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VOL. XXXV • NO. 25 • 2 SECTIONS 8 PAGES • P18 • SUNDAY, MARCH 7, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

CAREFREE AT THE BEACH. Friends happily board a banana boat at a long beach resort in Noveleta, Cavite on Saturday, as others try to beat the rising summer heat along the grey sands with their families (inset), all seemingly unmindful of the rising cases of the coronavirus disease in the past few weeks. JR Josue

Virus surge filling up hospitals Outbreak causing ‘Level 5’ event at PGH; NKTI stops admitting patients

By Willie Casas and Joel E. Zurbano

OME top hospitals in the National Capital Region (NCR) have started to feel the effects of a surge in the number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

This as the country logged Saturday 3,439 new cases of COVID, which is the highest for the year, bringing the total infections to 591,138, the Department of Health reported. The figures did not include nine laboratories that were not able to submit their data to the COVID-19 Document Repository System on March 5. According to the Philippine General Hospital in Manila, they have reported more than 100 new cases. There were 104 cases at the PGH as of Thursday. Fifteen healthcare workers at the PGH Hospital Infection Control Unit tested positive for COVID-19 from March 1 to March 4, 10 of them from coworkers or from “eating together.” The PGH’s outpatient department had to be temporarily closed due to the increase in cases The March 1 to March 4 figure compares with 15 in the whole month of December, 18 in January and 17 in February.

“One thing we noticed is that at least 15 healthcare workers had COVID over a short period of time, within a week,” PGH spokesperson Dr. Jonas Del Rosario said, noting it was nearly equal to the monthly total from December 2020 to February 2021. “So that also raised a red flag that it might be that the UK and the S.A., South African variant is (sic) already in PGH,” he added. The Standard also learned from reliable sources that the National Kidney and Transplant Institute will stop admitting patients as long as COVID cases are surging, as some of their doctors and staff have been infected. Isolation rooms are also at full capacity across Metro Manila, they added. Interns at PGH were also sent home immediately as officials of the premier government hospital sought to shift to “full remote mode” until further notice. The outbreak at the hospital was classified as a “Level 5” event and was in line

with previous projections of a March outbreak, PGH sources told the Standard. Officials advised the staff to be extremely cautious going forward and recommended them to get vaccinated as soon as possible. New variants Meanwhile, one of the country’s top epidemiologists, who serves in a government body managing the pandemic, said new variants of the COVID-19 virus could be causing the surge in infections as the Department of Health recorded 3,045 additional cases on Friday. The figure is the second highest daily uptick in infections in five months after the government eased restrictions on travel, business establishments and mass gatherings. At an online press briefing, Dr. John Wong, a member of the technical working group on data analytics of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, said that “one evidence that the variants could be causing this surge is we detected the variants just before cases start to rise.” “So there’s some indirect evidence that the variants are causing this surge,” he said. “We should encourage the public to take precautions.”

The reports did not say what variants of the coronavirus had afflicted its 15 healthcare workers. “Because of the observed surge in cases of HCW and patient admissions, we will be sending all positive swabs for genomic sequencing to the Philippine Genome Center,” the reports said. Wong was referring to the UK and the highly transmissible South African variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the severe respiratory disease. He said developments involving the new COVID-19 variants should be a cause for public concern. “The number of cases you see now should not be seen as sort of the maximum number of people or patients who have the variant. There could be more than that,” Wong said. Spike in cases The Department of Health is attributing the recent spike in COVID-19cases in the country to people’s failure to comply with minimum health standards that seek to prevent infection. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said this in a public press briefing Saturday, adding that the presence of more transmissible coronavirus variants in the country was just “aggravating factors” in the rising number of cases.

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM MARCH 6)

591,138 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

3,439 43,323 NEW

ACTIVE

12,465

535,350

160

DEATHS

RECOVERIES

NEW

“We need to change public perception about this. Yes, we have detected variants, but we need to also see that we did not comply with health protocols. So if we see continuous violations of health guidance, definitely, the cases will rise. And the variants are just aggravating factors,” she said.

DOH studying sanctions on gov’t officials jumping vaccine lines 38k AstraZeneca By Willie Casas and Maricel V. Cruz THE Department of Health is studying what possible sanctions could be imposed against government officials and other individuals who got vaccinated against COVID-19 although they are not on the priority list as the supply of jabs in the country remains limited. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, in a press briefing, said they were studying sanctions such as possible administrative cases against erring officials, as health workers are supposed to be priority for vaccination. “That is being discussed right now. So, possible that there are administrative cases,

possible sanctions, and possible violations based on our existing policies,” Vergeire said, without mentioning any government official. Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque earlier said Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority public services head Michael Salalima were prompted to get vaccinated at the Pasay General Hospital. This, as government’s inoculation drive went underway with the arrival of COVID-19 jabs from China’s Sinovac. A new batch of vaccines, this time by AstraZeneca, arrived on Thursday through the vaccine-sharing COVAX facility. In good faith In a briefing Thursday, Roque said the said officials received the shots “in

good faith.” “The two, in good faith, thought that they were doing the nation a service by having themselves vaccinated because vaccine distrust is still high,” he said in a televised press briefing beamed nationwide. With the arrival of vaccine doses from AstraZeneca, Vergeire warned that the doses must be allotted to front line health workers, following COVAX guidelines, to avoid “jeopardizing” the agreement set between the Philippines and the global vaccine-sharing platform. “If we commit violations, this might jeopardize the succeeding supplies to be given by the COVAX facility. So we appeal to the public: we will all have our turn. Allow the hospitals, health workers to receive the vaccines,” Vergeire said.

ARTIST STEPS OUT OWNING A SPACE AT CASSY & JOAQUIN’S OF THE BEDROOM CENTURY PROPERTIES MANY FIRSTS That was the case with 21-year-old Brian Ilustrisimo Razon, a selfavowed “bedroom artist.”

THE thought of coming home to your own space can inspire one to work harder. But thinking about the process of owning a home can be worrisome.

TEEN stars Cassy Legaspi and Joaquin Domagoso are paired for the first time as onscreen love team via First Yaya, a family romantic comedy topbilled by Sanya Lopez.

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Around 13,000 health workers in the Philippines have been inoculated as of Friday. According to Vergeire, there are an estimated 1.8 million health workers in the country./Willie Casas Vaccine prioritization Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said, due to the limited global supply of vaccines and following the recommendation of the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG) along with the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte, the allocation of vaccines must strictly follow the priority framework issued by the InterAgency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases to ensure that those who have the highest risk of exposure and death will be protected.

NEWS / A2

PALACE MOURNS FR. BERNAS, 88

doses arriving today via COVAX By Willie Casas

THE government is expecting the arrival of an additional 38,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines through the COVAX facility today, March 7, National Task Force Against Covid-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said Saturday. On Thursday night, the initial 487,200 shots of AstraZeneca vaccines arrived in the Philippines through the COVAX facility. By the third week of March, 400,000 more doses of Sinovac vaccines will be delivered. “We will prioritize the delivery of the AstraZeneca vaccines to those who did not receive the Sinovac vaccines and are willing to get vaccinated,” Galvez said. The government will also prioritize the local deployment of AstraZeneca vaccines to areas with a surge in new coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) infections, including Calabarzon and Central Visayas, as well as the cities of Baguio and Davao. “’Our priority is to give the vaccines to areas with a high number of new COVID-19 cases, “ he said. Amid the limited global supply of COVID-19 vaccines, Galvez said the arrival of AstraZeneca and Sinovac jabs was a huge relief. “As promised by the Chinese embassy and the Chinese government to complete one million doses, another 400,000 doses are set to arrive,” he said.

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Isko warns of syndicate offering fake swab tests By Willie Casas

MASK MAKER.

