Manila Standard - 2020 October 24 - Saturday

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TRUMP-BIDEN SHOWDOWN: MORE CIVIL THAN MESSY PRESIDENT Donald Trump and challenger Joe Biden's final debate on Thursday was a starkly more civil affair than their messy first showdown.

But that did not prevent the pair from clashing on everything from immigration to racism and even Adolf Hitler.

Here is a look some of the key mo-

ments of debate: COVID: 'I will end this' With the pandemic at the top of American voters' minds, Biden pledged to get a handle on the virus that has killed over 220,000 in the US—while charging that "anyone who's responsible for that many deaths" should not

remain president.

"We're about to go into a dark winter.

A dark winter," warned the former vice president, vowing, "I will end this"— though he didn't say how.

Trump, just past his own brush with the virus, offered his usual sunny take despite cases surging again. Next page

FINAL DEBATE. US President Donald Trump (L) and Democratic Presidential candidate and former US Vice President Joe Biden are shown in this combination pictures during the final presidential debate at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. AFP

Pope’s remarks downplayed ’Same-sex union’ not an official Catholic policy, CBCP clarifies

By Vito Barcelo, Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

C

ATHOLIC bishops on Friday played down the call of Pope Francis for governments to create laws to cover same-sex civil unions, saying this was merely his opinion and did not reflect the official policy of the Catholic Church.

Rev. Fr. Jerome Secillano, executive secretary of Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said people jumped the gun on the Pope’s remarks, which were made in a documentary “Francesco.”

“Everything about it being now part of media narrative that puts emphasis on gay rights is expected. The remark is at best controversial, at least for the ‘confused’ public,” he said.

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VOL. XXXIV • NO. 232 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

TRASLACION CANCELED. Catholic devotees practice social distancing while attending Mass at the Quiapo Church in Manila on Friday, Oct. 23, 2020. The City of Manila said that the Traslacion or annual procession of the life-sized image of the Black Nazarene schedued for January 2021 has been cancelled due to the lingering threat of the COVID-19 pandemic. Norman Cruz

Traslacion canceled; Church capacity up to 30%

Special retirees visa on hold as PRA reviews age requisite

By Othel V. Campos

THE Philippine Retirement Agency (PRA) has been ordered to suspend the issuance of the special retirees residence visa (SRRV) pending the review and amendments of the policies on age and

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM OCT. 23)

365,799 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

1,923 46,193 NEW

ACTIVE

6,915

132

DEATHS

312,691 RECOVERIES

NEW

424 NEW

Fabella Hospital taps Red Cross to test medics

By Darwin G. Amojelar, Willie Casas, Vito Barcelo and Rey Requejo STATE-RUN hospital Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital said it would stop admitting new patients after seven of its

Next page

By Willie Casas

visa deposit requirements.

In a special meeting Friday, the agency’s board of trustees directed the PRA to review its policies on the minimum age and dollar deposit requirements, and the conversion of these deposits into allowable investments.

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THE grand procession of the life-sized image of the Black Nazarene scheduled for January 2021 has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Manila

city government said Friday.

It will be the first time that the anEvery year, millions of Catholic devo- nual traslacion, which draws millions of tees participate in the Traslacion or the devotees every year, has been canceled. grand procession of a centuries-old woodThe Black Nazarene is a life-sized en statue of Jesus Christ from Quirino image of a dark-skinned, kneeling Jesus Grandstand to the Quiapo Church.

Next page

PhilHealth gets go-ahead to pay P900-m debt

Defense chief convenes gab on Red-tagging

By Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

By Rio N. Araja DEFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has called Armed Forces Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) chief Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. for a meeting regarding the "brouhaha" over celebrities being linked to leftist groups.

At the sidelines of an event in the Philippine Army, Lorenzana said aside from Next page

WOODEN XMAS TREE. Furniture shop owner Kathrine Emata arranges 'minimalist wooden Christmas trees' during the grand opening sale of her shop along Kamuning Road in Quezon City on Friday (Oct. 23, 2020). The wooden Christmas trees are sold at a discounted price of P1,300 apiece from the original price of P1,600.

Robert P. Alfiler

WEATHER

By Rio N. Araja

Next page

Next page

Orbiting voter cast her ballot

'Quinta' sets in as Habagat exits THE Philippine Atmospherical, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration Services on Friday officially declared the end of the

THE Philippine Health Insurance Corp.

(PhilHealth) said it will pay its nearly P1 billion debt to the Philippine Red Cross for COVID-19 testing on Monday after receiving a legal opinion of the Department of Justice.

The DOJ cleared the memorandum of agreement entered into by PhilHealth with the PRC for the advance payment of P100 million for the COVID-19 tests despite laws mandating reimbursements instead.

LPA (low pressure area) east of Mindanao has worsened into tropical depression 'Quinta'.

AT LEAST she didn't have to wait in line.

A US astronaut cast her ballot from the International Space Station on Thursday, making her voice heard in the presidential election despite being 408 kilometers above the Earth.

Next page

FLYING VOTER? A US astronaut has been allowed to cast her ballot from International Space Station 408 kms away from Earth.

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News

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

House panel defends ’errata’ T This was said on Friday by the Anakalusugan party-list Rep. Mike Defensor, adding, "I think this is not a violation of the Constitutional process as claimed by some sectors but let us

assume that despite the problem in the procedure, the intent... substance of the proposal is good for the people.”

“The critics may be looking at errors in the process but I stand on re-

form and amendment being pushed by the House. I do not see any problem. Everyone will benefit and this is a needed amendment in the budget in the midst of the problem we see with COVID," he added.

Defensor instead appealed: "Can we possibly avoid discussions on this matter and instead cooperate in the deliberations in the Senate and the bicameral committee?"

Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, a member of the House's small committee, said the "institutional amendments" were introduced to the budget bill after it had been approved on third and

Pope’s...

did not say that marriage can now be between a man and a man or between a woman and a woman,” he added.

Under the Family Code of the Philippines, marriage is between a man and a woman.

Lawmakers pushing for a civil partnership bill in Congress such as Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleo Alvarez, Bagong Henerasyon Rep. Bernadette Herrera and Senator Imee Marcos, however, saw hope in the Pope’s remarks.

Herrera on Friday urged her colleagues in Congress to listen to Pope Francis.

“Let us heed the call of Pope Francis to defend and protect same-sex couples by allowing them to formalize their partnerships through civil unions,” Herrera said.

Herrera, a deputy majority leader, is the author of House Bill 1357, which allows same-sex couples to enter into civil partnerships and be accorded the same legal rights enjoyed by heterosexual couples.

The bill has been pending before the House Committee on Women and Gender Equality, chaired by Herrera herself, since July 2019.

It faces strong opposition from con-

servative lawmakers who argue that same-sex union is not in accordance with the 1987 Constitution, the Family Code of the Philippines and “the law of God.” Herrera said the Pope’s remarks would “definitely boost” efforts toward recognizing the right of same-sex couples to enter into civil unions.

“The Pope’s endorsement of samesex civil union is a major advancement for equal rights in this country,” she said.

She also expressed her admiration to the Pope for his “courage to break from traditional Catholic teaching and champion the rights of homosexuals to establish a family of their own.”

Herrera agreed with Malacañang that even the most conservative of the Catholics in Congress should no longer have a basis for objecting to same-sex unions with no less than Pope Francis supporting them.

The Palace also stated that the recognition of civil union for same-sex couples has always been supported by President Rodrigo Duterte.

While being interviewed for the feature-length documentary “Francesco,” Pope Francis endorsed same-sex civil unions for the first time, calling for the

partnerships to be protected by law.

According to the head of the Roman Catholic Church, homosexuals are “children of God and have a right to a family.”

“What we have to create is a civil union law. That way they are legally covered,” the Pope said.

Marcos expressed hope that the Senate will now hear her proposed measure on instituting a property regime for cohabiting same sex partners with the backing of Pope Francis of same sex union.

“Amen. I hope there will be a hearing on my hearing SBN 417 which recognizes civil union as mentioned by Pope Francis,” Marcos said.

But Senate President Vicente Sotto III, a conservative who opposed the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, said it was doubtful that lawmakers would become more open to passing bills for same-sex civil union despite the Pope’s remarks.

Sotto said same-sex unions are “already being practiced here and there is nothing we can do about it.”

“It’s just tolerated but not in the legal sense. We should leave it at that,” he added.

Translacion...

our vicars will be put out at the canopies of the church,” he said in Filipino.

Also on Friday, the Palace said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has allowed religious gatherings in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) to fill up venues up to 30 percent of their seating capacity..

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the easing of restrictions on religious gatherings was contained in Resolution 80 approved by the IATF-EID on Thursday.

Previously, religious activities in GCQ zones were authorized but only at 10-percent seating capacity.

"The religious denominations should strictly observe their submitted protocols and the minimum public health standards, particularly social distancing measures and non-pharmaceutical interventions such as the obligatory wearing of face masks and immediate availability of hand hygiene necessities in the premises," the resolution read.

The latest decision to increase the seating capacity for religious gatherings to 30 percent from the current 10 percent was based on the recommendation of Metro Manila mayors.

By Maricel V. Cruz

HE House of Representatives' small committee's institutional amendments amounting to P20-billion in the proposed 2021 national government budget were “well-meaning and should not be a cause of conflict between the two houses of Congress.”

From A1

Fr. Francis Lucas, the president of the Catholic Media Network, said the Pope did not come out in favor of same-sex marriage.

“The Pope merely said ‘What we have to create is a civil union law. That way they are legally covered,’” Lucas said.

“There is no official statement issued by the Vatican that it is the stand of the Catholic Church,” he added. “This is not part of the doctrine today. It’s just an opinion from the Pope.”

Secillano said the Church cannot simply change a doctrine through a remark made in a documentary.

“Church's law and doctrine on marriage didn't change anyway. They remain the same. Meaning, marriage is between a man and woman. Our Constitution and existing laws also provide the same,” Secillano said.

“Pope Francis merely expressed an opinion regarding a very specific social issue, i.e., gay rights and their recognition. He talked of a pastoral approach on how to deal with the LGBTs and not a doctrinal re-definition of marriage. He

Trump-Biden...

From A1

"It's going away," he said.

'Criminal' separations at US border Biden fumed over the report this week that parents could not be located for 545 migrant children separated from their families at the border with Mexico due to US immigration policy.

"Those kids are alone. Nowhere to go. Nowhere to go. It's criminal," Biden said, charging that the policy "violates every notion of who we are as a nation."

Trump retorted that the children were being "so well taken of" while separated from their families.

"They're in facilities that were so clean," he said.

Trump or Lincoln?

Biden laced into Trump over his attacks on Muslims, insults against Mexico and his failure to condemn far-right extremists at the last debate.

"Come on, this guy is a dog whistle about as big as a foghorn," Biden growled sarcastically, in a reference to subtle, so-called dog whistle racism.

Trump, for his part, claimed his four years in office have been a time of historic improvement for African Americans.

"I'm the least racist person in this room," he said.

"Not since Abraham Lincoln has anybody done what I have done for the Black community," Trump added, referencing the US president who moved to abolish slavery in 1863.

'Innocent baby' As promised, Trump pressed Biden to explain himself to the American people regarding allegations of corruption tied to his son Hunter in China and

Ukraine.

"So don't give me this stuff about how you are this innocent baby," Trump charged.

"Take a look at the laptop from hell," he said – pressing Biden on dubiously-sourced reports that incriminating emails had been found on a device belonging to his son.

"Joe, they are calling you a corrupt politician."

Biden said he has never taken a "penny" from a foreign source.

Trump, wind expert-in-chief Trump has always been dubious about human caused-climate change and attacked Biden about his plans to transition the US away from fossil fuels and toward green energy.

"He thinks wind causes cancer, windmills," Biden said, launching a zinger.

Trump took exception to that allegation, saying "I know more about wind than you do. It's extremely expensive.

Kills all the birds. It's very intermittent."

Kim Jong Un and Hitler Trump's bromance with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was targeted

by Biden, who accused the president of legitimizing a dictator.

"You know what, North Korea, we're not in a war. We have a good relationship," an outraged Trump said.

"Having a good relationship with leaders of other countries is a good thing," he said as the moderator tried to cut him off.

Biden slyly retorted that there were some previous examples of America's friendly ties with certain leaders not working out in the long run.

"I understand we had a good relationship with Hitler before he in fact invaded Europe." AFP

From A1

Christ carrying the Cross enshrined in the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in the Quiapo district of Manila.

Millions of Filipino Catholic devotees flock to Quiapo every Jan. 9 to join the hours-long procession of the Black Nazarene, which is believed by many to be miraculous.

Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said the decision to cancel the Traslacion was taken to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 among the hordes who traditionally join the festivities.

“I am appealing to the public to avoid parades and processions during this pandemic. Our devotees might get sick,” Domagoso said in Filipino.

He added there was no harm in stopping the procession for a year or two, because the tradition can be carried on in subsequent years.

With the suspension of the procession, Quiapo Church Rector Monsignor Hernando Coronel said masses will be held for Black Nazarene devotees instead.

“On Jan. 9, masses will continue and

final reading by the House.

The amendments include additional P5.5 billion for COVID-19 vaccines; P4 billion for the Department of Labor and Employment to aid displaced workers; P1.7 billion for the Department of Education to provide the internet needs for online classes; P2 billion for the Department of the Interior and Local Government for mobility assets of the police; and P2 billion for pandemic assistance to affected families, among others.

The House will transmit to the Senate its approved version of the 2021 General Appropriations Bill on Oct. 28.

COVID-19 testing of repatriated Filipinos until PhilHealth is able to settle its P930 million debt.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said some 6,000 returning OFWs had been stranded in quarantine facilities in Metro Manila since October 15 after the Red Cross stopped conducting COVID-19 tests for the government.

Bello admitted it is now taking longer for OFWs to receive the results of their RT-PCR tests, which used to take only one to two days when PRC was in charge.

Based on its current policy, which had been implemented since 1993, the PRA accepts retirees who are at least 35 years old.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, who serves as PRA board chairperson, ordered the PRA to implement an enhanced program to regularly monitor the profile and activities of active SRRV holders in coordination with other government agencies, such as the Bureau of Immigration (BI), Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

The agency was told to coordinate with the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) for the formulation and review of PRA’s marketing and product development plans, and the benchmarking of its retirement program with other countries

The board directed the suspension of the acceptance and processing of applications to join the SRRV program, and issuance of SRRV, pending PRA’s compliance with the directives.

The board agreed to reconvene on Nov. 6 to discuss urgent policy reforms.

Lawmakers on Monday questioned the low age floor of 35 years, saying there were security implications of having such young retirees, most of them from China.

Records presented during the Department of Tourism budget deliberation at the Senate, show that with 27,678, the Chinese top foreign nationals who choose the Philippines for their retirement and the majority of them are 35 years old.

Other foreign retirees include 14,144 South Koreans, 6,120 Indians, 4,851 Taiwanese, 4,016 Japanese, 3,704 Americans, 1,870 Chinese nationals from Hong Kong, 1,595 British, 792 Germans, 752 Australians, and 4,498 other nationalities.

Rights, the body said Parlade's warning to celebrities Liza Soberano and Catriona Gray was seen as "tantamount to harassment and red-tagging."

According to Commissioner Gwendolyn Pimentel-Gana, the CHR was "deeply concerned" with Parlade's remark on Soberano and Gray, who are both champion-

ing women's rights.

Parlade, commander of the military's Southern Luzon Command, has warned Soberano against keeping ties with Gabriela Women's Party, which the military has linked to communist rebels, after the actress participated in a webinar organized by the group.

Parlade gave the same warning to Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, a vocal critic of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.

"Coming from a high-ranking military official, such a statement is a form of suppression and restriction that serves to dissuade those who speak up for their beliefs and advocacies," Pimenel-Gana said in a statement.

"requesting for assistance to swab" 180 hospital staff.

From A1 "We will test them immediately for humanitarian purposes and we are not going doctors tested positive for COVID-19. to charge their personnel," Gordon said in Sen. Richard Gordon said the Philip- a statement. pine Red Cross received "an urgent call" "If they will not be tested, they will be from the head of the hospital in Manila forced to stop operations since they need

to be isolated for 14 days being close contacts of the positive cases," he said.

Motorcycle taxis' pilot study to resume The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has allowed the resumption of the pilot study on motorcycle taxis.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said this followed the approval by the House of Representatives to extend the motorcycle taxi pilot study program.

“That's good news because we can take Angkas and Joyride again,” Roque said in a news briefing.

PhilHealth...

