Manila Standard - 2021 May 9 - Sunday

VOL. XXXV • NO. 83 • 2 SECTIONS 8 PAGES • P18 • SUNDAY, MAY 9, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

FISHERMAN’S FRIEND. Seagulls surround the boats of fishermen at Manila Bay along Roxas Boulevard in the hope of catching a fish or two for breakfast. Felino Santos

PH gets 2m AstraZeneca doses • DOH seeks EUA for Sinopharm • 193k Pfizer jabs arriving Monday

By Willie Casas

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ORE than 2 million doses of AstraZeneca have arrived in the Philippines from the Covax Facility, the international partnership established to ensure equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines around the world.

The Department of Health on Saturday said the shipment was an add-on to the half a million doses delivered in March and was part of the 4.5 million total doses committed to the Philippines from Covax.

“Now that these 2 million vaccine doses have arrived, we urge our kababayans to get their second dose of AstraZeneca vaccines,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said.

“If you are already in the priority group but have not yet registered with your LGU, please contact your LGU or barangay to get vaccinated. Vaccination is our additional armament against the severe form of COVID-19 and will help decrease hospitalizations.”

Meanwhile, Duque has ordered his agency to seek emergency use authori-

National Task Force Against Covid-19 chief implementer Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. and Health Sec. Francisco Duque III welcome the arrival of 2 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine made possible through the Covax Facility at the NAIA Terminal 3 on May 8, 2021 – the country’s biggest shipment to date of the lifesaving jabs. Joey Razon

zation for Sinopharm’s COVID-19 vaccine so the country won’t have to return a batch of donations from China as the President had ordered following backlash over his inoculation with the brand.

An EUA would allow a vaccine under development to be used for the government vaccination program.

At the same time, the Philippines is

expecting around 193,000 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, Duque said.

Duque said the vaccines would be given to the NCR Plus – composed of the National Capital Region, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal – as well as Cebu, Davao, and other major cities that can handle the temperature re-

quirements of Pfizer.

Since the arrival of the first shipment of vaccines from the Covax Facility in March, more than 2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in the Philippines.

More than 300,000 Filipinos in priority groups have received two doses and are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

“Each shipment of vaccines from the Covax Facility brings us one step closer to ensuring the equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines around the world and Health for All in the Philippines,” said Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe, WHO Representative to the Philippines.

“However, vaccines do not replace the important prevention measures we practice now – wearing face masks, avoiding crowded places and settings, frequent handwashing, and remaining physically distant from others.”

Nearly 100 percent of the AstraZeneca vaccines delivered last March have been provided to local government units.

As of May 2, out of the 525,600 doses, 525,337 have been administered to health workers, the elderly, and persons with underlying health conditions.

This new shipment of vaccines will provide second doses to those who have already been administered the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccines, as well as other target populations.

Duterte told: Stop conceding more than what China is claiming

By Joyce Pañares and Maricel Cruz RETIRED Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio chided President Rodrigo Duterte over his repeated claims that China is “in control” of the West Philippine Sea, saying the commanderin-chief is conceding more than what Beijing is claiming.

“The West Philippine Sea is very vast. Its total area is probably even bigger than the total land area of the Philippines,” Carpio said in an interview on Teleradyo Saturday.

KEEP PETS SUMMER-SAFE Amid longer days and higher temperatures, pet owners are encouraged to tap into their creative side to help their pets beat the heat and avoid heat stroke.

“When the President says China is in control – China is in control of eight islands or geographical features plus Scarborough Shoal. The total area (of the islands controlled by China) is less than 6 to 7 percent of the total West Philippine Sea. China is in control of a very small portion.”

“You are the President, but you keep on saying ‘China is in control, in possession.’ You have to be specific because you are conceding more than what China is claiming. In fact, China never claimed it was in possession of the WPS but the President conceded immediately,” Carpio added.

ALLIANZ PNB GROWS 67% WITH E-TOOLS

PETS / B4

Online tools allowed Allianz PNB Life to grow its premium income by almost 67 percent last year despite the challenges brought about by the pandemic.

Duterte earlier dared Carpio to a debate but backed out when the former magistrate called his challenge, designating presidential spokesman Harry Roque as his proxy instead.

Carpio, however, said it might be pointless to debate with Roque since the latter wanted to focus only on Duterte’s claim that the country lost Scarborough Shoal and Mischief Reef under the past administration.

For his part, Senator Panfilo Lacson said it is best for the Palace to keep quiet since the debate will no longer push through.

INDIA DEATHS BREACH 4,000 New COVID-19 deaths surged past 4,000 for the first time in India on Saturday as it struggled with one of the world’s worst outbreaks, but the global immunization effort was boosted with WHO approval for Chinese firm Sinopharm’s vaccine.

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“If you try doing too much damage control, and it becomes obvious, you just risk more damage. The issue is finished – there is no more debate. A piece of unsolicited advice to Roque or those in Malacanang: It is better to just stay quiet,” he said.

Meanwhile, maritime law expert Jay Batongbacal refuted the President’s claim that the 2016 ruling of the arbitral tribunal that invalidated China’s massive nine-dash-line claim over the entire South China Sea was a mere “piece of paper” that should be thrown in the wastebasket.

POPE BACKS VAX PATENT WAIVER Pope Francis offered his support Saturday for waiving coronavirus vaccine patents to boost supply to poorer countries.

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COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM MAY 8)

1,094,849 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

6,979 63,376 NEW

ACTIVE

18,269

170

1,013,204

10,179

DEATHS

RECOVERIES

NEW

NEW

OCTA predicts below 2k daily cases in NCR

By Willie Casas THE independent OCTA Research Group said Saturday the National Capital Region (NCR) was expected to report less than 2,000 COVID-19 cases per day

by May 14, less than the current daily average of 2,347 new cases from May 1 to 7.

The group’s latest report said daily average was 58 percent lower compared to the peak of surge from May 29 to April 4.

The group said this “shows a continued downward trajectory for new COVID-19 cases in the NCR.” Meanwhile, the reproduction number in the NCR had dropped to 0.69 from 0.83 while the positivity rate in the region was recorded at 15 percent over the past week with an average of 21,866 tests per day.

COVID updates The Philippines logged on Saturday 6,979 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total to 1,094,849, the Department of Health reported.

There were 63,376 active cases, which is 5.8 percent of the total cases.

The DOH reported 10,179 new recoveries, bringing the total to 1,013,204, while the death toll climbed to 18,269 with 170 new fatalities.

A4 jabs in June Filipinos who fall under the A4 priority group can be vaccinated against COVID-19 by June, a health official said.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the vaccination rollout for the said sector, however, would still depend on the global vaccine supply and the country’s available vaccine jabs.

“We know that the population of A1 to A3 is big, and we cannot even vaccinate half of them,” she said.

The A4 priority group refers to frontliners of essential sectors, including market vendors, supermarket and food retail workers, and other workers who are required to interact with the public due to their work.

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DILG warns 20 LGUs over illegal fishing

REQUIEM MASS. Manila Archbishop Broderick Pabillo (inset), together with the priests of the Archdiocese of Manila, offers a holy mass for the dead, especially for those who have passed away because of COVID-19, inside the Manila Cathedral on May 8, 2021. Norman Cruz

Pass ‘Bangko sa Baryo’ bill —Villafuerte

By Maricel V. Cruz A LEGISLATOR on Saturday called for the swift congressional approval of a House-approved measure that aims to provide last-mile financial connectivity in unbanked communities nationwide through electronic means.

Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte made the appeal as he stressed that digital transactions are fast becoming the new norm as the country starts to recover from the pandemic-driven economic recession.

Villafuerte said the enactment of House Bill No. 6924 or the proposed Bangko sa Baryo Act will accelerate President Duterte’s goal of financial inclusion for all Filipinos and open new livelihood opportunities in faraway communities either unserved or underserved by the formal banking system.

“We can leverage digital technology to convert convenience stores, pharmacies and other highly accessible retail outlets to act as additional service delivery channels of banks, especially in unbanked communities, by acting swiftly on this measure,” said Villafuerte, a lead author of the proposed Bangko sa Baryo Act. Citing a study commissioned by the digital banking solutions provider Backbase, Villafuerte said unbanked and underbanked segments in the Philippines are expected to decline to 20 percent of the bankable population because more Filipinos are willing to shift to digital banking amid the pandemic.

