies in May. The figure brought total collections in the first six months to P1.155 trillion, down P220.47 billion or 16 percent from P1.375 trillion a year ago, “as an unprecedented coronavirus pandemic continued to pummel the economy and restrict business activity in most parts of the country.

It was P32.73 billion or 2.76 percent below the revised target of P1.187 trillion for the January-June period this year.

The BIR collected P228.23 billion in June, topping by P68.04 billion or 42.47 percent the P160.2 billion it raised in the same period month last year. However, the actual take was P56.57 billion or 19.86 percent less than the target of P284.8 billion for June 2020.

Meanwhile, the BOC surpassed its collection goal of P40.74 billion for June as import volume began to improve, with the bureau collecting P42.54 billion, representing P1.8 billion or 4.42 percent above the target.

“Even with the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, the country’s large taxpayers delivered P145.81 billion in taxes to the BIR in June, which is P37.85 billion or 35.05 percent higher than the P107.97 billion they paid during the same month last year,” the Finance Department said.

It said that in terms of income taxes, the Large Taxpayers Service of the BIR collected P83.73 billion in June, a vast improvement of P37.87 billion or P82.58 percent compared to the P45.86 billion in the same month last year.

Improvements were also seen in the collection of the valueadded tax from large taxpayers, with the BIR collecting P24.25 billion in June, which was P2.54 billion or 11.7 percent in excess of the target of P21.71 billion for the month, and P1.57 billion or 6.94 percent better than the P22.68 billion collected in June 2019.

“As a result, from Jan. 1 to June 30, the BIR collected a total of P112.35 billion in VAT from large taxpayers, beating its goal of P106.09 billion for this period by P6.27 billion or 5.91 percent.

The BIR collected P126.6 billion for the same period in 2019,” the agency said.

Data showed that the BIR collected P901.96 billion in the first half, including the months when strict quarantine measures were imposed to contain the spread of the coronavirus that led to a virtual economic standstill in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon.

Julito G. Rada

Ayala Land Inc. and DoubleDragon Properties Inc. earlier expressed plans to conduct REIT offerings this year.

Capital raised from the stock market in the first six months reached P20.83 billion, mainly from a follow-on offering, one stock rights offering and two private placements.

The daily average trading value turnover in the first half amounted to P6.59 billion, down 15.9 percent than the P7.84 billion average turnover in the same period last year.

Foreign funds turned into net sellers of P68.44 billion in the first half, a sharp reversal from the P21.26-billion net foreign buying a year ago.

“Foreign funds have left emerging markets including the Philippines as a result of the health and economic crisis caused by COVID-19. Even if there are attractive bargains in emerging markets, foreign institutional funds prefer to sit it out,” Monzon said.

“Fortunately, local investors readily took over the buying momentum and kept our market resilient. In April and June, we noted that locals were responsible for 53.0 percent and 58.9 percent of value turnover,” he said.

BSP assures bank stability amid Wirecard mess

BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno on Thursday assured the safety and soundness of the banking system amid uncertainties brought about by the health crisis and the Wirecard controversy.

“The adoption of global standards such as the Basel III framework and measures to promote good corporate governance and effective risk management systems has prepared banks for these challenging times,” Diokno said in an online briefing.

“The robust BSP surveillance of emerging threats in the industry is also a product of its strong partnerships with peer regulators both within and outside the country, other government institutions, and industry associations,” he said.

He said recent issues faced by the banking system—including the Wirecard controversy—amid the pandemic highlighted the banking industry’s resilience. He said governance and risk management reforms served as lines of defense for banks to ensure that threats to the integrity of the financial system are promptly addressed.

Diokno said the adoption of risk-based supervision allowed the BSP to effectively moni-

tor compliance with standards and focus on areas that pose the most significant risk to the safety of individual banks and the soundness of the banking system as a whole.

When asked if there would be any reputational impact of the Wirecard controversy to the country, Diokno said he did not see any.

“The Wirecard issue does not pose reputational impact on the Philippines... even on investor sentiments. The market movements are attributable to the global pandemic,” Diokno said.

He said that there was no proof on the allegations that the missing $2.1 billion funds of Wirecard entered the country. “So far, our initial investigation does not show the fund entering the Philippines,” he said.

Meanwhile, Diokno said the unwinding of COVID-19 relief measures would be datadriven, done gradually and prudently and communicated properly to all stakeholders.