From A1

“Having been in receipt today of the DOJ legal opinion saying that the PhilHealth-PRC MOA is not subject to Procurement Law, PhilHealth will release payment on Monday, October 26, 2020, subject to completeness of billing requirements submitted by the PRC,” PhilHealth said in a statement Friday night.

Last week, the PRC suspended the

Defense...

From A1

Parlade, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon was also expected to attend the meeting that he would convene.

As regards the Commission on Human

Fabella...

Special...

From A1

SC justices 'trying to move fast 'on ATA

By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court is trying to expedite the resolution of the 37 petitions seeking to declare as unconstitutional the controversial Republic Act No. 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta said on Friday.

In a virtual press briefing, Peralta said that the SC is “"trying to move fast" in resolving these petitions against the anti-terrorism law, which took effect last July with its implementing rules and regulations adopted and published last week.

The chief magistrate said the high court thought only five petitions would come in, which prompted the SC to initially set the holding of the oral arguments as early September, but more petitions were filed raising different issues after their announcement.

"We are actually moving fast eh. We are trying to move fast because there are so many petitions. Mahirap, kasi it's like this eh, lahat 'yan mag-aargue."

According to Peralta, the magistrates have proposed to the justice-in-charge of the case to determine the issues and lump the common ones together so they could move towards oral arguments.

"When we go back to regular session on November 3, I hope she (justice-incharge) will already be ready to submit to us the issues to be argued and then set the preliminary conference because we also have to consult," the top magistrate said.

Peralta said he expects his Court En Banc to agree on the date of the oral arguments "before the middle of November."

Orbiting...

From A1

"From the International Space Station: I voted today," crew member Kate Rubins, who began a six-month stint aboard the orbiting station last week, said on US space agency NASA's Twitter account.

The post featured a photograph of Rubins, her blonde hair floating in the zero-gravity environment, in front of a white enclosure with a paper sign that reads "ISS voting booth."

Rubins and NASA described the process as a form of absentee voting.

A secure electronic ballot generated by a clerk's office in Harris County, home of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, was sent up via email to the ISS. Rubins filled out the ballot in the email and it was downlinked and delivered back to the clerk's office.

She is no stranger to the process: Rubins cast her vote from the ISS during the 2016 election. Congress passed legislation in 1997 that made voting from space possible.

"We consider it an honor to be able to vote from space," she said in a video before she and two Russian cosmonauts launched from the Russian-operated Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on October 14.

"If we can do it from space then I believe folks can do it from the ground too."

Three other American astronauts were also expected to vote from space but their October 31 trip to the ISS was delayed. AFP

’Quinta’...

From A1

southwest monsoon or "hanging habagat" as the country transitions into the northeast monsoon or “hanging amihan.”

The weather bureau said a significant weakening of the southwest monsoon has occurred over the last few days based on their recent analyses.

It cited the strengthening of the highpressure area over the Asian continent, leading to the gradual changing of the season.

“With these developments, the Southwest Monsoon season or known locally as 'habagat’ is now officially over,” Pagasa said.

With the ongoing La Niña phenomenon, the northeast monsoon may be enhanced that could trigger floods, flash floods and rain-induced landslides over susceptible areas.

Meanwhile, a low pressure area over the Philippine Sea has developed into a tropical depression named "Quinta."

As of 4 p.m. yesterday, the center of Quinta was estimated at 880 kilometers east of Surigao City, Surigao del Norte.

It was moving westward slowly, packing maximum sustained winds of 45 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 55 km/h.

News Extra day vote to cost P2b A THEORETICAL extra day of voting in the May 2022 presidential elections will cost at least P2 billion, twice the Commission on Elections’ initial estimate, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said.

“If the virus will still linger by then, casting the ballot becomes hazardous to one’s health, then adding another day of voting will cost an additional P2 billion to P2.5 billion,” Recto said.

His estimate is more than double the minimum P1 billion that Comelec officials told senators during Thursday’s hearing on the poll body’s P14.1-billion budget request for 2021.

Recto says the Comelec’s plan to put up 110,000 clustered precincts in the 2022 polls, from 85,768 in the 2019 national elections, will cost about “P2.1 billion” in additional honorariums for teachers alone.

“If we simply double the 2019 honorarium rates of the three members of the Board of Election Inspectors or BEI, then that would be the cost,” Recto said.

In the last elections, the BEI chairperson was paid an honorarium of P6,000, the poll clerk and the third member P5,000 each.

Each was also given a travel allowance of P1,000, or a total of P19,000 per precinct.

“If you have to roll over the P19,000 per precinct and multiply this by 110,000, it will reach P2.1 billion,” Recto said.

“If the second day rate will be 50 percent of the first day rate, P1 billion will still be added.”

Teachers in the BEIs, however, account for only half of the personnel that the Department of Education deploys during elections.

“The teachers BEI in 2019 were only 258,000. But the total deployment of DepEd was about 531,000. This was paid by the Comelec for their support and supervisory work, which ranged from P2,000 to P4,000,” Recto said. Macon Ramos-Araneta

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

A3

SALNS’ non-release justified

By Rey E. Requejo

C

HIEF Justice Diosdado Peralta on Friday justified the Supreme Court’s decision to deny the release of the copies of the statements of assets, liabilities and net worth of justices and judges for their protection.

In a virtual press conference marking his first year as top magistrate, Peralta said if the SALNs of justices and judges were released, their addresses and those of their children and other personal information would be known and those pieces of information could put them at risk.

“So we came up with the guidelines that we can only release the summary of

the SALNs,” Peralta said.

“That is why we are not only protecting ourselves but protecting also those judges in the lower courts.”

Last month, the high court denied the requests of the Office of the Solicitor General and a private law practitioner to secure copies of the SALNs of Associate Justice Marvic Mario Victor Leonen to

file a quo warranto case against him.

A quo warranto “is a special civil action brought in the name of the Philippines against a person who usurps, intrudes into, or unlawfully holds or exercises a public office, position or franchise.”

Denied were the requests filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida and lawyer Lorenzo Gadon, who both wanted to secure Leonen’s SALNs. Gadon requested copies of Leonen’s SALNs for the years 1990 to 2011.

Published reports alleged that Leonen did not file his 2003, 2008 and 2009 SALNs. The non-filing of SALNs, as required by law for all government officials and employees, was used as a basis in the

ouster of then Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. The quo warranto petition against Sereno was filed by Calida.

Associate Justice Leonen was appointed to the high court in 2012. Before his high court post, he was a professor of the University of the Philippines College of Law. Coincidentally, Ombudsman Samuel Martires also wrote a memorandum that barred the release of the SALNs of government officials and employees unless there was a notarized letter of authority from the declarants themselves.

Martires said copies of SALNs could be released only to declarants or their authorized representatives, to the courts in relations to pending cases, and to Ombudsman officials for fact-finding investigations.

IN BRIEF

Belgica urged: Name corrupt congressmen A CONGRESSIONAL leader on Friday challenged the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission Chief Greco Belgica to name congressmen allegedly involved in corrupt practices in the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Anakalusugan Rep. Michael Defensor said while he supported the anti-corruption drive of the Duterte administration, Belgica should be prudent in issuing statements that could affect the integrity of congressmen and the House of Representatives as an institution.

“If there are really corrupt practices being done and they are saying congressmen or congresswomen are involved, then they should really point to whoever are involved,” said Defensor, chairman of the House committee on public accounts.

But Senator Panfilo Lacson praised Belgica. Maricel V. Cruz and Macon RamosAraneta

BIRTHDAY BOY: Mayor Isko Moreno celebrates his 46th birthday by giving food to and visiting the elders at the Home for the Aged inside the Manila Boystown Complex in Marikina City. Norman Cruz

PH pledges P4.8 million to Rohingya refugees THE Philippine government has pledged $100,000 or around P4.85 million to assist, through the United Nations, the Rohingya refugees in Myanmar, where over a million people in Myanmar’s Rakhine State have been suffering since 2017.

“The Philippines is announcing a modest financial contribution of $100,000 for the UNHCR (High Commissioner for Refugees) to be earmarked for the response to refugees from Rakhine State but our offer really is—Come, those rejected by the rest of the world,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said in a video message for the virtual Donor Conference on Sus-

taining Support for the Rohingya Refugee Response on October 22.

The assistance is aligned with President Rodrigo Duterte’s statement during the 75th Session of the UN General Assembly, where he announced his “opendoor” policy for refugees, including the Rohingya people fleeing for safety.

Locsin, meanwhile, said Manila would support the Myanmar government’s efforts to ensure the safe and voluntary return of displaced people and the sustainable development of all communities in Rakhine State.

“Together with the rest of ASEAN, we

will continue to support the delivery of humanitarian assistance to affected populations,” he said.

According to the UNHCR, the Rohingya situation remains an “acute humanitarian and human rights crisis” more than three years after the August 2017 violence, which caused hundreds of thousands of Rohingya people to flee their homes in Myanmar to seek safety in Bangladesh.

To date, there are about 860,000 Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar district, while an estimated 600,000 Rohingya people in Rakhine State are facing violence and discrimination, said the UN agency.

Film festival goes digital this year THIS year’s Metro Manila Film Festival is going digital due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and MMFF concurrent Chairman Danilo Lim said the MMFF had partnered with Globe Telecom and Upstream to keep the annual film festival alive in December amid the challenging times.

“The film industry continues to grapple with the effects of COVID-19, but it should not dampen the Filipinos’ spirit of watching Filipino movies during the Christmas season,” Lim said.

“This year, we are bringing the MMFF tradition in every Filipino home not just here in the country but all over the world via digital screening for the first time.”

The global audience can access eight entries to this year’s MMFF in digital form through Upstream while in the comfort of their homes. Joel E. Zurbano

English teachers set to go back to China MORE than 300 stranded Filipino teachers may soon be able to return to work as English teachers in China as the Labor department is set to charter a flight for them, an official said Friday.

International Labor Affairs Bureau Director Alice Visperas says the teachers are bound for Guangzhou, “and hopefully this month.” she said “We are helping our returning workers who are going to China,” Visperas said in an online press briefing.

“Some of them went home last December for a vacation or have finished their contracts. They were not able to return because of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

But because of the easing of the lockdown, they will be able to return.”

Visperas says the Labor department is coordinating with an airline company to have the chartered flight, adding “the plane fare will be shouldered by the Filipinos.”

“Now that the lockdown has been eased, they can now return to work,” Visperas said.

Vito Barcelo

HOSPITAL CLOSED: A look at the Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in Sta. Cruz, Manila, on Oct. 23 as the hospital closed its admission and services to patients “until further notice” due to the increase in COVID-19 cases among health workers. (Story on page 1) Norman Cruz

P2.5-m computers seized in Manila

By Orlan Mauricio OPERATIVES of the Optical Media Board seized P2.5-million worth of desktop computers, laptops and data storage devices in separate raids in two stores in Manila on Friday.

They raided JDT General Merchandise and California Computer Technology Inc. and seized 125 computers/ laptops, 16 USB Flash drives, three bootable drives, 40 solid-state drivers and 31 hard-disk drives.

OMB Chairman Christian Natividad said the two computer stores were placed under surveillance after their names were listed as clients of SENRAKUEN Technologies, owner of the warehouse raided by OMB agents in Marilao, Bulacan, on Oct. 14 and seized P200-million worth of smuggled used computers.

An OMB inspection team confirmed that JDT General Merchandise was engaged in the retail and wholesale distribution of recycled desktop CPUs and laptops sourced from SENRAKUEN Technologies.

The computers and laptops were pre-installed with Chinese operating systems and equipped with unregistered DVD-ROM and hard drives.

OMB agents caught California Computer Technology Inc. selling storage media devices such as solid-state drives, HD drives, bootable flash drives and OS activators without OMB licenses and permits. They are now facing criminal and administrative charges.

Natividad on Thursday issued a public warning against buyers of CPUs, laptops and monitors after busting a multi-million clandestine source of recycled computers that are being sold as ‘brand-new’ units.

Group warns of heart diseases during pandemic

By Macon Ramos-Araneta THE Philippine Heart Association has warned of the prevalence of heart diseases such as heart failure as people are scared of seeking medical treatment amid its symptoms, some of which are similar to COVID-19.

“During this pandemic, we may expect the increased prevalence of diseases like heart failure,” PHA President Orly Bugarin said in an online media briefing.

He says being on quarantine is another factor contributing to heart failure due to a

sudden lifestyle change.

He says the activities people have been doing have been limited by the pandemic.

“They can’t go out of their homes, they stay at home. And sometimes they consume what is only available, or they lose being conscious about eating healthy food,” Bugarin said.

Because people are afraid of Covid-19, they opt not to go to a hospital to see a doctor despite experiencing warning signs of heart failure.

“Especially now that they do not know

which hospitals are admitting or not admitting, since almost all hospitals have suspected (COVID-19) patients,” Bugarin said.

“So that’s the dilemma. That’s the problem we have been encountering. There’s a delay in treating our patients with heart failure because of fear of COVID.” Due to the delay of treatment in this pandemic, Bugarin says, the condition of a heart patient usually worsens.

Despite the availability of several therapy treatments, the mortality rate remains unacceptably high.

Because of this, Bugarin, also a cardiologist, urges Filipinos to consult a doctor as soon as they feel the symptoms. He says hospitals now have a protocol to follow amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bugarin says people with hypertension, diabetes and even anxiety are also at risk of heart failure.

“So what can one do to lessen his or her chances of getting heart failure? For starters, they have to watch their diet. if they can do exercise, that will be better, good control of your blood pressure, good control of your sugar,” he said.

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2020 lgu@manilastandard.net editor.lgustandard@gmail.com

LGUs LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

IN BRIEF Renewable energy pact for Mindanao sealed TO IDENTIFY and promote renewable energy solutions for poverty alleviation in Mindanao, the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF), through the Ramon Magsaysay Transformative Leadership Institute, SELCO Foundation, and the Peace and Equity Foundation inked a memorandum of understanding on October 1 to create a coordination hub in Mindanao that will help push renewable energy in the region.

According to PEF Executive Director Roberto Calingo, the Mindanao Renewable Energy Advocacy and Coordination Hub (Mindanao REACH) project is a product of almost a decade of partnership among the three organizations when they started the promotion of renewable energy in the country.

“We want to affirm our institutional commitment to share knowledge, technology and innovation in advancing the work of ensuring that renewable energy players on the ground have the means and concrete options to improve themselves by creating an ecosystem and customized solutions for poverty alleviation,” he said. Willie Casas

Joy leads KilKoVid QC online convention

NEW TAGAYTAY ROAD. The Maitim and Kaybagal section of the Tagaytay Bypass Road Project in Tagaytay City, which has bike lanes, opens to vehicular traffic in a ceremony led

by Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar (second from left) on Wednesday. The DPWH said the road is expected to reduce travel time from Alfonso, Cavite toward Tagaytay to only 20 minutes when completed. Norman Cruz

Floods submerge Pampanga town C

By Jess Malabanan

ITY OF SAN FERNANDO—Widespread flooding due to continuous rains and high tide since Tuesday have submerged all 26 villages of Masantol town, according to latest update released by the Pampanga Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office on Thursday.

A total of 48 low-lying coastal villages have been inundated by floodwaters 3 to 7 feet deep in Macabebe, Masantol, San Luis and Candaba towns, according to PDRRMO chief Angelina Blanco.

The office is monitoring the conditions of other towns situated along the Pam-

panga River, the catch basin of floodwaters from the uplands of Nueva Ecija.

Local government units in Central Luzon had prepared for the onslaught of Tropical Storm “Pepito” as it continued to bring rains over most parts of the region even as it exited the Philippine Area

of Responsibility on Thursday.

Since Monday, local governments in the seven provinces in the region—Aurora, Bulacan, Bataan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, and Zambales—have prepared to ease the effects of the weather disturbance.

Blanco said a total of 8,422 families or 36,725 individuals have been affected and dislocated by floods. She said no evacuations have been reported as residents opted to stay in their homes.

The situation, Blanco said, was aggravated by high tide, as the towns of Masantol and Macabebe are in coastal areas of Pampanga, while flooding in San Luis and Candaba is due to the overflowing Pampanga River.

Damage to agricultural crops was pegged at P1,576,520 in San Simon and Magalang towns due to flooding, PDRRMO reported.

Blanco said a family of three in Porac town was evacuated to higher ground to avoid being trapped by flash floods, as their house is near a river. She said preemptive evacuation had to be enforced as “cascading huge volume of water swelled to an alarming level.”

Evacuation centers in different areas of Pampanga have been readied in the event the situation worsens, Blanco said. Rescue personnel and equipment, including medical teams and ambulances, have been prepositioned to respond to any situation.

