Manila Standard - 2021 March 23 - Tuesday

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VOL. XXXV • NO. 41 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

'BUBBLE' PROTOCOLS. In this photo from James Agustin via GMA News, motorists are asked where they are going at the border checkpoint on Batasan-San Mateo Road at the boundary of Quezon City and Rizal province on Sunday night. In Cavite, personnel of Regional Mobile Force Battalion with the Cavite Provincial Mobile Force man a checkpoint on Coastal Road in Bacoor, Cavite entering the province, while a member of the Highway Patrol GroupNCR checks the body temperatures of bus passengers as well as the driver at a stop along IBP Road in Quezon City (inset photos). JR Josue and Manny Palmero

New cases breach 8k mark

Hospital group seeks 'reinforcement' Rody calls for balancing act vs. virus Two variants spread to all

By Jimbo Gulle

By Willie Casas and Joel E. Zurbano COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE Metro cities A GROUP of hospitals on Monday sought "reinforcement" from the government as medical facilities in Metro Manila are filling up due to the surge in COVID-19 cases.

Jaime Almora, president of the Philippine Hospital Association (PHA), said several big hospitals are at a "critical" level with more than 70 percent of their COVID-19 beds in use.

“We are requesting for reinforcement from health-related agencies,” Almora said in an interview on ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.

“Nurses are tired and their numbers are not enough. The reinforcement will come from the military and police because most of our nurses are now employed with them due to bigger salaries,” he said.

A year into the pandemic, nurses have yet to receive their COVID-19 benefits, said Jaymee de Guzman, national treasurer of Filipino Nurses United (FNU).

“Health workers have yet to receive their benefits, even if

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(AS OF 4 PM MARCH 22)

671,792 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

8,019 80,970 NEW

12,972

ACTIVE

4

DEATHS

NEW

577,850

103

RECOVERIES

NEW

CLOSING the economy through coronavirus lockdowns would be disastrous for the country, President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday night, as he called for a balancing act amid the raging COVID-19 pandemic.

“It will be disaster for the country. Balance balance lang tayo,” he said in his weekly televised briefing.

In the same briefing, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the number of daily COVID-19 cases would continue their record-breaking upward trend if “no intervention” is done.

He said hospital and isolation capacity should be increased, moderate to critical cases should be in hospitals, and local government units “may opt for home quarantine.”

When asked by President Duterte what caused the “kick” in daily cases to the 8,000-level recorded on Monday, Duque said it was possible that COVID variants, the relaxation of quarantines, the gradual opening of the economy, and people not following orders of wearing face masks and shields all contribNext page uted to the rise.

PNP sets up control points in GCQ areas

T

HE Philippines logged another record high of 8,019 new COVID-19 cases in a single day Monday, bringing total infections to 671,792. It was the highest daily case count since the pandemic began, and it was the third time in four days the country registered a record high in additional new cases.

New infections have been running over 7,000 for the last four days.

The Department of Health (DOH) reported four new fatalities, bringing the COVID-19 death toll to 12,972, which is 1.93 percent of the total cases.

The DOH also reported that 103 patients recently recovered, bringing the total recoveries to 577,850, which is 86 percent of the total infections.

This brought the total active cases in the country to 80,970, also this year’s

By Francisco Tuyay, Rey E. Requejo, Macon RamosAraneta and Vito Barcelo THE Philippine National Police has established checkpoints in strategic areas of the so-called "NCR plus" that include Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal, and nearby provinces bordering them.

In an interview with GMA's "Unang Hirit" Monday, PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Ildebrandi Usana said the border control would be enforced by checkpoints inside and outside the boundaries of areas under general community quarantine (GCQ).

“The outbreak region is actually in NCR. The national government decided to expand the boundary to these four provinces to contain the spread of the disease,” he said.

The four provinces under Region 4-A are placed under general community quarantine, joining Metro Manila, from March 22 to April 4, to limit the spread of coronavirus infections.

Under this status, only essential workers from non-GCQ areas are allowed to enter but they would need to present identification to prove that they belong under the list of workers allowed to travel.

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By Willie Casas, Vito Barcelo and Joel E. Zurbano

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CHECKPOINT MAP. This map shows where the Philippine National Police (PNP) has established checkpoints in strategic areas of the so-called 'NCR plus' areas and nearby provinces bordering them. PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Ildebrandi Usana said the border control would be enforced by checkpoints inside and outside the boundaries of areas under general community quarantine (GCQ).

Private firms can buy vax only under tripartite deal

By Willie Casas, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz ALL private companies, including those selling tobacco, infant milk formula, soda and liquor, are allowed to buy COVID-19 vaccines for their employees provided

they do it under a tripartite deal with the national government and the vaccine manufacturer, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Monday.

Roque made the announcement after several lawmakers raised concerns over the supposed plan of the Health Department and the National Task Force Against COVID-19 to prevent such private com-

panies involved in manufacturing products “in conflict with public health” from procuring COVID-19 vaccines for their employees.

The lawmakers, led by House Ways and Means panel chairperson Joey Salceda, argued that such plan was detrimental to the country’s COVID-19 vaccination program.

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Palace on China boats in PH sea: We can talk it out

By Rey E. Requejo FRIENDS such as China and the Philippines "can talk everything out," Malacañang said on Monday, in response to the presence of some 200 Chinese boats in the Julian Felipe Reef in the West Philippine Sea. This was after the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines denied the Next page

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TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

News

JBC submits Chief Justice shortlist In a letter to the President dated March 22, the seven-member JBC concurrently chaired by Peralta nominated Senior Associate Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe and Associate Justices Alexander Gesmundo and Ramon Paul Hernando for the judiciary’s

most coveted post.

Peralta will retire on his 69th birthday on March 27, one year ahead of the mandatory retirement age for judges and justices.

The nomination of the three SC justices came after they went through the

public interview conducted by JBC members two weeks ago.

“Pursuant to Article VII, Section 9 of the Constitution, the Judicial and Bar Council has the honor to submit the following nominations of the position of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (vice Hon. Diosdado M. Peralta, who will optionally retire on March 27, 2021) . .” the JBC said.

The three senior associate justices were automatically nominated by the SC and have already complied with the requirements.

Under the rules, the five most senior magistrates of the JBC are automatically nominated as chief justice applicants, but

New...

working with the World Health Organization (WHO) to verify the extent of the variants’ transmission.

The Palace, meanwhile, said it believes the two weeks of stricter quarantine restrictions that began Monday in Metro Manila and adjacent provinces will bring about a 25 percent drop in COVID-19 cases.

Metro Manila and the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal were placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) with additional restrictions from March 22 until April 4 due to a surge in COVID-19 infections.

Roque appealed to the public to stay home unless they had to leave for “an essential activity.”

"We all know that the tried and tested formula for preventing the further increase in cases of COVID is to stay home," he said on the ANC program Headstart.

Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega said the government would give priority to vaccinating health workers in Metro Manila as cases surged in the National Capital Region.

"With the incoming vaccines, I’m told by the vaccine cluster that there’s going to be a priority here in Metro Manila for the first dose and the second dose," Vega told ANC's Headstart.

The OCTA Research Group earlier proposed focusing on Metro Manila to control the increasing number of cases in the country's virus epicenter.

It had warned that the Philippines might tally 10,000 daily new cases by the end of the month, half of them likely to be recorded in Metro Manila, if the current trend continues.

It also said Metro Manila are projected to reach full capacity by Holy Week if the government fails to slow down COVID-19 transmission.

In other developments: • The Department of Tourism said tourists from Metro Manila and the four nearby provinces within the GCQ bubble may rebook their planned vacations for the Holy Week without any penalties. “Staycations” with age restrictions are also allowed within the NCR, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal, said Tourism Secretary Bernadette-Romulo Puyat, who said she has talked with all the airlines, and the hotel and restaurant associations about rebooking.

• The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) ordered the police, local government units, and barangays to strictly enforce the ban against mass gatherings in areas included in the general community quarantine bubble. In a statement Monday, DILG officer-incharge Undersecretary Bernardo C. Florece Jr. also ordered the police to set up border checkpoints to prevent the travel of non-essential workers.

“Mass gatherings put the people, their families, and communities at risk of

contracting the virus,” Florece said.

• The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) released guidelines on the travel restrictions that will be in effect from March 22 to April 4, 2021. Only authorized persons outside of the residences will be allowed to travel into and out of Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal. "All air carriers are... reminded to ensure that departing, arriving, or transiting passengers from the said subject areas are traveling for non-leisure purposes," the advisory read.

• Philippine Airlines on Monday announced it will only accommodate passengers with essential travels domestically while Metro Manila and nearby provinces are being placed under the general community quarantine bubble. "In line with the latest resolution of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Infectious Diseases allowing only essential travelers in and out of the National Capital Region from March 22 to April 4, Philippine Airlines will only carry passengers traveling for non-leisure purposes between Manila and domestic stations within the said period," said PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna. She said essential travelers are required to present valid identification showing proof of residence, and other requirements imposed by their respective local government units.

Center is full, its medical director Imelda Mateo said.

The hospital has 70 coronavirus patients, with eight more awaiting admission and 18 others waiting for their test results, she said.

“Compared to last year, it seems high.

As of last night, our COVID bed capacity is full,” she told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.

Almora appealed to patients with mild COVID-19 symptoms to have themselves confined in smaller hospitals instead of the big ones, to avoid overloading the larger ones.

Interviewed on Unang Balita, he said mild cases don't usually require the "critical equipment" that big hospitals offer.

He said although big hospitals can expand their operations, their limited and

overworked manpower is preventing them from doing so.

Almora said, with COVID--19 cases seeing a dramatic surge in the past few days, there is a need for additional manpower in hospitals as well as redistribution of patients, noting the preference of some patients in the provinces to be confined in Metro Manila hospitals.

A “timeout,” he said was not a solution, but reinforcing their personnel was.

“We need reinforcement especially in the nursing services because our nurses are already overworked,” he said.

Possible sources of additional nurses, he said, are the military and the police. He said thousands of nurses in private hospitals transferred to the military and police forces when the government increased

the salaries of Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police personnel.

“Ironically, the reinforcement needed by the health services will come from the military and the police, because they are one of the biggest employers of nurses,” he said.

In the police force alone, there are about 9,000 nurses doing "non-nursing jobs," he added.

Two of the biggest hospitals in Metro Manila -- UP-Philippine General Hospital (PGH) and St. Luke's Medical Center (SLMC) -- said over the weekend that they can no longer readily accept severe cases of COVID-19 needing emergency care as they are already reaching their full capacity.

still "highly discouraged" to go out.

Loading capacity Meantime, the Department of Transportation said while transport to and from these areas was restricted, public transport policies still applied, including the 30-40 percent loading capacity for railways and 75 percent for public utility vehicles such as jeepneys and buses.

“Current transport capacity in public transportation will not change. We ask the public to bike or walk instead,” the DOTr said in a statement.

Public transport commuters are reminded of the health protocols such as wearing of face mask and shield, no talking, no eating, ensuring proper ventilation in public utility vehicles, regular disinfection, barring those with COVID-19 symptoms from boarding, and observing “appropriate” physical distancing.

Those below 18 years old and those 65 years old and above are advised to stay at home, as well as the immunodeficient, those feeling sick or with other health risks, and those pregnant.

“Exemptions to this is if travel is necessary for reasons such as buying or receiving essential goods and services and work or industry-related travel,” the DOTr said.

'Essential' travel Domestic flights remain allowed in GCQ areas.

However, only “essential” travel is allowed in airports and for passengers considered an authorized person outside of residence.

“Any leisure or tourist travels going from or to GCQ areas are not allowed from March 22 to April 4, 2021,” the DOTr said.

On Sunday, the Department of Health reported 7,757 new confirmed cases and 39 new deaths while 15,288 more patients recovered from COVID-19.

Like a familiar refrain, Galvez called on the public to continue adhering to the minimum public health standards as the government enforced "decisive and drastic measures" to prevent the further spread of the infection.

Rody...

Also, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the government would be borrowing P3.3 trillion this year, without specifying for what it would be spent on.

He said the country has allocated a total of P82.5 billion for vaccines, logistics and other supplies, including waste disposal, as part of the government's COVID-19 vaccination program.

Of the P82.5 billion, P2.5 billion will come from the budget of the Department of Health; P10 billion from the funds set aside for Bayanihan 2 Act; and P70 billion from various loans and financing.

The loans will come from the World Bank (P24.3 billion); Asian Development Bank (P19.5 billion); and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (P14.6 billion). The remaining P11.6 billion will come from Official Development Assistance funds.

Duterte reiterated that the money the government borrowed to fund its COVID-19 vaccine rollout is still with the banks. He said the money stays with the lending bank, and the government does not hold any of the money as cold cash.

"It's the bank that will pay, upon our advice, that the vaccines have been delivered," he added.

The President was reacting to questions about how the government is using its loans, given that the country has only received donated vaccines so far.

Palace...

cal Government Units are authorized to procure COVID-19 vaccines which have been given Emergency Use Authorization EUA by the Food and Drug Administration, in cooperation with the DOH and the NTF through a tripartite agreement.

Meanwhile, Senator Joel Villanueva scored the proposal to exclude certain firms from the government’s vaccine procurement program, saying such a move, if implemented, would hamper the efforts on speeding up the roll out of vaccines across the broader population.

Villanueva referred to Section 5 of a draft administrative order by the Department of Health circulating in the public which stated that the DOH and the Na-

tional Task Force would “ensure that private entities who will be part of the agreement are not in any way related to the tobacco industry, products covered under EO 51 series of 1986 or the "National Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, Breastmilk Supplement and Other Related Products" or other industries in conflict with public health.”

“The supposed provision is inconsistent with our common goal of vaccinating our people so every worker can go back to work without fear of getting sick," said Villanueva in a statement.

He noted vaccines should be made available for all. "No company should be excluded.”

By Rey E. Requejo

T

HE Judicial and Bar Council has transmitted to President Rodrigo Duterte its shortlist of aspirants for the Supreme Court’s top post, which will be left vacant when Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta retires on March 27.

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highest—but still lower than the Aug. 15, 2020 count of 81,851 active cases. The active cases as of Monday were 12.1 percent of the total.

Of the active cases, 95.4 percent are mild; 2.2 percent are asymptomatic; 0.9 percent are critical; 1 percent are severe; and 0.52 percent are moderate.

The country is seeing a fresh surge in COVID-19 cases, which the DOH said is being driven by new coronavirus variants and relaxed adherence to health protocols.

Earlier in the day, the DOH said two coronavirus variants of concern are now present in all cities in Metro Manila.

“We saw that these variants are now in all cities here in Metro Manila. That is factual,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a briefing.

“In all of the cities, we have either the UK variant or the South Africa variant. Also in other cities, they have both UK variant and South Africa variant.”

Vergeire said the variants helped drive the fresh surge in COVID-19 cases but said poor compliance with health protocols was the “root cause.”

Health officials did not say, however, if there was community transmission of the two variants.

Vergeire said the DOH was still

Hospital...

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you test positive, they have so many requirements to the point you don't want to claim them,” De Guzman said.