Based on the second edition of the Fintech and Digital Banking 2025 (Asia Pacific) IDC report commissioned by Backbase, three out of five or 60 percent of bankable Filipino customers are willing to shift to digital banking.

Villafuerte said the Congress can help the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) meet its target of at least 70 percent of adult Filipinos having bank accounts by December 2022 at the earliest with the swift passage of the proposed Bangko sa Baryo Act.

12-HOUR STANDOFF WITH BIFF ENDS

Soldiers retake town from 100 extremists

By Nash Maulana

D

ATU ODIN SINSUAT, Maguindanao – Army troops retook Datu Paglas, Maguindanao Saturday morning, hours after heavily armed extremist occupied the town center.

The military launched air and ground offensives on some 100 armed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), forcing them to withdraw.

Lt. Colonel John Paul Baldomar, spokesman of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said government forces regained control of the Datu Paglas Public Market by 9:00 a.m.

“We are now in control of Public Mar-

ket of Datu Paglas, (and) clearing operations are in order,” Baldomar said.

Local officials said some 5,000 people were displaced by the heavy exchange of gunfire between the rebel group and government forces.

Baldomar said no casualty had been reported on the side of the government forces, adding that possible enemy casualty could not be determined yet from sketchy

radio messages.

Baldomar said the soldiers found four improvised bombs around the marketplace left by fleeing rebels which were promptly defused.

Abu Jihad, claiming to be a BIFF spokesman, said about 150 guerrillas of the Kagi Karialan sub-group came to Datu Paglas without intent of placing the town under siege.

“Our freedom fighters were there to rest and were about to return to our camps when soldiers arrived and fired at us. We were forced to return fire,” Abu Jihad said in Maguindanaon.

The group’s leader, a certain Undo Sulayman, is said to be Karialan’s son in-law.

Sources said Sulayman, a resident of Datu Paglas, had been at odds with local leaders.

FOR COVID PATIENTS.

The new modular hemodialysis facility at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute has 20 stations that can serve 60 patients per day.

The facility is for the exclusive use of COVID-19 patients in need of hemodialysis.

Manny Palmero

Ex-Pinili mayor Pagdilao, 89, passes away

Comelec resumes issuance of voter’s certification on May 10 THE Commission on Elections will resume the issuance of voter’s certification in its main office in Intramuros, Manila tomorrow (May 10), its spokesperson, James Jimenez, said Saturday.

Registered voters nationwide may apply for a voter’s certification from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Mondays to Thursdays, at the Comelec’s National Central File Division (NCFD) satellite office, located at the back of Chowking in FEMII Building Extension along Cabildo Street corner A. Soriano Avenue in Intramuros.

Applications for the issuance of voter certification are by appointment only, Jimenez added.

“Together with our ‘no face mask, no face shield, no entry’ policy, this will ensure that we are protecting the safety of the public, even while NCR Plus remains under modified enhanced community quarantine,” he said.

Applicants have to set an appointment via the Facebook page of the ComelecNCFD through the link: bit.ly/NCFDFBPage

They also have to access the online voter certification application and fill up the online voter certification request form.

After submitting the completed form, an appointment confirmation slip will be emailed to the applicant.

The applicant should print the appointment slip and proceed to the ComelecNCFD satellite office on the appointed date and time.

He/she will present the appointment slip and other documentary requirements, such as one valid ID and a photocopy of

it, before paying P75 and waiting for the release of the voter’s certification.

An authorized representative bearing an authorization letter may transact on behalf of the applicant.

The representative must have a valid ID and a photocopy of it.

The Comelec said the voter’s certification is free of charge for senior citizens, persons with disability (PWDs), members of the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs), and solo parents.

QC residents may claim aid until May 12 IN A bid to allocate enough time to review and process appeals made by residents concerning the national government’s financial assistance, the Quezon City government announced it will disburse only until May 12 to qualified beneficiaries who are initially on the list.

According to a report by the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO), around P100 million remains to be claimed by qualified beneficiaries identified by the local and national government.

“From today until Wednesday next week, that becomes the final window where qualified QCitizens can claim. We made this call so we could also attend to other deserving citizens who appealed or filed dis-

putes to our grievances committee,” said Mayor Joy Belmonte.

In the days leading up to May 12, several sites for each of the city’s six districts will be opened where qualified residents can still claim their financial aid.

“Our next priority are those eligible individuals who were not recorded in the initial list. We understand that they’re also waiting for this aid to be able to buy food and other essentials for their families,” said City Administrator Mike Alimurung.

To check if they are included in the list of beneficiaries, residents may access the list posted in their respective barangays or via the official website of the QC government (www.quezoncity. gov.ph).

THE Department of the Interior and Local Government issued stern warnings to 20 local government units for Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing (IUUF) and reminded them to strengthen the enforcement of the Philippine Fisheries Code and other existing policies for the protection of coastal communities and fishing folks within their jurisdiction or face administrative sanctions.

Interior Sec. Eduardo Año said the LGUs were reminded “to exercise their mandate and responsibilities under the Philippine Fisheries Code” and informed them of the total number of the IUUF committed in their areas using satellite technology.

“Despite the pandemic, we want to remind LGUs of the protection of our aquatic resources which, unfortunately, is still an issue in the country.

We issued a stern warning with the reminder that we should take care of our waters,” he said.

“IUUF can cause a serious decline in fisheries resources, and can negatively impact food security and livelihoods for coastal communities and fisherfolk,” he added.

According to Año, the LGUs who received warnings are the top 20 with the highest number of encroachment or violation in the use of superlight and other artificial light sources to attract fishes during nighttime, the use of which is prohibited under Section 98 of the Philippines Fisheries Code.

The DILG was able to get the information through the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) technology, a satellite that can detect artificial light sources or superlight.

Registering the most IUUF violation is Tongkil, Sulu with 2,549 instances, followed by Zamboanga City, Zamboanga Del Sur with 2,446; Milagros, Masbate with 1,595; Cawayan, Masbate with 1,350; San Pascual, Masbate with 1,193; Languyan, Tawitawi with 1,057; Calauag, Quezon with 1,009; Hadji Mohammad Ajul, Basilan with 973; Linapacan, Palawan with 959; and, Carles, Iloilo with 762.

Also included in the top 20 LGUs are Cuyo, Palawan; Santa Cruz, Marinduque; Madridejos, Cebu; Coron, Palawan; San Jose, Occidental Mindoro; Taytay, Palawan; Magsaysay, Palawan; Catbalogan City, Samar; Cavite City, Cavite; and, Quezon, Quezon.

“The use of satellite technology in fisheries law enforcement is another game changer hence it imperative for the DILG to act and issue a warning to these LGUs,” the Interior chief said.

FLOWER BOUQUETS. A florist in Tagaytay City arranges her blooms on May 8, 2021 ahead of today’s celebration of Mother’s Day. JR Josue

PINILI, Ilocos Norte—Army Colonel Samuel S. Pagdilao (ret.), mayor of this northern town for 18 years, died Saturday, at the Batac hospital where he was rushed due to difficulty of breathing where he succumbed due to heart failure. He was 89.

Pagdilao, a public school teacher for 14 years and a soldier for another 18 years until he retired with the rank of full colonel, served his birth town as chief executive officer for a total 18 years from 1992 to 2001 and then again from 2010 to 2019, the last year before the town, where warriors walked during the Philippine-American War and the Second World War, celebrated its centennial anniversary.

He left his wife, with his wife, exMayor Anunciacion D. Pagdilao, their seven children, including retired Police Major Gen. Samuel Pagdilao Jr. who served in the House of Representatives from 2013 to 2016, 20 grandchildren and six great grandchildren. Five of the children are in the United States (four in Texas and one in New York). Pagdilao Jr. and his brother, retired Major.

Gen. Joel Pagdilao, are the only ones in the Philippines.

Pagdilao Jr., speaking on behalf of his siblings, remembered their father, who was at the municipal hall as early as 7 a.m. when he was mayor, for his “services to God, country, the people and family,” noting his being their patriarch for 66 years.

The children, living in different places, are in a Zoom meeting Saturday following the shock announcement.

No funeral details are immediately available.

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Startups working on booster shots to keep vaccine efficacy longer GETTING COVID vaccines into the arms of the world’s population is an international priority – but will today’s jabs stay effective against virus variants that are spreading across the globe?