Landslide-hit QC families moved

By Rio N. Araja

MCDO COVID TESTING. Quick service restaurant giant McDonald’s Philippines has partnered with the National Task Force against COVID-19 (NTF) to provide free COVID-19 RT-PCR testing for its company owned and franchised store employees in the National Capital Region as part of the company’s continuous focus on health and safety under its ‘M Safe’ program. Present at the program launch was McDonald’s Philippines President and CEO, Kenneth S. Yang (standing, in white shirt).

Isko orders removal of anti-Red tarpaulins in Manila

By Willie Casas MANILA Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso has ordered the removal of tarpaulins declaring the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), the New People’s Army (NPA), and the National Democratic Front (NDF) as persona non grata in the National Capital Region (NCR) across the city.

According to the Manila Public Information Office on Wednesday night,

Domagoso directed the removal of the tarpaulins as he urged the public to spread love instead of hate amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Spread love, not hate, in the midst of this pandemic. Filipino kapwa Filipino magkaisa muna,” Domagoso said in a statement.

The tarpaulins were spotted on the railings of a footbridge near the US Embassy along Roxas Boulevard.

They included a hotline number of

the police for the public to report any information about the communist rebels to authorities as well as the logo of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTFELCAC).

PNP Chief Police General Camilo Pancratius Cascolan had said the tarpaulin only shows the partnership with localities in fighting communist insurgency.

THE Quezon City government has relocated several families displaced by the landslide in Barangay Payatas a week ago due to heavy rains.

Mayor Joy Belmonte said a two-story residential building at 103 Sampaguita Extension was partially damaged by the landslide that happened around 11 a.m. on Thursday.

Six of the 25 families that needed immediate relocation were transferred to the city’s Housing Project No. 17 located in the same barangay.

“Agad na inilipat ang anim na pamilya na lubhang naapektuhan ng landslide dahil nawasak ang kanilang tahanan,” Belmonte said.

The city government shall provide financial assistance to the affected families for the installation of needed utilities in the relocation site, she added.

Lawyer Jojo Conejero, acting assistant head of the Housing, Community Development and Resettlement Department, said the city government is coordinating with the National Housing Authority for the relocation of the 19 remaining families that are living near the area of the landslide.

The Department of Building Official, HCDRD and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office inspected the area where the landslide occurred.

DBO head Dale Perral said based on the findings of the Annual Building Inspection Division, the subject structures/vicinity were declared dangerous and ruinous pursuant to Section 214 in relation to Section 215 of Presidential Decree 1096 or the National Building Code of the Philippines

DOH, experts stress immunizations THE COVID-19 pandemic has caused healthcare providers to change how they operate to continue to provide essential services to patients.

In a media roundtable on best practices for routine immunization with Department of Health (DOH) in Region X (Northern Mindanao), experts emphasized that maintaining or reinstating immunization services is essential for protecting individuals and communities from vaccine-preventable diseases and outbreaks.

As countries concentrate their efforts towards facing the COVID-19 pandemic, Karen Yee-Garces, EPI Coordinator, and Dr. Emma Pilar lmperio, Medical Officer of Family Health Cluster in DOH Region

STAYING IMMUNE. Karen Yee-Garces (left), EPI Coordinator, and Dr. Emma Pilar lmperio, Medical Officer of Family Health Cluster in DOH Region X, emphasize the need to continue immunization programs despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

X, stressed the need to continue immunization programs despite these circumstances.

Maintaining high immunization rates across all age groups is essential to protect the population, they said, as vaccination efforts are still needed to prevent and control the re-emergence of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, polio,

and pneumonia, among others.

DOH - Centers for Health Development in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, together with their partners in the government, have already started adapting strategies such as house-to-house visits for the vaccination of children, pregnant women, and the elderly while strictly observing community quarantine guidelines.

Northern Mindanao has been identified as one of the regions to exhibit best practices in routine immunization.

Vaccine hesitancy is not an issue that can be addressed at an individual level. It is a multi-faceted issue and multiple stakeholders involved in immunization have a role to play, the experts said.

“For example, parents have an important role to play in bringing their children to health centers or allowing their children to be immunized from vaccine-preventable diseases. LGUs and local leaders must also help in advocating and supporting the vaccination programs of the government,” they added.

Immunization plays an important role not only in protecting people from vaccine-preventable diseases, but also in protecting the community’s health, the DOH said. Historically, vaccination helps to keep serious diseases from spreading, and have also helped to eradicate these diseases altogether.

QUEZON City Mayor Joy Belmonte, along with Kilusang Kontra COVID (KilKoVid), on Thursday spearheaded a convention dubbed “BIG BANG CONVENTION, “Dagdag Kaalaman, Wastong Paraan—Para COVID Labanan.”

While guest speakers were present at the venue, the other participants watched the event through livestreaming on Facebook and YouTube.

Various speakers, led by Belmonte, shared their professional knowledge and experience on the various topics consistent with KilKoVid’s goals of “Kaligtasan, Kalusugan & Kabuhayan.”

Belmonte tackled the city government’s various initiatives that have helped them gain ground in the campaign against the coronavirus disease 2919 (COVID-19).

Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano provided updates on the national government’s initiatives on COVID-19, while former Department of Information and Communication Technology undersecretary Eliseo Rio would talk about ICT and COVID-19 response. Rio N. Araja

396 animals neutered in Angeles program ANGELES CITY—The Angeles City Veterinary Office has neutered 396 animals from August 17 to October 19 this year.

The priority program of Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr. is putting a premium on lives not only of the city residents here but animals as well.

The mayor is also campaigning to achieve zero stray dogs and cats in the city’s major roads and streets by 2022.

“Binibigyang importansya natin ang kapakanan ng lahat, maging ang mga hayop na matatagpuan sa ating lungsod,” Lazatin said.

Following the mayor’s lead, Executive Assistant IV Reina Manuel and Chief Adviser and Tactician Director IC Calaguas, both animal lovers themselves, have been personally rescuing stray animals even before the start of the program.

The city government has also managed to find fur-homes for 78 rescued animals62 dogs and 16 cats. Butch Gunio

LGU disaster resilience in LCC, Globe webinar THE Liveable Cities Philippines and the League of Cities of the Philippines, in partnership with Globe Telecom, has presented the latest edition of the Liveable Cities Labs, a series of webinar sessions to gear up cities with knowledge and insights for designing better solutions for their communities.

For its 7th session, the Liveable Cities Lab will focus on building resilient cities and towns to enable LGUs to prepare and be resilient, with the Philippines being prone to natural disasters that include typhoons, earthquakes, flash floods, landslides and volcanic eruptions.

The LCC Labs Webinar will give LGUs insights, knowledge and experiences from professionals who are regarded as experts in climate change adaptation, disaster risk management, urban and environmental planning, and Information and Communication Technology, as it aims to promote cooperation and unity to help LGUs to be more resilient.

Climate-resilient seed system pushed LOS BANOS, Laguna—Filipino experts are collaborating with their Asian counterparts to come out with a climate-resilient seed system in the country.

Filipino research scientists are collaborating with other South Asian and Southeast Region experts to produce not just quality seeds but climate resilient as well, according to a report relayed to newsmen by Rose Anne M. Aya of PCAARRD Media Services.

Quality seeds are important in crop establishment, yield increase, and low incidence of pests and diseases.

As a collaboration effort to develop climate-resilient seeds, Filipino and other Asian experts recently held webinar dubbed, “Regional Cooperation for Building a Resilient Seed System in the Philippines.”

The virtual seminar was organized by the International Potato Center (CIP) and the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS). Butch Gunio

Opinion The ‘terror law’ WITH the publication of its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) can now be implemented.

This, despite the at least 34 petitions filed by various groups and personalities with the Supreme Court (SC) challenging the law’s constitutionality. Unless and until the SC issues a temporary restraining order (TRO) or declares the ATC unconstitutional, the law will continue to be implemented.

According to some lawyers and legislators, the ATC for all intents and purposes brings back the repealed anti-subversion law in a more repressive way. Before this law, it was no longer illegal to be a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). The use of armed struggle remained (and remains) illegal though.

The result would be a repressed, cowed, and scared Filipino citizenry.

With the ATL, the powerful Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) can now tag persons and organizations as terrorists on mere suspicion.

So-called “terrorists” may be subjected to warrantless arrests and detained for an extended period of up to 24 days even if no case is filed against them. The Courts no longer need to be involved until a case is filed against suspected terrorists.

Before, suspects could only be held without a case for at most three days and they should be set free. Also, warrantless arrests could only be done when a crime has just been, or about to be committed. The ATA has changed these which can probably result in curtailing people’s constitutionally guaranteed rights.

Recently, it has been announced that a list of suspected “terrorists” will be made public by the ATC. This is based on Section 25 of the ATA that empowers the ATC to designate individuals or groups as terrorists upon a finding of probable cause that they have committed, are attempting to commit, or are conspiring in acts of terrorism. The law and the IRR do not define “probable cause” is. This is quite dangerous since there may be no need for an explanation from the ATC on why people and groups are designated as terrorists.

The ATC has recently announced that a list of “designated terrorists” will be made public soon. Those in the list have not been given the chance to clear their names before they are publicly designated as terrorists.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) defended the absence of such hearing because one, there will be a process of delisting after, and

SINCE the COVID-19 pandemic began, there have been more than 40 million cases and more than one million deaths around the world. The virus has had an enormous impact on global politics, employment, economics, trade and financial systems, and significantly impacted the global efforts to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

Thanks to the united efforts of its entire people, Taiwan has responded to the threats posed by this pandemic through four principles: prudent action, rapid response, advance deployment, and openness and transparency. Adopting such strategies as the operation of specialized command systems, the implementation of meticulous border control measures, the production and distribution of adequate supplies of medical resources, the employment of home quarantine and isolation measures and related care services, the application of IT systems, the publishing of transparent and open information, and the execution of precise screening and testing, we have been fortunate enough to contain the virus. As of October 7, Taiwan had had just 523 confirmed cases and seven deaths; meanwhile, life and work have continued much as normal for the majority of people.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2020

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EDITORIAL

two, it will defeat the purpose of freezing the assets of those who will be designated if they will be forewarned.

The ATA IRR describes a process of delisting. A “designated terrorist” may apply for delisting within fifteen (15) days of being designated. However, the IRR does not prescribe a timetable within which an application should be decided with finality. This means that the process can take along time.

One major effect of being a “designated terrorist” is the freezing of one’s assets. Imagine if a person is wrongly designated and his/her only assets are his/her life savings?

Imagine the terror that one would feel if one finds out that s/he is a “designated terrorist”? Imagine the terror of families if one of them is included in the list? The possibilities beyond the freezing of assets are indeed terrifying. Warrantless arrests and detention for at most 24 days without a case, thereby rendering even the Courts ineffective to help, are worrisome. Imagine what abusive authorities can do within this allowable period of detention.

Red tagging has been going on for some time now. Even personalities such as actresses and models who are merely advocating for women’s rights are redtagged. It is highly probable that this will even intensify. With the unclear provisions of the law and with the way this administration is known to have been going after its critics, is it possible for ordinary citizens who are critical of government be red-tagged? Or worse, become designated terrorists?

If those advocating for women’s rights can be red-tagged, what about social media posts that are critical of government officials, or the military and the police?

Can netizens calling out government and exacting accountability from public servants be red-tagged? What if journalists write about and support the advocacies of personalities or organizations that are designated as terrorists—can they be considered as conspirators in terrorism?

There are too many questions that are left hanging.

Because of the repressive provisions and possible abuses, the Anti-Terrorism Act is terrorizing the citizenry. The chilling effect of this law is real. Critics can be silenced and the media can be tamed. In the hands of abusive implementers of the law, the possibility of ordinary people getting arrested and detained without cause is there. The democratic space is getting narrower. The Filipino citizens’ rights and freedoms are seriously threatened.

The worst result of the ATA may be a repressed, cowed, and scared Filipino citizenry.

This is very dangerous. The very soul of our democratic way of life is under attack.

Saving our democracy is in the hands of the Supreme Court. All democratic-loving citizens must work so the SC would declare this terror law unconstitutional. @bethangsioco on Twitter Elizabeth Angsioco on Facebook

Support Taiwan’s inclusion in the post-COVID-19 global public health network

By Dr. Chen Shih-chung Minister of Health and Welfare Republic of China (Taiwan)

Adelle Chua, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

The global outbreak of COVID-19 has reminded the world that infectious diseases know no borders and do not discriminate along political, ethnic, religious, or cultural lines. Nations should work together to address the threat of emerging diseases. For this reason, once Taiwan had stabilized its containment of the virus and ensured that people had sufficient access to medical resources, we began to share our experience and exchange information on containing COVID-19 with global public health professionals and scholars through COVID-19-related forums, APEC’s High-Level Meeting on Health and the Economy, the Global Cooperation Training Framework, and other virtual bilateral meetings. As of June 2020, Taiwan had held nearly 80 online conferences, sharing the Taiwan Model with experts from governments, hospitals, universities, and think tanks in 32 countries.

Taiwan’s donations of medical equipment and anti-pandemic supplies to countries in need also continue. By June, we have donated 51 million surgical masks, 1.16 million N95 masks, 600,000 isolation gowns, and 35,000 forehead thermometers to more than 80 countries.

To ensure access to vaccines, Taiwan has joined the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access Facility (COVAX) co-led by GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance; the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations; and the World Health Organization.

And our government is actively assisting

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Continued vigilance

N UNCOUNTABLE many have welcomed the government move to relax restrictions for people’s visibly trouble-free mobility after going through more than seven months of different stages of lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

ment units given the option to impose a higher age limit for minors, depending on the COVID-19 situation in their respective jurisdictions.

Malacañang previously reminded senior citizens to stay at home as much as possible since they are vulnerable to the coronavirus infection.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has specified that some senior and young people may now be able to leave their houses as part of government’s efforts to revive the economy during the pandemic.

The IATF-EID has allowed persons between 15 and 65 years old to go out of their houses in line with easing the movement restrictions in community quarantine areas.

Prior to the latest IATF decision, the government required persons below 21 and above 60 years old to stay at home “at all times” except for essential activities like going to work or buying necessities in all community quarantine areas.

On October 15, the IATF-EID approved the adjustment of age-based stay-at-home restrictions, in that persons from 15 to 65 years of age are now allowed to go out, with local govern-

People should take responsibility for their own protection outside their homes.

The IATF-EID also “approved in principle” easing restrictions on non-essential outbound travel, and allowing more passengers in public buses—one-seat apart rule—as part to revive business activities and allow more people to go to work as businesses slowly reopen their doors to boost the domestic economy, multiple work shifts to allow the public to contribute to the economy, and shorter curfews.

The task force also amended the guidelines on the age restrictions for people in malls and shopping centers.

Those below 15 years old and above 65 may not enter these commercial

establishments except for obtaining essential goods and services or for work, according to the new resolution.

Authorities have also allowed the holding of a beach volleyball tournament by the Philippine Super Liga under a “sports bubble concept” and the operation of off-track horse race betting stations will be allowed in areas under the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) or lower.

Meanwhile, cockfighting enthusiasts may now exclaim logro diez or doblado, among other outbursts in this male-oriented pastime, after the IATF allowed the operation of licensed cockpits and cockfighting activities in areas under the Modified GCQ. But, while the eased restrictions may encourage people movement, those going out must be reminded that the coronavirus may hit people without them knowing they caught the symptoms—and the infections and deaths, which rise every day, have reached respectively nearly 366,000 and almost 7,000 as at last count.

The eased restrictions should not let the people be off their guard, with the fundamentals of health protection – like correct physical distancing, wearing of face masks and face shields, and the basics of good hygiene—high on everybody’s minds.

‘Unilateral’ lifting of moratorium LAST week, President Duterte announced he would be lifting the moratorium to explore oil and gas in the disputed areas of the South China Sea (SCS). The suspension was imposed by former President Aquino in 2015 after his government filed a case with the Permanent Court Arbitration over areas in the SCS. The PAC ruled in our favor, that the Philippines has sovereign rights within its exclusive economic zone, and dismissed China’s sweeping claims over the area. Some say the decision was pro forma to show our assertion of sovereignty over those areas.

Despite that favorable decision, the Philippines opted to set it aside by seeking better relations with China, culminating in the signing of an understanding on oil and gas development in the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea. The signing on November 20, 2018 by President Duterte and President Xi Jinping has been interpreted by many as an implied rejection of our claim over those areas.

