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Duterte-Robredo infomercial gains support; Roque demurs vaccinated against COVID-19, which features President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Leni Robredo. Duque, in an interview with Super Radyo HEALTH Secretary Francisco Duque dzBB, said politics should have no place in III on Friday supported a proposal for an matters concerning public health, especially infomercial encouraging Filipinos to get COVID-19 vaccination. Next page

By Willie Casas, Vito Barcelo and Rio N. Araja

VOL. XXXV • NO. 96• 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 SATURDAY, MAY 22, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Let walk-ins get jab, hasten rollout—DOH LGUs told to adopt quick substitution list at vax sites

By Willie Casas, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel Cruz

HE Department of Health has urged local government units to establish walk-in lanes as well as adopt “quick substitution lists” at COVID-19 inoculation sites to hasten the vaccination rollout.

“If this can help, we can do it (as long as) the process is organized – walk-ins will have a separate line from those who are scheduled to get the jab,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Friday. “There should also be a target number as to how many walk-ins are allowed to avoid overcrowding in vaccination sites,” she added. Vergeire said there should also be “quick

substitution lists” to ensure that vaccines on hand will be administered even if those who are scheduled to get the jab do not show up. “If those who are on the masterlist do not show up, then you need to have people who can get inoculated instead so the doses that have been opened for that certain day will not go to waste. Those in the quick substitution list must come from the nearest Next page

included in the A4 or frontline workers priority group. Liquefied petroleum gas dealers, retailers and attendants are now part of the A4.2 group.

JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Friday the government’s COVID-19 task force had given permission to raise the seating capacity for religious gatherings to 30 percent in the National Capital Region and

citizens and persons with comorbidities are prioritized for vaccination for AstraZeneca and Pfizer jabs.

• Instead of adopting

AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM MAY 21)

1,171,403 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

6,258 55,531 NEW

ACTIVE

19,763

141

1,096,109

2,586

DEATHS

RECOVERIES

NEW

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Friday called for greater global solidarity to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic which has infected at least 166 million and killed 3.43 million worldwide. Duterte made the call in his speech at the 26th Nikkei Conference on the Future of Asia, Malacañang said in a press statement. Next page

By Rey E. Requejo and Vito Barcelo

• Health workers, senior

COVID-19 PH

Rody leads call for ‘solidarity’ to defeat COVID

Church seat capacity now 30% under GCQ

• Poll workers are

a “brand agnostic” policy for COVID-19 vaccinations, the government should instead educate Filipinos on the importance of getting inoculated, Senator Joel Villanueva said. “Vaccine agnosticism will not work without vaccine advocacy.’’

President Rodrigo Duterte

nearby provinces. Guevarra, a member of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, said the new policy, which would also apply in other areas under general community quarantine apart from the NCR Plus, was approved following churches' Next page request.

MORE SEATS. Catholics hear Mass at the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila on Friday May 21, 2021. On this day, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases approves an increase in the church seating capacity from 10% to 30 % as the NCR Plus bubble has reverted to the lessrestrictive general community quarantine (GCQ). Norman Cruz

• Black fungus worsens India cases • Canine COVID in Malaysian kids C O R O N AV I R U S patient Parvesh Dubey died within just one week of contracting black fungus – the latest victim of a horrifying COVID-19 complication sweeping India. Thousands have developed the fungus in recent weeks in a wave of infections blamed on excessive use of steroids to

treat the country's millions of COVID patients, experts say. Previously very rare, mucormycosis, as it is scientifically known, is highly aggressive and surgeons sometimes have to remove patients' eyes, nose and jaw to stop it reaching the brain. The death rate is over 50 percent. Next page

WORLD ROUNDUP

NEW

GOTIANUN JR. DEAD AT 69

BAYANIHAN AT SEA. Coastguards conduct #BayanihanSaKaragatan by giving fishermen relief packs consisting of bread and canned food that they could eat as they go fishing in Scarborough Shoal within the West Philippine Sea. Each pack includes face mask, face shield, and hygiene kit to encourage fishermen to take care of their health against COVID-19.

BUSINESS / B4

‘Resolve sea conflict peacefully’

ASIAN HATE CRIMES SIGNED INTO LAW NEWS / A2 STILL UNDER ALERT 2. Taal Volcano emits thick, black plume, twokilometers high after a series of ten volcanic earthquakes. Taal is under alert level 2 which warns of probable magmatic activity that may or may not lead to an eruption.

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has called on Asian countries to resolve disputes “peacefully” and in accordance with existing international laws. “If Asia is to serve as an engine of global recovery, we all have to act responsibly within a system of norms, commitments, and obligations. We have to resolve our disputes peacefully according to international law. We have to work together – not against each other – to achieve common ends,” Duterte said during the 26th Nikkei Conference on

the Future of Asia on Friday. While the President did not mention in particular the West Philippine Sea issue with China, he warned against the “heightening” geopolitical competition among big powers that “adds another layer of complexity to regional security issues,” according to Malacañang. This is the second time Duterte participated in the Nikkei conference. He joined the forum virtually. Next page

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SATURDAY, MAY 22, 2021

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Biden signs Asian hate crimes law

RESIDENT Joe Biden signed a hate crimes law Thursday aimed at protecting Asian Americans who have suffered a surge in attacks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Racism, Biden told Asian American politicians and senior members of Congress in a packed room at the White House, is "an ugly poison that has long plagued our nation." Reeling off a list of violent incidents, which took place against a backdrop of anti-Chinese sentiment linked to the pandemic, Biden said the Asian American community had been made a "scapegoat." "Too many Asian Americans have

been waking up this past year genuinely fearing for their safety, just opening their door and walking down the street," he said. Stop AAPI Hate, an activist group, says there were 6,603 hate incidents – mostly verbal insults – in the year from March 2020, but many more were likely not reported to police. Going unmentioned by Biden was that his predecessor Donald Trump would frequently refer to the coronavi-

rus as "the China virus" and "kung flu" – racist-tinged phrases that quickly became part of the right-wing lexicon. The bill signed by Biden, after rare, overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress, improves access for reporting such crimes and seeks to smoothen procedures for the authorities to respond. "I mean this from the bottom of my heart: hate can be given no safe harbor in America," Biden said. "Silence is complicity. We cannot be complicit." In March, a 65-year-old FilipinoAmerican woman was punched and kicked by a man in broad daylight in New York City. The attacker yelled, "You don't be-

Let...

800,000 have been fully vaccinated. On Friday, the country logged 6,258 new COVID-19 cases and 141 fatalities, bringin the death toll to 19,763. The Department of Health also reported 2,586 patients who have recovered. In other developments: • The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has approved the inclusion of poll workers in the A4 or frontline workers priority group for the COVID-19 vaccination. Liquefied petroleum gas dealers, retailers and attendants, on the other hand, are now part of the A4.2 group. • The DOH reminded local government units to ensure that health workers, senior

citizens and persons with comorbidities are prioritized for vaccination for AstraZeneca and Pfizer jabs as not doing so may jeopardize future supplies from the COVAX Facility. “The AstraZeneca and Pfizer doses were provided by COVAX under specific conditions,” Vergeire said. • Deputy Speaker Rep. Mikee Romero urged the government to open 24/7 vaccination centers to achieve herd immunity more quickly. “I believe longer hours of vaccine center operations would address the problem of overcrowding and help guarantee the observance of health and security protocols,” he said. Romero said nursing graduates may be tapped to man the 24/7 vaccination sites.

• Instead of adopting a “brand agnostic” policy for COVID-19 vaccinations, the government should instead educate Filipinos on the importance of getting inoculated, Senator Joel Villanueva said. “Vaccine agnosticism will not work without vaccine advocacy. We have to educate before we inoculate, and sadly, much still needs to be done in this area,” the senator added. • Assistant Minority Leader Rep. Arlene Brosas said not naming the available jabs will only worsen vaccine hesitancy among Filipinos. “Vaccine hesitancy won't be solved by giving people more reasons to be hesitant. This kind of lousy policy-making denies the people their right to know,” Brosas said.

effort to encourage our fellow citizens to have themselves vaccinated. In fact, last February, she released an online infomercial discussing different questions asked by the people about vaccines,” Gutierrez said. “So if there is someone who would reach out to her that she and the President would work together for an infomercial so we could further encourage the people, she is open (to that idea),” he added. He said the Vice President would not ask for any conditions should she do an infomercial. “At this time and day, we should really do what is necessary – to work together to push our country to overcome this pandemic. So at this point in time, let us set aside any political difference, anxieties and let us just help one another,” he said. Meanwhile, the recent Social Weather Stations survey said at least 58 percent of adult Filipinos expressed confidence that getting vaccinated would protect them against the coronavirus diseases 2019, while 20 percent were not confident. “The percentage of those willing to get vaccinated is 58 percent among those very confident, versus 38 percent among those

somewhat confident, 18 percent among those of uncertain confidence, 20 percent among those somewhat not confident, and 11 percent among those not at all confident, about the government’s evaluation of the vaccines,” the SWS said. SWS interviewed around 1,200 respondents using sampling error margins of ±3 percentage points for national percentages and ±6 percentage points for Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao. Malacañang, reacting to the SWS survey, said it was elated that more than half of Filipinos have expressed confidence over the government’s evaluation of the coronavirus disease 2019 vaccines. Personal protection and prevention against COVID-19 are top reasons to get vaccinated, the survey said. Those who are willing to be vaccinated were asked, “Why did you say you will surely/probably get the vaccine if you have a chance to be given a free vaccine that can prevent COVID-19?” A total of 41 percent gave answers related to “for my safety and protection against COVID-19,” followed by “to avoid contracting the COVID-19 virus” at 30 percent.

The SWS also found 51 percent of adult Filipinos were confident, 31 percent uncertain, and 17 percent not confident about the government’s evaluation of the COVID-19 vaccines. Willingness to be vaccinated is highest in Metro Manila (41 percent), followed by Mindanao (34 percent), the Visayas (32 percent), and Balance Luzon (28 percent). Meanwhile, the head of the Vaccine Expert Panel (VEP) stressed that all COVID-19 vaccines were effective, especially in real world conditions, as she urged the public not to be choosy, and have themselves inoculated whatever brand is available. VEP head Dr. Nina Gloriani, in an interview with Super Radyo dzBB, said the COVID-19 vaccines that have been rolled out in the country had all gone through stringent evaluation by experts. “Let’s avoid being picky about brands because we studied all these vaccines. Their efficacies are not that different from each other, especially in the real world situation,” she said. “These vaccines are similar. In fact, their data in real world conditions are almost the same and even higher than those recorded during clinical trials,” she added.

clusive economic zone). This is a fact long suppressed by those who failed at diplomacy and now promote a more belligerent confrontation with China,” said Marcos. “Because none of the KIG features are entitled to an EEZ, the arbitral decision mainly benefited the US, which now has a wider area to conduct their so-called FONOPS (Freedom of Navigation Operations). It also shrinks the area where we may invoke the Mutual Defense Treaty. To think that the US is neither a coastal state in the South China Sea nor a signatory to UNCLOS,” Marcos said. The technical limitations of the arbitral ruling and the politics involved in international relations, she said, also meant an uphill battle for the Philippines should it seek action from the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). She related the first limitation was that issues of sovereignty were beyond the scope of the arbitral court – its ruling left territorial claims unsettled. In effect, she said neither China nor the Philippines had clear, internationally recognized ownership over certain maritime features in the South China Sea, some of which are also being claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam, Marcos said. “The second limitation is that the

arbitration case did not call for specific actions from China. These were excluded in the final submissions of the Philippines, although they were originally part of the Notification and Statement of Claims submitted by the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) in January 2013,” Marcos noted. “The third limitation is that the arbitral court does not have a corresponding enforcement mechanism, which is exactly why President Duterte asked how and what should be enforced?” she added. Meanwhile, the Philippines and Australia have agreed to enhance partnership on civil maritime security amid tensions in the disputed South China Sea as the two countries marked 75 years of diplomatic ties this week. Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Steve Robinson said they would be working with the Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine National Police Maritime Group and the Department of National Defense to "bolster the Philippines' maritime security." "Because we all recognize that crossborder security is the best way to look after the security of our countries, Australia is going to cooperate extensively with the Philippines over the next 3 years," he told ANC.

to Madhya Pradesh, but it was too little, too late. "We lost him in a week. We did whatever was possible with available resources," the relative said. India normally deals with fewer than 20 black fungus cases a year but now there are several thousand across the country including more than 2,000 in Maharashtra state, home to India's financial capital Mumbai. At least nine Indian states have declared the problem an epidemic. The cities of New Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Bangalore have opened special wards. Canine coronavirus in Malaysia When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Professor Gregory Gray at Duke University's Global Health Institute

tasked a graduate student at his lab with developing a pan-species coronavirus test in order to help prevent the next catastrophe. The idea was to deploy the tool, once its accuracy was validated, to look back at test samples from human patients in order to search for signs of coronaviruses that might have begun to cross over from animals. Gray and his colleague's findings, released Thursday in Clinical Infectious Diseases, showed a canine coronavirus was present in a group of mostly children patients admitted to hospital for pneumonia in Malaysia in 2017 and 2018. The team suspect the dog virus caused their illness, as opposed to merely being present in the patients' airways

From A1

barangay so they can easily come to the vaccination site with just one call,” she added. The government is hoping to inoculate at least 50 to 70 million Filipinos within the year to achieve herd immunity against the disease that has infected more than 1.17 million people in the country. As of May 18, the government has already administered 3.3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines. Some 2.5 million Filipinos already received their first dose, while close to

Duterte-.. From A1

“That’s a good idea because in health, in vaccination, there are no politics, political parties, administration, or opposition. Our objective should be to unify,” Duque said. Senator Joel Villanueva on Thursday suggested that Duterte and Robredo be featured together in a public service announcement in order to boost trust in vaccines. But presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Robredo should give a clear stance on COVID-19 vaccines first. This after Robredo earlier backed the healthcare workers’ previous call to review the COVID-19 vaccines developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech. “So, we should first be enlightened about the real stance of VP Robredo because from the very start, the President keeps on saying that the most effective vaccine is the vaccine that we currently have,” Roque said. Robredo's spokesman Barry Gutierrez said the Vice President, if asked, was open to join Duterte in a COVID-19 vaccination infomercial. “VP Leni is always open to any

‘Resolve... From A1

Other leaders from Japan, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam, as well as heads of several international organizations also participated in this year’s Nikkei forum. In a related development, Sen. Imee Marcos has rejected criticisms of the President's rapprochement with China, saying the 2016 arbitral decision weakened the country’ sovereign claims in the South China Sea. She said the arbitral decision might have invalidated China’s nine-dash claim but also shrunk the Philippines’ sovereign claims in the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG). She cited the claims contained in a 1978 Presidential Decree by her father, then President Ferdinand Marcos. The 2016 arbitral decision, she said, declared maritime features in the Spratlys, which the Philippines calls the KIG, as mere rocks and not islands, following definitions in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). “The result of that declaration is that some rocks are entitled to a territorial sea but none are entitled to an EEZ (ex-

World... From A1

Dubey, 33, was being treated for coronavirus in the central state of Madhya Pradesh before doctors moved him to a different hospital after the fungus was detected and his condition worsened. "The doctors there operated on his nose and jaw. One of his eyes was already damaged and the doctor said they were working on saving the other one," a relative told AFP on condition of anonymity. Family members of Dubey's in different states across India scrambled to obtain medicines and get them to him by asking bus passengers to transport them

long here," then kicked the woman several times on the head and stomach. Reports showed that no one came to the victim's aid, and a doorman who witnessed the attack in front of a building where it happened closed the door on her. In February, a 61-year-old FilipinoAmerican was attacked in a subway – his face slashed from ear to ear – also in New York City, prompting the Philippine Embassy in Washington to send a note verbale to the US State Department. The embassy also advised Filipinos in the United States to exercise "utmost caution" amid rising incidents of hate crimes against Asians in the country. AFP

Church... From A1

This will be implemented until May 31. “This applies to all religious faiths, sects, and denominations,” Guevarra said in a text message to reporters. Earlier, the government imposed a 10 percent venue capacity limit for religious gatherings to curb the spread of the virus. President Rodrigo Duterte earlier placed Metro Manila and nearby provinces Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, and Laguna — collectively known as the NCR Plus — under GCQ with heightened restrictions from May 15 to May 31. Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said NCR mayors who compose the Metro Manila Council have allowed the 30 percent seating capacity in all places of worship. Under the new guidelines, only citizens aged 18 years old to 65 years old are allowed to attend religious gatherings. Manila’s parishes will also in-

– but can't conclusively prove it. Given the genetic makeup of the virus it's unlikely that it is currently circulating between humans. "What we're advocating for... is more application of pan-species diagnostics to look for five different viral families we think are the most problematic in causing epidemics in humans," Gray told AFP. Excess COVID death toll much higher: WHO Up to three times more people have died due to the pandemic than indicated by the officially reported COVID deaths, the World Health Organization said Friday. So far, more than 3.4 million deaths worldwide have officially been attributed to COVID-19 since

