BusinessMirror March 16, 2020

PAGCOR CLOSES CASINOS, TO LOSE P4B-P5B A MONTH

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

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Pagcor Chairman Andrea Domingo said this would be the revenue impact from suspending the operations of both Pagcor-owned and -operated casinos and gaming stations, as well as those which are privately owned.

“In line with the instruction of President Rodrigo R. Duterte to put Metro Manila under community quarantine to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 [Covid-19], the

@BNicolasBM

HE Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) will be losing about P4 billion to P5 billion per month in revenues from its suspension of operations of casinos and gaming stations in Metro Manila following President Duterte’s move to place the area under community quarantine amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation is suspending all gaming operations effective immediately,” Pagcor said in a separate statement on Sunday.

“The suspension applies to landbased casinos [both Pagcor-owned and -operated, as well as all licensed and integrated resort-casinos], electronic game [eGames], bingo traditional and electronic sports betting, poker and slot machine clubs, and other activities regu-

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lated by Pagcor, and will last for the duration of the National Capital Region [NCR] community quarantine imposed by the government,” it added.

Pagcor also said once local governments outside NCR declare a community quarantine in their respective areas, operations of Pagcor properties will also be suspended.

Pogo workers But in terms of Philippine Offshore

Monday, March 16, 2020 Vol. 15 No. 158

Gaming Operators, Pagcor said only a minimum number of workers will be allowed in their workplaces while the rest of Pogo workers “will be restricted to their living quarters where they will observe social distancing and quarantine protocols.”

Sought for comment by this paper, Domingo explained all Pogo foreign workers are confined in their residences where they can continue their Internet work and a minimum number of employees

will be allowed on their workstations to secure and maintain their properties.

“Pogos are different from casinos because their players are outside our country, thus, there is no face-to-face contact.

Nevertheless, we have ordered [that they] be confined in their living quarters where they work from,” she said in a message to the BusinessMirror.

See “Pagcor,” A2

P25.00 nationwide | 3 sections 20 pages |

Quarantine impacts business, workers

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2019 state infra spend hits P881.7B

By Elijah Felice E. Rosales

@alyasjah

USINESSES are starting to feel the impact of restricted movement of people and goods due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak, as they adjust schedule of operations and work, taking into account the community quarantine imposed on Metro Manila.

“Some industries, [including] electronics and chemicals, affected by lack of raw materials and components, have initiated work rotation.”—Barcelon

Firms based in the nation’s capital are assessing their next moves in dealing with the “community quarantine” (authorities refuse to call it a lockdown, since people are allowed to leave their homes)

imposed on the region. President Duterte’s directive last week to prohibit all domestic land, air and sea travel to and from Metro Manila has left businesses searching for answers on how they should operate temporarily.

George T. Barcelon, director of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), said the best option that many firms found is to either allow their employees to work from home or go on rotational schedules.

“Most are still assessing the community quarantine implication on

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PESO exchange rates n

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DOT plans mercy flights for stranded

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ESPITE the delay in the passage of the national budget, as well as the election ban during the first half of the year, state infrastructure spending in 2019 reached P881.7 billion as it outperformed infrastructure disbursements in 2018.

Data from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) showed infrastructure and capital outlays in 2019 exceeded by 9.7 percent or P78 billion the amount recorded in 2018 at P803.6 billion due to the completion or partial completion of big-ticket infrastructure projects.

These include the Central Luzon Link Expressway Phase 1, CaviteLaguna Expressway, Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway, Flood Risk Management Project for the Cagayan River, Metro Manila Subway Project, North-South Commuter Railway Project, rehabilitation of the MRT 3 and the AFP Modernization Program, among others.

“Notwithstanding the contraction recorded in the first two quarters due to the delayed budget approval and the election ban, infrastructure spending ended with a positive growth rate as a result of the implementation of catch-up measures, such as the 24/7 work schedule for construction of major infrastructure projects; and streamlining of process to expedite right-of-way acquisitions and facilitate payments,” the DBM said in its assessment of government’s

their business,” Barcelon told the BusinessMirror. “Many will start work-from-home arrangements.”

American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Executive Director Ebb Hinchliffe disclosed business-process outsourcing (BPO) firms called off work for Sunday and Monday to steer their employees clear of the expected long lines at checkpoints.

“I am not aware of any company that has halted operations,” Hinchliffe said in a text message to the BusinessMirror.

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo

@akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror

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A policeman sprays disinfectant (clockwise, from top left) on a passenger jeepney at the boundary of Cavite and Las Piñas as the government-imposed community quarantine for Metro Manila took effect Sunday morning to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Policemen and Army soldiers man a checkpoint for vehicles from Nlex entering Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City. In Cainta’s Ardi market, however, it was business as usual as residents buy fresh meat. In San Pedro, Laguna, a policeman checks a bus conductor’s temperature with a thermal scanner.

NONIE REYES/NONOY LACZA/BERNARD TESTA/ROY DOMINGO

HE Department of Tourism (DOT) is ready to mount special flights for stranded airline passengers in the provinces, due to the sudden lockdown of the National Capital Region (NCR).

Major carriers had to cancel their domestic flights in and out of Manila beginning Sunday, the start of the 30-day lockdown in the NCR. These flights number at least 282 a day, airline spokesman said.

As of 4 p.m. on Sunday, there were about 450 tourists stranded in Puerto Princesa who expressed interest in riding the special flights, said President Jose C. Clemente III in an interview with the BusinessMirror. “We, Tourism Congress of the Philippines [TCP], have been asked to coordinate evacuation flights for stranded passengers [caught by the NCR lockdown] from all over...Puerto Princesa, Coron, Cebu, etc.” In his posts on his Facebook account, Clemente urged his friends and followers to advise him of stranded passengers who wish to ride the DOT’s special flights.

Special flights were also being mounted by Cebu Pacific Air (CEB) on Sunday, according to industry sources. “The intent is to fly out whoever is stranded,” said the sources.

See “DOT,” A2

US 50.8600 n japan 0.4853 n UK 64.0277 n HK 6.5398 n CHINA 7.2368 n singapore 36.0991 n australia 32.0774 n EU 56.8055 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.5507

Source: BSP (13 March 2020)

News

BusinessMirror

A2 Monday, March 16, 2020

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Motorbike taxis halt services too, to stop Covid-19

By Lorenz S. Marasigan

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@lorenzmarasigan

HE transport guidelines for Metro Manila’s community quarantine has forced motorcycle taxi apps to temporarily stop their ride-hailing service in the capital region, as the government enforces strict social distancing protocols to stop the further spread of the deadly virus.

George Royeca, who sits as the chief transport advocate and majority shareholder in Angkas, said commuters in Metro Manila will not be able to book for Angkas rides until further notice, as the government suspends the motorcycle taxi pilot program due to the world pandemic.

“Once Metro Manila is declared safe, Angkas will again be here to help you beat the traffic,” he said. “Safety continues to be our priority at Angkas, and we support the government’s steadfast efforts to keep everyone safe from Covid-19.”

Its delivery service, called Angkas Padala, will be business as usual, “to serve those who are unable to travel or leave their homes or for emergency services.”

JoyRide, in a separate statement, said it has also suspended its ride-hailing services amid the spread of the dreaded virus.

Its JoyRide Delivery service will continue to operate to “assist the government and the public in delivering essential goods in whatever manner or form.”

Move It shares the same statement, saying that its parcel service will continue, while the passenger service is suspended.

Angkas, JoyRide and Move It operate under the government’s pilot program for motorcycle taxis. The program is set to expire on March 23.

There are roughly 45,000 two-wheel motorcycle taxi riders in Metro Manila, with Angkas having the lion’s share.

‘Online or via TV, mass is a holy exercise’ Despite quarantine, fight vs corruption goes on

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VEN if it is viewed online or through television, a mass is still considered holy and should still be respected.

Apostolic Administrator of Manila Broderick Pabillo issued the statement amid the monthlong suspension of all live masses in the dioceses in Metro Manila due to the public health threat of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

For the duration of the suspension, to last up to April, the faithful are being urged by

Church officials to watch masses via online or television.

In a Pastoral Instruction, Pabillo urged the viewers to prepare for the Mass by thinking what to “thank the Lord for and what to offer to Him in His Mass.”

He also said viewers should exercise proper decorum, while watching the Mass.

“Since you know the time of the Mass, prepare yourselves well for it. Do not watch it with a cup of coffee in hand,” Pabillo said.

“Stay in reverent gesture

throughout the Mass, standing or sitting up properly,” he added.

Quarantine. . .

and chemicals, affected by lack of raw materials and components, have initiated work rotation,” Barcelon said.

The Philippines is seen to suffer as much as $300 million in export losses due to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad). Exports of communication equipment will likely go down by $115 million, while those of office machinery by $76.8 million and electrical machinery by $41.8 million.

The Unctad’s assessment also reported that Philippine exports of auto parts and various machinery could drop by $22 million and $16.9 million, respectively.

However, Barcelon said losses resulting from the Metro Manila community quarantine are the necessary sacrifices the

business sector must make to ensure that Covid-19 is contained. He, therefore, called on malls to close their establishments for the duration of the lockdown.

“Since the Covid-19 is a serious matter which we can’t afford to trivialize—[and] the public is made aware of its danger and as such may have voluntarily avoided malls—the owners [have] to temporarily close,” the business leader explained.

Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez last Saturday said malls will be mandated to close during the community quarantine period, but supermarkets, hardware stores, pharmacies, clinics, banks and other basic services inside will be allowed to remain open. Outside of malls, business will be as usual, he clarified.

In spite of this pronouncement, however, mall operators Ayala Malls, Robinsons and SM Malls just trimmed their

operating hours from 11 in the morning to 7 in the evening.

Labor group Trade Union Congress of the Philippines is not in favor of a total closure of malls in Metro Manila. It argued for a select, partial shutdown of malls only, as closure across the region would result in job losses. The President last week ordered the nation’s capital placed under community quarantine from March 15 to April 14, prohibiting travel to and from Metro Manila, and extended by one month the class suspension on all levels.

The government vowed supply of food and nonfood items in the Metro will be stable during the lockdown, as cargo trucks carrying essential supplies are exempted from being stopped at the checkpoints.

Also, workers from rural areas employed in Metro Manila firms are exempted from the travel restriction.

services from Puerto Princesa to Clark and Cebu for passengers affected by the government’s recent restrictions on travel due to the current public health situation.” The flights to Clark will be from March 16 to 19, while flights to Cebu will be on March 16 only.

Ricky Isla, the carrier’s CEO said, “In response to the request of the Governor of Palawan, we are operating the recovery flights to bring our guests back home

as communities implement quarantine procedures. We are exhausting all options to assist in managing the current health situation with the interest of our guests and Allstars at heart, taking into consideration advice from global and local authorities.”

For its part, Philippine Airlines said it would also mount special flights from Siargao and Puerto Princesa. In a viber message, PAL Vice President for Corporate Communications Jose Enriquez Perez

de Tagle said, “Yes, we are [mounting] extra flights to/from Siargao and Puerto Princesa,” originating from Clark. He added, the flights are “still being set up so not yet final [and subject to approvals].

But we hope to finalize soon.”

The carrier had also mounted extra flights out of and into Manila “in the days leading to March 15, to enable passengers to fly out before the NCR quarantine period,” said PAL spokesman Cielo Villaluna.

Continued from A1

“Some in the BPO sector have closed for Sunday and Monday with pay just to avoid the possible delays at the various checkpoints.”

“All have assured me there is absolutely no plan to halt operations,” he added.

Manufacturing

On the other hand, those in the manufacturing sector are slowing down production, as their inputs face shortages due to factory shutdowns in China, the source country of Covid-19. As such, manufacturers are resorting to rotational schedules to maximize labor in spite of the decrease in their output.

“Some industries, [including] electronics

DOT. . .

Continued from A1

The flights are not being sold to the public, but are communicated to the passengers who are already at the airports.

AirAsia Philippines is mounting similar flights to bring their passengers home. In a news statement, the carrier said, it was “set to mount special recovery

Infra. . .

Unctad report

Continued from A1

disbursement performance for 2019.

“These initiatives, likewise, helped the government beat the P859.4-billion program for infrastructure and other CO [capital outlays] by P22.3 billion or 2.6 percent,”

Greater appreciation

While an online or televised Mass, Pabillo said, is a “poor substitute” to a live Mass, he urged viewers to engage with it as if it is live by watching with their families.

“Do not just watch the Mass.

Join in prayers. Response,” Pabillo said.

“Remember that you are praying this Eucharist with many other fellow Catholics not

it added.

If the infrastructure component of subsidy and equity to government-owned and -controlled corporations, as well as the transfers to local government units intended for infrastructure projects are taken into account, total infrastructure disbursements in 2019 reached P1.05 trillion, up

only in your parish but all over the world,” he added.

Pabillo noted he hopes the temporary “deprivation” of the faithful to live masses will make them better appreciate its worth.

“Perhaps this void should make us realize the great opportunity that we have here in the Archdiocese [of Manila] of being able to come to Mass regularly every Sunday, if not everyday.

This is not so in many parts of the country,” Pabillo said.

Samuel P. Medenilla

by 18.4 percent year-on-year, according to DBM. This is also equivalent to 5.6 percent of GDP. For December 2019 a lone, infrastr ucture and other capita l outlays more than doubled to P177.9 billion compared to P75.6 billion in the same month in 2018.

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VEN during the period of Metro Manila’s community quarantine to arrest the spread of Covid-19, the Office of Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission Commissioner (PACC) Atty.

Manuelito Luna has served notice it will continue operating against corrupt and immodest public officers, including their coconspirators.

Luna’s office is pursuing this campaign in partnership with the The Fraternal Order of Eagles-Philippine Eagles, the National Press Club and the Office of Commissioner Victor del Rosario of the National Youth Commission (NYC).

By virtue of the cooperation agreements (MOAs) that the Office of PACC Commissioner Luna earlier entered into with the TFOE-PE, the NYC and the Office of NYC Commissioner del Rosario, informationgathering shall continue even during the period March 15 to April 14, 2020.

They assured the public that case buildups shall not cease or be suspended just because Metro Manila has been placed

Pagcor. . .

Continued from A1

Pagcor also pointed out that rest au ra nt s a nd food out let s w it h i n gaming areas may remain open, while hotels where the casinos and gaming facilities are housed may continue to accommodate guests but are discouraged from hosting large functions and events.

“Pagcor believes in the seriousness of the Covid-19 situation. Hence, it supports the government’s extreme effort in containing the virus. For its part, the state-run gaming agency has decided to prohibit public gatherings in its gaming venues and in the licensed gaming properties that it regulates.

“This measure is intended to ensure the safety of both gaming employees and The increase was propelled mainly by strong disbursement performance of the Department of Public Works and Highways.

For 2020, the government vowed to accelerate public spending, particularly on infrastructure outlays and social sector banner programs to hit its growth target of

under community quarantine.

The PACC official said their network has taken root and is functioning seamlessly in all the provinces, cities and municipalities of the country—from the farthest Northern province of Batanes, to the farthest Southern municipality of Turtle Island in Tawi-Tawi down South.

PACC will unceasingly monitor national government agencies (NGAs) and Local Government Units (LGUs) on whether they strictly comply with the Ease of Doing Business Law (RA11032) and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) and meet timelines in implementing projects, activities and programs (PAPs).

These will also be monitored to ensure that these are not substandard and graftridden, and if they are judiciously spending public funds, including calamity funds.

PACC said it will be working closely with the Commission on Audit, the Anti-Money Laundering Council and partner-agencies and nongovernment organizations individuals in connection with this.

customers and eventually, the general public,” it said.

Prior to the suspension of operations, Pagcor remitted P2 billion to the Social-Civic Projects Fund (SCPF) under the Office of the President for the Department of Health ’s procurement of personnel protective equipment (PPE) and operating expenses of the Bureau of Quarantine and support for the tests being conducted by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine. It is also in the process of procuring PPE and food for frontline workers and communities affected by the pandemic.

In a radio inter view on Sunday, Domingo said the Pagcor board, in an emergency meeting at the weekend, approved the release of another P500 million to the OP, also to augment DOH’s resources for fighting the pandemic.

6.5 to 7.5 percent despite downside risks, including the Covid-19 pandemic, eruption of Taal Volcano and weak global demand.

The P4.1-trillion national budget, which is 12 percent higher than the P3.662-trillion national budget, is equivalent to 19.6 percent of the country’s GDP. Bernadette D. Nicolas

The Nation BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Monday, March 16, 2020 A3

IBP seeks suspension of processes in all courts, work-from-home arrangements

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

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HE Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) has recommended a temporary suspension of hearings and court process in all courts and tribunals all over the country in view of the current public health emergency and efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

In a letter to Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta, IBP President Domingo Q. Cayosa said the organization also seeks a general extension of deadlines for submission of pleadings and other requirements.

It can be recalled that the Supreme

Court earlier announced that all hearings in all courts in the country, from the SC to the lowest trial court, are suspended only until March 18.

Covered by the suspension are the SC, the Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan, Court of Tax Appeals, regional trial courts, metropolitan trial courts, metropolitan trial courts in cities, municipal trial court, municipal circuit trial courts and the Sharia courts.

While court hearings are suspended, justices, judges, and court personnel are required to report to their offices and perform their mandated tasks as directed in an earlier circular that Peralta issued.

But the IBP recommended that

the courts and tribunals remain functional with minimal staff on a rotation-basis or on-call basis, and work from home arrangements.