When the President unilaterally lifted the moratorium, he, in effect, wanted the understanding to proceed. The President never abandoned our claim in the SCS which is favorable to us. There was no prohibition imposed by China. But the Philippines, after it filed an arbitration case, stopped all drilling of oil and gas in the area, particularly in the Reed or locally known as Recto Bank.

Frankly, the PCA decision only redefined those rough edges on what constitute our territory/EEZ after the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) was ratified. In fact, the US has refused to ratify the

We urge the WHO and related parties to acknowledge Taiwan’s long-standing contributions to global public health, disease prevention, and the human right to health. domestic manufacturers in hopes of accelerating the development and production of successful vaccines, bringing them to market as quickly as possible and putting an end to this pandemic.

To prepare for a possible next wave of the pandemic as well as the approaching flu season, Taiwan is maintaining its strategies of encouraging citizens to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, and strengthening

convention. Nothing in the decision ordered China to surrender an inch of its territory or for our country to surrender a portion of its own. Rather, it was the Philippines that lost $7 million or P328,996,500 if valued at P47 to $1, when for the capricious desire of former Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto del Rosario and retired Supreme Court Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales, our country had to pay those foreign lawyers to litigate our position which China refuses to recognize.

It seems the Philippines is complicating our joint venture agreement to our disadvantage.

Before that, there were already existing oil and gas drilling explorations in the Malampaya area and another at the Reed or Recto Bank. Malampaya, which is covered

by Service Contract 38, is already in operation, supplying 30 percent of the country’s natural gas requirement but is expected to be depleted by 2024. Reed Bank, which is covered by Service Contract 72, according to the US Energy Information Administration, is estimated to contain 5.4 billion barrels of oil and 55.1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Among those interested and now active in seeking to sign up in a contract are the country’s PNOC Exploration Corp., Pangilinan’s PXP Energy Corp and unit of Forum Ltd. The PCA decision clarified those areas where we could assert sovereignty to explore oil, gas and other minerals.

Since the October 6 decision of President Duterte to allow the resumption of drilling activities, referring to Service Contract 57 and 72, we can surmise that these areas are within country’s EEZ or areas border quarantine measures, community-based prevention, and medical preparedness. Furthermore, we are actively collaborating with domestic and international partners to obtain vaccines and develop optimal treatments and accurate diagnostic tools, jointly safeguarding global public health security.

The COVID-19 pandemic has proven that Taiwan is an integral part of the global public health network and that the Taiwan Model can help other countries combat the pandemic. To recover better, WHO needs Taiwan. We urge WHO and related parties to acknowledge Taiwan’s long-standing contributions to global public health, disease prevention, and the human right to health, and to firmly support Taiwan’s inclusion in WHO. Taiwan’s comprehensive participation in WHO meetings, mechanisms, and activities would allow us to work with the rest of the world in realizing the fundamental human right to health as stipulated in the WHO Constitution and the vision of leaving no one behind enshrined in the UN SDGs.

we call our “exclusive economic zone” which were “expanded” or “stretched” areas after the ratification of UNCLOS in 1978 which both China and the Philippines ratified.

While the EEZ set to a maximum of 200-mile from the shoreline of the adjacent state, the ongoing oil and gas exploration affected by the President’s unilateral declaration to proceed is not part of the areas as within China’s EEZ. Service Contract 57 and 72, both located within the Reed Bank area, are outside the demarcated boundary signed

by US and Spain on December 10, 1898 which now stands as the official map of the Philippine archipelago but well within the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The PAC set aside China’s ninedash line boundaries.

Section 2, Article XII of the Constitution is clear that any arrangement within our sovereign territory with any corporation regarding the utilization of water, minerals, coal, and other minerals, all forces of potential energy, etc. shall be on a 60 percent basis for co-production, joint venture or production-sharing. The 40 percent share shall be awarded to foreign corporations on lease not to exceed twenty five years subject to renewal for the same period.

In Service Contract 38 or for Malampaya, it was entered into by President Arroyo which allowed foreign oil companies to have a share in the contract for natural gas in gross violation of the Constitution. Under that repugnant arrangement, Shell and Chevron each got a share of 45 percent, with PNOC getting 10 per cent and paying all the taxes. Considering that the Malampaya gas field is about to be depleted, a local corporation known as Udenna Corp has already acquired the 45-percent share owned by Chevron.

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China warns of military ‘resolve’ P resident Xi Jinping on Friday warned of China’s military resolve to defeat “invaders,” speaking on a 70th anniversary for the Korean War, the only time Chinese forces have fought the United States.

In a long speech, heavy on patriotism and flecked by anecdotes of heroism by Chinese forces, Xi said victory in the 1950-53 conflict was a reminder that his nation stood ready to fight anyone “creating trouble... on China’s doorstep”.

Beijing frequently uses war anniversaries to fire thinly covered warnings to the US of the military strength of the “new China”.

The Korean War is a key foundation story for the ruling Communist Party.

Friday’s anniversary comes as the party is called out

by US President Donald Trump, in a bitter row spanning trade, tech, human rights and the status of Taiwan, which China says is an inviolable part of the mainland.

Without explicitly naming the US, Xi loaded up with the historical precedent of the Korean war and took swings at modern day “unilateralism, protectionism and extreme egoism”.

“Chinese people don’t create troubles, nor are we afraid of them,” Xi said to applause.

“We will never sit back and watch any damage to our national sovereignty... and we will never allow any force to invade or divide the sacred territory of the motherland.”

On Wednesday, the Pentagon announced it had agreed to sell over one billion dollars’ worth of missiles to self-governing Taiwan, the sharpest potential flashpoint with US forces.

The Korean War was the first and so far only time Chinese and US forces have engaged in large-scale direct combat.

According to the Chinese government, more than 197,000 Chinese soldiers died during the three-year war, which saw the US-led United Nations coalition pushed back to the 38th parallel bisecting the Korean Peninsula, after China weighed in on the side of North Korea’s communist army.

The war, essentially fought to a bloody stalemate, is hailed in China as a victory and an example of resilience and spirit against a more advanced foe. AFP

IN MOURNING. A man mourns above a grave of a fellow fighter in Stepanakert during fighting over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh on October 17, 2020.

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev vowed on October 17, 2020 to take revenge on Armenia after a missile strike killed 12 sleeping people in the city of Ganja, a dramatic escalation in the conflict over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. AFP

US drone strike Severe ‘noxious haze’ envelops New Delhi City vs. Al-Qaeda in Syria kills 17 jihadists THE US army said Thursday it carried out a drone strike against AlQaeda leaders in northwestern Syria near the Turkish border, killing 17 jihadists, according to a war monitor.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said five civilians were also among those killed.

“US Forces conducted a strike against a group of Al-Qaeda in Syria senior leaders meeting near Idlib, Syria,” said Major Beth Riordan, the spokeswoman for United States Central Command.

“The removal of these AQ-S leaders will disrupt the terrorist organization’s ability to further plot and carry out global attacks threatening US citizens, our partners and innocent civilians,” Riordan said in a statement.

She did not specify the number of deaths from the strike.

But the Britain-based Observatory said the operation, which targeted a dinner meeting of jihadists in the village of Jakara in the Salqin area, killed at least 17 jihadists including 11 leaders.

The village lies in Syria’s last major rebel bastion of Idlib, which is dominated by the Hayat Tahrir alSham (HTS) group, led by a former Al-Qaeda affiliate, and its rebel allies.

But other jihadist groups, including the rival Al-Qaeda-linked Hurras al-Deen faction, are also present in the area.

Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said that five non-Syrian jihadists were among those killed, but their nationalities were not immediately known.

“They had been invited to dinner in a tent on a farm in Jakara,” he said.

“It was a meeting of leaders opposed to HTS and who reject the Russia-Turkish deals” that led to a fragile truce in Idlib, he said. “Some were close to Hurras al-Deen.”

A March agreement between rebel backer Ankara and government ally Moscow halted a deadly offensive by government forces against the region of some three million people.

A US-led coalition is present in the east of the country, where its airstrikes have backed Kurdish-led forces battling remnants of the Islamic State group. AFP

NEW Delhi was blanketed in noxious haze Friday as air pollution levels in parts of the city soared to “severe” levels, hours after US President Donald Trump described the air in the vast nation as “filthy”.

Smoke from agricultural burning, vehicle fumes and industrial emissions —combined with cooler temperatures and slow-moving winds that trap pollutants over the city—turns air in the Indian capital into a toxic soup every winter.

The air quality index at Delhi’s 36 pollution monitoring sites—which monitors tiny PM2.5 and PM10 particles that get into the bloodstream and vital organs— was between 282 and 446, pushing levels into the “severe” category, the Central Pollution Control Board said.

The “good” category is between 0-50, the government’s environmental watchdog added.

A “significant increase in stubble fire count” to 1,213 in Haryana and Punjab states was the highest of this season and made up 17 percent of Delhi’s PM2.5 levels, the state-run System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research added Friday.

“Further deterioration of (air quality) is expected for the two days,” SAFAR said.

This season’s burning started earlier because of advanced sowing and harvesting by farmers amid fears of labour shortages during the coronavirus pandemic, officials said.

The worsening conditions came as Trump complained that action on climate change was unfair to the US. “Look at China, how filthy it is. Look at Russia, look at India -- it’s filthy. The air is filthy,” Trump said at his presidential debate with Democratic rival Joe Biden.

Scientists warned this year’s pollution season would make Delhi’s 20 million residents more vulnerable to the coronavirus.

“Air pollution increases the risk of noncommunicable diseases—the same underlying conditions that make people more likely to experience severe illness or death from Covid-19,” epidemiologist Sumi Mehta from global non-profit Vital Strategies told AFP. Healthcare systems, stretched by the pandemic, could be further stressed by more hospitalisations from pollution-related illnesses, researchers added.

“There are serious worries that during winter when higher air pollution levels in any case worsens respiratory illness and increases hospitalisation, the vulnerability to Covid-19 may be further enhanced,” Anumita Roy Chowdhury of the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment told AFP. AFP

Two-decade court battle over West Bank sites nears end

TALE OF TWO PROTESTS. This combination of file pictures created on

October 19, 2020 shows (top) pro-democracy protesters carrying sections of a metal barrier during an anti-government rally in Bangkok on October 18, 2020, and (bottom) protesters carrying sections of a metal barrier during a pro-democracy march in Hong Kong on October 20, 2019. Hong Kong and Thailand have both seen their streets filled with youthful protesters daring to take on an entrenched and powerful political elite -- and uncork once taboo subjects in their push for greater freedoms. AFP

KHIRBET Al-Majaz, a patch of desert at the end of a long, dusty trail in the West Bank, may not look like an area at the centre of a two-decade court battle.

But after years of legal wrangling, the Palestinian Bedouins perched there on a rocky hill may be facing final expulsion if Israel’s High Court accepts army efforts to declare the area a training site.

Israel’s army, which has occupied the West Bank since the 1967 Six-Day War, has no base in Khirbet Al-Majaz, but herds of goats were seen grazing there during a visit by diplomats earlier this week.

In the early 1980s, the army declared the 3,000 hectare (30 square kilometre) territory known as Masafer Yatta at the southern end of the West Bank a restricted military area—calling it “Firing Zone 918”—and claiming it was uninhabited.

The roughly 1,000 Bedouins who live there say Masafer Yatta was their people’s home long before Israeli soldiers set foot in the West Bank.

The head of the Israeli anti-occupation NGO B’Tselem, Hagai El-Ad, said: “Declaring the area a firing zone was the excuse. Cleansing the territory of Palestinians is the goal.”

Long legal battle The Bedouin residents of Masafer Yatta, who live across 12 isolated hamlets including Khirbet Al-Majaz, were first kicked out in 1999.

The following year, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel helped some 200 families challenge their expulsion in court.

They secured a temporary reprieve that remains in force, which allowed the Palestinians to stay on the land until a final resolution of the case. AFP

Karabakh feels Turkish pressure in fight against Azerbaijan forces TURKEY’S support of Azerbaijan in its conflict with Armenian separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh is loud and intensely partisan, and the tiny Armenian community in Turkey is feeling under pressure.

Since the clashes erupted, proAzerbaijan convoys carrying Azerbaijani flags have passed through districts of Istanbul housing Armenian institutions, unverified pictures of “massacres” attributed to Armenians have gone viral on social media and some official Armenian websites have been blocked.

Members of roughly 60,000 Armenians based mostly in Istanbul complain of hate speech since the flare-up of fighting on September 27, which has left hundreds dead and shows no signs of abating.

“I don’t dare to turn on the television at home -- but the hate speech is out there and the portrayal of Armenians as an enemy disturbs me extremely,” Silva Ozyerli, an Armenian living in Istanbul, told AFP. “We are paying a price because the language of the state, the bureaucracy and the media is seeking to marginalise, spread hostility and I feel I am held hostage.

“This is very hurtful. I feel I am a citizen of this country and there’s nothing as bitter as depriving me of this feeling. I am a citizen of this country, why do you make me feel just like a hostage?”

Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in a bitter conflict over Karabakh since Armenian separatists backed by Yerevan seized control of the mountainous province in a 1990s war that left 30,000 people dead.

Karabakh’s self-declared independence has not been recognized internationally, even by Armenia, and it remains a part of Azerbaijan under international law.

Turkey, which does not have diplomatic relations with Armenia, fervently backs Azerbaijan in its campaign to win back what it terms “occupied” territories. AFP

IN BRIEF Israeli warplanes fire rockets into Gaza Strip ISRAELI warplanes struck suspected Hamas military targets in the Gaza Strip before dawn on Friday following rocket fire from the blockaded Palestinian territory.

Fighter jets and other aircraft struck a “weapons manufacturing site and underground infrastructures” operated by Islamist group Hamas, which has controlled the territory since 2007, the Israeli army said.

Hamas reported no casualties from the Israeli strikes on the Nuseirat refugee camp and the southern city of Khan Yunis.

Two rockets had been launched at Israel late Thursday, without causing any casualties or damage.

One was intercepted by Israeli air defenses, while the other hit open ground, the army said.

The last reported rocket attack from Gaza was on Tuesday night.

It came after the army announced it had found a new tunnel that crosses “dozens of meters (yards) into Israel” from Gaza.

The next day the army said the tunnel belonged to Hamas.

Authorities have discovered some 20 tunnels originating in Gaza since 2014, army spokesman Jonathan Conricus said this week.AFP

Italian child molester arrested in France AN ITALIAN has been arrested in France on a warrant issued by Germany, where is wanted on 160 counts of rape or sexual assault of his daughter and other minors, police told AFP on Friday.

The 52-year-old was arrested on a European warrant last Friday south of Strasbourg near the German border for the alleged crimes committed over a 14-year period starting in 2000.

Germany has 122 open investigations against him, said France’s BNRF fugitive-tracking brigade.

The Italian is accused of having raped his own daughter for a period of about 10 years starting in 2000.

He is alleged to have done the same, over the same period, with the minor daughters of a different partner.

“He operated in his various family circles,” said the BNRF. German police alerted the BNRF in early October that the wanted man had fled from Germany to Alsace in eastern France. AFP

Business

B3

SATURday, OCTOBER 24, 2020 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stock market rallies for fifth straight day

PSEi October 23, 2020

TOP GAINERS

T

he stock market rallied for the for the fifth straight day, bolstered by hopes of a possible rebound in the economy in the fourth quarter.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index jumped 139.43 points, or 2.2 percent, to 6,484.06 on a value turnover of P8.5 billion. Gainers beat losers, 129 to 81, with 48 issues unchanged.

LT Group Inc. of tobacco and airline tycoon Lucio Tan surged 9.2 percent to P13.06, while Jollibee Foods Corp., the biggest fast-food chain, advanced 5 percent to P179.

Conglomerate JG Summit Holdings Inc. of the Gokongwei Group climbed 3.9 percent to P66, while Dito CME Holdings Corp., the third major mobile phone company, rose 4.4 percent to P6.61.

TOP LOSERS

Asian markets, meanwhile, mostly rose Friday but gains were limited as US lawmakers struggled to hammer out a fresh economic rescue package, while investors were largely unmoved by the last presidential debate before next month’s election.

Tokyo, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Seoul, Singapore, Wellington and Jakarta all rose. But Shanghai, Sydney and Taipei fell.

Equities have swung back and forth over the past week as the will-theywon’t-they saga of the stimulus discussions keeps traders on their toes, though observers believe a bill is increasingly unlikely to be passed before the November 3 vote.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said both parties “continue to be engaged in negotiations, and I am hopeful we will be able to reach an agreement” but she warned that opposition to a massive spending plan from Senate Republicans posed a huge hurdle.