“It's been a long time and we've yet to perfect the right process. Contact tracing is still not expansive, mass testing is not accessible to the ordinary people, we have no additional quarantine facilities,” she said.

Almora said patients who are from the provinces are urged to go to their local hospitals as cases are filling up Metro Manila's medical facilities.

The COVID-19 bed capacity of Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical

PNP...

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"'Checkpoints are set up in NCR boundaries and strategic areas. Outside the boundaries, we have border control, so we can check who are entering NCR plus.

If they are essential workers, they are allowed to enter but if not, they would have to go back," Usana said.

Meanwhile, National Task Force Against COVID-19 chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said the Philippines was more equipped in confronting the challenges posed by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

"We have been here before but we are not back to square one. We are in much better shape now and more equipped in dealing and handling this virus," Galvez said in a statement.

"Your government is continuously monitoring the development and the mutations of the disease to ensure that we will be able to protect our health care system and prevent it from being overwhelmed," he added.

Checkpoints protocols Usana said the protocols in checkpoints have been in place and police would just coordinate with local government units for adjustment on the restrictions.

As the Holy Week approaches, Usana urged the public to hold off their vacation plans and instead stay at home to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Under the new general community quarantine restrictions, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal will be joining Metro Manila under the GCQ classification.

Under the Inter-Agency Task Force Resolution 104, only essential travel into and out of Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal will be allowed.

Called a “travel bubble”, residents will only be allowed to travel within their respective provinces.

During the Laging Handa briefing, Interior Undersecretary and spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said even though there was no border control between Metro Manila and the four provinces, the public was

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The Health secretary said the National Capital Region was at high risk of more coronavirus infections, as five cities were already under “critical” level, eight under “high”, and five under “moderate” risk levels.

He said use of isolation facilities in Metro Manila was at 64 percent up 9 percent from last week, while cases in Regions 4A or the Calabarzon area and Region 3 or Central Luzon – the suburban areas or the so-called “NCR Plus” – were rising too.

Meanwhile, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez wants a simultaneous vaccination of the sectors in the priority list, not sequentially, in a bid to cope with the explosion of cases and the reportedly slow rollout of COVID-19 jabs.

Galvez said the public can begin to be inoculated in April once the 1.7 million medical frontliners have received their shots. As of Monday, only 369,049 health workers got their anti-COVID jabs, he added.

While the country would be able to secure 140 million doses of the vaccine this year, Galvez said stocks of the Pfizer jab would be scarce here, as the United States and United Kingdom held most of its supply.

Private...

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But Roque stressed that such deals by private entities should be done in a tripartite agreement, adding “The tripartite agreement with the national government is indispensable.

Prior to Roque’s announcement, WHO country representative for the Philippines Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe said that such procurement restriction was not based on a whim.

Pursuant to RA 11525 or the “COVID-19 Vaccination Program Act of 2021,” recently passed by the Senate and lower house, private companies and Lo-

by the end of the deadline, only Bernabe, who would retire on May 14, 2022; Gesmundo, who would retire on Nov. 6, 2026; and Hernando, who would retire on Aug. 27, 2036, completed the requirements.

The two other senior SC Associate Justices who did not complete their application requirements were Marvic Leonen, who would retire on Dec. 29, 2032; and Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, who would retire on Sept. 24, 2029.

Last December 1, the SC approved Peralta’s early retirement, but did not provide details why the Chief Justice opted to retire one year ahead of his mandatory retirement age.

DOH observes non-frontliners jump vax line

By Willie Casas and Macon Ramos-Araneta A "NUMBER" of non-frontliners have jumped the country's COVID-19 vaccination queue, an official of the Department of Health said Monday.

Treatment czar and Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega said there were reports of non-health workers jumping the vaccination line.

"We’ve had reports of this. Although we've been saying this can’t be because we have a prioritized vaccination in terms of health workers. This has been observed. The numbers are very insignificant but we do see a number jumping the queue," he told ANC's Headstart.

"I'm not so sure of the specifics but I'm aware there are, who really are jumping the queue,” Vega said.

When asked about possible penalties, Vega said he was leaving it to government's vaccine cluster.

"This has been observed across the globe.

There has been a jump in the queue and we cannot avoid this oftentimes, sometimes it happens," he said.

The Philippines earlier this month began its immunization program against COVID-19, prioritizing health workers who battle the disease in the frontlines.

The country has so far inoculated "below 50 percent" of its healthworkers nationwide, according to Vega.

Government aims to vaccinate this year 50 to 70 million Filipinos or a third of its population to achieve herd immunity.

"In Metro Manila we have already given the first dose to roughly about 7175 percent of all healthcare workers. In provinces, it’s still low. We’re just hitting about 35 percent probably at this time," he said.

The administration earlier received flak following the unauthorized inoculation of President Rodrigo Duterte's security detail.

Former special envoy to China Mon Tulfo had also said he was vaccinated with Sinopharm, which has yet to be approved for emergency use in the country.

The Department of Health said Monday coronavirus vaccines that would remain unused by Wednesday, March 24, would be transferred to areas suffering the brunt of the fresh surge in infections.

“We have been vaccinating a long time already. This vaccination should have been finished in a certain period of time,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a briefing.

“They have to do this expeditiously specially now that the cases are rising,” Vergeire said.

“We gave them a deadline. We told them that the vaccines must be used up

by March 24. If they fail to do so, we will take their supply so we can vaccinate those who have not been inoculated in areas with a high number of cases” she said.

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presence of Chinese militia vessels off Julian Felipe Reef or Whitsun Reef, saying they were just fishing boats seeking shelter in rough seas.

"There is no Chinese Maritime militia as alleged," the embassy said, adding that it has taken note of the recent statement and remarks of the Philippine side.

Asked if he believed that the incident could intensify to a standoff, Palace spokesman Harry Roque said, "I don't think so."

"Meron po tayong malapit na pagkakaibigan. Lahat naman po napag-uusapan sa panig ng mga magkakaibigan at magkapitbahay (We have a close friendship.

Friends and neighbors can talk everything out)," Roque said.

"Let us wait first what China would say. There was a protest. They need to give an answer," the spokesman added on what else the Philippines would do.

A Philippine air patrol on Monday spotted the Chinese boats off the Julian Felipe Reef.

“They are still there and we are counting them carefully," Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana confirmed in a media interview.

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Isolate at home, risk infecting loved ones—Isko

BuCor wall along Munti road illegal, say Biazon, LGU

By Willie Casas

By Maricel V. Cruz

MANILA Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said Monday if the number of residents getting infected continues to rise and the capacity of the hospitals and quarantine facilities being run by the city becomes full, those infected may have to isolate themselves in their homes and risk infecting their loved ones.

Domagoso says once the full capacity is reached, the city government cannot do anything and lamented the continuing rise in the number of people being infected by the coronavirus in Manila like elsewhere in the country.

But Domagoso says the local government has begun inoculating disaster risk reduction and management personnel, social workers and jail officers.

He says workers from these sectors are part of the “Priority Group A1” identified by the government’s National COVID-19 Vaccination Operations Center.

Domagoso says just like the private hospitals, the city hospitals might have no choice but to stop accepting patients once the limit is reached.

“Kapag napuno ‘yan (quarantine and COVID beds) gaya ng nangyayari sa private na punuan na, kayo ay di tatanggapin sa loob ng ospital o ng quarantine facilities. Pag naabot ang sukdulan, kayo ay malalagay sa alanganin at maaring manatili habang hikahos o naghahagilap ng hangin sa loob ng bahay n’yo at malaki ang tsansa na mahawaan ninyo ang inyong mga mahal sa buhay na siyang nagaganap ngayon,” Domagoso said.

It is for this reason, he says, why he and Vice Mayor Honey LacunaPangan have been repeatedly appealing for city residents to observe health protocols and avoid going around unnecessarily.

The latest statistics show that the occupancy rate in the quarantine facilities has so far reached 91 percent.

Domagoso tasked Lacuna-Pangan and permits bureau chief Levi Facundo to coordinate with hotels and motels in the city that used to serve as quarantine facilities to know if they are willing to take on the same role all over again given the spike in COVID-19 cases these days.

A HOUSE leader on Monday protested the wall being built by the Bureau of Corrections along Insular Prison Road.

Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon said “That wall is illegal and is a nuisance as defined by Article 694 of the Civil Code as it obstructs and interferes with the free passage of a public highway or street.

“What is more alarming is that no proper coordination whatsoever was made with the City Government of Muntinlupa and the barangay prior to the implementation of this order from BuCor,” he said.

Meanwhile, following the construction of the wall in Bilibid Road going to Southville 3 by the Bureau of Corrections, the Muntinlupa City Council and Barangay Poblacion have approved separate resolutions condemning the action and requesting the immediate opening of the access road.

Majority Floor Leader Raul Corro said the city council had passed resolutions on Monday requesting the Department of Justice to order BuCor to reopen the road going to and from NHA, Southville 3 and requesting Congress, through Biazon, to conduct an investigation in aid of legislation.

Tensions flared on Saturday between BuCor personnel and residents of Southville 3 in Barangay Poblacion after the residents woke up to find several portions of the Insular Prison Road already blocked by concrete walls.

The Insular Prison Road in the New Bilibid Prison Reservation gives residents of Southville 3, a socialized housing project of National Housing Authority, access to and from the Poblacion proper and city proper of Muntinlupa.

DOING THE ROUNDS. Manila police use loudspeakers and nightsticks as they patrol the streets of Bgy. 109 in Tondo after it was placed under lockdown for three days starting Monday, along with 15 other barangays in the city due to the high number of COVID-19 cases in their areas. Norman Cruz

Trillanes 1Sambayan’s choice if Leni won’t run F

ORMER Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said Monday he would seek the presidency if Vice President Leni Robredo will not run in the 2022 elections.

Trillanes said he had already met with the members of newly launched coalition 1Sambayan during an interview in January.

“I qualified at the start of the interview. I said that the opposition is solidly behind and united behind the candidacy of Vice President Leni Robredo for President. So, any scenario of the Vice President withdrawing her candidacy is the only condition that I’d entertain entering the presidential derby,”

Trillanes told ANC. But he maintained that Robredo had a greater chance of winning next year’s elections.

“In terms of qualification, definitely she’s highly qualified and we believe she’s the most winnable candidate in the opposition,” he said.

“That’s why we are pushing her [and] we are assuring her we will be with her in this fight for the presidency in 2022.”

1Sambayan, which is led by the country’s former high-ranking officials, is looking to endorse a candidate who has a clean track record, an upright stand on key issues and platforms that address current problems.

The coalition had already met some possible candidates, including Robredo, Trillanes, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, senators Grace Poe

and Nancy Binay.

In the interview, Trillanes dismissed the surveys that President Rodrigo Duterte was still enjoying a high approval rating from the public.

“We are conducting our own internal polling. His numbers are significantly down and continue to decline at a very steep rate,” he said.

Asked about the possible tandem of Duterte and his daughter Sara in next year’s elections, Trillanes had this to say: “I encourage them to do that. They have every right to do that. In fact, ideally, I would want them to be rejected in the 2022 elections,” he said.

“So it’s even preferable for Mr. Duterte to run for Vice President or Sara Duterte to run for President. We’re looking forward to that rejection, to their rejection in 2022.”

Medical reserve corps bill OKd on 2nd reading THE House of Representatives on Monday approved on second reading the bill establishing a Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) intended to assist the national and local government in case of public health emergencies and war, among others.

The House, in plenary session Monday, passed House Bill 8999 or the “Medical Reserve Corps Act” through a voice vote.

HB 8999 is a consolidation of several bills filed on the subject under Committee Report 886 with Quezon Rep. Angelina Tan as the measure’s principal author.

The MRC as proposed in the bill shall compose of licensed physicians, medical students who have completed their four years of medical course, graduates of medicine, registered nurses, and licensed allied health professionals who may be called upon to assist the national government, its agencies, and instrumentalities, and local governments.

It shall be created under the supervision of the Department of Health.

The bill recommends that the President shall be given the power to mobilize the MRC nationwide in case of a declaration of a state of war, a state of lawless violence, or a state of calamity. Maricel V. Cruz

Only 6,069 deaths in anti-drug raids in 8 mos.—PDEA THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency on Monday claimed only 6,069 persons died during anti-drug operations between July 1, 2016 and Feb. 28, 2021.

Its #RealNumbersPH Year 4 report, PDEA said they were able to conduct 193,532 anti-operations with 279,623 arrested persons of the same period.

There were 3,595 children involved in illegal drug activities who were rescued during anti-drug operations, the agency said.

At least 2,070 of them were drug pushers; 918, possessors; one, runner; 405, users; one, clan laboratory employee; two, cultivators; 177, visitors of a drug den; nine, drug den maintainers, and 12, drug den employees.

According to the PDEA, 11,479 high-value targets were arrested.

Some 946 government workers were nabbed, of which 108 of them were uniformed men; 375, elected officials, and 463, government employees.

The PDEA said there were 21,252 drug-cleared barangays and 13,836 barangays that have yet to be cleared.

Rio N. Araja

IN BRIEF

RCM DONATION. Rotary Club of Manila (RCM), the first in Asia, in collaboration with Medical Plus and Technology, has donated

P16.6 million worth of COVID-19 test kits to the cities of Paranaque, Taytay, Pasay, and the province of Batangas. Pictured is Batangas Governor Dodo Mandanas (center) receiving P4 million worth of test kits from RCM President Robert Lim Joseph (2nd from right) and Rotarians (from left) Juan Montel, who secured the donation from Medical Plus, Immediate Past President Jackie Rodriquez, and Chair Hermie Esquerra.

Joy lauds QC dioceses for protocols, virtual processions

By Rio N. Araja QUEZON City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Monday thanked the Dioceses of Cubao and Novaliches for strictly imposing city health protocols and promoting virtual processions and masses this Lenten season.

She cited the Diocese of Cubao and Novaliches for taking the lead in adhering to the city’s health guidelines to help prevent the transmission of COVID-19.

Bishop Most Rev. Fr. Honesto Ongtioco of Cubao and Bishop Most Rev.

SWAB CENTER.

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma stands outside the new SBMA COVID-19 swabbing center.

Subic business locators have given the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority superior grades for its handling of the coronavirus pandemic since March last year.

Fr. Roberto Gaa have agreed to temporarily suspend physical masses after Belmonte presented data from OCTA research showing the surge of covid cases on Saturday.

Both dioceses had banned physical masses even before the Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases issued the new guidelines.

Apart from masses, the church also restricted other religious activities between March 22 and April 4, 2021.

“We are grateful to our prelates for

doing these huge initiatives to help the government in this battle. Since the start of the pandemic, the church has been closely working with us already,” Belmonte said.

The parishes would stream their virtual holy masses and other activities on their respective Facebook pages.

“We have to limit our movements to at least control the surge of new COVID cases that we are experiencing right now.

However, we must also see to it that our residents’ religious activities and traditions won’t be affected,” Belmonte said.

Dinalupihan bars sale of IP ancestral lands DINALUPIHAN, Bataan—Councilor Amy Muli-Sandoval said they at the Sangguniang Bayan Dinalupihan have passed a resolution prohibiting the selling of ancestral domain land in the municipality.