Diokno said the timing would be critical to the exit strategy, and this would be determined by the data that would be gathered on inflation, capital and liquidity of banks and the financial system, which are essential to the decisionmaking process. Julito G. Rada

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2020

B1

PSE INDEX CLOSING Thursday, July 2, 2020

154.37 PTS. 6,364.08

TOTAL VOLUME 761,370,018 TOTAL TRADES 114,706 TOTAL VALUE 7,349,761,214.68 ADVANCES 132 DECLINES 61 UNCHANGED 46

F oreign E xchange R ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2020

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

49.8130

Japan

Yen

0.009308

0.4637

UK

Pound

1.248100

62.1716

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129019

6.4268

Switzerland

Franc

1.057306

52.6676

Canada

Dollar

0.736377

36.6811

Singapore

Dollar

0.717463

35.7390

Australia

Dollar

0.691100

34.4258

Bahrain

Dinar

2.651113

132.059

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266667

13.2835

Brunei

Dollar

0.714898

35.6112

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000070

0.0035

Thailand

Baht

0.032321

1.6100

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.5627

Euro

Euro

1.125100

56.0446

Korea

Won

0.000833

0.0415

China

Yuan

0.141393

7.0432

India

Rupee

0.013256

0.6603

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.233427

11.6277

New Zealand

Dollar

0.648100

32.2838

Taiwan

Dollar

0.033979

1.6926 Source: BSP

Cosco bullish, allots P3.6b for expansion of Puregold

By Jenniffer B. Austria COSCO Capital Inc., the listed retail holding company of businessman Lucio Co, said it will spend P3.6 billion in 2020 primarily to fund the expansion of grocery chain Puregold.

Cosco said in an analysts’ briefing it allocated P3.4 billion for the construction of new stores under Puregold Price Club Inc. Another P150 million was budgeted for the expansion of its real estate group while P50 million would be spent for its office warehouse business.

Funding for this year’s capital spending will come from internallygenerated cash and short-term untapped bank credit lines.

Cosco said net income declined by 72 percent in the first quarter to P2.32 billion from P8.2 billion in the same period last year, mainly because of the one-time gain from the sale of Liquigaz last year.

It said that minus the one -time gain, first-quarter core net income rose 12 percent to P2.32 billion from P2.05 billion in 2019.

First-quarter consolidated revenues went up by 15.1 percent to P43.1 billion from P37.4 billion in the same period last year.

The group’s recovery grocery retailing businesses accounted for 95 percent of total revenues while liquor distribution, real estate and specialty retailing accounted for the remaining five percent.

Gross profit also went up by 10.6 percent to P7.7 billion.

Puregold reported a 16.8-percent increase in net income to P1.76 billion in the first quarter, boosted by the opening of six new stores, two S&R outlets and one quick service restaurant.

Puregold group had 443 stores as of end-March.

The group’s liquor distribution business also posted a 1.3-percent increase in net income to P233 million even as revenues declined by 13 percent to P1.85 billion.

B2

Sports

FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2020

WILL STUDY LATEST COACHING TRENDS

Younghusbands return to Chelsea

By Peter Atencio

Ramon Fernandez

PSC OIC Fernandez, Petecio, Magno undergo swab tests PHILIPPINE Sports Commission (PSC) Commissioner and newly appointed Officer-In-Charge Ramon Fernandez led the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) swab testing, Thursday at PhilSports Complex in Pasig City.

Fernandez was accompanied by his wife Karla Kintanar-Fernandez and is expected to complete the 14day quarantine while doing his OIC functions until July 17.

“We will comply with the standard procedures to ensure that we are helping in curbing the spread of the virus,” shared PSC OIC Fernandez.

Aside from Fernandez, national boxers from Baguio City including 2021 Tokyo Olympic-qualifier Irish Magno and 2019 AIBA Women’s World Champion Nesthy Petecio with 10 more boxers, six male and four female, and one coach also went through swab testing.

Athletes residing in Philsports from boxing and fencing, and paraathletes from athletics, wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, table tennis, and chess also underwent swab tests.

Said boxers from Baguio City are on a 14-day quarantine and are under observation until the test results are out. They will be provided with food, shelter, and necessary assistance from the PSC staff.

“Hindi muna sila pinalalabas ng assigned rooms nila. Until lumabas swab test results nila, hinahatiran silaManila food,” shared Philsports Dormitory manager Roselle Destura.

Standard TODAY

G

OING back to the United Kingdom, getting in touch with their former Chelsea FC teammates will be among the things that the Younghusband brothers, Phil and James, will do when the lockdown imposed to control the spread of the coronavirus pandemic is over.

Learning new coaching systems, and getting a career started as coaches are expected to keep the two former members of the Philippine Azkals busy.

“So I wanna get back to the UK. Get to coaching there. Speak to our contacts at Chelsea if I can gain some experience there. Gain some knowledge there and also look to go to the US as well,” said the elder James, who retired two weeks ago as a player.

The 33-year-old Younghusband talked about his plans in

a podcast early this week.