“We suggest this decisive move for the sale of lawyers, judges, prosecutors and coworkers in the justice sector, and also for the litigants, witnesses, stakeholders, and the public at large who need to be protected from the spread of the virus and who must cooperate to avoid travel and contact with others as prescribed by authorities and health experts,” Cayosa said.

“The ‘community quarantine’ imposed by national and local authorities and the reported spread of the virus to other provinces make physi-

cal presence in hearings difficult, if not impossible or even counterproductive,” the IBP said.

It also recommended a weekly assessment and adjustment of the suspension and other precautionary measures.

The lawyers’ group said the measures do not detract from its “Justice Bilis, hindi Justice Tiis” campaign.

However, “the present circumstances require all of us to sacrifice for the greater good and safety of all, and to promote social justice.”

Peralta has ordered the suspen-

Sara Duterte places Davao City under community quarantine

By Manuel T. Cayon

@awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief

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AVAO CITY—Mayor Sara DuterteCarpio placed this country’s fourthlargest city under community quarantine, a move that is one step short of locking down the area, as this city and many local governments expressed alarm over the panic migration of Metro Manila residents to their hometowns and setting up a likely nightmare of nationwide contagion of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

Mayor Duterte-Carpio issued Executive Order 10 on Sunday morning declaring “the entire Davao City under community quarantine.”

“There are limited testing kits and results take too long to become available [and] there is a need immediately to be aggressive and proactive on the impending spread of Covid-19 in Davao City,” Duterte said in the EO, as the prime motive to issue the declaration even if there was no confirmed positive case yet.

Duterte said the city should not wait for the two positive cases to surface before imposing quarantine measures. She disclosed in previous interviews that doctors here have already warned that “they [positive cases] are already here because people are coming in and out of this city, and especially now when people in Manila, who are all considered PUM [Persons under Monitoring] are escaping out of Metro Manila to their home towns.”

“We just have to reach out to them to please contact our Covid-19 operation centers,” she said.

Under community quarantine procedure laid down in her EO, the mayor reiterated her guideline to discourage all travels to Davao

City and for residents in the city to stay at home, and may go out only to work, buy food or medicines, go to the hospital.

“You may also go out to take out garbage, especially those who went on panic buying because it would be expected that you will accumulate a lot of waste,” she said. “Let this be a reminder to you who are panic buying: this will not protect you from getting infected, because if you still go out to the malls, ride on public transport and depend more on alcohol than on handwashing with soap and water, the chances are you would be exposed to a higher risk.”

“And when you get infected, the items you hoard would not be of use to you after all,” she admonished.

Travel may not be prevented though, “but as I have been saying all along, we just don’t know by now who are carrying the virus, or you don’t know that you may be getting the virus from the other side, or infect them.”

“I suggest you postpone your travel because when a lockdown is imposed, you would not be allowed to come back,” she warned.

The EO also directed the suspension of mass gatherings and classes from kindergarten to post-graduate studies, and holding of all religious activities.

“We encourage churches to hold it online, and Muslims may still use the loudspeakers in the minarets to hold their rituals,” she added.

The EO assured that government work would not be disrupted and those employees from other provinces who wish to enter Davao City should follow necessary screening procedures. Companies must already prepare and implement a flexible work plan for their employees “because it is also to the advantage of employers if their workers would not be infected.”

She also encourages residents to get their services and buy goods from online suppliers as the EO also said it would allow cargo deliveries, as well as public transport.

Not only are churches and mosques encouraged to hold their rituals online, all the other groups and corporations to hold their meetings and bank transactions online.

Appeal for volunteers

DUTERTE said the local interagency task force believed that it would not be long for a spike in positive cases to surface. She added the city would now be calling for health workers to volunteers.

“We expect in coming days to have an increase in PUI [Persons under Investigation] due to travel of people in and out of Davao City. And the problem is aggravated by these people from Manila who are in panic to get out of the quarantine in Manila so they left Manila earlier, or go to Clark to get here.”

She said the city would appeal to all residents who have cough and colds, have high fever, sore throat and diarrhea to call the designated Covid-19 operation centers.

“These are the symptoms that we would be asking from people to text or call our centers.”

She said the city health and disaster personnel would be ready to respond to the cases, as private hospitals “under crisis situation would be ask to do heroic act of freeing some of their rooms to accommodate Covid-19 patients.”

The orthopedic unit of the Southern Philippines Medical Center, the country’s largest government hospital, has been designated to handle mild Covid-19 cases.

The private hospitals would not be allowed to handle or take in positive Covid-19 cases “so that we would not expose health workers.”

sion of hearings in the trial courts as a safeguard against the spread of Covid-19.

The suspension was ordered based on the recommendation of the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) which supervises all lower courts for the SC. During the period of suspension of hearings, justices and judges

are directed to reset the hearings and inform the parties of the new schedule, disinfect court premises, issue orders and decisions, and act on pending matters before their courts.

They were also ordered to continue with their report to OCA on “any development or circumstance regarding the spread of Covid-19.”

Economy BusinessMirror

A4 Monday, March 16, 2020 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Fund lack hobbles efforts to address labor sector’s woes due to Covid-19

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

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ACK of funding continues to hamper government efforts to assist over 7,000 workers whose jobs are now being affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

This comes despite the expected surge in the numbers of the affected employees with the implementation of the 30-day community quarantine in Metro Manila.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is still waiting for the approval of its budget request for P2.8 billion to help Filipino workers in the formal and informal sectors that could be affected by the disease.

Of the amount, P1.5 billion will be for the affected overseas Filipino workers (OFW), while the remaining P1.3 billion will be for local employees.

In a statement, Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III said the additional funding will enable them to extend subsidies and other aid to the affected workers through several programs.

Labor Assistant Secretary Officer in Charge Dominique R. Tutay said Bello will be reiterating his appeal

for the approval of the fund request during the meeting of economic cluster on Monday on issues related to Covid-19.

“Bello will bring again our requests to the table. We will provide all justification, both for OFWs and local workers,” Tutay told the BusinessMirror.

Growing figures

BASED from their latest field reports, Tutay said Covid-19 has already forced 68 companies with 6,087 employees to practice flexible work arrangement. The remaining 21 firms, which have 389 workers, implemented temporary closure.

Tutay, however, emphasized they have yet to register any local permanent displacement related to Covid-19.

Citing the report from DOLE’s International Labor Affairs Bureau, 1,120 OFWs were affected by the travel bans related to Covid-19.

Last week, the DOLE said it only registered 4,735 local workers and 790 OFWs who were affected by Covid-19.

Anticipated impact

LABOR groups warned the ongoing community quarantine imposed for

the National Capital Region (NCR) amid its increasing cases of Covid-19 cases, will lead to the surge of the aforementioned figures.

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) has appealed to authorities to reconsider its recommendation to shut down malls to minimize possible job losses from Covid-19.

“If government totally shuts down these malls, massive and catastrophic number of daily paid employees working in mall retailers and workers working in supply chains will lose their jobs and go hungry,” TUCP spokesman Alan Tanjusay said in a statement.

For its part, the Federation of Free Workers (FFW) urged the government to get the inputs from employers and labor groups on the implementation of the community quarantine of NCR, by convening the National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council.

The FFW said among the issues it will raise in relation to Covid-19 in the proposed meeting is the extension of paid 14-day quarantine leave, sick-leave entitlements to workers who lack them, and as well as to ensure the preservation of jobs amid the spread of Covid-19.

Govt OKs importation of over 1.4MMT of rice

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

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HE government has approved the importation of over 1.4 million metric tons (MMT) of rice after it issued over 1,800 sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances (SPS-ICs) to about 145 grain retailers, traders, importers and farmers organizations.

Latest Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) data showed that as of February 29, it has issued 1,877 SPS-ICs to eligible rice importers, covering the importation of 1.472 MMT. Some 90 grain traders, importers, retailers, corporations and private firms accounted for the bulk of the approved importation as they secured 1,258 SPS-ICs for a total applied volume of 928,005.268 MT, BPI data showed.

Around 55 farmers’ organizations, including cooperatives and irrigators’ associations, were issued with 619 SPS-ICs for an approved importation of 544,251.41 MT of rice.

Commod ities trader A r v in Inter nationa l Marketing Inc. topped the list as it was able to get 45 SPS-IC for its applied rice import volume of 57,075 MT followed by Mindanao Agriplus Corp. with 55,510 MT (99 SPS-ICs), BPI data showed.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) previously said that it has been more stringent in issuing SPS-ICs, particularly to farmers groups, to weed out entities, such as cooperatives that are being used as “dummies” by unscrupulous rice traders and importers.

The DA also pronounced recently that it will void all existing unused SPS-ICs for rice imports that were issued last year to curb import arrivals this harvest season.

In a separate data released by the BPI, about 105 rice importers used 480 SPS-ICs to bring in 320,044.555 MT of staple during the January-toFebruary period.

This now brings the total volume of rice imported since rice trade liberalization (RTL) law took effect on March 5, 2019 to nearly 2.177 MMT, according to BPI data.

During the two-month period, Integrated Farmers Producers Cooperative imported the most rice at 20,634.885 followed by Arvin International Marketing Inc. at 20,395.020 MT, BPI data showed.

In a recent report, the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said strong demand from Malaysian and Filipino rice importers drove the export price of Vietnamese 5-percent broken rice in February to increase by 4.7

percent to $362 per MT from $346 per MT in January.

“February quotations of Vietnamese 5-percent broken rice climbed 4.7 percent over January values to their highest level since December 2018,” it said in its March 2020 FAO Rice Price Update report.

“Strong demand from Malaysian and Filipino buyers spurred the increase, coming at a time of tight availabilities as the 2020 winterspring harvest was just getting started,” it added.

Manila is targeting to maintain imports at around 1.6 MMT—the estimated shortfall in local output— to stabilize the farm-gate price of the staple.

Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said the country’s rice production is capable of supplying only 85 percent to 87 percent of the requirements of Filipino consumers.

“That’s the direction [to keep imports at that level]. Managing importation and enhancing local productivity equals better opportunity for rice farmers, and they are more productive and competitive and they have higher income,” Dar told reporters in an interview at the sidelines of the government’s celebration of the anniversary of the RTL law last March 5.

Oil firms announce huge reduction in pump prices

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

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IL companies announced Sunday a huge reduction in local pump prices as demand in the world oil market remained weak.

Gasoline prices will go down by P4.25 per liter. The same price adjustment will also be reflected on diesel. The price of kerosene will also be reduced by P4.34 per liter.

The oil firms that will implement this at 6 a.m. of Tuesday, March 17, are Pilipinas Shell, Flying V, PetroGazz, Caltex Philippines and Petron Corp. Other oil firms will follow suit.

Phoenix Petroleum already carried out a price rollback at noon of March 13. It slashed diesel and gasoline products by P3 per liter.

In addition to this, it announced last Sunday it will further reduce on Tuesday morning, gasoline and diesel prices by P1.25 per liter, respectively, bringing the total price rollback to P4.25 per liter.

Meanwhile, the Department of Energy (DOE) assured the public of continuous and sufficient oil supply in the National Capital Region (NCR) during the 30-day community quarantine imposed by the government.

Based on the DOE’s assessment of the country’s oil inventory as of February 29, there is an estimated 2.7 billion liters of crude and oil products available, translating to about 45 days of fuel supply. This indicates that inventory is well supplied for the one-month quarantine period in NCR. It should also be noted that this

45 day’s worth of fuel supply is above the Minimum Inventory Requirement being observed by the oil industry.

“During this most challenging time, it is imperative to ensure the continued supply of fuel products, especially in areas under quarantine.

Having sufficient petroleum supply is vital, making it a critical concern amid this crisis. The entire energy family is working 24/7 to make sure that energy services remain unimpeded,” Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said.

The DOE is closely coordinating with all its stakeholders to ensure the unhindered entry of fuel supply to affected retail outlets. In addition, the agency has already requested oil companies to submit a status report on depots supplying Metro Manila.

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US providers offer free Wi-fi for 60 days

B

OSTON—US Internet and wireless providers have announced temporary measures to make getting online less expensive and onerous as enforced social distancing due to the new coronavirus forces more human interaction online.

Most notable is Comcast’s free public Wi-fi for all for 60 days, effective Saturday. Major metropolitan areas are thick with Comcast’s Xfinity-branded hot spots.

“I don’t get to say this often: Bravo Comcast!” tweeted Alex Stamos, a Stanford University Internet security expert.

Home-based Xfinity hot spots are not included, said Comcast spokesman Joel Shadle, but Wi-fi access points in public locations and at small businesses are.

AT&T and Charter Communications also announced free public Wi-fi for 60 days, with Charter offering free broadband for households with students through college age who don’t already have a subscription.

Verizon was among the many providers to also announce a moratorium on late fees and disconnections.

T-Mobile announced that it would provide unlimited smartphone data to all current subscribers, and increase the data allowance to schools and students using their digital learning programs.

Cox said it would increase speeds on low-cost broadband plans and Sprint said it would give subscribers unlimited data for 60 days, among other changes. Comcast and AT&T also temporarily lifted data caps.

The announcements followed a plea on Thursday to Internet providers by Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia and 17 other colleagues in the Senate. AP

Editor: Angel R. Calso • Monday, March 16, 2020 A5

Spain locks down its citizens, while France shuts nightlife B

ARCELONA, Spain—Spain locked down its 46 million citizens and France ordered the closing of just about everything the rest of the world loves about it—the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the cafés and restaurants—as governments took increasingly desperate measures to put more space between people and contain the coronavirus.

More borders snapped shut around the globe on Saturday and Sunday: President Donald J. Trump announced that the US, which days ago barred travelers from most of Europe, will extend the ban to Britain and Ireland. In the Philippines, thousands of police and soldiers started sealing the densely populated capital from most domestic travelers in one of Southeast Asia’s most drastic containment moves.

Meanwhile, China, where the virus first appeared late last year, continued to relax its drastic restrictions, illustrating the way the center of gravity in the crisis has shifted westward toward Europe. The virus has infected more than 150,000 people worldwide and killed over 5,600.

In a nationally televised address on Saturday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez detailed the battery of exceptional measures put in place as part of a two-week state of emergency to fight the sharp rise in infections.

Later on Saturday, Spain’s government said Sánchez’s wife has tested positive

for coronavirus. Begoña Gómez and the prime minister are in good health, the government said.

Two ministers of Sánchez’s Cabinet, the minister of equality and the minister of regional affairs, had already tested positive earlier this week. The other members of the Cabinet have tested negative.

In a lockdown similar to the one already imposed in Italy, people will be allowed to leave their homes only to buy food and medicine, commute to work, go to hospitals and banks, or take trips related to the care of the young and the elderly. All schools and universities were closed, along with restaurants, bars, hotels and other nonessential retail businesses.

“From now we enter into a new phase,” Sánchez said after a Cabinet meeting that lasted over seven hours. “We won’t hesitate in doing what we must to beat the virus. We are putting health first.”

Spanish authorities said the number of infections climbed past 5,700, half of them in the capital, Madrid. That represents a national increase of over 1,500 in 24 hours.

The country had 136 deaths, up from 120.

Spain has the fifth-highest number of cases, behind China, Italy, Iran and South Korea.

For most people, the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people

recover in a matter of weeks.

Despite calls for calm from authorities, shoppers packed supermarkets in Spain in the morning. But overall, the normally bustling streets of the country’s two biggest cities were noticeably quieter as the message sank in that social distancing is the only way to stop the pandemic.

“We had to close and remain shut for 15 days,” restaurant owner Rachel Paparardo said in Barcelona, which was already under regional restrictions. “But this is nothing. It is just so more people don’t get infected and we can recover from this.”

Some flights bound for Spain turned around as word spread of the lockdown.

Paris followed other cities in shuttering major tourist attractions, and France announced the closing of all restaurants, cafés, theaters and nonessential shops starting on Sunday. France has recorded at least 3,600 infections. It has banned all gatherings of more than 100 people, ordered all schools closed and asked companies to allow workers to stay home.

France pressed ahead with plans for nationwide municipal elections on Sunday but ordered special measures to keep people at a safe distance and to sanitize surfaces.

In Italy, the worst-hit European country, the number of deaths climbed past 1,400 and infections surged roughly 20 percent overnight to more than 21,000 because of what authorities characterized as irresponsible

behavior by people still socializing despite the nationwide lockdown. Many Italian cities, including Rome and Milan, decided to close playgrounds and parks, too.

Premier Giuseppe Conte has said production—particularly of food and health supplies—must not stop. On Saturday, union and industrial leaders reached an agreement to keep factories running.

At noon, people around Italy came out on their balconies, terraces or gardens or leaned out their windows to clap for several minutes in a gesture of thanks to medical workers.

In Britain, the death toll nearly doubled from the day before to 21, and the number of people infected rose to over 1,100. Ireland had 90 confirmed cases and one death as of Friday. Greece’s infection total approached 230 with three deaths, and police there arrested 45 shopkeepers on Saturday for violating a ban on operations.

The US has seen 59 deaths—including the first in New York, Louisiana and Virginia— and more than 2,100 cases. In hard-hit Washington state, where 40 have died and more than 550 have been infected, officials said the disease is straining the supply of protective gear available to medical providers despite shipments from the federal government.

Trump has tested negative for the new coronavirus, the president’s personal physician said on Saturday.

