Manila Standard - 2020 August 25 - Tuesday

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Jolo blasts kill 15, injure 76

Military blames Abu Sayyaf operator Mundi Sawadjaan for terror attack

By Francisco Tuyay, Vito Barcelo, and Macon Ramos-Araneta

T

HE military on Monday blamed the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group for twin explosions in Jolo, Sulu that killed 15 persons and wounded 76 soldiers and civilians.

It was in apparent retaliation for a manhunt on suspected bombers that led to the death of four Army agents at the hands of policemen in a controversial shooting last June, the regional military commander said.

The explosions happened around

midday, around 100 meters apart, along Serrantes Street in Barangay Walled City in Jolo, near the local police station, authorities said.

Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan of the Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) blamed the terrorist attack

on Mundi Sawadjaan, a notorious ASG operator and cousin of Abu Sayyaf commander Hatib Sawadjaan, who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.

“We have been chasing Mundi Sawadjaan since May. He is the same Next page

VOL. XXXIV • NO. 172• 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Quarantine violators hit 338k, LGUs urged to enforce rules

By Vito Barcelo LOCAL government units (LGUs), particularly barangays, should intensify the conduct of restrictions against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the Joint Task Force (JTF) COVID Shield said Monday.

This was after the number of community quarantine violators has reached 338,294, JTF commander Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said.

“As barangay tanods, you are the designated law enforcers in your respective barangays to

MIDDAY MAYHEM. Only the skeleton of a motorcycle remains after suspected Abu Sayyaf terrorists planted a bomb on it as it was parked beside a military truck and a supermarket in Jolo City on Monday. The resulting explosion—and a second bomb set off by a female suicide bomber—led to the deaths of 15 persons (including a young child, inset below) and injuries to 76 others. AFP and Sen. Richard Gordon via Philippine Red Cross on Twitter.

Scrapping of PhilHealth case rates, IRM pushed THE head of the House committee looking into the fund irregularities in Philippine Health Insurance Corp. on Monday called for the scrapping of the insurer’s “case rates” and its interim reimbursement mechanism or IRM for hospitals.

“The case or package rate system is the root of all evil and corruption in PhilHealth. IRM is its offspring,” said committee on public accounts chairman Mike Defensor.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said denying the National Bureau

of Investigation entry and the Commission on Audit access to PhilHealth documents was a criminal offense.

"That is obstruction of justice punishable by imprisonment of four to six years under PD 1829," Drilon said.

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Make Duterte’s Palace: Du30 to step down in 2022 Vito Barcelo, Macon state of health ByRamos-Araneta, and public—Erice Willie Casas CALOOCAN City Rep. Edgar Erice urged Malacañang on Monday to make public the state of health of President Rodrigo Duterte because it was vital for the country’s stability.

He made the call following reports that Duterte was recently flown to Mount Elizabeth Medical Center in Singapore to receive liver treatment, but the Palace denied it.

Malacañang denied the reports despite the circulation of alleged photos Next page

MALACANANG of Monday assured the public that President Rodrigo Duterte will step down once his term expires in June 2022, and said it does not support a private initiative to put up a revolutionary government to give additional powers to the Chief Executive.

While Duterte has not backed out of his promise of a federal government, Palace spokesman Harry Roque said Duterte is averse to the idea of holding on to power after his term expires in 2022, and will instead focus to fight the

coronavirus disease 2019.

“If you are having suspicions that he will stay beyond his term, that’s the farthest… [from the] mind of the President, I can assure you that,” Roque said in a press briefing.

In rejecting the calls from private individuals for a revolutionary government, Roque said Duterte has repeatedly made announcements that he will finish his term and pass the reins of power to his duly-elected successor in 2022.

“Duterte has said he would be willing to cut short his six-year term if a new constitution is in place,” Roque said.

“The only way for charter change for a federal form of government is Next page

maintain peace and order. And in this time of pandemic when the national government needs all the help that it could get, they could expand their mandate to include the enforcement of the quarantine rules,” he said.

Some 149,653 violators, Eleazar said, had been warned, 96,043 had been fined, and 92,598 had been charged since lockdowns were implemented to contain the virus in the middle of March this year.

He said 198,394 violators were from Luzon, while 74,871 were from the Visayas, and 65,029 were Next page from Mindanao.

Rody orders accounting of funds vs. COVID amid overpricing raps

By Vito Barcelo and Willie Casas

COVID-19 PH

PRESIDENT Duterte has ordered government agencies to submit an accounting of the funds spent to address the COVID 19 pandemic, after lawmakers raised concern over alleged “overpricing” of medical equipment and testing kits, Malacanang said Monday.

Palace spokesman Harry Roque said President Duterte will include the expenditure report on the COVID-related programs in his public address on Monday night.

Duterte will meet with members of his Cabinet in Davao City, where he has been staying since Aug. 3.

Earlier, several senators filed Resolution Next page

AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM AUGUST 24)

194,252 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

4,686 59,200 NEW

ACTIVE

3,010

13

132,042

729

DEATHS

RECOVERIES

NEW

NEW

China accused of fake sea claims CHINA'S "nine-dash line" used to claim most of the South China Sea is a fabrication, the Philippines’ defense secretary said, as he accused Beijing of illegally occupying Filipino maritime territory.

The remarks late Sunday come amid a fresh row between Manila and Beijing

over the disputed Scarborough shoal, which has long been a flashpoint between the two countries.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana last week lodged a diplomatic protest over what he said was the "illegal confiscation" Next page

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

PH mulls Sputnik vaccine trial Dr. Jaime Montoya, executive director of the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development, said Russia has already released the first batch of documents on the vaccine.

Montoya, however, said it could take a week to know whether or not “there is a

high likelihood that a trial will be done” in the country.

The Philippines is scheduled to conduct Phase 3 of clinical trials of Sputnik V vaccine from October 2020 to March 2021.

Filipinos' participation in clinical

trials does not guarantee they will be the first to get the potential vaccines against the novel coronavirus, Montoya said.

"Conducting clinical trials in the Philippines is not an assurance that we’ll be the first one to get the vaccine," he told ANC. "A more important assurance is if we have negotiations with them as far as procurement is concerned, maybe special arrangements with their priorities, prices, et cetera.”

In related stories: • The clinical trials for the anti-flu drug Avigan as possible treatment for COVID-19 has not yet started in the Philippines, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire clarified on Monday.

Jolo...

ians, nine policemen and 19 soldiers were wounded during the twin blasts that occurred near the Jolo Cathedral, the site of the January 2019 suicide bombing that left 20 people dead.

A soldier saw a person leave the motorbike outside the grocery store "where there were a lot of people," including members of the military. It immediately detonated, 11th Infantry Division spokesman Lt. Col. Ronaldo Mateo said, citing the local mayor.

"Our soldiers are conducting security operations. That was the time that the improvised explosive device detonated," he said.

A soldier had been trying to apprehend the bomber when she detonated her explosives, Mateo added.

The Palace condemned the attacks and vowed that the military would “crush” the bombers.

Palace spokesman Harry Roque extended condolences to the victims' families and called for justice to be served.

"This attack is even more horrific in the context of the pandemic, when the imperative is to pull together to address the damage already wrought on our health, economy, and way of life," Vice President Leni Robredo said.

"To kill in such a manner, in these times, regardless of motivation, is inhuman," she added.

The first bomb detonated before noon inside Paradise Food Shop beside the Syntax computer shop on Serrantes St., Barangay Walled City in Jolo, where a military truck was parked.

Initial army reports said the source of the first blast was a homemade bomb on a parked motorcycle.

The explosion damaged a food and computer store as well as two army trucks, the report said.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the blasts.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday advised the public to remain calm, vigilant and report any suspicious persons or activities.

This as military and police investigated the twin explosions "We advise the public to stay calm but be vigilant to monitor and report any suspicious persons or items or unusual activities in the area," said AFP spokesman Marine Major Gen. Edgard Arevalo in a statement Monday.

As of press times, he said troops on the ground were evacuating and providing treatment for the casualties while securing the area.

"The 11th Infantry Division and the Joint Task Force Sulu are on high alert following this incident," Arevalo added.

Philippine National Police chief, Gen. Archie Gamboa, directed the Provincial Regional Office Bangsamoro Autonomous Region under Brig. Gen. Manuel Abu to secure the area and expedite the investigation.

Members of the Jolo Municipal Police Station immediately responded to the scene to evacuate the casualties and ensure the safety of other residents for possible secondary devices.

Police said the explosion occurred moments after an unidentified person parked a bomb-laden motorcycle beside an M35 truck of the Army’s 11th Infantry Division.

The explosion site is the usual place where the troops park their vehicle whenever they go on marketing duties.

The second explosion occurred around 1:06 p.m. just 100 meters away from the site of the first explosion.

Sonny Abing, Sulu provincial information officer, said those hit in the second bomb explosion were the responding soldiers and policemen.

Sen. Christopher Go also condemned the attacks. With AFP, PNA

distribution of SAP to millions of beneficiaries, it is understandable to wait and verify first the list of beneficiaries, which consists of millions that would have to come from LGUs. “Maybe the grade is not to the level of magna cum laude but still it’s a passing grade because, first and foremost, the delay was due to the verification to make sure no double entries and this is the reason why around a million was stricken off the list,” Roque said in his regular press briefing.

• Motorcycle drivers and backriders are now required to wear full-face visor helmets under the general community quarantine (GCQ), the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said.

MMDA general manager Jojo Garcia said the JTF ordered the measure, explaining that wearing a face shield while driving a motorcycle can be dangerous,

considering that the protective gear can be drifted by the wind.

• Even with more public utility vehicles (PUVs) available, public transportation in the National Capital Region (NCR) would not be enough for commuters because of the 50 percent limit in passenger capacity to observe physical distancing, MMDA's Garcia said in an interview on GMA's Unang Hirit.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) recently opened additional routes for traditional public utility jeepneys and UV Express vehicle units in Metro Manila.

LTFRB chairman Martin Delgra III said a total of 12,443 traditional jeepneys were authorized to operate along 126 routes. For UV Express, at least 1,621 units were authorized in 51 routes.

Common quarantine violations are unnecessary travels and non-compliance with minimum health safety standard pro-

tocols, such as wearing of face masks and observance of physical distancing, Eleazar said.

The task force also continues to receive reports of drinking sessions, holding and attending parties, even gambling, he added.

“The success and failure of our fight against COVID-19 depend on the cooperation of our kababayans. The more they defy and challenge the rules set by the government to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the more they make it difficult for our government to protect them,” Eleazar said.

He said barangay tanods especially in Metro Manila where the 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew is expected to be implemented, could set up checkpoints within their barangay and could conduct regular community patrol in order to compel local residents to observe the minimum health safety standards.

ties and projects, P100.19 billion from special purpose funds, and P9.8 billion from the regular budget of agencies.

The Department of Social and Welfare Development, in charge of the emergency subsidy program for low income families, got the largest allocation with P200.97 billion based on a report from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

The Department of Finance came second with P88.13 billion, followed by the Department of Health with P48.9 billion, and the Department of Labor and Employment with P12.58 billion.

Health officials on Monday reported 4,686 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the country's total since the pandemic started to 194,252 cases.

Metro Manila still logged the highest number of new cases at 2,519, followed

by Laguna with 286, Cavite with 218, Bulacan with 189, and Rizal with 179.

The new cases were based on reports submitted by 95 out of the 109 operating testing labs.

The DOH reported 13 new fatalities, bringing the death toll from COVID-19 to 3,010.

Scrapping...

rates for new coronavirus disease or COVID-related ailments. For mild pneumonia, the package costs almost P44,000,” Defensor said.

“A health facility can declare its treatment for colds, cough and fever as COVID-connected mild pneumonia and get paid for P44,000 even if the actual cost is only P15,000 or P20,000.”

Defensor says Philhealth officials have admitted that even “probable and suspected COVID cases” could qualify for the COVID packages.

“This opens the floodgates for a freefor-all bonanza of fraud and corruption.

Even now, there are more COVID reimbursement claims in the Ilocos, Southern Luzon and Western Visayas than the actual cases recorded by the Department of Health,” Defensor said.

He proposed that, instead of package rates, Philhealth should pay for the actual cost of a member’s hospitalization, treatment and medicines.

“They can consider the case rates as cost limits to conserve their funds,” Defensor said.

elected vice president in the 2016 national elections.

“Bongbong’s [Marcos Jr.’s] election protest would not really matter. The Comelec’s proclamation of Leni was final,” said Castro who belongs to the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives.

Although he believes nothing bad would happen to Duterte, Erice shared Castro’s view that Marcos’ poll protest would not impede Robredo’s assumption of the presidency in case the President could no longer do his duties.

“A protest is just a protest and in the hypothetical incident of the President’s incapacity or death, it is the constitutional mandate of Leni Robredo to take over the presidency,” Erice said.

But Magsasaka party-list Rep. Argel Cabatbat said he was not discounting the possibility that Marcos would question Robredo’s assumption of the presidency, since there was no decision yet from the Presidential Electoral Tribunal on his protest.

Palace...

By Willie Casas

P

HILIPPINE medical authorities are currently reviewing the first batch of documents on Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19, but may take a week before a decision could be made whether or not a clinical trial could be done here.

From A1

bomber who executed the suicide bombing at the Jolo Cathedral and at the headquarters of the 1st Battalion Combat Team last year,” he said.

He also revealed that Sawadjaan and his group was the primary target of the four soldiers who were killed by policemen in a supposed shootout in Jolo last June 29.

“We were following their group, that's why four of our soldiers died. Their targets were the suicide bombers plus Mundi Sawadjaan,” Vinluan said.

In the second blast, a woman suicide bomber detonated her improvised explosive device in front of Army soldiers patrolling the busy streets of Jolo, he told reporters.

The first explosive was attached to a motorcycle parked outside a supermarket, Vinluan said.

The second blast went off a short time later in the same street when the female suicide attacker blew herself up as police cordoned off the area, killing one person and wounding around six officers, he added.

By WestMinCom's count, 48 civil-

Quarantine..

From A1

Police personnel in coordination with the Department of Trade and Industry also arrested 974 suspects responsible for hoarding and profiteering or manipulating prices of essential goods as of Aug. 22.

All violators who were arrested since March 17 were dealt with based on the anti-COVID-19 ordinances of the LGUs, Eleazar said.

In other developments: • Despite delays in the distribution of the government’s social amelioration program (SAP), Malacanang gave the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) a “passing mark” for its role in financially helping millions of poor Filipino families surviving the pandemic.

Palace spokesman Harry Roque said that while there were delays in DSWD’s

Rody...

From A1

No. 479, asking the Commission of Audit to examine the Duterte administration’s spending on its COVID-19 response after the lawmakers raised concern over government purchases that they said were marred by allegations of overpricing.