Jhun Mazon, a ‘morion’ mask maker from Barangay Capayang, Mogpog, Marinduque, shows off one of his pieces in preparation for the coming Moriones Festival this coming Lenten season. Jay Morales

IN BRIEF Du30: NPA ‘bandits without an ideology’

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has branded the New People’s Army (NPA) as “bandits,” saying they don’t have an ideology and are using the poor to extort and steal money. The President ranted at NPA rebels, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), excusing them of killing innocent people and extorting money from the poor. “You are all bandits. You don’t have an ideology,” Duterte said during the meeting of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) in Cagayan de Oro City Friday. Meanwhile, Duterte instructed the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to speed up the distribution of land in areas that remain hotbeds for communist insurgency to eliminate the rebels’ influence. Vito Barcelo

Palace: Rising inflation at 4.7% only temporary M By Maricel V. Cruz

ALACAÑANG on Saturday guaranteed that the government is implementing proactive measures to tame the rise in consumer prices.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made the assurance after the country’s headline inflation further quickened to 4.7 percent in February from 4.2 percent in January. February’s reading marked the highest inflation rate since January 2019, according to a statement by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). In a press statement, Roque said the uptick in the country’s inflation is just temporary.

“Our economic managers see the upward inflation trend as temporary and concerned agencies in the Executive branch continue to check the prices of basic commodities while ensuring that prevailing rates are likewise fair to suppliers,” he said. Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker and Antique Rep. Loren Legarda on Saturday sought the imposition of strict mechanisms to protect consumers in financial markets, as she called on fellow legisla-

DDB backs House bill amending Drugs Act THE Dangerous Drugs Board on Saturday welcomed the approval of the bill proposing amendments to the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. The DDB with Secretary Catalino Salandanan Cuy as its chairman said in a statement: “Aimed at strengthening drug prevention and control, this (bill) is also seen to institutionalize plans and programs under the Philippine Anti-Illegal Drugs Strategy (PADS) which was approved for implementation by President Rodrigo Duterte through Executive Order No. 66, Series of 2018.” Aside from the amendment of provisions that will help in the prosecution of drug perpetrators, the DDB welcomed the move of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Dangerous Drugs chaired by Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers to include the boards inputs in the measure. Among them is the Section 23 of the bill which provides that Local Government Units (LGUs) shall appropriate a substantial portion of not less than two percent of their respective annual budgets to support local anti-drug abuse councils and establish anti-drug abuse offices. Maricel V. Cruz

P22.8m in phones seized at Clark port CLARK FREEPORT—A total of 3,520 units of Realme mobile phones and other highly taxable items worth P22.8 million were intercepted by agents of the Bureau of Customs and Clark Development Corporation shortly after the contraband landed at the Clark International Airport on Friday. The “hot” goods were neatly wrapped in parcels and were sneaked into Clark via an official courier when intercepted by Customs examiners for further check, said BoC Port of Clark District Collector lawyer Ruby Alameda in a statement. Alameda said the shipment, composed of 88 parcels carrying high-end smartphones and a pair of Nike shoes, were found when further examined. She said the consignee attempted to smuggle the items to avoid the government customs tax and duties by misdeclaring its real content. CDC President and CEO General Manuel Gaerlan, who was present during the unwrapping of the parcels, lauded the BoC Port of Clark for its vigilance against suspected smugglers operating at Clark International Airport. Jess Malabanan

tors to pass House Bill 6768 or the Financial Products and Services Consumer Protection Act. “With the rapid development of complex and sophisticated financial products and services coupled with technological advancements and product innovations, cases of consumer fraud, abuse and misconduct have also increased. We have to build consumer confidence and trust in the financial system to promote stability, growth, efficiency, and innovation,” Legarda said. “Thus, the passage into law of the proposed Financial Products and Services Consumer Protection Act is vital in safeguarding consumer rights, particularly in relation to financial markets,” the former senator added.

MANDALUYONG ROLLOUT. Dr. Zaldy Carpeso, Director of Mandaluyong Medical Center, injects the Sinovac vaccine for COVID-19 to Dr. Cesar Tutaan (seated) as Mandaluyong Mayor Menchie Abalos, MMDA Chairman Benhur Abalos, and DOH Regional Director Paz Corrales lead the ceremonial vaccination of frontliners in the city at the Mandaluyong Atrium Executive Building on Saturday. Manny Palmero

President to fight drugs, corruption in last months PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte on Friday assured the public that he would dedicate his remaining months in office to eradicate illegal drugs and corruption in the government. In a speech delivered at the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines in Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Duterte noted that while his government is “not perfect,” he would fulfill his promise to go after drug personalities and corrupt government workers. The President was in Cagayan de Oro for a joint meeting of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) with its regional

counterpart. “The government isn’t perfect. I’m not perfect either. Faults? Me? Plenty. But I don’t steal money. I only have cases about extrajudicial killings. Ah, we’ll get there. I’m just trying to preserve my country. I don’t need to be lectured by anyone,” he said. Duterte acknowledged that despite the government’s relentless fight against illegal drugs and corruption, the unlawful activities of the culprits continue to thrive. He cautioned drug offenders and corrupt government personnel that he would be harsh on them. “That’s my job. I’m getting older by the day. So what should I do then? Work. And

what is my job? To implement the law,” Duterte said. The President said he would summon to Malacañang any government worker involved in irregularities for the “whole day” to let them realize their wrongdoing. He made the statement as he noted that the government is losing P17 billion to corruption. “Let’s talk about corruption. If you get involved in corruption, sorry,” Duterte said. “But for those involved in anomalous acts, I would invite them to my office. They will just stay there. They can sit there the whole day and ponder about all the sins that they’ve done in this world.”

MANILA Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso on Saturday cautioned against the operation of a syndicate offering fake express swab tests for the coronavirus in exchange for a fee to victimize those who need the test results so they can go back to their provinces. Domagoso made the warning after the Special Mayor’s Reaction Team (SMART) headed by Lt. Col. Jhun Ibay presented two suspects, a man and a woman, said to be working as cohorts victimizing Badjaos who want to leave Metro Manila and go back to their province. Domagoso learned that the male suspect was the one who delivers to the woman the prospective victims, who said they are being asked to pay P1,000 each. Police recovered from the suspects at least a hundred papers containing fake swab test results. The duo claimed they were merely helping the victims and that they did not ask for money. The mayor pointed out that in the first place, the certification for the swab tests is supposed to be signed and not merely printed out. Investigation further showed that the victims were being kept by the female suspect in a compound where they pay rent of up to P1,500 each while waiting for their documents to be given to them so they can already go back home. The mayor admonished the two, whom he said can afford to use the present COVID situation as a way to make easy money.

Rody: ABS-CBN franchise bid ‘piece of trash’ PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said it is useless to give local media giant ABSCBN Corp. a new 25-year legislative franchise. During the joint meeting of national and regional task forces to end local communist armed conflict (ELCAC) in Cagayan de Oro City on Friday night, Duterte said he sees no reason for ABS-CBN to secure a fresh congressional franchise. “ABS-CBN has entertained people and made children happy and I have no problem with that,” Duterte said. “Now they don’t have a contract so they’re renegotiating. But don’t give me a piece of garbage, son of a b****. That’s how they are.” Duterte maintained that he was opposed to the possible resumption of ABSCBN’s operations, saying he could not stomach the network’s previous selling of assets to state-owned Development Bank of the Philippines at a “higher price.” “After which, they sold all their assets to the DBP. All of it - lock, stock, and barrel. They resumed business and when their business was doing well, they bought back their assets at a cheap price and sold it for a higher price. I said, ‘Ah, son of a b****.’ ABS-CBN? I’ll shut you down,” he said. Duterte was referring to the supposed loans of ABS-CBN to DBP condoned in early 2002. The DBP already clarified on Jan. 19 that it did not condone or write off P1.6 billion in loans to companies controlled or affiliated with the Lopez family that turned sour as a result of the lingering 1997 Asian financial crisis. The loans granted to the Lopez companies were part of the P9.55 billion in non-performing loans (NPLs) and nonperforming assets (NPAs) that DBP sold in an auction to two special purpose vehicles or financial firms that assume bad loans of banks.