European countries took steps to isolate themselves from their neighbors. AP

A6

Monday, March 16, 2020 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

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editorial

Hanging together against Covid-19

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onditioned by both fact and fiction, we have definite fears about the concept of a government-imposed “curfew.” The public is locked in their homes and, in the dark of night, jackbooted and masked government agents break down doors to take people away to undisclosed locations.

That scenario has occurred countless times affecting millions of people around the world in past decades if not centuries. However, despite our rational alarm over a curfew, it is a valid government action in its function of providing “crowd control.”

The government does crowd control with every traffic signal and waiting area at the LTO. We accept this even with reluctance as a way to have a proper and functioning society. Governments can obviously abuse their authorities given by the people. And, eventually, the people will rise up against any abuses.

The announcement that the Metro Manila area was going to be put under some variation of “community quarantine” or lockdown has been met with concerns as expected. Part of the problem is that the specifics are even now not completely “specified.” The government has the responsibility to make policies that are justifiable, clear and understandable, and properly disseminated to the public.

Due to the exigency and the complexity of the problem, the government did not completely fulfill its responsibility on what we will call “The Lockdown.” Mistakes were made.

The immediate opposition to the lockdown went from sensible to silly.

There is still some confusion about what business will be closed and which will not, and what kinds of travel are allowed. But as the President and other officials have pointed out repeatedly, this policy requires even a daily review.

Limiting gatherings of large groups is—according to some people—a prelude to martial law and a convenient way to silence the opposition. Is the Philippines the only nation on Earth with such a draconian policy? The government of Israel announced a new restriction on gatherings of over 10 people in the same place.

In fact, according to The Jerusalem Post newspaper, “Israel is going to use counterterrorism technologies to track coronavirus carriers, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday as the government enacted new restrictions, including the closure of all restaurants, cafés and theaters.

‘We are at war with an enemy: the coronavirus,’ the prime minister said.”

The Spanish government is putting the country under lockdown. Spaniards will be ordered to stay at home except to buy food or medicines, go to the hospital, and go to work or other emergencies. El Mundo reports Spain’s interior ministry will control all police forces, including local and regional ones, as part of the state of emergency.

In Italy, the hardest hit in Europe, Italians must have permission to move around the country and only for reasons of work, health or extenuating circumstances. All sports events and outdoor gatherings are now forbidden. A 6 p.m. curfew on bars has extended to the whole country.

We may not like or even agree with all the government’s actions. However, in this situation we are reminded of the thoughts of American founding father Benjamin Franklin before the signing of the Declaration of Independence. “We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.”

We must do our part to cooperate to ensure the health of the nation and of all Filipinos.

No guidelines for WFH arrangement Atty. Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II

RISING SUN

T

here are many valuable lessons to be learned from the crisis that we are currently experiencing. One of these is our preparedness (or lack thereof ) to embrace a work-fromhome setup.

We must understand that not all work sectors can work remotely—the servers have to be inside the restaurants, drivers have to keep driving, sales personnel have to be at the store physically, etc. But for the rest of the workers who are able to remain in their homes to work, there needs to be clearer guidelines.

Locally, the arrangements being implemented presently in various companies and agencies are like a

A primer: Magna Carta of Women Atty. Lorna Patajo-Kapunan

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huge trial run for something that should have already been in place.

Let’s not forget the fact that this has been pushed into public awareness in light of the traffic situation in Metro Manila, city congestion, and the rise in the number of independent freelancers in recent years.

But it needed a pandemic for the issue to be taken seriously, albeit with hesitation.

The experiences and issues that

will be encountered by the different organizations and individuals who are currently going through it must be recorded and studied to be able to create clearer and more effective guidelines for the future because, let’s face it, it is an inevitable work model or framework for the labor industry.

One writer wrote this about commuting: “It is a psychological and environmental scourge that increases depression, divorce and fossil-fuel emissions.” A daily commute of four to six hours in Metro Manila and nearby provinces is not unheard of.

And with the virus situation we have at present, the risks just greatly increased. If people are allowed to work at home (or even in coffee shops or co-working spaces), it will be much safer and healthier for people and the environment.

Remote work is, generally, uncharted territory. In the Philippines, we lack the regulations to understand and manage it well. It doesn’t

legally speaking

I

N celebration of March as Women’s Month, here is a Primer on Women’s Rights as laid down in the Magna Carta of Women (Republic Act 9710).

The Magna Carta of Women is a comprehensive women’s humanrights law that seeks to eliminate discrimination against women by recognizing, protecting, fulfilling and promoting the rights of Filipino women, especially those in marginalized sector.

The Magna Carta of Women defines discrimination against women as: n Any gender-based distinction, exclusion, or restriction which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment, or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field; n Any act or omission, including by law, policy, administrative measure, or practice, that directly or indirectly excludes or restricts women in the recognition and promotion of their rights and their access to and enjoyment of opportunities, benefits or privileges; n A measure or practice of general application that fails to provide

for mechanisms to offset or address sex or gender-based disadvantages or limitations of women, as a result of which women are denied or restricted in the recognition and protection of their rights and in their access to and enjoyment of opportunities, benefits or privileges; or women, more than men are shown to have suffered the greater adverse effects of those measures or practices; and n Discrimination compounded by or intersecting with other grounds, status, or condition, such as ethnicity, age, poverty or religion.

All rights in the Philippine Constitution and those rights recognized under international instruments duly signed and ratified by the Philippines, in consonance with Philippine laws shall be rights of women under the Magna Carta of Women.

These rights shall be enjoyed without discrimination since the law prohibits discrimination against women, whether done by public and private entities or individuals.

The Magna Carta of Women also spells out every woman’s right to: n Protection from all forms of violence, including those committed by the State. This includes the

All rights in the Philippine Constitution and those rights recognized under international instruments duly signed and ratified by the Philippines, in consonance with Philippine laws shall be rights of women under the Magna Carta of Women. incremental increase in the recruitment and training of women in government services that cater to women victims of gender-related offenses. It also ensures mandatory training on human rights and gender sensitivity to all government personnel involved in the protection and defense of women against genderbased violence, and mandates local government units to establish a Violence Against Women Desk in every barangay to address violence against women cases; n Protection and security in times of disaster, calamities and other crisis situations, especially in all phases of relief, recovery, rehabilitation and construction efforts, including protection from sexual exploitation, and other sexual and gender-based violence; n Participation and representation, including undertaking temporary special measures and affirmative actions to accelerate and ensure women’s equitable participation and representation in the third level civil service, development councils and planning bodies, as well as political parties and international bodies, including the private sector; n Equal treatment before the law, including the State’s review and when necessary amendment or

seem to work for many organizations, even for those overseas or in the first-world economies.

But that is only natural because the work setup has been created and practiced for many years using the office/headquarter setting. It will, of course, take time and much effort to change a deeply rooted practice and system.

The time to think about change and to act on it is now, as we are being pushed toward premature but actual implementation by the coronavirus. There is much to learn, new processes and benchmarks have to be developed, managers and workers will need to adjust and adopt new skills and abilities.

I hope that organizations and the government will take this opportunity to build new guidelines, put up structures and technology, and create a new culture that will allow more Filipinos to comfortably and more effectively work from their homes.

repeal of existing laws that are discriminatory to women; n Equal access and elimination of discrimination against women in education, scholarships and training. This includes revising educational materials and curricula to remove gender stereotypes and images, and outlawing the expulsion, non-readmission, prohibiting enrollment and other related discrimination against women students and faculty due to pregnancy outside of marriage; n Equal participation in sports.

This includes measures to ensure that gender-based discrimination in competitive and noncompetitive sports is removed so that women and girls can benefit from sports development; n Nondiscrimination in employment in the field of military, police and other similar services. This includes according the same promotional privileges and opportunities as their men counterpart, including pay increases, additional benefits, and awards, based on competency and quality of performance. The dignity of women in the military, police and other similar services shall always be respected, they shall be accorded with the same capacity as men to act in and enter into contracts, including marriage, as well as be entitled to leave benefits for women, such as maternity leave, as provided for in existing laws; n Nondiscriminatory and nonderogatory portrayal of women in media and film to raise the consciousness of the general public in recognizing the dignity of women and the role and contribution See “Kapunan,” A7

Opinion BusinessMirror

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Monday, March 16, 2020

Beyond disruption, fintech The biggest tragedy of them all promotes social good

By Ney Villasenor

I

T is without a doubt that financial technology (fintech) has disrupted the way we deal with money. Today, financial tools and instruments that were previously almost exclusive for the rich and the powerful are now becoming more and more available to the masses. But beyond disruption, fintech has given birth to a socially relevant feature—mobile digital philanthropy.

Not a century ago, philanthropy was also almost exclusively reserved for those with big war chests of money and those that have power. When we hear the very term, a picture of rich men and women clad in fancy clothes w r it ing c heques and sig ning deeds of donations, while sipping fine wine and eating fine hor d’oeuvres, come to mind.

A few decades later, the practice of philanthropy evolved and then included the common people.

Anyone with spare change donate what they can to charitable institutions and to government agencies providing humanitarian relief efforts in times of great distress and calamities.

Today, individual giving is much simpler. With fintech, anyone can support a cause, contribute to rebuilding efforts, and lend a helping hand through their mobile phones.

Mobile digital finance apps have encouraged people to be more generous, as these solutions have addressed certain pain points often linked to donating, such as the need to go to the offices of institutions and the long queues for in-bank transactions.

By using their fintech apps, people also don’t need to fill out long donation forms, navigate through cluttered Web pages, or sign cheques. Now, by simply clicking on the donation tiles on their mobile apps, people can exercise philanthropy and contribute more to society.

The rise of fintech has also encouraged people to be more benevolent. After all, studies such as that of Global Trends in Giving concluded that people are more inclined to give when giving is more convenient to them.

As fintech simplifies the steps for giving, more and more people are now strongly empowered to practice their innate generosity.

Take the recent explosion of the Taal Volcano, for example.

The online and offline worlds are bombarded with calls for help, and Filipinos responded without hesitation. It didn’t matter whether one was rich or poor, what mattered was that people were willing to help, and they went out of their way to support those in need.

We saw from the news huge humanitarian efforts from both the government and private sector, and individuals pitching in to support the relief initiatives. The Fintech Alliance of the Philippines, composed of the country’s leading fintech firms, had set up a digital donation drive that enabled anyone with a mobile digital wallet to

Kapunan. . .

continued from A6

of women, in family, community, and the society through the strategic use of mass media; n Comprehensive health services and health information and education covering all stages of a woman’s life cycle, and which addresses the major causes of women’s mortality and morbidity, including access to, among others, maternal care, responsible, ethical, legal, safe and effective methods of family planning, and encouraging healthy lifestyle activities to prevent diseases; n Leave benefits of two months with full pay based on gross monthly compensation, for women employees who undergo surgery caused by gynecological disorders, provided that they have rendered continuous aggregate employment service

Mobile digital finance apps have encouraged people to be more generous, as these solutions have addressed certain pain points often linked to donating, such as the need to go to the offices of institutions and the long queues for in-bank transactions. As fintech simplifies the steps for giving, more and more people are now strongly empowered to practice their innate generosity. donate any amount for the relief operations.

GCash alone was able to pool more than a million pesos in donations from its user base and was distributed equally to eight of its nongovernment organization partners that were at the frontlines of the relief operations for the victims of the Taal eruption.

And while all these efforts by private groups are laudable and exemplary, what is most encouraging are individuals leveraging the power of fintech to launch their own relief efforts to help their fellow men.

Some individuals turned to social media to call on their friends and family—and even strangers —to send their donations to their personal mobile wallets, a sort of individualized crowdfunding to purchase the immediate needs of those who were most affected by the volcanic eruption.

During the worst days of the eruption, we saw what we can only describe as the comeback of the age-old tradition of Bayanihan. Only now, it is done in digital form.

But the spirit of Bayanihan should not only be alive during times of calamities. Everyday, there are millions of Filipinos that are in need, and we can help them by supporting causes that directly and indirectly make an impact in their lives.

With the rise of smartphones, the pervasiveness of Internet access, and a very healthy set of regulations, fintech for social use stands to have an immense opportunity that we can harness.

Social groups are now partnering with fintech firms to facilitate donations, realizing that the future of fundraising for their good causes is mobile. This synergy is what we envision what mobile apps ought to be—not only disruptive but also socially relevant.

Siegfred Bueno Mison, Esq.

THE PATRIOT

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he Covid-19 virus is currently growing exponentially in our country. Although officially the numbers appear to be low, our current resources cannot accurately reflect the true numbers. As people in a majority of countries all over the world frantically find ways to combat the virus, government leaders have adopted various means to contain, if not mitigate it. Practically racing against time, scientists around the world are burdened with the task of finding a medical solution before the virus contaminates more people. I was told that Chinese scientists have bumped into an old anti-malaria drug that has vastly improved the health conditions of patients afflicted with the Covid-19.

In the Philippines, our leaders decided to restrict movement of people as part of a mitigating strategy. Admittedly, this tragic phenomenon will eventually kill a number of Filipinos in the process. We all want this number to be as low as possible.

As an effect of this mitigation strategy, business owners are challenged to stay open in business vis-à-vis protecting themselves and their employees amid government measures to mitigate the virus, such as community quarantine. I am certain that police and military personnel manning the checkpoints will face the challenge of dealing with angry citizens trying to travel in and out of places subject to quarantine procedures and curfew hours. Health professionals are working double time, considering that the country was recently placed in a State of Public Health Emergency. Church and religious leaders are theoretically

on “red alert” status as well, knowing that faith in the Lord is needed more than ever by their respective parishioners.

More tragic events, such as hoarding and panic buying will unfold soon, as well as inspiring stories of grace. The bigger tragedy than the alarming death toll all over the world may happen when and if humanity fails to follow the greatest commandments. In the Bible, Mark 12:30-31 tells us, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

There are no commandments greater than these. Loving your neighbor as yourself is so important that the Bible repeats it eight times and makes it a command. Greater than any declaration made by any world leader, including our own President Duterte, such command to love your neighbor

Virtual learning

as yourself is given in tandem with loving God. Who, then, is our neighbor? In the biblical story of the Good Samaritan, the neighbor is the one with compassion. Our hearts, when moved by compassion, cannot sit idly by while someone suffers a need. Loving your neighbor as yourself is having that heartfelt urge to help others as best as you can. In the Bible, Philippians 2:3-4 tells us, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.

Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Loving our neighbor as ourselves is to look out for other people’s well-being, above our own. Easier said than done, but His grace plants the seed of His love in our hearts. His grace allows us to make allowances for other people’s shortcomings.

Soon after the Presidential speech about the lockdown or quarantine, criticism automatically followed.

Some say that reading a resolution and translating it, line by line, in Filipino with some injection of illadvised humorous statements is uninspiring. Some say that the actions recommended by the Task Force were not well thought out as they induced more questions than answers. Instead of managing the eventual chaos, the recommended actions created more confusion. I do not intend to justify recent government decisions, but everyone ought to be reminded that this pandemic is a one-off event that no one anticipated nor hardly prepared for. There is no one person who will know everything, unless such person experienced to manage the SARS virus in 2003, the similar pandemic that hit

Singapore, Japan and Taiwan. This lethal pandemic will show us that we Filipinos, as a people, are imperfect beings who will likely do dumb things at the onset.

In the coming days of checkpoints, quarantine, border inspection, loving our neighbor includes giving our government people the benefit of the doubt. Let’s speak kindly and patiently to these health professionals and law enforcers, our neighbors. God’s love within us teaches us to show kindness and share goodness to each one of them.

Knowing that words either build up or tear down, I beseech our leaders, as well as their critics, to be more intentional with their words by magnifying the good. We can always find something good and kind to say to each other when such statements are premised on love for one another. Share information that are only true, to help and inspire rather than to destroy and frustrate.

Aside from words, let our actions be anchored on love for our neighbor above self. In the coming days, if we conduct our affairs as if we are Covid-19 positive already, then we will emerge victorious as a community. Let’s follow the government measures on social distancing; the best and simplest mitigating measure thus far, not just for us but also, more important for our neighbors.

The biggest tragedy of them all can happen when our love for others dissipates, in direct violation of the greatest commandments. Each and every Filipino has to be part of the solution to defeat this wicked Covid-19, out of love for others.

virtual classrooms. Issues on the financial cost to access, the speed of the Internet service, and access to the input devices should be addressed by the various stakeholders. This can include the school administrators, the school alumni, the Department of Education and Commission on Higher Education officials and local government officers in the areas where the schools are located.

These are very challenging times for our country. However, it is encouraging to know that our school communities are in a good position to meet and overcome these challenges with the collaboration of all stakeholders and the advances in learning technology and facilities.

Joel L. Tan-Torres is the dean of the University of the Philippines Virata School of Business. He was the former commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the chairman of the Professional Regulatory Board of Accountancy and partner of Reyes Tacandong & Co. and the SyCip Gorres and Velayo & Co. He is a Certified Public Accountant who garnered No. 1 in the CPA Board Examination of May 1979.

This column accepts contributions from the business community. Articles not exceeding 600 words can be e-mailed to boa.secretariat.@ gmail.com

their rights; n protect women against discrimination and from violation of their rights by private corporations, entities and individuals; n promote and fulfill the rights of women in all spheres, including their rights to substantive equality and nondiscrimination.

The government shall fulfill these duties through the development and implementation of laws, policies, regulatory instruments, administrative guidelines, and other appropriate measures, including temporary special measures. It shall also establish mechanisms to promote the coherent and integrated implementation of the Magna Carta of Women, and other related laws and policies to effectively stop discrimination against Filipino women.