The COA has been asked to present its findings before the 2021 budget deliberations.

Roque said the government it is open to having the government spending in response to the COVID-19 pandemic audited.

“We have nothing to hide. We welcome the call of some senators for a special audit of the government’s expenses to curb the spread and impact of COVID-19 in the country,” Roque said.

The government has allotted P376.57 billion to various government agencies to support the COVID-related programs.

Of the COVID-19 fund releases, the government drew P266.52 billion from pooled savings from discontinued programs, activi-

Make...

From A1

of Senator Bong Go with various chat groups showing a background of the hospital.

“It is necessary for the stability of the country to clarify the state of health of the President if he was really hospitalized,” Erice said.

“During the time of FVR [Fidel V. Ramos], Malacañang briefed then VP [Vice President] Erap [Joseph Estrada] and prepared him for a possible transition if something happened to FVR in his carotid operation.”

ACT Party-list Rep. France Castro, meanwhile, believes the pending election protest of former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. against Vice President Leni Robredo will not be a problem in her succession to the presidency in case something happens to the President.

This is because she was proclaimed by the Commission on Elections as the

From A1

Senator Christopher Go has sought the help of the NBI to help protect PhilHealth documents and preserve the integrity of the investigation of the insurer.

PhilHealth, meanwhile, on Monday assured the public there was no truth to the allegations of a coverup on the leak incident in its Region 1 Office 1 in Dagupan City due to a heavy downpour on Aug. 19.

The day before, PhilHealth said it was open to any investigation over the leak incident in its Region 1 office.

“The PNP, BFP Dagupan, CIDG and NBI have initially looked into the incident. There were no documents destroyed and everything are accounted for,” PhilHealth said in a statement.

Defensor says under the case rate system, Philhealth pays for the entire treatment package cost that it has fixed, even if such cost is much lower than the expenses a patient-member incurs.

“For instance, they have four case

From A1

a constitutional convention, constitutional assembly, at people’s initiative,” he said.

“The private proponents can voice their opinion about a revolutionary government but the government’s urgent concern is cushioning the impact of the pandemic on the people and the economy,” he said.

“The call to establish a revolutionary government came from a private group and the organizers are free to publicly express their opinion. The focus, however, of the administration is addressing COVID-19 and mitigating its socioeconomic impact,” Roque said.

“A revolutionary government is not one of the constitutional options because the President is duly-elected,” he added.

Opposition lawmakers on Monday

“Our Avigan trial has not started. It was supposed to start August 17, but there were a lot of processes that are not yet done,” Vergeire said during a virtual briefing, a week after the experiment was supposed to have begun.

• Vergeire on Monday said that COVID-19 is not a “death sentence”, as the government continues to work on fighting the disease, citing a high incidence of recoveries in recent times.

“The stigma attached to the coronavirus is more worrisome,” the Health Undersecretary said, as the DOH reported 16,459 recoveries following the implementation of the time-based recovery strategy of Oplan Recovery, bringing the national total to 131,367.

denounced the supposed initiative for a revolutionary government.

Deputy Minority leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate said this was "just another ploy in the arsenal of schemes - like martial law declaration, charter change and term extension - of the pro-Duterte clique to consolidate and extend its hold to power."

Zarate urged the public to oppose what he described as "anti-democratic initiative."

Ako-Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin shared a similar view.

"If the objective and purpose of the call is to put a dictatorial government or subject our government to military rule and undermine our democratic institutions then the same cannot be used as it totally contravenes our essentially republican democracy," he said.

Garbin also advised proponents of the revolutionary government to be guided by the Constitution. With Maricel V. Cruz and PNA

House ratifies Bayanihan 2, P165-b stimulus

By Maricel V. Cruz FOUR days after the Senate ratified the measure, the House of Representatives on Monday ratified the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, or the Bayanihan 2, to facilititate the government's response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Both houses of Congress, through the legislative bilateral committee, reconciled their approved versions of the bill and came up with a ₱165.5-billion stimulus plan.

House Majority Leader Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said under Bayanihan 2, the vetting and validation of beneficiaries of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP), as well as the related liquidation reports were ordered to be simplified to speed up the distribution of the subsidy.

President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to sign the bill early next month shortly after it is sent to him, Deputy Speaker Luis Raymund Villafuerte said.

Romualdez added the law mandates all government agencies involved in SAP distribution to submit to the Congress “a definitive and actual list of beneficiaries.”

"This will allow Congress to exercise its oversight function more efficiently in monitoring how these funds are disbursed to the beneficiaries. We do not want repeat of Bayanihan 1 where absence of database resulted to confusion in distribution of funds," Romualdez explained.

Up to 80 percent of tracing forms incomplete—DOH ABOUT 40 to 80 percent of the case investigation forms on COVID-19 patients are incomplete, causing the delay in the government’s contact-tracing efforts, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said on Monday.

She made the statement in response to Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte’s call on the Health department to help them trace the location of 8,000 COVID-19 patients in Quezon City based on the department’s records, which did not state where these patients were residing.

“Most of the field reporting units, iyong hospitals, LGUs and laboratories, iyong case investigation form [on COVID-19 patients], kulang ng address or contact details. 80 percent do not have contact details while 40 percent do not have the name of the barangay,” Vergeire told ANC. “That is why we are calling on our local government units and other reporting units to get complete information so we can immediately initiate the contact tracing that has to be done,” Vergeire said.

Backlog cleared The Health department on Monday said it had cleared its backlog in the validation of its of COVID-19 cases.

"We do not have any validation backlog anymore because within 24 hours of the data being submitted to us, we immediately validate and we are able to bring it out and report it at once the following day," Vergeire told ANC. The department’s validation of data from testing laboratories, hospitals and local governments led to the removal of more than 4,000 duplicate cases from its tally of infections, Vergeire said. Willie Casas

China...

From A1

by China's coast guard of fishing equipment near the shoal.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque on Monday said the government would not give up a single inch of the country’s territory, including its claims in the disputed portions of the South China Sea. He made the statement after China accused the Philippines of illegal provocations in the disputed waters, saying the Philippines had infringed on its sovereignty and security.

He assured the public that the Philippines would not give up the West Philippine Sea. Lorenzana has said the provocations in the hotly disputed areas in the South China Sea are coming from the Chinese, who have illegally occupied some features within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

He was responding to China's claims that the Philippines was doing "illegal provocations" by sending a patrol aircraft over the Spratlys and reefs occupied by Chinese forces.

"Illegal provocations? That area is within our EEZ. Their so-called historical rights over an area enclosed by their nine-line doesn’t exist except in their imaginations," he told reporters on Sunday.

China seized Scarborough from the Philippines in 2012 following a tense standoff. Vito Barcelo with AFP

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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Defer oral arguments on terror law, SC asked

By Rey E. Requejo

T

HE OFFICE of Solicitor General has asked the Supreme Court to cancel the holding of oral arguments on the petitions assailing the constitutionality of Republic Act No. 11479 or the AntiTerrorism Act of 2020.

RENOVATED. Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and vice mayor Honey Lacuna led the launch of the newly-renovated Lagusnilad underpass, which connects Intramuros to the Manila City Hall.

Murals, vertical gardens, and photos of the city’s landmarks now adorn the underpass’ walls. Norman Cruz

DepEd says Conviction of US soldier in Laude case final—SC numeric grading By Rey E. Requejo system stays THE numeric grading system will be retained for the coming school year, the Department of Education said, as most students would be learning from their homes as face-to-face classes remain suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Even as we want to make everything comfortable, safe and loving and great for our learners and teachers, we also want them to achieve the learning objectives which we have set for ourselves,” Education Secretary Leonor Briones said in a virtual press briefing.

According to Diosdado San Antonio, undersecretary for curriculum and instruction, shifting to a new grading system would mean additional work for teachers, which the department did not want to impose.

“Kahit letter grades iyan or pass or fail, gagamit pa rin sila, mag-add pa rin iyan ng performance ng bata so gusto po natin maiwasan ‘yong mga dagdag na aaralin pa ng mga kasama natin guro,” he said.

San Antonio said it would also be difficult for colleges and universities to decide on scholarships in the absence of a numerical grade.

San Antonio also said that the department was set to issue guidelines for classroom assessment.

“We are modifying the criteria but numerical ratings will be used,” he said.

With PNA

IN BRIEF DAR hands over P108.7-M ‘infra’ fund for S. Kudarat THE Department of Agrarian Reform has turned over P108.7 million worth of infrastructure in Sultan Kudarat, Mindanao.

“The project was implemented in coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways and the local government unit of Palimbang, that did a tremendous job in making sure that the bridge and farm-to-market road is well-built and can benefit the community for many generations ahead,” DAR XII regional director Marion Abella said.

The infrastructure projects worth P108.7 million consisted of a bridge and farm-tomarket road in Palimbang town under the Mindanao Sustainable Agrarian and Agriculture Development (MinSAAD) project.

Rio N. Araja

THE Supreme Court has terminated its review of the case involving US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton after he withdrew his petition seeking a reversal of his conviction on homicide for killing transgender Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude in 2014.

In a one-page notice, the SC’s Third Division resolved that the petition filed

by Pemberton “is considered closed and terminated” after he filed an urgent mo-

tion to withdraw the petition for review on certiorari that he filed in 2017.

The high court said that all the concerned parties would also be notified of this development.

“The Court grants petitioner’s urgent motion for leave to withdraw (petition for review on certiorari dated Oct. 5, 2017) dated June 2, 2020 stating that after thoughtful consideration of the circumstances of this case, he has decided to withdraw his petition, both as to criminal and civil aspects of the appeal, and ac-

Appointment of 15 AFP officers OKd

By Macon Ramos-Araneta THE powerful Commission on Appointments on Monday confirmed the appointment and nomination of AFP Southern Luzon Command chief Maj. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. and AFP spokesperson Brig.

Gen. Edgardo Arevalo and 13 other senior military officers through video conference.

Only three members of the CA were physically present and 17 others participated.

During the CA panel’s hearing, lawmakers took turns in asking questions on issues about the recent calls to regulate the social media under the Anti-Terrorism Law, the recent calls to establish a revolutionary government, updates of the investigation into the fatal shooting of four Army intelligence officers in Sulu, as well as the on the maritime dispute with China.

The panel confirmed the ad interim appointment of the following: Araus Robert Musico to the rank of Brigadier General; Antonio Parlade Jr. to the rank of Brigadier General; Angelica Torres to the rank of Brigadier; General Carlito Bueno to the rank of Brigadier General; Armel Tolato to the rank of Brigadier General and Edgard Arevalo to the rank of Major General; Rowen Tolentino to the rank of Major General; Norwyn Romeo Tolentino to the rank of Brigadier General; Edgardo de Leon to the rank of Major General; Danilo Cariño to the rank of Brigadier General; Andrew Costelo to the rank of Brigadier General; Peale Jon Bondoc to the rank of Major General and Lyndon Sollesta to the rank of Brigadier General.

FOURTH ALARM. A fourth alarm fire razed a residential area and a commercial establishment along Halcon St., Barangay Malamig in Mandaluyong City early Monday. Harapin Pumper Volunteer and Heart Response Photo

Pag-IBIG Fund extends easy terms for borrowers

By Rio N. Araja PAG-IBIG Fund has assured borrowers that its loan policies are designed to help them keep their homes, especially during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, according to housing czar Eduardo del Rosario.

“We heed President Rodrigo Duterte’s call to prioritize the welfare of our fellow Filipinos during these challenging times.

We want to help members keep their homes, especially now because that is the safest place they can be,” he said.

“Pag-IBIG Fund extends favorable terms to our home loan borrowers. We give them several remedies to save their properties in case of default. Our remediation process also gives borrowers at least one year to update their accounts,” he added.

Del Rosario is the Department of Hu-

man Settlements and Urban Development secretary and head of the 11-member PagIBIG Fund Board of Trustees.

Home loan borrowers who may encounter financial difficulties as a result of the pandemic could avail of Pag-IBIG Fund’s loan restructuring and penalty condonation programs, he said.

The programs are meant to help borrowers update their loans and avoid foreclosure, he noted.

BOC-NAIA destroys tons of ‘unsafe goods’

Palace rejects proposed toll fee along EDSA THE Palace on Monday said the government is not inclined to operate a toll system on EDSA. Palace spokesperson Harry Roque issued the statement following an uproar against such proposal raised by a transportation consultant.

“Wala pong ganoong initiative sa pamahalaan ni Presidente Rodrigo Duterte. Kung meron man, sa ibang presidente po yun,” Roque said in a Palace press briefing.

(There is no such initiative under President Duterte’s government. If there is such, it’s under a different President.)

Asec. Alberto Suansing, DOTr road sector senior consultant, said the proposed electronic road pricing during rush hours on EDSA was initially raised when Benjamin Abalos was still chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

cepts and recognizes that his conviction will become final and executory,” the SC ruled.

On December 1, 2015, Olongapo City Regional Trial Court Branch 74 Judge Roline Ginez-Jabalde found Pemberton guilty for killing Laude and was sentenced to face imprisonment from six to 12 years. He was also ordered to pay P50,000 as civil indemnity and P4.32 million to Laude’s family as damages for loss of earning capacity.

In an urgent motion, Solicitor General Jose Calida instead proposed the submission of pleadings in lieu of oral arguments, saying logistical restrictions and health risks due to COVID-19 justify a cancellation.

The SC Public Information Office earlier announced that the court will hold oral arguments on the third week of September at the earliest. However, it was not clear whether it will be held at the Court premises or online.

The Solicitor General argued that holding oral arguments when COVID-19 cases are on the rise is “unsafe and impractical.”

Besides, the chief state lawyer said that public gatherings are regulated.

According to Calida, who serves as counsel for the Executive department and other public respondents, holding the event through videoconferencing will still entail a gathering of lawyers and parties, and may be disrupted by an “uneven” quality of internet connections.

As an alternative, the Solicitor General suggested the submission of documents containing all the parties’ arguments, including written answers to clarificatory questions that the court may ask.

It said oral arguments are not mandatory.

During oral arguments, the magistrates personally ask the parties and their lawyers on issues relevant to the petitions. The proceedings, which could last for several hours, are held at the court’s session hall.

By Joel E. Zurbano

FACE SHIELDS. Noveleta, Cavite Mayor Sino Reyes Chua hands over free face shields for public market vendors and tricycle drivers. Norman Cruz

THE Bureau of Customs - Ninoy Aquino International Airport has destroyed another three tons of unsafe goods in Trece Martires, Cavite on Monday.

Among the items disposed include hazardous mobile phones, expired food supplies, dietary supplements and medicines which were imported without the necessary clearances and permits from concerned agencies.