Rody... From A1

“First, we are only as strong as our weakest link as a country and as a region, and as one global community. This is why we need greater solidarity for collective, coordinated, and comprehensive responses. Inwardlooking policies will lead us nowhere,” Duterte said. Duterte assured participants in the Nikkei forum that the Philippines supported all avenues for increased production of COVID-19 diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines. He thanked Japan and other partners in the Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) facility, a global initiative that guarantees access to COVID-19 vaccines worldwide. The COVAX facility, Duterte said, has benefitted many developing countries, including the Philippines. The Philippines has so far secured 44 million COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX facility. Acknowledging de-globalization trends amid the pandemic, Duterte reaffirmed the Philippines’ support for a “free and rules-based” multilateral trading system. Duterte said collective international action can only complement national responses if it is “people-centered and holistic.” During the forum, Duterte also emphasized his administration’s resolve to achieve “inclusive and sustainable” recovery amid the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic. Duterte said his government was focused on ensuring universal health coverage, strengthening the public health system, enhancing food security, reinforcing the digital economy, and maximizing connectivity in the Philippines. “The key to recovery and shared prosperity remains the free movement of goods, capital, and services, as well as the harnessing of valuable human resources. Despite the pandemic, opportunities for growth remain,” he said. He also took note of the Philippines’ positive demographic profile and economic reform initiatives that make the country more competitive in an open and fair global economy. This is the second time Duterte participated in the Nikkei conference. He joined the forum virtually. Other leaders from Japan, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam, as well as heads of several international organizations also participated in this year’s Nikkei forum. The annual Nikkei Conference is organized by Nikkei Inc., the largest economic newspaper in Japan and the largest newsgroup in Asia. It gathers together government leaders and business executives from all over the Asia Pacific to discuss current political and economic trends and issues. crease the number of Masses each day to allow more people to attend church services. Meanwhile, the IATF-EID has allowed the National Food Authority to hold the meeting of the Asean Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR). This, after the IATF-EID considered the NFA’s ninth meeting of APTERR as an essential gathering, Roque said in a press statement. Under IATF-EID Resolution 116 approved Thursday, the NFA’s APTERR meeting is exempt from the prohibition on meetings, incentives, conventions, exhibition venues. “NFA’s choice of a specific MICE venue shall be subject to applicable laws and rules,” the resolution read. APTERR is a regional cooperation mechanism involving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations member-countries plus South Korea, Japan, and China. It aims to strengthen food security, alleviate poverty, eradicate malnourishment, and provide emergency rice assistance to victims of natural calamities in Asean countries.

the disease first surfaced in China in late 2019. But according to a global health statistics report from the WHO, far more people have died who would otherwise not have died had it not been for the pandemic, either due to COVID or because they could not get treatment for other ailments. "Total deaths are at least two to three times higher than officially reported," Samira Asma, the WHO assistant director-general in charge of data, told reporters. In 2020, the report found there had been at least three million excess deaths due directly or indirectly to COVID-19, while the official number of COVID deaths was 1.8 million at the end of the year. AFP

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SATURDAY, MAY 22, 2021 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Expedite ivermectin trials, party-list urges PhilHealth vows to settle unpaid claims of hospitals By Willie Casas THE Philippine Health Insurance Corp on Friday has assured the public that it has enough funds to cover the unpaid claims owed to hospitals as the state health insurer’s obligations have reached billions of pesos. “PhilHealth reiterates its commitment to pay its obligations to its partner hospitals. It has sufficient funds to fulfill its obligations,” PhilHealth said in a statement. As of May 17, 2021, the state health insurer said it paid a total of P25.38 billion in claims, P4.88 billion of which went to COVID-19 related claims. “Recognizing the need of the hospitals for funds especially in highly critical areas for COVID as identified by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Infectious Diseases, PhilHealth has introduced the Debit-Credit Payment Method (DCPM) wherein 60% of good ‘in process claims’ are paid outright to qualified hospitals minus 2% withholding tax, while the remaining 40% shall be paid after claims processing and reconciliation, minus 2% withholding tax,” it said. “The accelerated payment method provides hospitals sufficient cash flow to continue providing the sick with quality health care during the pandemic,” it added. PhilHealth noted it has paid almost P6 billion in DCPM to 182 hospitals. Philippine Hospital Association president Dr. Jaime Almora, during the Senate hearing on Wednesday, said private and public hospitals were forced to use their savings and borrow from banks to sustain their operations due to PhilHealth’s alleged failure to pay the claims for COVID-19 cases since March 2020. Almora stressed that the huge amount of unpaid claims to the hospitals for COVID-19 cases are already “causing severe financial distress” to the medical institutions. PhilHealth spokesperson Shirley Domingo said the delay in payment of claims was caused by the reduction of its workforce as some of their employees needed to be confined or put in isolation following exposure to COVID-19. PhilHealth said that being a public fund, safeguards are in place based on accounting and auditing rules and regulations prior to disbursements.

By Maricel V. Cruz

PARTY-LIST legislator on Friday urged the Department of Health and the Department of Science and Technology to conduct the clinical trials ordered by President Duterte on the use of ivermectin to treat COVID-19 cases “with a sense of urgency.” “The trials should be done as expeditiously as possible. Time is of the essence, because we could save lives with the use of this inexpensive wonder drug,” Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor said.

He said the DOH and the DOST should not wait until next year to come out with trial results. “If the administration achieves its goal of attaining herd immunity in the National Capital Region Plus area this

year by vaccinating at least 58 million Filipinos, the DOH and DOST would just have wasted precious funds with their studies on the use of ivermectin on Covid-19 patients,” he said. “As our elders would say, ‘Aanhin pa ang damo kung patay na ang kabayo’ (What is grass good for, if the horse is already dead),” he added. Defensor pointed out that the ivermectin trials might be useful if the results are out before the end of this year. “We could still save many lives with the use of this cheap experimental drug. Poor patients can afford it. It costs only P35 per tablet. That’s what makes it appealing,” he stressed.

He chided the DOH for promoting and even procuring the more expensive COVID-19 experimental drugs while cracking down on the use of ivermectin. He said remdesivir, which the DOH recently procured, costs from P11,000 to P48,000 per vial in private hospitals. “Ivermectin and remdesivir are both investigational drugs. The World Health Organization (WHO) does not encourage their use, and yet the DOH is promoting one while clamping down on the other,” he said. Defensor said he could not understand why the DOH obviously has a bias for costly COVID-19 medicines.

Alien entry exemption invalid after June 1—BI By Vito Barcelo

P10-B TONDOMINIUM. Manila Mayor Isko Moreno inspects the Tondominium1, a P10-billion housing project which is being built in Vitas, Tondo district of Manila that will house several homeless and under privileged families in the city after signing the P10 billion loan from the Development Bank of the Phillippines represented by Emmanuel Herbosa, President and CEO Emmanuel Herbosa. Norman Cruz

Taguig rolls out vax bus, sets up 9 more hubs By Joel E. Zurbano THE Taguig City government on Friday kicked-off its COVID-19 Vaccination Bus program in order to provide fast, safe, accessible inoculation in its areas of jurisdiction. The vaccination bus made its ﬁrst deployment at the Pusawan Covered Court in Barangay Ususan where AstraZeneca doses were administered to residents listed in A1, A2, and A3 categories. The vaccination bus will be stationed in its designated area for two to three days. Mayor Lino Edgardo Cayetano said

the bus, which can accommodate 200 people a day, will augment the streamlined vaccination process being done across the city’s MegaVaccination Hubs and Community Vaccination Centers. Counseling and vaccination are also being conducted inside the bus while registration, screening, and post-vaccination monitoring are done outside. Cayetano said appointments for the bus may be done through Taguig Registry Access and Citizen Engagement (TRACE) or through the TRACE kiosks in every barangay. Apart from the Taguig City Vaccina-

tion Bus, the local government also established nine vaccination hubs in strategic areas around the city. For those who prefer to get their vaccines at these sites, there will be a ‘hop-on, hop-off’ or point-to-point bus service that will pick up vaccinees with schedules beginning next week. The city government ensures that the COVAX vaccine along with other brands in the city’s extensively procured vaccine portfolio is available for all residents. The Vaccination Bus targets hardto-reach and vulnerable communities when parked on-site.

THE Bureau of Immigration said that starting June 1, it will no longer allow the entry of foreign nationals who present entry exemption documents (EEDs) issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) before Feb. 8 this year. Morente said the BI will enforce the travel guidelines pursuant to a communication received from the DFA. “We were informed by the DFA that entry exemption documents now have a validity of 90 days from the date of issuance. As an effect, we were informed that all issued before Feb 8 are deemed expired by June 1,” he added. He said that aliens who are still holding those EEDs that remain unused must enter the country on or before May 31. Lawyer Carlos Capulong, BI Port Operations Division Chief, disclosed that entry exemptions issued by the National Task Force Against Covid-19 (NTF) during the travel ban from March 22 to April 30 may still be used until May 31. He said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), in a resolution passed on earlier this month, ruled that entry exemptions issued by the NTF shall be recognized as valid until May 31. Capulong reiterated that in compliance with the IATF, all 9(a) visa holders, as well Special Resident Retirees Visas, are required to secure entry exemptions from the DFA to be allowed entry into the Philippines.

‘Sikyo’ posing as cop nabbed in Zambales

VACCINEES IN CAVITE. Two public school teachers from Trece Martires City were among the vaccinees against COVID-19 during a program held at Dasma 2 Elementary School in Dasmarinas, Cavite on May 21, 2021. At least 500 front liners, senior citizen and public school teachers from various cities and municipalities together with their mayor witnessed the vaccination for the 1st dose of Sinovac vaccine. JR Josue

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga—A security guard who posed as a police officer was arrested by lawmen for alleged illegal possession of firearm after being flagged down along national highway at Barangay Dolores, Cabangan, Zambales Thursday. Police identiﬁed the suspect as Medel Sobreo De La Cruz, 43, of Davis Street, Olongapo City who introduced himelf as Police Lt. Colonel ‘De La Cruz’ assigned in Olongapo City Police Ofﬁce . De La Cruz, police said, was onboard blue Toyota Innova without license plates, when lawmen manning a COVID 19 control point, flagged down the

Task force foils kill plot on ‘talking heads’ ELITE government forces thwarted yet another plot by local communist terrorists to assassinate government ofﬁcials in the security sector, including “talking heads” of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conﬂict (NTF-ELCAC). National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. disclosed this Friday following a shootout in Sta. Rosa City in Laguna that led to the death of three members of the New People’s Army (NPA) hit squad tasked to carry out the kill mission. “One of their missions is to hit NTFELCAC talking heads. However, they were pre-empted. Our gratitude to our partners in NTF-ELCAC, including members of the armed forces and the

police,” Esperon, the Vice Chairman of the anti-communist insurgency Task Force, said. The NTF-ELCAC official particularly lauded the officers and men of the 4th Intelligence and Security Unit and 14th Army Intelligence Battalion, the 202 Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF), Regional Intelligence Unit-4 and the Laguna Police Provincial Office for the successful operations. Only last week, Esperon announced the addition of six more spokespersons for NTF-ELCAC. Besides Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. and Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy, the fresh

batch of agency talking heads include DILG Undersecretaries Jonathan Malaya, Severo Catura and Joel Sy Egco; Asst. Secretary Celine Pialago; lawyer Marlon Bosantog and Gaye Florendo. Parlade is the designated spokesperson on security sector concerns; Badoy on social media issues and sectoral concerns; Malaya on local government and the Barangay Development Program; Catura, human rights, peace process and international engagements; Egco, media engagements and fact-checker; Pialago, public affairs and youth concerns; Bosantog, legal affairs and Indigenous People concerns; and Florendo, assistant spokesperson on public affairs and IP concerns.

vehicle for inspection. The suspect quickly introduced himself to the policemen that he is an ofﬁcer detailed at OCPO and he deserves courtesy. Policemen on duty at the control point quickly called OCPO and informed that a man claiming to be Lt. Colonel De La Cruz was held at the control point for transporting underage girl. Police said OCPO denied De La Cruz as an organic member and told the policemen that the suspect is not connected with the Philippine National Police (PNP). De La Cruz, who donned olive green shirt with police marking, was immediately arrested.

The suspect yielded an unlicensed handgun ( caliber .45 pistol loaded with six bullets) when subjected to further check. Five minors believed to be transported to a beer-house in Zambales were placed under police custody. Charges for violation of Article 177 (Usurpation of Authority), Article 179 of the Revised Penal Code (Unauthorized use of PNP uniform) and RA 11332 are filed against the suspect. The minors were turned over to the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office in Zambales for debriefing and counselling. Jess Malabanan

TABACO DONATION.

Tabaco City Mayor Krisel Lagman leads the distribution of 25 motorized fiber glass fishing boards to 25 fisher folks of Tabaco with complete accessories worth P 50,000 each. These boats are from the generosity of the BPI Foundation through the Fleet of Hope project initiative of Que-Rica and implemented by the Asia Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management Philippines (A-PAD PH). The beneficiaries were validated by the team through close consultation with Tabaco City Agriculture Office, Tindog Bikol and Gulf of Lagonoy Tuna Fisher’s Federation. Norman Cruz

News

SATURDAY, MAY 22, 2021

Private sector must be allowed to purchase more vaccines—Binay

MMDA readies weekend work on EDSA, C-5 road sections THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority on Friday announced the resumption of road works on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue and Circumferential Road 5 (C-5 Road) this weekend. The MMDA gave the Department of Public Works and Highways the go-signal to resume the road reblocking and repair beginning at 11 p.m. of Friday, May 21 until 5 a.m. of May 24, Monday. DPWH National Capital Region director Eric Ayapana identified the sections for repair along EDSA as the north bound direction near corner Kaingin Road, Quezon City covering 60.75 square meters, as well as its south bound portion to A. Bonifacio Avenue, first lane from sidewalk of about 200 square meters. The agency will also work on two southbound portions of C-5 Road affecting the areas of Rajah Matanda, M.G. Dizon Street, and Magsaysay Avenue, each covering 630 square meters of the road. Motorists are advised to temporarily avoid these areas and take alternative roads within the duration of the road repair activities. The MMDA also announced a manhole restoration along EDSA northbound affecting the areas of Centris Station in Quezon City and along C-5 Road Katipunan Northbound from Shell to Countryside starting Friday. “To give way to the restoration, one lane beside the sidewalk will be occupied from 10 p.m. later tonight and will be passable to vehicles by 5 a.m. on Monday, May 24,” the agency stated. Activities will cover opening of three manholes and two entry/exit holes on the two locations. Joel. E. Zurbano

By Joel E. Zurbano

LAKAS MEMBERS. Lakas-CMD President and House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez (left), assisted by Lakas VP for Disaster Resilience and Zamboanga Del Sur Rep. Leonardo Babasa Jr. (right) administer the oath to new party members from the province of Zamboanga Del Sur, Lope Congcardas Jr (2nd left), Jeffry Maata (3rd left), Tadios Dapogracion (3rd right) and Kurt Cajeta (2nd right) at Lakas-CMD Party headquarters in Manila. Ver Noveno

Bayanihan 3 substitute bill gets House panel OK T By Maricel V. Cruz

HE House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations on Friday approved the substitute bill to the proposed Bayanihan to Arise as One Act or Bayanihan 3.

In an online meeting presided by Rep. Ruwel Peter Gonzaga of Davao de Oro, the committee’s vice chairperson, the panel passed the total funding for Bayanihan 3 of P405.6 billion, which would be allocated in three phases. Prior to the bill’s approval, Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda of Albay, chairman of the House committee on ways and means, defended the constitutionality of House Bill 8628 that was principally authored

by Speaker Lord Allan Velasco. In his remarks, Salceda said that Bayanihan 3 already meets the constitutional requirement “that the proposal be supported by funds to be raised by revenue proposed in the same bill.” “The question of presentation of certification of availability of funds is superfluous because the proposal meets the condition that a special appropriations bill be supported by funds … to be raised by a corresponding revenue proposed therein,” he added. In fact, Sections 34, 35, and 36 of the proposal identify sources for funding the measure, Salceda said. In comments after his defense in the panel, Salceda added that Bayanihan 3 introduces innovative methods of helping the poor and “building a stronger market-assisted social welfare state.” “We are introducing, for the first time in Philippine policy if enacted, the concept of Universal Basic Income: P1,000

Advincula taking Manila archbishop seat next month

FAKE FACE SHIELDS. A joint

operating team of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Bureau of Customs (BOC), and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) discover approximately P70 million worth of alleged fake and smuggled ‘Heng De’ face shields from China in a warehouse located in Parañaque City on Thursday. The personal protective equipment (PPE) did not pass appropriate inspection and may not be declared safe for use by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA). The BOC is set to destroy the smuggled PPE after proper investigation. BOC Photo

Cimatu backs bike riding; QC sets rider listup program By Rio N. Araja ENVIRONMENT Secretary Roy Cimatu on Friday backed calls to promote bicycle riding and keep cyclists safe while on the road.He said the use of a bicycle “is not only good for the health of the cyclist but also for other people and the environment.” “This pandemic has taught each and every one of us a lot of lessons in life, especially in the way we conduct our daily business. Taking care of our environment is also taking care of our health,” he said.

per Filipino, no ifs or buts. It avoids politicization. The rich can freely return it if they want; after all, there are very few rich people in this country. Almost everybody is hurting,” Salceda added. The House tax chair, however, emphasized the need to keep an eye on the country’s finances. “I nonetheless reiterate the need for continued fiscal vigilance as the Philippines is already at the front end of the pack for deficit spending in Southeast Asia,” he said. “Although we can accommodate some expansion in deficit spending coming from a low pre-pandemic debt stock, with an all-time low of 39.6 percent of GDP in 2019, deficit spending should not be a substitute for full recovery through an effective national vaccination strategy and a safe reopening of the economy,” Salceda said. “Bayanihan 3 is a bridge to the vaccine and the reopening of the economy, but we need this bridge to get there,” he added.