It is one of the big questions about the pandemic, with Pfizer chief Albert Bourla recently acknowledging that it is likely a booster will be needed to help extend the protection conferred by its vaccine and ward off new variants.

A recent study presented a mixed picture.

It found that the antibody response of current vaccines could fail against variants. However, a second immune response in the form of killer T cells – which attack already infected cells and not the virus itself – remained largely intact.

Several startups are working on developing shots centered on T cells in hopes of producing a jab that would not only provide protection against new virus strains already on the loose, but also variants that do not yet exist.

Alexis Peyroles heads up French biotech firm OSE Immunotherapeutics, which is developing a vaccine that targets T cells that has just begun clinical trials.

“It could offer several years of protection,” he told AFP. Another French firm, Lyon-based Osivax, is also working on a T cell shot, promising a “universal” vaccine that would be effective against any potential variant.

The government of France, which has yet to develop its own vaccine, is supporting the effort with millions in funding.

Such projects are far from widespread. Among the 400 vaccines under development counted by the World Health Organization only a few are aimed at universal use.

The most advanced shot of its kind is the ImmunityBio vaccine under development in the United States. Very preliminary results released last month were mostly encouraging.

No lab foresees a final product before next year and many scientists are skeptical about the usefulness of trying to develop a shot to protect against a virus strain that doesn’t yet exist.

“Mass vaccination itself is a form of evolutionary ‘selection’ pressure,” British virologist Julian Tang told AFP, “and this pressure may push the virus to evolve to escape any vaccine protection – so it can be a doubleedged sword.”

Other questions involve the extent to which the body will be able to fight the virus with a T cell-based response.

T cells and antibodies work together to form an immune response in the body. AFP

Pope supports suspension of vaccine patents POPE Francis offered his support Saturday for waiving coronavirus vaccine patents to boost supply to poorer countries, in a video message to the “Vax Live” concert.

The Argentine pontiff backed “universal access to the vaccine and the temporary suspension of intellectual property rights” in the recording made in his native Spanish.

Francis, who has repeatedly spoken of the need to share vaccines, condemned the “virus of individualism” that “makes us indifferent to the suffering of others.”

“A variant of this virus is closed nationalism, which prevents, for example, an internationalism of vaccines,” he said.

“Another variant is when we put the laws of the market or intellectual property above the laws of love and the health of humanity.”

His comments come after the United States announced its surprise support for a global waiver on patent protections for COVID-19 vaccines.

The move is fiercely opposed by major drugmakers because they say it would set a precedent that could threaten future innovations, and insist the move would not speed up production.

Britain’s Prince Harry and pop royalty including Jennifer Lopez were among those who took part in “Vax Live: The Concert To Reunite The World,” to urge faster and more equitable global vaccinations. AFP

MEMENTO MORI. ‘Gun’ by Andy Warhol is on display

during a preview of the upcoming Post-War & Contemporary Art Day Sale at Christie’s on May 07, 2021 in New York City. AFP

India virus deaths top 4k as WHO okays Sinopharm N EW COVID-19 deaths surged past 4,000 for the first time in India on Saturday as it struggled with one of the world’s worst outbreaks, but the global immunization effort was boosted with WHO approval for Chinese firm Sinopharm’s vaccine.

And while many Western countries have started easing restrictions thanks to rapid vaccinations, the head of the World Health Organization warned that more countries could suffer the kind of deadly outbreaks currently raging in India, Brazil and Nepal.

India now accounts for nearly half of the world’s new known cases according to an AFP database, and it reported a national record 4,187 new deaths Saturday.

The Indian government has strug-

gled to contain the outbreak, which has overwhelmed its healthcare system and sparked anger and frustration among the public.

“The government says that there is ample supply of medicines and oxygen,” said Brijesh Pandey, who spends hours every day jostling with others to try to secure oxygen for his brother-in-law.

“But look how hundreds of desperate people are struggling to save their brothers, sisters and parents.”

India reported more than 400,000 new infections on Saturday, but many experts suspect the official death and case numbers are a gross underestimate.

The surge has spilled into next-door Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Its eastern neighbor Pakistan on Saturday began a nine-day shutdown targeting travel and tourist hot spots to try to stop its outbreak from snowballing during the upcoming Eid celebrations at the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

The Eid holidays usually see a mass movement of people across the nation of 220 million, and the government has mobilized the military to help enforce the restrictions. AFP

FOR A LONG LIFE.

This aerial view shows young Lebanese women practicing yoga on stand-up paddle boards in the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of the northern city of Batroun, on May 8, 2021.

AFP

Defects, damage suspected in Mexico metro disaster THE collapse of a Mexico City metro overpass that left 26 people dead could have been caused by defects in the steel beams or damage to the joints, experts told AFP. The capital’s mayor, Claudia Sheinbaum, said after Monday’s accident, which also left 80 injured, that a beam holding up the section of elevated track had given way.

Norwegian engineering company DNV has been asked to help prosecutors with the investigation into the

disaster, which has prompted accusations of negligence and demands for justice from devastated relatives.

Sergio Alcocer, a researcher at the engineering faculty of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, said that the collapse “may be due to a defect in the steel” used to make the beams.

Like other experts, he based his initial suspicions on a police video showing the moment when an elevated part of metro line 12 collapsed, sending two carriages plunging towards the

ground.

Juan Manuel Fuentes, technical director of Mexican structural engineering firm Quasar, said that “the deafening vibration” on some of the sections of the line also could have caused the overpass’s joints to weaken.

According to a senior Mexico City official, Jesus Antonio Estevas, “it is clear that there was a failure in the metal structures” of the section of elevated track that came crashing down. AFP

Trump admin obtained phone records of three Post journalists THE Trump administration secretly obtained the phone records of Washington Post journalists who reported on allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 election, the newspaper reported Friday, prompting concerns over freedom of speech.

The Justice Department sent letters to three reporters – Ellen Nakashima and Greg Miller, and former Post reporter Adam Entous – saying that it had received work, cell or home phone records “for the period from April 15, 2017 to July 31, 2017,” according to the Post.

The newspaper was “deeply troubled by this use of government power to seek access to the communications of journalists,” Post acting executive editor Cameron Barr was quoted as saying.

“The Department of Justice should immediately make clear its reasons for this intrusion into the activities of reporters doing their jobs, an activity protected under the First Amendment,” he continued.

The American Civil Liberties Union said the Justice Department had been “spying” on the journalists “at the whims of an administration.”

“This should never have happened,” the ACLU tweeted. “When the government spies on journalists and their sources, it jeopardizes freedom of the press.”

The Justice Department said it had followed “established procedures” with the requests, the Post reported, citing a department spokesman.

The letters did not specify why the records were seized.

But, near the end of that period, the three wrote a story about US intelligence which suggested that Jeff Sessions, who later became attorney general under Donald Trump, had discussed the Trump campaign with the Russian ambassador.

They also wrote a story on the Obama administration’s efforts to counter Russian interference in the 2016 election.

US intelligence agencies have concluded Russia hacked into the computer servers of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) during Trump’s campaign against Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

Trump has played down Russia’s involvement in the DNC leak, famously appearing to side with Russian President Vladimir Putin over his own intelligence agency’s assessment. AFP

Jerusalem clashes wound over 200

IN FULL BLOOM. A peacock is pictured in its enclosure at the Kuwait Zoo on May 7, 2021. AFP

ISRAEL braced for more protests Saturday after clashes at Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound wounded more than 200 people and as the US, EU and regional powers urged calm after days of escalating violence.

In the unrest following Muslim prayers on Friday, Israeli riot police fired rubber bullets, tear gas and stun grenades at Palestinians who hurled rocks, bottles and fireworks at Islam’s third-holiest site which is also revered

by Jews.

Israeli police said 17 officers were wounded while the Palestinian Red Crescent reported that 205 Palestinians were injured in the violence at Al-Aqsa and across annexed east Jerusalem.

Video footage showed Israeli forces

storming the mosque’s sprawling plaza and firing sound grenades inside the building, where throngs of worshippers including women and children were praying on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

The clashes came after tensions soared in recent weeks, over Israeli restrictions on access to parts of the Old City during Ramadan and the threat of eviction hanging over four Palestinian families in east Jerusalem to make way for Jewish settlers.