“We should protect the rights of our indigenous peoples”, she said.

“Sadly for just a small amount, our Aetas are losing their land to unscrupulous individuals.

“Even IPs themselves must be reminded that they cannot sell their ancestral domain land.”.

Muli-Sandoval said Dinalupihan IPs representative Councilor Joel Abraham authored the resolution.

“I gave my full support to immediately pass the resolution. I commend Councilor Abraham for the initiative”, she said.

“Mayor Gila Garcia fully backed the local legislative act to protect the rights of IPs in Dinalupihan.”

She says the resolution is in line with the advisory from the National Commission on Indigenous People urging to stop, prohibit and report any transaction, dealing, negotiation of selling and the transfer of land within the ancestral domains. Butch Gunio

Villar: Plant more trees on International Day of Forests

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SAYING forest trees serve as a natural protection to the adverse impacts of natural disasters, such as typhoons and extreme flooding, Senator Cynthia Villar underscored the need to stop deforestation on Monday.

In joining the celebration of the International Day of Forests on March 21, Villar, chairperson of the Senate committee on environment and natural resources, renewed her call to keep our forests healthy and protected.

“Abundant forest trees could help forest soil absorb and retain rainwater, thereby naturally regulating the release of rainwater from hills and mountains,” said Villar.

She noted that deforestation caused

by illegal logging, quarrying, unregulated mining and slash-and-burn agriculture, among others, “continues to threaten the forest cover of the country.”

“This resulted in a reduced protection from the effects of natural disasters,” said Villar, a known environmentalist.

She mentioned, for instance, the deforestation of the Sierra Madre Mountain Range, which was supposed to protect Luzon from typhoons.

“The muddy quality of the water that flooded Cagayan and Marikina alike is an indication that the surrounding forests and watersheds are already so denuded that they do not anymore retain soil water and prevent erosion,” Villar said.

She also cited the statement of the United Nations that over 800 million

people live in tropical forests and woodlands in developing countries.

Indigenous and local communities, who are also considered as “historic custodians of the planet’s most important reservoirs of biodiversity”, rely on them for their essential needs from food and shelter to medicines, among others.

Because of this, she said, the destruction of those habitats translate to loss of livelihood and economic opportunities for people.

In November last year, the senator filed Senate Resolution 581 seeking a legislative inquiry on the state of the country’s forests, watersheds and rivers following the severe and widespread flooding in Luzon due to the recent onslaught of typhoons.

A4

ASG leader killed; four Indonesians rescued

TUESDAY, MARCH 16, 2021

News

SIGNS OF SUMMER. Inflatables floaters line the Manila-Los Baños Road in Calamba, Laguna on March 22 as the state weather agency said warm and humid climate will continue in

most parts of the country. The government said staycations are still allowed in the NCR Plus Bubble that covers Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal and Bulacan despite the imposition of a 14-day more stringent General Community Quarantine that took effect yesterday. Revoli Cortez

Palace: No need for ‘ayuda’

By Vito Barcelo and Maricel Cruz

T

HE government will not provide financial aid to families residing in the so-called NCR Plus bubble as businesses will not be shuttered and work will continue despite the imposition of stricter measures such as travel restrictions and limited operation of establishments until April 4.

“There will be no more cash aid because businesses are open. Anyone can go to work,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said.

Roque said the more stringent 14day General Community Quarantine in Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan and Rizal does not necessitate the distribution of “ayuda” under the government’s Social Amelioration Program.

“If you are looking for ayuda similar

to what we gave when we were under Enhanced Community Quarantine, this time, because we are not preventing our people from working, we do not need to give that kind of ayuda anymore,” he said.

“But I understand some local governments, for areas subject to localized and granular (lockdowns), they will be giving ayuda,” the Palace official added.

Last year, the government released P200-billion in emergency subsidy

worth between P5,000 and P8,000 to poor households affected by the ECQ. At the House of Representatives, Taguig Rep. Alan Cayetano urged the leadership to pass a measure which seeks to provide P10,000 cash aid for every Filipino household.

“There is no question that our people are still in desperate need of assistance,” he said, adding that the government has the resources to provide additional financial aid to Filipinos suffering from the continuing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He appealed to Speaker Lord Allan Velasco to pass House Bill 8597 with the same urgency that the Lower Chamber approved the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act and the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act in 2020.

“Last year, together with the executive department, Congress was able to quickly pass the Bayanihan 1 and 2 Laws to help our people. Today, we call on our colleagues in the House of the People – let us rise to the occasion once again and come to the aid of our people by giving them an additional P10,000 per Filipino family,” he said.

Camarines Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte Jr. said the measure will also help stimulate economic activity.

“It will circulate in the economy. The money can be used to buy food and medicine and pay for transportation.

It’s a big push to improve our economy,” he said.

Cayetano urged the government to act swiftly given the country’s “extraordinary” problems.

Peralta: 10-point program hit despite pandemic SC defers ATA hearing as cases spike

By Rey E. Requejo

By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court has canceled anew the holding of oral arguments scheduled today (Tuesday) on the 37 petitions seeking to invalidate the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.

In an advisory, the SC said it reset the arguments to April 6 due to the alarming increase of COVID-19 infections, with 33 active cases among its employees in Padre Faura in Ermita, Manila.

Since the start of the arguments on Feb. 2, the legal debates have been suspended four times as preventive measure against the spread of the virus.

The side of the government will be presented when the oral arguments resume on April 6.

All the 37 petitions asked the High Court to declare the ATA unconstitutional in its entirety.

All the petitions likewise sought the issuance of a temporary restraining order to stop the law’s implementation.

The SC, however, has yet to tackle the pleas for TRO. It appointed “friends of the court” (amici curiae) former Chief Justice Reynato Puno and former SC Associate Justice Francis Jardeleza for this case.

FIVE days before his scheduled retirement on March 27 as the country’s top magistrate, Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta on Monday bid farewell to his colleagues at the Supreme Court, officials and employees of the judiciary and declared that almost all of the items in his TenPoint Program have been accomplished.

“I am pleased to say that in spite of the pandemic, almost all of the items in my Ten-Point Program have come into fruition,” Peralta said in his speech during his last flag-raising ceremony as chief justice yesterday.

The program prioritizes ensuring the welfare of court employees and equitable access to justice for the general public.

Under his watch, Peralta said the SC formulated and approved 18 procedural rules and guidelines meant to improve the administration of justice and address the problem of clogged court dockets, including the conduct of online trials and hearings.

“I and my fellow Justices of the Court had the unenviable task of drawing up COVID-19-related policies and measures for implementation in the courts nationwide, not only for the safety and welfare of the judiciary’s 29,000-strong employees, but for those of all court users as well,” he said.

IMMIGRATION officers intercepted two female victims of illegal recruitment who were bound for the United Arab Emirates at the Clark International Airport in Pampanga.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said the two victims presented themselves as legitimate overseas Filipino workers with valid overseas employment certificates and employment contracts.

However, primary inspection officers noted discrepancies in the documents and referred them to the TCEU for inspection.

P45m smuggled cigarettes seized

By Joel Zurbano and Maricel V. Cruz CUSTOMS agents assigned at the North Harbor intercepted a smuggled shipment of cigarettes worth P45 million from China.

The importer declared the goods as 711 cartons of bicycle and folding table but agents of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service discovered the shipment contained cigarettes.

“We found the cigarettes concealed in the bikes and tables,” said Manila International Container Port - CIIS chief Alvin Enciso.

Enciso said importers of the smuggled cigarettes will be held liable for misdeclaration and misclassification of goods under Section 1400 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act. “There are appropriate charges for a case like this and we will make sure that whoever’s responsible will be held accountable,” he said.

Prior to the apprehension, the MICP-CIIS office received information that the shipment of JDR General Merchandise that arrived on March 15 from Shenzhen, China contained cigarettes and other misdeclared and undeclared items.

Enciso immediately asked for the issuance of a Pre-Lodgment Control Order (PLCO) from MICP District Collector Romeo Allan Rosales “so we can conduct a thorough 100% examination and check the veracity of this information.”

Upon inspection on Monday, the CIIS men found several cartons of smuggled cigarettes such as Fortune Menthol 100s.

Commission backs passage of Human Rights Defenders bill

By Rio N. Araja

THE Commission on Human Rights on Monday joined the clamor to hasten the passage of the Human Rights Defenders Protection Bill.

CHR spokesperson Jacqueline Ann

2 illegal recruitment victims saved

By Vito Barcelo

Supreme Court Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta waves to the crowd as he bids goodbye to his fellow justices and employees during his last flag ceremony yesterday before his retirement on March 27. Norman Cruz

GOVERNMENT troops have killed a sub-leader of the Abu Sayyaf Group and rescued four Indonesian hostages who were kidnapped in January last year.

Western Mindanao Command head Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan Jr. said three of the four hostages – Arizal Kasta Miran, Arsad Bin Dahlan and Andi Riswanto were rescued after the boat used by the ASG to bring the hostages to Tawi-Tawi capsized Thursday off Pasigan Island.

The ASG bandits, led by Majan Sahidjuan alias Apo Mike, were able to cross to Tawi-Tawi with the fourth hostage, 15-year-old Mohd Khairuldin.

Sahidjuan’s group clashed with members of the Philippine Marines Saturday evening in Kalupag Island.

“He (Apo Mike) was severely wounded during the encounter. We tried to save him but his gunshot wounds were fatal,” said Lt. Col. Venjie Pendon, Marine Battalion Landing Team-6 commander.

Vinluan said the fourth hostage was found by government troops in the same village where the encounter with the ASG took place.

The four Indonesian victims were among the five fishermen abducted from a Sabah-registered trawler on Jan. 16, 2020 by the ASG in the waters between Tambisan and Kuala Meruap in Lahad Datu, Sabah.

The fifth victim, La Baa, was killed by the ASG when he tried to escape at the height of a clash with government troops in September last year in Barangay Maligay, Patikul, Sulu.

The TCEU officers then presented the documents to the Philippine Overseas Employment AdministrationLabor Assistance Center officer on duty at the airport terminal to verify their authenticity.

“Through the checks, it was confirmed by the POEA officer on-duty that the contract the victims submitted were not verified by the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Dubai, and were faked,” Morente said.

The victims admitted that they received their employment contract from an agent they met online a day before their flight.

de Guia said the passage of House Bill No. 9199 should be a high priority, considering the unceasing attacks, threats and the general climate of hostility faced by human rights defenders and advocates.

“We echo the recent statement of

the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Ms. Mary Lawlor, stressing that the bill shall concretely show our country’s commitment to human rights obligations,” she said.

“Passing the bill will demonstrate our

government’s recognition of the essential work of the human rights defenders,” De Guia added.

She said concrete legal protection and mechanisms would enable the important work of the human rights community.

DISINFECTION.

Members of the Mandaluyong City disaster response office disinfect establishments along Sierra Madre Street in Brgy. Highway Hills. Data from the COVID-19 Tracker of the Department of Health showed there are 1,304 active cases in Mandaluyong City as of March 21, 2021.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK ManilaRepublic of the Philippines

Standard

REGIONAL TRIAL COURT

B2

Second Judicial Region’ TODAY Branch 11 Tuao, Cagayan

IN RE: PETITION FOR CANCELLATION OF MEMORANDUM OF ENCUMBRANCE ANNOATED IN THE TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T-139 UNDER ENTRY NO. 2144, ADM. CASE NO. 315-20-T

TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021

World

Trust in ‘Astra’ jab falls in Europe

HEIRS OF JACINTO S. BACCAY namely: JOSEPHINE B. RAGUAL, MARY ANN B. FERRER, RICARDO L. BACCAY AND EDNA B. CABREROS Rep. By: DANILO L. BACCAY, Petitioners

B

-versusALHAMBRA INDUSTRIES INC. and REGISTRY OF DEEDS, TUAO, CAGAYAN, Respondents X - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - -- - - - - - - - - -- - - - - X

ERLIN—A poll unveiled Monday showed trust in AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine has plunged in many European countries, as the continent grapples with resurgent infections and Germany considers extending restrictions into April.

ORDER On hand is a Motion for Leave of Court to Allow Service of summons by Publication, filed by Atty. Noemi Sibayan Caraggayan.

Movant contends that personal service of summons to Respondent Alhambra Industries, Inc. was made, however, the same failed because the respondent is no longer residing at the said address as per Process Server’s Return of Service and in order to acquire jurisdiction over the respondent, petitioner prays that service to respondent Alhambra Industries, Inc. be effected upon by publication in a newspaper of general circulation and in such places and for such time as the Court may order.

Thousands of protesters angry at Covid-19 restrictions rallied in cities across Europe over the weekend while several nations reimposed partial lockdowns.

A memo from a group of Germany’s regions, seen by AFP, said the country’s partial lockdown should be extended into April because of rising infection rates driven by Covid-19 variants.

Travel needed to be cut to a minimum, with quarantines and negative tests required for those

WHEREFORE, there being no cogent reason to deny the motion, the same is hereby GRANTED. Petitioner is hereby allowed to effect service of summons unto respondent Alhambra Industries, Inc. by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines including a copy of this Order, the petition and all its annexes at the expense of the petitioner.

SO ORDERED. Pata, Tuao, Cagayan, January 18, 2021.

EDMAR P. CASTILLO Presiding Judge Republic of the Philippines Second Judicial Region REGIONAL TRIAL COURT Branch 11 Tuao, Cagayan IN RE: PETITION FOR CANCELLATION OF MEMORANDUM OF ENCUMBRANCE ANNOTATED IN THE TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T-139 UNDER ENTRY NO. 2144.

re-entering Germany, the memo warned.

The prospect of further curbs will infuriate many, including 20,000 protesters who marched against existing restrictions in the Germany city of Kassel on Saturday.

Police there used water cannon, batons and pepper spray to disperse the crowds.

- Herd immunity by July? Protesters also marched in Amsterdam, Vienna, the Bulgarian capital Sofia, and Switzerland over the weekend.

In the southern French city of Marseille, around 6,500 people took part in a carnival parade, flouting the new restrictions that came into force this weekend.

Offering glimmer of hope, the European Union’s internal market commissioner, Thierry Breton, said that Europe could reach herd immunity by July 14, pointing to the expected ramping up of vaccine deliveries.

But a new survey by British pollsters YouGov showed Monday that a majority of people in the biggest European Union member states -- including Germany, France, Spain and Italy -- now view AstraZeneca’s vaccine as unsafe.

This comes after several EU countries suspended the jab’s use earlier this month, pending a review by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) after dozens of isolated cases of blood clots and brain haemorrhages. AFP

NOT UNSEEN.

ADM CASE NO. 315-20-T

Members and supporters of the Asian-American community attend a “rally against hate” at Columbus Park in New York City on March 21.