(Reference web site: Philippine Commission on Women).

The author is the Vice President and Chief Corporate Affairs Officer of GCash.

The Philippines is one of the many countries that has taken this measure of a prolonged suspension of classes. Per the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, over 421.4 million students in 61 countries are affected and are not attending school because of temporary or indefinite closures mandated by their governments. The countries affected by the Covid-19 threat are putting in place responses in the form of learning platforms and other tools that teachers and students can use in lieu of the traditional classroom engagement.

Most of these involve the use of

online learning. This consists of disseminating educational materials, submitting of assignments, student and teacher assessment, and interactions between students and teachers in digital learning platforms via the Internet. Thus, virtual classrooms are fast sprouting to replace the brick and mortar classrooms without the need for face to face presence and interaction.

In pursuing this virtual learning, a lot of essentials must be put in place. Providing the facility is the first step where the network of tools and devices must be made available for both teachers and

students. Learning platforms that are available, either for free or for a minimal cost, include Moodle, Facebook Groups, Microsoft teams, Edmodo, Google Apps for Education, and others. Teachers then should customize their syllabi to address the new requirements in terms of pedagogy and assessment of student performance in a virtual classroom. Teachers have the responsibility of preparing and uploading the content and tools for their courses, including electronic materials, links to learning materials, videotaped modules, collaboration or teleconferencing facilities, and assessment mechanisms. From the onset, teachers and students alike must be made aware of how to engage and interact using the learning platform.

For students who are mostly exposed to the digital environment of the Internet and YouTube, they will easily adapt and even enjoy the new learning experience. The teachers, especially the more senior ones, may not be as adaptable and may need more instructions on how to proceed with interacting in a digital technology. A hurdle that must be addressed is the perennial problem on Internet access to the

of at least six months for the last 12 months; n Equal rights in all matters relating to marriage and family relations. The State shall ensure the same rights of women and men to: enter into and leave marriages, freely choose a spouse, decide on the number and spacing of their children, enjoy personal rights including the choice of a profession, own, acquire, and administer their property, and acquire, change, or retain their nationality. It also states that the betrothal and marriage of a child shall have no legal effect. The Magna Carta of Women also guarantees the civil, political and economic rights of women in the marginalized sectors, particularly their right to: n Food security and resources for food production, including equal rights in the titling of the land and issuance of stewardship contracts and patents;

n Localized, accessible, secure and affordable housing; n Employment, livelihood, credit, capital and technology; n Skills training, scholarships, especially in research and development aimed toward women-friendly farm technology; n Representation and participation in policy-making or decisionmaking bodies in the regional, national and international levels; n Access to information regarding policies on women, including programs, projects and funding outlays that affect them; n Social protection; n Recognition and preservation of cultural identity and integrity provided that these cultural systems and practices are not discriminatory to women; n Inclusion in discussions on peace and development; n Services and interventions for

women in especially difficult circumstances or WEDC; n Protection of girl-children against all forms of discrimination in education, health and nutrition, and skills development; and n Protection of women senior citizens.

The Magna Carta of Women defines the marginalized sectors as those who belong to the basic, disadvantaged, or vulnerable groups who are mostly living in poverty and have little or no access to land and other resources, basic social and economic services such as health care, education, water and sanitation, employment and livelihood opportunities, housing security, physical infrastructure and the justice system. These include, but are not limited to women in the following sectors or groups: Small farmers and rural workers, fisherfolk, urban poor, workers in the formal economy, workers in the

informal economy, migrant workers, indigenous peoples, Moro, children, senior citizens, persons with disabilities and solo parents.

The State, the private sector, society in general, and all individuals shall contribute to the recognition, respect and promotion of the rights of women defined and guaranteed in the Magna Carta of Women. The Philippine government shall be the primary duty-bearer in implementing the said law. This means that all government offices, including local government units and governmentowned and -controlled corporations shall be responsible to implement the provisions of Magna Carta of Women that falls within their mandate, particularly those that guarantee rights of women that require specific action from the State. As the primary dutybearer, the government is tasked to: n refrain from discriminating against women and violating

Joel L. Tan-Torres

DEBIT CREDIT

T

he academic sector is most disrupted by the Covid-19 crisis and government’s response to this. The most recent directive of government is the continuation of the suspension of classes until April 14, 2020 for schools in the National Capital Region. With this, classes in the NCR have been canceled for over a month since the start of the class suspension on March 10.

A7

For questions and comments, please e-mail me at sbmison@gmail.com.

A8 Monday, March 16, 2020

1st lockdown day a baptism of fire for public, enforcers

S

By Rene Acosta

@reneacostaBM

OLDIERS and policemen put up checkpoints in all entry points for Metro Manila on Sunday as the government implemented the “community quarantine” in an effort to stave off the spread of the coronavirus, accosting at least 150 motorists and warning them against violating the lockdown.

No arrest was made during the day, said National Capital Region Police Office chief Major Gen. Debold Sinas during a news briefing, as state forces—backed by health, coast guard and fire personnel— manned the ingress and egress points for Metro Manila on the first day of the quarantine’s implementation.

Overall implementation was carried out by composite teams with a little bit of ease for the motorists, reports said, as they make neces-

sary adjustments, although there were long queues of people subjected to the screening process in some of the key entry areas, a matter traced to the scarcity of thermal scanners, among others.

The checkpoints will complement the curfew from 8 p.m. up to 5 a.m., set to be implemented Sunday night in the National Capital Region following the passages of ordinances by various town and city councils as agreed upon by Metro Manila mayors during their

meeting on Saturday.

Sinas said the 150 motorists who were transiting Metro Manila on their way to the adjoining provinces, were accosted and reprimanded for violating the quarantine imposed for the National Capital Region.

“We warned them, informed them first about the lockdown,” the NCRPO chief said, adding he does not see the need to set up roadblocks at the entry and exit points of Metro Manila.

“There are two types of quarantine, and what we are implementing is a general quarantine through the conduct of checkpoints.”

The other measure, the enhanced quarantine, which is a harsher one, must have the imprimatur of the interagency task force headed by the Department of Health, he explained.

At least 80 checkpoints have been put within entry and exit points for the National Capital Region, and these are either manned by policemen, soldiers or by joint teams, with personnel from other government agencies as members.

The checkpoints are manned by

teams in two shifts, with members doing different tasks, including checking and screening motorists. Those assigned to do thermal screening have a two-hour up to four-hour shift. At the end of their duties, the whole team must undergo decontamination.

“For every checkpoint, we have 20 to 30 men at one shift,” Sinas said.

For the PNP, they utilized mobile forces from police districts and from the NCRPO for the checkpoints, so that policemen assigned to precincts and stations would not be distracted from their regular duties.

“The anti-criminality, anti-illegal drugs campaign will remain and continue while checkpoints are being conducted for the quarantine,” Sinas said.

Some reports said certain teams, both from the police and the military, were not fully equipped for the operations, with its members having no protective masks, goggles or even thermal scanners.

Sinas, however said, they have ensured that all those deployed for the checkpoints have at least a mask, a glove and goggles.

With Butch Fernandez

THE QUICK BROWN RELAX FOX JU GOVT TO TIGHTEN, OVER THE LAZY DOG.BASED THE TRANSPORT RULES LAZY DOG ON LOCKDOWN OUTCOME

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

T

HE Department of Transportation (DOTr) may either tighten or relax the transport guidelines for the community quarantine and social distancing protocols, depending on developments in the government’s fight against the dreaded novel coronavirus (Covid-19).

Transportation Assistant Secretary for Communication Goddes Hope O. Libiran said the policy, released Saturday evening, will be subject to daily review and revision, as necessary.

“The guidelines shall be reviewed on a daily basis so as to improve it, or give way to the addition of important inputs, in coordination with concerned agencies, and based on current and existing situation,” she said in a text message.

Under the guidelines, which carry out the pronouncements made by President Duterte on the lockdown of Metro Manila due to the Covid-19 spread in the region, domestic land, air, and sea travel will be temporarily limited within Metro Manila.

The guidelines are to take effect until April 14. Certain exceptions, however, are allowed.

Limited road transport

For instance, provincial employees of companies based in Metro Manila may

enter the region provided they show identification cards, as well as pass health screening at borders. They may also use public transport, provided that they alight at the provincial borders and ride an intercity transport mode.

Commuters may also book for ride-hailing services and taxis, provided that no more than four passengers, including the driver, are inside the vehicle. Ride-sharing and motorcycle taxis are temporarily suspended to keep with social distancing protocols.

UV Express services will also be limited to six passengers per unit, while jeepneys can only operate at half their regular capacities.

Buses, on the other hand, should have not more than 25 passengers.

Point-to-point (P2P) buses from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) to Clark International Airport and Sangley Airport will be allowed to operate as scheduled.

Further, terminal operators should not allow any person exhibiting Covid-19 symptoms—highly similar to the common flu—to board.

Domestic flights suspended

Meanwhile, local passenger flights, including general aviation, at the Naia are all suspended for a month. International flights will continue, but are limited to countries that are not banned due to the magnitude of their Covid-19 cases.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Companies BusinessMirror

Monday, March 16, 2020

B1

SEC orders listed companies to report Covid-19 impact on their operations

T

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

HE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has required publicly listed companies to apprise the investing public of the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) outbreak on their business operations and the risk mitigation actions they have taken.

In a notice issued on March 12, the SEC mandated all publicly listed companies to file current reports to disclose the risks and impact of the Covid-19 outbreak.

The disclosure must be made to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) through its disclosure system not later than noon of Monday (March 16).

Publicly listed companies must include in their reports all measures they will undertake or have undertaken to mitigate the risks and impact of the Covid-19 outbreak.

The requirement is pursuant to the state policy to ensure full and fair disclosure about securities, and the duty of issuers to report every fact that would reasonably be expected to materially affect the decision of investors to buy, sell or hold securities, the SEC said. The PSE, meanwhile, has “encouraged” brokers to temporarily switch to remote or off-site trading.

Those that decide to continue doing business on the trading floor are required to limit the number of personnel on the trading floor to just one trader per booth, effective Tuesday, March 17.

“Traders who will report on the trading floor will be subject to thermal scanning and other precautionary measures adopted by the Exchange and the building manager. Therefore, a trader whose body temperature is at least 37.3°C shall be refused entry. In cases where the trader developed fever subsequent to entry to the trading floor, the said trader will be required to go home immediately,” the PSE said.

“More importantly, in accordance with 2015 SRC IRR [Securities Regulation Code’s implementing rules and

MVP Group loses interest in MRT 3 O&M contract

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

M

ETRO Pacific Investments Corp., which has investments in a local railway company, is no longer interested in operating and maintaining the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3, its chief said, following the government’s rejection of its unsolicited offer for the redevelopment of the said train system.

Manuel V. Pangilinan, who chairs the infrastructure conglomerate, said his group will not bid for the future auction of the operations and maintenance (O&M) contract of the most congested overhead railway line in the country.

“We are no longer interested in it. We have broken up already,” he said in Filipino.

To recall, Metro Pacific submitted a P30-billion unsolicited proposal for the modernization and expansion of the train system in 2017. It involves the augmentation of the capacity of the railway system to carry more cars at faster intervals, doubling its capacity to 700,000 passengers per day from 350,000 daily passengers.

The multibillion-peso expansion was deemed as an all-encompassing deal, including the improvement of the reliability of rolling stock, the upgrading of power supply, the upgrading of stations and the replacement of rails, which will allow the company to operate the new trains purchased by the government from Chinese train manufacturer Dalian.

The government awarded the original-proponent status to Metro Pacific in 2017, but due to changes in priority, the offer only gathered dust in the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) office.

The agency has since tapped Sumitomo Corp. and partner Mitsubishi to rehabilitate the train line under an official development assistance (ODA) package from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica).

It then decided to bid out the O&M of the MRT 3 in the near future.

regulation], TPs [trading participants] are required to publish in their corporate website official landline and mobile phone num-

bers that their clients can access for official business purposes during remote or off-site trading,” it said.

B2

Companies BusinessMirror

Monday, March 16, 2020

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

March 13, 2020

Net Foreign Stocks Bid Ask Open High Low Close Volume Value Trade (Peso) Buy (Sell) FINANCIALs

ASIA UNITED BDO UNIBANK BANK PH ISLANDS CHINABANK EAST WEST BANK METROBANK PB BANK PBCOM PHIL NATL BANK PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK UNION BANK BRIGHT KINDLE COL FINANCIAL FERRONOUX HLDG FILIPINO FUND IREMIT MEDCO HLDG NTL REINSURANCE PHIL STOCK EXCH SUN LIFE VANTAGE

45 126.8 68 20.95 8.9 45.2 9.3 17 24.15 40 18.02 126 56.1 0.62 16.9 2.91 6.11 0.9 0.31 0.58 147.5 1485 1.01

48 127 68.2 21 9 45.65 10.6 18 24.35 43.95 18.2 127 57.7 0.87 17 3.24 7.17 1.03 0.35 0.6 148 1600 1.15

43.5 112.8 61.6 21 9 42.5 10.22 17 25 45 18.4 118.5 52 0.75 17.3 3.01 6.11 1.03 0.305 0.55 149 1650 1.17

48 129.6 68 21 9 47.3 10.6 17 25 45 18.5 127.9 56.6 0.76 17.3 3.25 6.11 1.03 0.32 0.6 149 1650 1.17

41.8 99 59 18 8 40.8 5.32 17 22 34.05 17.5 112.3 52 0.75 16.9 2.89 6.11 1.03 0.305 0.54 147 1450 1.01

48 127 68 20.95 8.9 45.2 10.6 17 24.35 43.95 18.2 126 56.1 0.76 17 3.25 6.11 1.03 0.31 0.58 148 1485 1.15

19500 4985210 3398170 99100 415100 6392300 203600 4300 1209600 1900 80200 1161680 45830 17000 64400 102000 200 7000 1010000 312000 2110 110 142000

863455 604011766.5 218573856.5 1984488 3535710 280733340 1506949 73100 27026590 75240 1458446 140461308 2456294 12820 1094886 298410 1222 7210 314000 174270 312240 170600 144760

INDUSTRIAL

AC ENERGY ALSONS CONS ABOITIZ POWER BASIC ENERGY FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG MERALCO MANILA WATER PETRON PETROENERGY PHX PETROLEUM PILIPINAS SHELL SPC POWER VIVANT AGRINURTURE AXELUM CNTRL AZUCARERA CENTURY FOOD DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EMPERADOR SMC FOODANDBEV ALLIANCE SELECT FRUITAS HLDG GINEBRA JOLLIBEE LIBERTY FLOUR MACAY HLDG MAXS GROUP MG HLDG PEPSI COLA SHAKEYS PIZZA ROXAS AND CO RFM CORP ROXAS HLDG SWIFT FOODS UNIV ROBINA VITARICH VICTORIAS CONCRETE A CONCRETE B CEMEX HLDG DAVINCI CAPITAL EAGLE CEMENT EEI CORP HOLCIM MEGAWIDE PHINMA TKC METALS VULCAN INDL CHEMPHIL CROWN ASIA EUROMED LMG CHEMICALS MABUHAY VINYL PRYCE CORP CONCEPCION GREENERGY INTEGRATED MICR IONICS PANASONIC SFA SEMICON CIRTEK HLDG

1.68 0.93 25.2 0.157 15.56 55 240 9.84 2.66 3.02 8.02 21 7.37 12.5 6.1 2.02 13.06 13.1 3.08 5.09 9.01 58.5 0.53 1.2 29.1 140.5 32 5.24 5.57 0.125 1.5 6.28 1.31 4.74 1.45 0.11 119 1 2.35 51 55 1.01 4.5 7.09 6.15 12.92 10.74 9 0.65 0.58 125 1.76 2.29 3.78 3.05 3.9 25 0.87 4.16 0.92 3.95 0.68 4.95

1.75 1 25.3 0.169 15.9 55.05 244.2 10 2.68 3.29 9.64 21.15 7.38 15.08 6.4 2.03 14.5 13.26 3.2 5.1 9.02 60 0.54 1.21 33.5 140.9 42 6.2 5.58 0.158 1.7 6.7 1.35 4.94 1.59 0.119 119.1 1.01 2.4 57 69 1.02 5.36 7.1 6.18 13.1 10.8 9.8 0.74 0.6 140 1.77 2.35 4.81 3.15 4.79 30.55 0.9 4.39 0.96 4.98 0.71 4.96

1.41 0.96 24.95 0.17 14.26 55 220 9.5 2.76 3.3 9 22 7.5 12 6.19 1.97 13.22 13 3.01 5.6 8.39 60 0.54 1.08 33.8 145 28 5.3 5.75 0.121 1.48 6.38 1.28 4.61 1.43 0.115 109.1 0.98 2.4 49.95 50 1 4.8 7.2 6.02 12.5 11.02 8 0.6 0.5 140 1.77 2.06 4.3 3.01 3.8 25 0.94 4.25 1.01 2.56 0.7 3.95

1.75 0.96 27 0.17 16.36 55.2 253 10.28 2.76 3.3 9.8 22 7.55 12 6.5 2.04 14.52 13.1 3.25 5.6 9.1 65 0.54 1.23 33.8 145 28 6.2 5.75 0.15 1.5 6.8 1.39 4.95 1.43 0.12 121.7 1.01 2.4 49.95 55 1.03 4.8 7.7 6.15 13.1 11.18 9.4 0.68 0.61 140 1.8 2.49 4.8 3.15 4 25 0.94 4.35 1.07 4.98 0.71 5