“This proposal for the use of bicycles should be supported as it has become an alternative mode of transportation that is efficient and emission-free not only here in our country but also elsewhere around the world,” he added. Also, to ensure the safety of bike riders and other active transport users in Quezon City, Mayor Joy Belmonte on Friday launched a voluntary bike registration program. She urged bicycle-riding groups and other active transport users to register their bikes through the program.

“As an advocate of active transportation, I encourage bikers and bike riding groups to register their bicycles through this program for us to be able to assist them and ensure their safety,” she said. Based on the data from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Environmental Management Bureau, there was a significant decrease of 39 percent in the monthly average concentration of total suspended particulates (TSP) from the air quality monitoring stations in Metro Manila from March 2020 to April 2021.

OUTGOING Capiz Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula will officially assume his post as the 33rd Archbishop of Manila next month. Manila Apostolic Administrator Bishop Broderick Pabillo confirmed the details of the event in a message to reporters. Archbishop Charles Brown, Papal Nuncio to the Philippines, will celebrate the Mass for Advincula’s installation at the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros on June 24. The archdiocese is set to release the full details of the installation ceremony next week. Before his appointment, Advincula is set to receive his “red hat” and ring as symbols of his position in the Catholic hierarchy from the papal nuncio during Mass at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Roxas City on May 28. On March 25, Pope Francis appointed Advincula to head the Manila archdiocese, which is home to over three million Catholics. The 69-year-old prelate replaced Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, who is now the head of Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of People in the Vatican.

Tolentino cites need for BARMM extension

SENATOR Francis N. Tolentino on Friday emphasized the need for an additional three-year transition period in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to implement the peace building and normalization efforts embodied in the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB). Senate Bills No. 2019 and 2025, which he filed, both seek to extend the transition period in BARMM until the year 2025 by amending the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL). Tolentino said the measures aim to postpone the first general elections in BARMM and further allow the present BTA to continue its program towards normalization. Tolentino, who chairs the Senate Committee on Local Government, noted in his sponsorship speech on Thursday that his panel earlier saw the need to extend the

BARMM transition period to carry out what has been agreed in the CAB. Although the interim Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) has exceeded its target of generating P2.3-billion worth of investment projects by 180 percent in the BARMM Region, Tolentino said the global coronavirus pandemic has posed significant challenges on the accomplishment of the priority programs and projects of the transitory body over the last two years. The senator noted that development projects in the region had to take a back seat to the formulation and implementation of an effective response to the global health crisis. He said the interim Bangsamoro government took up the unprecedented challenge to respond to the public health crisis and lead recovery plans in the region despite the radical uncertainty brought about by the pandemic. Macon Ramos-Araneta

BACOLOD JABS. The Emergency Operations Center-Task Force (EOC-TF) and the COVID-19 Vaccination Council (CoVaC), both chaired by Bacolod City Mayor Bing Leonardia, held a free vaccination for priority groups [A1, A2, and A3] at the Barangay 38 gym on Friday, catering to residents of eight villages. The activity is being supervised by City Administrator Em Ang, executive director of EOC and coordinator of CoVaC; and OIC-City Health Officer Dr. Edwin Miraflor Jr. with the assistance of barangay officials. Bacolod PIO

FORMER Vice President Jejomar Binay on Friday urged the government to allow the private sector to purchase more COVID-19 vaccines for their employees, so it can help meet its goal of vaccinating 70 million to achieve herd immunity this year. “The President (Duterte) deserves to be commended. It is only right to vaccinate the economic frontliners immediately so that our economy can recover. But the Department of Health admits we don’t have enough vaccines. We need 24 million additional doses and at the moment we do not have enough,” said Binay. “This is frustrating news for businessmen and workers. But there is a solution: Let’s tap the private sector. Allow them to buy more vaccines for their employees. Let them vaccinate their people for free,” he added. Binay said the government can also consider giving businessmen tax breaks if they achieve the 100 percent workforce immunization. He added workers could be allowed to go on paid leaves to get vaccinated. The former vice president said an information campaign is also needed to overcome vaccine hesitancy. “Government should also find ways to incentivize vaccination. It should look at all available means to achieve one goal: vaccinate as many workers as possible in the fastest way,” he said. Interior Secretary Eduardo Año earlier said the government is targeting inoculating 120,000 people per day in Metro Manila beginning next month. He also said: “Right in the beginning, the private sector is accompanying us in our vaccination efforts and helping the government to inoculate the people.” On Thursday, another shipment of Sinovac vaccines arrived in Manila, bringing to 8,279,050 the total number of doses of COVID-19 vaccines received by the Philippines.

Win compels DOE to bare plans on Malampaya future By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Win Gatchalian on Friday compelled the Department of Energy (DOE) to divulge its plans and programs on Malampaya following the divestment of its operator Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. (SPEX) to the Udenna Group. Gatchalian also cited the nearing expiration of Petroleum Service Contract (SC) No. 38 or the Malampaya deep water gas-to-power project to ensure the future of its operations and the continuous supply of energy in the country. “Given the significant role that the Malampaya project plays in the Philippines’ energy security, it is imperative that the DOE apprise the Filipino public on Malampaya’s operations -- the remaining natural gas reserves and the government’s plans for continuous energy supply, likewise on the pending request for the extension of SC No. 38,” the senator said in filing Resolution No. 724. Gatchalian’s Senate Committee on Energy will conduct an inquiry into the status of the sale of the 45 percent stake of SPEX to Udenna and the basis for the DOE’s decision if it approves the sale. He also wants to know the DOE’s direction amid the impending expiration of Malampaya’s service contract less than three years from now. SPEX, in September last year, announced plans to put up for sale its 45% interest in the Malampaya project. The other holder of the 45% interest, Chevron Malampaya LLC, sold its stake to UC Malampaya Philippines in March last year. Completing the consortium is the state-run Philippine National Oil CompanyExploration Corp. (PNOC-EC), which has the minority interest of 10%. “It is critical for the DOE to ensure that whoever gets hold of Shell’s interest should have, not just similar experience or capacity, but more so the technical, financial and legal capability to operate the Malampaya project or to be a service contractor,” Gatchalian emphasized.

Opinion Addressing vaccine hesitancy for herd immunity PROBLEMS confronting the country’s anti-COVID-19 vaccine rollout seem to get complicated day by day. At the national level, the government’s overall vaccination plan remains, at best, tentative and sketchy. Up until recently, even the list of priority sectors for vaccination keeps on evolving. Issues on whether mega facilities are needed to reach people who must receive the life-saving drug still haunt the government despite the existence of many other schools, malls, sports arenas, village clubhouses, etc. that may be used for the purpose. Local Government Units (LGUs) are the ones implementing the inoculation program following the priorities set by the IATF, and using mostly vaccines provided to them by the Department of Health (DOH). Pre-registration processes of many LGUs remain messy when efficient systems should be a given with the present technology and the reach of barangays in their communities.

Our people should realize that vaccines save lives— theirs, and their loved ones’. We have heard many horror stories of people who had to line-up for hours in crowds that barely practiced physical distancing just to get jabbed. As an A2, I had my first shot in April and the final one on May 9. For my first, it took 9.5 hours before I received my shot. Apparently, around 700 people flocked to the vaccination center. I saw seniors with limited mobility and persons with disabilities patiently waiting. The system (or lack of it) was crazy and everybody was potentially exposed to the virus. Needless to say, I kept isolated for fourteen days after, worried that I caught COVID-19. This prompted me to write a long post on Facebook complete with recommendations to our LGU and it reached the mayor. The good thing is our LGU listens and the process was seamless when I got my second shot despite the big crowd. Lately, the same has again happened in other Metro Manila cities especially after people knew that Pfizer vaccine is available. This is consistent with the March 2021 Pulse Asia survey finding that among those who want to be inoculated, the brand of choice of 52 percent is Pfizer. People went because they preferred the brand over others and the LGUs were again overwhelmed. What I also observe is, those wanting to get jabbed are overwhelmingly the educated and middle classes up. The people I saw when I got my two doses are these people. One wonders what is happening in poor and congested communities. Vaccine hesitancy is real. Pulse Asia’s survey showed that only 16 percent of respondents would like to be inoculated, 23 percent said they are undecided, and 61 percent said “no.” Sixty-one percent is huge and the government must do things to address this. The top reasons for not wanting

the vaccine had to do with safety (84 percent), efficacy (7 percent), and the vaccine being not necessary (6 percent). There are ways to deal with the doubts people have on vaccines. Certainly, DOH’s plan to not announce the vaccine brand will not work. First, it violates patients’ right to know and decide on what vaccine will be used on them. It’s unimaginable for the Health Department to even imagine this. Why would DOH risk exposure to the virus of people who will line up for the vaccine and who may end up only rejecting the vaccine because it is not their preferred brand? Why would people go if in the first place they already doubt vaccines? People need MORE, not less information. To avoid overcrowding the sites, the government can do simple things WITHOUT hiding vaccine brands. They should announce the brands, at the entrance, issue numbers to those who wish to get the vaccine, and only allow the number of people that corresponds to the number of available doses. Announce that the slots are already filled up and CLOSE the entrances. This is really simple and there is no excuse why this cannot be done. As what I have said many times over, GOVERNMENT SHOULD GO WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE. Vaccine safety, efficacy, and importance must be explained to the people. Our people should understand that all vaccines work and can save their lives as well as those of their loved ones. And government should lead by example. Those in government should volunteer to be inoculated using brands that people trust less. This way, those in communities will realize that government people trust the vaccine and there is no reason why they should not. We are racing against time. We need people to get inoculated so less people suffer and die. We need to achieve herd immunity so we can all begin picking up the pieces and rebuilding our lives. Sadly, we continue to lag behind our own targets. Per herdimmunity.ph, as of May 14, 2021 available data, the Philippines has fully vaccinated 786,528 Filipinos or 0.71 of the population or only 1.12% of the target 70 million Filipinos to achieve herd immunity. On a daily basis, we administer only 108,201 vaccinations; and, at this rate, we will need 3.5 long years or until November, 2024 to fully inoculate the target population. We presently have 8,279,050 doses of vaccine which is enough to vaccinate 3.76% of the population or 5.91% of the target. DOH wants to achieve herd immunity by December of this year. To succeed, we need to administer 629,956 doses on a daily basis, or 5.8 times our present rate. In terms of the vaccine brands available, we have 5.5 million available Sinovac doses, 4.5 million doses of which were procured and one million doses were donated by China. For AstraZeneca, the country has received 2.556 million from the COVAX facility. Of these, 1.5 million are reported to expire in June, 2021. Still from COVAX, we have received 193,050 doses of Pfizer vaccine. Meanwhile, government has bought 30,000 doses of Russia’s Sputnik V. Thus, the vaccines we have bought so far are those from China and Russia. These data mean that vaccine hesitancy must really be addressed, not only for those who said they did not want to get inoculated, but also for those who do not trust other brands. Our people should realize that vaccines save lives— theirs, and their loved ones’. @bethangsioco on Twitter; Elizabeth Angsioco on Facebook

Why the delay? SOMETIME last month, in the midst of the ivermectin controversy, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the Department of Health and the Department of Science and Technology to conduct clinical trials on the supposed miracle drug against the dreaded COVID-19. However, in response, the DOST bared it would start conducting clinical trials by the end of the month of May. Why wait for over a month before complying with the President’s order? No less than the prime mover of the ivermectin initiative, Anakalusugan Rep. Michael “Idol Mike” Defensor, is calling on both the DoH and the DOST to heed the clinical trials as ordered by Duterte on the use of ivermectin to treat COVID-19 cases “with a sense of urgency,” time being of the essence. “The trials should be done as expeditiously as possible. Time is of the essence, because we could save lives with the use of this inexpensive wonder drug,” says Defensor, adding the DoH and the DOST should not wait until next year to come out with trial results. Take note that clinical trials usually take no less than six months to finish. “If the administration achieves its goal

of attaining herd immunity in the National Capital Region Plus area this year by vaccinating at least 58 million Filipinos, the DoH and DOST would just have wasted precious funds with their studies on the use of ivermectin on COVID-19 patients,” he said. “As our elders would say, ‘Aanhin pa ang damo kung patay na ang kabayo’ (What is grass good for, if the horse is already dead),” he added.

The lack of urgency is astounding. Defensor is raising a valid point here. In an article written by a medical doctor Justus Hope and published in thedesertreview. com and newsbreak.com. It appears India, particularly Delhi, is now slowly containing the contagion by dispensing Ivermectin to its citizens. “Just three weeks after adding Ivermectin, Delhi now leads India out of the deadly second surge of the COVID pandemic. Cases that had peaked at 28,395 on April 20 plummeted nearly 80 percent to just 6,430 on May 15. Deaths peaked May 4, and now they are also down 25 percent,” Hope’s article read. On May 10, Hope said the Indian State of Goa, under Chief Minister of Goa Dr. Pramod Sawant, “a progressive 49-yearold physician persuaded by science,” adopted an even more ambitious policy

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Get more vaccines, and roll them out efficiently W E JOIN the chorus of voices from the population and urge the government to get more vaccines from the global market and then roll them out quickly, but efﬁciently, to acquire herd immunity against the ruthless coronavirus 2019.

cines —thus vaccination would be a prerequisite before getting aid from the government. Such conditions, in the government’s logic, would at least encourage the people to be vaccinated.

How far are we from herd immunity?

We are aware the government has expressed interest to Washington to be among the beneficiaries of its COVID-19 vaccine donations, with Manila Task Force authorities in talks with key US government officials for the vaccine donation. The Duterte government has also proposed to make COVID-19 vaccination a requirement for poor Filipinos before getting financial aid from the government, especially under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). This emerged after it was found that many Filipinos were hesitant to be inoculated with anti-COVID 19 vac-

For whatever reason, it is our responsibility as citizens to have the vaccine jabs to protect us and the others against this rampaging unseen health enemy. Malacañang says many Filipinos, especially 4Ps beneficiaries, would benefit from the vaccination program because they would be protected from the virus and can avail themselves of cash aid without difficulty, although it has stressed the vaccination would still remain voluntary but would become a condition if they want to get cash aid. But while we wait for results as regards the Washington donation, we

highlight the urgency with which the government needs to look for additional markets from where it can buy more vaccines. And then, equally important, and implement the vaccine jabs swiftly to achieve herd immunity. Herd immunity, supported by the World Health Organization, can mean indirect protection from COVID-19 that happens when a population is immune either through vaccination or immunity developed through previous infection. Herd immunity against COVID-19 should be achieved by protecting people through vaccination, not by exposing them to the pathogen that causes the disease. This May, the government aims to vaccinate about two million Filipinos, raising the previous monthly average of one million vaccinations per month. Disturbing, if we go by simple arithmetic, the Philippines should aim to secure 148 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from several companies to inoculate an initial 50 to 70 million Filipinos this year.

The usual tirade against China The issue of corruption can be recalibrated to what the US wants and not on what the people want to know. If corruption has no principal target, then most likely, the US is aiming for regime change. But in this particular instance, Morales has chosen an issue that could provoke the ire of the President.

