BusinessMirror February 29, 2020 by BusinessMirror

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Saturday, February 29, 2020 Vol. 15 No. 142

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A SHOT AT MILITARY n

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SELF-RELIANCE

By Rene Acosta

PROPOSAL to build military industrial complexes within the country’s special economic zones, especially in idle military lands, has gained the support of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), believing that this may well be the first step in realizing its dream of a self-reliant military force to reckon with.

PHILIPPINE Marines are seen at an amphibious landing exercise with American soldiers on May 9, 2018. AP/BULLIT MARQUEZ

VLADIMIRFLOYD | DREAMSTIME.COM

A PROPOSAL TO BUILD MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEXES ON IDLE LANDS INSIDE ECOZONES GAINS SUPPORT FROM THE AFP It is a known fact that the military is still acquiring most of its assets and equipment through its multibillion-peso capability upgrade program, and, in the process, continues to attract offers from among the world’s biggest defense contractors and suppliers. As such, it welcomes the proposal of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza), through its director general Charito Plaza, to create and host military factories and assembly plants within the country’s special economic zones, with focus on military reservations and other unused property and bases of the AFP. “It is a welcome development. Anything that will support and Continued on a2

PLAZA: “Creating a defense industrial ecozone will not just modernize the country and the defense forces, but will also create jobs and put to use the long…idle military reservation areas.” PIA CAR

Why Spain cannot shake one of world’s highest jobless rates

PAIN’S vicious start-and-stop cycle of bad jobs has become one of Europe’s most chronic economic dilemmas, a problem unresolved by its post-crisis boom.

For Raquel Garcia, that means peak tourist season in the Spanish province of Cadiz is her one shot each year to find a full-time job. “When the summer comes, boom!” the 34-year-old says. But then the market goes bust, and thousands wait for the season to come around again. At the end of August, Garcia lost the full-time job she’d held for four months as a waitress, leaving her and her son to live off the couple hundred euros in unemployment insurance and subsidies they receive each month. The unemployment rate in the southern province is 25 percent, among the highest in the developed world. The situation remains critical

despite years of robust economic expansion in Spain and successive interest-rate cuts that have propped up the broader European economy. It’s been masked by a steady decline in the overall euro-area unemployment rate, which has fallen to the lowest level since 2008. Much of the blame lies in deep-seated domestic problems. The country has the European Union’s highest rate of precarious temporary contracts; the highest rate of high-school dropouts and among the highest portions of low-skilled workers. It has one of the lowest rates of mobility, which means Spaniards often stay in cit-

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 50.9370

AERIAL view of the old city rooftops and Cathedral de Santa Cruz in Cádiz, an ancient port city in the Andalucia region of southwestern Spain. OLGACOV | DREAMSTIME.COM

ies with few job opportunities. There are some signs that those structural issues have become more entrenched. Job growth has begun to stagnate and economists say the unemployment rate

probably won’t fall much below 12 percent or so in the coming years. “It is a dysfunctional labor market,” said Marcel Jansen, a professor at the Autonomous University in Madrid. “We need to bring

structural unemployment back to reasonable levels.” Successive governments have failed to tackle the over-reliance on temporary contracts. The only major, recent attempt to improve la-

bor laws was in 2012, a post-crisis revamp credited with spurring the economic expansion. Spain’s new left-wing government has put the issue back in the Continued on a2

n JAPAN 0.4649 n UK 65.6425 n HK 6.5362 n CHINA 7.2720 n SINGAPORE 36.5140 n AUSTRALIA 33.4554 n EU 56.0409 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.5781

Source: BSP (February 28, 2020)

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A2 Saturday, February 29, 2020

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A shot at military self-reliance Continued from a1

sustain the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines is very much welcome,” said military Public Affairs Office Chief Capt. Jonathan Zata.

Military complexes

IN putting forward plans to create privately owned and operated defense complexes in idle military lands and bases, or even transform some of the existing economic zones into such, Plaza wanted the country to produce its own requirements for the military, including weapons. According to Plaza, the proposal will not only benefit the AFP, but even the whole country as it will spur industrialization, thus helping the economy remain afloat, and at the same time, create additional jobs for Filipinos. “Creating a defense industrial ecozone will not just modernize the country and the defense forces, but will also create jobs and put to use the long…idle military reservation areas,” a BusinessMirror report earlier quoted Plaza as saying. “Because of our strategic location, we can also make the Philippines the manufacturing hub of defense and other industries in the region,” she added. This early, Plaza, a military reservist with the rank of a brigadier general, has called on the military to start inviting defense companies into the country, especially those whose products will fit into the AFP’s ongoing modernization

A MARINE Scout Sniper Rifle made by the Government Arsenal. ROY KABANLIT/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS CC BY-SA 4.0

requirement and its other needs. While self-reliance has been a long-time dream that remains so for the military, most countries in the region, including Taiwan and Indonesia, are already producing their own defense requirement, with Indonesia even already exporting its products. The two newest and biggest strategic sealift vessels of the Philippine Navy, including the new BRP Davao del Sur which is in the Middle East helping in the repatriation of Filipinos, were acquired from Indonesia. On the other hand, Taiwan is equipping its Navy with indigenously built submarines.

The Government Arsenal

THE dream of domestically producing the country’s defense needs, especially for weapons-related requirements, was behind the decision to create the Government Arsenal (GA), which is under the Department of National Defense. The office and its production

line, which sits at the 370-hectare defense industrial estate at Barangay Lamao in Limay, Bataan, was created by Republic Act 1884, purposely “to achieve a reasonable time sufficiency in small arms, mortars, and other weapons, ammunition for these weapons, and other munitions for the use of the military establishment.” It had been envisioned to become the center for defense industries to meet domestic needs and supply the “world market.” However, despite its existence and mandate, the military still partly, if not wholly, procures such requirements from abroad, indicating the GA had failed in meeting the needs of the AFP, for which purpose it was created. The Government Arsenal produced the first SAA (single-action army) cartridge on August 15, 1971, or 14 years after it was created. In July last year, two Korean companies, Samyang Comtech Co. Ltd. and BuHeung Precision, broke ground for their production plants

THE Austal Philippines shipyard in Cebu. PHILIPPINES.AUSTAL.COM

for force protection equipment (FPE) and 5.56mm magazine at the GA compound in Bataan. Samyang will put up the FPE manufacturing and testing facilities that will have an annual production capacity of 20,000 sets of armored vests and ballistics helmets; while BuHeung will build a 5.56mm 30-round magazine manufacturing plant that will supply the military with magazines.

Only two private firms

WHILE defense is a multibillionpeso industry, and given the ongoing modernization program of the military, the country is not attracting big-time defense contractors and manufacturers to relocate, or

at least put up their local offices and even assembly plants here. Only two companies, the Filipino-Australian shipbuilding company Austal Philippines and the locally owned Propmech Corp., are based here in the country, and in the process, got contracts with the AFP, while other contractors are dealing with the military through their offices abroad. Austal Philippines, through its local engineers and designers, will build the six offshore patrol vessels for the Philippine Navy, which is among the big-ticket items under the military’s modernization program at its shipyard in Balamban, Cebu. On the other hand, Propmech has delivered the Navy’s Multi-

Purpose Attack Craft, including the newest version, MK 3, some of which have been armed with Israeli-made Spike-ER missiles, from its shipyard in Subic. The Navy is planning to acquire more of this boat, as it envisions packing its inventory with dozens of this small but potent vessel. Likewise, while an Israeli company, tasked to deliver eight fast attack interdiction craft (FAIC) vessels, also for the Navy, will build four of the boats in the country, they would still be undertaken at the Navy’s shipyard in Cavite. The other four will be built in Israel. According to Zata, majority, if not almost all of the assets and equipment of the military are being imported.

Why Spain cannot shake one of world’s highest jobless rates

A FARMER blocks the center of the city with his tractor during a protest in Pamplona, northern Spain, on February 19, 2020. Farmers across Spain are taking part in mass protests over what they say are plummeting incomes for agricultural workers. AP/ALVARO BARRIENTOS Continued from a1

spotlight with plans to reverse some of those changes. Economists warn it would be better to improve the previous reforms rather than undo them, which could be damaging at a time of slower economic growth. Spain’s system makes it easier and cheaper to fire a worker on a temporary contract. Around 90 percent of the jobs created in recent years have been temporary—one quarter lasts for less than a week. The market discourages companies from investing in training, which makes it hard for workers to build up the skills they need to escape the trap of sporadic unemployment. Some never make it out. Rosario Rodriguez, 49, has spent her adult life working on short-term contracts, most recently as an assistant in the kitchen and laundry room of a nursing home. Still, she’s never considered leaving her home city of Cadiz. “When I think about the future, it’s very bleak,” she said, walking out of an unemployment office in central Cadiz recently. “In cities where there are more opportunities, the rent is a lot more expensive.”

In Cadiz, the problems date to before the 2008 crisis. The province’s once-powerful ship builders have been shedding jobs for decades and the production of Cadiz’s famed sherry wine has become more mechanized, requiring less manual labor. Some business executives in Cadiz and elsewhere say unemployment is lower than the data suggest because people are working small side jobs in the underground economy. That might be providing an escape valve for some, but economists say it’s not widespread—and those people are still likely to be underemployed and not earning much. For many, the problem is they’re stuck with mortgages that make it hard to leave. Home ownership in Spain is the highest among large EU countries, while the rental market is short on apartments and long on complex and costly paperwork, making it hard for the unemployed to mull over a move to a new city. “There’s not an extensive rental market to facilitate those kinds of moves—it’s an important impediment to mobility,” said Miguel Cardoso, an econo-

mist at Spanish lender BBVA. Also, it can be difficult in some regional administrations to transfer benefits from one region to another, another disincentive to moving. Even for those who decide to take the financial risk, it can be hard to figure out the best positions available. Spain has a government-run website for job seekers but economists say it’s not updated frequently and doesn’t include many of the available positions. Public employment agencies aren’t as widely used compared with other EU countries. Some Spanish offices, such as in the industrialized Basque Country, have had success training unemployed workers for in-demand jobs. But those in the less industrialized south—where unemployment is the worst—have struggled. Garcia, the waitress who was fired in August, recently found a job at a restaurant once a week, where she barely earns enough money to pay her bills. “Cadiz is so rich because it has the ocean, it has the mountains and the food is absolutely delicious,” she said. “But at the same time, it’s so poor.” Bloomberg News

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www.businessmirror.com.ph • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

Davao council endorses ₧281B proposed projects By Manuel T. Cayon Mindanao Bureau Chief

AVAO CITY—The Regional Development Council (RDC) here has endorsed more than P281 billion worth of budget proposals submitted by 48 national government agencies, state colleges and universities and government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) in the Davao Region to cover the years 2020 and 2021. Of the P281 billion-endorsed budget proposals, P168 billion, or 60 percent, were allocated for regular programs, activities and projects (PAPs) of agencies under Tier 1 while, and another P113 billion,

or 40 percent, were allotted for new and expanded PAPs under Tier 2, according to the National Economic and Development Authority. The five agencies with the highest-funded budget proposals for 2021 were the Department of Public Works and Highways Region 11 with P155 billion, Department of Education 11 with P70.2 billion, National Housing Authority 11 with P15.8 billion, Philippine National Police 11 with P11.1 billion and, Department of Social Welfare and Development 11 with P9.1 billion. The budget proposals of these five regional agencies comprise nearly 93 percent of the total budget proposals for Davao region.