1.39 0.9 22.25 0.152 14 48 210.2 8.52 2.56 3.3 6.61 20.05 6.91 12 5.81 1.85 13.04 12.32 3.01 5.03 8.34 58 0.47 1 31.9 124.5 28 5.22 5.3 0.121 1.4 6.24 1.22 4.6 1.43 0.115 100 0.84 2.35 49.95 50 0.9 4.5 6.5 5.8 11.02 10.52 7.9 0.6 0.5 125 1.75 1.82 3.8 3.01 3.8 25 0.83 4 0.91 2.56 0.5 3.6

1.75 0.91 25.2 0.169 15.9 55.05 240 9.84 2.66 3.3 9.64 21 7.37 12 6.4 2.02 14.52 13.1 3.2 5.1 9.01 58.5 0.52 1.21 33.7 140.5 28 6.2 5.58 0.15 1.5 6.29 1.35 4.94 1.43 0.119 119 1 2.35 49.95 55 1.02 4.5 7.1 6.15 13.1 10.8 9.4 0.68 0.6 140 1.76 2.35 4.8 3.15 3.9 25 0.9 4.16 0.91 4.98 0.71 4.95

5452000 895000 5300400 15820000 2150100 162380 615910 3815200 4420000 3000 264800 266200 567300 3000 2276900 2882000 623100 535400 108000 13423300 38814200 303600 2035000 19868000 9300 2203770 100 3500 725600 290000 270000 208800 889000 28000 2000 1030000 3027200 2822000 820000 630 240 6440000 100000 341300 108900 286900 1011900 18600 378000 1292000 230 337000 7350000 80000 7000 27000 300 1689000 927000 409000 1100 794000 753000

8565280 832750 130259580 2492540 32541524 8361231.5 144087740 36348040 11593510 9900 2529087 5553895 4061020 36000 14624925 5685720 8,125,774( 6777400 345320 68507326 327493549 18085893 1002940 22583800 304110 305207512 2800 18626 4022220 35990 393340 1327981 1152700 131900 2860 121170 353534841 2700680 1935400 31468.5 12600 6243670 451500 2430290 654942 3654200 10880704 149200 240910 725700 31500 594760 15544230 326000 21210 105400 7500 1477430 3876440 413390 4078 505540 3290780

325575 -100692319 -54909004 -512216 -1193805 -78362070 15300 -21900975 6900 -58486536 -683212 -33920 50930 9090 1358380 19000 -31803020 -2355000 5334816 -823773 -54288372 -11206326 -6200380 -2897610 537295 -57835 -1653520 8,100,447.9999) 2538952 155560 -36124067 -252568799 -1574168.5 24900 871270 13781696 6786 -1765909 4500 -11330 -677008 -9450 -24000 -23711326 99000 1933000 -528410 -932754 14406 -5435086 -169470 -3000 -51230 -19000 -446350 -783150 36600 -218770

HOLDING & FRIMS ABACORE CAPITAL 0.53 0.54 0.52 0.55 0.46 0.54 13632000 6982215 134300 ASIABEST GROUP 6.7 6.85 7.4 7.9 6.32 6.7 35600 239381 37000 AYALA CORP 570 575 550 594 519 570 973350 551356260 -238474420 38 38.1 35.45 38.5 33.1 38 3451500 124520355 -66584250 ABOITIZ EQUITY 9.05 9.1 9.55 9.75 8.8 9.05 32285100 292893901 -29480056 ALLIANCE GLOBAL 1.82 1.86 1.84 1.86 1.66 1.82 1220000 2097290 AYALA LAND LOG ANSCOR 5.95 6.1 5.8 6 5.7 6 19400 112601 88151 ANGLO PHIL HLDG 0.55 0.6 0.55 0.55 0.55 0.55 63000 34650 ATN HLDG A 0.65 0.69 0.68 0.7 0.65 0.69 2969000 1989790 5.5 5.7 6 6.05 5.32 5.71 2493800 14253918 2322321 COSCO CAPITAL 5.01 5.02 4.31 5.06 4.31 5.02 14895000 72,845,590( 49,464,810.0003) DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV 9.6 9.9 9.5 10 9.5 10 47600 462857 -10450 FORUM PACIFIC 0.21 0.225 0.202 0.202 0.202 0.202 750000 151500 -141400 GT CAPITAL 570 574.5 550 586 470 570 171410 94684706 -22502046 3.61 4 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.6 279000 1004400 -1004400 HOUSE OF INV 54.2 54.3 50.45 54.7 42 54.2 6096540 314185324 -125482837.5 JG SUMMIT 3.36 6.35 6.36 6.36 6.36 6.36 330000 2098800 JOLLIVILLE HLDG KEPPEL HLDG A 5.21 5.5 5.21 5.21 5.21 5.21 19200 100032 KEPPEL HLDG B 5.5 6.84 5.51 5.51 5.5 5.5 116200 640170 LODESTAR 0.42 0.425 0.43 0.43 0.415 0.415 390000 164350 3.5 3.66 3.68 3.68 3.48 3.66 794000 2823440 1064610 LOPEZ HLDG 7.13 7.3 7.4 7.52 6.75 7.13 1974700 14059698 -5312493 LT GROUP MABUHAY HLDG 0.48 0.52 0.27 0.52 0.27 0.52 60000 21700 METRO PAC INV 3.2 3.22 2.84 3.27 2.61 3.2 110016000 339688000 -120863180 PACIFICA HLDG 3 3.4 2.4 2.7 2.4 2.63 33000 87080 0.79 0.9 0.75 0.79 0.75 0.79 68000 51840 22500 PRIME MEDIA 1.6 2.95 2.5 2.5 2.48 2.48 104000 258000 REPUBLIC GLASS SOLID GROUP 0.84 0.88 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.88 589000 517780 SYNERGY GRID 140 165 182 182 170 170 270 46850 SM INVESTMENTS 830 831.5 725 847.5 685 831.5 1530940 1214304745 299005935 107 109.5 109 110 98 109.5 246390 25633741 -6009975 SAN MIGUEL CORP 0.62 0.69 0.52 0.73 0.52 0.71 272000 175140 SOC RESOURCES TOP FRONTIER 129 145 140 145 125 145 990 129256 -56663 WELLEX INDUS 0.195 0.205 0.19 0.19 0.19 0.19 760000 144400 ZEUS HLDG 0.127 0.146 0.131 0.146 0.125 0.146 1920000 250770 25000

PROPERTY ARTHALAND CORP 0.62 0.63 0.55 0.65 0.55 0.62 423000 251490 ANCHOR LAND 5.51 8.89 9 9 9 9 100 900 AYALA LAND 33 33.2 31.1 33.8 30 33 32470900 1047734280 1.29 1.34 1.32 1.35 1.2 1.34 980000 1253040 BELLE CORP 0.63 0.64 0.56 0.66 0.51 0.64 8191000 4933130 A BROWN 0.7 0.75 0.73 0.75 0.68 0.75 132000 92790 CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES 0.137 0.159 0.135 0.135 0.135 0.135 330000 44550 CEBU HLDG 5.48 6 5.72 6 5.23 6 151200 855977 CEB LANDMASTERS 4.05 4.15 4.01 4.2 3.88 4.15 266000 1063450 0.42 0.43 0.44 0.44 0.4 0.43 4980000 2048400 CENTURY PROP 0.27 0.295 0.28 0.28 0.27 0.27 430000 117000 CYBER BAY DOUBLEDRAGON 15.96 15.98 14.38 16.16 11 15.98 2070300 29638450 DM WENCESLAO 7.2 7.5 7.12 7.5 6.4 7.5 298900 2018075 EMPIRE EAST 0.3 0.315 0.32 0.32 0.3 0.315 440000 134050 0.96 0.99 0.92 1.03 0.8 0.96 21650000 20443440 FILINVEST LAND 0.85 0.9 0.86 0.86 0.8 0.85 603000 512270 GLOBAL ESTATE 14 14.04 14 14.02 14 14 586000 8209860 8990 HLDG PHIL INFRADEV 0.68 0.7 0.68 0.7 0.55 0.7 3451000 2319860 CITY AND LAND 0.68 0.71 0.7 0.7 0.65 0.7 362000 240420 MEGAWORLD 2.88 2.89 2.75 2.9 2.52 2.88 37048000 103074130 0.13 0.131 0.139 0.139 0.105 0.13 15100000 1889980 MRC ALLIED 0.36 0.37 0.3 0.36 0.3 0.36 3450000 1167900 PHIL ESTATES PRIMEX CORP 1.69 1.8 1.3 1.89 1.08 1.8 839000 1178750 ROBINSONS LAND 17.2 17.4 16.92 18 15.8 17.2 2662400 45173024 PHIL REALTY 0.25 0.255 0.25 0.255 0.25 0.255 230000 57700 1.69 1.7 1.76 1.88 1.7 1.7 970000 1689800 ROCKWELL SHANG PROP 2.9 2.98 2.75 3 2.75 2.9 116000 335610 STA LUCIA LAND 1.9 2.16 2.19 2.31 1.85 2.16 241000 483430 SM PRIME HLDG 30 30.5 28 32.2 27 30 32331700 972686710 VISTAMALLS 3.8 4.07 4.01 4.14 3.71 4.07 255000 988720 1.22 1.24 1.13 1.24 1.02 1.22 1616000 1832770 SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND 5.55 5.57 5.8 5.8 5.13 5.55 17481200 96925162

27500 -326052685 30300 -26000 33590 -218365 -19440 41000 -2510498 725798 -12786520 -17000 -56000 56600 19500 -61619520 26000 -180000 -830 -25319698 -324583885 -8490074

SERVICES ABS CBN 18.28 18.38 15.7 18.5 14.8 18.38 814300 13279382 GMA NETWORK 5.09 5.1 5 5.1 4.7 5.1 448900 2235041 MANILA BULLETIN 0.38 0.4 0.38 0.39 0.35 0.39 870000 322100 1802 1830 1690 1853 1590 1830 158395 275792120 GLOBE TELECOM 1021 1029 920 1059 880 1029 321740 311671435 PLDT 0.037 0.04 0.037 0.043 0.037 0.04 4100000 156300 APOLLO GLOBAL IMPERIAL 1.12 1.3 1.1 1.14 1.1 1.1 46000 50880 ISLAND INFO 0.07 0.078 0.078 0.079 0.078 0.078 510000 40120 ISM COMM 1.17 1.18 1.04 1.2 1 1.18 37813000 42245450 1.44 1.98 1.43 1.97 1.43 1.97 12000 18590 JACKSTONES NOW CORP 1.34 1.36 1.16 1.38 1 1.36 3989000 4543580 TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.153 0.158 0.15 0.158 0.15 0.158 2230000 337950 PHILWEB 1.46 1.48 1.49 1.49 1.2 1.48 2941000 3955480 2GO GROUP 5.8 6.05 6 6.05 4.5 6.05 84600 440928 16.28 18.48 16.28 16.28 16.1 16.28 10000 162746 ASIAN TERMINALS 2.68 2.69 2.4 2.69 2 2.68 1490000 3597470 CHELSEA 48 48.9 45 52.85 45 48 573610 27874401 CEBU AIR INTL CONTAINER 85 85.25 80.05 88 72 85 4499310 373548400.5 LBC EXPRESS 11.2 12.98 11.32 11.32 11 11 131600 1451764 LORENZO SHIPPNG 0.73 0.8 0.7 0.73 0.7 0.73 430000 305500 5.77 5.99 5.7 6.2 4.84 5.99 1762700 10168938 MACROASIA 1.7 1.72 1.4 1.8 1.21 1.72 6297000 9680520 METROALLIANCE A METROALLIANCE B 1.6 1.89 1.24 1.9 1.24 1.89 118000 183420 PAL HLDG 5.99 6 6.1 6.2 5.5 5.99 32100 182313 HARBOR STAR 0.71 0.72 0.71 0.75 0.56 0.72 2236000 1477860 1.2 1.36 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2 20000 24000 ACESITE HOTEL BOULEVARD HLDG 0.029 0.031 0.028 0.031 0.027 0.03 14700000 438900 DISCOVERY WORLD 1.2 1.61 1.61 1.61 1.61 1.61 2000 3220 GRAND PLAZA 6.81 12.86 12.88 12.88 12.88 12.88 100 1288 WATERFRONT 0.42 0.425 0.43 0.43 0.36 0.425 970000 379200 6 6.2 6.02 6.02 6 6 17000 102051 CENTRO ESCOLAR 801 830 830 830 830 830 10 8300 FAR EASTERN U STI HLDG 0.435 0.44 0.43 0.435 0.38 0.435 6920000 2945150 BERJAYA 2 2.2 1.8 2.35 1.5 2.2 93000 154070 BLOOMBERRY 6.2 6.3 5.97 6.3 5.7 6.2 14488800 88194161 PACIFIC ONLINE 1.72 1.78 1.8 1.8 1.7 1.73 57000 99610 1.27 1.4 1.33 1.33 1.13 1.25 19974000 24963750 LEISURE AND RES MANILA JOCKEY 1.55 2 2 2 1.99 1.99 30000 59970 PH RESORTS GRP 3.23 3.79 3.21 3.22 3.2 3.22 23000 73890 PREMIUM LEISURE 0.335 0.34 0.325 0.35 0.305 0.34 10880000 3504750 PHIL RACING 7.84 8.96 7.9 8.96 7.9 8.96 2200 17592 7.35 7.49 8.19 8.19 7.03 7.49 1983200 14927794 ALLHOME 1.35 1.36 1.38 1.42 1.16 1.35 3455000 4611620 METRO RETAIL 31.9 32 30.6 33 29.85 31.9 4637200 147616365 PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL 53.5 54 48.1 57 48 54 140780 7403279.5 PHIL SEVEN CORP 142 144.9 145 145 140 142 21800 3093570 SSI GROUP 1.2 1.21 1.05 1.21 1.01 1.2 2232000 2506670 15.3 15.5 13.8 15.5 10.5 15.5 9034500 124829646 WILCON DEPOT 0.31 0.34 0.32 0.33 0.3 0.31 1030000 314700 APC GROUP EASYCALL 4.86 5 5.21 5.21 4.85 4.86 60100 299015 GOLDEN BRIA 301 355 300.2 355.4 270 355 1430 468202 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.21 0.218 0.206 0.21 0.181 0.21 2930000 587760

67001785 -94299780 90860 -50280 -12080 -613920 46980 19536 -35880 -11592678 61702012.5 8800 -1597002 -4659.9999 -167850 95451 -1649550 -6787518 -1800 3200 38200 -3673418 2394909.9997 -39638410 -2267126.5 212800 131290 3695638 -

MINING & OIL ATOK 9 10.4 10.6 10.6 9 10.6 25900 258008 APEX MINING 0.75 0.76 0.7 0.75 0.65 0.75 2902000 2012450 73330 0.0011 0.0012 0.0011 0.0012 0.0011 0.0012 93000000 103100 ABRA MINING ATLAS MINING 1.9 1.95 1.9 1.9 1.8 1.8 25000 45500 27500 0.61 1.19 0.96 0.96 0.96 0.96 5000 4800 BENGUET A COAL ASIA HLDG 0.25 0.27 0.26 0.26 0.25 0.25 500000 126300 CENTURY PEAK 2.5 2.6 2.5 2.6 2.5 2.6 124000 319100 15600 DIZON MINES 6.15 6.2 5.98 6.7 5.54 6.2 18600 109481 0.6 0.61 0.5 0.64 0.46 0.61 5903000 3268110 17030 FERRONICKEL 0.18 0.185 0.184 0.184 0.178 0.184 4500000 825380 GEOGRACE LEPANTO A 0.073 0.085 0.09 0.09 0.07 0.085 6130000 451590 LEPANTO B 0.075 0.085 0.08 0.085 0.08 0.085 1510000 120850 MANILA MINING A 0.0058 0.0076 0.0057 0.0058 0.0057 0.0058 5000000 28900 0.0053 0.0078 0.005 0.005 0.005 0.005 1000000 5000 MANILA MINING B MARCVENTURES 0.53 0.56 0.51 0.56 0.51 0.56 108000 56580 NIHAO 0.83 0.88 0.8 0.86 0.8 0.83 103000 87410 NICKEL ASIA 1.81 1.86 1.67 1.95 1.45 1.86 5764000 9793000 -4715150 ORNTL PENINSULA 0.49 0.495 0.495 0.495 0.49 0.495 43000 21245 3960 PX MINING 2.1 2.24 2.1 2.24 2 2.24 1060000 2215980 -160500 12.8 13 14.38 14.38 11.42 12.8 5069600 64205374 -27800498 SEMIRARA MINING 0.0039 0.0043 0.004 0.004 0.004 0.004 1000000 4000 UNITED PARAGON ACE ENEXOR 5.2 5.35 5.64 5.64 5 5.39 406400 2068618 -92267 ORNTL PETROL B 0.009 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.009 0.009 16000000 152000 PXP ENERGY 4.52 4.75 4.3 4.8 4.1 4.5 603000 2708960 760820