A call for demonstrations Saturday in solidarity with Jerusalem Palestinians came from an advocacy group for Arab Israelis, who make up 20 percent of the country’s population, the High Follow up Committee for the Arabs in Israel. AFP

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Business

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

Online tools enable PNB Allianz to expand 67% amid pandemic

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NLINE tools allowed Allianz PNB Life to grow its premium income by almost 67 percent last year despite the challenges brought about by the pandemic.

“Digital tools have made it easier than ever to understand and avail of insurance and investment solutions, and our ‘life changers’ are always ready and happy to serve,” says Allianz PNB Life chief executive Alexander Grenz.

The company’s growth was much faster than the 5.9-percent increase in the life insurance industry’s total premium income to P247.7 billion in 2020 from P233.9 billion in 2019 despite the severe restrictions in the second quarter at the height of the enhanced community quarantine when agency licensing exams and face-to-face selling were halted as the government restricted in-person interactions.

Grenz says while the industry’s total premium income increased by 5.9 percent in 2020, new business annual premium equivalent actually decreased by 19.80 percent, which means that growth in terms of new premium generated by insurers was worse than in 2019.

“We at Allianz PNB Life are proud to have reversed this trend by earning P2.2 billion in growth, equivalent to 27.5 percent growth in NBAPE and ranking 8th in actual figures among industry peers versus 11th the year prior. During the same period, our company’s total premium income increased by 66.9 percent to P15.76 billion, jumping three places likewise from 10th to 7th. Our sales performance is complemented by the achievement of a positive bottom line of P188.9 million in 2020,” he says via e-mail.

He says the pandemic was a wake-up call in terms of the significant protection gap across Philippine society as a whole, with stories of exorbitant hospital bills becoming alltoo familiar and highlighted the inadequacy of the public health system in terms of sufficient coverage.

“The pandemic, however, led to a positive development in terms of accelerating insurance distribution through digital means. Allianz PNB Life was among the first to have its online sales process approved by the Insurance Commission, so our life changers were able to quickly become experts in it,” says Grenz, a German national who has been living in the Philippines for six years now.

“I believe that greater acceptance of digital sales tools, heightened awareness on the importance of health and protection solutions and increased promotion and education programs from industry players will lead to the

Allianz PNB Life CEO Alexander Grenz

Pandemic-resilient programs help teachers live smarter

industry growing further in 2021,” he said.

Grenz says the company’s strong performance continued in the first quarter of 2021, with the achievement of P1.1 billion in annualized new premiums—an achievement that took six months to reach last year.

“Our stellar sales performance is due in great part to our agents and financial advisors who maximized our online sales tools, the effectiveness of our lead generation campaigns, the fair value of our product offerings, and our hardworking and resilient colleagues who ‘stretched for amazing’ when we introduced the objectives and key results framework last year,” he says.

Grenz says what enabled the company to achieve the strong growth is its ability shift to a work-from-home environment efficiently without sacrificing productivity. “Staff who were required in the office to maintain systems and customer service standards were provided transportation and

a safe environment to work in. Employees who could function effectively from home were provided with utility subsidies and access to online training for their continuous development,” he says.

The company introduced a work well pact to maintain a healthy work-life balance among employees and support their physical and mental wellness. This included appropriate training for people managers.

“Being among the first life insurers to have its online sales process approved also contributed to this strategy. Our digital enhancements extended to online recruitment, selling, training, and client communication initiatives,” he says.

This year, Allianz PNB Life is launching a new work model which empowers colleagues to work effectively from anywhere in the Philippines and enhance policy issuance standards to achieve its target of five minutes. Roderick T. dela Cruz

Webinar to discuss how to purchase a home PearlPay changes rural banking landscape

By Othel V. Campos FILIPINO financial technology start-up PearlPay is fast changing the landscape of local rural banking and micro-finance institutions with a portfolio of savvy solutions fitted to adapt to challenges of digital transformation.

Supported by Amazon Web Services, PearlPay offers end-to-end digital and banking solutions targeting marginalized and underserved segments in the Philippines.

“We are committed to making financial access universally accessible by focusing in the rural banks, micro-finance instituiona and similar organizations by empowering them with a world class banking infrastructure. We’re helping them with their digital transformation in keeping with the massive changes in global trend hastened

by COVID-19,” said PearlPay chief executive and co-founder Spark Perreras.

He said the impact of COVID19 allowed the company to propel growth and disperse this growth to helping financial institutions to also reach out to the underserved and unbanked.

Perreras noted that not all banks, especially rural banks, have e-payment systems and not all Filipinos have smart phones or proper internet connection.

“This is true for microfinance institutions and cooperatives as well. Additionally, most available technologies and payment solutions either need an updated phone or good Wi-Fi connection,” he said.

PearlPay is tapping and transforming key institutions such as rural banks, microfinance institutions, cooperatives and similar organizations to address financial inclusion in the Philippines. It seeks to democratize access to electronic money in the Philippines by providing rural banks, microfinance institutions, and cooperatives cloud-based and mobile technologies despite the lack of technological infrastructure, effectively leading to better financial inclusion.

In partnership with social outreach arm PLDT-Smart Foundation, Smart has been supporting the CVIF-Dynamic Learning Program since 2010.

IT MIGHT be hard to imagine any good resulting from the pandemic—a real-life horror story that has been impacting lives for more than a year now.

With so much uncertainty around jobs, employment and financial security, most Filipinos have pressed the pause button on their dreams and goals. Milestone events such as weddings, starting a family or launching a business have also been put on hold.

However, experts argue that the current crisis brings to the fore opportunities that could, in fact, yield benefits once the pandemic is behind us. Investing in property is one. According to top industry players, now is a good time as any for Filipinos to earnestly look into this, saying that there is actually much to gain from this decision.

Property solutions Ohmyhome, with its own objective of making housing transactions easy and efficient for Filipinos, is well aware of this and resolutely brings potential property investors up to speed through OhTalks, its free webinar series on Facebook that tackles financial literacy, investment and real estate, among other relevant topics.

For its fourth episode, OhTalks is set to air on May 29, at 3 p.m., featuring the topic “OhTalks! Why Invest in Property Despite the Pandemic?” The webinar will feature Noli Alleje, an industry expert, who will discuss important points on the subject.

Known in the property sector as “El Sub-

Investing in property will be discussed in the fourth episode of OhTalks’ free webinar series on May 29 at 3 p.m. astahero” for establishing the auction sales system in the Philippines, Alleje has bid out thousands of real estate assets—worth billions of pesos—in the country.

Today, Alleje is widely recognized as the Philippines’ leading auctioneer. He is the managing director of The Property Forum Philippines and heads the international real estate promoter recruitment of Landco Pacific. He has also worked with United Coconut Planters Bank and purchased the asset management company of GE Money Bank.

In the forthcoming episode, Alleje will enlighten listeners on details concerning property investment such as the best time to invest, financing options, the need-to-know issues before purchasing a property, best locations to live in, and best properties to invest in depending on their budgets.

AS SCHOOLS prepare to end the current academic year soon, teachers look back at the innovative strategies that helped them stay smart amid the new normal of education.

With virtual classes as one of the top learning modalities implemented nationwide, JB Razec of Carrasacal National High School in Surigao Del Sur said learning the basics of cybersecurity became essential for teachers like him. “All of us are vulnerable to cyber threats, so it is necessary to be suspicious and smart to protect ourselves online,” he said.

Razec learned various ways to stay safe amid increased virtual presence due to online classes when he participated in CyberSmart: Cyber Security Beyond Digital.

An internet consumer awareness program of PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications Inc., the initiative aims to educate teachers and students on cybersecurity topics such as data privacy and security, internet safety and online child safety, and responsible social media use.

Backed by the Department of Education, National Privacy Commission and UNICEF Philippines, CyberSmart’s online caravans in 2020 gathered more than 28,000 teachers and students from over 1,300 schools nationwide. “The activity gave me plenty of reasons to be more vigilant in my virtual world and I’m thankful to have been part of it, Razec said.

Weekly CyberSmart events ran for the whole month of September 2020, which is recognized as the National Cyber Security

and Awareness Month. “As technology advances, teachers also need to stay updated on the latest developments online,” said Stephanie Orlinoa assistant vice president for community partnerships at Smart.

“The more they know, the more they are equipped to safeguard themselves and their students from online hazards,” she said.