The continuous condemnation of overstaying and unsafe goods is part of Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero’s thrust to inspect all abandoned and overstaying cargoes and the immediately disposal of the same.

The Customs collection district in NAIA under the supervision of Collector Carmelita Talusan has also been in the forefront of expediting releases of all Co-

vid-19 related items such as face masks, face shields, medicines and Personal Protective Equipment with complete manpower in all warehouses and all passenger terminals of the airport.

As of August 19, Talusan’s office facilitated the release of 260 boxes of face shields for Impaxive Import and Export Trading and 1,288 Packages Coverall Protection, and 103 Boxes Surgical Mask for the United Children’s Fund Inc. The agency also organized a One Stop Shop at the airport to facilitate the release of those items.

As a general rule, importers of all products are required to obtain appropriate marketing authorization from the Food and Drug Administration in the form of either a Certificate of Product Notification or Certificate of Product Registration depending on the health risk of their products prior to customs release.

LGUs

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor lgu@manilastandard.net editor.lgustandard@gmail.com

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LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2020

3k nabbed violating protocols

By Joel E. Zurbano

T

HE Pasay City police caught more than 3,000 individuals violating the health protocol imposed by the government amid the coronavirus disease outbreak.

Of those apprehended, 416 were penalized while more than 2,000 were given a warning for various health and safety violations since last August 4.

In a report to Mayor Imelda Rubiano, Pasay City police commander Col. Eric Dilag said they were able to apprehend and fine 247 people for not wearing a face mask; 21 for not having a quarantine pass; five for not practicing physical distancing; and 143 for violating curfew hours.

"There will be no letup in our campaign to implement health and safety standards in the city," said Dilag.

Rubiano reminded city residents to follow the health and safety protocols to further help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the city.

The policies include the no face shield-no ride for commuters and the wearing of face mask in public places.

"I am calling on all Pasayeños as well as those visiting the city to cooperate with this measure. This is for the good of all,” said Rubiano.

She said the mandatory wearing of face shields for residents while riding public transportation was in compliance with the memorandum from the Department of Transportation.

Rubiano earlier ordered all city government and police officials to intensify the city's campaign against COVID-19.

She also instructed barangay officials and health center personnel to tag or identify COVID-19 recovered patients to ensure all recovered patients had actually completed the required 14-day isolation and had not experienced symptoms of the disease in the last three days prior to their discharge from isolation or quarantine.

Rubiano said the guidelines set by the government were based on experts’ studies and likewise comply with the instructions from the World Health Organization.

ARESCOM is going organic DEPARTMENT of Agriculture Region IV-CALABARZON and the Army Reserve Command (ARESCOM) based in Camp Riego de Dios in Tanza, Cavite have celebrated the graduation of 49 new organic agriculture enthusiasts under the regional office's Farmers Field School in Organic Vegetable Production Program on August 20.

From April 30 to August 13, 49 Army officials from ARESCOM received training on organic vegetable production under DA's FFS. Aside from that, they also received interventions like vegetable seeds, seedling trays, plastic mulch, nets, garden tools, compost fertilizer, cassava cuttings, mushroom production units, and livestock modules in a bid to further their knowledge in organic agriculture and hone their farming skills in order to improve food production in the camp.

DA CALABARZON Regional Executive Director Arnel de Mesa, the graduation guest of honor, appreciated the graduates who gave their time and efforts in learning the basics of organic agriculture.

"Farming is never an easy job and farmers are our real-life heroes who never fail to give us healthy and delicious food. May this program be a stepping stone into keeping not just ARESCOM food sufficient, but also the rest of Cavite specially during this COVID-19 pandemic," he said.

De Mesa pledged to give additional livestock modules like goats and poultry to ARESCOM, as well as a brandnew multi-tiller to help them in preparing their farm lands. Roy Tomandao

‘Social distancing violated’

By Willie Casas THE Manila City government, through its Manila Public Information Office, explained on Sunday the photos that surfaced online showing attendees failing to observe social distancing during the launch of vendors’ stalls in Divisoria on Saturday.

The MPIO said the organizers failed to control the number of people who arrived at the event.

They said the city government had reminded them of health protocols, particularly physical distancing during the opening of vendors' stalls.

Due to this, Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Domagoso decided to leave the event immediately as many supporters requested to take photos with him.

Domagoso was saddened he was not able to accommodate all those who attended the launch of the city’s project.

On Saturday, residents of Manila and members of the media flocked to Tabora Street in Divisoria to witness the formal opening of vendors' stalls.

Based on the photos posted online, netizens noticed that the attendees failed to observe social distancing during the event.

Manila launches Lagusnilad JOLO CARNAGE. Military personnel stretcher away some of the victims after a motorcycle loaded with an improvised explosive device exploded next to a military vehicle at Barangay Walled City in Jolo, Sulu on Monday. - At least 12 people were killed and dozens wounded—many of them soldiers and police with some civilians. See story on A1. AFP, Sen. Richard Gordon via Twitter, CNN via Twitter.

DPWH to convert Center to makeshift hospital

By Vito Barcelo THE Department of Public Works and Highways is rushing the conversion of Carmona Evacuation Center into a makeshift hospital with 151 beds including nursing station, an X ray room expected to be turned over to the Department of Health on the first of week of the September this year.

Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said the transformation of Carmona Evacuation Center into makeshift hospital with 151 bed cubicles including provision of laundry area, nursing

station, and X ray room in accordance with the recommendations of the Department of Health would be completed by September 4, 2020.

The repurposing of the Carmona Evacuation Center into mega quarantine facility is part of the government’s response to stop COVID 19.

“The construction of mega quarantine facilities in the 3,000 square meters multi-purpose building will facilitate isolation and treatment and care of COVID patients from Carmona and other parts of the industrial zone of Calabarzon,” according to DPWH

Undersecretary Emil Sadain.

The DPWH Task Force to Facilitate Augmentation of National and Local Health Facilities was formed by Villar is part of the government’s program to mitigate the spread of COVID 19 by building health facilities that are capable to handle hundreds of COVID patients.

The building in Carmona was initially built by DPWH as typical 45 beds evacuation facility but was enhanced into bigger multi-purpose building with basketball court by the LGU.

THE City of Manila on Monday inaugurated the newly-rehabilitated Lagusnilad Underpass.

Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Domagoso graced the event for the Manila City Hall Underpass, which is under the mayor’s Bagong Maynila program.

Domagoso appealed to Manila residents to use the underpass properly and take care of it.

He also warned those who planned to vandalize the said underpass.

"Here we are today, an underpass undisturbed, no obstruction unlike before. Clean, spacious. Let’s use the underpass properly,: Domagoso said.

He added: “If they are artistic, let the artists take their skills elsewhere, not in the underpass walls.”

Last year, Domagoso got disappointed when the wall of the Lagusnilad Underpass was vandalized by the cultural group Panday Sining after the underpass was cleared of illegal vendors. Willie Casas

Angeles City LGU promotes ‘Gawang Angeleno’ products ANGELES CITY—The local government here, intending to help local industries reeling from global pandemic especially the handicraft, novelty and furniture manufacturing sector, urged the public over the weekend to buy Angeles products to help them recover from the effects of the health crisis.

BDO Foundation has inked an agreement supporting the implementation of the pooled testing program in Cebu City in partnership with Go Negosyo, University of Cebu Medical Center, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center and the Cebu City local government.

Backed by the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas, the initiative was recently unveiled in a virtual launch and signing of the memorandum of agreement witnessed by BDO Unibank and BDO Foundation chairperson Teresita Sy-Coson as well as BDO Unibank president and CEO and BDO Foundation trustee Nestor Tan. Also present at the online event were BDO Foundation president Mario Deriquito, BDO Foundation trustee and corporate secretary Lazaro Jerome Guevarra, and BDO Foundation trustees Ma. Corazon Mallillin and Ismael Estela Jr. Considered highly effective by the medical community, pooled testing combines swab samples from five, 10 or 20

Angeles City Mayor Carmelo Lazatin, Jr. launched "Gawang Angeleno" products, a marketing strategy that would help and find markets— domestic and abroad—for locally produced items.

The "buy Gawang Angeleno" products focus not only on the quality of products but also the skills and genu-

ine talent of locals in Angeles and at the same time give them a sustainable livelihood, said Lazatin.

Part of the marketing strategy, Lazatin said. was the strengthening of the existing One Town One Product (OTOP) stores of the Department of Trade and Industry where local products would be displayed for sale.

Training for selected beneficiaries will be conducted by different departments to ensure the success of the program.

The city government has mapped out strategies to help promote Angeleno-made products by tapping various social media platforms.

Jess Malabanan

BDO Foundation backs Cebu City pooled testing

VIRTUAL PACT. Officials of BDO Foundation, Go Negosyo, University of Cebu Medical Center, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, the Cebu Chamber of Commerce, the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas, and the Cebu City local government discuss the first implementation of pooled testing outside the National Capital Region, which will initially cover 4,000 market vendors and public utility vehicle drivers in the Queen City. individuals and examines them togethThe method is expected to boost caer using a single reverse transcription pacities, expedite tests and significantly polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) reduce the cost of mass testing. test kit.

This first implementation of pooled

testing outside the National Capital Region will initially cover 4,000 market vendors and public utility vehicle drivers.

Opinion Anatomy of a failed pandemic response TONY LA VIÑA BEING unjustly detained for trumped-up charges has not sidelined Senator Leila De Lima who continues to perform her duties as elected senator of the Republic within the four walls of her detention cell. Her analysis of the government’s response to the pandemic is a searing critique on how the government is mishandling the most serious public health emergency of this generation.

She sums it up in one word: ‘Palpak.’

The senator issued this analysis as the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development, sitting in the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee, basing it on the 14 weekly reports from President Duterte, pursuant to Section 5 of Republic Act No. 11469. The latter is the Act declaring the existence of national emergency arising from COVID-19 and section 5 refers to the duty by the President to submit a weekly report to Congress of all acts performed pursuant thereto.

In “Anatomy of a Failed Pandemic Response,” De Lima embarks on an analysis of key areas of the government’s response to the pandemic, focusing on the following areas: (a) budget interventions; (b) welfare and social protection; (c) medical response and health sector support; and (d) human rights and peace & order.

Part I of the analysis looks at budget interventions while Part II tackles the welfare system for marginalized and vulnerable groups. This is summarized in this column.

Part III and Part IV focus on medical response and human rights at the time of pandemic, respectively. I will summarize these in Saturday’s column.

In Part I entitled “Duterte’s Botched Budgetary Interventions,” De Lima excoriates the Duterte administration for its militaristic or securitized response, treating the pandemic as a peace and order problem rather than a public health emergency. She points out that this is a failed response and extremely ineffective. The symptoms of Duterte’s failures are most evident in the wrong priorities of the administration, poor spending on public and social protection, and his administration’s lack of accountability and transparency, she says.

According to De Lima, the passage of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act giving Duterte the powers he said he needed to mitigate this crisis was a very late reaction,

Website: tonylavina.com Facebook: deantonylavs Twitter: tonylavs

House: Infrastructure will revive tourism ABOUT TOWN

ERNESTO M. HILARIO OVER the years, the Philippine tourism industry has grown by leaps and bounds. In 2019, the industry posted an all-time high of 8.2 million international visitor arrivals, or one million more than it registered in 2018. The tourist influx last year contributed $9.31 billion or P482.15 billion in visitor receipts, or 20.81 percent higher than the 2018 figure of $7.71 billion.

With the coronavirus outbreak this year, however, the National Tourism Development Plan of the government will have to revise its projection of 12 million international visitor arrivals and 89 million domestic tourists by 2022 as the tourism industry has been one of the most badly affected sectors.

Even before COVID-19, the consistent growth of the tourism industry had its downside: Overcrowding in popular destinations, run-down facilities, and environmental destruction. The case of Boracay is instructive as the government was compelled to close it down for a six-month rehabilitation period in 2018 after the beach had turned into a cesspool due to the failure to build an adequate drainage system and sewage treatment facilities.

With the COVID-19 pandemic expected to persist until a vaccine is developed by the end of this year at the earliest, the House of Representatives deemed it proper to help the ailing tourism industry by allotting P10 billion for tourism infrastructure as part of the proposed Bayanihan to Recover as One

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2020

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EDITORIAL

considering his refusal to ban flights from China early on in the crisis. This, she says, even as his economic managers relentlessly pursue the ‘Build, Build, Build’ program, refusing to touch the budget set aside for infrastructure projects despite the need for better healthcare systems and social protection.She also mentions that the distribution of the emergency cash subsidy program meant to tide over the lack of income for poor families is riddled with glitches in terms of discrepancies in the beneficiary lists, rigid implementation rules and the “quota system” imposed on LGUs hampered the swift distribution of aid. It took three months for the beneficiaries to receive the first tranche of the subsidy. Trying to put the blame on the Local Government Units for the inefficient process of aid distribution is clearly a mistake because, as far as the good senator is concerned, the administration’s lack of public accountability and public transparency are to blame.

Part II focuses on Duterte’s failing marks on the implementation of the Social Amelioration Program or SAP. De Lima characterizes its implementation with one word - “Palpak.” According to her, although this pandemic is unprecedented, it took the government three long months to disburse the first tranche of the SAP-AICS for April. She attributes the delays to the highly cumbersome process which accounts to 30 steps and the perennial changing of the policies and guidelines causing widespread confusion. The heavy-footed distribution of the second tranche of the SAP-AICS has left behind almost 7 million non-4Ps families, who were part of the first tranche, in addition to 3 million waitlisted non-4Ps beneficiaries, who were added to the list of qualified recipients. These 10 million low-income families expectedly continue in their agony because of hunger and shortage of access to basic needs, she muses.

The coronavirus pandemic is worsening.

As of Sunday, the Philippines is 10,000 infections away from the terrible milestone of 200,000. At this rate, if progression is linear, we will get to 500,000 by October and a million by the new year. We are inching closer to joining the top 20 countries with most infections. Certainly in our region, we are the worst performing country. This happened, in spite of the longest and strictest lockdown in the world—which in turn has plunged the country to its deepest recession in decades, resulting in wide-spread hunger, stranding many of our countrymen, and loss of jobs and livelihoods of millions.

There is one reason for this—an incompetent government and a failed response, the medical and political aspects of which I will write about next Saturday, basing it again on Senator De Lima’s brilliant and accurate analysis.

EAGLE EYES

Adelle Chua, Editor

Act or the Bayanihan 2 bill.

During the deliberations at the bicam level to reconcile the Senate and the House versions of the bill, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon supported the position of the Tourism Congress of the Philippines and other major industry stakeholders that priority should be given to direct aid in the form of loans to affected tourism enterprises, rather than to infrastructure which he lumped together as "toilets."