PREFFERED HOUSE PREF A 99 100 100.9 100.9 100 100 18710 1871099 AC PREF B1 500 505 500 505 500 505 2690 1345450 100.5 102.3 100.5 102.3 100.5 102.3 3510 353624 ALCO PREF B ALCO PREF C 100.3 106.9 100.2 100.2 100.2 100.2 500 50100 AC PREF B2R 498 500 498 500 498 498 810 403400 CPG PREF A 100.8 102 102 102 101 101 13210 1338020 DD PREF 100.5 102 100.6 102 100.6 101 49010 4948420 GLO PREF P 502 510 502 502 502 502 12400 6224800 900 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 420 420000 GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B 990 999 990 990 990 990 10890 10781100 MWIDE PREF 100.1 100.4 100.5 100.5 100 100.4 290730 29153683 PNX PREF 3A 99.6 101 99.6 101 99.6 101 10720 1073812 PNX PREF 3B 102.4 105 103 105 103 105 360 37560 1010 1020 1015 1015 1006 1010 1990 2011550 PNX PREF 4 PCOR PREF 3A 1047 1050 1049 1050 1047 1047 12450 13059325 PCOR PREF 3B 1061 1088 1061 1061 1061 1061 34680 36795480 SMC PREF 2C 77.8 77.95 78 78 77.95 77.95 5500 428975 SMC PREF 2D 75.4 75.9 75.8 75.9 75.4 75.4 78800 5944056 SMC PREF 2E 76 76.35 76 76 76 76 27900 2120400 76.05 76.9 76 76.9 76 76.9 10300 783430 SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G 75.5 75.9 75.75 75.75 75.45 75.45 23500 1777577.5 SMC PREF 2H 75.75 76.4 75.75 75.75 75.75 75.75 17400 1318050 SMC PREF 2I 75.4 76.9 76.5 76.85 76.5 76.85 66500 5094775

PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR 16 16.9 15.54 16 14 16 78600 1179110 215586 GMA HLDG PDR 4.83 5.07 4.7 5.07 4.55 5.07 57000 267715 -99559

WARRANTS LR WARRANT 0.7 0.71 0.72 0.72 0.71 0.71 3000 2140

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES ITALPINAS 1.8 1.9 1.56 1.9 1.5 1.9 638000 1112340 18450 KEPWEALTH 6.1 6.4 5.9 6.5 5 6.4 129700 755962 -6210 0.55 0.56 0.5 0.55 0.4 0.55 2607000 1304460 -43500 XURPAS

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS

FIRST METRO ETF 91.05 91.5 84 92 78.5 91.05 213920 18330685.5 -397006.5

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Fintech platforms the best tool for social distancing–GCash

W

ITH paper money potentially being contaminated with the deadly coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) and queues at government offices increasing the risk of a viral spread, financial technology (fintech) platform GCash encouraged Filipinos to transact via their mobile phones to keep with social distancing protocols, as well as reduce the possibility of contracting the virus from banknotes.

GCash President Anthony Thomas, citing reports from the World Health Organization (WHO), advised Filipinos to leverage fintech at this time, given the rapid spread of Covid-19 in the country. As of this writing, there are more than 100 confirmed cases in the Philippines.

“Through frictionless payments such as that of mobile digital finance, we are removing potential health

risks related to cash handling. We at GCash believe that this is the most opportune time for Filipinos to consider cashless payment options for their transactions,” he said.

He noted that GCash users may use their apps to transact with over 70,000 merchants nationwide.

GCash allows users to pay for their purchases via QR codes or barcodes, which removes the need for cash han-

STOCK-MARKET OUTLOOK Last week

SHARE prices plunged last week, with the local market joined the meltdown in other markets overseas, sending the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) to hit circuit breaker twice forcing a 15-minute trading halt, as the Covid-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, while the United States imposed a travel ban on passengers from Europe.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index plunged 976.44 points or 14 percent to close at 5,793.94 points.

The PSE’s circuit breaker, triggered when the main index fell 10 percent, was hit twice during the week, one each on Thursday and Friday. Each time the trading was halted, it recovered.

The main index fell to its lowest in seven years on Thursday when it closed at 5,736.27 points. The circuit breaker was again triggered on Friday, as prices dipped below 5,100 level during intraday but prices rose afterwards with the PSEi ended on the green for the day.

“Moreover, the instruction of Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez to the GSIS and SSS [Government Service Insurance System and Social Security System] to take advantage of the stocks’ bargain prices lifted investors sentiment, pushing them to pick up more stocks which seen in the strong value turnover of P10.71 billion, the second highest value turnover for this year,” Claire T. Alviar of Phistocks Financials Inc. said.

Average daily trading for the week reached P7.57 billion but foreign investors were net sellers at P3.74 billion.

All other sub-indices ended on the red and the biggest loser was the Mining and Oil index that plunged 1,553 points to 4,727.81 points. The broader All Shares index shed 545.91 to 3,493.64, the Financials index declined 180.57 to 1,415.66, the Industrial index dropped 1,042.96 to 7,011.11, the Holding Firms index fell 938.61 to 5,673.65, the Property index lost 699.47 to 2,985.40 and the Services index retreated 142.93 to 1,187.61.

For the week, only 13 shares managed to eke out gains as against 236 losers; six were unchanged.

Top gainers for the week were Philippine Racing Club Inc., Emperador Inc., Grand Plaza Corp., First Gen Corp., Panasonic Manufacturing Philippines Corp. and Top Frontier Investment Holdings Inc. Top losers for the week, meanwhile, were Pacifica Holdings Inc., Philweb Corp., Metro Alliance and Equities Corp. A, Vulcan Industrial and Mining Corp., Euro-Med Laboratories Phil. Inc. and Semirara Mining and Power Corp.

This week

SHARE prices may continue its trade volatility this week as there is no respite in sight for a solution to Covid-19 pandemic.

“Market will still trade in a volatile pattern this week given that investors are taking in the developments of the virus on a day-to-day basis,” Regina Capital’s managing director Luis Limlingan said.

Volume of trade is expected to fall further as Metro Manila is already placed on community quarantine. Work on many government offices were suspended, while some in the private sector will implement a work from home policy.

“We think that [Friday’s] rebound is not yet a sign of full recovery of the PSEi since the negative sentiment over the pandemic Covid-19 still lingers, particularly [with] the community quarantine in the Metro Manila. Although goods and services will continue to flow and no disruption of supply is expected, the demand for goods and services might drop since the public is avoiding crowded places.

“China is supposed to release economic data which will indicate how much growth has been affected by the pandemic,” Limlingan said.

Stock picks

Broker Regina Capital Development Corp. has recommended to cut their losses on the stock of mall operator SM Prime Holdings Inc. after its stock price spent five straight days in the oversold region, but momentum is still only picking up.

“Keep in mind that despite the increasingly strong selling pressure from all indicators, the stock may very well be in line for a technical correction. The stock is now at its threeyear low. With volatility also at significantly high levels, expect a challenge to the nearest support at P30.60 during the next trading session after it barrelled through the initial support level at P32.50. There is nevertheless a likelihood of a bounce back should this level hold,” the broker said.

Shares of SMPH closed Friday at P30 apiece.

Meanwhile, the broker recommended to sell the stock of Ayala Land Inc. after it also pushed the stock into the oversold region.

“Considering that it has only just breached these levels, there may be more downturn in store for ALI. While there is a support waiting at P33.05, chances of it fully absorbing the downturn are slim. The next one at P32.10 is a more reliable support at this point,” the broker said.

Ayala Land shares closed at P33 apiece last week. VG Cabuag

dling and exchange.

They may also use their GCash accounts to pay for their government dues and utilities via the GCash app, without physically visiting payment centers. This, Thomas said, keeps Filipinos with social distancing protocols that the government set to reduce viral spread.

He specifically cited tax payments as an example.

“With this global pandemic now coming into full play in the Philippines, we all have to follow the instructions and recommendations of medical experts to keep ourselves safe from the virus. By using the GCash app to pay for their taxes, Filipinos can keep with social distancing protocols set by the government, while enjoying the convenience of being cashless,” Thomas said.

Under the law, taxpayers have until April 15 to file and pay for their taxes. Despite the Metro Manila lockdown due to the pandemic, the deadline, according to the Department of Finance (DOF), will no longer be extended, but it may allow “amendment of returns without payment of interest, subject to certain

mutual funds

conditions.” “Paying taxes via GCash is completely free, and it saves GCash users time and energy from lining up at the tax collection offices. This also affords them the ability to reduce their risk from the ongoing global pandemic, as they don’t have to join crowds that are rushing to complete their tax payments,” Thomas said.

Aside from tax payments, GCash also allows users to pay their government dues for their applications or contributions to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the PagIBIG Fund, the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the National Home Mortgage Finance Corp. (NHMFC), the National Statistics Office, and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration.

“We are one with the government and private groups in pursuing measures to prevent the global pandemic from spreading further. We hope that through our platform, we are helping Filipinos reduce the risk of having contact with the virus,” Thomas said. Lorenz S. Marasigan

March 13, 2020

NAV One Year Three Year Five Year Y-T-D per share Return* Return Stock Funds ALFM Growth Fund, Inc. -a 189.59 -26.88% -8.72% -7.83% -24.73% ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 0.9401 -40.82% -12.65% -10.07% -31.98% ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 2.5962 -35.86% -13.27% -10.39% -29.42% Climbs Share Capital Equity Investment Fund Corp. -a 0.6689 -27.48% n.a. n.a. -25.44% First Metro Consumer Fund on MSCI Phils. IMI, Inc. -a 0.667 -21.23% n.a. n.a. -21.46% First Metro Save and Learn Equity Fund,Inc. -a 4.0651 -24.89% -7.08% -7.37% -23.71% First Metro Save and Learn Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a,6 0.6355 -25.98% -11.05% n.a.

-25.55% MBG Equity Investment Fund, Inc. -a 79.08 -37.62% n.a. n.a. -23.47% PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. -a 37.6737 -26.07% -7.35% n.a. -26.54% Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 405.2 -24.2% -7.2% -6.96% -23.95% Philequity Alpha One Fund, Inc. -a,d,8 0.8346 n.a. n.a. n.a. -18.98% Philequity Dividend Yield Fund, Inc. -a 0.9714 -24.63% -7.04% -6.2% -24.52% Philequity Fund, Inc. -a 28.5919 -24.75% -6.06% -6% -24.55% Philequity MSCI Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a,1 0.7542 -25.47% n.a. n.a. -25.92% Philequity PSE Index Fund Inc. -a 3.8405 -25.47% -6.74% -5.86% -26.48% Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a 640.93 -25.47% -6.76% -6.04% -26.5% Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 0.6068 -33.22% -10.23% -9.6% -28.73% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Equity Fund, Inc. -a 3.0839 -27.39% -7.21% -6.58% -26.73% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Stock Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.7354 -25.66% -6.93% n.a. -26.52% United Fund, Inc. -a 2.776 -23.15% -4.48% -4.69% -24.01% Exchange Traded Fund First Metro Phil. Equity Exchange Traded Fund, Inc. -a,c 86.0246 -25.21% -6.17% -5.17% -26.45% ATRAM AsiaPlus Equity Fund, Inc. -b

$0.9045 -9.78% 0.23% -1.77% -12.05% Sun Life Prosperity World Voyager Fund, Inc. -a $1.2096 -2.34% 3.56% n.a. -12.27% Balanced Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ATRAM Dynamic Allocation Fund, Inc. -a 1.4389 -15.34% -5.32% -5.95% -7.93% ATRAM Philippine Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 1.9135 -16.26% -5.31% -4.33% -12.27% First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund Inc. -a 2.2935 -12.04% -2.44% -4.95% -12.84% First Metro Save and Learn F.O.C.C.U.S. Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a,5 0.1851 n.a. n.a. n.a.

-18.99% NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils., Inc. -a 1.7756 -6.32% -0.74% -1.88% -9.55% PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a 3.2749 -9.26% -2.77% -3.57% -13.57% Philam Fund, Inc. -a 14.698 -9.98% -2.83% -3.59% -13.34% -3.33% -3.04% -13.19% Solidaritas Fund, Inc. -a 1.8455 -12.81% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.205 -15.68% -3.5% -3.89% -17.05% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2028, Inc. -a,d,2 0.8728 -10.78% n.a. n.a. -14.07% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a,d,2 0.7865 -19.2% n.a. n.a. -21.07% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a,d,2 0.7684 -20.92% n.a. n.a. -22.63% Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a 0.7764 -19.38% -5.33% -5.87% -20.35% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Cocolife Dollar Fund Builder, Inc. -a $0.03898 9.07% 3.65% 2.12% 1.96% -0.61% -8.73% PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -a $0.9473 -2.68% 1.3% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $3.5913 -0.36% 3.51% 2.08% -8.17% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a,7 $1.0835 1.85% 2.48% n.a.

-4.01% Bond Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 360.53 4.15% 2.88% 2.33% 0.76% ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a 1.9147 2.48% 0.6% -0.38% 0.67% Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a 3.1443 4.87% 5.15% 5.12% 0.9% Ekklesia Mutual Fund Inc. -a 2.2456 4.33% 2.5% 1.96% 0.93% First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund,Inc. -a 2.3721 6.04% 2.33% 1.47% 0.55% Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a 4.3538 10.05% 1.53% -0.44% 2.61% Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.7903 5.66% 3.07% 1.45% 0.06% Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a 0.9765 7.13% 2.05% 0.45% 1.27% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.0928 8.68% 4.51% 2.63% 0.55% Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. -a

1.7008 7.86% 3.86% 2.08% -0.02% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $471.75 4.34% 2.79% 2.71% 0.75% ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a Є220 2.29% 1.66% 1.12% 0.12% ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b $1.2092 4.53% 2.87% 2.38% 0.17% 0.81% First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.0254 1.6% 0.66% -1.55% PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc -a $1.0768 2.25% 0.7% -0.03% -1.68% Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $2.4083 8.3% 3.56% 2.66% 0.19% Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc. -a $0.0603893 4.69% 2.07% 1.78% 0.12% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $3.1475 7.44% 2.76% 2.27% -0.88% Money Market Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 126.68 3.77% 2.99% 2.26% 0.72% First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a,3 1.0328 2.82% n.a. n.a.

0.63% Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a 1.2605 5.91% 3.16% 1.72% 0.3% Sun Life Prosperity Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.2725 3.56% 2.97% 2.47% 0.62% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.0406 1.93% n.a. n.a.

0.33% Feeder Fund Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Global Multi-Asset Income Fund Inc. -b,d,4 $0.92 n.a. n.a. n.a.

-7.07% a - NAVPS as of the previous banking day. b - NAVPS as of two banking days ago. c - Listed in the PSE. d - in Net Asset Value per Unit (NAVPU).

1 - Launch date is January 3, 2019. 2 - Launch date is January 28, 2019. 3 - Launch date is February 1, 2019. 4 - Launch date is November 15, 2019.

5 - Launch date is September 28, 2019. 6 - Renaming was approved by the SEC last October 12, 2018 (formerly, One Wealthy Nation Fund, Inc.).

7 - Adjusted due to stock dividend issuance last October 9, 2019. 8 - Launch date is December 09, 2019.

"While we endeavor to keep the information accurate, the Philippine Investment Funds Association (PIFA) and its members make no warranties as to the correctness of the newspaper’s publication and assume no liability or responsibility for any error or omissions. You may visit http://www. pifa. com.ph to see the latest NAVPS/NAVPU."

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Banking&Finance

GSIS temporarily shuts loan window

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HE Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) announced it has temporarily stopped accepting loan applications for Financial Assistance Loan (GFAL) as government shuts down the borders of the National Capital Region (NCR).

In a statement over the weekend, the state-run pension fund announced it temporarily stopped accepting loan applications for GFAL in all of its offices nationwide effective March 14, the eve of the imposition of a community quarantine over NCR. GSIS President and General Manager Rolando L. Macasaet said that all GFAL applications submitted to GSIS branch offices on or before March 13, 2020 will be processed and acted upon by GSIS personnel.

“We assure our members that those who were not able to avail of GFAL can always apply at a later date since we will extend the program until 30 September 2020,” Macasaet said.

The program was originally scheduled to end in July.

The GSIS said the temporary suspension was done to discourage its members—who are employed by the state—from going to the pension fund’s branch offices in compliance

with President Duterte’s directive to minimize human-to-human contact and contain the spread of the coronavirus disease.

The government placed NCR under 30-day community quarantine until April 14.

The GFAL was rolled out by GSIS in response to Duterte’s call to put an end to high-interest money lending schemes that leave government cash-strapped and wedged deeper into debts.

Since it was launched in May last year, GSIS already released a total of P93.5 billion in GFAL loans to about 230,000 government employees nationwide.

“We are closely monitoring the situation and will be issuing further advisories. But for now, all GFAL activities nationwide are effectively suspended until further notice,” Macasaet was quoted in the statement as saying. “As I repeatedly said, the safety and well-being of our stakeholders is our primordial concern.”

Under the GFAL program, government employees can transfer their loans from private lending institutions to GSIS at a lower interest rate of 6 percent and longer payment term of six years. Bernadette D. Nicolas

Yes Bank deposits slump as customers withdraw

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eposits at Yes Bank Ltd. continued to decline this year as worried customers withdrew money from the distressed lender, which was seized earlier this month in the biggest bank rescue in the country’s history.

Deposits totaled 1.37 trillion rupees as of March 5–when Indian authorities took control–down 17 percent from the start of the year, Yes Bank said in a statement Saturday. That followed a 26 percent yearon-year slide in the three months through December.