Apart from CyberSmart, Smart also ramped up trainings for the Central Visayan Institute Foundation-Dynamic Learning Program for school year 2020-2021. The crisis-resilient education strategy promotes independent student learning to improve learners’ academic performance, especially in Science, Innovative Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

CVIF-DLP alum turned implementer Samuel Chueh of Davao Christian High School said the method has greatly helped teachers like him, more so amid the challenges brought about by distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. “DLP instills key values and attitudes that are important to success, such as being willing to learn, having perseverance to overcome challenges, and being able to act independently,” Chueh said.

“Training students on independent leaning is one of the most precious lifelong gifts you can give to them,” he said. CVIF-DLP was established in 2002 at the CVIF in Jagna, Bohol by world-renowned theoretical physicists and Ramon Magsaysay awardees for education, Dr. Christopher Bernido and Dr. Ma. Victoria Carpio-Bernido.

URC, Facebook develop successful marketing strategies THE past 12 months saw a seismic shift in book has observed in countries all over the the way people live, work and play. For the world.

For C2 Litro, URC’s business plan called general public, consumption patterns and habits have changed too, such as buying for a nationwide advertising campaign on products in bulk or in higher quantities, but Facebook, but it also wanted to strengthen the brand’s performance in key regional at a reduced frequency.

Some food manufacturers, such as Uni- areas. To this end, Facebook suggested implanting a pilot project versal Robina Corp., have that would give the C2 Litro been offering variants of their video ad a nationwide reach well-loved products that meet over a four-week period. prevailing requirements of Coupled with this was the consumers. As good as these use of Facebook’s location might be, however, it wouldn’t targeting, which would also matter if people were not aware double the frequency of the of their existence. If the right ad placement in select readvertising or marketing strategional markets. gies did not exist, the manufacThis strategy has been deturer’s efforts to fill their cusveloped by the Philippines tomers’ needs or desires would team and has been implehave been in vain. mented first by URC. With C2 Cool Thankfully, in today’s calculated risks, URC deand Clean Litro world, there are many avenues cided to go for it. As a brand, to reach and inform a target auURC has always embraced dience.

“At URC, we aim to meet consumers innovation, and this online campaign also where they are,” said URC chief marketing pushed the company further along in its officer Mian David. “And since the people ongoing digital transformation. Thankfully, we serve are stuck at home, it made perfect the gamble paid off.

With insights from Facebook, URC sense to hero our big packs”.

Seeing that many Filipinos are now on discovered that this nationwide campaign Facebook, URC thought it would be the with additional focus on specific regions perfect platform to inform the public about was a successful and cost-effective way to its C2 Cool & Clean Litro variant. “Face- drive. According to the results of the Brand book enabled us to offer the right pack, to Lift Study attached to the campaign, there the right people, at the right time, at the was a 27-percent increase in ad recall in right place, at the right moment,” David the regional campaign (the areas where ads had increased frequency), versus that said.

Having collaborated with Facebook in of a national-only campaign. Likewise, the past, URC viewed this as another good the regional campaign increased brand faopportunity to test new marketing strate- miliarity by 2.3 times, and contributed to gies and learn about current or emerging a 48-percent rise in purchase intent, combest practices in this field, which Face- pared to the national-only campaign.

Nestle updates commitment to net zero emissions NESTLÉ Philippines, which is marketing its 110th year in the country, has updated its commitments to earth on net zero emissions in its “Kasambuhay for the Environment” campaign.

“We are deeply committed to attaining our environmental goals, consistent with the Nestlé global ambition of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. As we have been in the Philippines for 110 years, we want to leave a legacy, anchored on our respect for the future and coming generations that includes effectively caring for the planet,” said Nestlé Philippines chairman and chief executive Kais Marzouki during the virtual 2021 Net Zero Fair.

Nestlé is leveraging its global size, scale and reach to make a difference as it urgently pursues its agenda to halve its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and reach net zero not later than 2050.

Addressing climate change, as an advocacy, cannot wait, said Marzouki, noting that moving forward for the sake of the present and future generations is worthy enough to rise up to the challenges as united people.

In August 2020, the company achieved its most important environmental milestone thus far, by becoming the country’s first multinational fast-moving consumer goods company to attain plastic neutrality. This means Nestlé Philippines is collecting and co-processing, and therefore diverting from nature, the equivalent amount of plastic that it generates in its packaging. Since then, it has collected 18,000 metric tons of plastic waste in the last seven months.

In tackling the plastic waste crisis in the Philippines, Nestlé continues to innovate and develop technology to make product packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025. At the same time, the com-

pany collaborates with public and private sector partners to ensure that none of the packaging materials end up in the envi-

ronment while focused on educating consumers about solid waste management.

Othel V. Campos

Youth & Culture B1

SUNDAY, MAY 9, 2021

Bernadette Lunas, Editor

manilastandardlife@gmail.com

@manilastandardlife

@MStandardLIFE

Modern mamas navigate

the digital world

More mothers are actively using technological innovations such as social media to stay connected, keep updated, and share how they feel.

By Monica Sanchez

M

OTHERHOOD is so many things and then some.

As time passes and the world changes, mothers are evolving and even taking in more responsibilities, juggling home life and work life.

Anecdotes and data show how work“Set up a workstation at home. A place ing mothers and mothers on social me- where you can focus and send a signal to dia are navigating a fast-paced, digitally other people that you are working. Ideally, connected world. create a separate workspace from your place of rest,” says Yani Hornilla-Donato, Career mamas country manager of Canva Philippines.

For a design company executive and Hornilla-Donato maintains a scheda new mom, it’s all about establishing ule during her work days, starting early boundaries. so “I can finish by 4 in the afternoon”.

Bond in the kitchen while learning mom’s recipes and cooking techniques.

“Five o’clock and beyond is dedicated for my family, especially my new baby.

I want to be present, take care of her, and witness her milestones. And definitely no work on weekends! Except for emergencies,” she shares.

Speaking of spending time with family, she highlights her employer’s “generous leave package” that allows employees to take a time off. “We also try to extend flexibility wherever possible, especially for moms who need to adjust their schedules at home,” adds Hornilla-Donato.

Attaining that elusive work-life balance is made possible with the help of a truly supportive team, as mom and creative lead Christine Reyes discovered when she was having a hard time juggling motherhood and her job.

“It took a while for me to completely let go of the habit of checking my work email and Slack beyond 4:00 p.m., but I’ve learnt to be successful in that aspect.

My leads always assure me that nothing will break even if I don’t answer everything after 4:00 p.m.,” shares Reyes.

Employees at design firm Canva participate in virtual activities designed to encourage them to take care of their health and well-being.

Moms on social media

Working mom Yani Hornilla-Donato establishes clear boundaries when at work and at home.

Employees at Canva say teams check on each other, have regular social calls, and are quick to pick up another person’s load if they need support.

Copy lead for the firm’s Template Design Team, Chrissie Peria relates, “Everyone is so understanding – children barging in on calls are greeted with smiles and small talk, dogs and cats get paraded on screen, and crowing roosters in the background are brushed off with giggles and no judgement.”

These career mamas also nurture the family they built in the workplace. According to the company, pre-pandemic Canva used to have Family Days, as well as events during special occasions where employees would bring their kids along to the office to play.

“With our new working arrangements, our celebrations have shifted online. And while we’re not together physically, they’re just as heartwarming. I’m lucky enough to be surrounded and supported by these wonderfully good people,” enthuses Peria.

Here in the Philippines, moms on social networking platform Twitter are mostly (58 percent) full-time working moms, according to Twitter’s latest record. But despite their tight schedule, majority or 69 percent manage to use the platform daily “for learning and self-improvement”.

Moms are using available resources online to learn and stay updated. The survey found that they go to Twitter to find new and useful information, research on how to do things, and be updated with news and events from credible sources.

Moms (79 percent) also use it to research on a product before making a purchase, while also actively sharing their reviews to help other moms, highlighting the importance of educating and engaging with mothers on the site.

“Connecting to active mom audiences on Twitter might not be enough.

Brands must also create a space for moms on Twitter to help them embrace, nurture, and celebrate their real and unfiltered lives,” the company said in a statement.

Aside from learning, mothers use social media to seek support and share how they feel. With 58 percent of Twitter user mothers being millennials (some are first-time moms), many are seeking insights on the site, may it be a practical advice or comforting words.

Conversation among mothers on the platform also varies. Topping the list of top conversation categories is film and TV, followed by health and wellness, music, food and beverages, and finance.

Another interesting finding is that moms live freely on this social media platform.