Palace mourns constitutionalist Fr. Bernas

AID FOR CAVITE. Former House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano talks with Oscar Masibag, who received P10,000 pesos in financial aid along with selected beneficiaries in Imus and Kawit, Cavite—106 barangay health workers, 84 barangay nutrition scholars, and 200 TODA members who lost their jobs during the pandemic. They also received grocery items at Aguinaldo Elementary School in Kawit. Norman Cruz

MALACAÑANG on Saturday mourned the passing of Jesuit lawyer, Fr. Joaquin Bernas S.J., who was among the framers of the 1987 Constitution. “We express our condolences to the friends and colleagues of Father Joaquin Bernas who died early morning today, March 6, 2021,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement. Bernas, 88, died early Saturday, according to a memorandum released by Ateneo Law School Dean Jose Maria Hofileña and posted on his Facebook page. Hofileña did not disclose the cause of Bernas’ death. “May his (Bernas) soul, through the mercy of God, rest in eternal peace and happiness,” Roque said. In a statement, Speaker Lord Allan Ve-

lasco and the House of Representatives joined the rest of the country in mourning Fr. Bernas, whom the House leader described as “a recognized authority in constitutional law and a legal icon.” “With his demise, the nation has lost one of its most respected legal luminaries and a sharp mind, who knew the intricacies of constitutional law like none other,” Velasco said. “As we remember the life of Fr. Bernas, may we reflect on his indelible legacy and remarkable contributions to Philippine law and jurisprudence,” Velasco added. Senator Francis Pangilinan said: “As among those who partook of his brilliance, I grieve the passing of Fr. Joaquin Bernas. I mourn with the loved ones of this amazing patriot, constitutionalist, and man for others.” Maricel V. Cruz

World

SUNDAY, MARCH 7, 2021 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Cyber-espionage Chinese unit on US hacking spree SAN FRANCISCO—At least 30,000 US organizations including local governments have been hacked in recent days by an “unusually aggressive” Chinese cyberespionage campaign, according to a computer security specialist. The campaign has exploited recently discovered flaws in Microsoft Exchange software, stealing email and infecting computer servers with tools that let attackers take control remotely, Brian Krebs said in a post at his cyber security news website. “This is an active threat,” White House spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki said when asked about the situation during a press briefing. “Everyone running these servers needs to act now to patch them. We are concerned that there are a large number of victims,” she added. After Microsoft released patches for the vulnerabilities on Tuesday, attacks “dramatically stepped up” on servers not yet updated with security fixes, said Krebs, who cited unnamed sources familiar with the situation. “At least 30,000 organizations across the United States -- including a significant number of small businesses, towns, cities and local governments -- have over the past few days been hacked by an unusually aggressive Chinese cyber espionage unit that’s focused on stealing email from victim organizations,” Krebs wrote in the post. He reported that insiders said hackers have “seized control” of thousands of computer systems around the world using password-protected software tools slipped into systems. Microsoft said early this week that a state-sponsored hacking group operating out of China is exploiting previously unknown security flaws in its Exchange email services to steal data from business users. The company said the hacking group, which it has named “Hafnium,” is a “highly skilled and sophisticated actor.” AFP

Senate breaks logjam, passes US COVID relief bill WASHINGTON—The US Senate broke a logjam late Friday when a centrist Democrat compromised on a key provision of the Covid relief package, setting the $1.9 trillion bill on a likely path to passage. Democrats had struggled to keep Senator Joe Manchin’s support for expanded unemployment aid in the sprawling measure, and he threatened to side with Republicans in the evenly divided chamber. But the deal, which reduced the jobless benefits, kept Manchin on board and allowed action to resume in the Senate as it navigates toward passage of President Joe Biden’s top legislative priority sometime this weekend. Manchin, keen on more fiscal restraint than was evident in the Biden package, was flexing his political muscle, balking at an amendment that would increase weekly additional unemployment benefits from $300 to $400, and extending them through August. It also provides for tax breaks of up to $10,200 for those receiving unemployment, but only families making less than $150,000. Without passage of the rescue package, the benefits will expire on March 14 for millions of Americans. “We have reached a compromise that enables the economy to rebound quickly while also protecting those receiving unemployment benefits from being hit with (an) unexpected tax bill next year,” Manchin said in a statement. Biden supports this compromise, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said. AFP

PEACHES IN BLOOM. A child walks among blooming trees in a peach orchard in Aitona, Spain on Friday. AFP

Don’t waste the hope of vaccines, warns WHO

ENEVA—Covax will distribute 14.4 million Covid-19 vaccine doses to 31 more countries next week, the WHO said Friday as it warned people not to waste, through complacency, the hope that vaccines bring.

ensuring poorer nations get access to jabs took off this week. But the World Health Organization voiced fears that further waves of the coronavirus pandemic could be on the way if people think the roll-out of vaccines around the globe means the crisis is over. “The arrival of vaccine is a moment of great hope. But it potentially also is a moment where we lose concentration,” WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan told a press conference. “I really am very concerned that... we think we’re through this. We’re not. “And countries are going to lurch back The Covax global vaccine-sharing facility shipped more than 20 million doses into third and fourth surges if we’re not to 20 countries as the scheme aimed at careful.

“We should not waste the hope that vaccines bring... by dropping our guard in other areas.” WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised the first full week of the Covax roll-out, but said wealthy countries were nonetheless still leaving others behind in the vaccination rush. Within Africa, Angola, the DR Congo, The Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sudan and Uganda have now received their first doses through Covax. Elsewhere, Cambodia, Colombia, India, Moldova, the Philippines and South Korea have also taken deliveries. AFP

IN BRIEF Xi calls for ‘popularizing’ Mandarin in Mongolia BEIJING—Authorities in Inner Mongolia must “solve ethnic problems” and push the use of the Mandarin language, Chinese President Xi Jinping has said, months after the region was rocked by protests over a new rule that would reduce the use of the local language. The region in China’s far north borders the independent nation of Mongolia, with which it shares ethnic, cultural and linguistic ties. Tens of thousands took part in demonstrations and school boycotts last year after an edict mandated Mandarin replace Mongolian as the language of instruction, part of a nationwide drive to assimilate China’s ethnic minorities into the majority Han culture. Rare mass rallies, the largest Beijing had witnessed for decades, were followed by a crackdown as armoured vehicles surrounded schools and police arrested dozens of protest leaders. AFP

Missile strikes on Syria oil refineries kill 4 BEATDOWN. Police beat a protester as they detain him during a demonstration against the military coup in Yangon on Saturday. AFP

UN urged to hear ‘pleas’ in Myanmar anti-coup protests YANGON—Anti-coup demonstrators returned to the streets of Myanmar Saturday, a day after a United Nations envoy urged the Security Council to hear the nation’s “desperate pleas” and take swift action to restore democracy. The country has been in turmoil since a February 1 putsch ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi from power, triggering a massive uprising from hundreds of thousands angered to be returned to military rule. Security forces have escalated an increasingly brutal crackdown on demon-

strators -- killing more than 50 people since the coup -- but protesters rallied again on Saturday. From the dusty roads of northern Lashio -- where young protesters stared down police behind homemade shields -to central Loikaw city in view of Myanmar’s eastern mountains, demonstrators continued to march for democracy. “Our revolution must win,” chanted protesters in Loikaw, who included civil servants such as teachers in their green and white uniforms.

The country’s vital sectors have been crippled by an ongoing “Civil Disobedience Movement” -- a campaign urging civil servants to boycott working under a military regime. The impact has been felt at every level of the national infrastructure, with shuttered hospitals, empty ministry offices, and banks unable to operate. On Saturday, state-run media announced that if civil servants continued to boycott work, “they will be fired” with immediate effect from March 8. AFP

Pope, top Shiite cleric plead for ‘peace’

TIGHT WATCH. Security personnel surround Pope Francis as he leaves Baghdad’s Syriac Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Salvation (Sayidat al-Najat) at the start of the first ever papal visit to Iraq on Friday. In an address to the faithful in Baghdad, the pontiff expressed his gratitude to his fellow clergy for supporting Iraq’s Christians, whose population has dwindled due to conflict. AFP

NAJAF, Iraq—Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, spiritual leader of most of the world’s Shiite Muslims, told Pope Francis in a historic meeting in Iraq on Saturday that the country’s Christians should live in “peace.” The meeting, on the second day of the first-ever papal visit to Iraq, marked a landmark moment in modern religious history and a milestone in Francis’s efforts to deepen dialogue with other religions. He later addressed the rich spectrum of Iraq’s religious communities at Ur, traditional birthplace of the Prophet Abraham, a central figure in the Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths, where he made an impassioned plea for “unity” after conflict. The 84-year-old pontiff’s trip to Iraq

is an effort to both comfort the country’s ancient but dwindling Christian community and deepen his dialogue with other faiths. His meeting with the grand ayatollah lasted 50 minutes, with Sistani’s office putting out a statement shortly afterwards thanking Francis for visiting the holy city of Najaf. Sistani, 90, “affirmed his concern that Christian citizens should live like all Iraqis in peace and security, and with their full constitutional rights,” it said. His office published an image of the two, neither wearing masks: Sistani in a black turban with his wispy grey beard reaching down to his black robe and Francis all in white, looking directly at the grand ayatollah. AFP