Recovery efforts should be holistic and comprehensive in scope.

But House members have pointed out that the lawmaker's stand on the issue appears to be a 180-degree turn from his earlier preference for tourism infrastructure in his home province of Iloilo. These include the construction of the Iloilo Convention Center at the cost of P800 million and the Iloilo International Airport at P8.8 billion.

While other provinces have been unable to secure adequate funding to put up sanitation facilities such as clean toilets in tourist sites, they said, the senator managed to secure enough funds from the legislature for major tourism infrastructure in Iloilo.

Since the completion of the Iloilo Convention Center in 2015, visitor arrivals in the city have reached 1.24 million in 2018 from only 627,000 in 2013.

On July 27, 2019, the Iloilo River Esplanade, which covers 8.1 km. in length, opened to the public four new sections.

As if nothing happened ther—until this week.

In a video posted on social media, Balabagan identified the father as an established radio and TV news anchor who had covered her ordeal in 1996. She said rumors that wrongly identified the father as an ambassador—now deceased—who helped her at the time, or the businessman who paid her blood money, caused her to set the record straight this week, 22 years later.

I

N 1995, an Islamic court sentenced a Filipino woman, Sarah Balabagan, to death by firing squad for killing her employer in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), who had tried to rape her. She was 16 at the time. The verdict triggered an international outcry and a defense campaign in several countries, as her case came to symbolize the ill treatment of domestic servants in Arab states—and came just a few months after another Filipino domestic worker, Flor Contemplacion, was hanged in Singapore after being convicted of murder.

The revelation that an established journalist had taken advantage of a vulnerable 17-year-old would be a news story worthy of public discussion.

The campaign to save Balabagan, which included the payment of blood money to the relatives of the victim, eventually succeeded, and in her third trial, the sentence was reduced to a year’s imprisonment and 100 strokes of the cane. She returned to the Philippines on Aug. 1, 1996, to a hero’s welcome.

Shortly after her release, Balabagan embarked on a career as a singer, but soon became pregnant after a brief affair. Balabagan never revealed the identity of the child’s fa-

From all indications, the relationship had been mutual—even though Balabagan was only 17 at the time. She said, however, that the broadcaster had pressed her into silence.

“No matter what happens, neither of us will admit anything,” she quoted him as saying in Filipino. “I was 17 years old at the time and I believed him.”

At another point in her video message, Balabagan said she had just been released

from prison. “Just imagine how vulnerable I was then. But I’m not justifying what I did,” she said.

Balabagan, who has since married and who now lives in the United States, apologized to the broadcaster’s wife and family, and said she has moved on, having forgiven the broadcaster who impregnated her so many years ago.

Curiously, neither the broadcaster nor the giant network he works for has issued a statement on Balabagan’s revelation. No denial. No apology. Nothing. In fact, a quick internet search has shown hardly any major news organization—including the Manila Standard—has bothered to carry the story, and the broadcaster in question was on the air again Monday, as if nothing happened.

In a more enlightened society, the revelation that an established journalist had taken advantage of a vulnerable 17-year-old would be a news story worthy of public discussion.

It would trigger calls for reform and a demand that the broadcaster in question and his network address his ethical misstep, no matter how long ago that was. It should speak to the continuing abuse of position that men in power have over women. It should also lead us to question why, under Philippine law, the age of consent is a mind-boggling low of 12, which must be a relief to sexual predators. The revelation offered by Balabagan should have triggered something—not more of the same complicit silence she endured for 22 years.

RevGov redux LAST week, social media came alive with reports of, yet again, another initiative to install a revolutionary government under Duterte’s aegis. The initiative was originated by a Duterte support group called MRRD-NECC, whose sole visible representative to date is Makati-based politician Bobby Brillante.

Disclaimers came swiftly from the head honchos of the security establishment without whose support any RevGov initiative would fall apart. PNP chief Gen Archie Gamboa first admitted that he was invited to attend the group’s initial gathering, then quickly followed up with an unequivocal disclaimer of any PNP support for it.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana likewise dismissed outright the idea of any military support for the RevGovers. Not heard from yet as of this writing is the AFP chief of staff Gen Gilbert Gapay, although we find it difficult to believe that at this point he’d break ranks with the rest of the top brass. *** So what in tarnation is going on? Who or what is really behind this weird turn of events? Any educated guess must start by taking the group seriously—whether deserved or not—on the claims they made in their initial media salvo last Saturday.

The group’s key premise is that Duterte is currently deprived of the “necessary powers” he needs in order to fulfill his campaign promises, in particular the enactment of a new Constitution under a federal and parliamentary system. Thus, RevGov is claimed to be “absolutely necessary,” our “last and only recourse.”

The problem with this assertion is that Duterte has certainly not lost any of the vast powers he acquired upon taking office in 2016. If anything, he has wielded them to such extraordinary effect that the more squeamish, especially abroad, have taken to describing him as “authoritarian.”

After appointing most of the Supreme Court’s current members, he has not lost

Since the project began in 2010, DPWH spent a total of P1.07 billion as part of the Iloilo flood control project. The first phase covering 1.2 km was completed in 2012.

Drilon was instrumental in getting the project off the ground.

On January 29, 2020, the Department of Tourism (DOT) announced that TIEZA, or the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, had allocated P347.5 million for tourism infrastructure in the province of Iloilo. Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat said the TIEZA Board had approved the allocation of P135 million for the restoration of three landmarks in Iloilo, namely, Arevalo Plaza, Molo Plaza, and La Paz Plaza.

A portion of the TIEZA funding would also be set aside for the rehabilitation of the historical Jaro Belfry, the construction of a Tourism Information Center and Tourist Rest Area (Green Restroom) in Esplanade 3, the improvement of the Iloilo Convention Center, and the development of Sunburst Park.

House members are now wondering why Drilon opposes the funding for tourism in-

FORMATION

GARY OLIVAR any of his major battles there, up to and including the deserved departure of former CJ Sereno. And in the House, the opera-

We need to see proof ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ before we suspend our Constitution. tion of traditional politics has built him a super-majority that most recently put out of business the country’s biggest—and stridently oppositionist—broadcast network, and today is delivering all the new legislation he needs to fight the virus and revive the economy.

Duterte’s acid test of “not a whiff of corruption” has repeatedly been breached in so many places—from Customs to BIR to the Muntinlupa prison, and now PhilHealth. But people aren’t being fired as quickly as the public would like. Within the Executive— if not other branches of government--there shouldn’t be anyone powerful enough to keep Duterte from keeping his promises.

As for a new Constitution, that job has been finished by the inter-agency task force he created two years ago in order to improve upon the “Bayanihan Constitution” drafted by the consultative committee he too had appointed earlier. The IATF version was already submitted to the Cabinet late last year. What happens to it next is up to—again—the President. He may have the best of reasons for sitting on it, but for sure,

frastructure that would benefit other tourist destinations in the country when he had vigorously pushed for it in his hometown, Iloilo.

Lawmakers are convinced that tourism infrastructure should not be limited to construction of public toilets as it also includes rehabilitating or upgrading existing tourist facilities, boosting digital connectivity, and improving power and water supply, among others.

In short, tourism recovery efforts should be holistic and comprehensive in scope.

Tourism infrastructure projects also translate to jobs for Filipinos at this time when the worldwide threat of the COVID-19 pandemic has yet to diminish.

House lawmakers lament that the Senate appears to have opted to listen to the big industry players rather than to the ordinary tourism workers. Placing the “funds for assistance” under the exclusive control of the DOT, they said, would not guarantee support to tourism enterprises or workers in the informal sector dependent on the tourism sector.

nobody is forcing him to sit on it. *** Going now to the policy prescriptions of the RevGovers, we find what is, at best, a haphazard collection of back-of-the-envelope propositions that are stitched together neither by basic economics nor political common sense.

A few of them I can agree with. Strengthening the regional development councils (RDCs) is not only a good way to rationalize the rebuilding of our health infrastructure, but also a good interim step towards federalism. And who can argue with a motherhood statement like “eliminating the ills of society”?

But on the economic side, there’s just too many unstudied platitudes. “Promoting equal opportunities for all”: How do you do that? Creating a commission to take over the country’s “hidden wealth” – what does that even mean? Nationalizing basic utility services: How quickly the RevGovers forget the dark years of inefficient service under government monopolies like NAWASA/MWSS and NAPOCOR, or private monopolies like PLDT. If we’re being asked to suspend something as important as the Constitution, we need to see proof “beyond reasonable doubt” that justifies such a drastic step. Not to mention a roadmap for rehabilitation that will make the risks worth taking. *** In today’s Gospel (Mt 23: 23-26), Jesus admonishes the “blind Pharisees” of His day to “cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean.”

These are words worth remembering by those who would suspend our Constitution.

Do not neglect to cleanse yourselves first, your own minds and characters. And as you go about that, be humble enough to doubt that you will ever be able, by yourselves, to do so.

Readers can write me at gbolivar1952@ yahoo.com.

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US President seeks ‘uplifting, positive’ speech WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump will try to recover momentum in his uphill re-election struggle at this week’s Republican Party convention, telling Americans that he has answers to the coronavirus pandemic, economic turmoil and racial unrest.

Trump and his top aides strived over the weekend to put an optimistic spin on what will be a mostly online convention as he prepares to head Monday to North Carolina to formally launch the four-day event.

“I think we’re going to see something that is going to be very uplifting and positive, that’s what I’d like it to be,” the president told Fox News.

He sought to draw a sharp contrast to the just-ended Democratic convention, which he has called the “darkest, angriest and gloomiest” in history.

Republicans, facing polls that give Democrat Joe Biden an eight to 10-point lead, were also hoping for a boost from Trump’s announcement Sunday of what he claimed was a “historic” breakthrough in plasma therapy against COVID-19, which has killed more than 175,000 people across the country. AFP

Contaminated water sickens 500 in China BEIJING—Hundreds of people in eastern China have been infected with bacteria which can cause dysentery after drinking contaminated water, state media said Monday, prompting the closure of a local water plant.

Nearly 500 people in the rural town of Baoyi—about 550 kilometres (342 miles) west of Shanghai—have developed fever and diarrhoea since late last week.

A report by the local government published Sunday found they have been infected with the shigella bacteria—a genus of microbes that can cause dysentery.

The town’s water supply has been shut down and nearly 300 people have been hospitalised, county officials said.

Video footage posted on social media by the state-run People’s Daily on Monday showed patients sitting in rows of beds in a local hospital.

Many of the patients were elderly or children, according to the newspaper.

Fears over the safety of drinking water remain a problem for much of China—including its wealthiest cities, where many residents rely on bottled or boiled water. AFP

POINTING FINGERS. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden (left) said Sunday he blames President Donald Trump for ‘walking away’ from the coronavirus pandemic. Trump, who is trailing Biden in polls, has been heavily criticized for his response to the pandemic, during which he has pushed for lockdown restrictions to be lifted early, been hesitant to embrace face masks, touted treatments not supported by medical experts and insisted the virus will just “disappear.” AFP

‘Trump walking away from virus’ W ASHINGTON — Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said Sunday he blames Donald Trump for “walking away” as COVID-19 ravaged the country, in a televised interview alongside running mate Kamala Harris on the eve of the Republican

The president, who is trailing Biden in polls, has been heavily criticized for his response to the pandemic, during which he has pushed for lockdown restrictions to be lifted early, been hesitant to embrace face masks, touted treatments not supported by medical experts and insisted the virus will just “disappear.”

“I don’t blame him for the current crisis,” Biden told ABC as the US neared 5.7 million infections and 177,000 deaths, by far the most in absolute terms of any

country in the world. “I blame him for walking away and not dealing with solutions.”

With the economy in shambles after pandemic-related lockdowns, Biden said again that the only way to get back on track was to bring the virus under control.

He vowed to heed scientific advice on the pandemic -- even if that would mean shutting the country down once more.

Biden slammed the segment of Americans who cite their “freedom” as they still

resist wearing masks, despite evidence suggesting such barriers are one of the best ways to break transmission of COVID-19.

‘Watch me, Mr President’ It’s “the first time I’ve ever heard people say that doing something patriotic, you can save other people’s lives, impacts on their freedom,” he said.

The former vice president also responded to repeated attacks by Trump on his mental acuity, admitting that it was a “legitimate question to ask whether anybody over 70 years old” is fit for the presidency.

But the 77-year-old added: “Watch me, Mr President, watch me. Look at us both... what kind of shape we’re in.”

Questions have repeatedly been raised over 74-year-old Trump’s own health, and he has previously claimed he “aced”

Free virus test for all HK residents

IN BRIEF Human chain for Belarus VILNIUS, LITHUANIA—Tens of thousands of Lithuanians linked arms on Sunday in solidarity with the people of neighbouring Belarus who have been holding mass protests against authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko since a disputed presidential election two weeks ago.

The participants formed a human chain stretching 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the Baltic EU state’s capital Vilnius to the border with Belarus, with many holding the Belarusian opposition’s red-and-white flag as well as the Lithuanian national tricolour.

Solidarity rallies were also held in other European countries, inspired by the historic Baltic Way demonstration on August 23, 1989 when more than one million Lithuanians, Latvians and Estonians linked hands to reject Soviet rule. AFP

Kellyanne Conway set to step down WASHINGTON—Kellyanne Conway, a long-serving advisor to President Donald Trump known for sparring with reporters, announced Sunday she will step down to focus on her family.

Conway, 53, has been at Trump’s side since day one, managing his 2016 campaign that catapulted the reality TV star into the world’s most powerful office.

But the past four years of singular loyalty to Trump, including defending him on TV and with informal “gaggles” with the press, have taken a toll on the combative spin doctor who coined the phrase “alternative facts.”

While she made a name for herself as one of Trump’s sharpest defenders, her husband, prominent Washington lawyer George Conway, is a strident critic of the president, repeatedly and loudly questioning his mental fitness for office.

“I will be transitioning from the White House at the end of this month,” she said in a statement. AFP

a cognitive test that he said proves he has the mental stamina to lead.

The joint interview with Biden and Harris aired the night before the beginning of the Republican National Convention, during which Trump is seeking to recover momentum in his uphill re-election struggle.

Republicans were set to gather after the Democrats held their own convention last week, during which they accused the president of being a divisive and incompetent leader who, in the words of former first lady Michelle Obama, “cannot meet this moment.”

During the interview, Harris, the first woman of color on a major party political ticket, also defended Biden’s record on race as the US faces a reckoning over its treatment of black people and other minorities. AFP

BURNED REMAINS. Resident Alyssa Medina reacts after finding an intact cup amidst the burned remains of her home during the LNU

Lightning Complex fire in Vacaville, California on August 23. Firefighters battled some of California’s largest-ever fires that have forced tens of thousands from their homes and burned one million acres, with further lightning strikes and gusty winds forecast in the days ahead. AFP

Blackout hits Syria after suspected oil pipeline attack DAMASCUS—A suspected attack on a pipeline in Syria caused a nationwide blackout overnight, the state news agency quoted authorities as saying Monday.