“Both sides remain at the stimulus

negotiating table as neither benefits from pulling away,” said Axi strategist Stephen Innes. But he said Republicans were “unwilling to compromise on the thorniest issues of financial aid to states and liability protections, and Pelosi is unlikely to hand (Donald) Trump a victory this late in the game.

“So, unless a surprise occurs before Friday sundown at the Last Chance Saloon, neither side may be negotiating in good faith.”

With talks still grinding along on Capitol Hill, focus was the stand-off between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, with analysts saying the president needed a big win to overturn his Democratic challenger’s lead in national and crucial state polls.

Innes added: “The... debate was less chaotic than the first but offered little new information to inform the result for markets. Meanwhile, discussion relevant to the post-election economic outlook was limited, particularly from President Trump.” With AFP

MOST ACTIVE

UK-Japan trade deal. British Secretary of State for International Trade Elizabeth Truss (left ) and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi (front right) attend a signing ceremony for economic partnership between Japan and Britain at the Iikura Annex of the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo on October 23, 2020. AFP

Goldman Sachs paying $2.9b in penalty to settle 1MDB charges NEW YORK—Global financial titan Goldman Sachs agreed to pay $2.9 billion in penalties to settle criminal charges in the 1MDB Malaysian bribery scandal, the largest US fine ever in a corruption case, the Justice Department announced Thursday.

Acting US Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt said Goldman “accepted responsibility” in the case that involved $1.6 billion in bribes, the largest ever recorded, and massive gains laundered through the US financial system.

Goldman Sachs helped raise $6.5 billion for the Malaysian government’s sovereign wealth fund. The US Justice Department has said more than $4.5 billion was stolen from 1MDB by high-level officials at the fund and their associates between 2009 and 2015.

The investment fund “was looted by corrupt officials and their co-conspirators, including senior Goldman bankers” turning it “into a piggy bank for corrupt public officials and their cronies,” Rabbitt said at a press briefing.

In a first for Goldman Sachs, the company’s Malaysian unit pleaded guilty in a US court Thursday for violations of American bribery law as part of a deal to end the criminal probe in the sweeping case that involved authorities in nine countries.

The guilty plea could curtail activities of Goldman Sachs Malaysia but allows the parent company to avoid admitting wrongdoing in court— which would have damaged its ability to do business.

The parent company pleaded not guilty in US court and agreed to “deferred prosecution” for three-and-a-half years, during which time the firm will face increased monitoring by regulators.

But Rabbitt stressed that despite the deal, the company has been charged in the bribery scandal, “so there has been a significant amount of criminal liability” for Goldman and “imposes meaningful consequences” in the cases.

The Justice Department has charged three individuals in the case including two former Goldman executives. Tim Leissner, the former Southeast Asia chairman, has pleaded guilty, while Ng Chong Hwa, also known as “Roger Ng,” former head of investment banking for GS Malaysia, is awaiting trial, and Low Taek Jho remains a fugitive. AFP

American, Southwest Airlines improve Pandemic-hit Americans create start-ups at record clip finances, but travel prospects still dim

By Julie Chabanas

NEW YORK—US airlines’ continued efforts to rein in costs and step up safety measures so travelers will return to the skies paid off in results reported Thursday that showed carriers paring losses in the latest quarter.

But with the coronavirus pandemic still crushing demand for air travel, executives say prospects will not fully recover until business travel resumes.

American Airlines and Southwest both reported smaller-than-expected losses in the July-September quarter, and were able to shave their daily cash burn while seeing encouraging improvements in demand.

American’s earnings plunged 73 percent in the third quarter, causing a loss of $2.4 billion, which was not as bad as analysts expected.

The company, which recently laid off 19,000 workers after Washington policymakers failed to renew funding to support airlines, said it reduced the rate

at which it burns cash to $44 million a day in the July-to-September period, compared to the $58 million daily average in the second quarter.

Another 20,000 employees took early retirement or long-term leave as American, like other airlines, struggled to survive and announced tens of thousands of layoffs after the government’s Payroll Support Program (PSP) for airlines expired.

“During the third quarter, we took action to reduce our costs, strengthen our financial position and ensure our customers return to travel with confidence, said American CEO Doug Parker said in a statement, calling the pandemic “the most challenging time in our industry’s history.”

Even with a small uptick in demand, for a full recovery to happen, “It’s going to take, really, much more willingness amongst businesses to get back on the road,” he said on CNBC. AFP

WA S H I N G T O N — A m e r i c a n s enduring a feeble economy and high unemployment because of the coronavirus pandemic are creating startup companies at a record pace.

The drive is favored by very low interest rates, banks that are eager to lend and people with money saved up— both because no one goes out anymore and because of government stimulus aid.

“It is not as surprising as you might think,” said John Dearie of the Center for American Entrepreneurship. “People are starting new businesses because they lost their jobs. And because they have capital to start those businesses.”

Around 1.6 million companies were created from July to September, by far a record, according to the Census Bureau.

Never before had more than a million start-ups emerged in one quarter in America.

“The pandemic has definitely spurred interest among young people and adults to launch new businesses. The reason, we believe, is very simple. People

are losing jobs,” said J.D. LaRock, the head of the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, which is active in 12 countries.

“And people are recognizing that the world is changing, and that there are new needs,” he said.

So people are proposing business concepts that stem from the pandemic, or finally acting on business ideas they have had for a long time but never had the opportunity or incentive to bring to fruition, said LaRock.

Such is the case of Leland Lambert, 38, who in June was laid off as operations director for a non-profit day care center and lives in Salt Lake City, Utah.

With no short term prospects for a new job, he created a personal coaching company he had been mulling for years.

“I’ve always had a dream of helping people become their best selves,” Lambert told AFP. Lambert went back to school for six months to polish his skills, and does not rule out getting a part-time job if his business does not get up and running quickly.

Since the start of the pandemic, 22 million Americans lost their jobs as the economy largely shut down for months.

Half of them remain out of work, and 8.4 million are receiving unemployment benefits. And then there are those who are working but have seen their income drop drastically.

While some sectors like hospitality and tourism are still suffering, for some people the only way to make a living these days is to start their own business.

It is hard to know which sectors are witnessing such job creation because official figures do not give a breakdown.

But Dearie said many are being created in relation to the pandemic, such as food delivery through services such as Uber, which requires its drivers to start their own companies.

Delivery of goods purchased online—via companies like Amazon, for instance, which also requires drivers to start their own companies—also has a bright future, said John Haltiwanger, who teaches economics at the University of Maryland.

Spared by coronavirus, Seychelles suffers dearth of tourists

By Rassin Vannier VICTORIA, Seychelles—The Seychelles, with its idyllic white beaches and luxury resorts, has had only 149 cases of Covid-19, but the global crisis caused by the pandemic has ravaged its vital tourism industry.

The Indian Ocean island nation, famed as a honeymoon destination, took swift action against the virus in March, banning cruise ships and international flights and implementing a lockdown.

But even though the archipelago re-opened to tourists on August 1, the global downswing in travel and devastation wrought by the virus in major tourist-providing countries in Europe and elsewhere, has led to little improvement.

“Since the re-opening of the airport we have tried to re-open our

establishment, but it is a catastrophe, we are running at a loss because there is no one,” said Sybil Cardon, who had to let go of 10 percent of her staff at her hotel on Praslin, the second-largest island.

In Beau Vallon, the most touristy part of the main island Mahe, the Equinox scuba diving center once did three or four excursions a day, taking tourists to see bountiful fish and marine life around the granite cliffs and coral reefs.

Now, in what is usually peak season to see the world’s largest fish, the whale shark, there are “only a few tourists a day,” said Manuela Alcaniz, who runs the center.

She has kept her six staff on board using state assistance, and some of her own money.

Job losses and retraining Tourism contributes around 25

File photo taken on November 16, 2019 shows tourists walking on the beach with granite rocks on in Silhouette Island, the third largest island, Seychelles.

AFP

percent to the Seychelles GDP, according to official statistics, and along with the tuna fishing industry is the main earner of foreign currency.

In 2019, the archipelago welcomed

more than 330,000 tourists, two-thirds of them from Europe. This represents more than three times the population of the islands.

In the first three quarters of the year, the country recorded the arrival of only

75,000 tourists.

According to the national statistics agency, the second and third quarter saw an 83-percent drop in numbers from 2019.

And government figures show more than 700 people lost their jobs in the hotel and tourism industry, increasing unemployment from 4.8 percent to 6.3 percent.

Since July 1 the government has put in place the Seychelles Employee Transition Scheme (Sets) to assist workers, paying their salaries in exchange for them following a training course.

“Currently, if I didn’t have this help, I don’t know what situation I would find myself in to pay back my loans and take care of my children,” said Sheila Marie, who used to work as an accountant in a hotel and is now following a course in payroll management. AFP

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

B4

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2020

Business

IN BRIEF San Miguel readies cashless toll collection SAN Miguel Corp. said Friday it is ready to implement cashless toll collection system in its expressways on Nov. 2 as mandated by the government.

“By Nov. 2, all lanes at our toll plazas will be fully capable and converted to electronic toll collection, in full compliance with the government’s mandate,” San Miguel said.

“However, after careful study and deliberation, and especially in consideration of so many motorists who have not been able to secure an Autosweep RFID account because of the volume of applications we have today, we have decided to extend the deadline to November 30,” the company said.

This means that from Nov. 2 to 30, vehicles without RFID will still be allowed to enter the expressways.

San Miguel operates the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road, South Luzon Expressway, the Skyway System, NAIA Expressway and the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway.

“Hopefully, this will give more time for motorists to get their RFID stickers,” the company said. Darwin G Amojelar

LandBank to sell P3-b sustainability bonds POOLED TESTING. As part of concerted efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus, BDO Foundation, the corporate social

PSE INDEX

Friday, October 23, 2020

139.43 PTS. 6,484.06

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED

1,379,434,771 130,412 8,494,742,325.15 129 81 48

F oreign E xchange R ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2020

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

48.5900

Japan

Yen

0.009539

0.4635

UK

Pound

1.308400

63.5752

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129032

6.2697

Switzerland

Franc

1.102536

53.5722

Canada

Dollar

0.761383

36.9956

Singapore

Dollar

0.737028

35.8122

Australia

Dollar

0.711400

34.5669

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652238

128.8722

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266645

12.9563

Brunei

Dollar

0.734322

35.6807

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000068

0.0033

Thailand

Baht

0.031980

1.5539

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.2297

Euro

Euro

1.182400

57.4528

Korea

Won

0.000881

0.0428

China

Yuan

0.149589

7.2685

India

Rupee

0.013576

0.6597

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.241458

11.7324

New Zealand

Dollar

0.666600

32.3901

Taiwan

Dollar

0.034842

1.6930 Source: BSP

URC’s income increased P7% to P7.5b in 1st three quarters

responsibility arm of BDO Unibank Inc., teams up with Go Negosyo, the Philippine Children’s Medical Center, the Philippine Society of Pathologists and the local government of Mandaluyong City to sponsor pooled testing in the city. Joining the online launching of the initiative are BDO Unibank and BDO Foundation chairperson Teresita Sy-Coson (first row, right), BDO Unibank president and chief executive Nestor Tan and BDO Foundation president Mario Deriquito, along with Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion, Iloilo first district and pooled testing consultant Dr. Janette Garin, Mandaluyong City Mayor Menchie Abalos and PSP president Dr. Roberto Padua Jr.

Gov’t spending, tax take post double-digit decline

By Julito G. Rada

T

he government’s budget deficit dwindled by 22.42 percent in September to P138.5 billion from P178.6 billion a year ago, as both tax collections and public spending posted doubledigit declines during the month, the Bureau of the Treasury said Friday.

Data, however, showed the budget deficit widened by nearly three times in the first nine months to P879.2 billion from a year earlier, although the figure was 32.30 percent below the revised program of P1.298 trillion for the period.

Government collections fell 10.2percent in September to P212.4 billion from a year ago. About 91 percent or P193 billion were from taxes while the remaining 9 percent or P19.4 billion came from non-tax sources.

This resulted in nine-month collections to P2.143 trillion, down 7.9 percent from the same period last year, but 8.8 percent above the P1.970-trillion revised target. About 85 percent of the P2.52 trillion full-year program were collected as of end-September.

Collections by the Bureau of Internal Revenue fell 6.6 percent in September to P140.6 billion and 9.9 percent in the ninemonth period to P1.444 trillion. The ninemonth tally, however, was 10.19 percent higher than the revised program of P1.310 trillion for the period.

Customs revenue collections went down by 13.7 percent in September to P50.8 billion from a year earlier and by 15.3 percent to P398.0 billion in the first

By Jenniffer B. Austria FOOD manufacturer Universal Robina Corp. said Friday net income attributable to parent equity holder increased 7.2 percent in the first nine months to P7.5 billion from P7 billion in the same period last year, driven by higher operating income, lower debt and interest expense and reduced foreign exchange losses.

URC said in a disclosure to the stock exchange nine-month consolidated sales rose 2 percent to P99.8 billion from a year ago.

“The pandemic has deteriorated trading conditions and resulted in market contractions in several snack food and beverage categories the company competes in. Despite these challenges, URC has gained significant market shares and performed ahead of the market,” the company said.

Operating income increased 8 percent to P11.9 billion on better cost management and favorable input prices, offsetting investments in brand building and close to P300 million of COVID-related expenses.

URC president and chief executive Irwin Lee said the business environment continued to pose severe challenges to the group’s overall business.

Lee said the weaker consumer sentiment and slowing retail sales in the third quarter, plus sluggish macroeconomic fundamentals, were weighing on the path to market recovery.

“Despite these challenges, we remain focused on operational excellence, business transformation and investing in building stronger brands and innovation to fuel growth. This focus is helping us perform ahead of market trends,” Lee said.

nine months. This surpassed the revised program of P372.2 billion by 6.96 percent.

The Bureau of the Treasury’s income of P8.6 billion in September declined by 19.35 percent year-on-year because of the 87.40-percent contraction in national government share from Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.’s income and the timing of remittance of interest on advances from government-owned -or controlled corporations which offsett the higher dividend collection from government shares of stocks.

The January-September BTr income of P201.6 billion was still 69.95 percent higher than P118.6 billion it collected last year and P1 billion more than the revised program. The nine-month BTr income also outperformed its original full-year target of P82.3 billion by P119.3 billion, buoyed by higher dividend collection and other government service income.

JAPANESE INVESTMENT.

After a due diligence study spanning over 12 months in Southeast Asia, Yokowo Co. Ltd. of Japan decides to choose the Philippines as the site of a new subsidiary for automotive wiring harness and components manufacturing and assembly operations. Attending an investment meeting are (from left) former branch manager of Yokowo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd Philippines office Tomo Yoshida, Department of Trade and Industry-Board of Investments executive director for industry development dervices Corieh Dichosa, DTI Special Trade Representative Dita Angara-Mathay, Yokowo Manufacturing of the Philippines Inc. director Yusuke Kobayashi and Yokowo president and chief executive Yutaka Fujita.

Shipping lines oppose arrastre charges on empty containers THE Association of International Shipping Lines opposed a plan by the Philippine Ports Authority to introduce neverbefore-assessed arrastre rates on empty containers, saying any addition to shipping costs will not augur well with the country’s efforts to rebound from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

AISL said in a position paper to the PPA board on Oct. 8 the imposition of the arrastre charge on empty containers at the Manila and Batangas ports meant international shipping lines would have to pay an estimated additional cost of P5.4 billion, based on the 2019 container volume data.

“Shipping lines have to recover the additional cost otherwise the option left

to them is to reduce capacity in order to remain efficient. Hence, the need to pass on the estimated cost increase of P5.4B to customers becomes the viable option,” AISL told the PPA board.

AISL said passing the additional cost to customers could “further increase the cost of freight and logistics to the detriment, in particular, of small and medium-size enterprises.” It said this could also adversely affect the country’s competitive edge in the shipping industry compared to Southeast Asian neighbors.

AISL said the Philippines already ranks highest in terms of handling costs for 20-footer and 40-footer containers among Southeast Asian countries, including Singapore. “[That is why] applying arrastre

on empties will only add to the over-all cost for lines servicing the Philippines, and further skew comparison with the SEA countries,” it said.

AISL said the imposition of arrastre charges on empty containers comes at an inopportune time with the Philippine economy already under severe stress because of the pandemic. “It strikes a big blow to the cost of doing business in the Philippines,” one of the directors said.

The group said empty containers were never assessed any tariff or arrastre charges in the past because these were considered as extension of the ship’s equipment or gear. It said that even the Bureau of Customs “has never departed from this principle”.