BEIRUT—Missile strikes on makeshift oil refineries in northern Syria killed four people and injured more than 20 others, a war monitor said Saturday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a series of strikes launched from Russian warships and by allied Syrian government forces hit the makeshift refineries in Aleppo province on Friday night, causing a massive blaze in the area controlled by Turkey and its Syrian rebel proxies. The Britain-based monitor “documented the deaths of four people, while 24 others sustained various injuries and burns” in the attacks near the town of Jarablus. At least one Syrian rebel was among the dead, said Observatory head Rami Abdul Rahman. Rescue workers spent hours trying to extinguish the fire which spread to about 30 oil tankers, according to the war monitor. AFP

Resistance to Guinea Ebola response ‘high’ GENEVA—As Guinea grapples with a fresh Ebola outbreak, community resistance to measures needed to rein in the deadly virus remains dangerously high, a top Red Cross official has warned. Guinea confirmed the disease was back in mid-February following first deaths the previous month. The west African country and international actors have reacted swiftly to stop the spread, isolating and treating cases, tracking contacts and launching a vaccination campaign. But Emanuele Capobianco, the health chief at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said reluctance within communities to go along with measures was an obstacle. “What we are seeing on the ground is quite a lot of community resistance and also some religious resistance,” he told AFP in an interview Friday. This is not surprising, he said, pointing out that “Ebola is a disease that scares people. It is a dramatic disease that kills a lot.” Ebola, which is transmitted through close contact with bodily fluids, causes severe fever and, in the worst cases, unstoppable bleeding. AFP

SUNDAY, MARCH 7, 2021

Business

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

Plagiarism detection service expands in PH amid switch to hybrid learning

LOBAL learning solutions provider Turnitin LLC is expanding its presence in the Philippines as the education landscape underwent a massive shift in 2020 amid the pandemic, and schools and universities across the globe accelerated their online learning capabilities.

“Turnitin will continue working with educational institutions and support them amid the changing landscape to help ensure fairness, integrity and maintain the quality of learning,” Jack Brazel, head of business partnerships for Southeast Asia at Turnitin, says via e-mail. Turnitin, a US company, provides plagiarism detection service to promote academic integrity, streamline grading and feedback and improve student outcomes. Brazel says the name Turnitin originated from the phrase “Turn in your paper”. The company was founded more than two decades ago when four University of California students built a peer-review application that helped students receive feedback from their classmates, he says. In preparing work for peer-review, the founders identified text similarities across student content and eventually learned that there was a challenge to ensure integrity in written work. Since then, Turnitin has created and acquired tools to meet the evolving needs of educators and students, according to Brazel. Brazel says Turnitin has now built a strong business in providing academic integrity and assessment solutions that have helped ensure confidence in the written works of 40 million students at all educational levels in 15,000 institutions across 140 countries. The company set foot in the Philippines in 2013 and teamed up with educational institutions such as the University of the Philippines, De La Salle University, Ateneo De Manila University, University of Santo Tomas and the

Mapua Institute of Technology. “We work with institutions around the country to ensure integrity and that standards of global education are met. We have seen significant growth in the business in the past few years, and we continuously gain and expand our partnership with customers, including UP,” Brazel says. He says that since UP started using Feedback Studio in 2015, the university expanded access to the tools to 35,000 students and 1,000 lecturers across 66 colleges this academic year. Turnitin Feedback Studio allows instructors to check students’ work for any potential plagiarism by identifying matches to sources, engaging with students through streamlining feedback and grading, he says. Meanwhile, Turnitin Originality provides tools, reports and data to help instructors feel more confident in identifying many forms of potential misconduct. “To ensure that the quality of learning was unhampered, UP redesigned courses to suit remote learning. This also involved strengthening its academic infrastructure, including workflows for online submissions by utilizing Turnitin solutions, which helped address the needs of educators and students across 17 campuses,” Brazel says. Brazel says Turnitin has expanded its operations in the Philippines across partnerships and direct customer as local universities move to modernize and increase their investments in education technology. “We are always on the lookout for universities who need support in establishing a culture of academic integrity and assessment technologies. Philippines universities have made progress with adopting technology and we plan to further support them by equipping their instructors with the skills to implement and maximize the use of these technologies. We are also providing support on how to improve assessment design to elevate their students’ learning experiences and ensure that no student gets left behind,” says Brazel. “This year, our vision is to provide instructors with assessment tools that will help uphold fairness and integrity as the foundation of every assignment and assessment,” he says.

IdeaSpace, QBO appoint Chan as executive director IDEASPACE and QBO Innovation Hub announced the restructuring, following the announcement of Katrina Rausa Chan’s new role as executive director. Under Chan’s leadership, the IdeaSpace and QBO teams will be more tightly integrated, facing the years ahead with a stronger commitment to empowering the Philippine startup ecosystem. Under the new structure, the unified organization will be scaling up its programs for startups, with more robust collaborations and bolder plans. IdeaSpace was established in 2012 by the MVP Group of Companies as its first major private accelerator in the Philippines supporting technopreneurship. It has since successfully run one of the longest-running accelerator programs in the country, having supported more than a hundred startups and expanded partnerships with Google for Startups, UNICEF, and ING. Some prominent alumni of its acceleration program include Investagrams, InvestEd, TimeFree Innovations, Taxumo and Tarkie. IdeaSpace also invested in 15 startups including Coins.ph, Mosaic Solutions and Qwikwire. Chan led the establishment of QBO, a public-private initiative to develop the Filipino startup ecosystem, in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology, Department of Trade and Industry and J.P. Morgan in 2016.

BUKAS PH team

PH educational financing receives major support

Jack Brazel, head of business partnerships for Southeast Asia at Turnitin

Brazel says Turnitin is set to launch Gradescope which will not only address the pain and time associated with traditional grading, but also help instructors deliver transformative feedback that will enhance student learning. “Institutions and instructors have done hard work in adapting to the rapid shift to hybrid learning and we want to continue providing support to ensure that the quality of learning is preserved, regardless of learning modality,” says Brazel “As we continue with 2021, we expect that educational institutions across the globe, including the Philippines, will continue to adopt a hybrid model of learning and leverage technology to ensure that students receive a high-quality learning experience,” he says. “With the aid of technology, instructors can develop a good mix of virtual and physical modes of instruction to engage with students and ensure continuity in

learning,” says Brazel. Brazel says that with the changing landscape of education, universities around the world are expected to continue modernizing the way they deliver education. “Education will become more globalized as universities open their doors to more diverse student populations and establish campuses abroad. This will require educational institutions to be more inclusive, responsive and clear when setting expectations, which is crucial in promoting academic integrity,” says. Brazel says countries are also beginning to focus on delivery methods to cope with the impact of the pandemic on various educational systems. “Governments are addressing this through modernizing their systems and reimagining learning in order to equip students with essential skills that would help them to be more productive life-long learners,” he says. Roderick T. dela Cruz

ERUDIFI, a tech-enabled company providing access to affordable education financing in Southeast Asia and responsible for the operations of Bukas.ph, announced the close of a $5-million Series A round co-led by Monk’s Hill Ventures and Qualgro. The funding will be used to make key hires across product and engineering, marketing and operations, business development and data functions. The company also plans to scale ErudiFi’s education financing services, deepen its footprint in existing markets in the Philippines and Indonesia with educational institution partners, and invest in product innovation to deepen ErudiFi’s engagement and relationship with students and schools. “With our network of partner schools, we hope to reach as many students as possible across the country. At Bukas, we believe that making education more affordable will provide a better tomorrow for Filipino families,” said Jon Robert Emlano, Bukas country manager for Philippines, said. Through data-driven financing solutions, Bukas.ph is addressing the Philippines’ education financing gap and helping underserved students achieve their educational aspirations Bukas has on boarded partner institutions nationwide such as Mapua University, Far Eastern University, Adamson University, Our Lady of Fatima University, PHINMA Education Network, University of Nueva Caceres, Centro Escolar University and Eskwelabs, among others. “We are grateful for the financing option that Bukas.ph provides as it has been of great help to our students and their families. Through this partnership with Bukas. ph, we can enable more students to continue with their studies, especially during these trying times. We hope to see more students avail of this and continue pursuing higher education in the coming years,” said Jericho Orlina, assistant vice president for business affairs of Centro Escolar University.