“Moms come to Twitter for real and unfiltered conversations. They are not afraid to speak their mind about the joys and harsh truths of parenting such as the struggles of working moms and pregnancy, among others.”

MOTHER’S DAY CAMPAIGNS

Delightful treats, fun activities for mom's special day

By Steph Llarena THEY say action speaks louder than words. Do note that we are not discounting the value of telling a person sweet, empowering words. So, after you tell your mother or the person you consider one how much they mean to you, treat them to something they would appreciate on their special day.

Since we are once again celebrating Mother’s Day indoors, the following are made for a home-bound celebration:

Surprise mom with breakfast in bed

This wouldn’t be a quintessential Mother’s Day gift for nothing. All you need to do is wake up early, make mom her favorite breakfast food, and serve it to her once she wakes up. Or if mom is not a fan of eating in bed, set the table and serve. Don’t forget to do the dishes after.

Recreate mom’s favorite dish

While the past months have gotten most of us used to ordering in our favorite restaurant dishes and cooking meals in the kitchen, why not combine these two? Take it up a notch by turning it into a competition: The one who makes the dish that tastes and looks the closest to the original wins.

Do mom’s chores

Every mom’s fantasy is a clean house and a relaxing “me time” which you can give at the same time. Do all her chores and let her relax today. Don’t bother mom, it’s her day.

Teach mom TikTok

Let mom in to the wonderful world of TikTok. Bond over learning all the top hits or honing your acting skills. Dance like no one’s watching and act out those hilarious oneminute skits. If mom prefers arts and crafts, join her in doing something creative or learn together.

Spend a movie day or game night with mom

Mom wants the whole family to be together, so sit down as a family and enjoy a good movie, or two. If mom’s a bit competitive, have some friendly video game (Mario Kart or Call of Duty) or board game (Scrabble or Codenames) competition.

Fix mom a bag of ‘going out essentials’

Put together a kit with all the essentials mom needs when she’s going out: reusable and disposable face masks in a case or a pouch, wet wipes and tissues, disinfectants, calming balms, insect repellants, and medicine and vitamins, among other things.

Motherhood in the '90s and today spotlighted in Lactum 3+’s Mother’s Day campaign video.

The evolution of motherhood A HEARTFELT Mother’s Day video shows how motherhood has evolved since the '90s.

Back in the ‘90s, moms would use film cameras to capture their child’s best moments. Today, they turn to smartphones to upload photos on social media. To earn extra income, moms back then would visit their kumares to sell them goods. But these days, they can be more creative with

their platforms, even using live-streaming tools to reach their market and provide for their families.

Through the video, moms can take a trip down memory lane and remember what it’s like being a parent in the ‘90s and now. They can look at how both parents and children grew with the times as textbooks gave way to tablets, photo albums to phone galler-

ies, and landlines to smartphones.

Despite all the changes, the video drives point to home that there are a few things that remain the same: mother’s unconditional love and Vitaminized Lactum 3+, a partner of mothers in providing their children proper nutrition since 1991.

Watch the video on Lactum 3+’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.

The greatest gift a mother needs Fast food chain McDonald’s Philippines celebrates moms who tirelessly give their all in their online video entitled “Himbing”.

The heartwarming video shows that celebrating moms doesn’t always have to come in grand gestures and luxury gifts. Sometimes, the best way to pay tribute to her is to give her what she needs the most— a break from everything to rest and relax.

“This Mother’s Day, we released a video to show just how easy and simple it is to give moms the gift they need the most: tulog na mahimbing.

We hope we all remember that sometimes, it’s the simplest things that can make one the happiest,” said McDonald’s Philippines marketing and channels head Oliver Rabatan.

Watch it on McDonald’s Philippines’ Facebook page.

‘Himbing’ by McDonald’s shows that the best gift for moms is the simplest one.

HEY, YOUTH!

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

B2

SUNDAY, MAY 9, 2021

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

Home/Design

PH construction to spearhead economic recovery

L

OCAL construction players recently expressed optimism that that the industry will play a key role in accelerating Philippine economic growth after a challenging 2020.

“Around the world, the construction industry is being seen as one of the catalysts as government pivot from response to economic recovery,” said Wilfredo L. Decena, Philippine Constructors Association (PCA) president, during an online focus group discussion of the infrastructure sector led by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

The PCA is a 75-year-old non-profit organization representing Filipino contractors and construction companies with 1,500 members nationwide.

“While the construction industry is typically much more volatile than the overall economy, it is crucial to stimulate recovery,” opined Yidan Luo

of the young professional, transport, and communications department, Southeast Asian division of the Asian Development Bank.

Need for boost in public spending Last year, the construction sector suffered a contraction of 9.8% due to lockdown measures implemented to stem the spread of the pandemic. It has since seen points of recovery with current numbers from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showing that 4.2 million Filipinos are employed in construction, up from 3.7 million in 2020. Analytics firm Fitch Solutions forecasts that the industry will grow by 9.5% in 2021, expecting the Philippines to effectively contain the spread of the virus.

But in order for recovery to happen, public spending needs to be accelerated according to the participants of the focus group discussion.

In response, Department of Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Cathy Cabral said the government allotted more than P1.0 trillion for infrastructure for 2021.

Changes in construction Lockdown measures and movement

restrictions proved challenging to the construction sector as most people are expected to be on site. Operational adjustments were then introduced to keep the sector running--changes the industry expects to stay even after the pandemic.

“We asked our people to work from home...monitoring was done remotely using 360-degree cameras, and we provided barracks for our workers. Our digital activities were really accelerated... due to COVID-19,” revealed Robert Jose Castillo, president and CEO of construction firm EEI Corporation, during the discussion on the adjustments introduced by the industry during the pandemic.

The presence of vaccines will help the industry recover though delayed rollouts will delay projects that have been shelved last year even more, added Jorge A. Consunji, president and CEO of D.M. Consunji Inc. Vaccination priority for construction workers Construction workers should also be considered economic frontliners, and be given priority in the government vaccination rollout, industry players said.

Another challenge to the sector’s recovery is the proposal to open the market to foreign players. A Senate bill (S.B. 1809) was filed by Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. on September 2020 seeks to amend the Contractor’s License Law (RA. 4566).

The PCA said the proposed amendment to the law that will allow “persons, regardless of nationality or citizenship” properly licensed and registered with proper authorities, to practice construction contracting in the Philippines.

The bill, if made into law will “effectively open the construction industry to foreign contractors without providing any further regulations,” noted Decena.

Unregulated entry of foreign contractors feared While other countries have taken steps to protect their local industry, some sectors are pushing for the further opening up of the local construction industry. In a position paper submitted to Senate in response to the said bill, Decena said: “the unregulated entry of foreign contractors, especially at this time when the construction industry is bleeding from the COVID-19 pandemic, will adversely affect small and mediumsized Filipino contractors and deprive

Filipino workers of job opportunities in their own country”.

The government should instead focus on providing opportunities and growth paths, specially for MSME contractors, including developing the talent capacity of the local workforce to help the recovery and growth of the construction sector, Decena said.

The global industry local workforce is currently experiencing a skilled workforce shortage exacerbated by the health and safety measures against the pandemic.

The PCA said it introduced capacity building programs under its Philippine Constructors Academy. These include the internationally-assured Pambansang Treyners ng Konstruksyon and the Construction Supervisors Training program in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA); the Construction Program Management Masterclasses; and the Procurement Observers Program to train PCA volunteers on the Bids and Awards committee procedures, including the legal aspect, ethics, and integrity of being an observer.

Re-imagining homes, offices for the new normal

HYBRID WORKPLACES. Davao-based property developer Damosa

Land, Inc (DLI), and flexible workspace provider International Workplace Group (IWG) recently highlighted the growth in the use of hybrid workplaces and coworking spaces as the government eases quarantine restrictions. DLI and IWG announced the opening of two franchise centers within the suburbs of Davao City - the Regus Felcris Centrale and HQ Topaz that opened in the first quarter of 2021, as well as the near completion of Regus Diamond Tower located in DLI’s 15-story Diamond Tower. “This type of market, it’s been growing quite a lot over the past years,” explained DLI president Ricardo F. Lagdameo (shown here with IWG country manager for Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and South Korea Lars Wittig) .”We do believe that once the restrictions are not as tight, we’ll see some of these SMEs go back to centers such as this.” IWG’s entry into Davao City in 2016 was through a partnership with DLI. It resulted in the Regus Damosa Topaz Tower, the first flexible work center in Mindanao and one of IWG’s most successful centers in the the country. Othel V. Campos

BIGGEST LINEUP OF DEVELOPERS AT ONLINE HOUSING FAIR. Lamudi is kicking off its housing fair online this May,

through a digital platform showcasing offers from property developers such as RLC Residences, AboitizLand, Federal Land, Shang Properties, Prime Homes, Solar Resources, PH1 World Developers, ACM Homes, DMCI, and PIK, as well as real estate brokerage PropertyPro. Since 2016, Lamudi has been organizing housing fairs in various cities across the country, bringing real estate seekers closer to their dream properties. “Our team has been working hard to address the limitations to property buying brought on by the pandemic, which is what led to us deciding to bring the housing fair online,” said Lamudi CEO Kenneth Stern.