U.S. SAYS CHINESE SHIP FIRED LASER AT AMERICAN AIRCRAFT

ASHINGTON—A Chinese Navy ship fired a laser at a US surveillance aircraft flying over the Philippine Sea west of Guam, the Navy said Thursday, acknowledging the incident more than a week after it happened. The Navy said the People’s Republic of China naval destroyer lased the American P- 8 A Po s e i d o n a i r c r a f t i n a n a c t t h e US deemed unsafe and a violation of international codes and agreements. The statement from US Pacific Fleet said the laser

was detected by sensors on the aircraft, but was not visible to the naked eye. “Weapons-grade lasers could potentially cause serious harm to aircrew and mariners, as well as ship and aircraft systems,” the Navy said. The incident took place about 380 miles west of Guam. T h e Po s e i d o n c r e w i s d e p l o y e d t o Kadena Air Force Base in Okinawa, Japan. The squadron conducts routine operations, maritime patrol, and reconnaissance in the Pacific Fleet area. AP

Saturday, February 29, 2020

New Palace EO bans ‘unregistered or adulterated’ vapes and HTPs By Samuel P. Medenilla

RESIDENT Duterte signed a new executive order (EO) on Wednesday mandating the registration of all electronic nicotine and non-nicotine delivery systems (ENDS/ ENNDS) components and banning the use of such items in public spaces. The Palace released EO 106, which prohibits the “manufacture, distribution, marketing or sale of unregistered or adulterated ENDS/ENNDS components thereof in the form of devices, e-liquids, solutions or refills whether physical or part of or intended to be used with ENDS/ENNDS, heated tobacco products [HTP] and other novel tobacco products.” Once the EO takes effect 15 days after its publication, e-liquids, solutions or refills component of ENDS/ENNDS or HTPS must be registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). “All establishments engaged in the manufacture, distribution, importation, marketing and sale of ENDS/ ENNDS, HTPs, or their components, shall secure License to Operate [LTO] from the FDA,” Duterte said. FDA will also be tasked to come out with the implementing rules and regulations for the LTO issuance within 30 days of the effectivity of EO 106. The President also ordered the

Bureau of Customs (BOC) to formulate its policy to block the entry of unregistered, or adulterated, ENDS/ ENNDS, HTPs and their components in the domestic market. The FDA and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) were tasked to come out with product standards that will apply for devices forming components of ENDS/ENDDS or HTPs in accordance with Republic Act 7394 and 11467. The Inter-Agency Committee-Tobacco (IAC-T) was required to make issuance regulating “novel tobacco products.”

chase, of cigarettes or other tobacco products by a minor, or of ENDS/ ENNDS, HTPS or their components by a person below 21 years old will also be implemented. The EO also declared illegal the use of container or packages of ENDS/ENNDS, HTP and the components thereof without the necessary texts from FDA; incorporation of “toxic, addictive or sensitizing” flavors and additives to e-liquids, solutions, refills; and adding of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or cannabinoid compounds in the liquids of ENDS/ENNDS and HTPs.

Restricted use

Expanded mandate

EO 106 banned smoking/vaping within enclosed public places and public conveyances, whether stationary or in motion, except in designated smoking/ vaping areas (DSVA). The Palace order also prohibited the selling, or purchase, of the said products to persons below 21 years old. The selling, or posting, of promotional materials of the said products and their components in a school, public playground, youth hostels, recreational facilities for minor, areas frequented by minors, or within 100 meters from any point in the perimeter of these places was declared unlawful. A ban on the use, sale, or pur-

THE new issuance expanded the covered clients of the established smoking cessation programs of local government units (LGU) to include those who use ENDS/ENNDS, HTPs and novel tobacco products. Likewise it also enjoined cities and municipalities to put up their smoke/ vape free task forces. “Members of the Philippine National Police and smoke/vape-free task forces are directed to carry out the provision of this order, including the apprehension of violators and the institutions of criminal proceedings for violations of this order in accordance with relevant laws, rules and

regulations, and strictly observing due process,” Duterte said. Duterte issued EO 106 in response to the report of the Department of Health (DOH) that “users and by-standers exposed to emissions of ENDS/ENNDS, HTPs and other novel tobacco products are at similar risks of respiratory illness, cardiovascular diseases, addiction, cancer, neurodegeneration, brain development retardation, anxiety, sexual and reproductive dysfunction, among other health conditions.” To recall, DOH, through the FDA, tried to regulate ENDS/ENNDS through the implementation of Administrative Order (AO) 2019-0007. However, the AO was not implemented after the Pasig City Regional Trial Court issued a preliminary injunction ordering against it.

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Technology innovation to boost productivity and competitiveness

ICRO, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are encouraged to adopt technology innovations to improve their operations, and enhance their productivity and competitiveness. During a General Membership Meeting of the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. Rowena Cristina Guevara, undersecretary for research and development at the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), said the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) provides science and technology (S&T) assistance for these companies. “This is a way that the DOST helps MSMEs all over the country. We have many ways of helping you. We can help you by technology transfer, we all help you through scientific and technological services, market support [and develop-

ment], and we have the SETUP innovation fund,” she said. Guevara cited as an example the DOST doing technology needs assessment for companies. She said it has programs on cleaner production and food safety, and manufacturing productivity extension for export industry modernization comprising of plant layout; time and motion studies; waste management; and production planning. “We also do packaging and labeling assistance…we can package all sorts of things. For example, one of our packaging is for durian. If you remove durian from its outer cover, it smells so bad that for

some people, it’s very difficult to transfer. We have a packaging, when you put durian there, you won’t smell anything. So those are the things our packaging group is doing,” she said. Guevara said priority sector distribution of SETUP projects include food processing; furniture; Agriculture/aquaculture/forestry; gifts, décors and handicrafts; metals and engineering; information communications technology; health; and regional priorities. She said the program also assists adaptors to showcase their products online if these qualify. OneSTore helps the MSMEs expand their customer reach and increase brand awareness, she added. Guevara said there are 12,320 Filipino products available online, and already P188.54 million worth of local products were sold through oneSTore hubs. To improve the ease of doing business, she said a network of laboratories known as OneLab was organized and an information-technology solution was developed—

the Laboratory Online Referral System, Guevara said. OneLab aims to provide convenient, and easy, access to laboratory testing and calibration services, thus meeting customers need at a single touch point. “The online referral system allows for seamless handling of samples from receiving, referral, transport, analysis to prompt delivery of test and calibration results no matter where the customers are in the country,” she added. Guevara said they are expanding OneLab in other countries, like Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Australia. She said OneExpert, on the other hand, is an interactive Web-based nationwide pool of S&T experts intended to provide technical advice and consultancy services to Filipinos anywhere they are in the Philippines. “[This is] intended to improve access to experts and technologies, particularly by people living outside of the major urban centers where most research and technical institutions are located,” she added.

DTI, AKC, private sector team up for inbound biz mission By Kit S. Andaya

TIDS, DTI-EMB Knowledge Processing Division

S part of the government’s efforts to promote the Philippines’s creative industries, the Philippine Trade and Investment Center-Seoul (PTICSeoul) and the Department of Trade and Industry-Export Marketing Bureau (DTIEMB) partnered with Asean-Korea Centre (AKC), in collaboration with Animation Council of the Philippines Inc. (ACPI), Game Developers Association of the Philippines and Creative Content Creators Association of the Philippines in organizing an inbound business mission on February 5 and 6, 2020. AKC Secretary-General Ambassador Lee Hyuk led the Korean delegation and was supported by Philippine EmbassyKorea Ambassador Noe A. Wong, and and PTIC-Seoul Commercial Counselor

Jose Ma. Dinsay. “The recognition of the creative industry’s contribution in the country’s economic growth will expose more Filipino talents in these fields. We hope that this Korea inbound business mission will open more opportunities for our PHL talents, particularly our animation sector,” DTI-Trade Promotions Group Undersecretary Abdulgani M. Macatoman said. Part of the delegation’s activities were the company visits to Synergy88 Entertainment Media Inc., Toon City (Morph Animation Inc.), GameOps Inc. and Definite Gaming Pte. Ltd. on February 5, 2020. The 16 Korean companies from animation, game and Webtoon sectors visited. Synergy 88 Media Entertainment is the creator of the first Filipino anime, Barangay 143, which was aired in GMA Television. Morph Animation Inc. is the world’s top

22 Best Animation Studio. Morph Animation is a Filipino animation production house and ranks 22nd-top animation companies globally. It is home to major clients around the world, including Disney Television Animation, Universal Animation Studios, Warner Bros. Animation, Rovio Entertainment, etc., offering the very best in high-quality 2D traditional, cutout and flash animation. Meanwhile, Definite Gaming is a startup mobile game development and publishing that focuses on social casino mobile games, Japanese-role playing games and ecchivisual novels. GamesOps is a video game solutions provider and pioneered the GameDev Philippines whose main purpose is to position the country as a premier international hub for the video game industry. On February 6, the organizers sched-

uled a business forum and the businessto-business (B2B) matching session. The forum, “Philippine-Korea Creative Industry Cooperation,” was led by DTI-Foreign Trade Service Corps Manila Office headed by Executive Director and Coordinating Officer Magnolia U. Ashley. Some 20 Philippine companies from animation, game development and creative content sectors held a prescheduled oneon-one business-matching activity with the 16 counterpart Korean companies in Fairmont Hotel, Makati City. The 16 Korean companies were composed of: eight companies from animation, five from game development, two from Webtoon, and one from online press. The B2B matching session was one of the main features of the business mission with 103 business meetings that happened on the day and has potential sales of $1.7 million.

PPA issues procedures for ships from China, territories

HE Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has issued port protocols geared toward preventing the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). PPA Memorandum Circular 02-2020, dated and effective February 12, is in conjunction with relevant advisories issued by the Bureaus of Quarantine (BOQ), of Immigration; Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases; and other concerned government agencies regarding COVID-19. It also follows President Duterte’s order to ban travel to and from China, and its special administrative regions—Macau and Hong Kong—and Taiwan. MC 022020 applies to all arriving ships that have called at any port in China, its SARs and Taiwan, and all arriving ships with crew and/or passengers who have traveled to China, its SARs and Taiwan in the past 14 days. The order noted that all PPA ports remain open to all ships, except cruise ships, from or had port calls in China, Macau, Hong Kong and Taiwan, regardless of the 14-day incubation period of disease, provided they have been boarded at quarantine anchorage. But on February 14, 2020, the restriction on Taiwan was lifted. Following this development, PPA General Manager Atty. Jay Daniel Santiago, in a text message to PortCalls, said “instructions have already been made to all PMOs [port management offices] to remove Taiwan from the list for immediate implementation.” He added that an MC implementing the exclusion “will be issued forthwith ASAP.” Quarantine anchorage is an anchorage for ships waiting for “free pratique,” or the license given to a ship to enter a port on the assurance that she is free of contagious diseases. In addition, ships cleared at the first port of entry and calling another local port within the 14-day period from China, Macau, Hong Kong and Taiwan must also be boarded at the designated quarantine anchorage by a quarantine maritime officer. After the quarantine and boarding formalities, ships will be allowed to berth and discharge/load cargos, but embarkation/disembarkation of crew will be strictly disallowed. Ships calling on the Philippines more than 14 days after calling at a port in China, Macau, Hong Kong and Taiwan will be allowed entry without restrictions. MC 02-2020 also states that PPA regulations on the filing of notice of arrivals and applications for berth/anchorage will be strictly complied with. PMOs and Terminal Management Offices must receive the Maritime Declaration of Health, crew list/passenger list, current copy of Ship Sanitation Certificate, last five ports call list, Waste on Board Vessel Information Form and other related documents, preferably 24 hours; but not less than eight hours, before vessel arrival, for encoding into PPA’s computer system.