A lack of liquidity was cited as a key reason for the bailout. State Bank of India, ICICI Bank Ltd. and HDFC Ltd. are among the companies to have bought stakes in Yes Bank since it was seized.

“The bank took the opportunity of capital infusion to clean up the balance sheet as much as possible,” said Karthik Srinivasan, group head of financial sector ratings at ICRA Ratings.

Provisions climbed to 247.7 billion rupees in the quarter ended Dec. 31 from 13.36 billion rupees in the previous three-month period and only 5.5 billion rupees a year earlier, Yes Bank said. The bank’s gross bad-loan ratio as a share of total loans was 18.9 percent in the

December quarter, up from 2.1 percent a year earlier.

The Mumbai-based bank swung to a net loss of 185.6 billion rupees in the last three months of 2019 from a profit of 10.02 billion rupees a year earlier, it said Saturday. It reported a loss of 6 billion rupees in JulySeptember. Yes Bank had delayed announcing the results for about a month, saying it was busy trying to raise capital.

Yes Bank earnings: n CET1 ratio 0.6 percent end-December versus regulatory minimum 7.375 percent n Gross bad-loan ratio 18.9 percent in December versus 7.4 percent September n Slipped to a loss of 185.6 billion rupees for October-December from a 10 billion rupee net profit a year earlier n Provisions 247.7 billion rupees in October-December compared with 13.36 billion rupees in JulySeptember and 5.5 billion rupees in year earlier period Yes Bank shares have plunged 46 percent this year, even after daily gains of as much as 36 percent last week. The stock rose 2 percent last Friday to 25.55 rupees. State Bank of India will pay 10 rupees for each Yes Bank share. Bloomberg News

Yes Bank rescuers: n State Bank of India will invest 60.5 billion rupees n ICICI Bank 10 billion rupees n HDFC 10 billion rupees n Axis Bank 6 billion rupees n Kotak Mahindra Bank 5 billion rupees n Bandhan Bank 3 billion rupees n Federal Bank 3 billion rupees n IDFC First Bank 2.5 billion rupees

BusinessMirror

Lawmaker asks BSP to order lenders to ease credit rules

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By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz

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Monetary Authority of Singapore sought to reassure the public that markets were “functioning normally” as fears of a virus-induced slowdown sparked huge sell-offs around the globe. The city state has 200 confirmed cases of the virus and its trade-dependent economy is particularly vulnerable.

Singapore’s President Halimah Yacob said the nation must consider tapping past reserves to help its people and businesses that are “bleeding” from the impact of the virus. The government is preparing

line services like nurses, doctors, allied medical professionals and concerned hospital workers,” Lagman said. Hazard pay should also be given to immigration, customs and quarantine personnel in airports and seaports as well as employees of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT), Light Rail Transit (LRT) and the Philippine National Railways (PNR), the lawmaker said.

Lagman explained that the hazard pay allocation can be sourced from the Contingent Fund, Calamity Fund and Quick-Response Fund, among others, as appropriated in the 2020 General Appropriations Act.

@joveemarie

awmakers on Sunday urged monetary authorities to direct banks and financial institutions to suspend loan repayments and extend interest-free loans amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) Party-list Rep. Jericho Jonas B. Nograles, a member of the House Committee on Economic Affairs, said the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) must direct all financial institutions to relax or even suspend loan and mortgage repayments to avoid loan defaults by their borrowers.

According to Nograles, the economic backlash of the community quarantine and other drastic but necessary measures to manage Covid-19 will be “long and hard; and many Filipinos will definitely have other urgent economic priorities other than paying their loans and mortgages.”

“With the economic slowdown due to Covid-19 measures, banks and lending institutions should avoid loan defaults by relaxing loan repayments,” Nograles said. “If they will default borrowers, then the banks are taking unjust advantage over our citizens.”

Nograles estimates that even after the community quarantine is lifted, the threat of Covid-19 may continue to persist until a cure is finally discovered. This could mean an extended economic downturn that could shrink the people’s capacity to repay loans and mortgages, he explained.

“It would be very tragic if these banks and lending institutions start

declaring payment defaults for their borrowers at a time when all they want at moment is to survivor and weather the storm,” Nograles added.

Insurance benefit

Deputy Speaker and Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny T. Pimentel said workers of tourism-related establishments who lost their jobs due to the Covid-19 pandemic should avail themselves of the one-time unemployment insurance benefit from the Social Security System (SSS).

“We would urge all qualified employees who are involuntarily separated from their jobs to get their unemployment insurance subsidy from the SSS,” Pimentel said.

“The financial aid may not be much, but it will help and the benefit is a handout; it is not a loan,” Pimentel said. “The laid off worker does not have to pay it back.”

Citing reports from the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), the deputy speaker said up to 60,000 employees in the tourism sector alone could initially lose their jobs if the coronavirus outbreak lasts until June.

Under the law, workers who are covered by the SSS and who get involuntarily separated from their jobs get a one-off unemployment insurance payment equal to their average monthly salary (AMSC) credit.

Thus, if the worker’s AMSC is P20,000, he or she gets a one-time

Assist workers

IN the wake of the one-month long restrictions on access to and from the National Capital Region (NCR), Albay Rep. Edcel C. Lagman said the government must consider extending economic packages and assistance to affected workers and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

“To offset wage losses and other related adverse consequences of Covid-19, the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and the Social Security System (SSS) should extend interest-free three-month emergency salary loans to affected workers who have been temporarily laid off or placed on staggered work schedule,” Lagman said.

He added repayment of the loan could be amortized for 10 months starting three months from receipt of the loan proceeds.

Lagman said MSMEs should be granted a 10-percent reduction in their business income tax to cushion business losses prior to and during the lockdown and also due to the aftermath of the pandemic.

“Hazard pay should also be given to workers providing front-

jobless insurance benefit of P20,000, Pimentel explained.

Involuntary separation refers to job loss due to retrenchment or downsizing, closure or cessation of operation of a business, among others.

To avail of the unemployment insurance handout, the laid-off employee must have paid at least 36 monthly contributions to the SSS, 12 months of which should be within the 18-month period immediately preceding the month of involuntary separation.

Extend tax filing

Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker and Basilan Rep. Mujiv S. Hataman strongly urged the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to rethink its position not to extend April 15 deadline on the filing of income taxes and asked to “do its share” in mitigating the impact of the Covid-19 health crisis on the people.

“This pandemic is affecting our way of life and the attitude should not be ‘business as usual’ for the BIR,” Hataman said. “We should find ways of easing the daily burdens of our citizens.” He said what the tax agency should do is move the deadline indefinitely.

“I suggest the BIR open discussions for setting the tax filing deadline after April 14 to give the people enough breathing space to set their affairs in order. We don’t want people to spread the virus in these kinds of activities,” Hataman added.

The Basilan legislator also called on utility companies to practice leniency on those who may be delayed in paying their bills.

He added the country can follow the example of Italy, which suspended the payment of mortgages and bills for its citizens after imposing a lockdown to address the growing number of Covid-19 cases in that country.

LGUs can raise more revenue by leveraging assets–study

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ocal government units (LGUs) can use their assets to generate additional revenues for various public services, according to a study released by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (Pids).

This was part of the recommendations of a baseline study on policy and governance gaps for the “Local Government Support Fund Assistance to Municipalities,” or LGSF-AM, program.

The team, led by Pids Research Fellow Charlotte Justine DioknoSicat, said managing local assets can increase LGU revenues without increasing taxes.

“The main source of tax revenues of Philippine LGUs is real property and business taxes while non-tax revenues are from economic enterprises and user fees. LGU assets can contribute to non-tax collections if properly managed,” the authors said.

The researchers said LGUs only considered asset management as an accounting, bookkeeping and recording function. However, asset manage-

ment can include using assets as leverage against private sector financing, they wrote.

The study stated that improved asset management would increase the ability of LGUs to finance its projects.

Based on the data, only a few LGUs (about 16.39 percent) explored and took advantage of securing funds through public-private partnerships.

However, more than half (51.31 percent) of the LGUs said they established local public enterprises as a source of additional funds to finance their “Programs, Projects and Activities” (PPAs) between 2012 and 2017.

“LGUs in the Philippines have been empowered with asset management functions by virtue of the LGC with accounting and auditing guidelines issued by the Commission on Audit,” the study said.

The researchers found that out of the 1,248 municipalities that submitted data on asset management for 2017, only 92.6 percent had entries.

Nearly half (42 percent) of these municipalities said the largest amount

Virus may be more damaging than financial crisis–SG PM

he economic fallout from the coronavirus could be more serious than the damage done by the 2008 global financial crisis for Singapore, according to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

“We can’t tell when the pandemic will end, but it will likely last at least this year, and quite possibly longer,” Lee said in a Facebook post. “The economic hit will likely be more serious than the Global Financial Crisis, and longer-lasting too, even beyond the end of the pandemic.”

The comments come after the

Monday, March 16, 2020 B3

a second wave of support measures after allocating S$6.4 billion ($4.5 billion) last month to aid the virushit economy.

Lee’s post also came a day after Singapore released a crucial electoral boundaries report, setting the stage for an imminent announcement on the country’s next election that’s largely considered to be Prime Minister Lee’s final run at office.

“I fully expect things to get more serious before they start getting better,” according to the

of income from Income Generating Enterprises (IGEs) reached nearly P3.5 billion. However, the type of IGE was not specified, the researchers said.

Other top sources of IGEs are public markets, which accounted for 23 percent or about P1.9 billion.

This was followed by water utilities at 10.4 percent; multiple economic enterprise, 4.5 percent; and, cultural or

post. When the election will be held “will depend on what will best see Singapore through this major crisis,” he said. Bloomberg News

sports or recreational center, 3.6 percent. Regions with the highest assets, based on municipalities, are: Regions 4-A (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon); Region 3 (Central Luzon); and, Region 1 (Ilocos).

For 2016, Metro Manila had the lowest total value of assets because there is only one municipality in the region, which is Pateros. Cai U. Ordinario

B4 Monday, March 16, 2020

Education BusinessMirror

Editor: Lyn Resurreccion

Negros Oriental gov suspends classes amid presence of COVID-19 case

Classes, grad rites suspended in provinces

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ome local governments, such as in Negros Oriental, Tacloban, Baguio City and Bacolod City, have reported the limited suspension of classes or graduation ceremonies as a precautionary measure against the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo on March 12 announced the suspension of classes at all levels in all public schools in the province from March 13 to 17.

The declaration is contained in Executive Order 17 signed March 12 afternoon, citing the rise in the cases of Covid-19 in the country, as well as President Duterte’s declaration of a State of Public Health Emergency in the Philippines.

The suspension of classes also came after the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Metro Manila confirmed that a 62-year-old patient confined at a private hospital in this city has tested positive of Covid-19.

Degamo, in his executive order, said that the suspension of classes would lower the risk of spread of the virus, especially in schools.

Capitol Public Information Officer Bimbo Miraflor, at a news briefing on Thursday afternoon, said that for private schools, the suspension of classes is at the discretion of the school administration.

Already, some schools in the city, including Silliman University have canceled awarding and graduation exercises.

Meanwhile, the number of patients under investigation (PUIs) in Negros Oriental remains at three, while patients under monitoring (PUMs) rose from 13 on Wednesday to 20 on Thursday, Miraflor said.

The positive Covid-19patient is still under intensive care and in isolation at the Silliman University Medical Center here, he said.

“It is fake news that he died,” Miraflor said, referring to social media posts circulating about the 62-year-old male from Tayasan, Negros Oriental, who was first admitted at the Ace Doctors Dumaguete Hospital and later transferred to Silliman University Medical Center.

Dr. Liland Estacion, Provincial Health Office chief, said this is the first positive Covid-19 case in the Visayas, and in Negros Oriental.

Meanwhile, the PUMs who have history of travel to Hong Kong, South Korea and China are recovering.

In a related development, health authorities have started contact tracing in Tayasan, the hometown of the Covid-19 patient, Estacion said, adding that those included are immediate family members, relatives, and others who have come in close contact with the patient.

The elderly patient traveled to Manila in late February and returned to Dumaguete on board a Philippine Airlines flight on March 1.

Tacloban weeklong class suspension

The Tacloban City government declared on Thursday a suspension of classes in all levels from March 13 to 20.

The closure of campuses affecting thousands of students may be extended depending on the situation, Mayor Alfred Romualdez said in a news briefing at the city hall.

The mayor issued Executive Order 2020-03-014 as an “appropriate response and measure to curtail and eliminate Covid-19.”

“I believe that school authorities are doing their best to protect the children. But what worries us is that these children are exposed to the virus since they take public utility vehicles. The problem with the virus is that it is novel and no medicines yet to treat this,” Romualdez told reporters.

He urged college students to go back to their home provinces and stay indoors during the weeklong class suspension.

The city health office reported that a school teacher is under quarantine at the Eastern Visayas Regional

Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo PNA file photo Medical Center after manifesting symptoms similar to coronavirus on Wednesday.

The patient is the wife of an overseas Filipino worker who just returned to Europe after a two-week vacation in the city.

The city government is still waiting for the test result from RITM.

Baguio City govt suspends classes

In Baguio City, the city government on Thursday ordered the suspension of classes in all levels for both public and private schools from March 13 to 22 to allow school authorities to sanitize and disinfect classrooms and facilities to prevent the possible spread of Covid-19.

Executive Order 60-2020 issued by Mayor Benjamin Magalong was in line with the state of public health emergency proclamation of President Duterte, ordering all local government units to help address and prevent the spread of the Covid-19.

“After discussion with officials from Department of Education [DepEd] and the Commission on Higher Education [CHED], there is a need to suspend classes in all levels public and private schools to safeguard our students, and so that these institutions may implement stringent action to disinfect their respective campuses,” the order said.

Meanwhile, La Trinidad, Benguet Mayor Romeo Salda also issued EO 007-2020 on Thursday to temporarily suspend all crowddrawing events and tourism-related activities in the town amid the surge of Covid-19 cases in the country.

Those suspended are concerts, pageants, fun runs, barangay and cooperative assemblies, major programs and other activities of a similar nature whether private or local government unit-led.

The order included a prohibition for all municipal officials and employees from traveling outside the province of Benguet, except in the exigency of service.

Bacolod suspends graduation rites

In Bacolod City, Mayor Evelio Leonardia has issued an executive order suspending the graduation and moving-up ceremonies in all levels of public and private schools here until further notice due to the threat of Covid-19.

“It is imperative that the city government implements urgent and critical measures to prevent the spread of the disease,” the mayor said in EO 16-2020 released on Thursday.

Leonardia cited Resolution 282-2020 approved by the City Council on Wednesday

declaring a local state of health emergency, after President Duterte made a similar declaration all over the country, and after the World Health Organization also declared the disease as public health emergency of international concern.

The mayor also said the Department of Health strongly urges the public to avoid attending, participating in and organizing events that draw a huge number of attendees.

Leonardia said he decided to suspend the graduation and moving-up ceremonies after three consecutive emergency meetings with city, school, and health officials on Wednesday.

In a news conference with Leonardia on Thursday afternoon, City Schools Division Superintendent Gladys Amylaine Sales welcomed the mayor’s decision.

“I’d like to thank the mayor for promptly deciding on the issuance of the EO for the suspension of graduation and end of school year rites. This decision is consistent also with that of the good [Education] Secretary Leonor Briones,” she said.

“That’s why we decided to end face-toface classroom interaction by March 20. After that, all our learners will be given home selfhelp activities. The five days from March 22 to 27 are noncontact days, but are still counted as part of the school days,” she said.

Sales added Briones has suggested that the end of school year rites can still be held between April 13 and 17 “when everything will be okay.” Ryan Mark Molina, president of Negros Occidental Private Schools Sports, Cultural and Educational Association, said private schools also support the decision of the mayor in the suspension of the graduation and moving-up ceremonies.

He added that there are schools that can end their classes by March 27, but those which started the school year at a later date can decide on their own on how to adjust their school days. PNA

Searca leader: Innovator-leaders IPOPHL partners with DLSU to establish first masters degree in I.P. is the heart of Agriculture 4.0

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master’s degree in intellectual property (IP) may soon be offered at the De La Salle University (DLSU) after it signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) to affirm its commitment in developing this post-graduate course.

IPOPHL Director General Rowel S. Barba and DLSU President Br. Raymundo B. Suplido signed the MOU recently with IPOPHL Deputy Director General Teodoro C. Pascua, IP Academy Officer in Charge Dr. Frederick P. Romero, DLSU’s IP Office Director Atty. Christopher E. Cruz, and DLSU’s Research and Innovation Vice Chancellor Dr. Raymond Girard R. Tan as witnesses.

“The rationale behind the establishment of a post-graduate course on IP is to further professionalize the experts in the field, which would mean raising the bar on the quality of work and service an IP practitioner is expected to deliver. Improving the work force can then lead to a better, more accessible, and more scalable IP system,” Barba said.

“This newly sealed partnership with DLSU is another remarkable stride for IPOPHL, through its IP Academy, which has the mission to entrench on a national level the enforcement of intellectual-property rights beginning with schools where we can nurture young minds to have respect for intellectual creations derived from other people's hard work, and to see the value of their own hard work,” Barba said.

“The DLSU-IPOPHL partnership is hoped to form the foundations of a stronger relationship between IPOPHL and research institutions that would provide solutions to the country’s developmental and educational concerns,“ he added.

Besides the development of a post-graduate course on IP, the IPOPHL-DLSU MOU will also lead to DLSU's production and semiannual publication of an academic journal that collates all research papers relating to IP management, technology and innovation.