Three massage parlors around Atlanta were targeted March 16, 2021, and a 21-year-old suspect was arrested. Robert Aaron Long faces eight counts of murder and one charge of aggravated assault. AFP

HRS. OF JACINTO BACCAY namely: JOSEPHINE B. RAGUAL, MARY ANN B. FERRER, RICARDO L. BACCAY, JAIME L. BACCAY AND EDNA B. CABREROS Rep. by: DANILO L. BACCAY Petitioners, -versusALHAMBRA INDUSTRIES, INC. and REGISTER OF DEEDS, TUAO, CAGAYAN Respondents.

X - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - X PETITION Petitioner thru undersigned counsel and to this Honorable Court most respectfully states, that: 1. Petitioner is of legal age, married, Filipino and a resident of No. 55, Arellano Street, Centro 5, Tuguegarao City, Cagayan; 2. Respondent Alhambra Industries, Inc., (“Alhambra” for brevity) is the party to whom the deceased father of the herein petitioner entered the Contract of Sale with Right to Repurchase with address at No. 31 Tayuman Street, Tondo, Manila where it may be served with summons, orders, notices and other court processes; 3. Respondent Register of Deeds, Tuao, Cagayan is an agency of the Philippine government responsible for issuing decrees of registration and certificates of title and register documents, patents and other land transaction for the benefit of landowners, agrarian reform-beneficiaries and the registering public in general with address at Tuao, Cagayan where it may be served with summons, orders, notices and other court processes; 4. The petitioner has the legal capacity to initiate the filing of this petition for and in behalf of the other co-heirs by virtue of a Special Power of Attorney, a copy of which is hereto attached as Annex “A” hereof; 5. Petitioner is one of the heirs of Jacinto Baccay, the registered owner of a parcel of land identified as Lot No. 87 of Piat Public Lands Subdivision, PLS-149, Cadastral Case No. N-8, LRC Cadastral Record No. N-104, with improvements thereon, situated in the Municipality of Piat, Province of Cagayan, containing an area of Two Million Seven Hundred Sixty Seven Thousand Six Hundred and Seven (2,767,607) square meters, more or less, covered by Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-139, a certified true copy of which is hereto attached as Annex “B”;

Thousands flee Sydney’s worst floods in decades

6. The said real property was declared by the late Jacinto S. Baccay for taxation purposes per attached copy of owner’s copy of Declaration of Real Property (Provincial) No. 6420 dated April 26, 1965 marked as Annex “C”; 7. Petitioner earlier filed a Petition for the Issuance of Another Owner’s Duplicate Copy of Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-139 docketed as Administrative Case No. 306-20-T before the Regional Trial Court, Branch 11, Tuao, Cagayan and a judgment was rendered by the said court, a copy of the decision dated September 15, 2020 is hereto attached as Annex “D”. The dispositive portion of which reads:

SYDNEY—Torrential downpours lashed Australia’s east Monday, forcing thousands to flee the worst flooding in decades and pushing communities already battling drought, bushfires, and the coronavirus pandemic to “breaking point”.

Around 18,000 residents were told to evacuate their homes, as days of relentless rainfall caused rivers in Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales, to their highest levels in 30 years.

“The devastation is quite unbelievable,” said Port Macquarie cafe owner Marten Clark, who waded through waist-deep water

“WHEREFORE, premises considered, and pursuant to Section 109 of PD 1529, the petition is granted.

Corollary thereto, the Register of Deeds of Cagayan is hereby ordered to issue a new Owner’s Duplicate Copy of Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-139 in the name of JACINTO S. BACCAY, married to Filomena Lingan, in place of the lost duplicate certificate but shall, in all respects, be entitled to like faith and credit as the original duplicate.

SO ORDERED.” 8. The said case became final and executor on October 12, 2020 as per Certificate of Finality, a copy of which is hereto attached as Annex “E”; 9. On December 9, 1965, the petitioner’s father, Jacinto Baccay entered into a Contract of Sale with Right to Repurchase in relation to the subject lot in favor of Alhambra, the consideration of which is Ninety Four Thousand Eight Hundred Fifty Two and Sixty Seven Pesos (Php94,852.67).

Thereafter, the Contract of Sale with Right to Repurchase was annotated at the back of the Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-139 by Alhambra on December 10, 1965;

to find his furniture washed away, and freezers, fridges and cooking equipment destroyed.

Aerial images from hard-hit areas showed the flood consuming rows of houses, with only their roofs above the water.

As some coastal communities received three months worth of rain in a few hours, emergency services said they rescued hundreds from floodwaters and fielded more than 8,800 calls for help.

In some areas, emergency workers travelled inland on “Surf Lifesaving” ocean rescue boats to reach stranded people.

So far, no fatalities or serious injuries

have been reported.

But with more rain expected, eight million residents in Sydney and across the state were on Monday told to work from home if possible and avoid unnecessary travel.

“The water is still rising,” said Jo Dunstan, who owns a florist shop in the outer Sydney suburb of Windsor, as she watched debris-littered stormwater race past neighbouring homes.

“It’s scary, very eerie to say the least.”

Just over 12 months ago the region was parched: suffering prolonged drought, water restrictions and unprecedented bushfires. AFP

10. The father of the petitioner was able to pay back the amount of Ninety Four Thousand Eight Hundred Fifty Two and Sixty Seven Pesos (Php94,852.67) in favor Alhambra.

The reason for which, the Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-139 was returned and in possession of his father;

IN BRIEF

11. After the death of the petitioner’s father, the custody of the Owner’s Duplicate Copy of the subject lot was handed over to his wife, Filomena Baccay, now deceased mother of the herein petitioner. As such, it was subsequently handed over to the petitioner;

Protesters march vs.

US anti-Asian racism

12. Unfortunately, the Owner’s Duplicate Copy of the subject lot was subsequently lost. Hence, the reason for the filing of the earlier mentioned Petition for the Issuance of Another Owner’s Duplicate Copy of Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-139;

WASHINGTON—Thousands of Americans marched at rallies on Sunday to denounce anti-Asian racism following the mass shooting last week at Asian-owned spas in the state of Georgia.

Protests took place in major cities including Atlanta, where the shooting occurred, New York and Washington, as well as a protest in Montreal, Canada.

Xin Hua, an Asian-American woman, said she was “really angry” that police in Atlanta have yet to say the shooting was racially motivated.

“The fact is that six Asian women were killed,” the 37-year-old told AFP in Washington, where hundreds of protesters had gathered.

The shooter, Robert Aaron Long, was arrested Tuesday after opening fire in three Asian massage parlors in Atlanta and the city suburbs.

He admitted to the crime and was charged with murder. AFP

13. The Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-139 has not been cancelled and that the registered owner thereto is the deceased father of the petitioner, Jacinto S. Baccay.

Further, no subsequent title has been issued in the name of Alhambra. A copy of a Certification from the Registry of Deeds of Tuao, Cagayan dated September 3, 2020 stating that as per records of the said office, Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-139 is registered in the name of Jacinto S. Baccay and no subsequent title has been issued in relation thereto is hereto attached as Annex “F”; 14. The Petitioner’s Judicial Affidavit is likewise attached as Annex “G” and shall form an integral part hereto to support the cancellation of the Memorandum of Encumbrance entitled Contract of Sale with Right to Repurchase under Entry No. 2144 as annotated in the Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-139; 15. Based from the foregoing facts, the Memorandum of Encumbrance entitled Contract of Sale with Right to Repurchase under Entry No. 2144 as annotated in the Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-139 should be cancelled.

PRAYER WHEREFORE, it is most respectfully prayed of this Honorable Court that after due proceedings, an order be issued directing the Respondent Register of Deeds of Tuao, Cagayan to cancel the Memorandum of Encumbrance entitled Contract of Sale with Right to Repurchase annotated under Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-139 under Entry No. 2144 upon payment of the fees prescribed by law.

Such other reliefs just and equitable in the premises are likewise prayed for.

Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, October 12, 2020 NOEMI SIBAYAN CARAGGAYAN Counsel for the Petitioner ROLL NO. 74876 IBP OR NO. 125273 07/17/2020 PTR NO. 2862367 08/10/2020 Admitted to the bar on July 17, 2020 No. 115, Adducul Street Cataggaman Nuevo, Tuguegarao City nscaraggayan@gmail.com 09454821871

UP TO THE WALL. Palestinian women take part in a protest against the cuts in food aid distribution,

outside the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) headquarters in Gaza City on March 18. AFP

VERIFICATION AND CERTIFICATION OF NON-FORUM SHOPPING

BBC journalist freed in Myanmar; Renewed anti-coup protests roll on

I, DANILO L. BACCAY, of legal age, married, Filipino and a resident of No. 55, Arellano Street, Centro 5, Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, after having been duly sworn to in accordance with law, do hereby depose and state: 1. That I am the Petitioner in the above Petition; 2. That I have caused the preparation of the foregoing Petition; 3. That the contents thereof are true and correct to the best of my personal knowledge and based on authentic records.

4. The pleading is not filed to harass, cause unnecessary delay, or needlessly increase the cost of litigation; That, I hereby certify, that I did not commence any action or filed any claim involving the same issues in any court, tribunal or quasijudicial agency and to the best of my knowledge, no such other action or claim is pending therein; if there is such other pending action or claim, a complete statement of the present status thereof; and if I should thereafter learn that the same or similar action or claim has been filed or is pending, I shall report that fact to the Honorable Court within five (5) calendar days therefrom.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this OCT. 05, 2020, 2020 at Tuguegarao City, Cagayan.

(MS-MAR. 23, 2021)

YANGON—A BBC journalist held in Myanmar has been freed, the broadcaster said on Monday, as demonstrators took to the streets for fresh anti-coup protests against the military.

Myanmar’s junta has unleashed deadly violence on protesters who have risen against the military’s ousting of civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi last month.

More than 2,600 people have been arrested and 250 killed, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), a local monitoring group that has warned fatalities could be even higher.

Aung Thura, a journalist with the BBC’s Burmese service, was detained by men in plain clothes while reporting outside a court in the capital Naypyidaw on Friday.

The broadcaster confirmed on Monday in a news story on its website that he had been freed but gave no further details.

Scores of people, including teachers, marched on Monday through the pre-dawn streets of Mandalay, the country’s secondlargest city, some carrying placards calling

Saudi coalition strikes Yemen rebels’ advance

for UN intervention in the crisis.

Mandalay has seen some of the worst violence of the crackdown and recorded eight more deaths on Sunday, a medical source told AFP, adding that as many as 50 people were injured.

Machine guns rang out late into the night across the city of 1.7 million.

“People were really scared and felt insecure the whole night,” a doctor told AFP by phone.

To protest the brutality of the crackdown, a group of doctors in Mandalay staged a “placard only” demonstration by lining up signs in the street, Voice of Myanmar reported.

A group of monks staged a similar “monkless” protest.

There were also early morning protests in parts of Yangon, the commercial capital and largest city, where drivers honked their horns in support of the anti-coup movement.

Residents in Yangon’s Hlaing township released hundreds of red helium balloons with posters calling for a UN intervention to stop atrocities, according to local media. AFP

RIYADH—The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said Saturday it had launched air strikes in support of pro-government forces battling a quickening Huthi rebel advance on the northern city of Marib.

The move came after a drone strike set a Riyadh oil refinery ablaze on Friday, in an attack claimed by the Huthis, as the rebels made major advances on Marib, seizing a strategic mountain.

The dawn strike on the refinery was the second major assault this month on Saudi energy installations, highlighting an escalation of Yemen’s six-year conflict between the Saudi-backed Yemeni government and the Huthis, who are supported by Iran.

The European Union and Russia on Saturday joined Saudi ally the United States in condemning the attack and calling for an end to strikes on civilians and civilian infrastructure. AFP

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Business

B3

TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

US economists see Fed hiking benchmark rate sooner—survey

PSEi March 22, 2021

TOP GAINERS 1 2

WPI ATNB

LAST PRICE 0.55 0.89

% CHANGE CHANGE 0.06 11.11% 0.08 9.88%

3

PBB

10.28

0.81

8.55%

4 5 6

APC PRMX GERI

0.405 1.88 0.87

0.03 0.12 0.05

8.00% 6.82% 6.10%

7

PRF3A

1119

58

5.47%

8 9 10

PAX PGOLD HOUSE

2.35 38.7 7.29

0.11 1.7 0.29

4.91% 4.59% 4.14%

TOP LOSERS 1 2

GEO NI

LAST PRICE 0.315 1.72

% CHANGE CHANGE -0.045 -12.50% -0.23 -11.79%

3

PHES

0.41

-0.045

-9.89%

4 5 6

C OPM MG

3.37 0.01 0.31

-0.35 -0.001 -0.03

-9.41% -9.09% -8.82%

7 8 9 10

BHI BSC PRIM MRC

0.087 0.68 2.91 0.355

-0.008 -0.06 -0.25 -0.03

-8.42% -8.11% -7.91% -7.79%

MOST ACTIVE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

ALI DITO TEL SM SMPH MBT CNVRG BDO ACEN PHA

VOLUME 15852700 47293200 303935 327880 8616000 5947800 14109400 2489660 25613300 84301000

VALUE (PHP) 542203680 453981605 369215300 314373560 292986215 273928620 263261198 254003768 178980048 168534710

AMAZON STRIKE. Amazon employees demonstrate for better working conditions in front of the company’s premises in Brandizzo, near Turin, March 22, 2021. 9,500 warehouse workers and 15,000 drivers are on strike for the first time in Italy. AFP

Stocks extend downturn; JG Summit, DITO decline

T

HE stock market fell for the second straight day Monday on rising COVID-19 cases and stricter lockdown rules announced by the government.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index slipped 40.93 points, or 0.6 percent, to 6,395.17 on a value turnover of P6.3 billion. Losers overwhelmed gainers, 172 to 53, with 33 issues unchanged.

JG Summit Holdings Inc. of the Gokongwei Group sank 5 percent to P57, while unit Universal Robina Corp., the biggest snack food maker, dropped 3.9 percent to P125.

Major property developer Ayala Land Inc., a unit of conglomerate Ayala Corp., declined 2 percent to P33.80, while DITO CME Holdings Corp., the third major mobile phone firm, also fell 2 percent to P9.80.

The rest of Asian markets fluctuated Monday as the battle between economic

optimism and fears about the inflation and possible rate hikes the recovery will fuel continues to play out on trading floors.

The Turkish lira plunged more than 17 percent at one point in early trade after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sacked the country’s market-friendly central bank chief and replaced him with a former ruling party lawmaker.

After a year-long rally across global indices, investors are struggling to maintain the momentum as government bond yields push ever higher—a sign that borrowing costs will rise in the future.

The sharp rise in US Treasury yields—which go in the opposite direction to prices—is being caused by investors selling the bonds owing to expectations the strong recovery and vast government spending will fire inflation.

The panic comes despite repeated pledges by Federal Reserve boss Jerome Powell and other top officials including Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen that the jump in inflation will likely only be temporary and the bank will do whatever is

How Finland embraced being ‘world’s happiest nation’

Two mute swans show a little tenderness in Helsinki, Finland on March 16, 2021. AFP

By Sam Kingsley HELSINKI, Finland—Once notorious for its bland food and long, harsh winters, Finland’s repeated success in the annual happiness rankings has helped transform the country’s global reputation, boosting tourism and business.