Sponsored by Nook, Kamada, and the Subdivision and Housing Developers Association, Inc. (SHDA), the fair officially opened May 3 and will run until May 31. Visit the Lamudi online housing fair through this link.

THE pandemic has forced Filipinos to spend more time at home, thus drastically altering the way they live. One’s home has become an integral part of a person’s overall wellbeing. It is no longer just a place to return to after a long day. It is also one’s office, school, playground, and gym.

Linda Medallo, founder and CEO of Danilyn’s claims it has been helping homeowners to make their places beautiful, relaxing, and enjoyable. Now on their 30th year (the company was founded in 1991), it has ramped up its commitment to make Filipino homes the best that they can be amidst the pressures of COVID-19.

Shifting focus Despite a tough past year from shutdowns, cancelled projects, reduced sales, and affected workers, Danilyn’s is dealing with the challenge on hand by adjusting schedules, shifting and using a skeletal workforce, as well as working remotely, while helping customers repurpose their own spaces and even accommodating non-core projects such as PPE’s and masks.

The company’s manufacturing capabilities continue to focus on quality furniture, window treatments, pet furniture, and soft furnishings. Danilyn’s furniture pieces showcase artistry in the midst of coziness. Window treatments, whether curtains or blinds, provide ambience, and are available in a wide variety of designs and materials.

Pet furniture products provide classic comfort; while Danilyn’s line of throw pillows, bed sheets, comforters, duvets, table cloths, and slip-on covers are tailormade to give users a touch of privilege.

A variety of services Danilyn’s also provides a variety of services to all kinds of customers: residential, corporate, and even professionals. The company is flexible enough to work with a customers’ preferred interior designer and architects to execute projects.

Danilyn’s can likewise give access to some of the best professional designers in the country. To also help manage the customers’ budget, Danilyn’s also offer services that saves the customers’ existing furniture pieces by re-modeling, refurbishing, and/or re-upholstering them To learn more about Danilyn’s offerings and services, email them at danilynsmail@yahoo.com.

COMPOSTELA HILLS BECKON. Real estate developer AboitizLand

recently launched Amoa, a 60-hectare residential community in Compostela, Cebu.

The development is a collection of villages that form smaller neighborhoods, and is located along Segment 2 of the proposed Metro Cebu Expressway. Cebu is seen as a logical alternative to Metro Manila in terms of cost of doing business, infrastructure, quality of workforce with Manila-paced yet reduced cost of lifestyle. Amoa buyers can look forward to Filipino Bahay na Bato-inspired homes, conceived by the architectural team of Buensalido+Architects. The range of unit options include 2-bedroom row houses in 53 square meter sizes, to 4-bedroom single attached two story dwellings with a size of 82 square meters. With wide open spaces, pocket parks and the natural landscape of Compostela hills serving as a backdrop, Amoa is a masterfully designed community, a good choice for both homebuyers and investors.

Entertainment

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B3

SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2021 Nickie Wang, Editor; E-mail: nickie.standard@ gmail.com

Who is Rabiya wearing in Miss Universe pageant?

IRECT from Florida, USA, Miss Universe Philippines Rabiya Mateo fielded questions from invited members of the press during a virtual send-off conference on Wednesday with Miss Universe Philippines (MUP) National Director Shamcey Supsup-Lee.

The 24-year-old model and physical therapist, as confirmed by MUP Creative Director Jonas Gaffud, will be wearing the creations of two world-renowned Filipino designers for the 69th edition of Miss Universe.

For the Preliminary Competition and Finals, Rabiya will wear a gown designed by the Dubai-based Furne One of AMATO Couture, who has dressed the likes of Beyonce, Ariana Grande, and Jennifer Lopez. Furne One also designed the swimwear of the Top 16 candidates of the inaugural Miss Universe Philippines pageant.

For the National Costume Show, the Philippine bet will be parading in a costume created by the

PAGEANT CONCEPT ETON CONCEPCION

Rocky Gathercole, who passed on in March, designed Rabiya’s National Costume.

Dubai-based Furne One of AMATO Couture is tasked to dress Rabiya for the evening gown competition.

Miss Universe Philippines Rabiya Mateo is currently in Hollywood, Florida for the 69th edition of the annual Miss Universe pageant.

late avant-garde designer Rocky Gathercole who had designed dresses for famous celebrities such as Tyra Banks, Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, and Nicki Minaj.

Meanwhile, at the online conference, the Fil-Indian beauty said that she was saddened by uncalled-for remarks on racism that involved Filipino fans. She said that she had apologized personally to Miss Canada Nova Stevens and Miss Thailand Amanda Obdan over degrading insults made by some Filipinos whom she said was ‘not a reflection of who we are as Filipinos.’

The National Costume Show and Preliminary Competition will be held on May 13 and May 14, respectively, while the Finals at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, to be hosted by Mario Lopez and Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo, will be on May 16 (May 17 in Manila).

The pageant will air live in the country on A2Z channel at 8:00 a.m., and will stream on iQiyi commercial-free.

Rabiya stuns social media with a set of photos released prior to her arrival at the pageant venue.

‘American Idol’ finalist Francisco Martin bares his soul in debut EP AFTER finishing in the Top 5 of American Idol Season 18, Filipino-American Francisco Martin has captured the hearts of many through his delicate but powerful vocals and meaningful song creations.

Since his stint in the reality talent search, he has released hit singles “Swollen,” which has garnered over four million streams on Spotify to date, and “Wild Girl,” both of which are tales of love, yearning, and longing.

Today, at a time where people are confounded in rooms and human connection has increasingly become harder to achieve, Francisco bares his soul and tells a story of emotions through his debut EP Beautiful Ramblings of a Restless Mind.

Listeners can expect deep conversations about the different aspects of love, whether yearning for it, completely in love or experiencing the pain of when it’s gone. Francisco dedicates the EP to his

supporters and describes it as a body of work that captures all the emotions he has felt in the past few months.

Created in two weeks, Francisco embraces his vulnerability in Beautiful Ramblings of a Restless Mind and beautifully expresses himself through his craft, hoping to make a connection with listeners through the universal language of love.

Accompanied with soulful guitar strings, the focus track of the EP is titled “Let You Go”, a hymn about letting go despite wishing not to.

With over 138K followers on Instagram, 26.4K subscribes on YouTube, and 10.9K followers on Twitter, Francisco shares the creative processes of his songs and the ups and downs in his life online to remind his followers that life can be tough, but we are never alone.

Beautiful Ramblings of a Restless Mind was officially released on Friday.

Fil-Am singer Francisco Martin continues his Hollywood journey with his debut EP ‘Beautiful Ramblings of a Restless Mind.’

Celebrate Mother’s Day with these amazing women on Netflix MOMS will do everything it takes to keep their children safe, and these amazing moms (and mother figures) have proven time after time how powerful a mother’s love can be.

Don’t underestimate the strength and willingness of moms when defending their family, may it be from the Mind Flayer like from Stranger Things, defeating evil machines alongside family like The Mitchells vs. The Machines, or overthrowing the patriarchy like what we saw from Moxie.

This Mother’s Day, it’s time to give our moms a Yes Day and give them all the pampering and loving they deserve.

One way to do that is to enjoy a Netflix marathon, filled with fun, laughter, and of course, delicious snacks like corndogs inspired by Start-Up! Celebrate Mother’s Day with Netflix alongside these awesome mothers and mother figures: Jennifer Garner as Allison Torres in ‘Yes Day’ A mom and dad who usually say no decide to say yes to their kids’ wildest requests - with a few ground rules - on a whirlwind day of fun and adventure.