BACKBENCHER ROD P. KAPUNAN FORMER Ombudsman Conchita Morales-Carpio should have expressed her contention against the loan extended by the People’s Republic of China while she was still occupying the position as the country’s top graft buster. This explains why her observation of the economic assistance extended by China failed to capture the public mind. They could sense she is more obsessed in wanting to blame the President. Her talk about the ongoing projects financed by China comes in bad taste. It is not much about the issue but more on her credibility. As the saying goes, the public has no sympathy for one who cries over spilled milk. She could have said it better when she was still the head of the Ombudsman. Morales has mixed up her view of corruption with authoritarianism, that a corrupt government has a tendency to become an authoritarian government or that an authoritarian government is likely to end up a corrupt government. She said: “We should be warned by a growing volume of evidence that suggests that capital emanating from authoritarian nations has a corrosive effect on democratic institutions and private enterprises in recipient institutions.” The Ombudsman recited her usual opposition tirades against China’s infrastructure investment, for it has become the favorite target of US propaganda. But corruption has been with us since the US implanted its colonial flag in this country. The only thing novel about this issue is it has become their prime target, and the Filipino people could see the reason as goaded with her anti-China hysteria. of preemptive Ivermectin for all adults in the state. This was after Sawant reportedly read Dr. Pierre Kory’s Dr. Tess Lawrie’s and Dr. Andrew Hill’s robust meta-analyses. As a direct result, Goa has seen a drop in cases from 3,124 the day after the announcement to 1,314 five days later. “Meanwhile, three other Indian states have followed Goa’s lead in adding ivermectin: Uttarkhand, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh. And, as expected, they have seen a drop in new daily cases as well, with Uttar Pradesh down nearly 75 percent from a peak of 37,944 just four days after they began following the April 20 AIIMS guidance to just 10,505 on May 16,” says Hope. So, if other countries are doing it, and are reaping some success in the process, why do the DoH and the DOST seem to be playing it cool as we see the number of covid cases in the country seemingly stuck in the 50,000 range? Defensor pointed out that the ivermectin trials might be useful if the results are out before the end of this year. “We could still save many lives with the use of this cheap experimental drug. Poor patients can afford it. It costs only P35 per tablet. That’s what makes it appealing,” he stressed as he chided the

Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Anita F. Grefal Baldwin R. Felipe Edgar M. Valmorida

Is the former Ombudsman obsessed with blaming the President? Remember Duterte threatened to cancel the water concession given to the country’s top oligarchs. That unless they restore the water supply in Metro Manila, he will take drastic measures to rectify their misdeed. Duterte was referring to the two water concessionaires of MWSS, even implicating Senator Franklin Drilon, for preparing the contract that favored the two private concessionaires mixing up the status of Manila and Maynila Water Corporations with MWSS as to who stands as real suppliers/owner of water in the metropolis. It was a simple case of water shortage that resulted in the excavation of the anomalous contract between the government of the previous administration and the concessionaires. Unfortunately, Morales slanted it in such a way to make the government appear the villain, although it did not revolve on a contract to supply water but to a contract to construct a dam to increase the supply of potable water in Metro Manila. Morales totally forgot to mention that the Kaliwa Dam Project being undertaken by the Chinese contractors originated exactly on the same issue of corruption committed by the private concessionaires acting like cannibals to squeeze dry the consumers. DOH for promoting and even procuring the more expensive Covid-19 experimental drugs while cracking down on the use of ivermectin. Remdesivir, which the DOH recently procured, costs from P11,000 to P48,000 per vial in private hospitals. “Ivermectin and remdesivir are both investigational drugs. The World Health Organization does not encourage their use, and yet the DOH is promoting one while clamping down on the other,” he says. In fact, WHO has even removed remdesivir from the list of COVID-19 medicines, which is why Defensor says he could not understand why the DOH obviously has a bias for costly COVID-19 medicines. “They continue to spend billions to buy remdesivir, whose cost is borne ultimately by taxpayers, by Philhealth and by desperate private citizens who try to save the lives of their sick loved ones,” he adds. Unfortunately, despite all the pleadings, it appears both the DoH and the DOST remain unperturbed. It seems they don’t have the time for some cheap medicine even if it is being touted in other parts of the world as pandemic-ender. They don’t even have the time to explain why they are delaying the conduct of the clinical trial of ivermectin.

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Yet, Morales purposely did not mention the murky past that MWSS went through because that would not help uplift the image of her patron who incidentally is acting as the godfather of the oligarchs lambasted by President Duterte. The Philippines, right after it was colonized by the US at the turn of the century, was destined to end up as a borrowing state. It was a captive prisoner of modern imperialism. Its political leaders from its early years of independence have been conditioned to borrow from the US-created financial institutions like the World Bank, IMF, and the ADB. They serve to provide the facilities and guarantee to increase our financial credibility. It was naive for Morales to say that the investment initiative of China is to advance its own geopolitical interest. Admittedly, the Belt and Road Initiative of China has its historical blueprint in the so-called Marshall Plan initiated by George C Marshall. The Plan had a dual purpose. First, to rehabilitate Europe after the Second World War. Second, to prevent Europe from being engulfed by the Soviet Union that then loomed across Eastern Europe. The difference however between the US Marshall Plan from today’s Belt and Road Initiative of China is of the fact that the project is oriented towards development which residually means that countries from which the superhighway will traverse will bring about progress through trade. It is a win-win formula intended to benefit all countries. The Marshall Plan on the other hand is a loan-oriented project. The purpose was to rehabilitate private industries in Europe. Public services were mostly funded but channeled through a select group of private corporations. It suffered from scarcity but as usual, it was the government that guaranteed the loan and the borrowers were often slapped with high interest rates.

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LIFELESS. The body of a migrant covered with an emergency blanket is pictured at the beach of the Spanish enclave of Ceuta on

May 20, 2021. Spain accused Morocco of ‘blackmail’ for allowing a record 8,000 migrants to reach the Spanish North African enclave of Ceuta, sparking a crisis that saw clashes on the Moroccan side of the border overnight. AFP

PRESIDENT Joe Biden meets South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the White House on Friday to underscore a strategic focus on Asia, while playing down chances of quick progress on the two biggest challenges facing the United States. The rising power of China as a rival for leadership in Asia and the powder keg of nuclear-armed North Korea loom over the talks. The Biden administration admits it has no easy answer to either. “The goal here is to understand that this process is likely to be challenging and to give ourselves maximum flexibility,” a senior White House official said about dealing with North Korea’s nuclear arsenal. Against that backdrop, Washington’s main emphasis is on rebuilding traditional US alliances in the region, especially with South Korea and Japan.

Where Donald Trump treated foreign partners alternately as cut-throat business competitors or freeloaders, Biden is once more leaning on democratic alliances forged in bloody 20th century conflicts as the core to maintaining US supremacy. Moon comes to Washington as Biden’s second foreign guest. Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, visiting in April, was the first. The US-South Korean relationship “is the lynchpin of security and prosperity for northeast Asia and a free and open IndoPacific,” the White House official, who asked not to be identified, said. “President Biden will reaffirm that ironclad commitment.” Symbolizing the deep, complex history behind those bonds, Moon will join Biden in awarding the Medal of Honor—the highest US military honor for bravery—to a 94-year-old US veteran of the Korean War. AFP

Israel-Palestinian ceasefire starts

ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist movement which controls the Gaza Strip, came into force early Friday after 11 days of deadly fighting that pounded the Palestinian enclave and forced countless Israelis to seek shelter from rockets. Celebrations were heard on Gaza streets in the minutes after the truce began as cars honked their horns and some guns were fired in the air, AFP journalists said, while in the occupied West Bank, joyful crowds also took to the streets. With no alerts sounding in Israel to warn of incoming Hamas rockets, the ceasefire appeared to be holding in the early hours of Friday. The truce brokered by Egypt, that also included Gaza’s second-most powerful armed group, Islamic Jihad, was agreed following mounting international pressure to stem the bloodshed which erupted on May 10. US President Joe Biden welcomed the deal. “I believe we have a genuine opportunity to make progress and I’m committed to working toward it,” Biden said at the White House, hailing Egypt’s role in brokering the agreement. A statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the security cabinet had “unanimously accepted the recommendation of all of the security officials ... to accept the Egyptian initiative for a mutual ceasefire without pre-conditions”. Hamas and Islamic Jihad also confirmed the ceasefire in statements. “This is the euphoria of victory,” said Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas figure, in front of a crowd of thousands of Palestinians who had gathered in the streets to celebrate. Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah movement hailed the ceasefire as a “historic victory” for the Palestinians. “Hezbollah congratulates the heroic Palestinian people and its valiant resis-

tance on the historic victory achieved... against the Zionist enemy,” the Shiite militant group said in a statement. Hezbollah, which fought its own devastating war with Israel in 2006 but remains a powerful force in Lebanese politics, has close relations with Gaza’s Islamist rulers Hamas. The Israeli statement said its aerial campaign had made “unprecedented” achievements in Gaza, a territory it has blockaded since 2007, the year of Hamas’s takeover. “The political leadership emphasizes that it is the reality on the ground that will determine the future of the operation,” it added. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday he would be “prepared at any time to go to Israel, to the Middle East, if that would serve the purpose of moving beyond the violence and helping to work on improving lives for Israelis and Palestinians alike.” Fighting erupted earlier this month after weeks of tensions in Jerusalem, notably over planned evictions of Palestinians from their homes in east Jerusalem to make way for Jewish settlers, and clashes at the sensitive Al-Aqsa mosque compound. The Israeli army said Hamas and other Islamist armed groups in Gaza have since fired more than 4,300 rockets towards Israel, but the overwhelming majority of those headed for populated areas were intercepted by its Iron Dome air defences. The rockets have claimed 12 lives in Israel, including two children and an Israeli soldier, with one Indian and two Thai nationals among those killed, the police say. AFP

Palestinians celebrate in the streets following a ceasefire brokered by Egypt between Israel and the ruling Islamist movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip on May 21, 2021 in Gaza City. The ceasefire came into force early Friday after 11 days of deadly fighting that pounded the Palestinian enclave and forced countless Israelis to seek shelter from rockets. AFP

Japan could freeze all aid to junta-led Myanmar TOKYO could freeze all aid to Myanmar, Japan’s foreign minister warned in an interview published Friday, as the military junta continues to use lethal force against opponents of its coup. Japan is a top donor to Myanmar, and has already suspended new aid after the military ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi. But Toshimitsu Motegi, speaking to the Nikkei newspaper, said the freeze could be expanded. “We don’t want to do that at all, but we have to state firmly that it will be difficult to continue under these circum-

NEXTLEVEL COVID TEST. Bobby

the K9 retriever dog sniffs sweat samples in order to detect COVID-19 through volatile organic compounds at the Faculty of Veterinary Science in Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok on May 21, 2021. AFP

In this picture taken on May 17, 2021, candidate for Vietnam’s National Assembly Luong The Huy poses with a book about LGBT issues in his office in Hanoi. AFP

stances,” he told the newspaper. “As a country that supported Myanmar’s democratization in various ways, and as a friend, we must represent the international community and convey that clearly.” Japan announced in March it was halting all new aid to impoverished Myanmar in response to the coup, though it has not imposed the individual sanctions on military and police commanders implemented by some other countries. Motegi has said Japan is Myanmar’s largest provider of economic assistance,

and Tokyo has long-standing relations with the country’s military. According to the Nikkei, Japan provided $1.74 billion in development aid to Myanmar in fiscal 2019, more than any other country with disclosed figures. China’s aid figures are not public. More than 800 people have been killed in Myanmar in unrest since the military ousted Suu Kyi in a February 1 coup. A Japanese journalist arrested covering the aftermath of the coup was released last week and returned to Tokyo. AFP

William and Harry hit out ‘deceitful’ Diana interview PRINCES William and Harry on Thursday hit out at the BBC and journalist Martin Bashir over “the deceitful way” Bashir obtained his explosive TV interview with Princess Diana, their late mother, in which she detailed her troubled marriage to Prince Charles. Their stinging criticism came hours after an independent inquiry found Bashir had used falsified documents to get his sensational 1995 sit-down with Diana, and that BBC leaders had failed to adequately probe how he had arranged it. William said the deceitful way the interview was obtained had “substantially influenced” what his mother said on the air, and made “a major contribution” to the demise of his parents’ relationship. He added that the BBC’s oversight failures had “contributed significantly to her fear, paranoia and isolation” in her final years.

Diana and Charles, the heir to the British throne, formally divorced in 1996. She died aged 36 in a high-speed car crash while being chased by paparazzi photographers in Paris the following year. “It is my firm view that this Panorama program holds no legitimacy and should never be aired again,” William – second in line to the throne – added in a lengthy statement read in-person from Kensington Palace. “It effectively established a false narrative which, for over a quarter of a century, has been commercialized by the BBC and others,” he said, noting the narrative now “needs to be addressed.” In his own release, William’s younger brother Harry said the enquiry report was “the first step towards justice and truth” but that the deceptive practices exposed were still widespread today—and had played a part in his mother’s death. AFP

Vietnam’s 1st openly gay candidate seeks change with parliament run AS AN LGBTQ activist, legal whizz-kid and Vietnam’s first openly gay candidate running for a seat in its rubber-stamp parliament, Luong The Huy is determined to lead long-lasting change for the country’s marginalized communities. Huy, 32, is one of just nine independent candidates running for Vietnam’s National Assembly in elections to be held across the country on Sunday and wants to boost the voices of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, who have long felt discrimination. But getting his name on the ballot in the communist, one-party state was no simple task.

At the last elections five years ago, more than 100 independent candidates—including dissidents, a taxi driver and a pop star—tried to run, but just a handful made it through the gruelling selection process. Now that he’s made it this far, he’s clear about what he wants to achieve. “I want people’s voices to be heard,” Huy told AFP, sitting in his Hanoi office beside a framed poster bearing the slogan “Human rights are for everyone.” Huy, who is currently director of Vietnamese NGO iSEE, which aims to empower mi-

nority groups to protect and promote their rights, has been campaigning for a decade to improve the lives of the Vietnamese LGBTQ community. He once addressed a session of the UN Human Rights Council and was listed by Forbes as one of the 30 most inspiring people under the age of 30 in Vietnam. But despite studying law – Huy got a scholarship from the US’s Fulbright Program to study at the University of California – he says he has struggled to bring policy to the people who matter in Vietnam’s opaque governmental system. AFP

Business

SATURDAY, MAY 22, 2021 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

British retail sales rose 92% in April as stores reopened

NIGHT TRAIN. French Prime Minister Jean Castex (center) walks at the Nice-Ville station, south of France, on May 21, 2021, during the inauguration and the return to service of the Paris-Nice night train, stopped in December 2017. AFP

Market ends flat; Converge, Century Pacific top gainers T HE stock market closed flat Friday in another dull trading as many investors stayed on the sidelines while keeping tab on the pace of the country’s vaccine rollout.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index added 1.61 points to 6,199.25 on a value turnover of P5 billion. Gainers beat losers, 103 to 95, with 47 issues unchanged. Canned goods manufacturer Century Pacific Food Inc. advanced 4.1 percent to P23.95, while Converge Information and Communications Technology Solutions Inc., a fiber internet service provider, rose 2.2 percent to P20.40. Conglomerate Ayala Corp. fell 1.6 percent to P700, while casino operator Bloomberry Resorts Corp. declined 2.7 percent to P6.12 The rest of Asian markets fluctuated Friday as investors battled to track a rally on Wall Street that came in response to another positive read on US jobless claims, while

sentiment continues to be driven by inflation fears and optimism over the economic recovery. The week was set to end on a mixed note despite data showing the number of people applying for US unemployment benefits fell for a third straight week to a new pandemicera low, reinforcing expectations the recovery was well on track, helped by huge government and central bank support. All three main indexes on Wall Street rallied, with investors for now putting aside their concerns that the expected surge in activity fueled by re-openings and vaccines will cause prices to rocket and force the Federal Reserve to wind back its ultra-loose monetary policies. And markets have seemingly already come to accept that some members of the Fed are keen to start talking about the possibility of such moves as the economy improves, taking that as an indication that the outlook is bright. “While inflation has been the star of the show, keep in mind that the Fed’s mandate is twofold, with employment as the other side,”

Staycation cruises set sail from UK, 1st in over a year By Charlotte Durand SOUTHAMPTON, United Kingdom—“I have tears in my eyes,” cruising enthusiast Maggie Bill said Thursday as she boarded the MSC Virtuosa in Southampton for the first cruise sailing from a British port in over a year. “It’s about the first step, the first stage, out of an awful period of time, really starting to socialize and feel that we belong to the world,” the 66-year-old told AFP, champagne glass in hand. However, there is little exotic about the four-night cruise, which is restricted to touring Britain’s coastline, making a single stop at the island of Portland in southwest England. It is the first in a series of so-called staycation sailings planned for this summer, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to keep much of the world beyond British tourists’ reach. Once aboard the Virtuosa—Europe’s third largest cruise ship, at 331 meters long and 19 decks high—UK residents can still enjoy some of the typical highlights of a holiday at sea like pools, water slides, sports classes, sunbathing decks and bowling. Britain, among the countries worst-hit in Europe by COVID-19, entered the latest phase in its lockdown easing this week, allowing some international travel to restart and cruises to resume within UK waters with up to 1,000 people. ‘Happy vibe’ Before the first passengers boarded the Virtuosa, which can hold more than 6,200 people, the crew was busy making final preparations, frantically cleaning tables and decks. All those coming aboard undergo COVID-19 testing, and are then given a bracelet that serves as a key to their room as well as a tracking system if coronavirus cases are reported on the ship. Unlike some other operators, MSC Cruises does not require passengers to be vaccinated, but masks, social distancing and regular hand washing are mandatory. “I wouldn’t let that detract from the experience because we are happy we’re here, we’re celebrating and, yeah, it’s great to have cruising back!” said Lindsay Garvey-Jones, celebrating her 59th birthday on Sunday. AFP

said Mike Loewengart of E*Trade Financial. “The jobless claims read shows once again that we’re heading in the right direction, but we’re a ways away from where we were prepandemic.” Tokyo, Sydney, Singapore, Wellington, Taipei, Mumbai and Bangkok all rose, while Hong Kong was flat but there were losses in Seoul, Shanghai and Jakarta. “Inflationistas like myself will have to beat an orderly retreat for now, and with inflation fears ebbing, equity markets may resume rallying,” said OANDA’s Jeffrey Halley. “I, for one, won’t miss the day-to-day, herd-like, mindless tail-chasing we have seen in equity markets and others over the past fortnight.” Investors are also keeping their eyes on spiking virus infections in several countries that are forcing some governments to impose fresh, economically damaging containment measures. Oil prices edged up but struggled to rebound from recent selling pressure that has come on the back of signs that the Iran nuclear deal could be back on. With AFP

Manila

Standard

TODAY

NOTICE OF THE 2021 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corporation (AT or the Corporation) will conduct its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders for 2021 (“AGM” or the “Meeting”) virtually on 14 June 2021 at 10:00 a.m., with the proceedings livestreamed and voting conducted in absentia through the Corporation’s secure online voting facility, for the purpose of considering and acting on the following matters on the Agenda: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

AGENDA

Call to Order Certification of Service of Notice of Meeting & Quorum Approval of Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (AGM) held on 24 August 2020 Approval of the Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements for 2020 Amendment to AT’s By-laws: Articles I, II, III, V, VI & XV Election of Directors (including Independent Directors) for 2021-2022 Ratification of acts and proceedings of the Board of Directors, Board Committees and Management Appointment of External Auditor Other Matters Open Forum Adjournment

Enclosed is a copy of the Rationale/Explanation for the above Agenda items for reference.