He believes the football system used in the Philippines is similar to what is being done in the United States, which is the reason why he has to also look into the US model.

“My goal was always to help develop Philippine football and to go abroad, learn and come and share that to the Philippines,” said Younghusband.

On the other hand, the younger

Phil feels that the experience that they will gain in reconnecting with Chelsea FC will give them a chance to help develop world class players.

“James and I have always said a lot of our knowledge and experience were gained at Chelsea football club. We were able to watch the best players in the world every day, the best facilities, being under the best coaches in the world and most of our knowledge and experience has come from that,” said Phil.

He believes that this will add to his knowledge and efforts to become a coach in the Philippines someday.

“I realize, I think with the Philippines, we share similarities with the American system, in terms of schooling and sports.

I think it’s a good place to learn how they do things there and can bring back to the Philippines,” said Phil.

The brothers said that their involvement with the Philippine Azkals will not

end with their retirement.

“No, I think we still have a lot to offer Philippine football whether that’s next year or the year after. We don’t know but we still have something to offer,” said Phil.

He believes other former members of the Azkals can contribute a lot, too.

“We have to remember there’s Chris Greatwich, there’s Rob Gier, who has huge amount of experience to offer, to offer so much to Philippine football right now. Chris is living in the Philippines. and we were always pushing for Rob to get involved and a few years back,” Phil said.

The Younghusbands are working on their plans on becoming coaches, with Phil sharing James’ plans of becoming a member of the coaching staff of a club team.

And both are willing to pursue their goals when “the new normal” times return.

Giannis says NBA will be ‘toughest’ ever

LOS ANGELES, United States— Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo believes winning this season’s NBA crown will be harder than ever, dismissing suggestions a championship victory will be diminished by the coronavirus shutdown.

As 22 teams prepare to head for Orlando for the NBA’s restart on July 30, some critics have argued that the fourmonth pandemic shutdown means there will forever be an asterisk against the eventual winners.

Antetokounmpo, however, is in the opposite camp insisting that the unique circumstances of the campaign make it the “toughest” NBA championship in history to claim.

“I feel like a lot of people say that there’s gonna be a star next to this championship,” reigning NBA MVP AnteCYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK tokounmpo said on a conference call according to ESPN. Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) of the Milwaukee Bucks plays defense against Myles Turner (33) of the Indiana Pacers on November 16, “I feel like, at the end of the day, this 2019 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana in this file photo. AFP is gonna be the toughest championship you could ever win—because the circumstances are really, really tough right now. So, whoever wants it more is going to be able to go out there and take it.”

NBA teams playing in Orlando will REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES be kept in a “bubble” at Disney World AFTER thirteen members of the national He said the national athletes under their care for the remainder of the season, with TARIFF COMMISSION boxing team were moved out of Baguio City were not able to go home during the holidays belimited family contact during this time, and made their way to Manila last Wednesday, cause they were preparing for the Olympic qualiSUMMARY REPORT OF THE FORMAL according to reports. plans to resume their training via online sessions fiers in Amman, Jordan.

INVESTIGATION BY THE TARIFF Antetokounmpo believes that will are now in the works.

“Sa kabutihang palad, may nag-qualify.

But we COMMISSION ON THE IMPOSITION OF only add to the challenge over the final Executive director Ed Picson of the Associashould not lose track of the fact that we have others SAFEGUARD MEASURE AGAINST months of the season. tion of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines said boxers apart from Eumir Marcial and Irish Magno IMPORTATIONS OF REFLECTIVE, TINTED “I feel like, as I said before, this is the this following the completion of tests on the na- who have still chances to qualify,” said Picson.

AND CLEAR FLOAT GLASS FROM toughest title,” Antetokounmpo said. tional squad for the presence of COVID-19.

Among the boxers who went to Manila are VARIOUS COUNTRIES (AHTN 2017 “Obviously, you go somewhere withPicson said their training session will re- Carlo Paalam (light flyweight, 49 kg), Rogen LaSubheading Nos. 7005.10.90, 7005.21.90 and sume virtually once they have returned to don (flyweight, 52 kg), Ian Clark Bautista (banout your family for four months, three 7005.29.90) PURSUANT TO their respective provinces. tamweight, 56 kg) , Charly Suarez (lightweight, months, and you haven’t played basketREPUBLIC ACT (RA) NO. 8800 These training sessions are now being worked 60 kg), James Palicte (light welterweight, 64 ball for three-and-a-half, four months.