According to SANA, the electricity minister said a pipeline explosion in the Damascus area late Sunday “led to an electricity blackout across Syria”.

The oil and mineral resources ministry said the explosion of the gas pipeline, between Adra and al-Dhamir, was “the result of a terrorist attack”, but provided no further details.

SANA published pictures of a nighttime

blaze it said was caused by the explosion, followed by images after dawn of a mangled land pipeline missing a large chunk.

Damascus residents told AFP they woke up on Monday with no electricity in their homes.

The electricity minister said some power stations had been reconnected and power provided to vital infrastructure, adding that by dawn electricity was gradually returning to several provinces.

The incident was the latest in a string of alleged attacks against the government’s energy infrastructure.

In January, Syria’s government said divers had planted explosives on offshore pipelines in the Mediterranean Sea of the Banias refinery, but that the damage had not halted operations.

Syria’s war has killed more than 380,000 people and displaced more than half the pre-war population since it started in 2011 with the repression of anti-government protests.

It has also caused the Damascus regime to lose control of key oil fields, and caused state hydrocarbon revenues to plummet by billions of dollars. AFP

HONG KONG—Hong Kong will offer a free coronavirus test to all 7.5 million residents next month, the city’s leader said Friday, but it was unclear how many would take part in the scheme run by companies based in mainland China.

Initially a poster child of the pandemic, Hong Kong has seen a third wave of virus cases—blamed on exemptions from quarantine rules for air and ship crews, and some business travellers.

Carrie Lam, the finance hub’s leader, announced that voluntary mass-testing would start on September 1 and go on for two weeks.

“There is still quite a number of silent transmitters in the community,” she said.

“So the more that we could test... the earlier we could find the remaining outstanding cases,” she added, appealing to residents to take part.

Health minister Sophia Chan had previously told a radio show she hoped five million people would participate.

But Lam on Friday said the government has set “no targets” for the scheme that will be conducted by Hong Kong subsidiaries of three mainland firms, including Chinese genomics firm BGI Group.

Many Hong Kongers remain deeply suspicious of Beijing as it stamps down on political freedoms, including imposing a sweeping new security law on the city last month.

Biometric surveillance, including DNA, forms a core part of the authoritarian mainland’s vast surveillance state.

Hong Kong opposition figures have expressed fears that virus testing by mainland officials could help Beijing harvest Hong Kongers’ DNA. AFP

Canadian conservatives elect new leader O’Toole to battle Trudeau OTTAWA—Canadian Conservatives on Monday announced their new leader, former air force navigator Erin O’Toole, who will quickly have to get the party battle-ready to challenge liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in possible snap elections.

Following a largely virtual campaign due to the coronavirus epidemic, O’Toole, 47, was proclaimed the winner early Monday after a record 175,000 voted in the party race.

The results were delayed for several hours after an envelope-opening

machine damaged several thousand mailed-in ballots.

Former veterans affairs minister O’Toole faced three other candidates in the race to replace outgoing Andrew Scheer.

Peter MacKay, 54, who served as foreign, defence and then justice minister under former prime minister Stephen Harper, had been the favorite.

Two lawyers, little known to the general public, including the first black woman to run for the Conservative

leadership, Leslyn Lewis, were also in the running.

O’Toole won in the third round after a close race with MacKay, picking up support of part of the religious right, which had supported Lewis, according to several analysts.

“We must continue to point out Liberal failings and corruption, but we must also show Canadians our vision for a stronger, more prosperous and more united Canada,” O’Toole said in his acceptance speech in Ottawa.

“Canada can and must do better and

Conservatives will work hard to earn the trust and confidence of Canadians in the next election.”

A member of parliament for Ontario and less well-known than MacKay, O’Toole had twice previously run for the party leadership.

Both touted a need for the party to broaden its appeal to progressive voters, with a focus on jobs and the economy, but also to pitch a clear climate plan, which has been lacking from the Tories during the 2019 elections. AFP

Business

B3

TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2020 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Movie fans make timid comeback to US theaters NEW YORK—The United States had its first real weekend back at the movies with the reopening of theater heavyweights AMC and Regal—but film fans made only a timid return in a country which continues to register more than 40,000 new cases of coronavirus a day.

Leading theater operator AMC reopened 100 cinemas last week, and expects to open a further 300 within the next two weeks while Regal also opened its doors Friday but did not release figures.

The country’s third largest chain, Cinemark, had begun a gradual restart on August 14 and accelerated this weekend.

Several major states, first and foremost California, New York and New Jersey, have nevertheless not yet authorized the reopening of cinemas and have not given a timetable.

During this first test weekend, the North American box office (Canada and the United States) passed the $5-million mark for the first time since March 15, taking $6.6 million, according to specialist site Box Office Mojo.

By comparison, in normal times weekend ticket sales seldom fall below $100 million, according to Box Office Mojo.

The first major production to attempt a release after a five-month hiatus was thriller “Unhinged,” starring Russell Crowe as a frustrated motorist who takes road rage to extremes.

Although it was almost the only one on screen, the feature had to make do with $4 million in North American box office receipts for its second week of release, the first with a large number of theaters (1,823), according to Box Office Mojo.

“Unhinged” is the first film to gross over $1 million in the US and Canada in a single weekend since March.

In a sign of film fans’ reluctance to return to a closed theater, the specialist firm Exhibitor Relations noted that the top five sites in terms of ticket sales this weekend were all drive-ins, open-air cinemas where people stay in their vehicles during the screening. AFP

Rio Tinto CEO gives up millions over destruction of Aboriginal site SYDNEY, Australia—Mining giant Rio Tinto stripped its CEO of US$3.5 million Monday after the company destroyed a 46,000-yearold Aboriginal heritage site to expand an iron ore mine in Australia.

The Anglo-Australian firm blasted rock shelters in the Juukan Gorge in Western Australia’s remote Pilbara region on May 24, destroying one of the earliest known sites occupied by Australia’s indigenous people.

Rio Tinto chief executive JeanSebastien Jacques will forfeit 2.7 million pounds (US$3.5 million) in performance bonuses as a result of the incident, the company announced Monday following a high-level review.

Head of the iron ore division Chris Salisbury and corporate relations head Simone Niven will also lose US$792,000 and US$687,000 respectively.

The board-led review found Rio Tinto had obtained legal authority to blast the sites but doing so “fell short of the standards and internal guidance that Rio Tinto sets for itself.”

It found “no single root cause or error” directly led to the destruction, rather it was “the result of a series of decisions, actions and omissions over an extended period of time.”

Rio Tinto chairman Simon Thompson said there had been “numerous missed opportunities over almost a decade” and the company had failed to respect local communities and their heritage.

“While the review provides a clear framework for change, it is important to emphasize that this is the start of a process, not the end,” he said. AFP

PSEi August 24, 2020

TOP GAINERS

TOP LOSERS E-VEHICLES. A man waves as electric vehicles users rides their e-vehicle in The Hague, The Netherlands, on August 22, 2020, during a demonstration organized by Legal Driving, an interest group of users of personal mobility such as e-scooters, electric skateboards and unicycles asking to legalize them. AFP

Market slips below 6,000; SM Prime, Ayala Land fall

S

TOCKS fell Monday, ignoring another record in Wall Street over the weekend, as investors opted to wait for new catalysts that will fuel a new rally.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index sank 61.82 points, or 1 percent, to 5,943.58 on a value turnover of P10.3 billion. Losers beat gainers, 112 to 72, with 59 issues unchanged.

SM Prime Holdings Inc. of the Sy Group declined 3.2 percent to P30, while major property developer Ayala Land Inc. of the Ayala Group dropped 2.4 percent to P30.60.

JG Summit Holdings Inc. of the Gokongwei Group shed 2.3 percent to P62, but PLDT Inc., the biggest telecommunications firm, rose 2.3 percent to P1,400.

The rest of Asian markets rose Monday, tracking another record on Wall Street as the US appeared to tone down its anti-China rhetoric, while traders turn their attention to a meeting of central bankers later in the week.

Hong Kong led the gains, boosted

by tech giant Tencent after reports said the White House is looking to reassure US firms they can still do business with the company’s WeChat messaging app in China, despite a crackdown on the service at home.

Donald Trump’s decision this month to impose sweeping restrictions against WeChat and TikTok, citing security concerns, ramped up tensions between the two superpowers that have been strained by various issues including coronavirus and Hong Kong.

The reports helped push the techheavy Nasdaq to yet another record on Friday, while the broader S&P 500 also reached a new high.

Hong Kong led gains across Asia, rallying 1.5 percent with traders also cheered by a pledge from China’s banking regulator that it would continue to back the city as a financial

CARISA AQUINO

Green Light THE other day I was watching “Tomorrow with you,” a K-drama about a guy who can time travel when he goes through a specific subway station. He became the CEO of a real estate company to maximize this opportunity as he sees the urban planning and land appreciation of the future.

He also uses the latest gadgets and products that would give him a more stylish and comfortable lifestyle. He goes back and forth in time and sees the future trends and events to make the most out of it.

This made me wonder about the possibilities if I, too, can see the future and what I will do to use such knowledge to my advantage. Coincidentally, in my Sustainable Management class, I came across the term “megatrends.” These are “major movement, pattern or trend emerging in the macro-environment,” these can be considered as the driving force behind what happens today that will have a significant impact tomorrow. It is what can inspire people, an organization, the government, etc. to the direction of their strategies for the future. “A few examples of megatrends include Global Warming and climate change; Scarcity of vital resources such as food, water and land; Global population growth; Urbanization; Digitization and robotics; Artificial Intelligence; Shifts in geopolitical power; Global Pandemics; Human longevity and associated health and care challenges.”

These trends are closely knit together that there’s no other way but to prepare for it.

Megatrends would have a significant impact on developing countries such as ours, the Philippines, where the country’s birth rate remains significantly higher than the world average, as well as the average for the Southeast Asian region. We may see population growth as an edge over our European and American counterparts who are projected to have a decline in population.

These demographic and social changes may create opportunities as well as challenges for the government, businesses, and other stakeholders. While population growth would generate economic growth in our labor force for the future, it could also mean greater investment in the youth.

Parents’ purchase of food, clothing, shelter, and education, will ensure their growth, development, and protection of the children, as well as fuel the economy. In return, these activities create a more urbanized society. But, with urbanization, issues such as overpopulation, waste, and resource shortages like food, land, water, etc. should be put into consideration.

This scenario made me think of the “environmentalist’s paradox” where “the more we deplete our resources and degrade our ecosystems, the more average human well-

hub, after concerns were raised following the imposition of a new security law last month.

Shanghai put on 0.2 percent and Tokyo added 0.3 percent. Seoul piled on more than one percent while Sydney and Taipei each gained 0.3 percent.

Mumbai, Singapore, Wellington and Bangkok were also in positive territory.

Buying was also boosted by news that Trump had expanded the use of a coronavirus treatment using plasma from people who had recovered from the disease.

“Not the COVID-19 cure all the world is hoping for, but it is another positive step to help patient recovery time and get people back on their feet quicker,” said AxiCorp’s Stephen Innes.

Investors will also be keeping an eye on this week’s virtual gathering of central bankers, hoping for some guidance on their plans for monetary policy after they provided a wall of cash to support the global economy—and stock markets—during the crisis. With AFP

Megatrends being improves globally.” This includes manufacturing corporations whose activities result in the production of greenhouse gases. Also, consumers like us create massive wastes that we do not know how to manage. We tend to ignore the trade-offs between our lifestyle and the environmental impact of our consumption. This economic growth depletes our resources and degrades our environment.

I then wondered how urbanization could be good for the country. Well, urbanized societies would be able to create opportunities for countries to build better infrastructure, health care systems, smart and eco-friendly cities, and more organized resource management if the government and other stakeholders will be able to create a strategy and cooperate in the development and growth for the country.

The Philippines has started to make small steps towards development and growth. An example is the current President’s “build, build, build program” before the COVID-19 pandemic, which would decongest not only the roads but also create jobs for the Filipino people. We have also started to have green cities such as BGC and Clark, and more environmentally conscious citizens who use eco-bags and refrain from using single-use plastics. We may still have a long way to go in terms of strategy and compliance, but we are trying as a nation to improve and move forward continually.

We must move towards change in practices in our construction, use of utilities, manner of transportation and logistics, and, most importantly, our health. We as a country should continually aim to create healthy cities where every person is an advocate of a robust work environment, relationships are built on trust and mutual respect, and a flourishing society may it be in terms of social, digital, or financial.

We may be able to do this as a nation if we start with being respectful, responsible, and aware of each stakeholder’s welfare. We ought to begin by educating our youth.

Megatrends are tools on how we could strategize for our future, but it will still depend on us and how we act today so we may be able to move forward to create the sustainable future that we want.

The author is an MBA student of the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business, De La Salle University. This article is part of her blog, a requirement of the courses, Sustainable Business.

The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the position of De La Salle University, its faculty, and its administrators.

MOST ACTIVE

Migrant workers in Qatar still face abuses—group DOHA, Qatar—Qatar’s massive migrant workforce is still being exploited by employers who withhold wages, threaten expulsion, and deduct pay, leaving some staff unable to eat, Human Rights Watch said on Monday.

Widespread abuses persist even after Qatar—where more than 90 percent of the 2.75 population are migrant workers—pledged to clean up its act following a torrent of criticism of its labor laws when it won the contest to host the 2022 World Cup a decade ago.

“Independent employers, as well as those operating labor supply companies, frequently delay, withhold, or arbitrarily deduct workers’ wages,” the New York-based rights group said in a report.

HRW said it interviewed more than 93 migrant workers working for more than 60 companies or employers and reviewed legal documents as part of its investigation.

“Employers often withhold contractually guaranteed overtime payments and end-of service benefits, and they regularly violate their contracts with migrant workers with impunity,” it said.

Qatari authorities have taken numerous steps to protect workers—including the creation of an electronic Wage Protection System meant to detect unpaid salaries.

However, the effectiveness of the WPS has been mixed with numerous high profile cases of major contractors failing to pay.

While wealthy Qatar is one of the few countries forecast to run a budget surplus in 2020, the coronavirus pandemic has hit many sectors of the economy and left many employers unable to pay wages.

On March 16, Qatar announced a 75-billion riyal ($20.6 billion) business stimulus packages that included three billion riyals to cover worker wages.