AG&P investing $315m in LNG facility in Batangas to supply fuel to Ilijan plant

By Alena Mae S. Flores ATLANTIC Gulf & Pacific Company of Manila Inc. plans to put up a liquefied natural gas import facility in Batangas City to supply re-gasified LNG to the 1,200-megawatt Ilijan natural gas power plant, documents filed with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources show Friday.

AG&P said in a report to the DENR the project with an estimated budget of

$315 million would be built near the Ilijan power plant, which buys its gas from the Malampaya gas field whose supply contract will expire in June 2022.

“AG&P is targeting to commission this import facility by June 2022 so that the power plant can seamlessly secure supply and continue its operations thereafter,” the company said in the report.

The LNG project will employ an onshore terminal-based regasification facility that is often applied over long-

distance transport of LNG by oceangoing vessels.

It said LNG would be regasified into a natural gas at a land based terminal, which would receive it from LNG carriers that transport LNG produced at liquefaction plants, to the Iijan power plant.

“The project will contribute to the national economy, improve the quality of life of the people and meet the projected need for power in the Luzon grid,” AG&P said.

The project will require around 1,500

direct and indirect workers during the construction period. The Personnel will be mostly composed of operators of heavy equipment and construction workers for support facilities and administrative personnel.

AG&P said that if the project would not push through under a ‘no-go’ alternative, the Ilijan power “would either be decommissioned or converted to run on more expensive and higher emission fuels such as condensate and diesel.”

STATE-RUN Land Bank of the Philippines said Friday it will issue its first Sustainability Bonds to fund environmental and social projects.

LandBank said in a statement it plans to tap and access the capital markets to raise at least P3 billion from the peso-denominated fixed-rate bond offering with a two-year tenor. Due 2024, the bonds will be issued in minimum denominations of P50,000 and in multiples of P10,000 thereafter.

Interest rate is expected to be set on Oct. 23 while offer period is scheduled from Oct. 26 to Nov. 6, 2020. Listing at the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp. is set on Nov. 17.

Standard Chartered Bank will be the sole lead arranger and bookrunner, while both LandBank and SCB will be selling agents.

“With the pandemic posing both as a pressing challenge and opportunity, it strengthens LandBank’s commitment all the more, with a sharpened focus in supporting sectors and activities for sustainable recovery,” LandBank president and chief executive Cecilia Borromeo said. Julito G. Rada

PLDT to increase investments in 5G PLDT Inc. said Friday it will increase investments in 5G to further improve customer experience and deliver cutting-edge services in 2021.

The investment includes the expansion of its fiber network, which reached 395,000 kilometers nationwide as of end-September.

The fiber network supports the full suite of services from PLDT and wireless arm Smart Communications Inc. such as fiberto-the-home, LTE and 5G. “As we complete the build-out of our 4G network so that our coverage will be as close as possible to 100 percent, we are building out our 5G network as well,” PLDT chairman and chief executive Manuel Pangilinan said.

“5G will bring speed and capacity, not only to the individual users on the wireless platform, but also to the home. To date, Smart LTE covers 95 percent of the population,” he said.

“In about a year or two, the ability of delivering fixed wireless services to the home will increase significantly,” Pangilinan said.

Darwin G. Amojelar

Ayala Land to sell Ortigas building to REIT unit for P5.1b

PROPERTY developer Ayala Land Inc. is selling a mixed commercial development in Ortigas City to its real estate investment trust company AREIT Inc. for P5.1 billion.

AREIT said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Friday it would acquire The 30th, a 76,000-square-meter commercial development along Meralco Avenue in Pasig City. It will be the fifth office building under AREIT’s portfolio.

AREIT said the acquisition would allow it to increase total portfolio of assets from 170,000 sq. m. to 246,000 sq. m. of gross leasable area. It will also contribute to net income and dividends in 2021, it said.

The 30th is a commercial development that was planned and developed

by Ayala Land and completed in 2017.

The office building is fully occupied predominantly by companies engaged in business process outsourcing. It includes an amenity retail podium which will be operated and leased by Ayala Land from AREIT. AREIT plans to raise up to P6.4 billion from the debt market. Among the options being considered by the company are the issuances of 10-year retail bonds, corporate notes, bilateral loans or preferred shares.

The company said it would also establish credit facilities with several banks amounting to P12 billion.

AREIT acquired an office building in Cebu also from Ayala Land for P1.45 billion in September. Teleperformance Cebu has gross leasable area of 18,092 sq. m.

The REIT firm has a portfolio of three Grade-A properties in Makati City, including Ayala North Exchange, Solaris One and McKinley Exchange.

Ayala Land, the sponsor of AREIT, owns 54 percent of the company. AREIT is the first REIT company to list with the Philippine Stock Exchange.

Jenniffer B. Austria

Sports

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

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2020

Munoz grabs PGA Zozo lead as Tiger soars to woeful 76

NLEX Road Warriors guard Kiefer Ravena (24) zips a pass to a teammate while surrounded by four Meralco Bolts defenders (from right) Allein Maliksi, Raymond Almazan, Nard Pinto and Jammer Jamito. PBA

CIGNAL is UAAP’s new TV partner CIGNAL TV is the University Athletic Association of the Philippines’ new broadcast partner, tasked to air its games for the next five and a half years, beginning with Season 83 (2020-2021).

Under such a collaboration, selected events of the UAAP will be aired live on CIGNAL’s One Sports channel and its other digital assets.

In a statement, UAAP officials said this will ensure “an engaging and expansive coverage across different multimedia platforms.”

Its affiliate network, TV5, with their combined experience in sports production, is expected provide the UAAP with a strong foundation in its efforts to promote collegiate sports in the country.

“Despite the current challenges, the league is looking forward to the partnership as a new chapter that can take the UAAP to even greater heights,” said the UAAP board of trustees in a statement.

Last September, ABS-CBN wrote the 83-year-old league to seek for the discontinuation of their broadcast agreement following the station’s failure to renew its franchise to operate from Congress.

Peter Atencio

PSC to host web series THE Philippine Sports Commission encourages women and girls to move forward from the pandemic through movement and sports.

On October 28 at 10:30 a.m., the PSC will mount its first episode of a weekly web series, Rise Up! Shape Up! The PSC presents Rise Up! Shape Up! as a campaign to motivate women and girls to integrate simple movement and workouts into their day-to-day living, especially since everyone has been cooped up indoors due to the lockdown.

“We encourage our women and girls to rise above the situation while shaping up an active lifestyle adaptive to the so-called New Normal,” said PSC Chairman William Ramirez.

Ramirez reiterated the PSC’s support to the nation’s battle with COVID-19 by encouraging women and girls to practice active living, saying that, “even the simplest physical activities such as walking can help people combat fear and the feelings of unproductivity and stagnancy that result from it. While the fear associated with the coronavirus has somehow immobilized people mentally, physically and socially.”

Player of Game Newsome carries Bolts past Warriors

By Reuel Vidal

M

ERALCO Bolts relied on a relentless defense and a methodical offense to beat the NLEX Road Warriors, 101-92, yesterday, Friday, October 23, 2020 at the Angeles University Foundation Sports Arena & Cultural Center Powered by Smart 5G. NLEX forward Anthony Semerad drained a three-pointer to cut the Meralco lead to 4 points, 94-90, with 2:25 left to play.

But Meralco’s Chris Newsome countered at the other. He drove into the paint and extended his left elbow to push NLEX defender Jericho Cruz out of the way. Newsome then converted the midrange jumper to extend the Meralco lead to six points, 96-90, with 2:03 left to play.

Kevin Alas missed a driving layup at the other end.

Newsome then found an open Allein Maliksi who drained a three-pointer to push Meralco ahead beyond recall, 9990, with a minute left to play.

Newsome finished with 18 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal and 1 block to win the Player of the Game award.

“I think it was mainly our defense.

We were really focused on defense at the floor. We did not let their offense dictate the flow of the game.

We forced them to take tough shots, cleaned up the boards and our offense

took care of itself,” said Newsome.

“It was a great opportunity for the Meralco franchise to win two games straight. For us it’s not who’s worth the most points. Not who’s Player of the Game. Everybody does his role to get the win.”

The Bolts (3 wins, 2 losses) followed up their 109-104 victory over the Magnolia Hotshots last Tuesday, October 20 to climb into a tie at fourth place with the Alaska Aces (3-2).

Leading the standings are TNT Tropang Giga (5-0), Barangay Ginebra (4-0) and Rain or Shine (3-1). Tied at sixth and seventh place are the San Miguel Beermen (2-2) and Phoenix Super LPG (2-2).

The other teams include the Blackwater Elite (2-3), Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok (1-3), NLEX (1-4), the Terrafirma Dyip (0-3) the NorthPort Batang Pier (0-4).

Jockeying for position is intense even during this early stage because only 8 teams will advance to the Quarterfinals with the bottom 4 teams being elimi-

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nated outright.

Jammer Jamito completed a threepoint play – converting a layup, drawing a fouling and making the bonus free throw – to hike the Meralco lead to 8 points, 25-17 after the first period.

The Road Warriors caught up in the second. Kevin Alas found himself open and drilled a three-pointer to tie the count, 37-all with 2:56 to go in the second period. Meralco would go on to protect a slim two-point, 41-39, advantage at halftime.

Aaron Black drained a jumper then made the bonus free throw to hike the Meralco lead to 11 points, 73-62, with 48 seconds left in the third. Kiefer Ravena countered with a three-pointer to cut Meralco advantage to 8 points, 73-65, after three quarters.

The scores: Meralco Bolts 101—Chris Newsome 18, Allein Maliksi 17, Raymond Almazan 11, Baser Amer 11, Cliff Hodge 10, Aaron Black 9, Bong Quinto 9, Jammer Jamito 7, Reynel Hugnatan 6, Trevis Jackson 3, Nard Pinto 0, Bryan Faundo 0, Raymar Jose 0.

NLEX Road Warriors 92—Kiefer Ravena 30, Anthony Semerad 16, Kevin Alas 10, Jericho Cruz 9, Kris Porter 8, Mike Ayonayon 7, JR Quiñahan 6, Raul Soyud 6, Kenneth Ighalo 0, Mike Miranda 0, Paul Varilla 0.

Quarter scores: 25-17, 41-39, 73-65, 101-92.

LOS ANGELES—Colombia’s Sebastian Munoz endured a rollercoaster round on his way to an eight-under par 64 Thursday to lead the PGA Zozo Championship while defending champion Tiger Woods struggled to a woeful 76.

The 27-year-old South American star, had two eagles, eight birdies, five pars, two bogeys and a double bogey on his trip to the top of the leaderboard after the opening round at Sherwood Country Club.

“I’ve become better with managing crazy ups and downs,” Munoz said. “I just get out of the way. At first I was like what should I do?

Should I be more calm? Should I attack more?

“I just stopped trying to play anything and just keep playing golf. It’s just one of those days. It happens.”

Woods, a 15-time major winner who defends the Masters title next month, won last year in Japan before the event was moved to suburban Los Angeles due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He suffered his worst-ever score at Sherwood by two shots from 45 rounds on a course that once hosted his charity event.

Woods, who declined to speak with the media after his round, shared 75th of 77 players in the nocut event where he hoped to win an unprecedented 83rd career US PGA title.

Instead, Woods matched his worst PGA showing on par-5 holes in any round, going 3-over with a birdie, two bogeys and a double bogey despite at 87-foot birdie putt at the par-4 14th.

Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy snapped a club in frustration on his way to a disappointing 73—seven birdies, four bogeys and two double bogeys including at 18 —over a course that surrendered low scores and birdies in binges to many players.

England’s Tyrrell Hatton and American Justin Thomas shared second on 65.

Thomas followed back-to-back birdies at five and six with bogeys on the next two holes, then fired a 29 on the back side with five birdies and an eagle on the par-5 16th.

“I drove the ball well,” Thomas said. “I really struggled reading the greens. I knew the course had some birdies out there. It was one of those nines. Then I started hitting it close and rolling the ball a little better.” AFP

Staying fit a challenge for Tropang Giga

By Peter Atencio

TNT coach Bong Ravena

STAYING hungry and staying fit are a challenge.

This is what’s confronting the TNT Tropang Giga now after they posted their fifth straight victory in the 2020 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup. “You still need to have that hunger. They know what’s at stake, what we’re here for in the bubble,” said Tropang Giga coach Bong Ravena after they repulsed Blackwater Elite, 109-96, Thursday at the Angeles University Foundation Sports Arena.

This put the Tropang Giga ahead of another unbeaten squad, the

Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings (4-0).

With many players getting injured, Ravena said the physical therapists in the team are doing a great job in keeping the likes of RR Pogoy, Kib Montalbo, JP Erram, and Jayson Castro in good shape.

This time, it was Castro who didn’t suit for the game.

Averaging 16.0 points, 5.5 assists, and 3.5 rebounds in the last four games, Castro was sidelined due to tightness in his right calf.

Erram, the Tropang Giga’s big man, is coming off a knee injury last week, while Montalbo and is recovering from plantar fasciitis after their first game.

Even without Castro, Pogoy, who

just got off a slight ankle problem, went on to show the way for TNT with 20 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and three steals.

Troy Rosario put in a doubledouble of 17 points and 12 rebounds, while Ray Parks added 18.

“We’re happy for the win. Jayson, at least he was able to rest. We cannot risk playing [him], forcing him to play,” added Ravena.

Tropang Giga finished the night with 46 percent from the field, and 13-for-35 from the three-point range.

A game against the NLEX Road Warriors will be the Tropang Giga’s next assignment on Monday.

Valientes make Zamboanga proud

DIFFERENT JOCKEY, SAME RESULT. Princess Eowyn had a different jockey

at the mount, but still came out on top as she fashioned out another smashing win in the Sampaguita Stakes Race. Ridden by star jockey JB Hernandez this time, Princess Eowyn made a move in the final 300 meters and burst in the stretch for the manylength win in the 1,800-meter race. Last year’s champ, who was then guided by jockey JB Guce, timed 1:55.6, with quartertimes of 14, 22, 23, 25 and 30 seconds.

THE Zamboanga Valientes MLV have proven themselves capable of competing in the 3x3 Pilipinas after making it to the semifinal round of the first leg of the first-ever 3x3 professional competition at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna recently.

The Valientes—the only homegrown team in the league—are hoping to improve their semifinal finish in the second leg. But nonetheless, they made Zamboanguenos proud, dedicating their achievement and hard work to them.

Owned by philantropist and businesswoman Cory Navarro and Mike Venezuela, the Valientes are composed of former Philippine Basketball Association player Rudy Lingganay, Gino Jumaoas, Med Salim, Arar de Leon and Jonjon Rebollos. They beat Sa-

ranggani, 21-19, in the elimination before defeating Palayan Capitals, 21-20.

Junnie Navarro, the son of Cory, said the Valientes were established 14 years ago to accommodate and give homegrown players of Zamboanga the chance to shine.

In fact, the Valientes started to play in a big league starting in 2006 in the National Basketball Conference and 2008 in the LIGA Pilipinas.

“Even though there are many FilipinoAmericans and ex-PBA players who like to play for us, management decided to stick to the homegrown players, that’s why all the fans from Zamboanga City are very proud of this team,” said coach Joseph Romarate.

Zamboanga lost to Butuan City, 16-21, in the semifinals.

Rudy Lingganay goes up for a lay-up

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Tech & Gadgets

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2020

rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

PayMaya One Lite revolutionizes cashless payments for SMEs

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IGITAL financial services leader PayMaya brings another innovation in digital payments for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) around the country as it introduces the PayMaya One Lite, an allin-one, pocket-sized device capable of accepting all types of digital payments, including cards, e-Wallets, and QR. Aside from being portable and compact, the smartphone-like PayMaya One Lite is completely paperless - instead of a print-out, transaction records can be sent via text message or via e-mail straight to the customer immediately upon payment. This lessens the use of paper, saving resources while ensuring that records are digitally saved for reference.

Payments accepted by the PayMaya One Lite device include Visa, Mastercard and JCB credit, debit and prepaid card payments as well as e-wallet accounts such as PayMaya QR. Soon, the PayMaya One Lite device will also be accepting Bancnet card payments and other emerging payment options such as WeChat Pay, Alipay and QR PH. With its handy features, business owners can conveniently utilize the PayMaya One Lite device to accept any form of cashless payments whether in their store, for deliveries, or when doing meetups with customers anywhere.