In accordance with Section 14 of RA No. 8800 (Safeguard Measures Act), the on by Australian consultant Don Abnett and kg), Joel Bacho (welterweight, 69 kg) and “Obviously, whoever team wants it Tariff Commission (Commission) hereby causes the publication of the summary members of the national coaching staff, which is John Tupas-Marvin (light heavyweight, 81 kg). more, has gotta be mentally prepared for of findings and conclusion, as well as the recommendation, on the above-cited investigation which was concluded on 29 June 2020, the date of receipt by the headed by Ronald Chavez.

The women include Josie Gabuco (light flyall the situations and gotta go out there Office of the Secretary of Trade and Industry of the Commission’s Final Report. The The PSC sent national athletes back to their weight, 48 kg), Irish Magno (flyweight, 48 kg), and execute. full text of the non-confidential version of said Final Report may be accessed at the home provinces, and is finalizing its plans to Aira Villegas (bantamweight, 54 kg), Nesthy “Whoever wants it more, whoever is Commission’s website: www.tariffcommission.qov.ph. disinfect training venues.

Petecio (featherweight, 57 kg) and Risa Pasuit mentally prepared for all this, what’s goFINDINGS AND CONCLUSION The disinfection procedures on athletes’ quar- (lightweight, 60 kg). ing on in Orlando, that’s the team that’s ters and facilities are being done in preparation One of the athletes who got a positive result gonna come out on top.”

In accordance with RA No. 8800, the Commission hereby concludes the following: for their return to training inside the Rizal Me- while undergoing tests has been asked to stay Antetokounmpo meanwhile is unmorial Sports Complex. behind as part of the Baguio City Local Governfazed by the escalating coronavirus 1. There is a sale float glass manufacturer in the Philippines and the domestic “Most of them are taking up the offer of the ment Unit’s protocol. situation in Florida, where cases have industry requirement under Section 4(f) of RA No. 8800 is satisfied.

PSC to bring them home. Most of them were not He is expected to join his teammates in a skyrocketed in the weeks since the NBA 2. Locally produced clear float glass is a “like” product to imported clear home during the holidays,” said Picson. few days. Peter Atencio confirmed its return to action. AFP (including ultra-clear) float glass.

Pinoy boxers will start virtual training

3.

Locally produced tinted (bronze) float glass is a “like” product to imported tinted float glass.

4.

Locally produced tinted (bronze) float glass is a “directly competitive” product to imported reflective (including low-emissivity) float glass.

5.

During the period of investigation (POI), clear, tinted and reflective float glass are being imported into the Philippines in increased quantities, both in absolute terms and relative to domestic production. The increases in the volumes of imports starting in 2018 are considered recent, sudden, sharp, and of such magnitude that can be deemed significant.

6.

Despite the deterioration in several factors (i.e., market shares, profitability of clear float glass operations, inventory levels of tinted (bronze) float glass), there was no significant overall impairment in the position of the domestic industry during the POI that constitutes serious injury in accordance with RA No. 8800.

7.

There is low likelihood of continued increase of imports in the near future that would lead to imminent serious injury and significant overall impairment to the position of the domestic float glass industry.

8.

Causation has become moot and academic in view of the negative determination of the elements of serious injury and threat thereof to the domestic float glass industry.

RECOMMENDATION Considering the negative determination of the elements of serious injury and threat thereof, the Commission hereby terminates its formal investigation and recommends that no definitive general safeguard . measure be imposed on importations of reflective, tinted and clear float glass falling under AHTN 2017 Subheading Nos. 7005.10.90, 7005.21.90 and 7005.29.90.

Issued this 30th day of June 2020, Quezon City.

MARILOU P. MENDOZA Chairperson

ERNESTO L ALBANO Commissioner (MS-JULY 3, 2020)

MARISSA MARICOSA A. PADERON, PhD Commissioner

KaTropa eager for PBA season to resume IF THERE is one team in the Philippine Basketball Association that is bristling to return to action then it is certainly the reloaded TNT KaTropa.

The team is coming off a campaign that saw it advance to the playoffs of the three conferences at stake last year. TNT advanced to the semifinals of both the Commissioner’s Cup and the Governors’ Cup, respectively.

With former NBA player Terrence Jones TNT was actually favored to rule last year’s midseason tournament. But the San Miguel Beermen had other plans which left TNT in second place.

The franchise’s response was to retool by adding star players to its already formidable core.

It finally landed a major big man in Poy Erram. They also have sophomore guard Bobby Ray Parks signed to a new contract. Former Alaska Aces firebrand Simon Enciso came aboard. Rookie guard Kib

TNT KaTropa guard Roger Pogoy (center) protects the basketball against Alaska Aces players Jeron Teng (10) and Abu Tratter (2) during a PBA match between the two squads. PBA Media

Montalbo agreed to an 18-month deal with the team.

Everything seems in place for the KaTropa to make a big splash in the Philippine Cup as they try to finally end a five-

year title drought.