LONDON—British retail sales surged last month as non-essential stores reopened from virus lockdown, sparking a boom in clothing demand, data showed Friday. Sales by volume soared 9.2 percent in April from March as Britain’s economy cranked back into action. “Retail sales volumes grew sharply... reflecting the effect of the easing of coronavirus restrictions,” the Office for National Statistics said in a statement. Demand for clothing rocketed by almost 70 percent, aided by good weather as consumers splashed their cash on new outfits after one year of lockdowns. Easing travel restrictions prompted a similar spike in demand for motor fuel. “Pent-up demand built up during lockdown continues to be released as the reopening of non-essential retail offered the public a welcomed opportunity to visit many of their favorite shop,” said Helen Dickinson, head of the British Retail Consortium. “Improved weather during April meant greater sales of fashion, particularly in outerwear and knitwear, as the public renewed their wardrobe and made plans to meet friends and family outdoors.” Overall sales rocketed 42.4 percent compared with April last year, which was the first full month of the initial UK lockdown at the start of the crisis. Online sales boomed during lockdowns as consumers were forced to shop via their smartphones and computer screens, soaring by 56 percent compared to April 2019 before the pandemic struck. Britain is exiting lockdowns at a gradual pace, allowing the economy to further recover from pandemic fallout. At the same time, analysts are fearful that reopening economies will spark a global inflationary spike. British inflation soared last month to 1.5 percent, the highest level since the early stages of the pandemic, separate data showed earlier this week. AFP Manila

Standard

TODAY NOTICE OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

Please take notice that the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the PHILIPPINE BANK OF COMMUNICATIONS (“PBCOM”) will be held on Tuesday, 15 June 2021, 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. The meeting will be conducted virtually and can be accessed at the link provided in the Bank’s website at https://www.pbcom.com.ph/. AGENDA 1. 2. 3. 4.

Call to Order Certification of Notice and Quorum Review and Approval of the Minutes of the Previous Meeting held on 14 July 2020 Annual Report of Management and Approval of the Audited Financial Statements for 2020 5. Ratification of Acts of the Board of Directors and Management since the Last Annual Meeting of Stockholders 6. Amendment of the By-Laws to include BSP-prescribed board level committees 7. Election of Directors 8. Appointment of External Auditors 9. Other Matters 10. Adjournment For purposes of the meeting, only stockholders of record as of May 14, 2021 are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting of Stockholders. In light of the community quarantine measures still in place, PBCOM will be holding a virtual Annual Meeting. The conduct of the Annual Meeting will be streamed live, and stockholders may attend, participate and vote only through proxy, remote communication or in absentia. The requirement and procedures for voting in absentia and participation through remote communication are set forth in the Information Statement. Stockholders who choose to vote by proxy must submit and address their signed proxy to the attention of the Corporate Secretary at 5/F PBCOM Tower, 6795 Ayala Avenue corner V.A. Rufino Street, Makati City or via e-mail at CorporateSecretary@ pbcom.com.ph not later than 5:00 p.m. on or before 07 June 2021. In compliance with SEC Resolution No. 196, Series of 2015, a copy of the Unaudited Interim Financial Statements of PBCOM with Management Discussion and Analysis for the period ended 31 March 2021 shall be posted in PBCOM’s website at https:// www.pbcom.com.ph/ on or before 07 June 2021. A hard copy of the said interim financial statements shall be provided within a reasonable time upon request by any stockholder. Copies of the following documents will be available upon request: (i) Minutes of the Annual Meeting of Stockholders held on 14 July 2020; (ii) Information Statement; (iii) Management Report; (iv) Audited Financial Statements for the year 2020. PBCOM IS NOT SOLICITING PROXIES.

Manila

Only Shareholders of record as of 20 April 2021 are entitled to receive notice of, participate and to vote at the Meeting or any adjournment thereof. The Shareholders’ list will be available for inspection at the Corporation’s principal office located at 5F FiveE-com Center, Palm Coast Avenue corner Pacific Drive, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City 1300 (the “Office”). The Stock and Transfer Book of the Corporation will be closed on 20 April 2021.

Standard

TODAY 593 Antonio Drive, Bagumbayan, Taguig City 1630

Shareholders intending to participate in the Meeting via remote communication and to exercise their vote in absentia should register through the Company’s online registration system at asmregister.atlasmining.com.ph until 4 June 2021. Successfully registered Shareholders may cast their votes in absentia through the Company’s secure online voting facilty, asmvoting.atlasmining.com.ph, and shall be provided access to the live streaming of the Meeting. The “Guidelines for Participating via Remote Communication and Voting in Absentia” is enclosed to the Information Statement (IS) and posted on the PSE EDGE and the Company’s website, https://www.atlasmining. com.ph/investor-relations/annual-stock-holders-meeting.

NOTICE OF 2021 ANNUAL STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETING

Any Shareholder who wish to appoint a proxy may accomplish the proxy form (which need not be notarized) and submit the same at the Office not later than 4 June 2021. Validation of proxies and ballots is set on 5 June 2021. We are not soliciting your proxy.

The Annual Meeting of the Stockholders of JACKSTONES, INC. will be held on 14 June 2021 at 9:00 A.M. through remote communication to discuss the following agenda:

Shareholders are encouraged to submit relevant comments and questions on the Agenda items by email bearing the subject “AGM 2021 Open Forum” to Agm@atlasmining.com.ph on or before 12 June 2021 to be considered during the open forum. The Information Statement in SEC Form 20-IS, Proxy Form, Annual Report for fiscal year 2020 in SEC Form 17-A and the Quarterly Report for the first quarter of 2021 in SEC Form 17-Q are posted on the PSE EDGE and on the Company’s website at https://www.atlasmining.com.ph/investor-relations/annual-stock-holders-meeting where you may also find the complete information on the AGM. Pasay City, Metro Manila, 10 May 2021. Thank you. Maria Eleonor A. Santiago Assistant Corporate Secretary RATIONALE/EXPLANATION OF AGENDA ITEMS Certification of Service of Notice & Agenda of Meeting and Quorum The Notice and Agenda of the AGM and the Information Statement (IS) are posted on the PSE EDGE and on the Corporation’s website,https://www.atlasmining.com.ph/investor-relations/annual-stock-holders-meeting. The Notice, Agenda & Rationale shall be published in two (2) newspapers of general circulation in both print and online formats. The Corporate Secretary shall certify that due notice of the AGM was made and the existence of a quorum. Shareholders present and/or who voted by proxy or in absentia, representing a majority of the outstanding capital stock shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Approval of the Minutes of the AGM on 24 August 2020 The Minutes of the AGM held on 24 August 2020 are appended to the IS and are posted on the Corporation’s website, https://www.atlasmining.com.ph/investor-relations/annual-stock-holders-meeting. A resolution approving the minutes will be presented to the Shareholders for approval which shall constitute approval of the accuracy & faithfulness of the minutes to what transpired during the said meeting. . Approval of the 2020 Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements: The Corporation’s financial and operating results for the year 2020 and the Audited Financial Statements (AFS) as of 31 December 2020 are provided in the Annual Report. The AFS audited by Sycip Gorres Velayo & Company (SGV) have been reviewed and approved by the Audit Committee (AuditCom) and the Board of Directors (BOD). The Management’s Report and AFS for 2020 are also contained in the IS available on the Corporation’s website, https://www.atlasmining.com.ph/investor-relations/annual-stock-holders-meeting. After the presentation of the Annual Report, a resolution noting and approving the Annual Report and AFS will be presented to the Shareholders for approval which shall constitute a ratification of the Company’s performance in 2020. Approval of the Amendment to AT’s By-laws: To conform the By-Laws of AT to the Revised Corporation Code of the Philippines (RCCP), various SEC memos, Code of Corporate Governance (CCG) and AT’s current operations and structure as well as to authorize certain standards, procedures and rules the Corporation shall follow for efficient operation, the resolution amending Articles I, II, III, V, VI, and XV of AT’s By-laws will be presented to the Shareholders for their approval. Details of the amendments are provided in the IS. . Election of Directors (including Independent Directors): The nominated directors were determined to be qualified and competent for election as directors for 2021 2022 by the Corporate Governance Committee (CGC) after their qualifications were duly reviewed. The list of nominees and their profiles are provided in the IS and posted in the Corporation website, https://www.atlasmining.com.ph/ investor-relations/annual-stock-holders-meeting. Their proven competencies, expertise and qualifications based on current standards, will be invaluable for the Company’s performance. The CGC recommends their election. Ratification of acts and proceedings of the Board of Directors (BOD) and Management for 2020 All acts, resolutions and proceedings of the BOD, the BOD Committees and the Management of AT from the date of the last AGM to the date of this Meeting, including all significant related party transactions if any, will be presented to the Shareholders for ratification. A resolution noting, approving and ratifying all acts, resolutions and proceedings of Management, BOD Committees and the BOD will be presented to the Shareholders for approval. Appointment of SGV as External Auditor

1. 2. 3.

Call to Order; Determination of Existence of Quorum; Approval of Minutes of the Calendar Year (“CY”) 2020 Annual Stockholders’ Meeting; 4. Report of the President; 5. Approval of Audited Financial Statements for CY 2020; 6. Ratification of All Acts and Resolutions of the Board of Directors and Management Adopted from 7 August 2020 to 14 June 2021; 7. Election of Directors (including the Independent Directors); 8. Appointment of External Auditor; 9. Amendment of the By-Laws of the Corporation; 10. Consideration of Such Other Business as May Properly Come Before the Meeting; and 11. Adjournment; A brief explanation of each agenda item, the detailed Definitive Information Statement for CY2020, the procedures for the registration for the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting and the voting in absentia, and the procedure for attendance by proxy can be accessed in Jackstones, Inc.’s website at https://jackstonesinc.com/index.php/ notice-of-annual-and-special-stockholders-meetings/, or in the Philippine Stock Exchange Electronic Disclosure Generation Technology at https://edge.pse.com.ph/ companyDisclosures/form.do?cmpy_id=134 The Organizational Meeting of the Board of Directors will follow soon after the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting.

The BOD, upon recommendation of the Audit Committee (AudiCom), endorses the appointment of SGV as the Corporation’s external auditor for 2021. The profile of the external auditor is provided in the IS. The Shareholders are also requested to delegate to the BOD the authority to approve the appropriate audit fee for 2021. A resolution for the appointment of external auditor will be presented to the Shareholders for adoption.

By order of the Board of Directors,

Other Matters Other business as may properly come before the meeting may be raised. The Chairman will decide whether such business may be properly taken up in the meeting or in another Shareholders’ meeting or other proper forum.

(sgd) JUAN MIGUEL VICTOR C. DE LA FUENTE Corporate Secretary

Open Forum

Passengers stand in the atrium as they board the MSC Virtuosa cruise ship as it prepares to set sail following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in Southampton, southwest England on May 20, 2021. AFP

MICHAEL STEPHEN H. LAO Corporate Secretary

(MS-MAY 21, 22, 2021)

Only relevant comments and questions on the Agenda items which are submitted by email to Agm@atlasmining com.ph with subject “ASM 2021 Open Forum” on or before 10 June 2021 will be considered during the open forum as time will allow. Questions and comments received but not read during the Open Forum due to time constraints will be addressed separately. (MS-MAY 22 & 24, 2021)

(MS-MAY 22 & 24, 2021)

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

SATURDAY, MAY 22, 2021

PSE INDEX CLOSING Friday, May 21, 2021

1.61 PTS. 6,199.25

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED

1,629,848,953 86,859 5,027,215,957.16 103 95 47

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • FRIDAY, MAY 21, 2021

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

47.9180

Japan

Yen

0.009195

0.4406

Pound

1.419300

68.0100

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128824

6.1730

Switzerland

Franc

1.114827

53.4203

Canada

Dollar

0.829463

39.7462

Singapore

Dollar

0.751767

36.0232

Australia

Dollar

0.776900

37.2275

Bahrain

Dinar

2.655619

127.2520

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266660

12.7778

Brunei

Dollar

0.748951

35.8882

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000070

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.031867

1.5270

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.0467

Euro

1.223200

58.6133

Korea

Won

0.000887

0.0425

China

Yuan

0.155388

7.4459

India

Rupee

0.013699

0.6564

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.241429

11.5688

New Zealand

Dollar

0.719600

34.4818

Taiwan

Dollar

0.035786

1.7148 Source: BSP

SMC accelerates extension of SLEX to Lucena, Quezon

Business Gov’t set to review Udenna’s capability to run Malampaya T By Alena Mae S. Flores

he Department of Energy said Friday it will review the technical and financial capability of Malampaya Energy XP Pte. Ltd., a unit of Udenna Corp., following its acquisition of the 45-percent interest of Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. in the $4.5-billion Malampaya gas-to-power project in northwest Palawan. “The DOE can only deny the transfer if it concludes that Malampaya Energy has no sufficient financial capability to fund the work commitments of SC [Service Contract] 38 with respect to the 45-percent participating interest and/or deny the transfer of operatorship if Malampaya Energy has no technical capability,” Energy Assistant Secretary Leonido Pulido III said, when asked for comment on the transaction. Pulido said the signing of agreement between Malampaya Energy and Spex for the acquisition of the latter’s participating interest SC 38 is “purely private business transaction,” and the DOE had

no part in the agreement nor in the selection process. Pulido said the sales agreement needed the approval of the SC 38 consortium members prior to submission to the DOE for the processing of approval of transfer of participating interest and operatorship. “The DOE’s only task is to evaluate and determine the legal and financial capability of Malampaya Energy with the acquisition of 45-percent PI from Spex and technical capability to be the operator for SC 38,” he said. Shell Petroleum N.V. announced Thursday it signed an agreement with

Malampaya Energy to sell its 100-percent shareholding in Spex, which holds a 45-percent operating interest in SC 38, which includes the producing Malampaya gas field for up to $460 million. Aside from Spex, the other partners in SC 38 are UC38 LLC, a subsidiary of Udenna (45 percent) and state-owned PNOC Exploration Corp. (10 percent). This means that Udenna of businessman Dennis Uy now controls 90-percent interest in SC 38. Udenna earlier acquired the 45-percent interest from Chevron Malampaya LLC for about $565 million, which was completed in March 2020. The DOE also reviewed that transaction and gave its approval in April this year. Meanwhile, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said he would compel the DOE to divulge its plans and programs on Malampaya in light of the divestment of Spex and the nearing expiration of SC No. 38 to ensure the future of its operations and the continuous supply of energy in the country.

By Darwin G. Amojelar SAN Miguel Corp. said Friday it is accelerating construction works on the South Luzon Expressway Tollroad-4 from Sto. Tomas, Batangas to Lucena City in Quezon province amid pandemic restrictions and unsettled right-of-way issues. “We are in the initial stages of construction for SLEX-TR4, but despite the limitations of the pandemic and delays in right-of-way acquisitions, we’re moving forward and making good progress,” said SMC president Ramon Ang. “Next to the TPLEX [TarlacPangasinan-La Union Expressway], SLEX-TR4 is our longest expressway project by far. We know from experience the inherent challenges of a project of this scale, so we are able to mitigate them and do the best we can,” he said. “As with any project of this size, acquiring all the necessary rights-ofway is the primary challenge. While we anticipated that it will take some time, it also doesn’t mean we don’t do anything. We are using the same strategy we utilized for our Skyway 3 project—which is to concentrate work on all workable areas—and then adjust as other areas become available,” Ang said. Work on SLEX-TR4, which started in 2019, is concentrated on the project’s Section B in Alaminos, Laguna and Section C in Tiaong, Quezon near Hacienda Escudero. At Section B, construction is focused on the project’s PNR underpass, Koquinkona bridge and Maharlika underpass, all parallel to the Alaminos-Tiaong Bypass road. Pipe-laying for drainage and embankment works to level the road prior to the laying of concrete is also ongoing. Meanwhile, at Section C, work on the Tiaong, Quezon Interchange also progressed well, according to Ang. Construction of the Tiaong bridge, Tiaong underpass and Dolores bridge as well as drainage and embankment works are underway. “We are confident that we will eventually overcome all these challenges, with the support of our government, LGUs, and all stakeholders. We are committed to do our part and put all our energy and focus on getting this project done because it is vital to the growth of the Southern Tagalog region,” Ang said.