Enterprises offered free consultation on lowering electric bill this summer

NTREPRENEURS who are looking for ways to lower their electricity bill with the onset of the summer season may wish to consult with Meralco Biz Partners, a special unit of Meralco catering to businesses, and providing assistance and solutions to their energy needs, according to an official from the company. Michael Antonio, area head of Meralco Biz Partners Group, said businesses that consume from 5 kilowatts to 499 kilowatts of power can approach this unit for help in opening, expand-

ing or strengthening their operations through safe, reliable and efficient use of power. Antonio, speaking at a recent business gathering, outlined the services the unit provides. These are to assist in setting up and expanding a business; provide energy solutions for existing operations; and give special rate programs to reduce energy bills. He said the group can provide free energy consultancy for those who are opening a business, expanding their operations, or planning to import

machines. He explained that when building a facility for a new business, a company would be well advised to get in touch beforehand so Meralco Biz Partners can work together with the construction team on anticipating, addressing, and resolving any energy issues and constraints. “Please allow us to work with your construction team so that we can… explain to you the process and the requirements,” he continued. Antonio said establishments that plan to expand operations and bring

in imported machines may also avail themselves of the free consultancy. Not all machines imported from abroad will work in the Philippine setting, so consult us in advance before you purchase any heavy machinery to ensure it will run, he said, stressing that consultation is free of charge. Consultancy services available, according to the Meralco web site, include technical consultancy on power load requirements to enable efficient operations, and contract rightsizing to determine if “you

are contracting the right amount of power for your business.” The executive also mentioned Meralco’s peak /off-peak rates program, an alternative energy pricing scheme that is based on the time of day electricity is generated and on the cost of supplying electricity during that time. With this pricing scheme, customers can avail themselves of lower generation costs in their total electricity rate during predefined offpeak hours. This, he said, can enable establishments to cut as much as 40

percent from their electric bill. This can benefit those that can operate at night, from 9 p.m. to 8 a.m. on Mondays to Saturdays, and 8 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays, Antonio said. “This service is best for businesses that can shift a larger part of their operations to off-peak hours and Sundays.” And if a firm has plans of installing solar panels, he said the unit can be contacted to provide guidance on the requirements, safety aspects, and corresponding program to avoid future problems and ensure smooth operations.

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Editor: Angel R. Calso • Saturday, February 29, 2020 A5

Tirso Cruz III: Helping people When you get to meet improve their health and well-being your past again

VETERAN actor Tirso Cruz III and actress Susan Africa share their experiences with the dreaded disease as survivor and caregiver.

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

S a matinee idol in the 1970s, Tirso Cruz III thrilled and entertained millions of Filipinos as the other half of the “Guy and Pip” love tandem. Guy, of course, is Nora Aunor, whose movies and recordings with Pip made them arguably the most popular Philippine show business love team of all time. Currently, the 67-year-old Cruz still acts, and his acting is still impeccable. Proof? His portrayal of a villain character in the longest-running telenovela Ang Probinsyano generally makes him a recipient of viewer’s wrath. Outside of the entertainment world, however, Cruz plays a more important role by spreading health awareness to his fans, young and old alike. He does this in his current role as ambassador of “Hope From Within”—a multi-stakeholder advocacy program led by MSD Philippines. Susan Africa, one of the country’s versatile actresses, is also a “Hope From Within” ambassador. MSD Philippines, which has a long and rich history of working to improve people’s health and well-being, recently hosted a forum with the theme “Voices of Hope, a new era in lung cancer.” During the open forum, Cruz pointed

out the importance of adopting a proactive stance in monitoring your health situation, such as an annual checkup to affirm your health status. Before being diagnosed with stage 2 lung cancer in 2014, Cruz recalled he casually dismissed his excessive coughing and attributed it to smoker’s cough. He was finally convinced to take the test when his son urged him to see a doctor. “A simple executive checkup can do wonders for you. You can determine many things about your health situation. I would advise, a once a year trip to your doctor is a very good move to get the real score on your health, whether you’re feeling okay or not,” he said. Being a heavy smoker for decades, Cruz didn’t find it hard to quit smoking once he learned he had lung cancer. “You don’t have to wait for the time when the disease has entered your body,” he explained. He added: “The fear for my family was a major concern. Having cancer brings a big emotional and psychological impact not only to the patient but also to the family.” Cruz admitted the showbiz environment is a big factor in making or breaking the health condition of an actor or actress. “We have a work that is not healthy. We pushed our bodies to the limit beyond the regular work

routine. It was a regular routine. After work, I go to parties not for social drinking but to get drunk. The cover up is to enjoy life. The macho thing is that you can outdrink anybody. The truth of the matter is you achieve nothing,” he said. Meanwhile, character actress Susan Africa told the audience she initially felt numb when she learned that her husband, Spanky Manikan, had cancer. She recalled that she was doing a taping on a teleserye project when the doctor called and asked her to come to the clinic. Africa said the emotional roller-coaster was quite heavy for the family. “We banned the use of the C word in the house. We took the bull by the horns. We acted as fast as we could,” she recalled. The premier actress said that their savings were immediately depleted. Her recourse was to seek financial and medical assistance from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., Department of Social Welfare and Development, and the National Lung Center, respectively. “The support of my friends and colleagues was awesome when they found out about Spanky and our financial situation,” she said. “So many donations came in to the bank account to the point that AMLA checked out the donations coming from around the world,” Africa recalled. Cruz was fortunate that he caught the cancer at stage 2. “I believe it was the grace of God. My son told me he kept on dreaming about a passage from the Bible that he thought was meant for his father. My son told his mother that the Lord is sending a message for Papa,” Cruz said. Herdee Luna, of the Physical Society of Medical Oncology, pointed out that medical technologies in fields such as surgery and immunotheraphy have improved and are now being used for cancer patients. Moreover, treatment in lung cancer is managed by a multidisciplinary team led by a specialist to guide the patient in choosing the best treatment option for better chances of survival. “Improving treatments have focused on studying the tumor to identify the markers of the patient. We need to identify each marker to target so as to get better chances of survival,” she said. After his successful treatment, Cruz heard the most wonderful words from his doctor. “No recurrences. It means I am okay. It makes you feel more confident knowing you are okay,” he said. “If I can do it, why can’t others also do it?” he asked.

Aurora marks 41st foundation anniversary By Jason de Asis | Philippine News Agency

ALER, Aurora—Residents here celebrated on February 19 the 41st Foundation Day of the province and the 132nd birth anniversary of the late former First Lady Doña Aurora Aragon-Quezon in a simple yet meaningful way. With the theme “Kagalingang Hinubog ng Panahon, Katatagan Laban sa Anumang Hamon,” the occasion kicked off with an ecumenical service at the provincial capitol compound here. This was followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at the bronze statue of Doña Aurora Aragon-Quezon led by acting Gov. Christian Noveras, Aurora Rep. Rommel Rico Angara and Lt. Col. Reandrew P. Rubio, acting commanding officer of the Philippine Army’s 91st Infantry Battalion. Ricky Avanceña, a descendant of Quezon, served as the guest of honor and speaker during the program. He thanked the Aurorans for remembering the good deeds of their great grandmother. Likewise, he thanked Angara for filing a bill that would give due recognition to Doña Aurora—the measure proposing the declaration of April 28 of every year as special working holiday in the province to commemorate her death anniversary. Shierwin Gomez Amatorio, chairman of the Aurora Day Celebration 2020, thanked those who gathered for the simple celebration amid the threat posed by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that resulted in the cancellation of some events. “Let us understand that the health safety of our provincemates is more important than the various events that we are supposed to conduct now for the Aurora Day celebration.

AURORA Rep. Rommel Rico T. Angara, (center) acting Gov. Christian M. Noveras (left) and Lt. Col. Reandrew P. Rubio (right), commander of the Philippine Army’s 91st Infantry Battalion, lead the 41st Foundation Day celebration of Aurora province and the 132nd birth anniversary of the late former First Lady Doña Aurora Aragon-Quezon. The event was held at the provincial capitol compound in Baler, Aurora, on February 19, 2020. PHOTO BY JASON DE ASIS

Let us all pray that the problem we are facing with regard COVID-19 will be addressed immediately,” Amatorio said. Angara, likewise, said that the people’s health and safety are of prime importance, noting that the dreaded coronavirus disease poses a threat to the public. “I know it is very difficult but if I will be in the same situation of acting Gov. Christian, maybe that is the best thing that I can do specially for our children and the general public and once that there is no more danger to our

people, we can do the festivities in the coming season,” Angara said. Noveras decided to cancel some activities for the Aurora Day Celebration 2020 except for the sports fest and anniversary program due to the coronavirus threat. Also present during the program were officials and representatives of some government agencies, local chief executives, military and police personnel, nongovernment organization representatives and other stakeholders.

By Nick Tayag

MY SIXTY-ZEN’S WORTH

UST recently, I was able to reunite with my former boardinghouse mates. They are like “ghosts” who came back from a previous life. We were practically empty vessels then when we shared a boardinghouse in Katipunan in front of Ateneo as young impressionable college students. Meeting each other again after around 50 years, our individual cups are now full. There’s so much to catch up with that two or three hours of being together are not enough to share individual experiences. That house was like a way station in the train of life. Boarders came and went in a continuous loop of hellos and goodbyes. It was a moving gallery of minds and faces. You never knew whom you would meet there. One character I will never forget was a dark hulk of a man from Mindanao, who wore thick spectacles. I think he was taking up masteral studies at the time we met. He was a talked-about campus figure who once edited the college literary folio that published highquality literary work, some of which were his works. At the boardinghouse, he used to join us during mealtime and was very friendly. One time I overcame my timidity and asked him to comment on a short story I wrote for my freshman English class—with a title that makes me cringe now in embarrassment. It was nothing but an amateurish imitation of the mock-ironic tone of Holden Caulfield, the main character in J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye. What was significant for me was that he took time to read it and then said he found it OK. I thought he was just being polite or patronizing, but he went even further: he got it published in a now defunct magazine that he was then editing. We never met again after he left the place but that kindly unexpected gesture of his galvanized my dream of being a writer. Alfredo Navarro Salanga was his name. In our lunch reunion, we were glad Amando “Say” Tetangco had time to drop by. A quiet type, brainy and sharply observant—that’s how I remember him then. In fact, we already could sense then he was going to be somebody after graduation. Lo and behold, many years later, he became a governor of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and superbly helped tame our country’s inflation during his long term. Upon our prodding, Say casually revealed that he now sits in the board of several prestigious institutions and conglomerates. With all the other offers he’s getting, he has the luxury of choosing the best. After all those years of high-stress as BSP governor, Say looks impressively none the worse for wear. A cool hand, indeed, still youthful looking. Jimmy Florcruz was a young Bulakeño who was likeable and easy to befriend. We gravitated to each other because we were both very casual about our studies. We considered ourselves “outliers” in that elite school. Good-looking, lean and athletic, he made a good accounting of himself in the intramural crosscountry race in the year he stayed in the boardinghouse. He later on transferred to another school and became an activist. He went to China on a student exchange program. The timing of the trip coincided with the declaration of martial law and his group were consequently marooned in China. Jimmy and other colleagues decided to stay in that country after being warned by friends that activists were being rounded up and jailed, or worse, made to disappear. For many years, he couldn’t return home. While in China, he grabbed the opportunity to work for CNN as one of the network’s China correspondents. He has now retired from CNN and is happily married to Anna, a winsome Filipina he met in Beijing. I understand he is currently writing his

autobiography. On vacation from his teaching job in Beijing and Tokyo, he is enjoying seeing old friends and classmates. He is also involved in a project that aims to reawaken the cultural heritage of Bulacan. Joe de Jesus was a bespectacled scholar from Naga City when we met in the said boardinghouse. His quiet, ever smiling demeanor belied a sharp, inquiring and absorbing mind. We lost touch after college and I just learned during our reunion lunch that he migrated to the States and is now retired. He and his wife Suzie come home to the Philippines from time to time to do volunteer work for several agri projects that support indigenous tribes. I tried some of their products such as wine and rice made from native produce and they’re quite good. Joe lives the Ignatian ideal of being a “man for others.” No wonder he and wife Suzie both display that glow of fulfillment. Then there is Ver Eco who was able to track us down one by one after all the years. Ver has a degree in chemistry but ended up in the IT business. Now contentedly retired, he and his charming wife Nini reside in San Jose, California. Bitten by the travel bug, this couple has been to all the tourist spots of the Philippines. Immune to senior moments syndrome, Ver can still vividly recall our boardinghouse antics, escapades, and even embarrassing moments. A social butterfly even in those youthful days, Ver was only too happy to join any school club who would accept him, including the glee club and a singing group, which, I suspect, he joined because some of the members were attractive girls. Ver and I go a long way back to elementary days in Angeles, Pampanga, where he graduated at the top of our batch. Bigbodied and tall, Ver was also an intense basketball player who did not hesitate to go bruisingly physical with anyone at the backyard court at Eagles Nest. Sitting beside me at our lunch reunion was Art Valencia who I remember was our math wiz. Decent, kind and studious, he never took part in any of the shenanigans in or out of the boardinghouse. As far as I know. Filling in the details of the years in between, he said that he worked with Shell for years, got married to a childhood sweetheart, sired two or three fine children who now have stable careers. He says at some point in his professional life, he bailed out from the business world to save his health. He now teaches at the Ateneo’s John Gokongwei School of Management and seems to enjoy it. To Art, zero stress plus zero worry equals an infinity of happiness. In spite of the long interval, we didn’t lose our sense of warmth, oh-shucks camaraderie as if we were back at the old boardinghouse after a long summer vacation. The room had that easygoing atmosphere. We dropped labels like executive, governor, programmer, lecturer or journalist and simply shared moments with each other freely for no other reason than the joy of doing so. Admittedly, time has left some of us wobbly and scarred. Two of those present literally have long scars on their chests due to heart bypasses, a price to pay in the game called success. Truth to tell, each of us is contending with his own personal health issues. But I thank the good Lord for the soul refreshing opportunity to meet again these friends from the past. I sense what the poet said: There is always a hidden significance in any encounter with a being, thing or place. Indeed, we must have packed along something of great value years ago when we left our sometime abode called Eagle’s Nest.