The UN-sponsored World Happiness Report elicited some raised eyebrows when it first placed Finland at the top of its listings in 2018: many of the Nordic country’s 5.5 million people freely describe themselves as taciturn and prone to melancholy, and admit to eyeing public displays of joyfulness with suspicion.

“When I first heard—and I’m not alone, I would say—I had a big laugh,” television producer Tony Ilmoni told AFP on the still-snowy streets of the capital Helsinki on Friday, when Finland was crowned the happiest nation on earth for the fourth year running.

But the worldwide survey in fact seeks to quantify individuals’ personal freedom and satisfaction with their lives, using survey data from 149 countries alongside measures such as GDP, social support and perceptions of corruption.

Finland excels with its quietly worldclass public services, low levels of crime and inequality, and high levels of trust in authority.

“The basics are really good here: we don’t have anyone living in the streets, we do have unemployment but the health service works, the big things like that,” flower seller Riitta Matilainen told AFP. “But we could be a bit more outgoing and joyful!”

The northern country’s long dark winters were once reputed to be behind high levels of alcoholism and suicide, but a decade-long public health drive has helped cut rates by more than half.

‘Who wouldn’t want to live here?’

For tourism and country-branding chiefs, the “world’s happiest” title has been a blessing they were quick to capitalize on.

“It’s a really powerful, emotional, evocative thing to say you’re the happiest country in the world. Why would anyone not want to live in the happiest country in the world?” said Joel Willans, a British digital marketer and creator of the “Very Finnish Problems” social media page, who has lived in Finland since the early 2000s.

“Awareness of Finland has grown during the past few years,” Paavo Virkkunen, head of Finland Promotion Services at Business Finland, told AFP. After four years, the happiness trope has been used by countless Finnish businesses to market lifestyle products and to try to attract workers to relocate

and join the country’s tech sector.

Finland’s unflashy cuisine was once derided as something to “endure” by Italian then-president Silvio Berlusconi, and slammed by his French counterpart Jacques Chirac.

But restaurateurs and product manufacturers now tout the simplicity and natural ingredients of Finnish cooking, claiming it as key to the country’s nononsense approach to wellbeing.

The happiness marketing drive has been led, however, by the travel industry, with Finland’s tourist office appointing Finnish ‘happiness ambassadors’ tasked with introducing visitors to the secrets of Finnish wellbeing.

“People are curious about (our happiness) and they want to learn about it,” Virkkunen said.

Key to the Finnish brand of happiness is going outdoors to enjoy the country’s vast forests and thousands of lakes, as well as the traditional Finnish steam bath, the sauna.

By the start of 2020, tourism to Lapland in northern Finland had reached record levels and the country was attracting more foreign direct investment projects than anywhere else in the Nordics.

While pausing international visitors, the pandemic has, if anything, increased overseas interest in Finland’s clean, sparsely populated nature, leading tourist providers to offer virtual tours. AFP

needed to prevent it getting out of control.

After a largely negative lead from Wall Street, Asia struggled.

Tokyo led losses, diving more than two percent with carmakers including Toyota, Honda and Nissan all taking a hit after a fire at one of chipmaker Renesas’ biggest plants halted production of key components in their vehicles.

Renesas warned the fire could shut the plant for a month, putting a strain on an already stretched chip market, which has caused a headache for auto firms as well as tech giants.

Hong Kong, Seoul, Mumbai, Singapore, Jakarta and Wellington also fell, while Shanghai, Sydney, Bangkok and Taipei rose.

In a sign of the battle facing the Fed in keeping traders’ fears at bay, a survey released Monday showed almost half the US economists asked said they thought the bank would hike rates from their record low next year and almost a third thought an increase likely in 2023. With AFP

WASHINGTON—The Federal Reserve has vowed it won’t raise its benchmark lending rate anytime soon, but US economists in a survey released Monday believe the central bank could be forced to enact a hike as soon as next year.

The National Association for Business Economics (NABE) reported 46 percent of participants surveyed see the central bank’s policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) raising its lending rate in 2022, while 28 percent think they’ll up it in 2023.

Only 12 percent think the rate will be changed after that year, despite most officials at the conclusion of the FOMC’s two-day meeting last week saying that they don’t expect to raise it though at least 2023.

The NABE survey is the latest sign of rising expectations for inflation, after Congress rolled out massive stimulus measures over the past year to keep the world’s largest economy afloat as COVID-19 disrupted business.

President Joe Biden earlier this month signed the $1.9-trillion American Rescue Plan, which was the third major relief measure passed during the pandemic and drew protests from some economists who said it could overstimulate the economy and drive up prices.

The Federal Reserve one year ago slashed its benchmark lending rate to zero, then months later said it would keep it there until inflation hit a sustained level of 2.0 percent—a pledge Fed Chair Jerome Powell reiterated this week at the conclusion of the FOMC meeting.

However, economists are skeptical.

The NABE survey reports 61 percent of respondents believe inflation risks are greater than in the past two decades, while 37 percent disagree.

The survey was conducted while Biden’s relief plan was under consideration in Congress but before it was approved, and respondents were split over the government’s overall fiscal response to the pandemic.

Thirty-three percent of respondents said the government’s response was adequate, a slight decrease from the previous survey in August 2020, while 37 percent said it was insufficient, also down slightly from the previous survey. Eighteen percent said it was excessive, up slightly from August. AFP

Turkey tries to calm market turmoil after top banker sacked by Erdogan ANKARA, Turkey—Turkish officials on Monday tried to calm the turmoil triggered by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s abrupt decision to sack his reformist central bank chief, insisting they would stick with free market rules.

The lira lost as much as 17 percent against the dollar on the first day of trading after Erdogan replaced marketfriendly economist Naci Agbal with former ruling party member Sahap Kavcioglu at the key post.

The currency clawed back some of its losses and was down roughly eight percent at 7.85 to the dollar after analysts said the Turkish central bank intervened to support the lira by selling foreign currencies.

The carnage on Turkish financial markets carried over to the Istanbul stock exchange.

The Borsa Istanbul suspended trading for 35 minutes after automatic circuit breakers kicked in when an early selloff approached seven percent.

Finance Minister Lutfi Elvan issued a statement early Monday to try and reassure investors.

“There will be absolutely no move

away from the free market mechanism,” Elvan said in a statement.

“We will continue with determination to implement the liberal exchange system.”

Elvan also reiterated Turkey’s commitment to fighting inflation which has been gathering pace for months.

Consumer prices were up by 15.61 percent on an annualised basis in February.

The lira was changing hands at around 7.22 to the dollar before Agbal was sacked last week after less than five months on the post.

He was appointed after Erdogan dismissed his predecessor and the president’s son-in-law Berat Albayrak resigned as finance minister in November.

The change to the finance team offered hope to the markets that Turkey would tread a more orthodox path, hiking interest rates to combat inflation.

Erdogan’s decree did not provide a reason for Agbal’s dismissal, but the move came two days after the central bank raised its benchmark interest rate by a larger-than-expected 200 basis points to 19 percent. AFP

Blackstone set to take over Crown Resorts SYDNEY, Australia—US private equity giant Blackstone has launched a takeover bid for scandal-tainted Crown Resorts, just weeks after the Australian group was denied a license to run a multi-billiondollar Sydney casino, the gaming group said Monday.

Crown shares soared more than 20 percent on the Australian Stock Exchange after the pre-trading announcement it had received the “unsolicited, non-binding and indicative proposal” from Blackstone on Sunday.

The casino operator, which is subject to multiple inquiries into allegations of money-laundering and ties to organized crime, said the bid was for Aus$11.85 per share, valuing the company at Aus$8.02 billion (US$6.2 billion).

Crown shares closed up 21 percent at Aus$11.97.

The Blackstone bid came after regulators refused to grant Crown a license to run its flagship casino in a gleaming 75-story tower that dominates Sydney’s waterfront owing to suspected links to organized crime.

Authorities acted on the recommendations of a public inquiry, which reported Crown had been “facilitating” money-laundering through so-called “high roller” gambling junkets linked to Chinese triads and other organized criminal groups.

The company and its largest shareholder, media scion James Packer, had been in the spotlight since media reports last year alleged that Crown casinos in Melbourne and Perth were used to launder profits from human trafficking, drugs, child sexual exploitation and terrorism.

State authorities have announced probes into the operations of Crown in the two cities.

Crown has also been suffering from a sharp drop in business caused by the coronavirus pandemic Crown’s CEO and three long-time directors resigned in the wake of the Sydney inquiry, while executive chairman Helen Coonan accepted its findings as “warranted” and said steps were being taken to improve the company’s governance, compliance and culture. AFP

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

B4

TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021

IN BRIEF Pampanga roads to be linked to NLEx

NLEX Corp. plans to connect the government’s road projects in Pampanga to the North Luzon Expressway-Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway network.

The tollway company said its pool of engineers were evaluating how to incorporate the three projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways in Sto. Tomas, Mexico and Sta. Ines, Pampanga safely and efficiently in the existing expressway systems.

These projects aim to enhance access and connectivity and the province’s development potential.

“We are actively coordinating with DPWH in laying out the plans for the interconnection of NLEX-SCTEX, with some of these projects included in the Pampanga Circumferential Road,” said NLEX president and general manager said Luigi L. Bautista.

He said “the team is carefully studying the safety and security aspects of the projects, and making sure that both local and NLEX motorists get to benefit from these.” Darwin G. Amojelar

BSP seen to keep Interest rates steady

THE Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas will likely keep the recordlow policy interest rates of 2 percent in its meeting on Thursday, a financial intelligence company said in a report Monday.

Moody’s Analytics, which operates independently of the Moody’s Investors Service credit rating agency, said the nearterm prospects remained worrisome for the Philippines as it coped with an intensifying virus outbreak that showed no signs of abating.

Government data showed that new infections hit a record 7,999 on Saturday, the highest on a daily basis since the onslaught of the pandemic early last year.

“Although the country’s fiscal spending has been more conservative relative to its Southeast Asian counterparts, the scope to deliver through a more expansionary monetary stance is relatively limited at this stage,” Moody’s Analytics said.

“We expect that the central bank will opt to preserve ammunition for now and stall a rate cut until the next quarter if the domestic situation deteriorates,” it said. Julito G. Rada

Business

Robinsons Land to put up 6 office buildings, 4 hotels

By Jenniffer B. Austria

R

OBINSONS Land Corp., the real estate arm of the Gokongwei Group, said Monday it is expanding its leasing business with the opening of six new office towers, four new hotels and three logistics facilities this year.

RLC said in a presentation during an analysts’ briefing it plans to open six office buildings this year that will boost total office leasable space by 18 percent to 721,000 square meters from 613,000 sq. m. as of end-2020.

The six new office projects are located in Iloilo, Cebu City, Bacolod City, Ortigas Center and Pasig City.

The group is expanding its office business as the sector remained stable despite the pandemic.

RLC said it would also complete four hotel projects this year that would in-

crease its hotel rooms by 10 percent to 3,493 units from 3,188 as of end-2020.

Two new hotels will be opened in Tuguegarao City and Naga City under the Go Hotel brand, while two hotels will be opened in Naga City and General Santos City under the Summit brand.

The property firm is also looking to open three logistics facilities that will boost its leasing area by 75 percent to 173,000 sq. m. by end of 2021 from only 99,000 sq. m. as of end 2020.

It said that for 2021, it would open a shopping mall in La Union and expand

three existing malls in Tacloban City, Dumaguete City and Antipolo City.

These projects will boost its mall leasing space by 6 percent to 1.605 million sq. m. from 1.52 million sq. m. as of end2020.

RLC did not open new malls last year because of the pandemic.

RLC earlier said was looking to inject its mature office assets into a real estate investment trust company that would conduct an initial public offering this year.

RLC is one of the country’s leading office landlords with 25 office buildings offering net leasable area of over 600,000 sq. m.

An REIT is a corporation that primarily invests in income-generating real estate such as office spaces, malls, service apartments, and even hotels, hospitals, warehouses and the likes.

Asian Eye Institute launches online shop

ASIAN Eye Institute, the largest eye center in the Philippines, unveiled its e-commerce website, the Asian Eye Shop on www. asianeyeshop.com.

Created to help customers look, see and live better, the Asian Eye Shop puts the care back into eye care and eyewear. It combines access to a variety of eyewear options to Asian Eye’s stable of experts through its teleconsultation service and online appointment booking service.

This means that shoppers can easily consult an Asian Eye expert to help them choose the right eye glasses, eye drops or service that suits their needs.

Online shoppers can avail of stylish, well-made and affordable eye care products from UV + blue light eyeglasses for both kids and adults to polarized sunglasses, contact lenses, eyewear accessories and eye protection (goggles, face shields), FDA-approved eye medicines for different eye conditions like corneal edema and glaucoma. Eye lubricants and vitamins can also be purchased on the online shop.

Asian Eye’s Teleconsultation service makes it easy for a patient to do a video consult with their eye doctor, without having to leave their homes or offices, and request e-prescription they can use at the online shop or present to any pharmacy.

WOMEN LEADERS. Hedcor Inc., the hydropower unit of Aboitiz Power Corp., enriches leadership and livelihood skills of women in host communities. Since 2018, Hedcor has been in a continued partnership with women’s cooperatives from host communities in Davao del Sur and Bukidnon to help hone and develop their skills. Leadership and values enhancement training and business continuity planning are just some of the training programs organized for its partner cooperatives, including Guihean Women’s Organization, Dalirig Women’s Cooperative and Lingion Power Association Rural Improvement Club in Bukidnon and Tibolo Tribal Women’s Association in Davao del Sur.

PCC approves ‘Manila Horizon’ reclamation joint venture THE Philippine Competition Commission said Monday it approved a new joint venture between the city government of Manila and another private partner for a reclamation project in Manila Bay. Similar to the recent approval of Manila Waterfront City, the PCC Mergers and Acquisitions Office said it found no substantial lessening of competition from the creation of a joint venture between JBros Construction Corp. and the city government of Manila for the “Manila Horizon” Reclamation Project.

“The transaction is a new area of investment formed for the creation of a residential and commercial real estate development project. This will expand

the existing market and likely create an opportunity for the emergence of new markets for commercial and residential real estate within the City of Manila,” the anti-trust body said.

The commission said there were neither affected customers nor any commercial activity in the relevant geographic market.

Horizon Manila is a 419-hectare rawland reclamation and development of three islands on the foreshore and offshore areas in Manila Bay, located south of the Manila-Pasay border and east of Roxas Boulevard. The project aims to generate employment and business opportunities in Manila.

JBros Construction is engaged in the business of general and large-scale construction, with notable projects such as the GSIS building and the National Museum of History. Under the proposal, JBros Construction will contribute capital and expertise.

Manila, a highly urbanized city, will contribute rights over municipal waters where the project will be developed.

The parties arranged for a contractual joint venture to develop the project with the intention to share profits, risks and losses. The resulting unincorporated joint venture will be governed by a sharing arrangement with 51 percent for Manila and 49 percent for JBros Construction. Othel V. Campos

NGO lobby money linked to DOH order rejecting vaccine use by tobacco firms A 10-YEAR old rule of the Civil Service Commission drafted after receipt of grant money from a US anti-tobacco non-government organization is being used by the Department of Health as basis to exclude employees of tobacco companies and their dependents from having access to COVID-19 vaccines imported by the government.