But the COVID-19 pandemic came and the world seemed to turn upside down.

“Maganda na sana yung ensayo namin papasok ng All-

Filipino. Nakapag-kapaan na kami, kasi nung pumasok si RayRay (Parks) saglit lang kami nag-kasama (sa team),” said guard Roger Pogoy.

“Excited na kaming makalaro kasi ang tagal na naming nage-ensayo. Sayang nga lang dumating itong COVID.” TNT is ready with veterans Jayson Castro, Troy Rosario, Pogoy, Ryan Reyes and Kelly Williams.

They will also have sophomore guard JayJay Alejandro, back-up big man Lervyn Flores, rookie Val Chauca and free agent Gryann Mendoza.

“Nadagdagan kami ng height (sa mga trades). Nandiyan na kasi si Poy, may panapat na kami sa big guys ng ibang teams. Tapos medyo (mga) bata pa kami, so yung tangke namin (puno pa),” said Rosario as the waiting game for the resumption of the PBA season continues.

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The BSP’s initiatives to address the COVID-19 crisis

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MID the current global health emergency, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has promptly acted to implement a package of extraordinary measures that would help cushion the pandemic’s effect on the economy and alleviate the plight of the Filipino.

BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno explains the BSP’s policies and actions to reporters during an economic forum.

Providing safe, sound and efficient financial services amid the pandemic THE BSP has served as a guardian of financial stability amid the present health crisis, implementing prudential relief measures designed to assist BSP-supervised financial institutions (BSFIs) and support households and business enterprises. The measures serve to complement the BSP’s existing regulatory relief policy, which sets a uniform and systematic approach in granting regulatory relief for banks affected by calamities.

Prudential relief measures for the banking system The BSP implemented timely and decisive measures intended to ensure that the Filipino people continue to have uninterrupted access to basic and essential financial services and products even during this time of crisis. These measures provide incentives for BSFIs to extend financial relief to their borrowers; incentivize lending; promote continued access to financial services; and support the accelerated use of digital platforms to deliver financial services—enabling consumers to complete financial transactions during the community quarantines. These are time-bound, suited to the identified concerns, and crafted so as not to compromise the long-term viability of financial institutions.

Extension of financial relief to borrowers.

The BSFIs were given regulatory relief to enable them to grant equivalent financial relief to borrowers in the form of more flexible and favorable lending terms, or restructure loan accounts. These include the temporary exclusion of loans of affected borrowers from the past due and non-performing classification. Banks are also allowed the staggered booking of allowance for credit losses for loans extended to affected borrowers. Lastly, banks with outstanding rediscounting obligations with the BSP are entitled to a grace period for their payments, or restructure the rediscounted loans.

Incentivize lending. The BSP’s prudential measures aim to assist the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), as well as certain large enterprises, to carry on with their business during the COVID-19 crisis and hasten the recovery and sustainability of their operations during the postcrisis period. Relative to this objective, the BSP reduced credit risk weights of MSME loans; allowed peso-denominated loans to MSMEs and certain large enterprises as forms of alternative compliance with the reserve requirements against deposits and deposit substitutes; temporarily raised the Single Borrower’s Limit (SBL); and deferred the implementation of the enhanced capital rules, while reducing the minimum liquidity requirements for stand-alone thrift, rural and cooperative banks (TBs and R/CBs). Banks were also allowed to utilize capital and liquidity buffers during the crisis situation.

Promotion of continued access to financial services. Policies were set to ensure access to formal financing channels by retail clients, who would be deeply affected by the community quarantine arrangements. The use of information technology in financial transactions is highly promoted during and beyond the pandemic.

The BSP also relaxed know-your-customer (KYC) rules to facilitate access to formal financing channels. It urged BSFIs to suspend fees and charges on the use of online banking or e-money, including fees on the use of InstaPay, PESONet and

interbank ATM transactions. Meanwhile, the BSP waived the license fees on the provision of Advanced Electronic Payments and Financial Services (EPFS), as well as transaction fees charged for fund transfers made with PhilPaSS. Finally, the BSP issued guidelines and reminders to augment existing capabilities of BSFIs and enable them to implement appropriate strategies to address the increasing demand for digital channels—effectively managing the attendant risks such as increasing financial crimes and cyber-attacks, among others.

Support for continued financial services delivery. The BSP granted operational relief measures for BSFIs that recognized disruptions in their operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The relief measures enabled them to focus their limited resources on the delivery of financial services and support their subsequent recovery efforts. These include the easing of the BSP reportorial requirements; suspension of monetary penalties on delays in the submission of reports and reserve deficiencies; relaxation of certain notification requirements; provision of accounting relief measures to reduce the impact of mark-to-market (MTM) losses on BSFIs’ financial condition; and the temporarily easing of the exposure limits for the Unit Investment Trust Fund (UITF).