Saturday, February 29, 2020 | Editor: Mike Besa

KZG TRI-TOUR IRONS W HILE golfers tend to look down on “component brands” that will sell the consumer clubheads straight away, there is one golf company that bucks that trend—KZG. KZG is the market leader in custom made golf clubs. They do manufacture heads and bring them to market without the rest of the system preinstalled. Instead, they partner with clubmakers around the world in a custom fitting program of which the objective is to set a golfer up with a custom fitted set of irons. Originally started by Jennifer King and Bruce McKinnon as a technology-based equipment company that sold new, patented technologies to golf equipment companies, KZG has segued nicely into its role as an equipment company that produces innovative, high-performance golf clubs without the high price tag. This year, KZG has launched its most advanced, most adjustable high

performing forged Tri-Tour Irons. The Tri-Tour Irons fulfill the needs of those Professional Coaches, Teachers and Clubfitters who want to perfectly dial in the optimum specifications for their golfers. The Tri-Tour Irons are forged from soft 1020 carbon steel which are then CNC milled to precise specifications. The clubfaces are micro-milled for greater spin control and are adjustable +/- 4-degrees for loft, lie and face angle which assures a perfect fit for all golfers. Additionally, three weight ports and four different weight options allow the clubmaker to achieve the optimal swing weight or left/ right trajectory bias. The midsized profile should universally appeal to golfers of all persuasions. It’s not so big that it’ll turn off the better player, nor is it small enough to intimidate the neophyte. The sole of the clubhead is cambered and contoured to go through the turf efficiently and will be usable in a variety of turf conditions.

“The Tri-Tour Forged Irons are a compilation of ideas and suggestions from the World’s Top Professional Clubfitters”, explains Jennifer King, president of KZG. “Our team of Professional Coaches, Teachers and Clubfitters know what their golfers need to play their best. The more adjustable the features, the better so they can dialin a perfect fit. Plus, we have 19 other models of irons if needed, as KZG believes every golfer is important.” KZG offers more unique highperformance models in every category of clubs to enable its professionals the ability to select the design features required for each and every golfer, regardless of their size, strength and skill. The KZG Tri-Tour Irons are available in the Philippines from Custom Clubmakers located at Mandala Square on Shaw Boulevard. Custom Clubmakers has consistently featured in the Top 100 Clubfitters in the world since its inception. Book a fitting today.

Morgan Hoffmann awarded 2020 PGA Tour Courage Award

ONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida—The PGA Tour announced today that TOUR member Morgan Hoffmann, who was diagnosed in 2016 at the age of 27 with Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD), has been named the recipient of the PGA Tour Courage Award. The PGA Tour Courage Award is presented to a player who, through courage and

perseverance, has overcome extraordinary adversity, such as personal tragedy or debilitating injury or illness, to make a significant and meaningful contribution to the game of golf. Introduced in 2012, Hoffmann is the fourth recipient of the PGA Tour Courage Award, joining Erik Compton (2013), Jarrod Lyle (2015) and Gene Sauers (2017). Soon after going public with his condition,

Hoffmann and his fiancée Chelsea (now wife) launched the Morgan Hoffmann Foundation in 2017. Since then, Hoffmann, now 30, has made it his goal to find a cure and become a role model for those affected by muscular dystrophy and similar neuromuscular diseases. To fulfill

MORGAN HOFFMANN

its mission, the Morgan Hoffmann Foundation plans to build a health and wellness center to help others gain the strength to pursue their dreams. “It was a devastating blow to all of us in the golf world to learn of Morgan’s diagnosis,” said PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan. “It is also a true testament to Morgan’s character, that in the wake of receiving the life-changing news in the prime of his career, he established the Morgan Hoffmann Foundation to help others afflicted with MD. Morgan’s words are simply amazing and inspiring: ‘I don’t play golf for myself anymore, I play for everyone who has muscular dystrophy in any shape and form.’ The PGA Tour family continues to cheer for Morgan— louder than ever.” After an All-America collegiate career at Oklahoma State,

Hoffmann joined the PGA Tour in 2013 and qualified for the Tour Championship in his second season on Tour in 2013-14. For the next several seasons, Hoffmann competed while quietly battling the uncertainty of his health. Despite living an active lifestyle, he left over 25 doctors across the country dumbfounded and without any answers or insight into his condition. After visiting a neurologist in New York City, he was diagnosed with FSHD in late 2016. “To be recognized alongside the past recipients of the PGA Tour Courage Award is very humbling,” said Hoffmann. “Playing on the PGA Tour with muscular dystrophy, I hope to inspire people to follow their dreams, no matter what ailments they have, whether it be a disease or a mental disability. I’ll accept this award with gratitude, and the PGA Tour’s support will go a long way to helping our Foundation make a change in people’s lives.” The Courage Award includes a $25,000 charitable contribution to a charity of the award recipient’s choice. The award, along with the $25,000 donation, will formally be presented to Hoffmann at the Morgan Hoffmann Foundation Celebrity Pro-Am (June 21 and 22) at the New Jersey native’s home course, Arcola Country Club in Paramus, New Jersey. Last year’s two-day event raised more than $1 million for the Morgan Hoffmann Foundation. “There are so many people who have supported me through this incredible journey, but I want to thank my wife, Chelsea, who has been my rock and with me every step of the way,” Hoffmann said. “After my diagnosis, Chelsea didn’t bat an eye and the foundation would not be here without her. I couldn’t have asked for anything more meaningful in my life than to have that support to go through this with.” Hoffmann is in season two of a Major Medical Extension, granted after being limited to nine events in 2017-18 due to his condition. He played 11 events in 2018-19 and four in 2019-2020, with three starts remaining.

www.pinoygolfer.com | Saturday, February 29, 2020

PATTAYA, Thailand, course

WOMEN’S AMATEUR ASIA-PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIP

RESCHEDULED IN OCTOBER 2020

ATTAYA, Thailand—The Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) Championship has been rescheduled to take place from October 7 to 10, 2020, at the Siam Country Club Waterside, Pattaya, Thailand. The championship was postponed due to issues related to the coronavirus, and to ensure the safety and welfare of all players, officials and others attending the championship. The R&A and the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation have worked to secure a new date for the championship. Martin Slumbers, chief executive of The R&A, said, “The Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific has established itself as the leading women’s amateur golf championship in the region. It develops local talent and provides a pathway for elite amateurs to emerge onto the world stage and we believe it is important this opportunity is provided in 2020. “We will continue to monitor the situation and liaise with the authorities to ensure we can stage the championship safely in October. We are looking forward to a successful week of golf and crowning the 2020 champion.” Tanes Petsuwan, deputy governor for Marketing Communications for the

Tourism Authority of Thailand added, “We look forward to welcoming the leading 80 amateur golfers from 19 Asia-Pacific nations to Thailand in October for the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific. We would also like to thank The R&A for bringing this prestigious championship to Thailand allowing us to showcase our world-class golf courses and beautiful country.” The R&A also confirmed that both the 2020 and 2021 WAAP champions will receive invitations to compete in the 2021 AIG Women’s British Open at Royal Porthcawl. It is expected that 80 players from 19 Asia-Pacific countries will feature, with Thailand having the largest contingent of eight as the host nation, including world No. 18 Jaravee Boonchant. Entry to the championship will be free of charge for fans. The championship will be broadcast live on each of the four days. There will be nearly 600 hours of television coverage broadcast to more than 180 million households. The Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific is proudly supported by Rolex, Hana Financial Group, Nippon Kabaya Ohayo Holdings and Samsung.

PATTAYA, Thailand, WAAP and AIG trophy

THAILAND’S JAZZ SEEKS TO IMPROVE AFTER WGC-MEXICO

HAILAND’S Jazz Janewattananond signed off with 3-under 68 at the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship on Sunday knowing he has much ground to cover as he continues his American dream. The 24-year-old Thai endured initial struggles in the high altitude by opening with three consecutive 73s at Club de Golf Chapultepec in Mexico City before producing his lone underpar card which comprised of six birdies against three bogeys which saw him end the week in T53. American Patrick Reed claimed a onestroke victory for his second WGC-Mexico Championship title and eighth PGA Tour career victory which moved him up to fifth place on the FedExCup points list. Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama fired a 67 to finish T6 as the best Asian performer in the year’s first WGC, while Presidents Cup International teammates Sungjae Im and Byeong Hun An, both from Korea, were among those who shared 29th position. With a three-over 287 aggregate, Jazz, the reigning Asian Tour No. 1, finished some 21 strokes behind Reed which left the Thai in no doubt that he needs to

sharpen his game considerably before he tees up at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, The Players Championship and WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play next month. “It’s a very good experience. I’ve never played much in altitude before. It took some time to adjust and all in all, I think I learned a lot from this week,” said Jazz, who won four times in Asia last year. “We’ll take this experience and use it to improve myself. I didn’t do anything that well, so I pretty much have to work on everything.” He will enjoy an off week in Orlando to prepare for his next three starts on the PGA Tour in March followed by a maiden Masters Tournament appearance in April. While he is dreaming of securing his PGA Tour card through the Non-Member category, the Thai is under no illusion he needs to crank up his game by a few notches to have a realistic chance. “I’m looking forward to spending some

JAZZ JANEWATTANANOND GETTY IMAGES

time in America. It’s going to be great as I love playing golf over here. I can see what I need to improve, and I’ll try to improve,” said Jazz. He is looking forward to reuniting with fellow Thai, Kiradech Aphibarnrat at Bay Hill. Kiradech, playing in his second full season on the PGA Tour, finished T27 in the Puerto Rico Open on Sunday to stop a run of three missed cuts and he will be hoping to maintain his revival with a strong showing at this week’s The Honda Classic. Jazz cannot wait to step foot at Bay Hill, a tournament closely linked to golf legend and the late Arnold Palmer. “Maybe he was a little bit before my time, but he certainly influenced a lot of players who have then influenced me and got me to play golf. He was also my father’s hero,” said Jazz. As he prepared to leave Mexico City, Jazz is hopeful of making a quick return after a fairly subdued debut in the $10.5 million Mexican showpiece. Apart from the motivation to compete regularly against the world’s best golfers, Jazz said he was in love with Mexican food. “I loved it,” said the baby-faced Jazz. “Apart from Thai food, Mexican food is one of my top-3 favorite food in the world and I enjoyed myself eating so much. The player lounge here is like the best player lounge I’ve been to. I think I’ve gained a couple of pounds!”