Marikina Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo said the controversial draft DOH Administrative Order denying tobacco companies access to vaccines was based on the CSC-DOH Joint Memorandum Circular 2010-01 issued by Health Secretary Francisco Duque when he was still head of the CSC in 2010.

The circular which prohibits government officials and employees from interacting with the tobacco industry was issued un the same year the DOH and the CSC received massive grants from the anti-tobacco NGO Bloomberg Initiative.

“The proposed policy of preventing companies that are deemed to be engaged in activities that are contrary to public health reflect a misappreciation by its proponents of the public health mandate of the DOH during a pandemic,” Quimbo said in a statement.

“It should not preclude milk companies based on its interpretation of EO 51, and neither should it discriminate against the tobacco companies and their employ-

ees in particular based on a faulty reading of Joint Memorandum Circular 201001,” Quimbo said.

“Why will you discriminate against these companies and their employees?

Don’t they have the right to be vaccinated? They are also Filipinos,” House Deputy Speaker Bernadette Herrera said.

“These companies are trying to offer solutions and protect their employees as well as their dependents who are Filipinos,” Herrera said.

Other sectors such as producers of alcoholic beverages, sugary drinks, junk food snacks and even fast-food chains, may also be tagged as “in conflict with public health.”

Senator Imee Marcos described the exclusion of these industries as “downright evil” that would undermine the government’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts.

“We are about to see a total wipeout of the 50-percent donation of vaccines by these large companies, donations which are stipulated in each tripartite agreement among private entities, vaccine manufacturers and the government,” Marcos said.

Marcos said “the administrative order totally contradicts the ‘shared responsibility’ and collaboration the government has sought from the private sector and other organizations through its Philippine National Deployment and Vaccination Plan for COVID-19.”

PSE INDEX

Monday, March 22, 2021

-40.93 PTS. 6,395.17

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED

2,475,094,932 123,084 6,294,461,352.70 53 172 33

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

48.6740

Japan

Yen

0.009209

0.4482

UK

Pound

1.384200

67.3746

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128771

6.2678

Switzerland

Franc

1.075731

52.3601

Canada

Dollar

0.798850

38.8832

Singapore

Dollar

0.744380

36.2320

Australia

Dollar

0.771800

37.5666

Bahrain

Dinar

2.655267

129.2425

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266645

12.9787

Brunei

Dollar

0.741620

36.0976

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000069

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.032436

1.5788

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.2526

Euro

Euro

1.188300

57.8393

Korea

Won

0.000886

0.0431

China

Yuan

0.153617

7.4772

India

Rupee

0.013812

0.6723

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.243605

11.8572

New Zealand

Dollar

0.714400

34.7727

Taiwan

Dollar

0.035216

1.7141 Source: BSP

Car importers registered 10% sales decline in two months

By Othel V. Campos THE Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors Inc. said Monday sales declined 10.3 percent in the first two months of 2021 to 10,663 units from 11,890 units in the same period last year before the pandemic struck.

It noted signs of recovery in monthly sales, however, with members selling 5,401 vehicles in February, up by 3 percent from 5,262 units in January.

“AVID ended 2020 on a high note.

And while we acknowledge that recovery will not come quickly, we remain focused on taking ‘baby steps’ at all fronts of our respective businesses and count on government to heed our call for a more comprehensive, long-term approach to reopening the economy by creating more job opportunities, upgrading infrastructure and logistics, and improving the ease and cost of doing business,” said AVID president Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo.

Data showed that passenger car sales grew 12 percent in February to 1,518 units from 1,350 units in January. Two-month sales dropped 19 percent to 2,868 units from 3,540 units in the same period in 2020/ Suzuki posted the highest sales with 1,334 units, followed by Hyundai with 1,095 units sold since the start of the year.

“In the light commercial vehicles segment, AVID recorded a 9-percent dip from 8,264 units sold in February 2020 to 7,522 units sold in 2021. In February alone, sales slightly dipped by 2 percent with 3,728 units sold versus the 3,794 units sold in January,” Agudo said.

Ford led this segment with 3,228 units sold. Suzuki came in second with 1,735 units, closely followed by Hyundai with 1,322 units sold.

Hyundai reported a 217-percent growth in the commercial vehicles segment, selling 273 units in the first two months, up from 86 units sold in 2020. In February alone, sales rose 31 percent to 155 units from 118 units the previous month.

5 MILLION SAVERS.

Five million Filipinos now have a Cebuana Lhuillier Micro Savings account. The landmark achievement by Cebuana Lhuillier Rural Bank, the banking unit of leading micro-financial services company Cebuana Lhuillier, comes after the launch of the leveled up Cebuana Lhuillier Micro Savings product in December 2020. Cebuana Lhuillier Micro Savings was launched in February 2019 as a basic deposit account that eliminated the need for numerous documentary requirements and maintaining balance or dormancy charges.

The product was made available at Cebuana Lhuillier’s more than 2,500 branches as it acted as CLRB’s cash agent.

Ramon Ang’s foundation prepares to build modern hospital in Laguna

By Alena Mae S. Flores RSA Foundation, established by San Miguel Corp. president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang, plans to build a state-of-the-art hospital on a 10-hectare property in Laguna province to help future-proof society after the pandemic era.

“I am looking at the viability if it is accessible to public transportation because if you put up a hospital, transportation is important to the ordinary employees and the patients,” Ang said in a virtual briefing.

“If transportation is easy, then I will proceed in building that right away,” he said.

Ang said he was initially looking at a different location and even purchased the property for the hospital, but it did not push through because of local government issues.

“Now, I found another property in Laguna beside Brent. The property is nice,” he said.

Ang announced in September that the hospital would help arm and better prepare the country’s health care system to

deal with health crises and other local and global outliers.

The health facility, which will specialize in research on infectious diseases and providing care for ambulatory patients, will be sustainably-designed to operate efficiently during a crisis.

“This pandemic has been an eye-opener for all of us. Our health care system needs to be strengthened. For this reason, we want to help build up our country’s capability to handle future pandemics and other health crises,” Ang said.

Suns clobber LeBron-less Lakers; 76ers edge Knicks LOS ANGELES—The Los Angeles Lakers got a hard look at life without injured superstar LeBron James on Sunday in a 111-94 NBA loss to the Phoenix Suns.

Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton scored 26 points apiece and Chris Paul had a triple-double of 11 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists for the Suns, who led wire-to-wire against a Lakers team that coach Frank Vogel acknowledged must find a “new identity” as James recovers from a high ankle sprain suffered in a loss to Atlanta on Saturday.

With 17-time All-Star James sidelined, the Lakers struggled to get their offense going.

Montrezl Harrell led Los Angeles with 23 points off the bench and Dennis Schroder added 22, but the Lakers connected on just 41.2 percent of their shots from the field.

“I’m optimistic,” Vogel insisted after the game. “I think our guys really fought tonight. We didn’t shoot the ball that well, but I thought we competed at a very high level.

“It’s going to take a little time to adjust and figure out where the shots are coming from, what our new identity is going to look like.”

No timeline has been given for James’s return, and Vogel said before the game that he wasn’t counting on a quick recovery.

“Those things take a while to heal,” Vogel said. “They are slow recoveries.

We’re prepared to be without him indefinitely.”

Phoenix took full advantage in posting their eighth win in 10 games.

It was a milestone game for Paul, whose alley-oop pass to Ayton for a dunk in the third quarter made him just the sixth player in NBA history with 10,000 assists.

Randle riled The Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia 76ers escaped with a 101-100 overtime victory over the New York Knicks, with Tobias Harris draining two free throws with 5.3 seconds remaining to seal the victory.

Harris went to the line after a foul

by New York forward Julius Randle— a call that brought a stream of complaints from the Knicks.

Randle would have one more chance to seize victory for New York, but his shot at the buzzer bounced out.

He was still steaming after the game when he said officials had “blown” the call on the foul that sent Harris to the line.

“Yeah, it’s ridiculous,” said Randle, who led the Knicks with 24 points and drained a three-pointer with six seconds left in regulation that knotted the score at 86-86. “They’ve got to do a better job. It’s too many games like this.”

Harris said he just tried to go to the line and do “what I normally do. AFP

Sports

TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021

C1

Cameron Payne of the Phoenix Suns saves the ball from going out-of-bounds during the second half of the NBA game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Phoenix Suns Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Lakers 111-94. AFP

Dangerous IBF title defense for Ancajas

By Peter Atencio

I

T WILL be a dangerous fight for International Boxing Federation super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas after he comes out of more than a yearlong layoff.

Ancajas goes up against against Mexico’s Jonathan Javier Rodriguez, who has floored his last two opponents.

“Hindi na bago sa akin ang maghintay sa laban,” said the 24-year-old Ancajas, who recalled the time when he waited for 10 months before his showdown with McJoe Arroyo finally pushed through back in 2016.

The 5’6” Ancajas and compatriot Mark Magsayo talked about their fights during a Zoom discussion with Filipino scribes, presented with the support of Big Boss Cement.

Jerwin Ancajas Mark Magsayo With a win-loss-draw of record of takes place on April 10 at the Mohegan 32-1-2, including 16 KOs, Ancajas said he is ready to face the odds as he goes Sun Arena, Uncasville, Connecticut.

The 25-year-old Rodriguez is knockout into his ninth title defense in five years.

“Para sa akin, hindi ako nawawalan ng artist, having won 16 of 22 fights via the pag-asa. Focused ako sa laban,” added short route, incurring only one loss. He is Ancajas, whose fight against Rodriguez known for being involved in brutal fights,

PSA to honor athlete-frontliners FILIPINO athletes still did their share even with local sports on a standstill following the outbreak of COVID-19 cases last year.

Sportsmen who are enlisted personnel answered the call of duty and served as frontliners to assist the country as it struggled to cope with the global health pandemic.

In appreciation of their efforts and supreme sacrifice, they will be given a special recognition in the San Miguel Corporation-Philippine Sportswriters Association (SMCPSA) Annual Awards Night on Saturday at the TV5 Media Center.

The special citation is part of the 2020 honor roll the country’s oldest media organization headed by President Tito S. Talao, sports editor of Manila Bulletin, will be recognizing in the event presented by San Miguel Corporation and backed by the Philippine Sports Commission and Cignal TV. The virtual Awards Night will be aired on March 28 over OneSports+ from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and has for

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

Nikko Huelgas

major backers 1Pacman Partylist, Chooks-to-Go, and Rain or Shine.

SEA Games gold medal winners Nikko Huelgas and Claire Adorna of triathlon, Philippine men’s volleyball coach Dante Alinsunurin and play-

ers Jessie Lopez and Ranran Abadilla, UST Tigresses mentor Kung Fu Reyes, and Philippine women’s national team member Jovelyn Gonzaga were some of the athletes-frontliners who went out of their way and served the country when

including against Felipe Orucuta back in 2019.

Orucuta, a veteran super flyweight and former two-time world title challenger, collapsed in the ring and later survived after being in a coma, following a TKO loss to Rodriguez.

In Rodriguez’s last fight in December, he once again floored his rival, this time in the first round.

“He (Rodriguez) brings heart, determination and the Mexican-style of boxing. A lot of people overlook fights like this, but thankfully not Jerwin. Jonathan is a hungry guy with nothing to lose. It’s going to be a fun and exciting fight. It’s always good when a Mexican fights a Filipino,” said MP Promotions’ chief Sean Gibbons.

On the other hand, Magsayo (21-00, 14 KOs) will be in the undercard as he will try to keep his featherweight record clean against Pablo Cruz (21-30, 6 KOs).

Magsayo is seeking a followup to his October 2020 victory over Rigoberto Hermosillo. He will have a chance to do so against the 34-year-old Cruz, a Houston slugger, who bears the nickname, “The Lethal Mosquito.” help was needed.

Huelgas, 29, was even given a military merit medal by the Philippine Air Force for his immediate response in helping out Filipinos during the early part of the pandemic.

Pro golfer Yuka Saso will join Huelgas and Co. during the awards rites as top recipient of the prestigious Athlete of the Year award given out by the country’s sportswriting fraternity.

Philippine Olympic Committee President Abraham ‘Bambol’ Tolentino meanwhile, is the recipient of the President’s Award, even as PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial will be bestowed with the Executive of the Year honor.

Sports pillars former Gintong Alay Project Director Jose A. Romasanta, exPBA Commissioner Renauld ‘Sonny’ Barrios, and the late Ambassador and basketball godfather Eduardo ‘Danding’ Cojuangco will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award, while to be cited as major awardees are 2020 world boxing champions Johnriel Casimero and Pedro Taduran, along with young, worldranked netter Alex Eala.

Citations will also be given to 20 personalities and entities as well as the ‘Manok ng Bayan’ award for boxing legend Manny Pacquiao.

Serena withdraws from Miami Open tennis MIAMI—Serena Williams became the latest high-profile player to pull out of the Miami Open on Sunday, saying she was withdrawing in order to concentrate on her recovery from recent oral surgery.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion joins Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic among the stars to have pulled out of the tournament, which gets under way on Monday with qualifying rounds.

“I am disappointed to withdraw from the Miami Open because of recent oral surgery,” Williams said in a statement quoted by US media.

“Miami is a special tournament for me because it’s my home and I am sad I won’t be able to see the incredible fans this year, but I look forward to coming back soon,” the former world number one said.

Williams’ withdrawal is another blow to the tournament which was cancelled last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 39-year-old star is an eight-time winner in Miami and lives in Florida.

“We will certainly miss having Serena at this year’s tournament and I know it was a very difficult decision for her,” tournament director James Blake told the Miami Herald.

“She has won the Miami Open more than any player in history, has a home here in South Florida, and is always a fan favorite. We hope she is back on the court soon and look forward to welcoming her back here next year.”

Former men’s world number one Federer withdrew from Miami on March 2, and he was followed by Nadal and world number one Djokovic, who pulled out on Friday citing a desire to spend more time with his family.

“I decided to use this precious time at home to stay with my family,” Djokovic said.

“With all restrictions, I need to find balance in my time on tour and at home.

I look forward to coming back next year!”

With Williams absent, the women’s tournament will be headlined by world number one Ashleigh Barty and Japan’s world number two Naomi Osaka, the four-time Grand Slam champion.

The highest ranked player in the men’s draw is Russia’s world number two Daniil Medvedev while Alexander Zverev, winner of the ATP tournament in Acapulco, Mexico on Saturday also features. AFP

MPBL Finals’ MVP Yee saves best for last SUBIC—Mark Yee made the most crucial championship-clinching plays, Sunday evening at the Subic Bay Gymnasium here.

The 39-year-old veteran gave Davao OccidentalCocolife the 89-88 lead after burying a three-pointer from the left wing over the 6-foot-4 Jeff Tajonera’s outstretched arms with 13.4 ticks left in overtime.

In the ensuing play, the Chooks-to-Go MPBL Lakan Defensive Player of the Year proved to everyone that he deserved that recognition.