Demand for cloud services seen rising in 2021

IdeaSpace and QBO Innovation executive director Katrina Rausa Chan QBO collaborates strongly with the government by leading DOST’s nationwide Technology Business Incubator Program; supporting and gaining international exposure for scale-ups together with DTI; and was involved in the passage of Republic Act No. 1137 also known as the Innovative Startup Act. QBO’s programs have also expanded to include the annual Philippine Startup Week, a large-scale conference showcasing the Philippines’ startup community; Startup Pinay, a campaign spotlighting Filipina founders in partnership with Investing in Women; and several incubation programs in collaboration with partners like Youth Business International, Google.org and U.S. Embassy, among others.

AS THE pandemic continues to accelerate digital transformation among businesses, Amazon Web Services is seeing robust growth in new customers and partner signups for cloud services through its Amazon Partner Network. “Our top consulting partners have grown their business by up to 200 percent yearon-year. There is some softening due to the pandemic, but organizations in the Philippines are hopeful that they will have good recovery this year,” Stanley Chan, head of technology partners for AWS Asia-Pacific, said in a recent virtual press briefing. The APN is AWS’s global partner program focused on helping companies build cloud-based solutions and services by providing business, technical, and marketing support. It is composed of tens of thousands of partners around the world with over 60 percent headquartered outside of the US. According to Chen, Philippine companies’ migration into cloud is expected to grow rapidly this year, back to its robust 2019 level as enterprises accelerate adoption of new technologies. This outlook is shared by Stratpoint Technologies Inc., an APN member-company in the Philippines. Stratpoint chief executive Mary Rose Dela Cruz said: “There is a lot of demand and growth for data engineering and data analytics. Enterprise customers are demanding more of that.” Dela Cruz said the market for modern technologies such as engineering and data

Stanley Chan, head of technology partners for AWS Asia-Pacific analytics was three times higher when compared to software application development. As a company that specializes in digital transformation, Stratpoint offers a full suite of cloud-based services built on AWS—including software development, cloud, data engineering and artificial intelligence. “Much of that growth is happening in Asia,” said Chen. He cited an IDC report that expects the APAC cloud market to exceed $80 billion in the next two years. “We see our partners as key to realizing that opportunity.” Over 90 percent of Fortune 100 compa-

nies and most Fortune 500 companies use AWS Partner solutions and services. This is because AWS Partners are uniquely positioned to help businesses take full advantage of all that AWS has to offer and accelerate journey to the cloud, said Chen. In the Philippines, AWS provides cloud solutions for some of the country’s most iconic companies, such as Jollibee, Globe, and PLDT. In the Asia Cloud Computing Association’s Cloud Readiness Index 2020, the Philippines remains one of the countries in the Asia-Pacific that is yet to mature in terms of cloud adoption. According to Stratpoint, however, the country is quickly catching up—citing the growth of fintech firms in the past year as a key indicator. “I think, we are very much comparable to other ASEAN countries,” said Dela Cruz, citing that the only difference is the amount of money allocated for cloud usage. She attributed this to lower levels of economic development and lack of regulations to fast track cloud adoption. Last year, the Department of Information and Communications Technology amended its Cloud First Policy to provide clearer instructions on policy coverage, data classification and data security as well as its policy on sovereignty, residency and ownership. While these are notable improvements in cloud policy, Dela Cruz urged for the development of more guidelines that focused on accelerating the implementation phase of the cloud.

Ohmyhome encourages Filipinos to invest in real estate this year LEADING property solutions platform Ohmyhome is excited about encouraging Filipinos to invest in properties in 2021. Property as an investment remains a stable and safe option, with upcoming developments and infrastructure projects set for completion this year, it said. Industry experts believe that the property sector has “continuously displayed resilience over the last decade, posting record highlevels in take-up, supply, prices, and land values.” Data show that despite the pandemic, property investments yield steady and lucrative returns, preserve wealth and generate capital appreciation, showing how real estate is one of the best long-term investments for individuals and families.

All these point out the fact that the real estate industry remains one of the safest spheres for investors who seek passive income. In its latest report, global real estate services firm Cushman and Wakefield disclosed that despite an expected slow economic recovery caused by the pandemic, business developments combined with the resumption of national infrastructure projects this year would encourage plenty of real estate activities from buyers and sellers. Real estate organization Colliers International also predicted that the progression of big-ticket projects in 2021 would boost Real Estate Investment Trust. Projects such as the LRT-2 East Extension, Cavite-Laguna Expressway, Skyway SLEX Extension, MRT Line 7, BGC-Ortigas Link

Bridge and the NLEX-SLEX Connector road are set to be finished between 2021 and 2022. Once completed, these projects will benefit several provinces and key cities in Metro Manila, thus, increasing the need for good residential units in various areas. The lockdown in 2020 also showed that the majority of businesses could work remotely, lowering employee maintenance costs including office rent. This has ushered in a big change for the ‘second home’ market, which includes gated resort communities in the provinces. Data from Leechiu Property Consultants reveal that many individuals and families have deemed it wise to invest in a ‘second home’ away from the metro, as suburban property allows more flexibility during crises like the pandemic.

With positive real estate findings and predictions, proptech platform Ohmyhome encourages Filipino property seekers to take the leap and invest in a home in 2021.

Youth & Culture B1

SUNDAY, MARCH 7, 2021

Bernadette Lunas, Editor

manilastandardlife@gmail.com

@manilastandardlife

@MStandardLIFE

Young artist steps out

of the bedroom NO MORE HIDING.

Visual artist and architecture student Brian Razon, 21, now proudly showcases his art after years of hiding away. ’Only Fans’ showcases the artist's love of Japan and fascination with the beauty of the skin.

‘Stars’ by Brian Razon

EAR of judgment and rejection is enough to make even a talented person hide in their place of comfort, away from the prying eyes of the public that doesn’t understand or strongly criticizes. That was the case with 21-year-old Brian Ilustrisimo Razon, a self-avowed “bedroom artist.” Razon, who started painting at age 3, kept for 15 years his passion and its products inside the four walls of his personal space, his comfort zone—thus the term “bedroom artist”—for fear of judgement. “I was hiding because I did not have the confidence to show others what I could do and I kept my work to myself,” he shared. But when he finally had the confidence to step out of his safe space, when he released his personal favorite project entitled “Only Fans” featuring his love of Japan and his fascination with the beauty of the skin, it gave him the nudge to finally showcase his art. “‘Only Fans’ showed the other side of me, all bare and naked.”

The oil on canvas painting, which Razon considers the most daring piece he ever created, earned attention and thousands of engagements when he uploaded it to social media. The exposure gave him the courage to finally break barriers and take his craft more seriously. “I’ve hidden away from judgment, but I suddenly realized that I would not grow if I stayed here—my room had enough of me playing safe,” he said. From having a few requests from friends, he started to accept more commissioned portraits, landscapes, and conceptual paintings which helped with his family’s expenses especially during the financially crippling pandemic. “It wasn’t an easy start,” he said, “but I am proud that my artworks saved my family. I was able to provide most of our needs during these trying times.”

The once bedroom-bound artist is now juggling client meetings with his online classes at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Design and Arts where he is pursuing an architecture degree. Razon said the school’s “inclusive” community also helped him gain more confidence, beneficial as he continues to grow his brand, readies himself to join competitions and group exhibitions, and hopes to collaborate with fellow creators. When he is not painting, the young artist is engrossed in history books and the words of Edgar Allan Poe and Elizabeth Barrett Browning. His creativity also extends to other formats, saying he also ventured into the art of drag. “I love dressing up. I have sewn clothes. Styled wigs. Did make-up.” Razon’s works can be seen on his Instagram (@peints.br and @brian.razon_) and Facebook pages ( facebook. com/Peints.br/ and facebook.com/brian.razon.395). Steph Llarena

Qing dynasty jars, Marilyn Monroe painting up for auction LHUILLIER-managed auction house Casa de Memoria opens its quarterly sale with a curated selection that consists of pieces from east and west, oldworld and modern age. One of the highlight items for bidding at Primero is a pair of Qing dynasty famille rose ginger jars with pedestals, with a starting bid of P420,000. The precious porcelain pieces are decorated with court scenes, while the wooden pedestals have scroll elements and claw feet.