Sports BusinessMirror

A8 Saturday, February 29, 2020

CHRIS FROOME D QUARANTINED

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph • Editor: Jun Lomibao

US Paralympic Committee searches for backup plan

THE quarantine appears to ensnare Chris Froome, who is supposed to use the UAE tour as a comeback after suffering injuries in a bad 2019 crash. AP

UBAI, United Arab Emirates—A major cycling race in the United Arab Emirates was canceled early Friday after two Italians tested positive for the new coronavirus, setting off a quarantine that also ensnared four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome of Britain. The Abu Dhabi Sports Council’s decision to cancel the race comes as the virus rapidly spreads across the

wider Middle East, with over 370 confirmed cases. Many link back to Iran, which has the highest death toll outside of

China, the epicenter of the virus that causes the COVID-19 illness. Just a day earlier, Saudi Arabia took the unprecedented step of closing Islam’s holiest sites off to foreign pilgrims to stop the virus’ spread. Meanwhile, the virus continued its spread across top leaders in Iran, aff licting Vice President Masoumeh Ebtekar. She’s better known as “Sister Mary,” the English-speaking spokeswoman for the students who seized the US Embassy in Tehran in 1979 and sparked the 444-day hostage crisis. The number of infections in Iran has spiked Thursday by over 100 to at least 254, but a World Health Organization official said he believes that figure is “a substantial underestimate of the true number.” In Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, its sports council said two Italians involved in the race tested positive for the new coronavirus. It said it would cancel the two remaining legs of the competition in Abu Dhabi. “Safety comes at the top of all priorities,” the council said. “All the race’s participants,

administrative staff and organizers will be examined through the continuous periodic screening being conducted, and all needed procedures, including quarantine measures, will be taken to ensure viral suppression,” the council added. That quarantine appeared to ensnare Froome, 34, who was using the tour as a comeback after suffering injuries in a bad 2019 crash. “It’s a shame that the #UAETour has been cancelled but public health must come first,” Froome wrote on Twitter. “We are all awaiting testing and will remain at the hotel until further notice. I hope those affected make a speedy recovery and there aren’t any further cases #coronavirus.” Italian team Vini Zabú-KTM tweeted pictures of ambulances outside of an Abu Dhabi hotel hosting the riders and participants. “Our riders have been tested. Tomorrow morning we will know the results,” the team tweeted. “It’s gonna be a long night and we hope that everyone will come back home without any trouble.” The United Arab Emirates, a federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula also home to Dubai, earlier reported 19 cases of the coronavirus. Several are Iranians, while others are or have links to Chinese tourists. AP

ENVER—It’s a spreadsheet that covers 52 sports and nearly 6 dozen venues—a laundry list of places around the globe where Olympic hopefuls were expected to be competing over the next few months. With the threat of coronavirus hanging over the Tokyo Olympics, the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has been gathering information from the individual sports about their pre-Olympic schedules— what events have been canceled, moved or postponed, and what other events could be in the future. There are no specific backup plans being made, the USOPC officials say, but it’s a good list to have, as the Olympic qualifying season gears up and athletes start punching tickets for what they hope will be a trip to Japan. The marathon trials, for instance, are Saturday. USOPC Chief of Sport Performance Rick Adams says in addition to collecting the logistical information, the federation is working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and the Department of Homeland Security to get every update about coronavirus, how it is spreading and what can be done to avoid it. Adams and others at the USOPC are keeping tabs on the headlines—IOC President Thomas Bach on Thursday said all plans are currently for the Games to go on as scheduled—but not making knee-jerk reactions to the wild fluctuations of the news cycles. “At this juncture, it’s really about being on top of the information, being fact-based, communicating with athletes, NGBs and staying very focused on the preparations for Tokyo,” Adams said. The US will bring more than 500 athletes to the 17-day sports festival in Tokyo, many of whom will go to Asia early to train and acclimate. All the potential Olympians are ramping up their travel—some competing in international events that carry Olympic ramifications, others using overseas

Mondilla in harness PSL GRAND PRIX UNFURLS for TCC Invitational N

LYDE MONDILLA has spent the last three weeks enhancing his driving and short game in preparation for what promises to be a slam-bang duel of power and iron play in The Country Club Invitational firing off on March 4 at the TCC course in Laguna. The Del Monte star actually kicked off the new season with a stirring victory in the Philippine Golf Tour Asia at Pradera Verde last month, rallying from five down in regulation and coming out triumphant of the most crowded playoff battle in Philippine Golf Tour and PGT Asia history. But heading to the P5-million event, he said he would need more than momentum given an elite roster of rivals and a dreaded course. “I like my chances but it isn’t that great since there are so many strong players around,” Mondilla said. “The course is also very challenging, tough.” Mondilla said the big hitters have the slight edge at the Tom Weiskophdesigned layout although he stressed a lot of factors will also have to be considered owing to the course’s hazards, roughs and sleek putting surface with the wind also likely to come into play in all four days of the event put up by International Container Terminal Services Inc. President and Chairman Ricky Razon in 2003 to honor the memory of his father and ICTSI founder Don Pocholo. That should give the likes of veterans Jay Bayron, Jhonnel Ababa, Michael Bibat and Jerson Balasabas and young turks Ira Alido, James Ryan Lam and Reymon Jaraula some kind of an edge along with American Lexus Keoninh and Marcos Pastor of Spain for their length off the tee. But that doesn’t relegate the others to the background in pursuit of the top P1.5-

million purse with Tony Lascuña expected to bank on his superb short game and putting to offset his lack of distance. The 49-year-old multi-titled Davaoeño is also coming into the event brimming with confidence after regaining his Asian Tour card two weeks ago. Meanwhile, Joenard Rates joins the select roster made up of the top 30 players in last year’s PGT Order of Merit ranking vice Elmer Saban, who pulled out of the event the other day. Others in the fold are Guido van der Valk of the Netherlands, Kei Matsuoka of Japan, Rufino Bayron, Nilo Salahog, Richard Sinfuego, James Ryan Lam, Fidel Concepcion, Rico Depilo, Albin Engino, Rene Menor, Paul Echavez, Mhark Fernando, Gerald Rosales and Art Arbole.

CLYDE MONDILLA is upbeat but wary of his bid at The Country Club.

EW-LOOK Petron opens its three-peat campaign while Sta. Lucia parades a retooled lineup when the Philippine Superliga Grand Prix fires off on Saturday at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan. After losing its stars, the Blaze Spikers essay a new chapter as they tackle Generika-Ayala at 5 p.m. while the Lady Realtors face PLDT Home Fibr at 7 p.m. to cap a pair of explosive double-header. A simple opening ceremony where all eight competing teams will parade with their imports and male escorts, will usher the brand-new season will

be held at 4 p.m. The league will also announce its newest ambassador, who would follow the steps once taken by Gretchen Ho, Cha Cruz, Mika Reyes, Aby Maraño and Rachel Anne Daquis. After winning back-to-back Grand Prix titles, the Blaze Spikers lost their core of Denden Lazaro, Sisi Rondina, Bernadeth Pons, Carmela Tunay, Chloe Cortez, Rhea Dimaculangan and Reyes in the offseason. Even their champion coaches in Shaq de los Santos and Ian Fernandez walked away, kicking off a new era under seasoned mentor Emil Lontoc. “Looking at the composition of

All hands target Navymen

ASAPHIL HOLDS TRYOUTS FOR BASEBALL5

EORGE OCONER and his Philippine Navy-Standard Insurance are guaranteed targets on the road when the LBC Ronda Pilipinas 10th anniversary race resumes on Saturday with the 111.9-km Stage 6 that starts at the Tarlac capitol and ends at the Tarlac Recreation Center in Tarlac City. Oconer, 28, zoomed from second to first place in the general classification after finishing in an all Standard Insurance six-man lead group in Stage 5 in Antipolo City on Thursday with an aggregate clocking of 17 hours, 43 minutes and 13 seconds. Oconer is more than a minute ahead of teammate Ronald Oranza. Fellow Navymen Ronald Lomotos, John Mark Camingao, Junrey Navarra and El Joshua Carino are at third to sixth spots. Rounding u p the top 10 were former leader Mark Julius Bordeos of Bicycology-Army (17:59:27), Rustom Lim of 7Eleven Cliqq-Air21 by Roadbike Philippines (17:59:33), Jonel Carcueva (17:59:41) and Ismael Grospe Jr. (18:00:01) of Go for Gold. The Navymen are also expected to do everything to protect the team classification lead against No. 2 Go for Gold and No. 3 Bicyology-Army. “We will do our best to also keep the team lead and not relax,” said Standard skipper Jan Paul Morales, the 2016 and 2017 Ronda king.

HE Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (ASAPHIL) will holding tryouts on Saturday and Sunday for the Baseball5 Tournament set in April in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The tryouts are set at the Rizal High School in Pasig City from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. They are open to male and female players with a Philippine passport. “This is the first-ever WBSC [World Baseball Softball Confederation] Baseball5 World Cup and I am more than thrilled to announce that we are holding tryouts for this tournament. We are in search of new talent and I am confident that our pool of local players will show

Petron, it lost its main core that dominated the Grand Prix for the past two years,” said Lontoc, a living legend in the coaching circle. “Many people are counting us out. But I’m optimistic. I know these new set of players will step up the way they did during tune-ups and practices.” With more than half of the team gone, import Katherine Bell made a return together with Remy Palma, Aiza Maizo-Pontillas and Frances Molina, who will join new recruits like Rebecca Rivera, Ging Balse-Pabayo, Jem Gutierrez, Roselle Baliton and Angela Nunag.

their mettle and make the country proud,” ASAPHIL President Jean Henri Lhuillier said. The tryouts will be in the Open Mixed and U15 Mixed—composed of eight players of four male and four female and two delegate-officials—the coach and team manager. Aspirants should be born no earlier than January 1, 2005. The tournament in Malaysia is the first-ever continental qualifier for the Baseball5 World Cup and all Asian countries were invited to participate. There will be two World Cup qualifiers for the 2020 World Cup in Mexico in December.

BOATS sail along after the start of the second race during the SailGP on Sydney Harbour on Friday. Britain leads the standings after the opening day while Australia and Japan were tied for second with 23 points each. AP

competitions as a preseason of sorts in advance of trials that will be held in the US over the summer. Four years ago, with the Zika scare in full bloom in the run-up to the Rio Games, the USOPC improved upon its protocols in case an illness spread quickly, either before or during the Olympics. It has access to a state-of-theart testing system that can identify infectious diseases and possibly prevent their spread. That system, however, is not designed to detect coronavirus. The USOPC also has extensive quarantine protocols that include sealed-off spaces both inside and outside of the Olympic Village where many of the athletes stay. The federation’s infectious disease advisory group—filled with medical experts from around the country—has been meeting to gather updates about coronavirus. “They’re advising us about new technology, treatments, best-care practices for patients, and helping us create strategies for containment,” said Bahati van Pelt, the USOPC chief of athlete services. Van Pelt says updates go to athletes via the Athletes’ Advisory Council on a weekly basis, or whenever major updates become available. All the information is designed to help the USOPC react to any changes in plans this summer, though Adams said the main plan is getting ready for whatever is in store in Tokyo this summer. “It’s situational, on a daily basis, and there’s frequent communication,” Adams said. Among those the USOPC consults with: other national Olympic committees, Tokyo organizers, the IOC and global and domestic health organizations. “We’re aggregating and communicating frequently to make sure we can get the information out on a fact basis,” Adams said. AP

Bandala, Padilla seek to sustain run in Liloy meet

ETE BANDALA and Judy Ann Padilla go for multiple wins anew in Liloy in Zamboanga del Norte as they banner the cast in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala (PPS-PEPP) Mayor Roberto Uy Jr. national age, group tournament which got going on Friday. The 10-year-old Bandala tries to make it two-in-row in the 10-under unisex and 12-under categories which he ruled in emphatic fashion last week with the Dipolog star also going all-out to duplicate his two-title feat in doubles play of the Group 2 tournament presented by Dunlop. Foiled in her own three-peat bid, Padilla tries it again in her side of the draw this week, including the 16-under title she lost to Sindangan’s Rica Labrador, who is also in the roster along with Jalia Elumba, Christine Gulagula and Chole Omos, all ready to spoil the rising star from Ozamiz City. Padilla is also bracing for a fierce fightback from top seed Sydney Enriquez in the premier 18-under singles category after the latter failed to live up to her billing and bowed to doubles partner Labrador in the semis. She, however, is tipped to roll past her rivals in the 14-U division of the event serving as part of the Mindanao swing of the country’s longest talentsearch put up by PPS-PEPP headed by President and CEO Bobby Castro. Keen competition is also seen in the boys’ side with Eric Tangub, Al Dree Pan, Russel Daarol and Nash Agustines expected to slug it out for top honors in the 18-U section with Agustines gaining the top seeding in the 16-U play that also features Aslan Carbonilla, Neo Maratas and Daarol. Carbonilla and Maratas, meanwhile, headline the 14-U cast that includes Sean Esick and Penshoppe Erquita while Cielo Gonzales and Marlyn Mesiona are set to dispute the girls’ 12-under diadem in the event sanctioned by the Unified Tennis Philippines made up of PPS-PEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and B-Meg.