“Since the pandemic first appeared in Qatar, these abuses have appeared more frequently,” HRW said. AFP

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

B4

TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2020

IN BRIEF

Meralco provides relief to customers

POWER retailer Manila Electric Co. said Monday it agreed to provide power rate discount amounting to P101 million as relief to 2.77 million lifeline customers to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Meralco president Ray Espinosa said the company would extend the discount to lifeline customers or those with a monthly consumption of 100 kilowatt-hours and below.

“In response to the suggestion of Speaker Allan Peter Cayetano, we are giving relief or ‘ayuda’ to them equivalent to a total of P101 million from our distribution charge,” Espinosa said during the House of Representative hearing on the increase in electricity bills and power interruptions during the enhanced community quarantine period.

Espinosa said Meralco would use as basis the lifeline customers as of February 2020.

Alena Mae S. Flores

Nuclear plants need gov’t subsidy—expert AN energy analyst said the country’s planned nuclear power development carries a lot of risk and will need government subsidy to make it feasible.

“Nuclear, obviously has tail risks and as an analyst, I will look at it from a financial perspective...Nuclear in my view is totally uneconomic without government subsidy,” Sara Jane Ahmed, an energy finance analyst at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, said during a forum by the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities.

Ahmed said that of the top 10 major nuclear developments in the world, most of them were 10 to 15 years behind schedule, “and they are double or triple the original investment and the cost to consumers are prohibitively expensive without a lock-in subsidy.” Alena Mae S. Flores

Business

Small exporters face challenges LOGISTICAL challenges, a drop in product and service demand and difficult sourcing of raw materials affected small exporters during the pandemic, according to a survey conducted by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions, the export promotion arm of the Department of Trade and Industry.

CITEM conducted a two-week survey from May 22 to June 5, 2020, with 141 micro, small and medium enterprises as respondents to see how they were coping with the pandemic and how it could adjust plans and programs in response to their need to survive.

CITEM said despite these problems, only 2.1 percent of the respondent MSMEs considered shutting down temporarily.

Othel V. Campos

SAN Miguel Corp. said Monday it is on track to completing the entire northbound section of the Skyway Extension project (Susana Heights to Sucat) by December this year despite the delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

San Miguel president Ramon Ang said construction works accelerated at the northbound section, from the Soldiers Hills area to the Sucat mainline toll plaza, to meet the December target.

The original target completion for the section was July 2020, but this was delayed due to the enhanced community quarantine imposed starting mid-March. Contractors of SMC returned to work in May after a two-month lockdown, to push the construction schedule.

“Because of the delays and restrictions brought on by the lockdown, we’ve had to make a lot of adjustments. But we are on track to deliver the entire northbound section of the Skyway Extension by end of this year,” Ang said.

“When we open this northbound section, motorists will enjoy smoother and faster trips from Calamba going to Makati and other parts of Metro Manila. By improv-

61.82 points 5,943.58

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES

2,281,363,959 80,561

TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES

10,270,153,230.26 72

DECLINES UNCHANGED

112 59

Foreign E xchange R ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2020 Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

48.6540

Japan

Yen

0.009458

0.4602

UK

Pound

1.309000

63.6881

Business outlook for 2nd half ‘good’—Pangilinan B

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129032

6.2779

Switzerland

Franc

1.097454

53.3955

Canada

Dollar

0.758610

36.9094

Singapore

Dollar

0.728969

35.4673

Australia

Dollar

0.715700

34.8217

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652661

129.0620

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266652

12.9737

Brunei

Dollar

0.726322

35.3385

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000068

0.0033

Thailand

Baht

0.031716

1.5431

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.2471

Euro

Euro

1.179600

57.3923

Korea

Won

0.000839

0.0408

China

Yuan

0.144530

7.0320

India

Rupee

0.013348

0.6494

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.239292

11.6425

New Zealand

Dollar

0.654400

31.8392

Taiwan

Dollar

0.034023

1.6554

“So we’re guardedly optimistic for the second half, but on the whole, we expect overall performance to be quite good for the second half of 2020,” Pangilinan, managing director and chief executive of First Pacific Co., said.

First Pacific Company has investments in telecommunications, power, water, infrastructure and hospitals in the Philippines.

“It’s a chance to reposition the group and rebuild it in the digital world. I think

Megaworld’s board weighing cash dividend payout in 2020

USINESSMAN Manuel Pangilinan said Monday the outlook for the second half is “quite good” despite the prolonged coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

we are ahead of others in this regard,” said Pangilinan, who is the chairman of PLDT Inc., Metro Pacific Investments Corp., Manila Electric Co. and Maynilad Water Services Inc. Pangilinan said PLDT proved to be a standout amid the pandemic, outpacing performances in its power and water businesses which turned in lower growth.

“The advantage we have in our portfolio is that our three basic businesses cater to the basic needs of the

people—power, water and telecoms,” said Pangilinan.

“Because of the recession, demand has generally been down, especially in the second quarter, albeit only moderately for power and water for this period. The main exception is the telco business because revenues have been robust for the first half,” he said.

Pangilinan said while the transport business was the hardest hit in the group’s portfolio as restrictive quarantine measures kept commuters away, the toll road business recently saw a recovery in traffic from the initial drop in April.

“Traffic went down to as low as 10 percent of pre-COVID 19 levels. It has now been restored to 80 percent. It’s cash flow positive,” he said.

HOSPITAL DONATION. The group of companies under the leadership of businessman Manuel Pangilinan donates hospital beds and equipment for the newly-inaugurated East Avenue Medical Center-Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases in Quezon City.

The donation was coursed through PLDT-Smart Foundation and One Meralco Foundation. Mike Toledo, managing director of public affairs of the MVP Group of Companies, said the donation is part of the commitment made with the Department of Health in the fight against COVID-19. Attending the opening ceremony of EAMC-CEID are (from third left) Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, COVID-19 Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., Public Works Undersecretary Emil Sadain, Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega and executives of EAMC-CEID and Metro Pacific Hospitals Holdings Inc.

EU approves P1.38-b grant for Mindanao peace efforts

By Julito G. Rada THE European Union approved a grant worth 24.5 million euros ($28.8 million or P1.38 billion) to help strengthen the government’s peace and confidencebuilding initiatives in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region and assist in the recovery and rehabilitation of Marawi City in Mindanao.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III signed on Aug. 11 the agreement for the Mindanao Peace and Development Programme-Peace and Development in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao transmitted by the EU to formalize the grant for the project.

Pierre Amilhat, the director for Asia, Central Asia, Middle East/Gulf and the Pacific of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development, earlier signed the agreement on behalf of the EU. Under the agreement, 5 million euros of the grant will be used for the recovery and rehabilitation of areas devastated during the 2017 siege of Marawi City, while about 3 million euros will be allocated for the BARMM’s efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19.

The PD BARMM project will be jointly implemented by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process and the Bangsamoro Transition Au-

thority within five years or 60 months after the execution of the financing agreement.

“This third grant from the EU this year underpins this major economic bloc’s unwavering commitment to the attainment of genuine and lasting peace and development in Southern Philippines along with the speedy recovery of conflict-devastated Marawi City,” Dominguez said upon the signing the agreement.

“We cannot thank enough the EU and our other development partners for their ceaseless support for government efforts to spell peace in Mindanao and enable the island to achieve its full growth potential on the Duterte watch,” he said.

Ang says San Miguel on schedule to finish Skyway’s northbound part

By Darwin G. Amojelar

Monday, August 24, 2020

Currency

DOTR asks toll roads to stop cash payments THE Department of Transportation said all motorists using toll roads will be required to engage in cashless or contactless transactions to protect the public from the infectious coronavirus disease.

Under Department Order 2020-012 signed on Aug. 13 by DOTR Secretary Arthur Tugade, concerned agencies were ordered to formulate new processes and procedures within three months to ensure the smooth implementation of the new policy.

Covered by the department order are the Toll Regulatory Board which was asked to promulgate rules and regulations requiring concessionaires and operators of toll expressways to fully transition to an electronic toll collection system. It asked the Land Transportation Office to submit a study exploring ways and means to allow for a full cashless and contactless system along expressways. Darwin G. Amojelar

PSE INDEX CLOSING

ing traffic flow and reducing congestion, this project will also help in accelerating trade and tourism, particularly south of Metro Manila.

That is something we need to further help our economy during this pandemic, and after it,” Ang said.

He said to meet the new construction schedule, contractors should close the northbound Skyway onramp section before Sucat in the vicinity of Amkor Anam, starting Aug. 24 at 10 a.m. to install the remaining bored piles from Piers 1-7.

Ang said with the closure, northbound Class 1 vehicles may continue to access the steel ramp towards the elevated section of the Skyway. All Class 2 vehicles including buses and vans should take the grade section.

Skyway said the traffic scheme may be changed from time to time depending on traffic volume to ensure responsiveness to actual situations.

The company said of the 92 bored piles northbound, 85 were already completed. The fabrication of other components such as unibridge and concrete slabs is ongoing.

The whole Skyway Extension Project is expected to be completed by mid-2021, when the southbound section, from Sucat to Soldiers Hills, is completed.

LIVELIHOOD KITS. The Department of Trade and Industry-MIMAROPA continues to foster livelihood growth for victims of fire and other calamities through the provision of livelihood kits under the Pangkabuhayan sa Pagbangon at Ginhawa program. The agency turned over P372,250.70 worth of kits to 63 beneficiaries from the provinces of Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan and Romblon as of end-July.

Source: BSP

By Jenniffer B. Austria PROPERTY developer Megaworld Corp. said Monday its board is evaluating if it will declare cash dividends this year and continue with the share buyback program amid cash preservation measures to survive the pandemic.

Megaworld chief strategy officer Kevin Tan said during the virtual annual stockholders’ meeting the company started protecting cash by reducing capital expenditures to P36 billion from an initial target of P60 billion, deferring some projects and streamlining operations.

Tan said that aside from preserving cash, Megaworld was also boosting its e-commerce platform aimed at helping tenants in malls and commercial centers. It is also looking at more digital-related projects.

The company said in March it had a P5-billion share buyback program to be implemented over a period of two years.

Tan said despite the significant impact of the pandemic on the tourism industry, the company remained keen on investing and expanding its hotel portfolio in Parañaque, Cebu and Boracay.

He said it would prioritize projects on residential development that it committed for completion and be opportunistic toward new residential launches depending on market demand.

Megaworld generated P38 billion worth of reservation sales, most of which was booked via online in the first half. The group will also continue to build its office portfolio which remained resilient despite the health crises.

Megaworld is targeting to have 1.4 million square meters of office leasable space by end-2020, up from 1.3 million as of end-2019.

Megaworld chairman and chief executive Andrew Tan said the company was ready to bounce back as it “adjusts to the new demands of the diverse market.”

“Our strong financial standing puts us in an exceptionally good position to weather the crisis and take advantage of the opportunities that will arise once recovery begins. The crisis also served to highlight the value of our offerings,” Tan said.

The share price of Megaworld fell 2.28 percent Monday to close at P3.

Business group blames former Iloilo distributor for costly power

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Iloilo Economic Development Foundation, the prime movers of Iloilo City’s business sector, said the failure of former retailer Panay Electric Co. to lower power rates has turned investors away.

“Though PECO initiated some improvements, still they were not enough, not at par with the standards and requirements set to attract investments,” ILEDF executive director Francis Gentoral said in a statement.

Gentoral said the improvements made

by PECO in the distribution system were not enough to meet world-class standards that could have made its rates

more competitive and acceptable to new businesses.

The ILDF earlier said Iloilo City needed a utility company with “a demonstrated capability, track record, and financial capability to operate and maintain a distribution utility for a fast-growing metropolis; make significant investments in infrastructure; systems and technology; and human resources; and maintain a long-term commitment to Iloilo.”

Gentoral said these are the qualities that will provide Iloilo City with a world-class power distribution system to assure investors of a stable, continuous and cost-effective electricity supply.

New distributor MORE Power and

Electric Corp. announced plans to invest P1.8 billion in new systems and equipment that could remove the inefficiencies such as systems losses arising from pilferage and technical waste of electricity allegedly because of the old equipment and distribution lines of PECO. Engineering expert firm MIESCOR Corp. said in a technical study of the entire distribution network when MORE Power took over in March this year it found the possible existence of at least 30,000 illegal power connections that resulted in Iloilo City suffering systems losses of as high as 9.3 percent or way above the standards set by the government.

Sports

Doncic nails buzzer-beater to lift Mavs past Clippers MIAMI—Luka Doncic wasn’t about to let a sprained ankle slow him down, nailing a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer to lift the Dallas Mavericks to a 135-133 overtime playoff win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.

The 21-year old Slovenian phenom, who was playing with a tender ankle and missing his offensive sidekick Kristaps Porzingis, finished with 43 points, 17 rebounds and 13 assists to level the f irst-round NBA Wester n Conference playoff series at two games each.

“This game was from another planet,” said Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle of Doncic’s heroics.

Doncic made a basket with 50 seconds left to tie the score 130-130 then gave Dallas a two-point lead with a spinning move to the basket with 19 seconds remaining.

He capped his triple-double with a 27foot step-back jumper from the left side as time ticked down, sparking a wild celebration on the floor in the NBA’s quarantine bubble in Orlando, Florida.

“I can’t explain the emotions I had when I saw the ball go in,” Doncic said.

“When I saw the whole team coming towards me that was one of the best feelings I have ever had as a player.”

While Dallas levelled their series, Boston became the first team to reach the second round with a 110-106 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Kemba Walker scored 32 points and Jayson Tatum added 28 and 15 rebounds for the Celtics, who swept the Eastern Conference first-round series 4-0.

‘He sees the game in 6G’ Doncic, who is playing in his first NBA playoffs, carried the Mavericks Sunday without Porzingis, who was a late scratch because of a knee injury.

But the pre-game buzz was all about Doncic’s health, not Porzingis. Doncic sprained his left ankle in the second half of game three and had an MRI on Saturday to determine the extent of the damage.

“This morning I wasn’t feeling good but as soon as I stepped on the court I knew I could go,” said Doncic, who recorded his second straight triple-double.

Said Carlisle: “He sees the game in 6G, not 5G. He is a very special player.”

Trey Burke added 25 points, Tim Hardaway scored 21 and Seth Curry chipped in 15 points for Dallas, who led by 12 with nine minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

Lou Williams had 36 points and Kawhi Leonard finished with 32 points for the Clippers, who blew a 21-point first-half lead.

Game five is on Tuesday. AFP

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

TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2020

Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks celebrates a game-winning three-point basket with teammates against the LA Clippers during overtime in Game Four of the Western Conference First Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

AFP

Private sector support for PH athletics sought

By Peter Atencio

I

N organizing a one-month training camp this November, officials of the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association won’t just be counting on the support of the Philippines Sports Commission.