Initial impact assessment of BSP relief measures The BSP conducted an initial assessment of credit growth trends to assess the impact of BSP’s timely implementation of policy responses and prudential relief measures at the onset of COVID-19 pandemic. Results showed that credit growth was sustained, although lower than previous quarters, and remained supportive of the requirements of the domestic economy confronting the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of end-April 2020, the banking system’s total loan portfolio (TLP) reached P10,971.1 billion and posted a sustained growth of 7.8% year-on-year, albeit decelerated compared to end-April 2019’s 12.2%. The slowdown in TLP growth is primarily due to the limited economic activity during the lockdown. Nonetheless, the TLP accounts for 58.8% of total assets, and 56.1% share of nominal gross domestic product or GDP. A welcome consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic is the apparent shift of financial consumers toward digital platforms. Based on available data, the volume and value of cheque transactions and automated teller machine (ATM) withdrawals substantially fell during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

In contrast, the InstaPay and PESONet transactions jumped during the same period. This behavioral shift is seen to continue as consumers adapt to what BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno calls as the “New Economy” and further promotes the BSP’s financial inclusion agenda.

With this assessment indicating that credit growth remains sustained and the banking system fundamentally sound and stable amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the BSP remains committed in vigilantly monitoring ongoing developments in the banking system. It will be proactive and decisive in pursuing timely, calibrated and proactive policy and supervisory responses to ensure the continued provision of safe, sound and efficient financial services to the Filipino people.

Citing the national government’s 4-pillar socioeconomic strategy that aims to reduce the impact of the crisis, BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said the BSP has focused on doing its part in contributing to the government’s overall stabilization efforts.

“The BSP has responded swiftly and decisively to mitigate economic and financial fall-out from the COVID-19 pandemic through its monetary instruments and regulatory relief measures,” Diokno said.

The 4-pillar socioeco-

nomic strategy, which also seeks to ensure economic recovery post-COVID, includes the following pillars: (1) emergency support for vulnerable groups, (2) resources to fight COVID-19, (3) fiscal and monetary actions, and (4) an economic recovery plan.

“Our focus is ensuring that we pursue all necessary monetary actions under the third pillar to guarantee that we are able to deliver on our mandate of promoting price and financial stability,” Diokno explained.

He added that the BSP has

decidedly been proactive in easing monetary policy settings, providing liquidity to the financial system, and relaxing regulatory rules. This is in pursuit of the BSP’s policy measures to support credit activity and domestic demand, as well as ensure the continuous and smooth functioning of domestic financial markets.

“All these measures show the BSP’s unwavering commitment and readiness to deploy its full range of instruments to provide liquidity and ensure an efficient financial system,” Diokno said.

BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno endeavors to bring central banking closer to the Filipino people through the BSP’s initiatives.

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HE COVID-19 pandemic has had a sweeping impact on economies and financial systems around the world.

The outlook for global economic growth has dimmed considerably in the first quarter of 2020, while turbulence in financial markets has constrained liquidity. These developments have prompted authorities around the world to undertake coordinated actions and policy measures to cushion economic activity and stabilize financial markets.

As in other countries, the Philippine domestic short-term funding market has experienced signs of strain and volatilities in the latter part of February.

Following the virus outbreak, heightened volatility in the domestic financial markets has emerged. Concerns over the outbreak have further weakened global outlook and investment sentiment, resulting in flight to safe-haven assets and temporary increase in risk premium in the local debt markets.

With the brewing tightness in liquidity condition and amid a benign inflation outlook, the BSP has acted swiftly by announcing a series of extraordinary measures to support domestic liquidity. Specifically, the policy rate has been reduced four times in 2020 by a cumulative 175 basis points (bps) to 2.25%— by 25 bps on February 6, and by 50 bps each on March 19, April 16, and June 25.

Reserve requirement for commercial banks has also been reduced by 200 bps to 12%, effective April 3, 2020.

Other extraordinary measures to shore up market confidence and cushion domestic economic activity include the timely suspension of the term deposit facility auctions for certain tenors; temporary reduction in the term spread on the peso rediscounting loans relative to the overnight lending rate to zero; and various time-bound relaxation of various regulations pertaining to compliance reporting, calculation of penalties on required reserves, and single borrower limits.