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Saturday, February 29, 2020 A9

Red is Maine Mendoza’s favorite color Globe completes first 5G video call with AIS Thailand THE world’s most sought-after mobile technology is finally here in the Philippines as Globe successfully completed the first-ever international 5G video call in the country with the 5G mobile network of AIS Thailand. The call, which lasted more than three minutes, was made recently after Globe received the technical call from AIS when the mobile operator tested its own 5G network in Bangkok on February 21. Alan Garchitorena, Globe director for Technology Enablement and Services Planning, took the call from Hui Weng Cheong, president of AIS, as the Bangkok-based company ran its first 5G video call test. The call went on without a glitch with zero lag and practically ushered in a new era of communication for both Globe and AIS. “It went very smoothly. Superb. My appreciation for the support from the Globe Team,” Hui said after the call was made. AIS has just officially acquired its new 5G spectrum the same day it made the call to Globe. 5G is an extremely powerful technology and promises amazing new features. For his part, Garchitorena said that this is solid proof of Globe’s readiness to roll out mobile 5G in the country. “This technology will deliver a new era of digital use for AR, VR, Internet of Things, industrial applications and much more in the Philippines,” he added. Globe launched its 5G Fixed Wireless access in June last year. Globe is targeting to fire up 5G sites in key areas such as central business districts within the year.

DDLS Philippines officially launched its first campus in Bonifacio Global City, with the opening being officiated by DDLS CEO Jon Lang (from left), DDLS Philippines President Luis Miguel Aboitiz and director Jokin Aboitiz, and EdventureCo Asia Pacific Chairman Terry Farris.

DDLS OPENS ITS FIRST TRAINING FACILITY IN THE PHILIPPINES

DDLS, Australia’s largest provider of corporate ICT and cyber-security training, officially opened on February 20 its first training campus in the Philippines to support the local work force. The opening of the new campus in the Philippines marks DDLS’s expansion into Asia Pacific and provides professionals in the Philippines an opportunity to take up a career in a booming industry. “With DDLS present in every major city in Australia, we wanted to replicate this model in Southeast Asia, and the Philippines showed the most potential. Having skilled workers in the ICT industry who can monitor, secure and mitigate against any risks is a requirement that the industry has identified, and DDLS is responding to these needs by training the next generation of professionals in a new state-ofthe-art facility,” said Jon Lang, CEO of DDLS. Located in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, the 500-square-meter training facility consists of seven state-of-the-art training rooms, equipped with the latest technology, as well as telepresence technology to help students and IT professionals master skill sets necessary to immediately enter the work force. “The Philippines campus was designed to be conducive for learning, to match the quality of instruction that our trainers are able to impart,” said Mike Calma, DDLS Philippine country general manager. “The campus will prepare students to meet the demand for talent in cyber security, DevOps, cloud and others through skills development with technology that is at the forefront of this digital future.” DDLS (www.ddls.com.ph), a wholly owned subsidiary of EdventureCo, joined forces with Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. in March 2019 to bring quality IT training to the Philippines. In less than a year of operations, DDLS Philippines has trained more than 300 students in Microsoft courses. It has since rolled out new training courses in IT service management, data science and cyber security. The new campus also hosts a dedicated Pearson VUE authorized room for taking online tests and certifications. As DDLS gains traction, it is not losing sight of its long-term goals. “Our vision for DDLS is to offer agile and accessible high-quality IT training. These skills have never been more relevant and this style of teaching has never been more appropriate. We at Aboitiz have always believed in the value of education and the role it plays in advancing business and communities,” says Jokin Aboitiz, president of Aboitiz Impact Ventures.

PRIMETIME

DINNA CHAN VASQUEZ @dinnachanvasquez luckydinna@gmail.com

‘I

’VE always been a red lipstick kind of girl,” said Maine Mendoza on her second lipstick collaboration with MAC Cosmetics as #MACMaker. In 2018, Maine’s first #MACMaker shade was a peachy beige. Everyone had expected a red because her TV character Yaya Dub wore the MAC classic Ruby Woo, resulting in the shade being sold out in Philippine stores. “Did you at the time avoid red because you were trying to move away from Yaya Dub?” we asked her. “Yes, that’s it,” said the girl whose red lips and pabebe wave broke the Internet five years ago. “Yaya Dub was five years ago. I think I’m a different person from who I was then but I still love red lipstick. It was my idea to use red lipstick as Yaya Dub. No one told me to do it.” It’s known that Maine has been a MAC user even before the first collaboration with the global brand. She has liked other shades such as Velvet Teddy and Taupe but for reds, it’s always been Ruby Woo for her. For the first collaboration, Maine chose a nude because she wanted something many women would wear. The lipstick, which carried her social monicker @mainedcm, represented her journey from the other half of a loveteam to being on her own as a star, an endorser and influencer. There’s no doubt that Maine could endorse air and her followers would buy it. With the launch of her first lipstick, Maine became more courageous about her public image. She seemed to stop being so cautious. Because of this, she gained more casual fans, those who liked her for being her. The second one, still called @mainedcm of course, signifies empowerment. What could be more powerful than a vampy red lipstick that is so red, it is almost burgundy? “I’m very proud of this red. I’ve always wanted my own red. It’s bold and vampy. It’s something that they can use for parties and special occasions,” said Maine. Maine is the first #MACMaker to have a second collaboration. She’s also the first to have a matching Lip Glass. It’s funny that during the interview at that launch of her second MAC collaboration, Maine opened the red lipstick topic with “I don’t know if you know Yaya Dub?” The humility is amazing. I know that some

people assume she is standoffish and I will not say this because I am a fan because I am not: Maine is actually very quiet and slightly awkward with people she isn’t comfortable with. With her good friends, she is more relaxed but she is normally shy. Perhaps that’s what people mistake for being standoffish. Yes, the whole world knows who Yaya Dub is. Maine first gained online fame for her videos on Dubsmash, an app with which “users can choose an audio recording or soundbite from movies, shows, music and Internet trends and record a video of themselves dubbing over that piece of audio” (according to Wikipedia). After Dubsmash, Maine moved on to the longrunning noontime show Eat Bulaga! where she became Yaya Dub who was charmed by a fair-skinned and bedimpled actor named Alden Richards. Their onscreen love story became everyone’s favorite “reality show” but as with most things, it came to an end. Maine is no longer Yaya Dub but she is still a hot topic online and really, anything she does

is still news. She seems different from when we last interviewed her in 2018. She seems more confident and less nervous. And she is, of course, in love. We asked what her boyfriend Arjo Atayde likes better on her, nude or red lipstick. “He actually likes it when I don’t have makeup on. But he also appreciates it when I have makeup on and I’m dressed for an event or going out. Why don’t you ask him?” said Maine. And we did. Arjo confirmed that he likes Maine better without makeup. “But she looks good any way. I do appreciate it when she’s made-up too. She looks good in nude or red lipstick. She can carry red really well, I must admit,” he said. The @mainedcm lipstick and lip glass will be available in stores starting tomorrow. Oh, and you might want to avoid the SM Megamall area as well if you’re scared of traffic because that is where the grand launch will be at 5 pm tomorrow. ■

A PLASMA REACTOR ZAPS AIRBORNE VIRUSES—AND COULD HELP SLOW THE SPREAD OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES BY HEREK CLACK University of Michigan THE Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work. The big idea: It’s the enduring media image of infectious disease outbreaks, including the current coronavirus outbreak from Wuhan, China: people in public spaces with faces halfhidden by surgical masks. Filters have long been used to remove particles, including viruses and bacteria, from the air we breathe. Particle filters are key components of building and aircraft ventilation systems. Unfortunately, viruses are much smaller than the smallest particles those filters typically capture reliably. One possibility for curbing the spread of airborne pathogens is a nonthermal plasma reactor. Plasma is the fourth state of matter, a gas composed of electrically charged ions and electrons rather than neutral atoms and molecules. Nonthermal means the plasma isn’t formed at high temperatures. At the University of Michigan, my colleagues and I developed a nonthermal plasma reactor that leaves airborne pathogens unable to infect host organisms, including people. The plasma oxidizes the viruses, which disables their mechanism for entering cells. After testing in the lab and at livestock facilities, we’ve shown that the reactor reduces the numbers of infectious viruses in an air stream by more than 99 percent. We’re

developing the technology for use in animal agriculture, but it might also be useful where people are concentrated in enclosed spaces, including commercial aircraft. ■ WHY IT MATTERS: Scientists don’t know what makes some viruses and bacteria more resilient in air than others. Tuberculosis and measles have long been known to be highly contagious, while a recent study proved that influenza can also remain infectious in air longer than an hour, something that researchers had previously thought unlikely. Enclosed or crowded spaces reduce opportunities for virus degradation or dilution in air, increasing the chances that an exposure will lead to infection. Infectious diseases that have airborne transmission routes, including swine flu and avian flu, have affected pork, poultry and egg producers. Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome alone has been estimated to cost more than $600 million annually in the US. In 2015, more than 50 million chickens and turkeys were culled to stop the spread of highly pathogenic avian flu because of its potential to infect humans. ■ WHAT WE DON’T KNOW: There are several theories of how nonthermal plasmas kill bacteria, but airborne viruses aren’t “alive” like bacteria and, therefore, can’t be “killed” in the same way. Also, researchers’ understanding of nonthermal plasma sterilization is mostly based on sterilizing contaminated surfaces using minutes-long plasma

exposures, much longer than the subsecond exposures studied in our tests and an earlier similar study. In our tests, the plasma reduced how many infectious viruses were in the air by more than 99 percent, but the viruses themselves remained with their DNA largely unchanged. This means that the plasma didn’t destroy the virus but rather altered its ability to infect. We’re working to understand how this happens, which will help us engineer, or “tune,” the reactor. ■ WHAT’S NEXT: My colleagues and I are currently evaluating how ammonia, ever-present around animals as a byproduct of their waste, affects the plasma generated by the reactor. We’re also considering how to use nonthermal plasma reactors in aircraft. Long-distance flights can transport infected passengers all over the world, as is immediately clear from maps showing confirmed cases of the new coronavirus. Less clear is the risk to fellow passengers. There are many aspects of virus transmission in aircraft cabins, including passenger movement during flights. Cabin air circulation patterns are important in determining how far and where a virus can be transported once shed by an infected passenger. Scientists will need to better understand these variables before aircraft makers and operators can use nonthermal plasma reactors to help fight the spread of infectious diseases. AP

A10 Saturday, February 29, 2020

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KYLE MARTIN, a worker at HealthMap, a system using artificial intelligence to monitor global disease outbreaks, mines health data to keep the system up to date in a work area at Boston Children’s Hospital in Boston. AP