"We continue to respond to the evolving needs of business owners especially with the increasing consumer preference for cashless transactions. With the PayMaya One Lite all-in-one payment device, SMEs can offer the widest range of digital payment options that help ensure safer and more convenient paperless transactions for their customers," said

SMEs can now carry the convenience of cashless payments right in their pocket!

PayMaya President Shailesh Baidwan.

PayMaya has the largest install base of Android-based POS devices in the country to date, servicing the cashless payments needs of thousands of merchants. These devices allow contactless payments while enabling the widest range of payment acceptance options.

As the PayMaya One device is Androidbased, software updates are done overthe-air by PayMaya so businesses can accept future types of payments without disruption.

The PayMaya One Lite is just the latest offering in PayMaya's end-to-end suite of cashless payment acceptance solutions available for businesses and merchants of all sizes today. On top of this, merchants can also deploy the PayMaya One device in their physical stores and

branches, or in self-ordering kiosks; the PayMaya Checkout payment gateway for their e-Commerce sites; PayMaya Payment Links for sending of invoices via email, chat or SMS; and Digital QR for small businesses and casual sellers online, among many others.

Interested businesses can now signify their interest to get a PayMaya One Lite device by visiting http://enterprise.PayMaya.com today.

PayMaya is the only end-to-end digital payments ecosystem enabler in the Philippines with platforms and services that cut across consumers, merchants, and government. Aside from providing payments acceptance for the largest e-Commerce, food, retail and gas merchants in the Philippines, PayMaya enables national and social services agencies as well as local

government units with digital payments and disbursement services.

Through its app and wallet, PayMaya provides millions of Filipinos with the fastest way to own a financial account with over 57,000 Add Money touchpoints nationwide.

Its Smart Padala by PayMaya network of over 30,000 partner touchpoints nationwide serves as last mile digital financial hubs in communities, providing the unbanked and underserved with access to services. To know more about PayMaya's products and services, visit http://www.PayMaya.com or follow @ PayMayaOfficial on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

PayMaya One Lite Vide o — h t t p s : / / w w w. y o u t u b e . c o m / watch?v=VWXt6ivr6A0

Learning made easy, fun with SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab A7 SAMSUNG makes online learning comfortable, fun, and accessible to everyone with the launch of the new Galaxy Tab A7, which hits stores nationwide starting today, October 23, 2020.

The new Galaxy Tab A7 offers parents and children an immersive 10.4” WUXGA+ display and quad speakers by Dolby Atmos. Combined with a slim and balanced design, the tablet is easy to use for learning at home. Meanwhile, easily power through any virtual lesson or activity with the tablet’s long-lasting 7,040mAh battery. The new location of the front camera also optimizes every online class and video call session.

To make learning at home even more fun, the Galaxy Tab A7 has Samsung Kids—a feature on the tablet which safely introduces children to the digital world through a range of age-appropriate and family-friendly content. It also allows parents to control their children’s screen time.

Maintaining a safe and secure digital learning environment for families is also very important to Samsung. That’s why they introduced Knox, which provides defensegrade security. It protects users' private data as well as encourages effective and appropriate device usage. The tablet can also be synced to any

Galaxy smartphone for easier and safer data sharing, whether for sending notes, reminders, or presentations.

PLDT, Smart fortify cybersecurity protocols HAVE you received an email warning you that your subscription to a work tool will expire soon?

Hopefully, you didn’t click the link that took you to an obscure website asking for your personal information. That could have been phishing.

With more people logging on into the internet for work or for study, hackers have also doubled down on their schemes to lure users into giving up their valuable data. Cyber criminals are baiting employees who are working at home with phishing emails to steal valuable information that can be used to penetrate a company’s defenses.

Lately, they have trained their sights on Microsoft Office 365 users who use the platform for their daily work activities.

In the second quarter of this year, PLDT and its wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) blocked 10 million emails sent to their employees every month that were laced with cyber threats.

“Attackers mask their emails with seemingly legitimate corporate messages to deliver phishing and other social engineering schemes. Hackers often bait employees with credential reset notices or deactivation warnings,” said Angel Redoble, Chief Information Security Officer and First Vice President at PLDT, ePLDT and Smart. He added that quarantined messages, password expiry, and reaching storage limits were among the common themes hackers used as bait.

So how do you filter out phishing

expeditions from legitimate emails? Remember this acronym - FALSE. File Attachments Phishing emails usually come with unnecessary attachments that are unrelated to the message.

Attention grabbing messages These include warnings, freebies and offers that sound too good to be true.

Links When you click on the link, you will be brought to a website asking you to key in your personal data, as well as your password.

Sender is unknown If you look closely on these messages, you would notice that they’re often sent by illegitimate sources.

Element of time Malicious emails usually present victims with a false sense of urgency.

Be on the lookout for incorrect logos too.

Grammatical errors and misspelled words are also red flags.

“To match these waves of technological innovations, the PLDT group has started adopting cybersecurity capabilities that combine real-time or near-real-time monitoring or detection, with those that provide automated incident response and intelligent forensic analysis,” Redoble explained. He added that the telco has significantly invested in cybersecurity measures to protect critical infrastructure, customers, employees and partners.

The Galaxy Tab A7 also comes with preinstalled Google apps and Google Play Store, which offer numerous educational platforms designed for learning. Whether it's an e-book, a learning app, an interactive game, or an educational show, the tablet provides learners unlimited possibilities. They also have access to countless educational content via pre-installed apps like Youtube, Spotify, and Netflix.

Customers can now get their hands on the Galaxy Tab A7 with ease through a variety of promos. Those who purchase a Galaxy Tab A7 until October 31, 2020 are entitled to P1,000 off on Samsung Care+ in participating stores, and P1,000 off on the Book Cover or Galaxy Buds+ with every purchase of the tablet. Customers can also enjoy flexible payment terms with 0% interest for up to 12 months when they use their credit card from Banco De Oro (BDO), Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), Philippine National Bank (PNB), Citibank, Metrobank, and Security Bank.

Get easier access to online learning with the new Samsung Galaxy Tab A7. With a retail price of P16,990, the tablet is now available nationwide and comes in the stunning colors Dark Gray and Gold.

To know more about the Galaxy Tab A7, visit samsung.com/ph/.

Schneider Electric calls for students’ innovative ideas for smarter, more sustainable future SCHNEIDER Electric, the global leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation, acknowledges that energy is a basic human right and continually develops new technologies to enhance the lives of people around the world. The company recognizes the urgent need for bold ideas that can reshape a smarter and more sustainable future for everyone.

Schneider Go Green, Schneider Electric’s global student competition, presents an opportunity for students around the world to showcase innovative and disruptive ideas that push the boundaries of what is possible for energy management. This edition of Schneider Go Green is presented in collaboration with AVEVA, the global leader in engineering and industrial software, driving digital transformation across the entire asset and operations life cycle of capital-intensive industries.

Qualified students have now until March 7, 2021 to submit their ideas related to one of five identified within energy management: Access to Energy: Enabling universal access to energy in an environmentally sustainable manner; Homes of the Future: Creating buildings that are smarter, more sustainable, and integrated with new technologies; Plants of the Future: Applying IoT, AI, Machine Learning, and more to the industries of the present or future; Grids of the Future: Imagining the future of energy management and distribution; and De[coding] the Future: Envisioning future approaches to design, engineering, and construction of assets in the future.

Schneider Go Green is open to students who are at least on their sophomore year of their Bachelor’s degrees pursuing their Master’s degrees. Interested applicants are required to form a pair to join and must meet the following criteria: Students registered in a program in Engineering, Business, Computer Science, Mathematics, Sciences, Marketing, or Innovation are eligible.

In line with Schneider Electric’s Diversity & Inclusion philosophy, at least one team member must be female.

Teams must be proficient in English, as the Grand Finale pitch will be presented in English.

To enter, teams must register at https://gogreen.se.com/ and upload a 10-slide PowerPoint presentation stating their objectives and original ideas.

Presentations will be judged based on: Innovation: Does the proposal introduce a new, creative, innovative, unique, and/or compelling solution to the case?

Feasibility: Is the proposed idea both technically and economically feasible for competition? How does it fit with Schneider Electric’s current mission?

The winning team will be announced by mid-March and will represent the Philippines in the Asia-Pacific finals. They will also receive mentorship from Schneider Electric experts to polish their idea. The Asia-Pacific finalists will then compete in the global finals on June 2021 The global champions will be awarded a trip to one of the following cities: Boston, London, Paris, Shanghai, or New Delhi, where they will visit Schneider Electric’s offices, network with employees, and interact with high-level management.

Lark best work-from-home tool

IF THERE'S one thing we can be sure of with everything that's happened the past couple of months, is that remote work is here to stay.

The abrupt shift to working from home has required employers and employees alike to learn how to work efficiently while remaining flexible.

Time management skills, discipline and focus are essential now, more than ever, in order to stay productive.

For leaders, there has been a need to revisit strategies, and come up with ways to keep employees motivated and connected while physically apart. Businesses have also needed to find tools that can make remote work easier for everyone, such as Lark.

Lark offers fully-integrated features for seamless collaboration. Designed to bring teams together, Lark has combined multiple collaboration tools—Chat, Calendar, and Docs—in one robust platform.

For video embed: youtube.com/ watch?v=l-zojLyMMRc&t=10s Work anywhere with Lark Set up your virtual office and stay connected with Lark. Easily check up on the members of your team using Lark Messenger any time during the work day. From here, anyone can launch an audio or video call for discussions with a single colleague or a group, by simply clicking on the camera icon right in the chat window. This helps save time,

since there is no need to switch to a different app or create a whole new group for the meeting.

Keep team members connected virtually. Lark's video call feature is ideal for town halls and companywide presentations. Lark offers unlimited video call minutes, and can accommodate up to 100 participants in a single call.

During video calls, sharing a screen or a document helps ensure that the entire team is, virtually, on the same page, and able to follow along with the presenter’s discussion.

Within the video call window, team members can simultaneously edit a shared document while the call is in progress, to make notes and necessary revisions, insert action points, or enumerate next steps.

Using Lark Docs, remote workers can open, read, and add comments to documents and sheets. When realtime feedback is needed, colleagues can tag one another using the @ sign. With this virtual nudge, a message is sent to each tagged team member through chat, notifying them that their attention is needed, and identifying the exact section of the document they need to work on, eliminating any guesswork.

An all-in-one software solution for gettingwork done Also integrated within Lark Chat

and Lark Docs is Lark Calendar. Here, events are created by simply clicking the plus sign. Within each event, a chat group may be launched even before the meeting takes place, in case there is a need for introductions or pre-meeting huddles. This way, once the meeting begins, everyone can get right to the topic at hand, helping to boost productivity and efficiency.

Through its special smart search feature, Lark enables team members to quickly and easily find contacts, chats, calendar events, docs, and email messages using a single search toolbar. Plus, for clear and efficient cross-cultural communication, Lark offers a real-time translator feature, with over 300 languages available. This is necessary in today’s interconnected world, to allow collaboration to continue beyond borders.

All work materials are easy to access anytime, anywhere, and on any device when using Lark. Everything is conveniently stored in the cloud.

Lark protects the privacy of its users through an AWS certification, which complies with the strictest rules regarding cloud computing.

The security of files, information, and communications are assured, so that everyone’s focus can remain on getting work done.

Tech & Gadgets

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2020

Huawei unveils most powerful Mate line-up

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UAWEI Consumer Business Group on Thursday bolstered its product line-up with the advanced HUAWEI Mate 40 Series, the latest revolutionary flagship smartphones that empower users to leap further ahead. Showcasing the pinnacle of Huawei technology, the new Series reinforces Huawei’s dedication to innovation and its unrelenting determination to create the best Mate ever.

The HUAWEI Mate 40 Series has the Mate Series DNA at its core. Over the last eight years, there have been 10 outstanding generations of Mate Series devices and now the latest flagship smartphones take Mate to new heights with the best technology in the industry.

From powerful performance to unique user interactions, everything about the HUAWEI Mate 40 Series has been fine-tuned to provide the most exciting smartphone experience possible. HUAWEI Mate 40 Pro and HUAWEI Mate 40 Pro+ incorporate the world’s first 5 nanometer 5G SoC, Ultra Vision Cine Camera system and the iconic Space Ring Design, as well as a smarter, more attentive digital experience.

Richard Yu, Executive Director and CEO of Huawei Consumer BG said: “Each year the HUAWEI Mate Series brings the most exciting technology together into one stunning package. This is what defines the Mate Series DNA and is all made possible by our dedication to innovation. In these unprecedented times, we remain committed to creating a better future, with innovative technology that delivers a positive and meaningful impact on the lives of consumers. In the future, we will continue working closely with our partners to bring the Seamless AI Life experience to consumers all around the world.”

40 Pro+ devices carry a small front camera cut-out, which is packed full of technology, with 3D Face Unlock, an Ultra Vision Selfie Camera and Smart Gesture Control.

Turn the devices over and you will see that the HUAWEI Mate 40 Series adopts the Space Ring Design, an evolution of the HUAWEI Mate Series’ iconic circular and symmetrical design. HUAWEI Mate 40 and HUAWEI Mate 40 Pro are available in Black and White, as well as an enchanting Mystic Silver, a finish with a colour-shifting effect that evokes the mysteries of the unseen. There are also two vegan leather variants, Yellow and Green. Meanwhile, HUAWEI Mate 40 Pro+ features an exquisite nano-tech ceramic back panel available in two iconic colours: Ceramic White and Ceramic Black.

immersive gaming. The 90Hz display Leap further ahead works together with 240Hz touch samwith Kirin 9000 setting a new standard for performance pling rate for greater responsiveness

Powering the best Mate ever, the Kirin 9000 Series is fully equipped for 5G, capable of handling intensive computations and multi-tasking operations with ease. Embedded in HUAWEI Mate 40 Pro and HUAWEI Mate 40 Pro+, the Kirin 9000 is the most sophisticated 5nm 5G SoC available, delivering vastly improved performance and power efficiency over its predecessor. For the first time ever, the flagship 5G SoC has more than 15.3 billion transistors, making it the densest and most full-featured 5G SoC to date. The powerful CPU features a three-level power efficiency architecture with cores running at clock frequencies of up to 3.13GHz. Also integrated into the SoC is a 24-core MaliG78 GPU, as well as an innovative NPU featuring two big cores and one tiny core, taking on-device AI to a new level.

The 24-core Mali-G78 GPU in HUAWEI Mate 40 Pro and HUAWEI Mate 40 Pro+ is the most powerful GPU ever seen on a Huawei device.

This delivers advanced graphics performance and is complemented by an amazing audio visual experience for

and now provides haptic feedback to correspond with the visual experience.

This entertainment set-up is completed with dual stereo speakers to create experiences with super bass stereo.

The HUAWEI Mate 40 Series is also equipped with the battery technology that is needed to keep up with the demands of 5G, supporting the fastest iteration of HUAWEI SuperCharge.

Leap further ahead with an all-round imaging system engineered to make photography simple

The camera system on the HUAWEI Mate 40 Series has been coengineered with Leica to provide the best camera solution possible and sees breakthrough upgrades to the ultrawide angle lens, powerful high-definition main camera, impressive telephoto camera and more. With the Dual Cine Cameras and Dual Ultra Wide Cameras on HUAWEI Mate 40 Pro and HUAWEI Mate 40 Pro+, users can capture amazing wide angle videos and images from both the front-and rear-facing cameras.

Leap further ahead with the iconic Space Ring Design

Marrying iconic design with innovative technology, HUAWEI Mate 40 Pro and HUAWEI Mate 40 Pro+ are informed by the design principle that form manifests function. The uncompromised design of the HUAWEI 88° Horizon Display creates an immersive viewing experience in a compact package, while the silky curve also means the devices are comfortable to hold. The handsets also offer IP 68 dust and water resistance, a choice of both virtual and physical volume controls and enhanced mistouch prevention algorithms.

Objects of sheer beauty, the HUAWEI Mate 40 Pro and HUAWEI Mate

Richard Yu, Executive Director and CEO of Huawei Consumer BG said: “Each year the HUAWEI Mate Series brings the most exciting technology together into one stunning package.

Free versions of Coursera for Campus, upgrades set COURSERA, the world’s leading online learning platform, announced free versions of Coursera for Campus and upgraded features to address the critical and long-term needs of higher education worldwide.

New features allow universities to deliver academic integrity for credit-bearing online learning, improve student employability, and author private courses. Today’s announcement builds on the momentum of the Campus Response Initiative, which was launched in March to give students and faculty free access to Coursera for Campus during pandemic-related closures. Currently, more than 3,700 institutions use Coursera for Campus to deliver online learning to over 2.4 million students.