With the knowledge that the pandemic requires the immediate implementation of needed health and social protection programs, the BSP has extended funding support to the government to add to the financial arsenal against COVID-19. Specifically, the BSP has purchased P300 billion worth of government securities under a 3-month repurchase agreement with the Bureau of Treasury. It has also remitted P20 billion as dividend to the government,

Shoring up market confidence and ensuring liquidity and credit ing and payment services of banks and emerging financial technology companies in widening the reach of financial services in the country. The containment measures implemented during the pandemic have highlighted the necessity to speed up progress in the areas of online banking and e-payment. There is a need to scale up the reach of contactless payment facilities such as PayMaya and GCash to include public markets, sari-sari stores, and public utility vehicles.

The adoption of the National QR code standard (QR Ph) to enable interoperable payments for person-to-person (P2P) and person-to-merchant (P2M) transactions is another important reform. The expeditious implementation of the national ID system will enable inclusive and innovative digital finance. It will also ensure the establishment of a reliable database for the design and impact assessment of government policies.

The BSP is mindful of the delicate balance between encouraging the banking sector to provide the required assistance to the economy and maintaining the

health of the banking sector so it would be able to support the economy in the recovery phase. Thus far, the complementarity between price stability and financial stability toolkit has provided adequate leg room for the BSP to undertake independent policy actions that guard against long-term economic distortions. Should conditions warrant, there remains significant scope for conventional monetary policy, adeptly complemented by regulatory flexibility, to support the liquidity requirements of the Philippine economy.

Finally, the BSP will continue to work closely with the banking community, other government agencies, and Congress to craft other assistance programs to help sectors affected by the pandemic, hasten their recovery, and stimulate the economy at large. The calibration of the BSP’s policy settings remains heavily data driven. As such, the BSP shall remain vigilant of domestic and global developments to ensure that its policy decisions remain flexible and appropriate to challenging economic conditions.

BSP’s strategic thrusts for digital financial inclusion BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno leads the central monetary authority in acting swiftly and decisively to cushion the pandemic’s effects on the economy.

even if it is no longer required to make such dividend payments under the newly amended BSP charter. These efforts have been aimed at supporting the real economy while the economy is unable to operate on a full scale.

So far, early indicators suggest that domestic liquidity conditions and market functioning have improved considerably from the volatilities in the financial markets seen in the early part of the pandemic. The decisive and ex-

traordinary monetary policy actions of the BSP have stemmed the emerging tightening in financial conditions and restored confidence and the orderly functioning of the financial system.

The timely liquidity injection has also prevented the spillover of real economy shocks into the financial markets, which could have led to another round of macroeconomic vulnerabilities.

Moreover, the BSP has long recognized the importance of mobile bank-

Rehabilitation financing for countrywide pandemic recovery

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or state-owned Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), the provision of rehabilitation financing is expected to be its vital role as various industries fueling the country’s economy endeavor to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

DBP president and chief executive officer Emmanuel G. Herbosa said the bank’s Rehabilitation Support Program on Severe Events (DBP RESPONSE) has begun to extend financing support for the rehabilitation efforts of both public and private institutions adversely affected by the pandemic.

“We have already approved new loans amounting to P400million, for one local government unit (LGU), and two companies in the manufacturing industry, as they implement their crisis response and recovery plans,” DBP president and chief executive officer Emmanuel G. Herbosa Herbosa said.

Private institutions including enterprises, corporations, cooperatives, associations, schools, hospitals, and financial institutions are eligible borrowers under DBP RESPONSE. In addition to LGUs, government corporations such as water districts, state universities and colleges are likewise eligible to avail of the program.

Under the program, a longer repayment period of up to 15 years, inclusive of a three-year grace period, is granted to public borrowers and up to 10 years with a three-year grace period for private institutions.

Current DBP borrowers, on the other hand, may request for the deferment of collection of loan repayment of up to six months, with option for restructuring in case a borrower is not able to recover within six months.

“As of June 24, 2020, DBP has assisted 565 accounts that have requested for payment moratorium, with a total deferred amount of P17.729-billion,” Herbosa said. “The majority of these accounts are in the construction industry; wholesale and retail trade; transportation and storage; agriculture, forestry, and fishing; education; and the health sector. We are also assisting enterprises involved in the manufacturing, water supply, waste management, real estate, and accommodation and food services industries.”

Herbosa added that one borrower has been approved for the restructuring of its existing loan under the program.

The DBP RESPONSE also provides rehabilitation financing support to DBP and non-DBP borrowers stricken by calamities and/or force majeure events including typhoons, floods, drought, pest and disease infestations, earthquakes, peace and order problems, and other similar events resulting to significant socioeconomic damages.

“Through the DBP RESPONSE, we aim to provide a mechanism whereby the rehabilitation of businesses and socioeconomic infrastructures are prioritized, and projects that have high community or regional development impact are likewise given premium,” Herbosa explained.

“Given current developments, DBP remains steadfast in its commitment to help propel sustainable growth amid the expected economic contraction this year.”