Winners of the FedEx Express/JA International Trade Challenge 2020-21 Asia Pacific finals.

Filipino students win

‘Marilyn Monroe’ by Andy Warhol

A Qing dynasty famille rose ginger jar with pedestal

Also must-see highlights are Primero’s selection of paintings from different eras that includes “Vase of Flowers” by Jose María Armengol Farré, “Joueur de flute et chevre” by Pablo Picasso, “Marilyn Monroe” by Andy Warhol, and “Toro y Toreros” by Salvador Dali. Prices of some start at P60,000. A couple of vintage furniture are likewise going under the hammer, including a magnificent Italian paper desk in ebonized wood with ivory and bone inlay from the 19th century which has a starting bid of P360,000. Other auction lots in the furniture category include a Spanish ivory-inlaid small table with foliage, bird, and fruit motifs; a mahogany veneer cabinet with a 137-piece silver flatware set; and a pair of Baroque-style corner console tables with marble top. Casa’s Primero will also be showcasing an unrivaled ecclesiastic collection, including an oil on copper painting of the Holy Trinity; a Santo Niño wooden relief; a 16th-century oil on wood

‘Joueur de flute et chevre’ by Pablo Picasso

painting of the Assumption of Mary; and an Indo-Portuguese Cristo Moribundo carved in ivory . Other special items at Primero are rare antiques, decorative art pieces, and collectibles such as the letter of King Philip II of Spain to Lazaro Moreno de Leon, governor of Tenerife and La Palma; a 65-piece set of Wedgwood porcelain tableware; a large oriental relief in carved and gilded wood; and a bronze sculpture of Achilles by Jean de Roncourt. Auction viewing is ongoing until March 19. Preview cocktails will be on March 11. More details are available on casadememoria.com.

A bronze sculpture of Achilles by Jean de Roncourt

in international ideas challenge TWO teams, each with a Filipino member, bagged the major prizes in this year’s virtually-held FedEx Express / JA International Trade Challenge Asia Pacific competition. Winning out of a group of 52 high school student finalists representing nine Asia Pacific markets was The Breakfast Club composed of Aljo Benedicto from the Philippines and Chloe Jazzy Lau from Hong Kong SAR. The team won for their idea to create a biometrics sensor powered by a smart app to detect anxiety attacks. “We are both honored to be named the winners of the competition. It was so exciting! Every stage of the competition had been a fantastic challenge for us, especially in the finals,” said The Breakfast Club team members. “We really feel inspired to follow a career in business right now.” This year’s challenge was to create a market entry strategy for mental wellbeing product in South Africa. “As a supporter of youth entrepreneurship and a proponent of small businesses in Asia Pacific, we believe that empowering the next generation will

help the region prepare for what’s next and help bring the global marketplace to our doorstep,” said Kawal Preet, FedEx Express president for Asia, Middle East, and Africa (AMEA) region. Team Lumos’ Sakthivell Ahrumugam from Singapore and Chaeyoon Park from South Korea, meanwhile, were named first runners-up for their idea of a smart bike that helps track the rider’s mental well-being. Filipino high school student Raine Santiago Nakpil and Theethad Thipsoda from Thailand of the Viennese Medicos were second runners-up. Their idea was a smart lamp with a sleep monitoring function. “I am very grateful that in the face of a global pandemic we were able to once again provide a stage for our students and complete another very successful iteration of the ITC competition, doing so virtually for the first time ever” enthused Maziar Sabet, president and chief executive of JA Asia Pacific. The FedEx Express / JA International Trade Challenge program is jointly organized by FedEx Express and JA Asia Pacific, a member of JA Worldwide.

HEY, YOUTH! Italian paper desk with ivory and bone inlay

SHARE your unpublished essays with the readers of Manila Standard. Chosen essays will be published in the Young Life corner that comes out every Sunday. This space is open for young writers, aged 13-29 years old. Send your essay (maximum of 800 words) with photo/s, if available, to manilastandardlife@gmail.com with the subject: “Young Life - (title of your essay)” along with a brief description of yourself.

SUNDAY, MARCH 7, 2021

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

Home/Design

A DESIRE NAMED HOME

Owning a space at Century Properties

HE thought of coming home to your own space can inspire one to work harder. But thinking about the process of owning a home can be worrisome.

From finding the right property and getting a unit, to filing documents and making sure you have enough funds to pay for it—the steps you need to go through can make you second-guess your decision to buy a one Tedious is out, easy is in It doesn’t have to be tedious. Owning a Century Properties home can be done in eight steps which includes a few other must-dos. With the help of a property specialist or a sales agent, get the keys to your space fast. Reserve and hold your unit You can do this online then assess the payment term that works best for you. Booking This involves generating the documents you need and submitting these together with one proof of income. Contract signing, authentication Take note that there are three ways of authenticating your Contract to Sell (CTS) depending on where you are —notarization, consularization, and apostille. Down payment, loan application Pay your down payment or equity as indicated in your payment schedule. Payment period is different for ready-for-occupancy and preselling units. Loan approval Sign your bank home loan documents and pay your bank fees. Loan release Once the bank releases the payment to Century Properties, your account will be qualified for the most crucial step. Turnover, move in Your account will be endorsed to the Turnover Group (TOG). Make sure you accomplish unit inspection and punchlisting. Title transfer The last step is important as it involves the processing of the title under your name and tax declaration. To learn more, log on to www. century-properties.com.

CELEBRATING A LIFE WELL-LIVED.

A safer, world-class abode with LG

MANY people are now using the home as an office, a restaurant, a gym, due to stay-at-home orders in place in many countries. But this “new normal” can affect the air quality inside the home in a bad way. Cooking indoors, which has become a part of most people’s daily routine since the pandemic began, can generate

Aeternitas Chapels and Columbarium recently opened its contemporary designed edifice (seen here), with hotellike amenities in Quezon City between the Don Antonio and Batasan stations of the underconstruction Manila Metro rail system line 7. Aeternitas offers modern chapels, spacious columbarium vaults (which can accommodate four urns), twofloor commercial spaces, and multi-level parking. A medicalgrade mortuary facility, an apparel store, transport services, and an urn and casket selection room are also available. Aeternitas offers a flexible, tri-benefit investment program and multiple modes of payments. To inquire, visit https://aeternitas.ph/.

air pollutants such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide. Home workouts, which have increased drastically with gyms closed, can release high levels of carbon dioxide. LG is responding with technological innovations to help prevent these with HVAC solutions designed to tackle air quality issues brought about by socially-

distanced lifestyles. Getting rid of bacteria, invisible dust LG’s air purification kit, the LG dual vane cassette – an indoor 4-way ceiling cassette-type unit – ensures safe air with an extensive purification function. The kit removes bacteria and ultrafine dust. The filter can be easily detached and cleaned with water for

efficient and cost-effective semipermanent usage. LG’s ThinQ mobile app (Inset photo) can be used to control and monitor air quality status in realtime. A small LED display located on the indoor unit, which uses different colors to indicate the level of indoor particulate matter, provides a fast, convenient way for users to view air quality status. “HVAC providers need to take into consideration how the new homecentric lifestyle is impacting air in the indoor spaces where so many people now live, work and play,” explained Sungjae Kim, LG Philippines’ managing director. “HVAC solutions can contribute to making life at home more enjoyable and, importantly, healthier.” Log on to lg.com/ph, like @ LGPhilippines on Facebook, and follow @LGPhilippines on Instagram, for more information.

PRIMING THE EDUCATION SCENE.

Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) recently gave COVID hygiene kits to the teachers of Maypajo Elementary and National High Schools in appreciation of their hard work to promote learning continuity amid the pandemic. SCB head of corporate affairs, brand and marketing Mai Sangalang, together with employee volunteers (Seen in photo), brought the hygiene kits to the Department of Education (DepEd) schools division office in Caloocan City. The kits were received by the school principals, office of the schools division superintendent and officers of the DepEd central office external partnership services. “The Department of Education actively engages with different partners – teachers, non-teaching organizations, parents and the community to ensure the quality of education we give to our students,” said DepEd undersecretary for legislative affairs, Tonisito Umali. The initiative is part of Standard Chartered’s united Asia employee volunteering program where employees share time to make a difference in the communities where it operates.

ONLINE HOME-BUYING JUST GOT BETTER. AboitizLand, Inc. recently updated its Vecino Portal—a mobile application that offers its homebuyers efficient end-to-end online servicing. The tool allows clients to track the construction status of their investments and payments remitted, receive home construction updates, access documents, and schedule acceptance and turnover dates. The app will soon streamline the contactless home-buying process, making it easier for buyers and sales partners to reserve units, submit documentary requirements, complete monthly amortizations and easily apply for a housing loan. “A critical process in real estate is the turnover of the unit,” said AboitizLand CEO Dave Rafael. “We found a way to complete this process amidst the pandemic through online turnovers.” The program allows buyers to go on curated 360-degree virtual tours. They may also request for videos of the houses for closer inspection. For more information, visit www.aboitizland.com.

DAMOSA LAND KICKS OFF AMERIA HOMES. Davao-based property developer Damosa Land Inc. (DLI) recently broke ground on the first set of homes in Ameria, the 8.9-hectare residential component of the township project Agriya in Panabo City. DLI partnered with Connovate Philippines (connovate.ph), a building technology provider from Denmark which provided 14,000 psi panels. Connovate’s technology reportedly allows for a shorter construction time with the use of precast panels that contain less cement, thus requiring less energy, making it environment-friendly. The houses in Ameria will showcase California mission style architecture, namely, bungalows and two-story house models. The project won as the best housing development for Metro Davao in the PropertyGuru Philippines Property Awards. The 88-hectare Agriya also bagged the best residential green and township developments by the same award-giving body.

Entertainment

SUNDAY, MARCH 7, 2021

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

CASSY and

EEN stars Cassy Legaspi and Joaquin Domagoso are paired for the ﬁrst time as onscreen love team via First Yaya, a family romantic comedy topbilled by Sanya Lopez.

JOAQUIN’s many firsts in

Speaking to Manila Standard Entertainment, the pair described the kind of relationship their characters are going to have in the series. They also shared a few things that made them click and feel comfortable with each other while on the set. “There’s kilig in our scenes,” 19-year-old Joaquin started. “And even the crew feels that. One time, they cheered after one of our scenes. And it’s a good thing that we have been friends for quite a while.” “As for our characters, it’s hard to explain. We’re on the rocky start but eventually, we get to understand each other, we start to see each other as real people, and then from there, we become something else,” he carried on.

‘First Yaya’ NEW LOVE TEAM. Gen Z stars Cassy Legaspi and Joaquin Domagoso are paired as a love team in the upcoming romantic comedy drama, ‘First Yaya.’

Smiling from ear to ear, Cassy further explained what her co-star was talking about. “Frenemies is the best word to describe Niña and Jonas’ relationship in the series. Viewers will easily see that once the teleserye starts airing,” said Cassy who plays Niña, the eldest daughter in the ﬁrst family. First Yaya follows the story of a Vice President (Gabby Concepcion), who will later become the President of the Philippines, and his first family. The endearing Yaya Melody (Sanya Lopez), serves as a nanny to his children. The teen stars shared that being part of First Yaya gave them a dif-

ferent experience. Though they’ve already been part of numerous television programs and productions, taping for a series for the ﬁrst time somehow introduced them to an entirely different world. “Nanibago ako because of the

productions I’m used to doing like All Out Sundays and Studio 7. But doing a teleserye is more fun especially now that we are doing lock-in taping, we get to bond, kwentuhan while waiting for our turn to shoot. And it allows me to learn techniques and get tips from our senior

cast members,” Joaquin admitted. For Cassy, on the other hand, doing a teleserye for the ﬁrst time is tiring but she enjoys “every bit of it.” “Growing up nasanay na ako sa mag-commercials and variety shows. Now coming into this, I thought it’s

going to be the same but it’s not. It’s not the same at all. I realized that it’s tiring and very challenging. But it’s fun parang gusto ko yung pagod ko. I guess because everyone is there and I’m always with JD. We’re always together,” Cassy ended.

A song for challenging times AWARD-WINNING singer-songwriter Dean Lewis returns with his brand-new single “Falling Up,” the lead single from his hotly anticipated second album. The official video for “Falling Up” premiered globally on Saturday on Dean’s official YouTube channel. The artist also joined fans for a live Q and A before the video was revealed. In a period when we’re all stuck in shrinking rooms feeling isolated, when claustrophobia—actual, social, and otherwise—is real and widespread, ‘Falling Up’ is the perfect song for the times. In writing the song Lewis keyed into lifelong feelings of frustration and anxiety. “I always thought I would be happy when I finished school or when I passed an exam, or I got a job or a promotion or if I went traveling and then I was like —‘ooh, now I have a record deal, what if I have a big song? Then, I had a big song, and I was on the road for three years and when I stopped, I realized it had all passed me by and I was actually less present and more anxious and stressed than ever,” the singer-songwriter said. “I looked back on my life and at all of these points along the way and I realized that I’ve never felt any better, it’s always been onto the next thing, always moving,” he added. Suffice it to say that “Falling Up” is a bold sign of things to come. It is, once more, a jawdropping encapsulation of the rare skills of Dean Lewis: to make the personal universal, the singular relatable,

and the inner thoughts the most accessible. The three-time ARIA and APRA award-winning Lewis went from unknown to worldwide recognition with the release of his 2019 #1 ARIA Album A Place We Knew. Accredited Platinum in Australia, the LP produced a number of local and international smashes including his debut single the 7x Platinum “Waves,” the monster global hit and 10x Platinum “Be Alright’, and the 3x Platinum-selling singles “7 Minutes” and 2x Platinum single “Stay Awake.” Dean’s debut album is also GOLD in the USA, Silver in the UK, and platinum+ in 8 other countries. “Waves” has also reached Gold status in the US. But it was “Be Alright,” which would drive Dean’s career even further, catapulting his music to the world stage and contributing to his music accumulating over 4.8 billion streams globally. Touring locally and overseas, Dean has performed at International Festivals such as Reeperbahn Festival, Lollapalooza, Great Escape, Isle of Wight, the Main Stage at Splendour In The Grass and events such as the Australian Open Tennis, AFL Grand Final, 2019 Melbourne Cup Carnival. He sold out his 2019 Australian National Tour as well as his USA Tour, performing over 200 shows in that year. Dean was the first artist to perform live on The Project Australia and appeared on US shows Ellen, Jimmy Kimmel, and Good Morning America.

Dean Lewis is an award-winning Australian singersongwriter

Singer and digital star Angela Ken

Viral Tiktok artist Angela Ken joins ABS-CBN Music SINGER-SONGWRITER Angela Ken, who made waves on TikTok by posting a snippet of her unfinished original song “Ako Naman Muna,” has been added to ABS-CBN Music’s rich roster of artists and is poised to debut the full studio version of the track on March 5. ABS-CBN Music creative director Jonathan Manalo discovered the folk-pop artist after her “Ako Naman Muna” video went viral on TikTok, amassing over 1.3 million likes and 21.1K comments at present, with listeners clamoring for the complete song to be released. She was personally contacted by Jonathan who offered her recording and management deals. “Your support and appreciation to the song has reached all around the country. I want to thank all of you for everything kasi ‘di ko maaabot ‘tong kinahahantungan ko kung hindi dahil sa inyo,” she said on a TikTok announcement video on Valentine’s Day for the song’s release. The raw and poignant track surely deserves to be heard in full, as it provides comfort while showing vulnerability through its piercing lyrics and Angela’s soothing vocals. Its chorus conveys a message of self-love and selfaffirmation but also acknowledges hardships and confusion in its verses. Indeed, “Ako Naman Muna” is a fitting introduction to the 18-year-old’s musical talents, as her angelic voice and her poetic songwriting combined with minimal instrumental accompaniment shine in her debut single.