“The pandemic has been a catalyst for universities to make online learning the core of their student experience,” said Jeff Maggioncalda, Coursera CEO. “We’ve grown from 30 universities using Coursera for Campus to over 3,700 in just seven months, and these upgrades will help them better deliver for-credit online learning and job-relevant skills for their students.”

With three offerings, Coursera for Campus is committed to supporting students and institutions in every stage of online learning: The Student plan gives every university student free access to unlimited Guided Projects for hands-on learning and one course annually*. Like all learners on the Coursera platform, students can gain job-relevant skills at their own pace with mobile and offline access. They will also have access to the online help center.

The Basic plan provides up to 20,000 free student licenses to every university. Every license includes access to unlimited Guided Projects and one course annually*. This long-term free offering includes basic plagiarism deterrence features and

access to the online help center.

The Institution plan provides unlimited Guided Projects and unlimited course enrollments for each student license. It also enables universities to author, grade, and manage for-credit online learning programs with enhanced academic integrity.

The upgraded features of Coursera for Campus enable universities to: Deliver credit-bearing online learning with advanced academic integrity features As universities look to build long-term online learning programs for students, they must ensure their experience meets the academic rigor of campus learning. Coursera for Campus now offers academic integrity features that enable universities to deliver credit-bearing online learning.

Faculty can now administer secure, high-stakes exams and detect plagiarism in assignments on Coursera for Campus. It supports online proctoring with integrations like ProctorU and allows exams to be timed and scheduled. Over the next few months, Coursera will enhance exam security with third-party ID verification tools. For assignments, integrations with tools like Turnitin auto-detect plagiarism for both students and graders. Students can check their Similarity Score before submitting an assignment.

Faculty can view all suspected and confirmed plagiarism incidents in Gradebooks. The platform also supports plagiarism deterrence by disabling URL sharing and copying of peer reviews.

Question Banks make it easy to author rigorous, custom assessments at scale. Faculty can create assessments with any combination of auto-graded multiple choice and manually-graded essay questions. They can privately author questions and randomize them based on learning objective and difficulty level. This feature will roll out widely by the end of the year.

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UnionBank digitizing corporate clients LAST October 20, Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) held the fifth installment of its E-TalkTales series wherein Head of Transaction Banking Mon Duarte discussed the Bank’s various transaction banking solutions, particularly The Portal, its all-digital banking platform for corporate clients.

Duarte began the discussion by differentiating UnionBank’s Transaction Banking solutions, which he defined as simply offering customized solutions to help digitize our corporate clients. Traditional transaction banking helps manage flow of funds by facilitating collections and payments, overthe-counter check deposits, to the provision of armored car services for high cash transaction situations, among others.

The main focus of Duarte's discussion was UnionBank's The Portal, its digital banking platform specially designed for corporate clients. Offering a host of solutions that include bills payments, payroll, fund transfers, check writing services, merchant payment gateway systems, and credit facilities, The Portal provides corporations with all their essential banking needs in a single platform.

Knowing that each corporate entity has needs and priorities that are uniquely theirs, UnionBank designed The Portal in a way that allows it to provide utmost flexibility to clients, making it the preferred platform for those who don't want the onesize-fits-all approach of most competitors when it comes to the corporate banking solutions they offer.

Part of the flexibility offered by The Portal comes by way of various customization options available to clients. Depending on the current needs of their organization, clients can choose only the solutions that they want to avail of at the moment, and then adjust later on.

To make it easier, the Bank created a number of packaged solutions based on what it thinks would make sense for clients, which they can avail of anytime via The Portal website.

Another key feature of The Portal in terms of flexibility is the possible configurations for transaction approvals. With this feature, corporates will be able to establish a specific maker-checker process for each transaction made by their team members. This will give them free control over who can make which transaction, as well as the maximum amount for each transaction depending on who makes it, among others.

Technology, silver lining of education during pandemic THE COVID-19 pandemic has led to the evolution of education and has underscored the important role of customization, technology, and mobile devices in learning continuity in the country.

This was one of the key discussion points at the recently concluded virtual round table “Education During Trying Times” hosted by the Philippine Press Institute, which brought together stakeholders from the Department of Education (DepEd), the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) and the country’s telco companies, including PLDT and Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart).

“We are in an era of technology and digitalization. Let us maximize all of these and continue to help each other and find solutions to the challenges being faced by the education sector,” said Dr. Dr Ethel Agnes P. Valenzuela, SEAMEO secretariat director, who likewise discussed the state of Philippine education vis-a-vis that of the country’s ASEAN neighbors.

As the leading digital services companies Philippines, PLDT and its wireless unit Smart are in a unique position to promote technology in learning.

Working closely with the DepEd, PLDT and Smart have rolled out platforms to aid learning in the new normal.

“We have provided a slew of solutions that can be used for different teaching modalities to support DepEd’s Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan (BELCP),” said Stephanie Orlino, PLDTSmart AVP for Community partnerships.

According to Jesus Lorenzo R. Mateo, DepEd Usec. for Planning, Human Resource and Organizational

Development, and Field Operations, “The BE-LCP is guided by certain principles of governance—the safety of our teachers, students and employees and the contextualization of teaching modalities to ensure learning continuity.”

“For online, we have device and connectivity partnerships with Google and Microsoft, prepaid Giga Study bundles that our mobile users can subscribe to, and the Gabay Guro app which can be used by teachers, students, and even parents. For the modular approach, materials of our crisis-resilient methodology—the Central Visayan Institute Foundation-Dynamic Learning Program (CVIF-DLP), are now available at the DepEd Commons. Our broadcast unit, Cignal, is also streaming content for the DepEd. And, to reach offgrid, last mile schools, we have the Schoolin-a-Bag,” Orlino added.

“Scarcity has challenged us to be more

creative. Our educators have become more innovative and resourceful in communicating with their learners. We welcome this openness to innovation and encourage stakeholders to continue to share and showcase their strategies that can make a difference in Philippine education,” said Diosdado M. San Antonio, DepEd Usec. for Curriculum and Instruction.

Just recently, Smart turned over to the DepEd, 15 units of the School-in-a-Bag, a portable digital classroom designed to support distance learning, even in remote areas without electricity and internet connectivity. Specially designed for online learning under the new normal, each water-resistant backpack contains a laptop, a Smart pocket WiFi kit, 20 student tablets that are pre-loaded with educational content—including mother tongue-based literacy apps and modules of CVIF-DLP.

A fusion of irony, design, watches and photography D1 MILANO, an Italian manufacturer of premium watches, presents the KODACHROME Analog Watch Limited Edition. Developed under a licensing agreement with KODAK; the American giant in the production of cinematographic films, the KODACHROME Analog Watch will be a special collection unveiling this Fall 2020.

This new collection beguiled Filipino watch enthusiasts during the exclusive digital premiere on September 29.

CEO and Founder of D1 Milano, Dario Sapallone, and local celebrity and fashion photographer, Jack AK to D O K Alindahao, attended the virtual event h it h tes w collabora ME Analog Watc o and talked about everything they are n a il M O D1 HR e KO D A C most passionate about: watches and n. present th Limited Editio photography.

The source of inspiration is derived from KODAK Cameras; particularly the revolutionary "KODAK BROWNIE Holiday Edition Camera" (1954-1962), which introduced the snapshot to the masses during the twentieth century, thanks to its simplicity and accessibility.

The KODACHROME Analog Watch is named after the first successful colour reversal film introduced by Eastman Kodak Company in 1935 and aims to draw a connection to the history of vintage cameras and rollers.

The black polycarbonate in contrast to the red and yellow dial, reflects the playful soul of this world-famous brand, while staying true to the DNA of D1 Milano.

Stemming from a fusion between irony and design, this collaboration places a strong focus on attention to detail, as showcased by a unique watch dial that references a camera lens.

The packaging for this special edition has also embarked on a complete transformation, in order to

recreate the same experience a customer encounters in the world of cameras, while also respecting the identity and design of the KODACHROME Analog Watch. The watch will be contained in a logoengraved aluminium cylinder; an innovation drawn from past film canisters, and alongside it will be a disposable KODAK Single Use Camera featuring customised D1 Milano graphics.

The Polycarbon KODACHROME Analog Watch Limited Edition presents a metal bezel in a black PVD finish, and a 40.5mm diameter case made of polycarbonate material with a soft touch finish. The glass dial of the watch features a convex lens on the date, which is characterised by the lenses of KODAK Cameras.

This model holds a water resistance of up to 5 ATM. It will be available from the 24th of September on https://d1milano.com/, and in some selected retailers at a price of $255/€ 230.

Motoring

RAMON L. TOMELDAN Editor

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2020

Hamilton seeks record 92nd win on F1’s return to Portugal

FATE OF THE FAST AND FURIOUS?

Pinoy racers see action in GR Supra Cup finals T HE fate of the Philippines’ top GR Supra online racers will be determined this weekend, as they bid for the grand title at the GR Supra GT Cup Asia regional finals.

Team Philippines, composed of Terence Lallave, Lance Padilla, and Jose Altoveros will be racing with 12 other GR Supra GT Cup Asia national winners coming from India, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. The series’ e-Motorsport champion will be proclaimed after three rounds or races on the Fuji Speedway, Tokyo Expressway East Outer Loop, and Nurburgring Nordschleife.

The regional final of the GR Supra GT Cup Asia hosted by Toyota Motor Asia Pacific (TMAP) under the umbrella of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing motorsport activities can be watched by Filipino sup-

porters online this October 25 at 7:00 pm (PH time) via Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP)’s Facebook page www.facebook. com/ToyotaMotorPhilippines.

Team Philippines’ story began at the GR Supra GT Cup Asia Philippines TMP’s first ever e-Motorsport tournament that had hundreds of Filipino online racers competing via GR Supra on Gran Turismo Sport to earn the chance to represent the country at the regional-level challenge.

“We have followed Team Philippines’ journey right from our local qualifying and final rounds and we have seen their

determination and indomitable spirit,” said Elijah Marcial, TMP’s Vice President for Marketing Services. “I am confident Terence, Lance, and Jose will not let us down at the regional finals, and they will give their best for the Philippines.”

In preparation for the finals, TMP through its race management partner Tuason Racing conducted couple of training sessions for the drivers to prepare them for the tracks and to foster their race strategies. TMP also sought the help of PLDT Enterprise to provide internet connectivity for the three players during the race with the other Asian teams.

Filipino fans can support and cheer the Team Philippines during the online broadcast via messages of support with the hashtags #GRSupraGTCupAsia and #TeamPhilippines. More information about the e-Motorsport series can be viewed at the One Esports website: https://www. oneesports.gg/grsupragtcupasia2020/ .

Hyundai Starex ambulances fan out to far-flung hospitals EIGHTEEN Hyundai STAREX Cargo ambulance units complete with medical equipment were handed over to the Department of Health-Mimaropa by Hyundai Asia Resources Inc. These units make up the first batch of the 47 destined for the regions, and count among the close to 150 customized Hyundai Starex ambulances that passed the muster of the DOH and its adjunct agencies for mobilization in different parts of the country to ensure that essential services for non-communicable diseases are efficiently delivered amid the nationwide battle against COVID-19.

According to Director Dr. Mario Baquilod, OIC Regional Director of the DOH Center for Health Development MIMAROPA, land ambulances are critical to providing health services in hardto-reach areas of the Region which is largely made up of long stretches of land.

More units are scheduled for turnover to the DOH regional offices in Davao, NCR, and Cagayan Valley towards the end of the year.

The undisputed space, comfort, power, stability, and durability of the Hyundai Starex has made it not only the vehicle of choice of Filipino families, but also as

a versatile people and cargo mover.

“We are happy to see our vehicles repurposed to serve the Filipino’s multiple needs, particularly in the area of health services in far-flung government hospitals,” said HARI President and CEO Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo. “It is quite fitting that the most beloved family van of Fili-

pinos has evolved to save more lives and serve more families on a daily basis.”

At the height of the pandemic, the Biyahe ng Bayani COVID response program of H.A.R.I. Foundation, Inc. (HFI) deployed Grand Starex and H350 units to offer free shuttle rides to thousands of health workers in Metro Manila, Southern and Northern Luzon. Under the Hyundai Ligtas Biyahe program, HARI mobilized its first COVID-ready Modern Jeepneys to support the Department of Transportation’s ongoing Libreng Sakay program for health workers.

Agudo said that HARI and its nationwide dealership fortress continue to closely monitor the country’s health situation in order to discover more innovative ways to assist the public, flatten the curve, and bring the economy back on its feet

LEWIS Hamilton and Mercedes seek to continue their record-making progress as Formula One escapes in search of some autumnal sunshine at this weekend’s Portuguese Grand Prix at the Algarve International Circuit.

Two weeks after shivering at the Nurburgring where the six-time champion drew level with Michael Schumacher on 91 wins, the travelling circus hopes also to avoid any contact with the growing second wave of Covid-19 across Europe.

The local organisers of the race, which marks Portugal’s return to the calendar for the first time in 24 years since Jacques Villeneuve’s stirring victory at Estoril in 1996 and Portimao’s debut as an F1 race circuit, said there will be 27,500 spectators at the track each day under strictly-controlled conditions.

Little more than a week after Racing Point’s Canadian driver Lance Stroll was revealed to have tested positive for coronavirus after falling ill and missing the Eifel Grand Prix, there is understandable concern at so many attending.

The lure of seeing Hamilton win a record 92nd race and Mercedes take an unprecedented seventh constructors’ championship is a major attraction, though the team’s triumph and celebrations are likely to be delayed by at least a week to the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.

Hamilton has a simple goal to claim his record win, but Mercedes need to outscore Red Bull by 40 points, a feat that would require a near perfect showing and a flop from Max Verstappen. AFP

Hamilton, presented with one of Michael Schumacher’s helmets at Nurburgring, seeks to claim record outright.

FASTLANE

Dual role for Castrol Magnatec WHETHER it’s for work, travel or the family, personal cars play a crucial role for many Filipinos as it enables the mobility they need to best provide for themselves and their loved ones.

The heavy reliance on personal cars however, makes them more vulnerable to engine damage due to the increased stress from traffic and the wear and tear from regular use. Castrol Magnatec with breakthrough Dualock Technology is engineered for the task, providing car owners with non-stop engine protection for a variety of vehicles and fuel types - both while running and at rest.

During engine stop or rest, the oil cools down and drains to the sump.

When the engine starts up, where nearly 75% of engine wear occurs, it takes approximately 20-minutes for it to reach optimal engine temperature. At the same time, critical engine components are lacking oil and are most vulnerable to damage. Combine this with the common issue of traffic, it causes drivers to

experience more stop-start driving, and you have an engine that faces up to 66% in added stress on critical components from extended periods of idling.

With the overwhelming challenges that drivers and their car engines face, Castrol Magnatec with industry leading Dualock Technology equips today’s Filipino with complete engine protection throughout the driving process, from running until the time it stops drastically reducing damage from both warm up and stop-start wear by up to 50%. It is available in three variations.

“Castrol Magnatec is designed to protect the everyday Filipino driver, ensuring that their engines are at peak performance at all times. This is especially relevant with today’s uncertainty brought by the pandemic, as complete protection and reliability gives them the much needed confidence to conquer the challenges that lay ahead,” said Maria Tañada, Castrol Philippines Country Sales Director.

Castrol Magnatec Stop-Start is engineered for both gasoline and diesel engines, and uses synthetic technology (fully synthetic) with a 5W-30 viscosity. It comes in 1-liter and 4-liter packs, and is most effective for vehicles such as Toyota Vios, Toyota Yaris, Toyota Corolla Altis, Toyota Camry, Toyota Wigo, Toyota Alphard, Toyota Rush, Toyota Avanza, Toyota FJ Cruiser, Toyota Fortuner, Toyota Hiace, Toyota Hilux, Toyota Innova, Toyota Land Cruiser, Toyota RAV4, Honda Accord, Honda Brio, Honda BR-V, Honda City, Honda Civic, Honda HR-V, Honda Jazz, Honda Mobilio, Honda CR-V, Honda Odyssey, Honda Pilot, Ford Escape, Ford Everest, Ford Expedition, Ford Explorer, Ford Ranger, Ford Ranger Raptor, Ford EcoSport, Ford Fiesta, Ford Focus, Ford Mustang, Subaru Forester, Subaru Outback, Subaru XV, Subaru Impreza, Subaru Legacy, Subaru Levorg, Subaru WRX, Mazda 2, Mazda 3, Mazda 6, Mazda MX-5, Mazda BT-50, Mazda CX-3, Mazda CX-5, and Mazda CX-9.