Amy Poehler as Lisa in ‘Moxie’ Inspired by her mom’s rebellious past and a confident new friend, a shy 16-year-old publishes an anonymous zine calling out sexism at her school.

Maya Rudolph as Linda Mitchell in ‘The Mitchells vs. The Machines’ A robot apocalypse put the brakes on their cross-country road trip. Now it’s up to the Mitchells — the world’s weirdest family — to save the human race.

Kim Hae-sook as Choi Won Deok in ‘Start-Up’ Young entrepreneurs aspiring to launch virtual dreams into reality compete for success and love in the cutthroat world of Korea’s high-tech industry.

Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers in ‘Stranger Things’ When a young boy vanishes, a small town uncovers a mystery involving secret experiments, terrifying supernatural forces, and one strange little girl.

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SUNDAY, MAY 9, 2021

Ali Naim and his two dogs, Ava and Tsoko.

Desiree Carlos, Editor

Noemi Pitargue and her cat

daycarlos28@yahoo.com

Pets

Chi Dohello and her cat Gusgus

Charlene and Lance Arevalo and their cat Tech

Pets as source of strength during a pandemic

By Rowena David

T

HE Covid-19 pandemic has taught us that no man is an island. We all need emotional support in times of global crisis. While some people find comfort from their two-legged human friends, others get their strength from their pawfriends.

Author Rowena with her rescue cat Salem.

The year 2020 was not a good year for fitness and wellness coach Noemi Pitargue not just because of the pandemic, but because she was also involved in a legal battle with her siblings over property ownership. It became too stressful for her that it reached to the point where her colon had to be removed due to blockage and toxicity. According to Noemi, her pets helped her find a purpose and strengthened her resolve not to give up.

“They (pets) have taught me to become selfless, not thinking of my own sorrows. But what really melts my heart is their excitement for the love and time that we fur parents can provide them. All they want is our time, attention, and love. And for cats, they may not always show they appreciate us, but they do,” Noemi said.

The loss of a loved can impact anyone’s mental health. This is certainly true for Chi Dohello, a land acquisition specialist. The loss of her parents, who died eight months apart, and the pandemic

set off her mental illness. She thought of killing herself every day for two months straight. Fortunately, she has several pet cats and they put her mind at ease.

“I suffered from depression and anxiety. Losing my dad after eight months of my mom's passing plus the pandemic triggered my mental illness. My cats would sit on my lap, purr, and just lay there and fall asleep. One of the most amazing things involved Gusgus, who was rescued by my dad six years ago. It was one of those days when I was so down and I was crying my heart out. I was super close with my dad and his passing was very sudden. Gusgus jumped on the table and onto me.

He stayed on my chest while his head was on my shoulders for a solid 30 minutes until I calmed down. Somehow, he knew I needed comforting.

And I felt my dad was also hugging me. Now I'm better. I still miss my parents (I’m an only child) but being around my seven rescues, somehow I feel my parents around me,” Chi shared.

The pandemic does not impact everyone the same way. While some people find life during pandemic a bit challenging, for university professor Ali Naim, the impact is manageable. He credits his two Lhasa Apso dogs, Ava and Tzoko, for making his life easier. The two pooches are his best buddies.

According to Ali, “I do not feel any fear, anxiety, or any mental issues at all, mainly because my two dogs show how much they love me every day. I guess that’s their way of saying ‘thank

you‘ for all the care I give them. Since the lockdown, they see a lot of me. I depend on them so much. Since my parents died in a span of one year, Ava and Tzoko have been very helpful in terms of my emotional well-being.”

Charlene and her husband Lance Arevalo both work in the BPO industry. They both work from home these days because of the quarantine. They have several pet cats, all were rescued from the streets. Anyone with a pet cat knows that felines have a tendency to invade your personal and work space, which would make a WFM set-up a bit challenging.

But Charlene and Lance do not mind all that because for them, their cats are a source of amusement and unconditional love. They help ease the couple’s stress and anxiety. The couple especially loves it when their cats wink at them, head bop them, or rub their feline body against their feet. For them, those cat gestures are their cats’ way of saying ‘Thank you for taking good care of us.’

Pets are, indeed, family. As these stories show, they are sensitive to their human’s emotions. We may think that we are the ones who take care of them while all they do is laze around the house all day, the truth is they look out for us, too, in their own subtle way.

About the author: Rowena David is faculty member at College of Computer Science in the University of Makati, is a freelance writer (Tagalog short novels), admin of Philippine Pet Lovers Society Facebook page, an animal rescuer and animal welfare advocate.

Beat the heat: Keep pets safe this summer By the Pet Food Institute LONGER days and higher temperatures. The summer season has officially started and the usual summer outings and recreational activities have to be conducted in a different way this year to ensure everyone’s safety. Filipinos and pet owners are now encouraged to tap into their creative side and come up with different ways to help them and their pets beat the heat and avoid heat stroke for the next two months.

Being in the tropics, the summer heat can be too harsh for pets. More often than not, dogs or cats who suffer from overheating will exhibit excessive

panting or difficulty breathing. The symptoms of dehydration are dry nose, visible tiredness, sunken eyes. Additional symptoms include pale gums, panting, bright red, gray, purple, or bluish gums, and a rapid pulse. If left untreated, pets can experience organ failure, which can be fatal. Pet owners should contact their veterinarian right away if their dog or cat exhibits any of these symptoms.

Here are some tips on how pet owners can protect their pets from overheating.

Owners must take note that if the floor is too hot for them to touch, then it is hotter on the pets’ paws therefore they have to adjust the intensity and duration of their walks to ensure their pets’ overall wellbeing.

On very hot days, pet owners should consider walking their dogs very early in the morning or late evening time when the temperature is much lower or it is not s hot. Dog owners may also opt to have their pets play on the grass instead of the hot asphalt so their dogs’ soft and sensitive paws are Cool Your Pet Inside and Out safe from the heat.

Pet owners must remember that pets sweat difWhile exercising or playing with their pets, ferently than humans. Dogs and cats both sweat owners must never forget to provide enough fresh through their paws, and may pant or self-groom to water for their pets. help bring down their body heat. When the temperature rises, pet owners are encouraged to bring Provide Ample Water their pets in a well-ventilated indoor area where Pets can get dehydrated quickly, especially the air can freely circulate. during the summer time. Therefore, owners must Another way for pet owners to help bring down give them plenty of fresh, cool, and clean water to their pets’ body temperature is to wrap a wet towel help quench their thirst. Having a bottle of cold Dogs, specially big ones who stay outside the house, around their pet, or enjoy time in a pool or a lake water, as well as a clean pet bowl, is recommendneed a bath twice a week during the summer. Yuri, a or river. ed to prevent pets from drinking dirty water from rescue dog of Save Animals of Love and Light (Save pools or standing water when they are outside the ALL Inc.), loves taking a bath or just being splashed Limit Exercise on Hot Days house. Several products are now commercially with water.

Pets require regular exercise regardless of the available to help owners and their pets stay cool season. During the summer time, owners can de- during the summer. sign and come up with fun ways to exercise their Pet owners should always keep an eye for signs of diarrhea, seizures, or even collapse, pet owners must pets without exposing their four-legged compan- overheating. If their pets are unresponsive, or show- immediately contact and bring their dogs or cats to ions to too much heat. ing signs such as wheezing, disorientation, vomiting, the nearest vet and seek proper treatment.

About the Pet Food Institute: Dogs still need their walks. You can walk your dog but only during the early morning hours or very late in the afternoon to prevent heat stroke. Summer, a senior dog at 16 years old, still loves to walk. Cool tiles and grass are both fantastic for her paws.

Pet Food Institute (PFI) is committed to educating pet owners about proper pet nutrition to keep pets healthy and happy. Through its local initiative, WellFed, Well-Nurtured campaign in partnership with the Veterinary Practitioners Association of the Philippines (VPAP), PFI seeks to advocate responsible pet ownership to the ever-growing Filipino pet community.

Since 1958, the Pet Food Institute has been the voice of the U.S. pet food

industry. PFI is the industry's representative before Congress and state legislatures, as well as state and federal agencies; public education and media relations resource; organizer of seminars and educational programs; and liaison with other organizations. PFI represents the companies that make 98 percent of U.S. dog and cat food, an industry with more than $20 billion in U.S. retail sales and $1.3 billion in exports in 2015.