BSP: Financial risks to region remain because of coronavirus By Julito G. Rada BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said Friday risks to the regional financial system from the coronavirus pandemic remain despite optimism for economic recovery in the months ahead. Diokno co-chaired the Regional Consultative Group for Asia virtual meeting of the Financial Stability Board on May 18. Seventeen Asian jurisdictions participated in the meeting and were joined by the FSB Secretariat based in Basel, Switzerland. The discussions focused on the damage caused by the economic fallout from COVID-19 and the steps taken by the financial authorities. “What is clear is that there remain systemic risks, both risks to the financial system and risks by the financial system itself,” Diokno said in a statement. The FSB was created in 2009 as a global venue for organizing the reform of the financial system in light of the call to pursue the objective of financial stability after the global financial crisis. The RCGA is one of six regional committees created by the FSB in 2011. The RCGA members continued to weigh the balance between responding to the current needs of the market while mindful of any possible longerterm implications. While there is absolute recognition that “this crisis is different,” the authorities also appreciate that the unconventional interventions needed today could affect market conditions over time. The added complication that the authorities cited is the possible effects from different paces of recovery across different jurisdictions. Multilateral agencies noted that the prospects of the advanced economies were diverging from that of the emerging markets, and this had spillover effects.

IN BRIEF FLI vice chairman Gotianun Jr. dies

Work on San Miguel Corp.’s 66.74-kilometer South Luzon Expressway Tollroad-4 project, which will extend from Sto. Tomas, Batangas to Lucena City in Quezon province, picks up pace despite pandemic restrictions and unsettled right-of-way issues. The massive thoroughfare is a strategic road project that is seen to boost the southern Tagalog region and significantly contribute to the country’s pandemic-recovery efforts.

First Philippine Holdings spending P50b in 2021 to expand energy, property units By Jenniffer B. Austria FIRST Philippine Holdings Corp. said Friday it budgeted P50 billion for 2021 capital expenditures to support the expansion plans of energy and real estate businesses. FPH chief finance officer and treasurer Emmanuel Antonio Singson said during the annual stockholders’ meeting a little more than half of this year’s capital spending or P26 billion would be earmarked for power generation unit First Gen Corp. First Gen is developing a liquefied natural gas terminal that will pave the way for decarbonizing the country’s entire energy system and reducing coal dependence toward cleaner and renewable resources. The project’s offshore terminal is on track for completion by the third quarter of 2022 after the Department of Energy granted the company a permit to construct. First Gen awarded the turnkey construction contract to McConnell Dowell of Australia.

Meanwhile, property firm Rockwell Land Inc. allotted P14 billion to P17 billion in capital expenditures in 2021 for the completion of projects. Rockwell Land last year completed three projects, including the Lorraine Tower at The Proscenium, Edades Suites in Rockwell Makati and Stonewell Acacia in Batangas. It generated robust residential lot sales in its first upscale horizontal development community called Rockwell South at Carmelray. It also established its presence in the north with a joint venture of a prime property in Angeles, Pampanga, intended for a mixed-use residential project and the likely site for the second Power Plant Mall. First Philippine Industrial Park will also spend P1 billion this year for the expansion of its economic zone in Batangas. FPIP last year completed 30,000 square meters of new ready-built factories, which were fully leased. The new locator is fitting-out the factory to provide a thousand meaningful jobs in the next twelve months.

FRUIT EXPORTER.

A small enterprise export project worth P1.46 million gets the nod of the Board of Investments as part of efforts by the agency to help micro, small and medium-sized enterprises promote and export homegrown products. Through the BOI Regional Office in Cagayan, the BOI approved the project of KOR-Palm Agricultural Development Philippines Corp. as an export producer of processed fruits with a maximum annual capacity of 120,000 bottles.

DTI’s SB Corp. grants P4-b loans to 28,610 MSMEs By Othel V. Campos THE Department of Trade and Industry said Small Business Corp. granted P4 billion worth of loans to micro, small and medium enterprises in the first half of May 2021. Trade Assistant Secretary Blesila Lantayona noted the increasing number of business owners who joined the reopening of the economy. “SB Corp. has already approved loans to more than 28,610 applicants. Of the approved loans, P367 million have been availed by 2,432 applicants coming from Region 3- Central Luzon,” she said during the opening of Shell Marilao Station. Shell Marilao opened the proprietary convenience store Select to house local Bulacan products through the Go Lokal! Program of the DTI. Based on a survey conducted by DTI, businesses were slowly opening up from 19.8 percent in June 2020 to 56.4 percent in January to February 2021. The percentage of businesses which stopped operations also decreased. “This shows that more and more of our MSMEs are slowly opening up as we gradually loosen the quarantine restrictions,” Lantayona said. Based on the same survey, in terms of assistance needed by MSMEs across all industries, a good number require financing assistance the most, with marketing assistance coming in second. The third most common response are those related to easing of policies and regulations on taxes; provision of discounts and incentives and assistance on rentals and utilities, among others. The DTI implemented programs aimed at jumpstarting and reinvigorating the Philippine economy by stimulating consumption, revitalizing demand and empowering local industries to capture this demand, Lantayona said.

BUSINESSMAN Andrew Gotianun Jr., vice chairman of property developer Filinvest Land Inc., passed away on Friday. He was 69. “It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Andrew ‘Bibot’ Gotianun Jr. earlier today, surrounded by his loved ones, after a short bout with a non-COVID malignant illness,” FLI said in a statement. “Bibot was vice chairman of Filinvest Land and director of Filinvest Development Corp. He was instrumental in growing the Filinvest Group into the multi-faceted corporation it is today and was a leader in the real estate field,” the company said. The Gotianun family requested privacy at this time. FLI said the details of the virtual memorial service would be announced soon. Jenniffer B. Austria

Alsons’ Sarangani project on schedule

ALSONS Consolidated Resources Inc. said Friday its P4.5-billion, 14.5 megawatt runof-river hydro power plant at Siguil River in Maasim, Sarangani province is on schedule to begin operations next year. Siguil Hydro represents Alsons’ foray into the renewable energy sphere. “Work is ongoing as we speak and Siguil Hydro is on-track to commence commercial operations in early 2022 to provide a source of renewable, reliable and affordable power to key areas of Mindanao,” Alsons executive vice president Tirso Santillan said during the company’s annual stockholders’ meeting held virtually Thursday. Alsons plans to put up seven more run-of river hydroelectric power facilities to follow Siguil hydro. Two hydro plants are in the immediate pipeline including the 22-MW Siayan (Sindangan) hydro power plant in Zamboanga del Norte and the 42-MW Bago hydro power plant in Negros Occidental. “Both projects are now in the process of completing the development phase, and we expect to be able to update you on their status towards the end of this year,” Santillan said. Alena Mae S. Flores

SMIC tops PH firms in Forbes Global 2000

SM INVESTMENTS Corp. leads Philippine firms in the Forbes 2021 Global 2000, the 19th annual ranking of the world’s largest public companies. Only six Philippine companies made it to the list. SM Investments has the biggest market value ($24.3 billion) while BDO Unibank Inc. is the most profitable ($569.5 million) among Philippine firms. SM Investments ranked No. 877 while BDO ranked No. 1,159 in the global list. The Forbes Global 2000 list measures the world’s largest public companies in terms of four equally weighted metrics: assets, market value, sales and profits. According to Forbes, the 2,000 companies on the list offered a glimpse into the early economic implications of the COVID-19 pandemic. These companies saw their collective market capitalization surge 47 percent to $79.8 trillion, while their collective revenues slipped 6 percent to $39.8 trillion and profits fell 24 percent to $2.5 trillion. Despite sales and profits to be down for the Forbes Global 2000 companies, total assets and market value were up. Globally, the Forbes Global 2000 list is dominated by Industrial & Commercial Bank of China (No. 1), followed by JP Morgan Chase & Co, Berkshire Hathaway, China Construction Bank and Saudi Aramco.

Sports

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Randy M. Caluag, Assistant Editor

SATURDAY, MAY 22, 2021

POC thanks government for athletes’ vaccination

PREPARING FOR PBA OPENING. The Alaska Aces hold practice at the Batangas City Sports Center in preparation for the 46th season of the Philippine Basketball Association.

Suzara elected to new FIVB commission PHILIPPINE National Volleyball Federation President Ramon “Tats” Suzara was elected secretary of the International Volleyball Federation’s newly-formed Volleyball Empowerment Commission for the term 2021 to 2024 following the approval of the FIVB Board of Administration. The Volleyball Empowerment Commission aims to develop the sport through initiatives that will help professionalize the administration of national federations, provide support in the advancement of national team programs and ultimately create role models for millions of fans. Suzara brings years of experience in volleyball administration to the newly-established commission, being a long-time member of the FIVB Development Commission and former chairman of the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Development and Marketing Committee. He will be working with volleyball development officials, specialists and Olympic medallists Vladimir Grbic, Mireya Luis, Emanuel Rego, Pasquale Gravina and Xue Chen. “It is an honor to work with distinguished volleyball personalities and I am grateful for the opportunity that the FIVB has given to the Philippines as one of the pilot beneficiaries of this new project,” Suzara said. “As we usher in a new era, we hope that we could take advantage of this chance to develop our national federation and our national teams, since development is the foundation of a successful volleyball program” he said. “We hope that through the Volleyball Empowerment Commission and its projects, we will support the dreams of our athletes in playing in the world stage, and build their legacy to inspire the country’s future generations.”

Griffin: Knott running faster since ‘19 SEAG

By Peter Atencio

RISTINA Knott almost broke the Philippine national record again at the International Meeting of the City of Castiglione della Pescaia in Italy.

The national mark almost fell after nine months when the 25-year-old Fil-American placed runner-up to Rio Olympics’ veteran Marie-Josée Ta Lou of the Ivory Coast with a time of 11.30 seconds, good for the silver, in the women’s 100-meter finals. The last time the mark was shattered was in August last year when Knott ran against two superstars and earned the silver medal in the celebrity-laced Drake Blue Oval Showcase Presented by Mediacom at Drake Stadium in de Moines, Iowa. Back then, 5’6” Knott cruised to second place at a national record-smashing 11.27 seconds, behind world no. 7 and United States indoor champion Kayla White and ahead of 2016 Olympic gold medallist Tianna Bartoletta. And Knott did it with a tailwind of 1.5 meters per second blowing in her favor at that time.

With her current performance, coach Rohsaan Griffin said Knott’s efforts have gone way beyond her performance in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games. “It was better than her SEA Games’ time, she has run better than her SEA Games times all season. Actually, she has run better, period, since 2019,” said Griffin in a message to the Manila Standard. Back in the 2019 SEA Games, Knott earned a bronze medal with a time of 11.55 seconds in the century dash, which was topped by Vietnamese bet Le Tu Chinh. Knott made her stint memorable in Castiglione when she settled for two silver-medal finishes behind Ta Lou. After Ta Lou, ranked no. 3 in the world, dashed to a 10.96-second gold medal win in the women’s 100 meters, the 25-year old Knott followed behind at 11.30 seconds for the silver. Ta Lou’s sub 11-second time allowed her to hit the Olympic Qualifying Stan-

dard in the event and come up with her best showing of the season. It was Knott’s second best time of the season after she endured a cold 16-degree (Celsius) temperature and settled down in a generous breeze of +4.0 meters/second. Griffin added that Knott has been learning a lot when she joined numerous elite-level competitions since last year, counting in many factors, including 30-degree temperature differences, time changes, jet lag and event schedule against common practice times. “And, someone who’s fairly new to this level of competition such as Kristina, she has to learn how to grow into the sport. How many athletes from South East Asia can say that they have lined up against the current World Champion or current World bronze medalist in a 10-day span? Not many if any,” added Griffin. While in Castiglione, Ta Lou, a bronze medallist in the World Championships, then dominated the 200 meters in 22.88 seconds, with a +4.9 meters/second breeze blowing. And Knott was right behind her in 23.19 seconds, which was also her second best time of the season.

THE Philippine Olympic Committee expressed gratitude to the government for approving its request to prioritize national athletes and coaches for vaccination against Covid-19. “The entire sports community can now heave a sigh of relief with this approval,” POC President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said. “With this good news, our athletes can now look forward to serious training and preparations for two major competitions.” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced on Friday that the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases allowed the early vaccination of national athletes and coaches who will see action in the Tokyo Olympics and the Hanoi 31st Southeast Asian Games. The Olympics are due in eight weeks from July 23 to August 8 while the SEA Games are set from November 21 to December 2. The IATF included the national athletes, coaches, delegates and officials to both events in the Priority Group A4. In announcing the approval on national television, Roque said: “Bring home the gold fromn Tokyo.” Tolentino thanked the IATF for its quick response to the POC’s request to the agency in a letter sent to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III last May 18. Eight Filipinos have so far qualified for the Olympics but only boxer Eumir Felix Marcial has gotten two doses of the vaccines while he was in the US. Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz got her first shot in Malaysia two weeks ago. The other Tokyo-bound athletes— gymnast Carlos Yulo, rower Cris Niervaez, pole vaulter EJ Obiena and boxers Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam and Irish Magno—have yet to be vaccinated. Except for Nievarez, all are based abroad. The POC intends to send 626 athletes who will be competing in 39 of the 40 sports in he Hanoi SEA Games. The IATF, Roque said, alsso approved the bubble-type training of athletes and coaches subject to the applicable guidelines of the Philippine Sports Commission, Games and Amusements Board and the Department of Health.

Kouame weighing his basketball options

Angelo Kouame

NEWLY naturalized Filipino Angelo Kouame is at a turning point of his basketball career. As the 6’10” Kouame looks forward to joining the practices of the Gilas Pilipinas national men’s basketball team, offers for him to join numerous club teams abroad are also coming his way. And Kouame may just accept one of them when the time comes. “Yeah, there are offers. I have a lot now especially Asia and in Europe. A couple of people have asked me to play in the G-League. But we will see what’s coming and what will happen in the coming two years,” said Kouame in a podcast. Kouame talked about his plans and thoughts a few days after President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law the naturalization law which made the 23-year-old Ivorian cager Kouame a Filipino citizen. The process to make Kouame a Filipino citizen started after Sen. Sonny Angara, who is also the chairman of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, sponsored Senate Bill 1892 on his naturalization two years ago. This weekend, Kouame is expected to join Gilas, which will be reentering a training bubble at the INSPIRE Sports Academy in

Calamba, Laguna. “I pretty like it (training bubble) because you can tell the difference between the first day of the bubble and the last day of the bubble. It really shows how being connected with one another can bring us to another step,” added Kouame. The national squad is in the thick of preparations for the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers’ third window this June in Clark. Kouame will join a group of young players who are part of the Gilas pool. And many of them were his teammates during his collegiate days with the Ateneo Blue Eagles. Among those who joined the bubble since the beginning are Gilas draftees Matt Nieto, Mike Nieto, Isaac Go, and Rey Suerte, along with newbies Jordan Heading, William Navarro, Tzaddy Rangel, Jaydee Tungcab, Kenmark Carino, Javi Gomez de Liano, Dave Ildefonso, SJ Belangel, RJ Abarrientos, Carl Tamayo, Justine Baltazar, Jason Credo, Geo Chiu and Lebron Lopez, “I believe that with this group of young players, we can accomplish a lot because they really want to be a part of it, a new group, who wants to build something different about this country,” said Kouame. Peter Atencio

Eala, Russian partner book semis berth in W25 doubles PHILIPPINE tennis sensation and Globe Ambassador Alex Eala and Oksana Selekhmeteva are through to the semifinals of the doubles competition of the International Tennis Federation World Tennis Tour W25 Platja D’Aro in Spain. The Filipina and Russian tandem shocked the top seeded pair of Sofya Lansere and Vlada Koval of Russia, 6-3, 2-6, 12-10 in the quarterfinals Thursday night. The 16-year-old Eala and Selekhmeteva got off to a fast start in the opening set, racing to a 5-1 lead before Lansere and Koval managed to settle and take the next two games. Eala and Selekhmeteva, however, broke their foes in the next frame to take the set. In the second set, Lansere and Koval showed why they are the tournament favorites by storming to a 5-0 lead before

Eala and Selekhmeteva took the next two games to avoid a bagel. The top seeds, eventually, took the set and tied the game at one set apiece. It was a tight match in the decider as the two teams battled each other for every point. Eala and Selekhmeteva jumped to a 6-2 lead but the Russians clawed back, saving three match points, to even the game at 9-9. Eala and Selekhmeteva proved steadier when it counted most, bouncing back from a match point then taking the next two frames to boot the top seeds, 12-10. The shocking win made up for Eala’s tough loss in the singles competition after she was beaten by local bet Irene Burillo Escorihuela of Spain in straight sets, 2-6, 4-6, in the second round. Eala looked spry early in the match

against the 23-year old Escorihuela—who is ranked no. 271 in the Women’s Tennis Association singles rankings—as she surged in front in the first set, 2-0. However, Escorihuela suddenly took charge, breaking the Filipina youngster’s serve three times in the next six games to take the first set, 6-2. The second set was played on even terms early on and was knotted at 3-3 when Escorihuela broke Eala’s serve and held her own to take a 5-3 lead. Eala was able to stave off defeat as she won the next game to close the gap at 4-5. But Escorihuela proved too skillful and strong as she blanked Eala in the next game to wrap up the second set, 6-4, and claim the victory.