PATAFA president Philcare of the food expenses ip Ella Juico said support when the training sesfrom the cash-strapped sions are finally held at government sports agency the De La Salle Universiwill be limited. ty-Canlubang in Laguna And that is why they

by Nov. 1. may have to turn to the The PATAFA chief said private sector and to their they are seeking approval own resources to be able from the Interagency Task Force for the Manageto pull off their plans for ment of Emerging Infecnational athletes to retious Diseases to be able sume training by the first Philip Juico to push through with the week of November.

“The PSC is aware and we had dis- training camp.

The camp will be held under a “bubcussions at hindi naman kailangan lable” for a month right before their plan hat,” said Juico.

Juico said the PSC has agreed to take to hold the National Open starting on

Dec. 4 at the New Clark City Athletics Stadium in Capas, Tarlac.

National athletes will have a chance to get themselves in good condition when the approval for the camp is finally given.

“Our athletes are not in top shape.

But we are doing our best, given the resources,” added Juico.

There were plans to have a restart in the second week of August. But their preparations were delayed when Metro Manila went back to a Modified Enhanced Quarantine Community last August 3.

Bases Conversion Development Authority Vice President Arrey Perez confirmed to Juico the availability of the NCC facilities last Friday.

The PATAFA chief said the NCC Stadium is currently being utilized as a quarantine facility for coronavirus patients.

And it will soon be disinfected to give way to the preparations that will be done for the staging of the National Open.

Ramirez gives values, virtues equal weight as winning AUTHORITIES from the University of Santo Tomas will be given the chance to shed light on the situation surrounding their men’s basketball team when it conducted practices in an alleged “training bubble” in Sorsogon recently.

Philippine Sports Commission chairman William Ramirez said this after UST began its internal investigation this week.

“The Philippine Sports Commission recognizes the authority of the University Athletic Associations of the Philippines on this member-team and we are giving them the chance to clarify matters internally,” said Ramirez.

At the same time, Ramirez stressed that virtues and values “be given equal weight as winning in sports programs.

In this vision I see partners in local government units, sports officials and schools—where discipline and character are nurtured outside the home.”

“It is for this reason that the issue, for me, is much bigger than sports.

It touches on a sensitive facet of our society that questions our priorities.

The PSC, being the government arm in sports, and part of tripartite group (PSC, Games and Amusement Board and Department of Health) tasked to oversee physical activities in this time of pandemic, is bound to uphold whatever government dictates.

We are bound by duty to ensure that government-imposed safety protocols are observed, for the safety of our athletes, and the community they move and live in,” said the PSC chief.

“We cannot over-emphasize how important it is to be good followers at this time of our nation’s journey. Just as our strict demand and high standards for good leaders are very much valid, we do our share in ensuring our victory against this health crisis when we decide to be good followers observing guidelines and moving as one team, community and country,” Ramirez said. “We made every effort to send home every one of our more than 1,600 national athletes home.

Their safety weighs more than any color of honor that continued training may produce. As one famous movie

PSC chairman William Ramirez

line goes, we live to fight another day.”

It was agreed that appropriate actions will be expected to be taken by UST, with the Institute of Physical Educa-

tion and Athletics seen to lead the way in launching an internal investigation Growling Tigers.

IPEA officials, led by Fr. Jannel Novino Abogado, O.P., are now on the case, following a meeting between University Athletic Association of the Philippines commissioner Rebo Saguisag and members of the tripartite group.

UST basketball team coach Aldin Ayo remained tight-lipped on the training camp when he broke his silence on Sunday evening in a written statement. Ayo, however said, he will cooperate in the probe.

The UAAP will hand over their findings to the league, which is now under Season 83 host De La Salle University.

The group will meet with UAAP officials on Wednesday and make decisions afterwards.

Under a Joint Administrative Order created by the PSC, GAB and the DOH, only professional leagues in basketball, football and boxing are allowed to resume training under a General Community Quarantine. Peter Atencio

Ayo: Differences led to UST-Cansino split COACH Aldin Ayo felt that he was not on the same page with former University of Santo Tomas cager Crispin “CJ” Cansino when they talked about the latter’s condition while the team was in a training camp in Capuy, Sorsogon.

In the end, he decided to let go of the 21-year-old Cansino, who eventually transferred to another varsity squad, the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons.

“We have varying approaches and adaptations to cope with the crisis.

And as we have differences in strokes for different folks, we labor to respect such differences, and allow generously for people to to grow in the best way they could in whatever situation best fitting them,” said Ayo in a statement

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he released online following Cansino’s departure from the team.

Cansino explained to Ayo he was suffering anxiety attacks during his days in quarantine over the last month.

And this is what compelled the former UST skipper to leave his practices in Sorsogon and go home.

Ayo felt that his discussions with Cansino have brought out differences in how to approach present situation, which the UST mentor did not elaborate.

“Such is what happened to the case of CJ Cansino and the UST basketball team. The circumstances in life today have brought out marked differences between my orientation in life and the fundamental options of our player CJ Cansino,” added Ayo.

When he was asked to leave the team, Cansino said he thought of staying on and continuing his studies at the UST. But uncertainties of whether he will still be able to play after sitting it out for maybe a year, made Cansino choose to leave.

Cansino spoke of this during a Facebook Live discussion in the weekly program “The Chasedown” and Carmela Tunay’s vlog.

“We have found that it would be best that we part ways, allow maximum growth for each other. We wish him the best providence in his new endeavor with a different team,” added Ayo. Ayo said he recognizes the efforts that Cansino gave the squad during his time with the Tigers and as a Tiger Cub in high school. Peter Atencio

Aldin Ayo

Takuma Sato kisses the bricks after winning the 104th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. AFP

Sato holds off Kiwi Dixon to win 2nd Indy 500 race title WASHINGTON—Japan’s Takuma Sato held off Scott Dixon over the final 20 laps Sunday to capture the 104th Indianapolis 500, taking his second Indy 500 victory after his first front-row start.

The 43-year-old from Tokyo, who also won in 2017, kept New Zealand’s Dixon at bay down the stretch before a crash by Spencer Pigot with five laps remaining brought out yellow flags and the race finished under slow-speed caution conditions.

“It’s unbelievable,” Sato said. “It’s great. I’m proud to win again.”

Sato, who started from the outside of row one, drove his Honda-powered Dallara across the finish line after 200 laps around the 2 1/2-mile (4km) Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval just ahead of Dixon and American Graham Rahal in third in a ceremonial finish.

Ten minutes earlier, Dixon was racing just behind Sato on the same straightaway desperately trying to pass him but unable to get by.

“I knew Scott was coming right through,” Sato said. “Coming out of turn four he was screaming. I just held him off.”

Sato car owner Bobby Rahal, the 1986 Indy 500 winner, was worried when the winner came upon slower traffic with nine laps remaining.

“Takuma ran hard all day long,” the elder Rahal said. “I was worried when he ran into that traffic but he got through it pretty good. And then the accident.

Who knows what would have happened the last five laps?”

That’s the haunting question facing Dixon, who led 111 laps but settled for his third runner-up finish at Indy after 2007 and 2012—all three of them coming under caution.

“It’s definitely a hard one to swallow for sure,” Dixon said. “It’s hard when it slips away like that.

“Congratulations to Sato. He drove his pants off today.”

Sato, the first Asian driver to win the Indy 500, waved the Japanese flag on the winner’s platform.

“I hope this gives a little boost for their energy,” Sato said. “Thanks for the support.”

The oval classic was moved from its usual late May date due to COVID-19 concerns that delayed the start of the season until June and prevented spectators from attending.

The race hung on a knife’s edge after Sato passed slower traffic but any closing drama was ended when US racer Pigot crashed in the fourth turn and skidded into the end of the barrier at the edge of the track where pit row begins. Pigot was awake and alert and walked from the car but was hospitalized for observation. AFP

Sports

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2020 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Johnson grabs world No. 1 with win N EW YORK—Dustin Johnson seized the world number one ranking in emphatic style Sunday, firing an eight-under par final-round 63 to win the US PGA Northern Trust by 11 strokes.

Johnson finished with a 30-under par total of 254 at TPC Boston, with Harris English a distant second on 265 after a closing 69.

Johnson’s 22-under third-round total had given him the largest 54-hole lead on tour this season—five strokes—and he was quick to build on it on Sunday.

He set the tone with an eight-foot eagle putt at the second, set up by a magnificent seven-iron over the water.

He tapped in for birdie at the fourth and rolled in a four-foot birdie at the fifth.

Birdie putts of 10 and 13 feet at the seventh and eighth saw him make the

turn five-under for the day, and he rolled in another four-foot birdie at the 12th.

The only thing that slowed him was a weather delay, the horn sounding just after he teed off on 17.

Johnson returned and birdied the parfive 18th in near darkness and steady rain.

He matched the second-lowest score in relation to par in a 72-hole US PGA Tour event.

Ernie Els holds the record of 31-under shot at Kapalua in 2003, and Jordan Spieth won the 2016 Tournament of Champions with a 30-under total.

His margin of victory was the largest

on tour since 2006.

“It is a big margin, and I’m definitely really proud of that,” Johnson said. “I played really good. I knew I was playing well and I knew the guys were going to shoot low.

“So I was trying to get 30-under— holed a nice little putt on the last hole to get to 30.”

After a tough putting round on Thursday, Johnson put himself on the path to victory with an impressive 11-under 60 on Friday—when he was 11-under through 11 holes before parring his way to the clubhouse.

Told his 30-under total didn’t give him a record, Johnson wasn’t bothered.

“That’s all right,” he said, “next time.”

Oosthuizen squeezes in Former US Open champion Johnson toppled Spain’s Jon Rahm from the top of the rankings, and will also lead the

US tour’s FedEx Cup standings going into the second playoff event, the BMW Championship.

“Something that I’m very proud of is to be number one in the world, and I’d like to stay there for a little while,” Johnson said.

“Obviously it’s been jumping around a bunch here the last few months, but you know, the last time I was number one I think I stayed there for quite some time, and that’s another goal of mine is just to see how long I can stay at number one.”

South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen grabbed the final spot in the 70-man BMW field with a birdie at the final hole on Sunday, coming back after the rain delay and capping a two-over 73.

That put him in a tie for 13th, and knocked Doc Redman out of the top 70 in the playoff standings. AFP

Tour de France ready to roll in time of COVID PARIS —The Tour de France rolls out of the French Riviera next Saturday with peaks, plains and rigid coronavirus protocols standing between the 176 riders and the final dash along the Champs-Elysees in Paris.

Delayed by over two months because of the virus, political will and organisational savvy saw the Tour cling on as the Tokyo Olympics and football’s Euros fell by the wayside.

A blueprint for sports in the time of coronavirus may emerge as global audiences from 190 countries will be able to feast on France’s prettiest vistas on the gruelling three-week endurance test.

Race chief Christian Prudhomme likes to say the Tour de France is 3,000km of smiles (3,470km for 2020), but he has appealed for the expected 10 million roadside fans to mask up this year.

After marathon negotiations with political leaders, the ASO, which organises the race, announced in a meticulous 18-page protocol guide that two positive COVID-19 cases in any team will see them removed from the event.

All the riders must undergo two PCR nasal tests in the days leading up to the start of the Tour.

Furthermore, the Tour has set up a COVID-19 testing unit of around 15 people which will be attached to the coordination centre.

The Mediterranean city of Nice plays host to the build-up known as ‘Le Grand Depart’ and the first three stages either start or finish there.

Colombia’s 23-year-old defending champion Egan Bernal will defend his title as sole captain of Ineos, who ruthlessly axed both four-time winner Chris Froome and 2018 champion Geraint Thomas from their roster last week.

“The key thing is that we target the Tour win,” Bernal said.

The team’s owner, plastics and chemicals magnate Jim Ratcliffe, who also owns Nice football club, has renamed the cycling team ‘the Ineos Grenadiers’ to promote the company’s new four-wheel-drive off-road vehicle.

In another first, the Israel Start-Up Nation team will be amongst the 22 teams at the starting line on Saturday.

The Tour will also do away with having two podium girls to greet the winners each day—now it will be one woman and one man. AFP

Dustin Johnson of the United States celebrates with the trophy after going 30-under par to win during the final round of The Northern Trust at TPC Boston in Norton, Massachusetts. AFP

Novak pulls out of NY doubles NEW YORK—World number one Novak Djokovic withdrew from doubles Sunday at the Western & Southern Open in New York, citing neck pain.

The top-seeded Serbian was still scheduled to open singles play on Monday against qualifier Ricardis Berankis of Lithuania after a first-round bye.

Djokovic had been entered in doubles with compatriot Filip Krajinovic, but he pulled out before their scheduled opener on Sunday against Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe of the United States.

The tournament normally played in Cincinnati, Ohio, is being held this year in a quarantine bubble at the US Tennis Association’s Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, where the US Open will start on Aug. 31.

Djokovic won the title in Cincinnati in 2018 to become the only player to win all nine of the ATP’s elite Masters 1000 tournaments. He reached the semi-finals in Cincy last year.

The 33-year-old has won five of the past seven men’s singles Grand Slam titles, taking his tally to 17—three shy of Roger Federer’s record 20.

Meanwhile, top-seeded Karolina Pliskova and No. 2 Sofia Kenin crashed out, falling in their opening matches at the National Tennis Center in New York.

Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova,

ranked 41st in the world, toppled world number three Pliskova of Czech Republic 7-5, 6-4 in their second-round clash.

France’s Alize Cornet notched her first win over a top-five player in two years when she shocked Australian Open champion Kenin 6-1, 7-6 (9/7) to reach the round of 16.

It was a stunning turn of events on a day that saw men’s fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas lead the way into the round of 16 with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over two-time Grand Slam finalist Kevin Anderson.

Greece’s Tsitsipas needed just 69 minutes to subdue Anderson, pressuring the towering South African’s second serve as he broke four times.

He didn’t face a break point himself until the fifth game of the second set, when Tsitsipas fell into a 0-40 hold but won five straight points to escape the jam.

“That was a crucial game, being able to come back there and maintain the focus that I needed to be back in the match and not be a break down, that was a very good effort from me,” Tsitsipas said.

He gained the lone break of the second set when Anderson double-faulted on break point in the eighth game, and finished off the match on his second match point when Anderson sailed a return of a second serve long. AFP

Bayern in beast mode FREE THROW SHOOTER NATHANIEL DELA CRUZ THE UEFA Champions League trophy has long eluded German football club Bayern Munich in recent years.

The pursuit often ends up making the Bavarians feel teased and shortchanged.