San Juan-Go for Gold’s Jhonard Clarito attacked the basket right off the inbound but his layup was swatted away by Yee. More importantly, the latter swiped it off the former’s knee to give the Tigers the possession.

Then Davao Occidental ran away with the

basketball to nab the 2019-2021 Chooks-to-Go MPBL Lakan National championship with an 8988 overtime victory over San Juan in Game Four.

The San Sebastian-Cavite product dropped his best performance in the series when it mattered the most, tallying 19 points, 12 rebounds, three dimes, and three blocks.

“Nagbunga lahat ng paghihirap ko, kumbaga ito ‘yung reward na ibinigay sa akin ng Panginoon.”

To cap it off, Yee was named as the Chooksto-Go Finals Most Valuable Player with averages of 13.5 points, 10.25 rebounds, 2.75 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.0 blocks in the four-game series.

But with all the recognition raining down on him, the 6-foot-3 team captain remained humble, not forgetting who made it all possible.

“Lagi kong sinasabi na itong championship at Finals MVP, biyaya ito galing sa Panginoon saka siguro ‘yung sakripisyo ko rin sa team na ito kaya binabalik ko rin ‘yung papuri sa Kanya,” he said.

As humble as he is, the Sagay, Negros Occidental native even downplayed the “payback” narrative against San Juan.

Last season, the Knights took down the Tigers in Game Five, 87-86, to take the Datu Cup title at Davao Occidental’s turf.

“Hindi naman siguro bawi. Sa amin naging gutom lang kami saka naging humble kami lagi kasi nga hindi naman talaga namin intensyon kung sino ang makalaban namin. Focus lang kami basta ang goal namin na kunin itong cham- Mark Yee shone on both ends of the floor during the Tigers’ MPBL title conquest. pionship na ito,” said Yee.

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Sports

TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021

Olympics’ fan ban hits Japan tourism T OKYO—Toshiko Ishii spent $180,000 renovating her traditional Japanese inn in expectation of a flood of tourists for the Tokyo Olympics, but now she won’t be hosting a single overseas fan.

After Olympics organizers announced a ban on spectators from abroad, those working in Japan’s tourism industry are counting their losses.

Experts say the impact will be limited compared to the much larger blow brought by the pandemic, adding there is hope that tourism will rebound as life moves towards normality.

But it is a big setback for an industry that had high hopes for the Games after a dizzying upswing in business during the 2019 Rugby World Cup. “I am guessing foreign visitors won’t be allowed until at least September. You have to look ahead and plan ahead to run a business,” said Ishii.

“If you react emotionally at every turn of events, then you cannot sustain yourself,” she added.

In preparation for the influx, Ishii doubled the size of her hotel’s restaurant and upgraded the antique decor and kitchen.

“I was thinking, ‘Next year with the Olympics, everything is going to be going up and up’,” she told AFP. “Now all of a sudden everything has evaporated.”

Bolstered by the Rugby World Cup, Japan welcomed a record 31.9 million foreign visitors in 2019, and was on track to achieve its goal of 40 million in 2020.

But last March strict virus border rules were imposed, all but barring foreign tourists, and the Tokyo Olympics were postponed for a year.

‘Major economic loss’ Yui Oikawa, a manager at Tokyo Rickshaw, which operates tours in the historic Asakusa district, had assumed the Olympics, now starting in July, would bring roaring sales and customers from around the world.

“I was sad and disappointed... but you cannot stand still,” he said, saying his company is implementing strict sanitation measures to keep domestic customers coming.

“We are looking at this period as a time to build up our strength,” added Oikawa, saying that staff were working on their customer pitches and knowledge of the area.

Organizers hoped to sell around 630,000 tickets outside Japan for the

Games. Japan’s government hoped the event might bring 600,000 overseas visitors to the country.

But the boost from Olympic visitors is often overestimated, analysts say. Their spending would probably have totalled 95 billion yen ($870 million), equivalent to 0.02 percent of Japan’s GDP, research firm Capital Economics said in a November estimate.

A decision on whether to limit domestic fans has not yet been made, but crowd restrictions and the exclusion of foreign fans could mean losses of around 200 billion yen ($1.8 billion), according to Takahide Kiuchi, an executive econo-

mist at Nomura Research Institute.

“That is not big enough to sway the Japanese economy, but it still is certainly a major economic loss,” he wrote in a report.

Rooms at the inn The world’s third largest economy is looking to other ways to grow this year, from exports to government stimulus measures, after a GDP contraction of 4.8 percent in coronavirus-hit 2020.

The tourism drought looks set to continue, even after the end of a virus state of emergency which included early closing for bars and restaurants.

Domestic travel ticked up in the second half of 2020 thanks to a controversial government campaign that ended in late December as infections rose.

Polls show most in Japan back the ban on foreign fans, and economists say the country should be looking to increased

consumption for economic growth as the pandemic wanes.

Meanwhile, the tourism industry can do little more than hope for better days ahead.

“You cannot blame this on anyone,” said Hideyuki Sato, a senior director at the Japan Ryokan and Hotel Association.

“Once this ends and travel resumes, we believe that there will be strong international demand for tourism to Japan,” he told AFP. Inn owner Ishii is keeping busy learning recipes and sharing her new culinary creations online with regular clients abroad.

She’s dependent on public loans to stay afloat, and her hopes for the future are tempered by anxiety about her finances and whether tourism will recover.

“I’ll work hard to pay off what I borrowed, but worry about what may happen after that.” AFP

A Tokyo 2020 Olympic games logo is pictured as rickshaw driver Yui Oikawa stands at the shopping street area nearby Sensoji Temple in Taito district of Tokyo. Olympic organizers are expected to officially announce a ban on spectators from abroad in coming days, but those working in Japan’s tourism industry have already resigned themselves to the inevitable. AFP

Hamilton faces serious challenge th in pursuit of 8 Formula 1 crown LONDON—Lewis Hamilton begins his bid for an unprecedented eighth drivers’ world championship this week facing a cluster of challenges to his crown, as Formula One launches its cost-cutting era with a record 23-race global calendar.

The defending champion passed his 36th birthday in January and struggled this month in pre-season testing, which was dominated by Max Verstappen and a reinvigorated Red Bull, having after long delays committed to only a one-year contract, for 2021, during the sport’s brief off-season.

After contracting Covid-19 and duly missing the Sakhir Grand Prix last year, Hamilton had returned to be beaten in the season-ending Abu Dhabi race by Verstappen—a ‘blip’ that may be seen by some as an early signal of a decline in his powers, which will have encouraged not only the young Dutchman, but others.

After reeling off seven consecutive constructors’ championships—and seven ‘doubles’ of team and driver titles—Hamilton’s ‘black arrows’ are under serious threat and both he and teammate Valtteri Bottas know it.

“They’re going to be a different animal this year,” Hamilton said of Red Bull, after testing at Sakhir’s Bahrain International Circuit, where the jumbo-sized 2021 season, a second in succession to run under pandemic protocol conditions, begins.

“They’ve had some really good running with a strong

line-up of the two drivers and a really good car. Having seen them win the last race, you can only assume they’re going to be right there, at the front, in the first race. It’s going to be a great long battle with them this year.”

The prospect of a long-awaited wheel-to-wheel ‘battle royal’ between the sport’s most outstanding drivers, notwithstanding Fernando Alonso’s return, will be welcomed by F1 fans worldwide as an antidote to the predictability of last year when Hamilton won 11 and team-mate Bottas two of the 17 races.

As Verstappen and his new Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez ran smoothly through 369 trouble-free laps in testing, Mercedes struggled to complete 304, Hamilton spinning off twice and suffering gearbox problems.

The team’s chief strategist James Vowles admitted: “No-one up and down the paddock will be able to pin-point where they are exactly, but there are a few trends—and I would say Red Bull are ahead on performance.

“They are the class act from this test, but it is only a test. It is not a race.”

He conceded that a close season is in prospect, as Hamilton also forecast as he digs into his reserves for a 15th consecutive year and, this time, in direct competition with a ferocious competitor who is 13 years his junior.

Verstappen was delighted by his team’s powerful

Mercedes’ British driver Lewis Hamilton takes part in the End Racism event ahead of the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit in the Emirati city of Abu Dhabi on. Lewis Hamilton begins his bid for an unprecedented eighth drivers’ championship this week, facing a cluster of challenges to his crown as Formula One launches its cost-cutting era with a record 23-race global calendar. AFP

signal of intent in recruiting Perez and then shining in testing, but he said nothing could indicate their competitiveness until after qualifying at the opening race, the first to run with ‘financial regulations’ embedded in the rule book. AFP

Hornets rookie LaMelo has broken wrist LOS ANGELES—Charlotte’s standout rookie guard LaMelo Ball has a broken right wrist and will be sidelined indefinitely, the Hornets said Sunday.

The NBA team said an MRI scan revealed a broken bone in Ball’s wrist, a day after he was injured in the Hornets’ loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Ball was hurt in the second quarter when he broke his fall with his hand after being fouled.

After having his wrist taped at halftime, Ball returned to the game in the second half but was clearly favoring the wrist and eventually departed in the fourth quarter.

“Ball, who will be f u r ther evaluated, will be listed as out indef initely and additional updates will be provided when available,” the Hornets said in a statement.

The youngest of three basketball-playing brothers, 19-year-old Ball was selected third overall in the 2020 draft by Charlotte after eschewing the traditional collegiate path to the NBA and instead playing professionally in Lithuania and Australia.

He is averaging 15.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.59 steals in 41 games this season.

He earned back-to-back Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month awards in January and February. AFP

PSA Forum tackles NCAA, MILO campaign UPDATES on National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 96 and the latest MILO campaign for 2021 headline the two-part session of the online version of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday.

NCAA Management Committee Chairman Fr. Vic Calvo Jr. of host Letran will tackle the outlook for the country’s oldest collegiate league on whether it can push through with its new season this year given the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in the country.

MILO, on the other hand, is going to have a virtual launch of its new campaign entitled ‘Mula Noon, Hanngang Ngayon.’

Nestle Philippines-MILO Assistant Vice President Lester P. Castillo, PBA legend and MILO BEST Center graduate Jerry Codinera, and another MILO BEST Center graduate and US NCAA rookie Ella Fajardo are going to discuss the project.

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

Formula One welcomes return of Schumacher name PARIS—For the winner of the Formula Two world championship to make the step up to F1 is a natural progression that would not normally raise an eyebrow -- but when that driver carries a famous name things are bound to be a little different.

Mick Schumacher, son of the seven-time world champion Michael, is the young driver in the spotlight as he makes his Formula One debut for Haas in Bahrain on Sunday, but he thoroughly merits his drive.

After starting his career in karting, Mick went on to win the Formula 3 European championship in 2018 and the Formula Two title in 2020.

Not a bad CV for a young man who turns 22 on Monday.

But this week, the noise around him will echo with reminders of his father whose last race in a German racing driver Mick Schumacher, son of glittering career came in Brazil at the end of the seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, 2012 season. makes his F1 debut. AFP The 52-year-old Michael Schumacher has not been seen in public for more than seven years af“I definitely look at what he achieved, and I try ter a skiing accident, witnessed by Mick, in the to learn from it,” said Mick in February.

French Alps left him with severe brain injuries.

For the younger generation who arrived on the But he remains the touchstone for his son. scene too late to see Michael in action, or those

who only remember him from his underwhelming comeback with Mercedes, it is easy to forget how Schumacher dominated the sport every bit as much as Lewis Hamilton does today.

He won two titles with Benetton before taking the big move to Ferrari with whom he won another five titles.

“He’s been the benchmark for so long and for me he’s still the benchmark, so I’ll always refer to him,” said Mick.

“That’s on the sporting side, and on the human side, I’ll always admire how his consistency across all those years and how he kept his feet on the ground.

“That’s something I appreciate very much, but also something I can learn from and carry through my career.”

‘Not easy’ Former world champion Nico Rosberg, whose father Keke had won the title in 1982, 24 years before he debuted in F1, highlighted the extra pressure that Mick would face having a famous father.

“It’s not easy to be the ‘son of’,” Rosberg told website Sport1.

“And with Mick, it is 10 times more difficult, because Michael’s era was not so long ago and he

was much more successful.

“I hope Mick can put that aside and concentrate well on his job—because otherwise it takes a lot of the fun away.”

Even without the pressure of the spotlight, it was never going to be an easy entrance for Mick.

His Haas team are likely to feature in the middle and rear of the pack while his teammate, fellow rookie Nikita Mazepin perhaps faces even greater pressure.

He is also a ‘son of’ although not Formula One aristocracy. Rather, his billionaire father Dmitry Mazepin is a non-executive director of Russian company Uralkali, who are the main title partner of the Haas team.

There is a good chance, however, that Mick will fare better than his dad did when he turned out for Jordan in his first Grand Prix in Belgium in 1991.

Michael Schumacher did brilliantly to qualify in seventh but a failed clutch meant he did not make it beyond the opening lap of the race itself.

Whether he will come anywhere close to 91 race wins and seven world titles, only time will tell. No pressure at all. AFP

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021

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Jeric Gonzales

is very much single SHTICKS JOSEPH PETER GONZALES

‘Magkaagaw’ star Jeric Gonzales admits that he’s single and ready to mingle.

IN HIS recent guesting in the GMA-7 toprating Sunday late-night show The Boobay and Tekla Show (TBATS), Jeric Gonzales admitted the present state of his romantic life.

“I’m very much single now and ready to mingle,” he said.

Yes, you read it right! The 28-year-old soap opera actor is not romantically involved with anyone at the moment. So, what are the physical attributes that he looks for in a girl?

“Honestly, I don’t go for that. Rather, I believe in love at first sight. When you see the right person, you know she’s the one. I don’t believe that she should be exceptionally beautiful. As long as your heart beats for her, go,” he shared.

When it comes to age, the actor has no requirements either. Read full story on manilastandard.net

P-pop group SB19’s music video for its latest single, “What?”, is taking the virtual world by storm, raking over 1 million views on YouTube in less than 24 hours since it was released.

SB19: P-Pop kings IF MY recollection serves me right, my editor Nickie Wang, the very first time I wrote the “New Hope Year” opener of Arias, he wondered why I did not include SB19 in the list.

That time, pardon for not knowing better, definitely not one of their hater, dismissed the group composed of Justin de Dios, rapper and vocalist Felip Jhon Suson, popularly known as Ken, lead rapper, main dancer, and vocalist, Stellvester Ajero, nicknamed Stell, main vocalist, and lead dancer John Paulo Nase, formerly known by his artist moniker Sejun, calls himself by his Spanish

Ruru Madrid, Shaira Diaz team up in ‘I can See You’ season 2 opening salvo

Ruru Madrid and Shaiza Diaz are paired for the first time in the first installment of GMA’s ‘I Can See You’ season 2.

F

OLLOWING the highly successful airing of the first season last year, GMA Network grants the clamor of viewers and netizens as the one-of-akind drama series I Can See You returns for a second season with new and exciting stories to watch out for.