Alex Eala: On to the semis

Tech & Gadgets

SATURDAY, MAY 22, 2021

rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

PLDT Enterprise powers eLearning of QC University

N support of digital learning in the new normal, PLDT Enterprise announces its partnership with Quezon City University further stressing its commitment to help strengthen and empower the academe industry amid the challenges of the global health crisis. PLDT Enterprise recently turned over Smart Bizload packages and Smart LTE Pocket WiFi units to be used by the faculty and students of Quezon City University. A total of 250 faculty members and 9,500 students will now be equipped with faster and more widespread connectivity for lessons, information and materials for enhanced online learning and interaction. Additionally, Bizload packages and Pocket Wiﬁ units were also handed over to be used by 7,587 Quezon City Secondary School Teachers. Jovy Hernandez, ePLDT President & CEO and SVP & Head for PLDT and Smart Enterprise Business Groups noted that “PLDT Enterprise’s partnership with Quezon City University is part of our continuing efforts to support not only the Quezon City LGU, but also speciﬁcally to fortify digital learning by providing strong and reliable connectivity while remaining safe at home. Quezon City University students and faculty will get the best possible educational materials for uninterrupted eLearning with generous data allocation and access to useful academic suites and various other learning management systems.”

PLDT Enterprise turns over Smart Bizload and Smart LTE Pocket Wifi to Quezon City University faculty members and staff to support their e-learning initiatives.

Smart Bizload is a secure, convenient and web-based prepaid loading service that allows companies and the academe connectivity for their employees, faculty and students. It enables efficient loading and management of SMART or Talk and Text prepaid accounts. Smart LTE Pocket Wifi, meanwhile, delivers significantly faster speeds by using Carrier Aggregation, the latest technique in mobile communications for delivery of more data rates per user, reduced latency, and increased capacity for subscribers. Vic Tria, PLDT FVP & Enterprise Revenue Group Head said “the need for

fast, efﬁcient and seamless connectivity to enable students to thrive with eLearning is now more urgent than ever, and PLDT Enterprise is pleased to be able to provide the platform for Quezon City University’s faculty and students to keep up with the educational demands of the new normal.” Smart LTE is the fastest fourth generation (4G) wireless technology in existence. LTE or Long-Term Evolution is capable of delivering download speeds which are several times faster than present-day 3G standards. Smart is the ﬁrst Telco to bring LTE to the Philippines. In her remarks at the turnover program, Dr. Theresita Atienza, QC Uni-

versity President said, “We highly appreciate this partnership with PLDT Enterprise. It comes at a time when we need it most, in order for us to augment and make easier the online learning efforts of our students, and for our faculty to have the much-needed connectivity to access their teaching modules, apps and eLearning platforms. With the tools that PLDT Enterprise has provided us, we are now more conﬁdent that our faculty and students will accomplish more in their pursuit of the education that will drive the country forward despite these challenging times”. For more information on PLDT Enterprise, go to pldtenterprise.com.

realme Buds Q2 elevates standard of TWS with stylish design, quality audio REALME is ready to shake the market yet again with the release of its latest AIoT (artificial intelligence of things) audio device— the realme Buds Q2. Officially launched today via a livestream event on realme’s Facebook Page, the realme Buds Q2 offers new and upgraded features that greatly benefit the youth’s modern lifestyle. Promising an elevated listening experience, the realme Buds Q2 offers stylish design, quality audio, and other impressive features.

Trendsetting design

In line with the brand’s goal of embodying the youth’s interests, the realme Buds Q2 takes on a cool, modern aesthetic that offers a fresh take on wireless audio devices. It bears a unique design that incorporates the cut-shape aesthetic of kaleidoscopes into the cobble-shaped earbuds. With its

two stunning color options: sleek Black and a stylish pastel Blue, the realme Buds Q2 is a stunning entry-level audio device that perfectly complements the lifestyle of every fashionable youth.

Quality audio experience

Aside from its chic design, the realme Buds Q2 offers incredible results when it comes to delivering a high-quality listening experience. It comes with a 10mm Dynamic Bass Boost Driver that uses high-quality PEEK & TPU polymer composite diaphragm to deliver clear and sharp sound. Using the brand’s updated Bass Boost+ solution, the Buds Q2 unlocks further bass potential to bring out immersive audio for real heart-thumping music. The realme Buds Q2 is also a device gaming enthusiasts will surely appreciate. With its Gaming Mode function, the realme Buds Q2 reduces latency by as much

The new TWS category shaker from realme promises personal audio made even better.

Virtual town hall discusses PH’s bilateral deals for infrastructure ADVOCATES disclosed serious economic and security risks to the Philippines and countries engaging in bilateral deals for infrastructure and the Belt Road Initiative projects of China. In the recent virtual town hall discussion of the Stratbase Albert del Rosario Institute on “Belt Road Initiative and Corrosive Capital: Mitigating Corruption Risks in the Philippines”, Former Ombudsman and Supreme Court Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales, in her keynote described the BRI as “essentially China's blueprint to advance its geopolitical interest and an embodiment of China's dream of increasing its domestic and international power.” “What is key at this time in history is a matter of proceeding with caution and a matter of understanding the underlying implications of this engagement to the government, to our society, to our sovereignty, and to our future as a nation,” Carpio-Morales said. Regional Director of international think tank, Center for International Private Enterprise, Jon Morrell said, “A democratic government simply cannot borrow money from secret sources for secret purposes on secret terms and be

considered a democratic government.” Morrel explained, “There are ironclad non-disclosure clauses in the loan documents which means that you are violating the terms of the loan if you disclose to the public the terms of the loan.” Morrel warned that, “Loans from China mandate that the public works contracts be awarded on a no bid, no compete basis.” Stratbase ADRi Fellow and De La Salle University Professor Edwin Santiago said, “Perhaps the most controversial and inﬂammatory issue about the CRPIP is the waiver of sovereign immunity in light of the experience of other countries such as Sri Lanka, Djibouti, and Maldives with China. These countries have been reported to have had to give up their strategic national assets.” Stratbase ADRi President, Prof. Dindo Manhit in his statement said, “The people expect the President to protect the interests of the Philippines and its citizens, not the interests of a foreign government.” “As citizens we have the right to demand transparency, accountability, and the purging of these harmful foreign investments that are threatening our national security and socio-economic stability,” Manhit said.

Emirates inks agreement with global tech giant Huawei at ATM DUBAI—Emirates announced on May 18 that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Huawei, one of the world's top tech brands, to further extend its existing partnership. The enhanced collaboration will allow both brands to build awareness to a wider audience in the Middle East and beyond. The agreement was signed at Arabian Travel Market 2021 in Dubai by Orhan Abbas, Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations—Far East at Emirates and Lu Geng, Vice President Middle East and Africa of Huawei Global Partnerships & Eco-Development, signaling the deepened strategic cooperation between Emirates and Huawei and mutual benefits in expanding their reach in China and Middle East and African markets, respectively. Also present at the signing ceremony was Adnan Kazim, Emirates' Chief Commercial Officer and William Hu, Regional Business Development Director, Eco-Development Department, Huawei. In addition to joint promotions designed to build brand awareness for Emirates and Huawei in the other's home markets, the partnership will also encompass the launch of customer-centric initiatives including enhanced and engaging experiences for Huawei smart phone users while booking tickets and making travel plans on the Emirates app, available on the AppGallery – Huawei's official distribution platform and one of the top three global app marketplaces in the world, with more than 530 million active monthly users. The joint cooperation will also see Emirates providing support for the Huawei search engine, Petal Search, on smart devices in the MEA region. For Emirates, the integration into Huawei's ecosystem will allow the airline to tap into a wider target audience and Huawei phone users, especially in the Chinese marketplace which has been regarded as one of the key strategic markets for Emirates worldwide.

as 51%, and transfers sound from your phone to the earbuds in just 88ms. This function offers a perfect sync between video and audio while playing games or watching movies. Clear and engaging conversations on the realme Buds Q2 are also made possible by a powerful noise reduction system supported by its ENC (environmental noise cancellation) algorithm that signiﬁcantly reduces surrounding noise during calls. Coming with a built-in 40mAh battery in the earbuds and 400mAh battery in its charging case, the realme Buds Q2 offers an overall 20-hour long battery life. It gives up to 3 hours of single continuous calling time and 5 hours of single continuous listening time, letting users binge up to eight movies or listen to 400 songs without any interruptions. In addition, the realme Buds Q2 offers improved connectivity and control with instant connection, high transmission speeds, powerful anti-jamming capability, low power consumption, and stable signal even at a distance of up to 10 meters using Bluetooth 5.0 technology. It also offers an intelligent touch feature, IPX4 water

resistance rating, and quick charging through Micro-USB. The realme Buds Q2 will be available ﬁrst on Shopee starting May 21, 12:00 midnight, with a one-time offer of P400 off at only P890. It will also be available in selected realme concept stores, kiosks, and partner dealers nationwide starting May 22, at the suggested retail price of P1,290. The warranty period for the realme Buds Q2 is 1 year, applicable from the device’s activation date. During the warranty period, if any functional failure occurs, realme will provide maintenance services free of charge through 16 authorized service centers nationwide. The realme Buds Q2 makes a great addition to the brand’s TechLife ecosystem, which aims to make every young Filipino live more conveniently and efﬁciently daily with a full-circle digital experience driven by a powerful mix of audio, wearables, smart TVs, smart home devices, and smartphones. For more info and updates on the realme Buds Q2, follow realme on Facebook at facebook.com/ realmePhilippines, @realme_PH on Twitter, and @realmephilippines on Instagram. #QualityAudioStylishDesign #realmeTechLife

Kaspersky explores users’ attitude in updating devices KASPERSKY announced the campaign “Pain in the neck”, exploring users’ attitudes in updating devices. According to a recent Kaspersky study, device users consider installing updates a boring task and half of respondents usually just snooze them. Meanwhile, 40% of respondents admit doing something else, mostly offline activities, while waiting for their devices to update. Updates to devices are not only necessary to gain access to new features or interfaces, they also help to maintain a high level of security. Vendors regularly test their offerings to ﬁnd new potential vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers. The timely installation of updates can serve as an effective defense against cybercriminals. This downtime can also increase people’s productivity and help with well-being. Respondents agree that the time spent waiting for devices to update can be valuable, with 40% saying that this can be used for other purposes even if it affects their productivity, and 39% even enjoy the break away from technology. Generally, users mostly prefer to shift to other activi-

ties while updates are being installed. For example, when their devices are unavailable, 31% of respondents try to switch off and relax (watch TV or read a book), 18% distract themselves by cooking, and 9% prefer sports or going for a walk. Almost a quarter of respondents (23%) continue to do what they were doing, simply switching to another device. Despite the beneﬁts of such pauses, once they receive update notiﬁcations on their devices, 50% usually postpone the installation of updates. The most popular reason is because users are busy at work (30%), followed by options where users do not want to stop using their device at that moment (26%), and a quarter (25%) do not want to close the application. All in all,

63% see no harm in such delay. “It makes complete sense to switch to another device while the gadget you were using originally is going through an update cycle. Playing sports, cooking, or a little meditation could be a timely break from the working day, helping people to relax and reboot. We were pleased to see in our survey that many people already follow healthy practices, and we call on others to follow their example. Doing so will not only help to improve your mood but can also increase productivity,” comments Maria Namestnikova, Head of GReAT Russia, Kaspersky. In terms of the campaign “Pain in the Neck”, Kaspersky, in collaboration with the well-known blogger, yoga teacher, and personal trainer Shona Vertue, also prepared a short course of simple exercises that can be completed during the installation of updates. The course itself is very simple and can be performed at home by people of all abilities. Link for the video. Some 40% of users think that software update time can be used to increase productivity and engage in self-development.

Tech & Gadgets

SATURDAY, MAY 22, 2021

vivo X60 Series redefines mobile photography in alliance with ZEISS V

IVO has officially released the X60 series of professional photography flagship smartphones in the Philippines. The latest series marks the inaugural vivo devices to be conceived in collaboration with ZEISS, a global leader in optics and opto-electronics. Featuring cutting-edge design, the X60 series signifies vivo’s commitment to deliver the ultimate mobile photography experience.

The vivo X60 series, co-engineered with ZEISS, will be available in vivo stores and kiosks nationwide beginning May 22, Saturday, and retails for Php34,999. For more details on the new smartphone, visit https://www.vivoglobal. ph/phone/vivo-X60/. Photography Redeﬁned Through Global Partnership with ZEISS The X60 series integrates the user-oriented innovation of vivo and the outstanding expertise in mobile imaging of ZEISS. The combined best-in-class optical lenses, sensors, image processing algorithms and diverse multi-modal features allow users to enjoy camera technologies that were previously only limited to professional photographers. “vivo is excited to give consumers the best mobile photography experience by leveraging the capabilities of ZEISS, a legend in the world of optics for 175 years,” said Spark Ni, Senior Vice President and CMO of vivo. “Smartphones have become an extension of the consumer’s lifestyle to record and capture the joy-inspired moments of their lives, causing mobile photography to become a critical part of user experience. We have collaborated with ZEISS to bring unparalleled sharpness, clarity and image quality to vivo smartphones.” Key to the X60 series’ top-notch photography capabilities lies in its groundbreaking vivo ZEISS co-engineered imaging system. The X60 model has three rear cameras (48MP + 13MP + 13MP), as well as a 32MP front camera. The ZEISS logo has been emblazoned on the vivo X60 lens, while the ZEISS Vario-Tessar trademark is engraved beneath the cameras, ﬁtting for the

Globe aids Antipolo’s pandemic response

ZEISS Biotar Portrait Style, featuring Rhian Ramos (vivo X60 Series photo taken by Xander Angeles)

professional photography flagship device that is sure to turn heads. For the first time, users can also access ZEISS Biotar Portrait Style on the vivo X series. This new feature allows users to create customized professional portraits, with an unprecedented ability to render center sharpness and unique swirly harmonious bokeh. Actress Rhian Ramos stuns in the vivo X60 ZEISS Biotar Portrait Style, a feature that will be made available for the first time in vivo smartphones. Photo taken by Master Photographer Xander Ange-

les using the vivo X60 5G. Bringing Advanced Imaging Features to Users The camera system of the X60 supplements the enhancement of image details and sharpness to help users get ultra-HD images. It utilizes a VIS 5-axis video stabilization technology, allowing users to obtain clear shots of objects in dynamic motion with greater accuracy. The Extreme Night Vision 2.0 helps users to recreate the million shades of night with a single tap, capturing the impressive expanse of the night through vivo’s innovative AI noise reduction algorithm. Users may also choose between HDR Super Night Portrait, Ultra-Wide Night Mode, Super Pano, Pro Sports Mode, Kids Snapshot, and Starry Sky, amongst many others.

Globe At Home Cashless, contactless: RBank adopts QR PH for merchants takes top spot on Netflix’s speed index for 3rd time GLOBE At Home, Globe’s broadband business unit, claimed the top spot of the Netﬂix ISP Speed Index in April 2021, the third time this year. Besting competition in January and February, the network has been exhausting efforts to deliver in its speed performance since the start of the year. Globe constantly strives to provide the best experience for its customers and innovates to make sure that its products and services are relevant to the digital lifestyle altered by this pandemic. Globe recently disclosed that as of March 2021, it has exceeded its targeted network site builds with 318 cell sites as well as 287,000 high-speed broadband lines installed nationwide. In addition, the home broadband segment drove an alltime high performance for Q1 2021. The segment saw an 81% growth on home broadband subscribers to date, surpassing the four million mark. “This result underscores our promise to continuously delight our customers by providing them with affordable internet plans, as well as relevant content packages like Netﬂix. These are just a few of our many innovations that are redefining our customers’ experience and empowering their lifestyles with choice as we embark towards better days ahead,” said Darius Delgado, Globe VP and Head of Broadband Business. Committed to upholding the 10 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG), Globe does its part to strongly support UN SDG No. 9, in particular, which highlights the roles of infrastructure and innovation as crucial drivers of economic growth and development. Globe is committed to upholding the 10 United Nations Global Compact principles and 10 UN SDGs. For more information, visit www.globe.com.ph

MORE than ever, it’s now easier to go cashless and contactless to send and receive payments. Robinsons Bank is among the first seven financial institutions that have implemented QR PH, an interoperable QR code for merchants, as mandated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. This means that RBank merchants with the RBank QRPH code can now accept QR code payments made from other banks and e-wallets; and RBank account holders can take advantage of the contactless payment solution by scanning and paying to any participating store with an interoperable QR code. “We are excited to be one of the first to adopt the QRPH standard. This allows our Merchants wider reach and offers our clients quick and hassle-free payment options. Expect to see more merchants displaying the RBank QuickR payment QR code, especially within Robinsons Malls. Customers can begin to enjoy the safety, security and convenience of paying via QR soon,” Mr. Albert Raymund Tinio, SVP and Merchant & Acquiring Head stated. The roll out of the interoperable QR code for merchants is part of BSP’s initiative, the Person to Merchant (P2M) QR Payments, which was virtu-

ally launched last April 30. According to BSP, the initiative aims to make digital payments more accessible for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), giving them the opportunity to make use of a safer, easier, and more affordable digital payment solution.