Losing creates the impression that the perennial Bundesliga champions are inadequate in the European stage. During the 2014-15 season, Bayern lost to Spanish powerhouse FC Barcelona in the semifinals (3-5). It will be the same story of bitter disappointment in 2016 (losing to Spanish club Atletico Madrid 2-2 on away goals) and during the 2017-18 season (Real Madrid defeated Bayern, 4-3). The Bavarians were always a step short of a finals appearance. The only consolation for them, I think, is that they are always reminded that despite the debacle, they

remain a European powerhouse always in contention and constantly making a deep run in the knockout phase.

That is why I believe it was utterly devastating for Bayern when they dropped out of contention as early as the Round of 16 last season, given the boot by English Premier League’s then-second best squad Liverpool.

It would have been easy for Bayern to succumb to hopelessness after years of futile effort culminating in an embarrassing 1-3 loss to the eventual champions The Reds.

It would have been easy for them to accept that what Lady Fate is telling them all these years is that they are not destined to win it, at least, not now. After all, the last time they won the UEFA Champions League was way back in 2013 and the theme was redemption.

Before defeating Borussia Dortmund in an all-Bundesliga Champions League finals, Bayern Munich was slated for a showdown versus Chelsea during the 2011-12 finals, but the English team proved the stronger of the two. Bayern came back with a vengeance the following season and won the championship, at the expense of another German club.

That was the last time Bayern made a back-

to-back finals appearance. Prior to that, the only time Bayern was in the finals in successive seasons was in the 70s, and every time they make the championship round, they go all the way. They were champions in 1973-74, 1974-75, and 1975-76 seasons.

It was a good thing that Bayern didn’t give up on the chase to win the Champions League. And today, Bayern’s story is of redemption yet again, and what a way to do it. They were done by Round of 16 last year, but this time around, they made a historic run, winning all 11 matches en route to a much-savored coronation.

They’ve finally conquered the hill.

But how long can they stay as kings and continental titlists? It will depend on Bayern Munich personnel come next season.

Manager Hans-Dieter Flick was just holding an interim position 10 months ago. Now his resume includes leading Bayern Munich to several championships (Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and UEFA Champions League). It remains to be seen if this is enough for him to retain his position or if Bayern opts to shop for a high-profile manager next season.

Novak Djokovic returns the ball to Tunisia’s Malek Jaziri during round 1 of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in the United Arab Emirates. Djokovic withdrew from doubles at the Western & Southern Open in New York, citing neck pain. The top-seeded Serbian was still scheduled to open singles play on Monday against qualifier Ricardis Berankis of Lithuania after a first-round bye. AFP

The roster is a combination of talented veteran holdovers and promising young players. Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer, and David Alaba are all expected to remain in the fold.

Bayern’s spectacular 2019-20 season should buoy young upstarts like Joshua Kimmich and Alphonso Davies if Bayern hopes to repeat next season.

It will not be easy. Bundesliga teams are always engineering their rosters hoping to find the right combination to dethrone Bayern and end their dynasty (and teams like RB Leipzig is worth the wary after showing grit in the Champions League as well as in Bundesliga). Much harder is the task of repeating as UEFA Champions League winner, especially with talented players and teams seeking redemption themselves. Paris Saint-Germain, which Bayern scalped for the Champions League trophy (1-0 via a lone goal from no less than former PSG winger Kingsley Coman), will be top in the list of those eager to make sure Bayern does not repeat next year.

But in the next 12 months at least, both trophy and glory are Bayern’s to keep and cherish. It is up to them if a hard-won championship is short-lived, and if the beast they have unleashed is an animal easy to kill or if it turns much more ferocious over time.

Globe 5G tests console-less gaming in PH OVER the years, the gaming industry has made substantial progress.

What started as simple simulations evolved into arcade games and video consoles featuring sophisticated and life-like graphics.

Today, another promising innovation has been achieved with the successful cloud gaming tests conducted by Globe on its highly anticipated 5G mobile network and in partnership with Apper. ph. Globe tested the possibility of enabling gamers to play graphics-heavy games without needing a console or a high powered computing gadget by marrying cloud technology and 5G low latency and ultra fast speed. One of the successfully tested games is BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc’s TEKKEN7 tournament.

Globe’s ultra fast 5G network played-out TEKKEN7 with a jawdropping ultra-low latency. This allowed the gamers who tested the 5G tech to play the game seamlessly with close to zero lags, a capability most prized by the eSports community and those who are avid fans of the popular multiplayer online battle games on their mobile.

When Globe became the first mobile operator in Southeast Asia to introduce a commercial 5G network with AirFiber in 2019, it embarked on a journey to bring new and exciting innovations to its customers starting off with Globe at Home subscribers. And, shortly after, it introduced Globe 5G to its mobile customers in February of this year with Globe Platinum’s launch of the very first 5G mobile device in the country, the Huawei Mate 30 Pro 5G. And, as Globe 5G rolls out to more areas and to more users, a lot more interesting applications are to be expected. Specific to the gaming industry, games based on augmented and virtual reality are closer than ever.

“The continuous roll out of Globe 5G will not only change the way we play our favorite online or consolebased games, but this is also a leap to a lot of other possibilities that this technology can bring. With Globe 5G, the future is closer than ever.”, said Coco Domingo, Globe’s Vice President for Strategic Platforms and Partnerships.

Globe Postpaid and Platinum customers only need a 5G-capable mobile phone to enjoy this cutting edge technology. Current Globe LTE SIM cards can also automatically work with 5G and receive 5G signal.

Globe 5G is currently available in major commercial business districts in the Metro. Likewise, 5G enabled devices are offered on Globe Postpaid and Platinum plans for as low as Plan1499.

For more information, visit the website at https://www.globe.com. ph/5g.

Vargas, Marcial to discuss PBA training, start TWO of the top officials of the Philippine Basketball Association hierarchy will serve as special guests in the webcast edition of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday.

PBA Board chairman Ricky Vargas and commissioner Willie Marcial join hands in discussing the expected start of workouts among the 12 member teams as well as other pertinent matters on the possible resumption of the season.

The Forum, presented by San Miguel Corp., Go For Gold, MILO, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, will start at 10:30 a.m.

Powered by Smart, the session has Upstream Media as its webcast partner.

The weekly public sports program is regularly aired live via the PSA Facebook page fb.com/PhilippineSportswritersAssociation and also shared by Radyo Pilipinas 2 Facebook page.

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2020

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The brightest star of his generation

’Play It Right‘ strengthens campaign against illegal online content

JoshLia has always been connected

Life

Bernadette Lunas, Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @MStandardLIFE

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HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2020

FITBIT CHARGE 4:

SMART TRACKER.

Consumer electronics company Fitbit launches the latest addition to its bestselling Charge line, the Charge 4, which has built-in GPS, Fitbit Pay for contactless payments, Spotify control, and other smart features in one sleek wearable with seven-day battery life.

The nudge you need to keep moving

during quarantine

By Bernadette Lunas

I

USED to log a daily average of 7,000 steps on my wearable tracker pre-pandemic. Over 10,000 if I was running multiple errands.

Today, wearing a fitness tracker seems pointless, especially if you’re just staying at home, walking from your desk to the bathroom, to the living room, to the kitchen—logging a whopping 700 steps per day.

But it actually makes more sense to don a fitness tracker while at home.

It urges you to move Leading wearable fitness tracker company Fitbit recently launched the newest member of its bestselling Charge family, the Charge 4.

And more than the usual steps counter and PurePulse 24/7 heart rate tracking system, which measures calorie burn throughout the day, the Charge 4 comes with the new Active Zone Minutes feature; the first device among Fitbit’s line of fitness trackers and smartwatches.

While counting steps and determining floors climbed offer a quick overview of your activity for the day—more steps means more active, right?—Active Zone Minutes “provides a more personalized measurement of how hard you worked during an energizing activity,

beyond just steps.”

The metric is calculated using your age and resting heart rate. For reference, a normal resting heart rate for adult is between 60 and 100 beats per minute (bpm); athletes may have lower resting heart rate close to 40 bpm.

According to health experts, lower heart rate is better because it means your heart muscle doesn’t work too much to keep a strong and steady rhythm. Exercising regularly lowers your resting heart rate.

Based on the American Heart Association and the World Health Organization guidelines, everyone’s default Active Zone Minute goal is 150 minutes per week or 22 minutes per day of moderate activity.

On-screen update lets you know if you’ve reached your goal, may it be the standard recommendation or a personal target you can customize in the Fitbit app.

Speaking of the Fitbit app, it now has a workout intensity map that provides a detailed breakdown of different heart rate zones during your GPSenabled workout.

And speaking of GPS-enabled workout, Fitbit has finally built in GPS in its fitness trackers, the Charge 4 being the first. This means you can leave your phone at home when exercising outdoors, just select one of the six compatible workouts, wait for the GPS signal, and tap Start.

The Run Detect and Auto Pause options allow the device to automatically connect the GPS and record your workout once you start, for example, running, and pause when you stop for a water break.

During the exercise, Charge 4 shows your distance, pace, and time lapse on the screen. It will buzz once when you reach fat burn zone, twice indicates cardio zone, and thrice at peak zone.

But perhaps, the most obvious way Charge 4 and other Fitbit trackers help you stay active while stuck at home is their Reminders to Move hourly notification, which basically tells you to get up and move—ideally take 250 steps per hour. The reminder actually gets the job done, urging me to take a break and do a few laps around the house or get a glass of water in the kitchen.

For a monthly fee of P519, you can also access custom challenges (versus other Fitbit users), guided programs, and health and fitness content from various brands available in Fitbit Premium.

It helps you connect and disconnect Overlapping boundaries between work and free time have led many homebound folks to become more glued than ever to their mobile phones, especially since they currently are our primary way to connect with others.

Charge 4 helps us take a phone break with its Notifications function for call, text, email, and calendar alerts, as well as Quick Reply feature—quite handy still, even if we’re not on-thego. Swipe down on the clock face to view your notifications.

Meanwhile, the new Agenda feature on the device lets you access upcoming appointments, just sync your calendars to the tracker in the Fitbit app.

But if you want to truly take a break from any updates, turn off the notifications feature by holding the left inductive button (Charge 4’s only physical button) and tapping the Do Not Disturb (DND) mode.

The device also boasts a couple of sleep tools that promotes better rest.

Sleep Score—which can be viewed in the app and in Charge 4’s on-screen dashboard—provides daily insight into your sleep quality based on the amount of time spent asleep and awake, how much light/deep/REM sleep you got, and your sleeping heart rate.

What you will see on your device

Fitbit Charge 4 offers functions that help wearers stay active, rest and relax, and go about their day more conveniently.

is your daily score when you wear it while sleeping. Fitbit says 90 or above is considered “excellent” and less than 60 is “poor.”

And since Fitbit promotes wearing the device in bed (make sure it’s a snug fit), it also has a Sleep Mode that lets you turn off notifications, disable the screen display, and lowers the screen brightness.

Smart Wake, first available on Fitbit’s smartwatches, is also on the Charge 4. This feature uses machine learning to wake you at the optimal time when you’re in light sleep. For example, if you set your alarm at 9:00 a.m., a gentle vibration will wake you up at the best time before the alarm set.

It’s an ideal device in the time of pandemic We are strongly advised to reduce contact when outside: use digital payment options, don’t wear too many accessories where viruses can cling on to, and don’t touch your phone often.

Fitbit Charge 4 provides a no-touch payment solution with Fitbit Pay that you can use to pay for purchases.

However, it cannot be used yet here in the Philippines as there’s no registered bank available in Fitbit Pay here in the country.

The Spotify Connect and Control feature lets you play, stop, skip, shuffle content, or like songs and choose the music output using the Charge 4. However, you must have a Spotify Premium subscription to enable this feature.

Finally, Fitbit Charge 4’s sleek design (measures less than half an inch), grayscale touchscreen, and sophisticated colors (black, rosewood, storm blue/ black; Special Edition comes in granite reflective/black woven band plus a classic black band) make it a stylish gizmo to wear outside.

Since it’s water-resistant up to 50m, you can wash it after every wear.

Oh, the battery life is excellent as well. Fitbit claims a full charge can last you seven days, and the Charge 4 lives up to its promise—it even lasts eight days when used moderately.

HEALTH BULLETIN

New asthma strategy for better patient care RESPIRATORY experts recommend a new approach to asthma management strategy—one inhaler that provides quick symptom relief and addresses the root problem of the condition.

“We need two medications for optimal asthma treatment: a bronchodilator that opens the airways and provides quick symptom relief, and an inhaled steroid to deal with the inflammation,” said Timothy Ward Harrison.

Harrison is a professor of Asthma and Respiratory Medicine at the University of Nottingham and head of Respiratory Medicine at Nottingham University Hos-

pital in the United Kingdom.

He emphasized the need to provide asthma patients with a treatment strategy that goes beyond short-term symptomatic relief, which is now the recommended approach of the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) 2020.

A comprehensive clinical trial program, which showed that Budesonide + Formoterol as needed was superior in terms of asthma control than shortacting beta 2 agonist (SABA alone), led to the changes in GINA 2020 asthma treatment guidelines.

The new GINA guidelines note that

Professors Timothy Ward Harrison of the Nottinghan University and Camilo Roa of the University of the Philippines College of Medicine promote the new approach to asthma strategy.

SABA overuse is associated with an increased risk of severe asthma attacks, and state that low-dose inhaled steroid plus formoterol is now the preferred reliever across asthma severities for patients who are prescribed maintenance and reliever therapy.

SABAs are a class of prescription drugs used to provide quick relief of shortness of breath and wheezing in people with asthma.

AstraZeneca Philippines supports the paradigm shift in asthma management.

In the Philippines, Budesonide/ Formoterol or ICS/Formoterol is now an approved anti-inflammatory reliever across the entire asthma disease spectrum, including mild asthma that accounts for 20 to 30 percent of total asthma cases here in the country.

Further, Budesonide/Formoterol is indicated in the treatment of asthma to achieve overall control, including the prevention and relief of symptoms as well as the reduction of the risk of severe asthma attacks.

“Physicians want patients to take the inhaled steroid to control the inflammation, but patients want to take the reliever medication because it gives the quick symptomatic relief that they want. By combining an inhaled steroid and a reliever medication in one inhaler, you get the best asthma treatment

The new recommended asthma treatment combines symptom relief and antiinflammatory medication in one inhaler.

that keeps both patients and physicians happy,” explained Harrison.

Camilo Roa, professor and former chairman of the Department of Physiology at the University of the Philippines College of Medicine, added, “A treatment that combines an anti-inflammatory medication with a reliever medication can enhance medication adherence

in Filipino patients with asthma, thereby improving outcomes and preventing asthma-related mortality.”

In the Philippines, an estimated 21 million Filipinos are asthmatic. Asthma deaths account for 2.37 percent of total deaths, putting Philippines second in asthma mortality in the world across all ages.