On Monday, viewers witnessed how a woman's journey to new beginnings teaches her how love works in mysterious ways in the opening salvo of the groundbreaking drama series, I Can See You: On My Way To You. Bringing romance and mystery in the first installment of the second season of I Can See You are the lead stars of “On My Way To You,” Ruru Madrid and Shaira Diaz.

Direk Mark Reyes V, Ruru Madrid, Shaira Diaz, and Arra San Agustin on the set of 'I Can See You: On My Way To You.'

Ruru, who breathes life into the character of Jerrick Alfonso, reveals feeling challenged for his role in the series.

"This is the first time for me to play this kind of role and it was very hard because we had limited time to complete the series. Kailangan ko agad ma-build 'yung character ko and 'yung chemistry namin ni Shai and ng iba pang cast. But I am very excited for the viewers to see it. To be honest, kinilig din ako doon sa 'kawa' scene naming dalawa."

Shaira, who portrays the role of Raki Buena, shares what she ought for the viewers to take away from watching their series, "I want the viewers to see my character’s journey as a runaway bride. 'Yung character kasi ni Raki, marami siyang imagination so gusto kong dalhin 'yung audience sa ganoon.

'Yung story ni Raki itself nakatulong siya sa akin so sana mafeel din ng viewers 'yung naramdaman ng character ko."

After having a sudden change of heart, Raki (Shaira), a hopeless romantic wedding planner, runs away from her groom-to-be Albert (Gil) while walking down the aisle.

When her runaway video goes viral, Raki escapes to a remote mountain lodge to flee from all the bashing. Irony strikes when Raki meets Jerrick (Ruru), a mysterious brooding man who was jilted at the altar by his bride-to-be. As their constant bickering turns into an unexpected romance, will Raki finally get her happily ever after or is her newfound prince charming just another heartache in disguise?

How do you escape from the ghost of your past if the thing that you ran away from comes back to you, only this time, with a mysterious person and in a different scenario?

“On My Way To You” also features the special participation of Richard Yap as George Alfonso, Jerrick’s dad who loves to gamble but never gambled his heart again after losing his wife.

Joining the powerhouse cast of this episode are Gil Cuerva, Malou de Guzman, Ashley Rivera, and Arra San Agustin.

This original series, created by the GMA Entertainment Group, is headed by SVP for Entertainment Group Lilybeth G. Rasonable, VP for Drama Redgie A. Magno, AVP for Drama Cheryl Ching-Sy, Senior Program Manager Anthony R. Pastorpide, and Executive Producer Darling Pulido-Torres.

Directed by Mark Reyes V, catch I Can See You: On My Way To You weeknights, right after First Yaya only on GMA-7.

name Pablo, lead vocalist and rapper, and another lead rapper and dancer in the person of Josh Cullen Santos, as another boy ALWIN band desperately acting, dancing IGNACIO and sounding like Korean singing idols.

Soon enough, the quintet made everyone realize that they are indeed the leader of the Pinoy Pop (P-Pop) music scene. Slowly but surely, they captured the hearts and fascination of the local market.

And yes, it is a no-brainer that they also impressed the international audiences with their songs and groove.

Read full story on manilastandard.net

ARIAS

Smart brings subscribers closer to ‘K-Life’ MOBILE services provider Smart Communications, Inc. brings back the KCON:TACT 3 virtual festival, which runs until March 28 via GigaFest.Smart.

The virtual fest is a K-Culture and pop music celebration featuring nine days of Korean content with live concerts and meet and greets with dozens of K-Pop artists.

During the festival, you can go all out by turning on your light sticks, dancing to the hits of your idols, and connecting with fellow fans not just from around the country but also from all over the world.

Feel the excitement from concerts and meet and greets with the hottest K-Pop acts such as AB6IX, A.C.E, ATEEZ, BTOB, Dreamcatcher, ENHYPEN, HyunA, iKON, ITZY, JESSI, JO1, Kang Daniel, Lee Jin Hyuk, LOONA, MAMAMOO, OH MY GIRL, P1Harmony, SF9, Stray Kids, SUNMI, THE BOYZ, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, TOO, and WOODZ (CHO SEUNG YOUN).

Simply turn on your mobile device and go to GigaFest.Smart, click on KCON:TACT 3 to watch them live starting at 8:00 p.m. Philippine Time.

KCON:TACT is the first-ever online K-Culture festival that connects the world.

First launched in June 2020, KCON:TACT celebrates its third season with concerts and meet and greets that get you to the KCON world tour in advance, whole new virtual stadium contents V DIUM, KCON STUDIO, which is a collaboration of artists and influencers introduce K-Culture.

Be sure to register to Free Stories For All on the GigaLife app so you have more

Kang Daniel is one of the featured artists in this year's 'KCON:TACT,' a celebration of K-Culture and pop music featuring nine days of Korean content with live concerts and meet and greets with dozens of K-Pop artists.

than enough data to post and share your favorite moments from the virtual festival.

Free Stories For All gives subscribers an extra 1 GB for Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, and Twitter with every registration to any GIGA Stories offer, just dial *123# or access the GigaLife app and choose Free Stories.

To know more about Smart 5G, visit 5g.smart and follow Smart’s official accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

NCCA, CCP name early nominees for National Artists Award

Batangas Representative and showbiz’s “Star for All Seasons” Vilma Santos and multiawarded screenwriter Ricky Lee are among the early nominees for the National Artists Award.

DESPITE restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Order of National Artists, jointly administered by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), has unveiled the names of early nominees for the National Artists Award.

The coveted National Artists Awards, to be conferred by the President of the Philippines, are given to Filipinos who have made significant contributions to the development of Philippine arts in the fields of Music, Dance, Theater, Visual Arts, Literature, Film, Broadcast Arts, Fashion, Architecture, and Allied Arts.

Among the early nominees are Eddie Garcia, Ramon Revilla, Vilma SantosRecto, Peque Gallaga, Ricky Lee, Pitoy

Moreno, Ben Farrales, Joey Ayala, and Isagani Cruz. Garcia, Revilla, Moreno and Farrales are nominees for Posthumous Awards.

Other nominees include pianist and former CCP President Raul Sunico, Nemensio Miranda, famous sculptor and painter, from Angono, Rizal; Nicanor Tiongson, top art critic, creative writer, and academician; Shirley Halili-Cruz, The Outstanding Filipino (TOFIL) awardee, and world-class dance director and educator; and Ligaya Amilbangsa, known for her studies and promotion of the Pangalay Dance tradition of the Southern Philippines, and a Ramon Magsaysay awardee.

From these distinguished personalities will come the new set of National Artists.

Life

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

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HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021

Cardiologists reveal rising cases of young people with heart disease

‘‘

By Tet Defensor

“W

HERE Do Broken Hearts Go” was not a web conference about complicated relationships. But it talked about love. Not the love that keeps us glued to K-dramas.

It focused on the love for the most hardworking muscle of the body—the human heart.

We sometimes call our heart the “inner voice.” In times of trouble it rises to power as “the voice of God.” Its main physical function is to keep the body alive by supplying oxygen-filled blood to our body’s tissues. Considering its many functions, we must truly give our heart the love it deserves if we intend to have a long and healthy life.

“Where Do Broken Hearts Go” was a webicon organized by the cardiologists at Cardinal Santos Medical Center (CSMC).

CSMC executive officer Dr. Regidor Encabo debunked the long-running perception that cardiovascular diseases only occur in adults aged 60 and above.

According to him, there has been a rise in the number of younger people suffering from the disease in recent years.

“That is why it is vital that people learn how to identify and manage heart disease risk factors,” said Dr. Encabo.

The 2018 study released by the Philippine Statistics Authority ranked cardiovascular disease as the number one cause of death in the Philippines.

Dr. Lourdes Ella Santos, Preventive Cardiology head, stressed the impor-

Cardinal Santos Medical Center’s cardiologists lead a web conference to discuss the importance of identifying and managing heart disease risk factors.

tance of immediately addressing the risk factors leading to the disease. Sedentary lifestyle, high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes, smoking, and many others can lead to heart disease.

In order to keep one’s health in check, Dr. Santos suggested a lipid profile test to measure the concentration of fats and cholesterol in the blood. If the tests show that the bad cholesterol is beyond the normal level, then it’s time for a lifestyle change which includes diet and exercise.

Individuals who lead a sedentary lifestyle or are overweight and tire easily

or suffer from shortness of breath are likewise advised to visit their doctors.

“The role of a preventive cardiologist is to help individuals minimize the risk factors and prevent the disease,” emphasized Dr. Santos.

Still on the topic of broken hearts, the discussion also focused on heart failure. According to Heart Failure Unit head Dr. Rucci Cruz, this happens when the heart cannot pump out blood or when the heart chambers are so thick they limit the amount of blood going to the heart.

Hypertension or coronary artery dis-

ease is the common cause of heart failure. This occurs when there is a buildup of cholesterol in the arteries. It can also be caused by faulty heart valves which push the heart to work faster.

Dr. Cruz stressed that the best way to prevent heart disease is maintaining good physical and mental health, as well as minimizing stress levels. Regular visits to the doctor are also important.

“A heart failure diagnosis is usually made based on your medical history. If you think you have the symptoms, it is best to consult a doctor for a proper physical examination,” explained Dr. Cruz.

Patients do not want to go to the hospital because they know that they will spend a lot of money.

Despite the oft-repeated recommendation of consulting with a physician, Cardiovascular Institute’s chairman Dr. Ariel Miranda has observed that Filipinos do not exactly like going to the doctors.

“Patients do not want to go to the hospital because they know that they will spend a lot of money. Even those who get admitted to the ER due to heart attack still can’t decide if they would want to undergo treatment because they’re thinking of the expenses,” he shared, thereby highlighting the value of taking care of our heart.

HEALTH BULLETIN

Habits formed due to COVID-19 could lead to oral health problems, survey finds

A community in Caloocan where electronic waste such as old appliances and broken electronic gadgets are collected for proper disposal and recycling.

Recycling heroes in the spotlight MARKING the fourth Global Recycling Day on March 18, telecommunications company Globe highlights its environmental sustainability programs and partners in reducing waste.

Responsible disposal and recycling of electronic waste is the focus of the company’s E-waste Zero.

Through the program, individuals and organizations can donate their old, non-working electronic devices and accessories to participating Globe stores, select malls, and offices of partner groups.

Free door-to-door pickups are also available; check www.globe.com.

Improper disposal of e-waste can pollute the environment and even pose health hazards as old phones, home appliances, and broken electronic gadgets and their batteries contain toxic components such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury that can severely damage the environment and even harm people.

“We introduced our E-waste Zero program back in 2014 as a way to raise funds to put up new classrooms in Aklan which were devastated by typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda). Since then, we were able to scale the program by partnering with the rest of the AC Group, corporate clients, schools, and NGOs,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe chief sustainability officer and senior vice president of corporate communications.

To date, more than 1.4 million kilograms of ewaste were donated, collected, and responsibly recycled through Globe’s partner treatment, storage, and disposal (TSD) facilities: Total Environment Solutions - Asset Material Management Philippines (TES-AMM) in Pasig City and Maritrans Recycler, Inc. in Cebu.

E-wastes are segregated to recover plastic materials, electronic components, and precious metals. The final recycling process is done in TESAMM’s facility in Singapore.

WasSUP, on the other hand, is a corporate sustainability program geared towards advocating a zero waste lifestyle and educating Globe employees on how avoidance of single-use plastics or SUPs can help in environmental conservation.

This year, the company collaborated with Green Antz Builders, Inc. for the responsible disposal and processing of single-use plastic wastes starting with its main office at The Globe Tower in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

Green Antz Builders is an innovative provider of building and housing solutions that integrates eco-friendly practices and green technologies in its products and services.

Globe has already installed a plastic shredder that makes sure all identified SUPs from within the premises are processed in a responsible manner before they are transported to the Green Antz facility in Taguig. The shredded plastics would then be used as a component of eco-bricks and pavers that will be sold by Green Antz as construction materials for schools and garden pathways.

Two more sustainability efforts by Globe are its partnership with Vending Experts Night and Day Philippines, Inc. or VEND, and Quanta Paper.

The company has worked with VEND to produce vending machines that operate using the Quick Response (QR) code for cashless and contactless transactions using GCash. Quanta Paper provides rolls of tissue paper to Globe offices that are marked with the Green Choice Seal of Approval.

FREQUENT snacking and fewer dental visits, among other behavioral changes adopted due to COVID-19 measures could lead to a variety of oral health problems, a survey reveals.

A multi-country online survey by GSK Consumer Healthcare and IPSOS, with 4,500 respondents including individuals from the Philippines, has found that the shift in consumer behavior over the pandemic increased consumer susceptibility to worsened overall oral health.

Lockdown measures saw many Filipinos spend more time at home, as a result, the survey observes a change in consumer habits and routines that may have affected their overall oral health.

Compared to before the pandemic, 29 percent of Philippine consumers claimed to have increased their consumption of snacks: 35 percent in coffee or tea, 17 percent in frozen treats and packaged fruit juice, and 14 percent in soft drinks. Increased consumption of these types of food and beverages, GSK says, has a pronounced effect on oral health, especially in the accelerated wear on tooth enamel that cannot be restored naturally by the body.

As it stands, Filipinos are already suffering from oral health conditions that can be worsened by the consumption of the aforementioned items; 77 percent indicated that they suffer from sensitive teeth, 42 percent indicated having stained/yellow teeth, and 34 percent indicated having cavities.

While majority or 95 percent of respondents from the Philippines claimed to believe that good oral healthcare can benefit their overall health, the survey has discovered they are not doing enough to maintain or improve it.

When consumers who claim to experience at least one oral health condition were polled on how they were actively managing it, 51 percent said they have turned to brushing their teeth regularly—highlighting the lack of specific, more targeted strategies to managing their oral health.

Further, only 11 percent of Philippine consumers who suffer from at least one oral health condition visit the dentist regularly for checkups, as 70 percent are worried about the possibility of COVID-19 transmission in face-toface consultations.

More than half or 56 percent of Filipinos admitted to have reduced or stopped their visits to the dentist; reasons include fear of contact with other dental patients (53 percent), fear of con-

With fewer visits to the dentist since the onset of COVID-19 pandemic, many Filipinos have turned to enhanced oral care practices such as more frequent brushing.

tracting COVID-19 from dental equipment (65 percent), and concerns on dental clinic’s cleanliness and sanitation (48 percent).

Consumers in the Philippines have instead enhanced their oral care practices. About one in two Philippine consumers (55 percent) claimed to brush their teeth more frequently over the pandemic, 46 percent indicated having increased the use of mouthwash, and 38 percent claimed they will buy more specialized products such as toothpaste for gum care in the coming weeks compared to their usual purchase pattern.

“Despite the changes in daily living brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is certainly encouraging to see widespread awareness of the connection between good oral health and overall health among Filipinos,” said Dr. Leo Gerald R. De Castro, managing partner at the Asian Centre for Dental Specialties.

He added, “Filipinos need to take comprehensive measures in terms of maintaining their oral health. Self-management practices with the use of specialized products, avoiding sugary food and drinks, and consulting a dentist form a holistic approach to oral care that Filipinos across