Early this year, Robinsons Bank also implemented the use of an interoperable QR for person-to-person transactions, allowing RBank customers to send and receive funds from other banks. As times continue to change, Robinsons Bank strives to fulﬁll the needs of its customers by em-

powering them with seamless solutions that will help them grow their business. Do you want to become an RBank Merchant? Visit http://bit.ly/RBankBizMerchant to know more. Robinsons Bank is the ﬁnancial services arm of the JG Summit Group of Companies, one of the largest conglomerates in the Philippines. It currently ranks 18th among universal and commercial banks in the country, with assets amounting to Php 151.215 Bn as of December 2020. The Bank is recognized as the Fastest Growing Commercial Bank in the Philippines for 2020 by the Global Business Outlook; and the Best Commercial Bank in the Philippines for 2020 by the International Business Magazine. RBank was also recognized as an Outstanding Employer at the PH Best Employer Brand Awards 2020. For inquiries and concerns, you may reach Robinsons Bank through its Customer Care Center at (02) 8637-CARE (2273) or domestic toll-free 1-800-10-637-CARE (2273); or visit its website at www.robinsonsbank.com.ph. Like us on Facebook at www. facebook.com/robinsonsbank/ and join our Viber Community at www.bit.ly/RBankCommunity to get the latest updates.

AS THE country ramps up efforts to overcome the global health crisis, Globe seals its partnership with Antipolo to power up its local government and select medical facilities with Free GoWiFi and Automated Mobile Blaster (AMBER) services. This is Globe’s response to provide Antipolo LGU’s personnel, and more importantly, its residents to stay connected with safe, secure and reliable WiFi connectivity in order to perform day-to-day obligations, as well as stay connected and informed with the LGU’s activities and movements. Apart from the Antipolo City Hall, nearby residents of Antipolo may conveniently connect to free GoWiFi services in the following key hospitals located in Antipolo: Rizal Provincial Hospital Padilla, Rizal Provincial Hospital Dalig, Rizal Provincial Mambugan. With nearby GoWiFi spots, Globe is able to empower Antipolo’s health care service through telemedicine and facilitates pandemic response and coordination, as well as remain in constant communication with their families and loved-ones to ease their worries. Globe has also provided Antipolo with AMBER as a valuable tool to help disseminate information to its residents for community announcements such as updates on its ongoing vaccination program. Antipolo City Mayor, Hon. Andrea Ynares Ynares is thankful for its partnership with the telco, expressing that she is one with Globe's purpose of treating people right to create a Globe of Good. “We are thankful to Globe for powering Antipolo with these life-enabling tools and innovations so our residents are able to live and even thrive in the new normal,” she said. “With GoWiFi and AMBER in place, Globe is helping Antipolenyos stay online, connected, and informed, mula sa mga estudyante at mga guro, mga namamasada, manggagawa, at iba pa.” GoWiFi is Globe’s largest free WiFi service in the country that aims to provide customers with a better connectivity experience. Now accessible in over 3,100 locations nationwide, GoWiFi can be accessed in select supermarkets, malls, hospitals, LGUs, coffee shops, convenience stores, transport terminals, and restaurants and is available for users regardless of network provider. Filipinos may conveniently connect to Globe GoWiFi hotspots in government ofﬁces such as Land Transportation Ofﬁce (LTO), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA). Apart from Antipolo, Globe has also secured partnerships with the LGUs in the following areas: Quezon City, Pasig, Makati, Iloilo, Rizal, Manila and San Juan.

Shopee holds 1st Shopee U summit to equip entrepreneurs for E-Commerce SHOPEE, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, holds the inaugural Shopee University Summit with the theme, “Equipping MSMEs for E-Commerce,” to help budding entrepreneurs capture e-commerce opportunities. This May 27, 2021, industry leaders, successful online sellers, and top brands will share their knowledge and expertise to help online business owners utilize evolving digital tools to grow their businesses online. Filipinos continue to favor e-commerce platforms, with 86% using mobile shopping apps each month. Therefore, brands, online sellers, and MSMEs need to utilize online platforms to reach more consumers and strengthen their presence in the digital landscape. As more consumers turn to online platforms for their needs, brands and micro, medium, and small enterprises (MSMEs) should know how to market their products and services in the digital landscape to achieve success. This is why Shopee wants to invite all entrepreneurs and aspiring business owners to join the ﬁrst virtual Shopee University Summit to understand the basics of e-commerce and how they can maximize the potential of e-commerce and succeed in growing their business online. In addition to in-depth discussions about e-commerce best practices and tips, participants can look forward to amazing prizes at the rafﬂe draw from brands HP, Globe myBusiness, Mcdodo, Asus, Seagate, and Puluz: At the Shopee University Summit, participants can gain insights on how to better maximize opportunities on e-commerce and hear

Participants can learn from distinguished experts on the benefits of social media marketing, paid advertisements, live streaming, and more.

from industry leaders on: DTI Supports MSMEs by Assistant Secretary Jean Pacheco E-Commerce Lead at the Department of Trade and Industry How to Onboard Your Business on Shopee

by Raymond Caguin, Head of Marketplace Acquisition at Shopee How MSMEs can Transition Easily to Digital: Tips and Trends by Joey Flores, Head of Strategic Services at AdSpark

Facebook Tools MSMEs Can Use for their Online Business by Marty Buragay, Client Solutions, Emerging Verticals & Country Product Lead, Video at Facebook Philippines At the event, individuals can also look forward to talks on how to transition and grow their businesses online, using marketing tools available on Shopee like Shopee Live to expand brand awareness and hear success stories from existing Shopee sellers. Participants can also learn innovation tips and best practices when selling online from Krie Reyes-Lopez, Founder and CEO, and Mavic Punay, Sales Director of Messy Bessy; Marvin Montes, Sales Head at Globe myBusiness; and Christian Reyes, Philippines & Pakistan Managing Director at HP Inc. Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “Shopee is excited to launch our firstever Shopee University Summit to provide entrepreneurs with the right tools, platform, and knowledge to succeed in the evolving digital landscape. As consumers continue to turn to online platforms for their daily needs, business owners need to adapt their business strategies to widen their reach. Shopee is committed to helping make the transition online for budding entrepreneurs easy and efficient. We will continue to come up with initiatives to help brands and local sellers to reach their full potential in the e-commerce space.” Interested participants can sign up on this link http://bit.ly/ShopeeUniSummit until May 26 May, 2021, and slots will be confirmed via email on a first-come, first-serve basis. Shop, buy load, and pay bills with ShopeePay. Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

Motoring

Ramon L. Tomeldan Editor

SATURDAY, MAY 22, 2021

MONACO GP PREVIEW

HAMILTON turns up heat on VERSTAPPEN ahead of street fight L

EWIS Hamilton made the main threat to his Formula One supremacy bristle ahead of the return this weekend of the Monaco Grand Prix, suggesting Red Bull’s Max Verstappen “feels he has a lot to prove”.

The Mercedes seven-time champion leads Verstappen by 14 points after four races in what is emerging as a gripping two-horse race for the 2021 drivers crown. The pair have produced some electric wheel-towheel action and Hamilton, who has three wins to Verstappen’s one, acknowledged the “respect between us”. Their two cars have touched only once, at the first corner in Imola, with Hamilton saying: “I think I’ve done well to avoid all the incidents so far, but we’ve got 19 more (races) to go and we could connect, hopefully not.” He added: “I think perhaps (Max) feels he has a lot to prove. “I’m not necessarily in the same boat there and I’m more long-term, ‘it’s a marathon not a sprint’ sort of mentality, which is ultimately why I have the stats that I have. “So I’ll continue with that and I’ll do everything to make sure that we avoid connecting.” Verstappen responded when appearing later at the same Monaco media briefing, saying “I have nothing to prove”. “And avoiding contact, I think it goes both ways. So we have done well, that’s true. But we race hard, we’ve avoided contact both sides, so let’s hope we can keep doing that and keep being on track and racing hard against each other.” Monaco’s iconic street circuit is back on the F1 menu after last year’s race was dropped from the

Five reasons why the UX should be your starter Lexus

Hamilton is going for his 101st pole position and 99th win this weekend, while Verstappen has yet to take the chequered flag in the Principality.

coronavirus-disrupted season. The presence of 7,500 fans is also an indication that gradually a degree of normalcy is returning to the sport’s landscape. In 2019 Hamilton narrowly held off Verstappen to claim his third win in Monaco, and given Red Bull’s improved performance this term he anticipates a ferocious fight on Sunday. “Red Bull are going to be very, very hard to beat this weekend. This is a track that has always been strong for them, and given how close the gap is between us, you can imagine this weekend they could be ahead,” said the Briton.

Craftsmanship

While the contemporary styling of the exterior speaks for itself, the interiors of the Lexus UX is another story. Once you enter the car, you’ll feel the kind of luxury pampering Lexus is famous for. Think: Sashiko (an ageold Japanese embroidery art ) quilted leather seats which have strategic perforation which air passes through, keeping occupants cool and comfortable on long journeys; and a washi-inspired dashboard trim bring unique Japanese elements in the Lexus UX; while the shoulders, center console, and armrests are shaped to convey a reassuring hug of a safe ride ahead. A fancy feature of the Lexus UX is its air-conditioning knobs with LED illumination powered by electromagnetic resonance which make it appear as if they’re floating.

‘Unique’

“But we’re going to do everything we can to make sure that’s not the case.” Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff agreed. “We head into the weekend knowing they are the team to beat,” said the Austrian who was thrilled to be back at the legendary F1 venue. “It’s such a unique, intense weekend for the drivers and the team, with no margin for error. It puts the fire under your ass, and we love the challenge.” With Friday a rest day in Monaco first and second practice is held unusually on Thursday, ahead of third practice and qualifying on Saturday. The narrow streets make overtaking tricky, placing even greater emphasis on a front row seat in Sunday’s grid - 11 of the past 15 winners started on pole. HAMILTON

Urban Practicality

This subcompact luxury SUV was designed with the urban environment in mind, so it is easy to drive around the city. It further marks a series of technical innovations, including the first use of the new Global Architecture Compact (GA-C), which delivers fundamental high structural rigidity and a low center of gravity, thus securing excellent ride quality and stability.

Performance

Taking it farther down the offroad CHOOSING the right tire for an SUV requires careful thought and an understanding of how and where the SUV will see action. SUV. Three letters that mean practicality, versatility, and fun. But a Sport Util- O FFROAD I N G ity Vehicle is only as good as its tires. It is, after all, where the rubber literally meets the road. Choosing the right tire for an SUV requires careful thought and an understanding of how and where the SUV will see action. Here we zero in on three kinds of tires from Maxxis Tires Philippines, and see if their slogan, “Takes you further”, will take an SUV further on the challenging conditions of Philippine roads. Their SUV/4x4 Bravo Series comprises three models: Bravo HP-M3, AT-771, and AT-980, each being designed and manufactured to provide choices to drivers with an SUV or 4x4 vehicle. First up, the Bravo HP-M3. The perfect choice as an on-road tire that refuses to sacrifice speed, wet-road handling, comfort, and safety. In highway speeds, its continuous centre rib design with slanted sipes - the groove that gives the tire its grip - provides outstanding stability on wet conditions any Philippine driver experiences during the rainy season. Add in the wide circumferential grooves to channel and expel water for hydroplaning resistance and the Bravo HP-M3 reveals itself as a premium all-season touring tire. It is also surprisingly quiet for all that muscled grip. Second, The Bravo AT-771. Its tread is noticeably more aggressive and more off-road capable. Surprisingly, the off-road features do not sacrifice on-road viability. Hydroplaning resistance and wet traction qualities are still achieved through its tread design. Its tread and lug’s design makes all the difference on how well it handles and how long it lasts offroad. This tire would be ideal for someone who loves their SUV and takes it everywhere - much like their smartphone. Put on your office shoes and take it to work on the weekdays, then load up your gear and hit the trails on the weekends. Lastly, The Bravo AT-980. The big guns. For the driver looking to invest a bit more into having a blast on the trail. It shrugs off damage with its deep tread blocks, and grips and holds on to the terrain because of its aggressive zig-zag pattern. This pattern also conveniently self-cleans and provides outstanding braking and on-road performance, regardless whether it’s dry and sunny outside or wet and muddy. Aggressive tires usually compromise when it comes to handling on the road, but not the AT-980. The square tread shape maximizes contact patch and makes handling re-

FOR active urban adventurers with discerning tastes, the ideal car has to tick all of the right boxes. Is it stylish and bold? Is it powerful yet fuel efficient? Is it built to a very high standard? And lastly, does it give a sense of satisfaction every time you get behind the wheel? The Lexus UX (short for Urban Explorer) offers all that and more. Engineered to cater to urbanites in search of a fresh and dynamic take on luxury driving, the UX offers Lexus’ innovative design, luxurious features, and advanced safety in a package which combines contemporary style and an efficient engine. Here are five reasons why the Lexus UX is the perfect entry level SUV into this worldrenowned luxury brand.

sponsive. Most importantly, it’s durable. The AT-980, with its robust nylon cap ply and durable sidewall, gives it puncture resistance and more bruising protection. The verdict: the Bravo Series by Maxxis Tires Philippines offers Philippine drivers and their SUVs or 4x4s a variety of choices to suit their driving style, the terrain, and their lifestyle. The Bravo HP-M3 is an excellent choice for on-road applications; the Bravo AT-771 is the ticket to both light trail and on-road driving in the Philippines; and the Bravo AT-980 gives the best experience on the trails without compromising onroad practicality. Bottomline: There’s a tire for every SUV driving condition. The more you know, the better the journey. An SUV is only as good as its tires. It is, after all, literally where the rubber meets the road.

The UX boasts razor-sharp steering response and a really solid and secure ride thanks to its lowered design. This makes the car aerodynamic and together with its powerful engine, lets you zip safely through wide avenues and narrow city streets.

Driver-Centric Technology

For the UX, Lexus designers created a seamless design that brings the aesthetic of the outside, in which is akin to traditional Japanese architectural concept called ENGAWA. For instance, the upper section of the instrument panel appears to extend beyond the windshield into the front of the car, giving you an infinite view of the road and beyond. The UX was designed to encourage you to keep your eyes on the road. Because safety comes first, all controls and gauges are strategically placed within reach and sight for optimal efficiency. The center console box and palm rest are melded into one unit, creating a long armrest which provides maximum convenience, comfort, and ease of use.

It’s a Lexus

Delve deeper into the history of Lexus and be pleased to discover its automobiles are crafted to a very high standard. The Lexus UX offers the same level of refinement and the Takumi master craftsmanship of the entire Lexus lineup.

Isuzu opens 47th outlet, closes in on target By Othel Campos ISUZU Philippines Corp. is on track with keeping its target to put up 50 dealerships by 2021, as it opens its 47th showroom in partnership with Velocity Motor Sales Corporation. In view of the ongoing pandemic, both have mutually agreed to hold the contract signing ceremony virtually making it a first in the organization’s history. “IPC officially welcomes Velocity Motors Sales Corporation to our growing network. As you may all know, we are on our “road to 50 dealerships” and today seals our 47th outlet nationwide. We have been wanting to further establish our presence in Zambales so thank you to Velocity Motors for partnering with us in capturing the market and being part of our expansion project. We are committed to continuously provide the best products and services in our new home in Subic,” said IPC president Hajime Koso. The newest addition to IPC network will soon rise at Block 3 Rizal Highway, Subic Gateway District within the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Zambales. Velocity Motor is highly recognized for

their expertise and achievements when it comes to trucks and bodybuilding in the northern coast of Central Luzon. “Isuzu is without a doubt the undisputed number one brand for trucks and equally successful in the SUV and Pickup segments. At Velocity Motors, we choose to invest only in the best and IPC is such in its circle of competence,” said Velocity Motor president Jason Hao. “We are confident that IPC will always choose the best balance of products and systems of operations for its clients, shareholders, and us dealers ensuring succes s for years to come,” he added. Isuzu Subic’s 3,799-sqm dealership will follow the Isuzu Outlet Standard (IOS) and include a display showroom, a customer mezzanine and parts warehouse. Although the main area already holds a 1,380-sqm service workshop that caters to both commercial and light commercial vehicles, there will also be a dedicated 1,518sqm off-site space with a preparation bay and paint booth for body repairs in an effort to accommodate more vehicles, especially trucks, that require heavy-duty maintenance. “Velocity Motors will persevere and see to

IPC president Hajime Koso (left) and Velocity Motor president Jason Hao

it that we will uphold Isuzu’s commitment to Filipinos here in Subic. Being in business for over 40 years, we have been witnesses to the cycles of industry and commerce in the region being in constant evolution, more so now in transition to the ‘new normal’. But we are in this for the long haul and believe that winners are tested and built through time,” Hao said. IPC was recently recognized by Isuzu Motors Limited in Japan for earning Triple

Stars in the 2020 Aftersales Awards. Only four other distributors and dealers in the six regions around the globe was awarded the top rating. The company strives to sustain this feat in the coming years and Isuzu Subic’s extended facility and increased capacity is just one of several action plans being taken to provide more access to the brand’s highest quality of aftersales servicing and parts fulfillment in the country.