SUNDAY, MARCH 7, 2021

Desiree Carlos, Editor

Let the dogs play but limit the length of play and let them play outside only in the early morning or late afternoon when it is not too hot. Do not over-exercise them too.

T’S summer once again and the hot days can bring up the temperature of dogs and cats to a dangerous level. They can suffer from heat stroke if they are not protected from the heat.

It is important that we know what to do to prevent heat stroke in pets because it can lead to brain damage, organ failure and death. When your pet’s internal temperature reaches a dangerously high level, about 41.1 degrees Celsius (106 degrees Fahrenheit) or more, a chemical reaction will occur that will break down the cells in your pet’s body.

Heat stroke can occur when your pet is

1. locked in a hot car, 2. over-exercised in a hot or humid environment, 3. kept in a cage or tied to a post under the sun or the cage has no (roof) insulation, or kept in a hot place like the garage, or 4. not provided fresh water very 2 hours at least,or your pet does not drink enough water.

Signs of heat stroke in dogs and cats

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Pets

Bathe dogs twice a week if it is too hot to cool them down. Have your dog groomed too if he or she has too much fur.

Prevent heat stroke in pets this summer 2. Heavy panting 3. Rapid pulse or heartbeat 4. Bright or dark red gums and tongue 5. Excessive thirst 6. Excessive drooling 7. Lethargy 8. Lack of coordination, staggering 9. Seizures 10. Glazed eyes 11. Bloody diarrhea 12. Vomiting 13. Unconsciousness These are the same signs to look out for in cats. When you see one or two of these signs, do cooling measures and then bring your dog to the vet for immediate medical attention.

Here are the signs of heat stroke in dogs, according to Dr. Phil Zeltzman Emergency Treatment in “Summer Safety: Tips From The Vet If you suspect your pet is suffering from For Preventing Heat Stroke In Dogs” in heat stroke, Zeltzman suggested that you dogtime.com: 1. Body temperature can reach 40 -43.3 do the following before driving to the vet: 1. Lower the body temperature immedegrees (104-110 degrees Fahrenheit

diately by moving the pet to a cool area. 2. Wet your pet with cool water, not ice-cold water. Ice-cold water can worsen things. 3. Use a fan to cool down the pet. 4. If your pet can still drink water, offer small amounts or ice cubes. “Cooling procedures should begin before driving to the vet. Call your vet or an emergency clinic, and take your pet there as quickly and safely as possible. It’s important to call the clinic ahead of time so that the staff can be prepared by the time you arrive,” Zeltzman stressed. Reminder: Stop cooling measures when your pet’s temperature is already 39.44 degrees Cesius (103 degrees Fahrenheit). Your pet will become too cold if you will continue the cooling measures which is also bad for pets. “At the vet, similar measures will be taken. In addition, the vet will give your dog lots of IV fluids,” Zeltzman said.

How to prevent heat stroke

Here are ways to prevent heat stroke: 1. Keep pets inside the house during hot, humid days. 2. Give fresh water all the time. Change the water in bowls every two hours at least. 3. If dogs are outside the house, provide plenty of shade. 4. Put bowls with water in different places. 5. Add ice cubes to the water bowl to keep the water cooler for a longer period of time. 6. Bathe dogs weekly or even twice a week. 7. Bathe cats once a week. 8. Have your dog groomed, specially dogs with too much fur as fur will keep the heat in. 9. Let your pet play in a kiddie pool or let your pet play with a basin of water. 10. Plan ahead to make sure there are areas with shade.

11. Give cooling food like watermelon without the seeds and hard outer part, singkamas without the skin, cucumber without the seeds and skin, and lettuce like romaine lettuce. Give more food that have more moisture like canned food so that the pet is hydrated, or more water like boiled meat and veggies with the broth. The more water intake, the better for the pet. 12. Do not leave your dog inside a car without aircon and alone. “Leaving the windows partially rolled down will not help. Have you ever noticed how hot it can get inside your car on a summer day, even though it is not that hot outside? That’s because a car acts like a greenhouse, trapping the sun’s heat, “ Zaltzman said. “A Stanford University test found that even if it’s only 72 degrees outside, a car’s internal temperature can rocket to 116 degrees within an hour. When it’s 85 degrees, the temperature inside the car increases to 102 degrees in 10 minutes, and 120 degrees in 20 minutes,” Zeltzman added. 13. Outdoor activity should be in the early morning and late evening, when temperatures are somewhat lower. Bring water all the time when walking the dog, but lessen the length of time for walking. “Notice any heavy panting, loss of energy, weakness, stumbling, or any of the signs listed above. If your pet seems to suffer from the heat, stop in a shaded area and give some fresh water. If things don’t improve quickly, take your pet to your vet,” Zeltzman said. Desiree Carlos

Cooling Foods for Dogs and Cats IT IS important to seeds. The seeds are PET TALES keep our pets hydrattoxic to pets. BY DESIREE CARLOS ed during these hot, “Okay, this one summer months. We is pretty strictly for can do so by giving moderate snacking. cooling food to our dog or cat, aside Watermelon is a great cooling food – from making sure they have lots of even the thought of it is refreshing,” fresh water the whole day. says Roberts. Cooling food can also reduce inflamDo no give too much as it might cause mation in pets, said Dr. Ruth Roberts in loose stool. “5 Cooling Foods for Dogs and Cats” in But watermelon or pakwan is a very her online site. healthy fruit. “Watermelon contains Roberts suggests the following cool- the amino acid l-citruline, which has ing food for pets: broccoli, squash, cel- been shown the relieve muscle soreery, turkey and watermelon. ness (great for active pets!). Potassium But turkey is expensive so we will not and magnesium found in this fruit can discuss this further. We give the fol- also help your pet’s body detox and lowing fruits and veggies to our dogs avoid kidney stones. The natural diuand rescued dogs and cats of Save Ani- retic property of this fruit are also great mals of Love and Light (Save ALL Inc.) for kidneys. Make sure to remove any during the summer months: seeds before you offer this treat to your 1. Singkamas or Mexican turnip is pet,” Roberts said. not expensive. You can get a bundle of 3. Celery is a healthy treat that pets singkamas (about 6-8 pieces) anywhere love because the stalk is crunchy. in the Philippines this summer for only Celery “contains lots of dietary fibP40 per bundle. er. Vitamin K is present in impressive Just remove the skin, and cut into amounts, along with potassium, folate pieces that your dog can bit so that he and vitamins A and C. And here’s a fun or she will not choke. For small dogs, fact: celery contains pthalides, an organic we grate the singkamas. The amount compound that can lower stress levels and will depend on the size of the dog. blood pressure,” Roberts said. 2. Watermelon is readily available in 4. Broccoli is also one healthy, coolthe Philippines. Remove the skin and ing food.

Watermelon or pakwan is a very cooling food. Remove the seeds though as they are toxic to dogs and cats.

“This brassica veggie is loaded with a long list of vitamins and nutrients. Broccoli is a great source of dietary fiber, vitamins B and E, and as much vitamin c as an orange. You’ll also find vitamin K, folate, selenium and potassium in this veggie. Surprisingly enough, broccoli also contains a good amount of Omega-3 fatty acids, “ Roberts said. 5. Squash or kalabasa is packed with vitamins. “ Here’s another power packed veggie

Singkamas, celery and watermelon are not only cooling but they are also packed with vitamins.

(though it’s technically a fruit!) for your crockpot. This yellow squash is high in folate, magnesium, potassium and iron. Vitamins A, C and B6 also come in this package. Beats carotene and lutein are also par for the course, protecting the body from free radicals and improving eye health, respectively. High levels of manganese also helps your pet maintain healthy bones (not the ones they’re chewing on),” said Roberts. 6. Lettuce is very cooling. Just give a

leaf or two depending on the size of the dog. We give romaine lettuce which is also good for the liver and kidneys. “The list of cooling foods goes on and on, and they can be consumed safely year round. Many pets tend to ‘run hot,’ so feeding a diet full of cooling foods is a great way to keep them feeling balanced and healthy. Remember to always keep a healthy rotation and variety of proteins and vegetables in your pet’s diet,” said Roberts.