DBP RESPONSE will accelerate assistance to rehabilitate and rebuild businesses and socio-economic infrastructures.

DIGITAL technology is becoming an inevitable part of the day-to-day lives of every Filipino.

Data from the global mobile network industry show that in 2019, 67% of Filipinos had a social media account and used the Internet, while those with mobile broadband and smartphone stood at 86% and 65%, respectively. Mobile phones have enabled a wide array of services on demand whenever, wherever—whether for streaming movies, buying stuff, ordering food, or connecting with friends and families.

Such utility of mobile phones is also envisioned to democratize access to financial services and address exclusion, considering that 70% of the unbanked own a mobile phone. Based on the 2017 Financial Inclusion Survey, more than two-thirds of Filipinos do not have a formal account, leaving them unable to fully benefit from the gains and opportunities in an increasingly digital and growing economy.

The promise of digital technology needs to be deliberately harnessed to pave the way for greater financial inclusion. Toward this end, the BSP pursues three strategic thrusts: building an inclusive digital finance ecosystem, creating compelling use cases for financial inclusion, and fostering financial literacy and trust in the financial system through consumer protection.

dinating with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to use transaction accounts for the efficient distribution of cash grants under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). Receiving government assistance in a convenient and speedy manner is a powerful incentive for opening and using an account. This has been clearly demonstrated in the implementation of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP), which provided cash aid to millions of poor Filipino households adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The crisis and the massive government cash assistance programs that came with it have made account ownership and digital payments no longer just an option but a necessity understood by all.

The BSP is also working with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to push private sector employers to pay wages through transaction accounts. Following the financial inclusion forum for the labor sector co-hosted with BSP in November 2019, DOLE will issue in 2020 a labor advisory on digitizing payments of wages and salaries.

Under the guidance of the BSP, the payments industry has also launched the QR Ph as the national QR code standard to promote adoption of digital payments among microentrepreneurs, including market vendors and tricycle drivers.

Building an inclusive digital finance ecosystem An inclusive digital finance ecosystem is one that enables market players to viably serve the varying needs of the populations, particularly the low-income sector. This necessitates democratizing the transaction account as a gateway to broader digital financial services (DFS) through the affordable and easyto-open basic deposit account (BDA); enabling expansion of low-cost access points through cash agents, or thirdparty retail outlets tapped by banks where clients can open an account and conduct simple banking transactions; and developing an efficient retail payments system that serves as the backbone of digital finance innovations to facilitate affordable, safe, fast, and convenient small-value, account-to-any-account electronic fund transfers through the InstaPay and PESONet facilities under the National Retail Payment System (NRPS).

With the enabling policies in place, there are now 119 banks offering the BDA to more than three million depositors while cash agents are fast becoming ubiquitous, reaching a total number of least 17,000. Clients of PESONet and InstaPay—of which there are respectively 55 and 45 participating institutions at present—can now easily receive and send funds digitally through their accounts and mobile wallets.

Fostering financial literacy and trust in the financial system through consumer protection Fostering trust and financial literacy aims not only to ensure that usage of financial services leads to improvement of welfare, but also to sustain demand for well-designed financial services, which, in turn, further drive financial inclusion.

The BSP has forged strategic institutional partnerships within and outside the government to ensure sustained and effective delivery of financial education programs to targeted groups.

Digitalization of the financial system is giving way to more options made available by various financial service providers, making it imperative to bolster consumer trust and confidence in the security of e-payments and other technology-enabled financial transactions. With this in mind, the BSP is strengthening its digital literacy program aimed at increasing the awareness and capacity of consumers to use DFS, as well as consumers’ ability to protect themselves and financial service providers from the potential risks and threats arising from DFS usage.

In tandem with promoting financial literacy is fostering trust in the financial system by encouraging good market conduct. The BSP issued Circular No. 1048 establishing guidelines that institutionalize consumer protection as an integral component of corporate governance and culture, as well as risk management.

To bring its work closer to the people, the BSP has also developed its own chatbot, the BSP Online Buddy or BOB. BOB was designed to enable the public to engage the BSP through social messaging platforms for faster assistance, as well as allow BSP to gain better insight into customer experience and business practices.

As it pursues its strategic thrusts, BSP will continue to leverage on the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion (NSFI) as a vital platform for this whole-of-nation undertaking.

Creating compelling use cases for financial inclusion To drive account ownership among all Filipinos, there is a need to ensure that not only is an account accessible for the low-income sector, but also compelling and relevant to their needs and context. Accordingly, the BSP continues to work with various government agencies to shift from cash-based to account-based digital payments of social benefit transfers, wages, bills, purchases and transport fares—transactions made by most Filipinos.

For instance, the BSP has been coor-