JABRA Elite 75t

JABRA PHL LAUNCHES JABRA ELITE 75T TRUE WIRELESS EARBUDS BY RIZAL RAOUL S. REYES

Can AI flag disease outbreaks faster than humans? Not quite

BY MATT O’BRIEN & CHRISTINA LARSON The Associated Press

OSTON—Did an artificial-intelligence (AI) system beat human doctors in warning the world of a severe coronavirus outbreak in China? In a narrow sense, yes. But what the humans lacked in sheer speed, they more than made up in finesse. Early warnings of disease outbreaks can help people and governments save lives. In the final days of 2019, an AI system in Boston sent out the first global alert about a new viral outbreak in China. But it took human intelligence to recognize the significance of the outbreak and then awaken response from the public health community. What’s more, the mere mortals produced a similar alert only a half-hour behind the AI systems. For now, AI-powered disease-alert systems can still resemble car alarms—easily triggered and sometimes ignored. A network of medical experts and sleuths must still do the hard work of sifting through rumors to piece together the fuller picture. It’s difficult to say what future AI systems, powered by ever larger datasets on outbreaks, may be able to accomplish. The first public alert outside China about the novel coronavirus came on December 30 from the automated HealthMap system at Boston Children’s Hospital. At 11:12 pm, local time, HealthMap sent an alert about unidentified pneumonia cases in the Chinese city of Wuhan. The system, which scans online news and social-media reports, ranked the alert’s seriousness as only 3 out of 5. It took days for HealthMap researchers to recognize its importance. Four hours before the HealthMap notice, New York epidemiologist Marjorie Pollack had already started working on her own public alert, spurred by a growing sense of dread after reading a personal e-mail she received that evening. “This is being passed around the Internet here,” wrote her contact, who linked to a post on the Chinese social-media forum Pincong. The post discussed a Wuhan health agency notice and read in part: “Unexplained pneumonia???” Pollack, deputy editor of the volunteer-led Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases, known as ProMed, quickly mobilized a team to look into it.

ProMed’s more detailed report went out about 30 minutes after the terse HealthMap alert. Early warning systems that scan social media, online news articles and government reports for signs of infectious disease outbreaks help inform global agencies, such as the World Health Organization (WHO)—giving international experts a head start when local bureaucratic hurdles and language barriers might otherwise get in the way. Some systems, including ProMed, rely on human expertise. Others are partly or completely automated. “These tools can help hold feet to the fire for government agencies,” said John Brownstein, who runs the HealthMap system as chief innovation officer at Boston Children’s Hospital. “It forces people to be more open.” The last 48 hours of 2019 were a critical time for understanding the new virus and its significance. Earlier on December 30, Wuhan Central Hospital doctor Li Wenliang warned his former classmates about the virus in a social-media group—a move that led local authorities to summon him for questioning several hours later. Li, who died on February 7 after contracting the virus, told The New York Times that it would have been better if officials had disclosed information about the epidemic earlier. “There should be more openness and transparency,” he said. ProMed reports are often incorporated into other outbreak warning systems. including those run by the WHO, the Canadian government and the Toronto start-up BlueDot. WHO also pools data from HealthMap and other sources. Computer systems that scan online reports for information about disease outbreaks rely on natural language processing, the same branch of artificial intelligence that helps answer questions posed to a search engine or digital voice assistant. But the algorithms can only be as effective as the data they are scouring, said Nita Madhav, CEO of San Francisco-based disease monitoring firm Metabiota, which first notified its clients about the outbreak in early January. Madhav said that inconsistency in how different agencies report medical data can stymie algorithms. The text-scanning programs extract keywords from online text, but may fumble when organizations variously report new virus cases, cumulative virus cases, or new cases in a given time interval. The

potential for confusion means there’s almost always still a person involved in reviewing the data. “There’s still a bit of human in the loop,” Madhav said. Andrew Beam, a Harvard University epidemiologist, said that scanning online reports for keywords can help reveal trends, but the accuracy depends on the quality of the data. He also notes that these techniques aren’t so novel. “There is an art to intelligently scraping web sites,” Beam said. “But it’s also Google’s core technology since the 1990s.” Google itself started its own Flu Trends service to detect outbreaks in 2008 by looking for patterns in search queries about flu symptoms. Experts criticized it for overestimating flu prevalence. Google shut down the web site in 2015 and handed its technology to nonprofit organizations such as HealthMap to use Google data to build their own models. Google is now working with Brownstein’s team on a similar Web-based approach for tracking the geographical spread of tick-borne Lyme disease. Scientists are also using big data to model possible routes of early disease transmission. In early January, Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease physician and researcher at Toronto General Hospital, analyzed commercial flight data with BlueDot founder Kamran Khan to see which cities outside mainland China were most connected to Wuhan. Wuhan stopped outbound commercial air travel in late January—but not before an estimated 5 million people had fled the city, as the Wuhan mayor later told reporters. “We showed that the highest volume of flights from Wuhan were to Thailand, Japan and Hong Kong,” Bogoch said. “Lo and behold, a few days later we started to see cases pop up in these places.” In 2016, the researchers used a similar approach to predict the spread of the Zika virus from Brazil to southern Florida. Now that many governments have launched aggressive measures to curb disease transmission, it’s harder to build algorithms to predict what’s next, Bogoch said. Artificial-intelligence systems depend on vast amounts of prior data to train computers how to interpret new facts. But there are no close parallels to the way China is enforcing quarantine zones that impact hundreds of millions of people. ■

JABRA Philippines recently launched the Jabra Elite 75t, its fourth generation of wireless earbuds in the Philippine market. Gladee Marantan, Jabra country sales manager for consumer, told reporters that the latest version of Jabra’s wireless earbuds boasts of a longer battery life and a smaller, more secure and comfortable fit. “We are excited to introduce the most comfortable and long-lasting addition to our award-winning Elite range of true wireless earbuds in the Philippines. It is a result of our dedication in listening and catering to changing customer needs for an elevated and truly wireless earbud experience. On top of delivering premium sound, the Elite 75t delivers smaller, better fitting earbuds with longer battery life,” Marantan said in the press briefing held in Makati City. Before introducing the Elite 75t in the market, Marantan said Jabra gathered information from global users to determine the challenges to achieve a genuine wireless listening experience. After gathering and collating the results, she said the company will proceed to develop products such as the Jabra Elite 75t. She pointed out that the design and shape of the Jabra Elite 75t is based on thousands of ear scans conducted by the company. As a result of this intensive research, the wireless earbuds feature an optimal 3D size and shape that fits ears comfortably across a wide range of users. “Meticulous engineering ensures that the new compact size continues to deliver the fundamentals users expect from Jabra such as robust connectivity, durability, ease of use and a superior call and music experience,” she said. In terms of usage time, Manantan said the Jabra Elite 75t boasts of a powerful battery with up to 28 hours of battery life with the charging case and 7.5 hours without. Those in a rush will appreciate the fast-charging feature which offers one hour of playback time from only 15 minutes of charging. Furthermore, Manantan said users can instantly connect to Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant, quickly accessing the information they may need—from setting appointments, to finding nearby events or having their messages read out. In addition, Bluetooth 5.0 allows users to seamlessly connect the Jabra Elite 75t to their smartphones.

APPLE’S CHINA IPHONE SALES DROPPED IN JANUARY AS VIRUS EMERGED BY MARK GURMAN Bloomberg News APPLE Inc.’s China iPhone sales dropped in January as the coronavirus began to spread, according to an analysis of government data on Monday. Demand for the product fell 28 percent compared with the previous month, a bigger decline than usual for that time of year, according to a UBS research note citing official Chinese data. “February numbers are likely to be far worse due to both supply and demand issues related to the virus outbreak,” UBS analyst Timothy Arcuri wrote in the note. Apple recently pulled its revenue forecast for the March quarter, saying the virus had stunted sales and slowed production. The company also closed all of its 42 physical stores in mainland China due to the outbreak. It is beginning to reopen them now. The situation is so fluid that Apple hasn’t given a new revenue forecast, Arcuri said. The pace of recovery in the company’s June quarter “is more dependent on the demand side—which is very hard to predict,” the analyst added. Overall January smartphone shipments in China slumped 37 percent year-over-year, according to numbers from the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology. UBS’s Arcuri said iPhone sales climbed 5 percent in the same period, thanks to its online stores and easier comparisons to the previous holiday period which was marred by trade war tensions.—WITH ASSISTANCE FROM LINLY LIN

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7-ELEVEN PARTNERS WITH GCASH FOR CASHLESS TRANSACTIONS BY RODERICK L. ABAD Contributor TO provide customers the ease of going cashless, the barcode technology from GCash is now available at 7-Eleven branches with the strategic partnership forged by the G-Xchange Inc. and Philippine Seven Corp. “This partnership is anchored on the shared goal of enabling more Filipinos to participate in the digital financial landscape. By allowing 7-Eleven stores to accept GCash Scan-to-Pay (STP) via Barcode payments, we are bringing the vision of building a cashless Philippines,” said Anthony Thomas, president and CEO of Globe Fintech Innovations Inc. To use the STP via Barcode feature of GCash, 7-Eleven customers just have to create their unique barcodes via the app, and allow the cashier to scan them to finish the transaction. With STP via Barcode, merchants need not have to have a QR key code, which the patron scans to transact. They also do not need to have their own mobile devices to verify the payments since it is already integrated in the merchant’s point-of-sales. “After scanning barcodes to redeem promotions and reload accounts for over five years now, including taking payments from our CLiQQ wallet over the last two years, we believe we have built the most convenient payment experience in the country, and that the time is right to open up our infrastructure to partners who share our vision,” said 7-Eleven President and CEO Jose Victor Paterno. “We are pleased to partner first with GCash, whom we have been working with for several years. Many customers already visit us to cash-in their GCash wallets; now they can use those same wallets to pay for their purchases, as well as participate in our CLiQQ loyalty program,” he added. This collaboration supports the goal of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to create a more cashless Philippines beginning this year by moving 20 percent of the total transaction to noncash means, such as digital payments. According to a research conducted by the Better Than Cash Alliance, a United Nations-backed organization, the Philippines almost reaches this target. In fact, digital transactions now account for 20 percent of the overall value of transactions, and 10 percent in terms of volume in 2018, per the study. “As a strong government partner and the leader in mobile digital payments, we at GCash remain relentless in developing more products and services that will fit perfectly into the government’s plans for the country’s financial landscape. Our vision for 2020 is to continue to push for the development the GCash platform to enable more people to participate in the digital financial revolution,” Thomas stressed. GCash’s STP via Barcode is now available in over 2,800 7-Eleven stores, as well as in majority of Puregold outlets and Starbucks branches nationwide.

Saturday, February 29, 2020 A11

Does this investment make me look good? O

BY TYLE� COWEN Bloomberg News

NE of the trendiest ideas in finance is something called “social impact investing,” which is the idea that people should put more money into socially beneficial companies and products, and less into socially harmful ones. That hardly sounds objectionable, but I am skeptical about how much good social impact investing can do. The first risk is that social impact investing will be used to “whitewash” various harmful policies. By divesting from a particular set of companies, an investment fund loses at most a very small benefit from an additional degree of broader market diversification. The fund still is likely to earn the market rate of return on its other investments, and in the meantime it can claim virtuousness. At the same time, the funds can pursue socially harmful policies elsewhere—investing in companies that lobby for tariff protection, say, or emit less visible forms of pollution, or how about refined sugar? A second risk is that social impact investing simply redistributes wealth from investments—maybe to less socially conscientious individuals. Imagine a socially conscious investment firm that declines to participate in the initial public offering of a company that pollutes the ocean. That might create downward pressure on the price of the IPO. But there is a problem—the value of the actual investment has not declined, so at a potentially lower IPO price other investors will step in to fill the demand. In fact, those

investors may have the chance to buy at a discount and earn a higher return than otherwise. The net result is that conscientious investors have missed out on a profitable opportunity, while less socially aware investors have earned more. Over time, the less socially aware investors will become richer, and their greater wealth may translate into greater political and economic influence. Maybe this effect isn’t large, but it is negative, and it will become correspondingly larger to the extent social impact investing becomes more popular (in 2018, the money pouring into sustainable investment funds quadrupled, rising to about $21 billion). That doesn’t sound like an appealing trade-off. But put that worry aside and assume that social impact investing simply makes it easier to get a solar power company off the ground with an IPO or an expansion. It’s still not clear that much has been gained. At that late point in the process, the company will succeed or it won’t, no matter what the socially conscious funds do. If anything, it would be more useful to have socially conscious research and development at the very early stages of projects. To some extent there are such investments, and I am more sanguine about being conscientious then than when companies already exist and funds are making investment decisions. It is also difficult to monitor the performance and social efficacy of the funds focused on doing good. In actively managed sustainable equity funds, for example, the most commonly held stocks are estimated to be Microsoft, Alphabet, Visa, Apple

and Cisco. I have nothing against those companies, but you have to wonder exactly how much social improvement those investment funds are buying. Norway’s fossil fuel divestment is well-publicized. Less well known is that it exempted Shell and Exxon. There simply aren’t clear benchmarks for which investments to avoid and, of course, some critics will portray technology companies as the embodiment of evil. Too many of the empirical arguments for social impact investing stem from a single example—South Africa under apartheid. In that case, a coordinated campaign of divestment and international economic and social pressure did hasten the end of apartheid, all for the better. But most sanctions are not very effective at achieving their stated political goals, or their effectiveness may be unclear. South Africa may have been a special case because it was relatively small and isolated, and because so many South Africans had ceased to believe in apartheid. Investment in socially beneficial activities can be worthwhile. But it ignores the question of who decides what is “beneficial,” and it is yet another example of how politics and media are becomingly increasingly performative. Everything is about looking good instead of substance. It is increasingly difficult for businesses and investment funds to perform their proper work under the glare of perpetual debate and periodic condemnation. The notion of extending that same glare to economic investments is hardly reassuring. I’ve yet to see a conception of social impact investing that I find convincing. ■

BRIA HOMES PARTNERS WITH GCASH FOR CONVENIENT CASHLESS TRANSACTIONS THE fastest-growing mass housing developer in the Philippines, Bria Homes has once more found a way to make life easier and more convenient for its present and future homeowners—a partnership with GCash, a mobile money application from Globe Telecom. Bria executives; Red J. Rosales, COO and president; and Michelle E. Hernandez, chief accountant; together with GCash Head of Enterprise Jose Luis Reyes, signed a partnership contract held at

the Bria Homes Head Office in Starmall Edsa-Shaw, Mandaluyong City. In 2019, GCash enabled in-app bills payment for the monthly amortization dues of Bria Homes customers. This partnership grew to include commissions disbursement of their real-estate sellers via PowerPay+. As of today, GCash is working to activate QR payments for their 20 sales offices to enable cashless payment of reservation fees for interested customers.

RED J. ROSALES, CEO and president of Bria Homes, and Jose Luis Reyes, GCash head of enterprise, come together to bring affordable, quality housing to the Philippines.

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos • lifestylebusinessmirror@gmail.com

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COVID-19 kills MWC 2020, tech companies launch via live stream TECHNIVORE ED UY

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HE Mobile World Congress, the mobile telecom industry’s largest and most anticipated trade show, was canceled due to ongoing concerns over the coronavirus outbreak. Originally scheduled this week, from February 24 to 27, in Barcelona, Spain, the MWC typically attracts 100,000 representatives from technology companies, carriers and government. It is the latest blow to the tech industry, and is expected to cost the City of Barcelona around $500 million in economic activity. Prior to the official announcement of the cancellation, the GSMA, which organizes the annual event, was providing neardaily updates about implementing strict travel and hygiene protocols for attendees, but they eventually folded when it realized it was not going to be able to provide a reasonable solution. It would have been my first MWC, but I was actually more hesitant than excited, and was having second thoughts about even applying for a visa. I guess a lot of people felt the same and the risk was just too great. Well, there’s always next year. MWC is where the top brands make their big announcements, and the tech media eagerly anticipate the reveal of several highly anticipated devices. Among the products that were supposed to be revealed at this year’s MWC include the Samsung Galaxy A Series; the Sony Xperia 2 and Sony Xperia 5 Plus; Nokia 8.2 5G, Nokia 4.3 and Nokia 5.2; Motorola’s flagship called the Edge Plus; and, of course, the latest smartphones from the Chinese giants: Huawei’s Mate Xs, Honor’s View30 Pro and 9X Pro; the Oppo Find X2; Vivo Apex 2020; and Xiaomi’s Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro (although it has already been launched in China last week). For these companies, with or without MWC, the show must go on and we can expect them to make their announcements via streamed events and smaller individual launches, and we will give you updates about these products in the coming weeks.

THE RISE OF THE APP GALLERY

STICKING to its February 24 schedule was Huawei, but instead of a packed auditorium hall, Huawei CEO Richard Yu made his presentation via live stream as the Philippine media watched from the Grand Hyatt Manila in Taguig. The company had been a tough and tricky 2019, despite holding on to the top 2 spot in global market share, with 240 million-plus units shipped and recording 16.8-percent year-on-year growth, as well as its rapid growth in the smart device segment, it couldn’t deny the effect of the Google ban. That’s why I think the most interesting announcement Huawei made that night, more than the Mate Xs, MatePad Pro and new MateBooks, was the focus on its own AppGallery. The AppGallery is Huawei’s official app distribution platform, much like the Google Play Store. It is not actually new as it already came preinstalled with the P20 Series a couple of years ago. But because of the Google ban, the AppGallery now becomes the primary source of apps for

Huawei users, which is why the company has been investing billions of dollars to make it robust and safe to use. To cultivate a full-fledged ecosystem that will support its devices, Huawei is gradually opening up its chip-devicecloud capabilities to global developers through Huawei Mobile Services. Currently in its fourth iteration, HMS Core is a collection of tools made for Huawei’s partners and app developers to create unique, new experiences that tap into the full hardware and software capabilities Huawei devices have on offer. The company’s vision is to make the AppGallery an open, innovative app distribution platform that is accessible to consumers. Huawei claims it is already the third-biggest app marketplace globally, available in over 170 countries/regions with 400 million monthly active users. The AppGallery segments applications across 18 categories, including news, social media, entertainment and more, all searchable with a simple and smooth browsing experience. I have been mainly using the AppGallery on my Huawei Mate 30 Pro and although it’s still a work in progress, that progress has been very fast with a lot of new apps being added almost weekly. Itis clear that Huawei is continuously working on increasing the selection that have become a staple of its users’ digital lifestyle, including both popular global applications and quality localized applications. Among the local apps you can find at the AppGallery, includes PayMaya, BDO, ClickTheCity, Philippine Airlines, Shopee, Lazada, Carousell, Owto and even government apps, like the SSS mobile app, with more coming in the next few weeks and months. If there’s an app users can’t find, all you have to do is submit the desired app name to a “Wishlist.” Once this app goes on shelf, the user who submitted it via Wishlist will be notified. One of the best things about the AppGallery is that it’s optimized to work on Huawei devices, providing on-device capability. The key enabler is Huawei HiAI, an open AI capability platform for smart devices, which pools software and hardware resources from different devices, and facilitates collaborative, mutually reinforcing interactions between them. For example, the WPS Office app uses the HiAI intelligent recognition capability to achieve super-resolution optical character recognition to recognise text in images, such as

scanned documents and photos. Another interesting thing to look forward to is the tapto-use and installation-free experience called Quick Apps. Quick Apps is an app ecosystem that houses a new type of installation-free apps. It provides a good user experience, powerful functions and automatic updates for HTML5 pages, but consumes very little memory space. Despite giving users the same experience as native apps, Quick Apps are written with only one-fifth the amount of code as compared to that of Android apps, therefore, taking up less memory space. Users can accommodate more than 2,000 Quick Apps instead of just 20 native apps with just 1GB of space. To keep up the pace with 5G, Quick App will be gradually rolled out to more countries and regions, opening the China market’s mature Quick App standards and IDE development tools to global developers. AppGallery comes with full-cycle security and protection, including developer real-name verification and four-step review process for secure app operation. All apps go through a stringent verification test to prevent developers’ apps from malicious activity. It has an age-rating system to create a safe environment for children, filtering out apps that are not suitable for their age range. It deploys the highest level of verification to isolate and protect users’ sensitive data and privacy. Personallysensitive information—such as biometric data—will never be processed outside the Huawei device, giving the user complete control over their personal data. EMUI lets users have control over app user permission. More important, all user data is also anonymized and stored locally, corresponding to each user’s region. “‘Privacy, under your control’ has always been at the heart of our philosophy,” said Yu. “We place privacy protection and cyber security as the top priorities of all our business operations and strictly implement them in all phases of our products. We also have the strictest privacy and cyber-security solutions in the Huawei AppGallery.”

ALL-SCENARIO SEAMLESS A.I. LIFE

HUAWEI then revealed a series of new 5G products and

strategy that demonstrate the full capabilities of its allscenario ecosystem. The key products include: Huawei Mate Xs, an evolution of the foldable device featuring cutting-edge hardware and software; Huawei MatePad Pro 5G, a flagship 5G tablet that offers a premium all-scenario experience; and Huawei Wi-Fi AX3 and Huawei 5G CPE Pro 2, two Wi-Fi 6+ enabled connectivity solutions that offer high-speed, pervasive connectivity to consumers. In addition, Huawei also unveiled a range of new Huawei MateBook laptops. Powered by the 10th Generation Intel Core processors and Windows 10, the latest FullView laptops transform the mobile office experience with revolutionary productivity features, such as Huawei Share and Multi-Screen Collaboration. Representing the next evolution of the foldable form factor, the Huawei Mate Xs delivers an improved user experience with a new flexible display manufactured with novel materials and a new hinge to realize the signature Falcon Wing design. Equipped with Huawei’s self-developed flagship 5G SoC Kirin 990 5G, the Huawei Mate Xs is a complete upgrade featuring improved mobile AI and 5G communications capabilities. The Leica SuperSensing Quad Camera makes a return on the Huawei Mate Xs. Comprised of a 40MP SuperSensing camera, a 16MP ultra wide-angle camera, an 8MP telephoto camera and a 3D Depth Sensing camera, the powerful Leica camera system takes full advantage of the foldable form factor, playing the role of both front and rear cameras to support wide range of photographic use cases. The MatePad Pro 5G tablet, on the other hand, is designed to synergize with Huawei handsets, wearables and other devices. The Huawei MatePad Pro 5G features a 10.8-inch HD display with support for the cinema-grade DCI-P3 color gamut. With ultra-thin bezels, it has the world’s highest tablet screen-to-body ratio at 90 percent. Embedded in the body of the lightweight tablet, the Kirin 990 5G SoC supports outstanding 5G connectivity while delivering high performance and power efficiency. Running EMUI 10, the Huawei MatePad Pro can be connected to other Huawei smartphones through the Huawei Share and Multi-Screen Collaboration feature. Once a connection is established, users can navigate and control both devices on the tablet’s display. Multi-screen collaboration also enables drag-and-drop file transfers between smartphones and tablets. Peripheral sharing lets users type on the smartphone using the tablet’s keyboard and screen, play music saved on the smartphone with the tablet’s speakers and more. The Huawei MatePad Pro 5G can be paired with the Huawei M-Pencil, which supports 4,096 pressure sensitive levels to deliver a natural and intuitive writing experience. The Huawei Notepad natively supports the Huawei stylus with a new Screen-Off Shorthand feature, allowing users to capture their inspiration whenever it strikes. The Chinese giant also announced the latest Huawei MateBook models during the event. The upgraded Huawei MateBook X Pro is powered by the 10th Generation Intel Core processor. Available in a new Emerald Green colorway, the latest premium laptop retains the FullView Display design to achieve a screen-to-body ratio of 91 percent. Meanwhile, the new Huawei MateBook D Series joins the Huawei MateBook family as a PC targeting younger consumers, offering an innovative smart experience in a design that is signature to the MateBook series. ■

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