Before publishing the journal, IPOPHL and DLSU will hold the

first Intellectual Property Research Conference where researchers will present their papers and vie for space in the IP Journal.

Tentatively scheduled within the third quarter this year, the conference aims to increase research studies that can introduce useful and strategic models on how various industries can leverage IP for the country’s scientific and economic gains.

IPOPHL will provide all the necessary capacity-building support the DLSU will need to achieve the goals under the agreement.

Likewise, the two will coordinate in furthering IP training and education beyond the Green Archers’s campus.

Barba views IPOPHL’s move to tag the university as one of its academic partners in mainstreaming IP in higher education as highly strategic given DLSU’s level of sophistication in terms of its research pursuits.

Last month, the Times Higher Education Emerging Economies University Rankings 2020 was released, wherein the DLSU made it in the 351-400 bracket, marking its second year to be the sole private university from the Philippines to be enlisted, and to be one of the 533 institutions from 47 countries to meet the rankings’s criteria.

The ranking only exhibits one part of DLSU’s vast achievements in research as the private university had been widely lauded for having the highest number of academic publications, and for the impactfulness and social relevance of the research studies it churns out.

IPOPHL's IP Academy, the national center for IP education and enforcement training, is constantly in the works of expanding its network of university and college partners who share IPOPHL’s vision for IP education, training and research.

Besides expanding and deepening its relations with the academe, IP Academy is working simultaneously on a wide array of capacity-building projects, such as an IP Academy road show, accreditation workshops, and certification seminars, among others.

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OKYO, Japan—As a technology-dependent workflow increasingly becomes the norm, some challenges posed by the Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR 4.0) that educational institutions must address were tackled at the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (Seameo)-University of Tsukuba Symposium VIII recently.

The symposium, held at University of Tsukuba Tokyo, Japan, campus, had the theme “Education for Inclusive Growth of Society 5.0.”

Searca is one of the oldest regional centers of Seameo, which was founded in 1965 to promote cooperation in education, science, and culture among Southeast Asian nations. The University of Tsukuba has been an affiliate member of Seameo since 2009.

In his talk on curricular imperatives in developing the next-generation leaders of the agriculture sector in Southeast Asia, Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca), noted that the challenges posed by IR 4.0 include “preference for technology over human labor, security issues, reliability and stability of technologies, and the reluctance of people to change.”

He said these challenges are largely ethical concerns that need to be addressed at the school level.

“Character education, therefore, becomes even more important as we usher in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution characterized by changes, innovations, and disruptions in the society due to the fast-paced innovation and technology development. While these innovations and disruptions would mean increased productivity and efficiency, it could, in another way, negatively affect social identities, values, and established ethics,”

Gregorio explained.

“We need innovators with big hearts to be the heart of the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” he noted, adding that the best resource would be neither capital nor labor but the people who can create new ideas and innovation.

“Searca’s vision for the agriculture sector, for instance, is toward the application of modern farm technologies and practices that will increase productivity and efficiency,” Gregorio said.

He said the pillars of modern agriculture are “organizing and managing agriculture as a business, changing the social structure through asset reform, and nurturing values respecting nature and community.”

Gregorio said there is a need to transform small farmers into entrepreneurs and overcome problems of scale by concentrating in key production areas through industry-wide clustering and strengthening of cooperatives and farmers organizations.

Moreover, he explained that altering the social structure can be done by strengthening the role of agriculture for poverty reduction, empowering farmers and fishers, transferring property or usufruct rights to assets to farmers and fishers, and stimulating investments among owners and rights holders to make assets productive.

Gregorio also shared the values needed in character formation for the next-generation Agriculture 4.0 identified by the Center for Curriculum Redesign as follows: mindfulness, curiosity, resilience, fortitude, ethics and leadership.

If capital, labor, and research and technology are the brain and brawn, innovator-leaders with those key values will serve as the necessary heart of the Agriculture 4.0.

Searca Director Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio at the recent Seameo-University of Tsukuba symposium in Tokyo, Japan.

He emphasized that character education should be delivered in a fresh, creative, and communicative context-specific approach rather than the usual teacher monologues.

He added that parents and community involvement in the character education can also be an important dimension that needs to be explored.

Gregorio shared Searca’s initiative to establish school-plus-home gardens program (S+HGP) as a learning facility for students to understand the basics of farming through experiential learning activities while instilling in them the value of agriculture.

Moreover, as recommended by Searca, teachers are beginning to integrate concepts of organic agriculture, nutrition, and climate change in the lesson plans in English, Science, Mathematics, and Technology and Livelihood Education for Grades 4 and 7.

“The emphasis on the plus in the S+HGP went beyond merely building gardens in children’s homes but resulted in having parents conscientiously getting more involved in the nutrition of their children,” Gregorio said.

USAID, PBEd partner with McDonald’s for work-based training for 5,000 youth

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(Standing from left) Ronald McDonald; Chona L. Torre, SVP for Human Capital Group, Golden Arches Development Corp; George T. Yang, chairman and founder, Golden Arches Development Corp.; US Ambassador Sung Kim; Ramon del Rosario Jr., PBed chairman; and Dominique Tutay, DOLE BLE director; (seated from left) Kenneth Yang, president and CEO, Golden Arches Development Corp.; and Lovelaine Basillote, PBed executive director and Youthworks PH chief of party.

round 5,000 unemployed and out-of-school youth will benefit from a skills training courtesy of YouthWorks PH, a youth employment project implemented by the Philippine Business for Education (PBEd), in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

This will occur after YouthWorks PH and USAID signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Golden Arches Development Corp. (McDonald’s Philippines).

Under the agreement with McDonald’s Philippines, youth aged 18 to 24 who are not having education, employment, or training will undergo skills training in YouthWorks PH partner institutions and at branches of McDonald’s Philippines, the project’s single largest private-sector partner.

YouthWorks PH is a work force development project valued at more than P1.7 billion that expands training and employment opportunities for Filipino youth, connecting them to technical vocational training institutions and companies.

Since 2018, USAID and PBEd have forged partnerships with key industry players, learning institutions and local government units to invest in Filipino youth in seven cities across the country.

“A global American brand that started from humble beginnings in the1940s, made its way from California to the Philippines in the 1980s, and along the way revolutionized the fast-food service industry is now working with us to provide education and employment opportunities to underprivileged Filipino youth,” said US Ambassador Sung Kim at the MOU

signing ceremony.

“We are proud to partner with YouthWorks PH in providing quality skills training opportunities for underprivileged Filipino youth. Through this partnership, McDonald’s Philippines commits to welcome and train at least 5,000 youth in our restaurants nationwide,” said McDonald’s Philippines President and Chief Executive Officer Kenneth Yang.

“YouthWorks PH hopes that together with our partners in the private sector, we can develop the next generation of passionate and hardworking leaders who will contribute positively to the community.

We thank McDonald’s Philippines for investing in our youth, and we hope to work with more mission-oriented companies in the future,” said PBEd Chairman Ramon del Rosario Jr.

Biodiversity Monday BusinessMirror

Asean Champions of Biodiversity Media Category 2014

Monday, March 16, 2020

Editor: Lyn Resurreccion

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WORLD WILDLIFE DAY

Zooming in on illegal wildlife trade

By Jonathan L. Mayuga

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the community-based organizations as reforestation partners, forest managers and protectors of wildlife.

@jonlmayuga

orld Wildlife Day is a time to celebrate the immense biodiversity which allow man to continuously survive and live. However, the unrestrained activities leading to habitat destruction coupled with overexploitation of natural resources have paved the way for acceleration of species’ extinction.

Environment Undersecretary Ernesto Adobo gave this statement at a news conference highlighting the Philippine celebration of the recent World Wildlife Day. Given the extraordinary biodiversity of the Philippines, Adobo said protecting and conserving the various species is an immense mandate, hence, making World Wildlife Day a great opportunity to raise awareness to the threats the species face amid deforestation and degradation, overexploitation of wildlife habitats and ecosystems, and the illegal wildlife trade.

With the theme: “Sustaining all life on Earth,” the UN World Wildlife Day 2020 embraced the “biodiversity super year,” encompassing all wild animal and plant species as a component of biodiversity, as well as the livelihoods of people, especially those who live closest to nature.

Championing wildlife protection

During the news conference, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) awarded special recognition to 98 wildlife law enforcers, who, throughout the year, played a crucial role in combating illegal wildlife trade that continuously decimates the country’s wildlife population.

“Be it not forgotten, lest we disregard their valiant efforts in risking their lives to protect our wildlife resources from poaching, trafficking and overexploitation so that the future generations to come would be able to see the rich biodiversity we still enjoy today,” he said.

The DENR, while mandated to implement the various environmental laws, still has no law enforcement unit tasked to combat wildlife and environmental crimes.

“Stopping illegal wildlife trade is one of the most important and urgent part of our work to be able to protect iconic and threatened wildlife,” Adobo said.

Forging strong partnership

Rogelio Demelletes, a DENRBiodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) wildlife law enforcer, highlighted the partnership forged by the agency with the Philippine Operations Group on Ivory (Task Force Pogi) and Illegal Wildlife Trade, which work with various law-enforcement units.

The strong partnership, he said, has resulted in successful operations and “big scores” as far as the war against illegal wildlife trade is concerned.

“I would like to thank our heroes in protecting our wildlife.

This award is very important in giving recognition to them. We usually work with various law enforcement unit and we work as a team,” Demelletes said.

Evolving technologies, social media

Over the years, illegal trade in wildlife has evolved with new technologies.

From mere shor t messa ging system or te x t messag ing , transactions are now done t h rou g h t he I nt e r ne t u s i n g t ablet s a nd sm a r t phones i n d i f fe re nt so c i a l- me d i a pl at for m s, m a k i ng t he reac h of t heir i l l ic it act iv it ies a l most l im it less a nd borderless.

The protectors of the threatened animal and plant species, Adobo noted, are equally under threat, extolling their effort in combating illegal wildlife trade, considered the fourth-largest transnational crime next to illegal drugs, and human and arms trafficking.

High fecal coliform noted in waters off GenSan, Sarangani town

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ENERAL SANTOS CITY—The Environmental Management Bureau 12 (EMB-12) Soccsksargen, has temporarily banned swimming in parts of the coastal waters here and in Malapatan town, Sarangani province, due to high levels of fecal coliform.

Engr. Omar Saikol, EMB-12 director, said the agency’s monitoring showed that the presence of coliform in the waters near some beaches in Sarangani Bay has exceeded the standard levels and could pose harm to people.

Saikol cited the coastal waters off the Queen Tuna Park, a popular public beach here, and barangays Dadiangas West, Labangal and Bula.

Elevated coliform levels were also monitored in the waters near Poblacion, Malapatan town, he said.

“People should avoid exposure to these coastal waters as they could get sick with typhoid fever, hepatitis, gastroenteritis and dysentery,” Saikol told reporters here last week.

He said the high coliform level in the coastal waters was mainly due to improper waste disposal and continuing rampant open defecation practices of residents in nearby communities.

A toothless campaign?

The exact figures were not immediately available but he noted that the test results exceeded the standard fecal coliform level for the area of 200 MPN/100 mL or most probable number per 100 milliliters.

City government personnel reported last year that the coliform levels at the Queen Tuna Park here varied from 500 MPN/100 mL to about 900 MPN/100 mL in certain periods.

The EMB and the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) have been conducting periodic water quality monitoring in the city’s coastal waters.

Allan Marcilla, Cenro chief, said they are working on the construction of communal toilets in the coastal communities to help address the problem.

Marcilla said the EMB has committed initial funding of P500,000 for the provision of two toilet facilities near the Queen Tuna Park.

He said they are currently looking for donors for the septic tanks of the community toilets.

“We have scheduled the conduct of information and education campaigns in the area in line with the project,” he said. PNA

A Philippine eagle rescued in 2017 from a trap intended for monkeys was rehabilitated and ready for release back into the wild in the forest of Aurora province. DENR-SCIS

Intensifying effort

During the seventh Wildlife Enforcement Awards held as part of the celebrations, Adobo said the DENR will further intensify the campaign against illegal wildlife trade in partnership with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine National Police (PNP) Maritime Group and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

“Our endemic species face the threat of extinction if we do not intensify our law enforcement to crack down illegal wildlife trafficking and other environmental crimes,” he said.

Moreover, he said the DENR is closely working w ith Congress to establish an environmental protection and enforcement bureau that will provide the DENR stronger powers and full authority to police wildlife traffickers, illegal loggers and other environmental criminals.

Following the money trail

The DENR and its partners in wildlife and environmental law enforcement are also working c losely w ith the A nti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to pin down criminal syndicates involved in the mu ltibil liondollar illicit activity.

Last year, the AMLC has successfully frozen several bank accounts of a local subject. It is also

looking at a dozen more cases of money laundering involving the illegal trade in wildlife.

Currently, the value of illegal wildlife trade in the Philippines— identified as a source and consumer of wild-caught animals and by-products, including plants species—is conservatively estimated at P50 billion a year.

This include the market value of wildlife, their ecological role and value, damage to habitats incurred during poaching, and loss in potential ecotourism revenues.

Interviewed at the sidelines of the celebration at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center in Quezon City, Maria Ivy B. Jovellanos-Lanuevo of the AMLC secretariat Compliance and Investigation Group said each case is potentially leading to suspects’ foreign contacts.

“We are also working with our counterparts in the other country to effectively stop illegal wildlife trade,” Jovellanos-Lanuevo said.

Hunger and poverty

The Philippines is not oblivious to big scores when it comes to apprehending suspects involved in the illegal wildlife trade.

On April 18, 2019, Task Force Pogi led the confiscation of over P50 million worth of live exotic animals in Mati City, Davao Orriental, reportedly smuggled into

the country from Indonesia.

Illegal wildlife trade, whether for food, medicine, health and wellness, or some bizarre belief that animal parts make amulets for protection against bad spirit or can bring good fortune, are often associated with and driven by business opportunity.

Supply and demand

The huge demand for pangolin scale, meat and parts now make the animal as the most-trafficked on Earth.

In the Philippines, Adobo said while there are successful operations with the help of the communities, he acknowledged the fact that hunger and poverty prevails in the countryside, where illegal wildlife traders operate, taking advantage of and, eventually, exploiting the economic situation of the communities.

He said the community are forced to capture exotic animals for easy money everytime the need arises.

“Most of the time, the illegal wildlife traders are not from the community, but are only exploiting the community,” he said.

The DENR, he said, is addressing the problem through various programs that provide livelihood oppor t u n it ies, suc h a s the National Greening Program (NGP), wherein the DENR taps

Under the Wildlife Act, also known as Republic Act 9147, the penalty depends not only on the act committed but also on the conservation status of the wildlife.

The highest penalties for critically endangered species is six years to one day, to a maximum of 12 years imprisonment and/or a fine of P100,000 to P1 million for killing wildlife.

For hunting and trading, the penalty range from two years to four years of imprisonment and a fine of P30,000 to P300,000 for hunting, and/or P5,000 to P300,000 for trading wildlife.

For the mere transport of wildlife, the penalty is six months to one year imprisonment and/or P50,000 to P100,000 fine.

Assistant Secretary Ricardo Ca lderon, concur rent DENRBMB director, said while protection and conservation of the countr y’s rich biodiversity is anchored on the strength of the protected area management, he acknowledged that there is a need to strengthen law enforcement, and add more teeth to the law to effectively deter environmental and wildlife crimes.

“We are now working with Congress to amend the law and impose a stiffer penalty and higher fines,” he said.

A ‘no letup’ campaign

Nevertheless, Calderon said the DENR-BMB’s campaign is no letup as they also continue to enhance the capacity of environment and wildlife law enforcers.

Often, a suspected illegal wildlife trader, he said, is able to avoid prosecution on mere technicality, because of failure to establish or identify the species.

He said species identification requires training on the part of the law enforcers. Some species may be covered by law and others are not.

“That’s why sometimes, a case is dismissed because the evidence was a wrong species,” he said.

Also, he said there is a need to further improve the chain of custody, which is being addressed through various training.

A few years back, he noted that the DENR-BMB developed a manual for law enforcers, which, has led to better prosecution and eventually, higher conv iction rate that has put illegal wildlife traders behind bars.

Higher CO2 levels make plants less nutritious, result in malnourished bugs

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rasshopper populations, like those of many other insects, are declining. My colleagues and I identified a new possible culprit: The plants grasshoppers rely on for food are becoming less nutritious due to increased levels of carbon dioxide in the air.

Ever-increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere tend to promote plant growth by supplying them with extra carbon. But all that added carbon is squeezing out other nutrients that plant feeders—like insects and people—need to thrive.

These fast-growing plants end up less dense in nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and sodium—more like iceberg lettuce than kale.

On our study site in a Kansas prairie, my colleagues and I show that across more than 40 species of grasshoppers, total populations are falling at more than 2 percent a year.

This led to an overall reduction in grasshopper numbers over the past two decades of about one-third. These population declines parallel the decline in grassland nutrients.

Grasshopper populations vary year to year for many reasons, but my colleagues and I believe that

the dilution of plant nutrients caused by elevated CO2 is the most likely reason for the decline.

It adds up to what we call the “nutrient dilution hypothesis:” Increased CO2 is making plants less nutritious per bite and insects are paying the price.

Why it matters

Ecologists have thus far focused on pesticide use and the loss of native habitats as causes for insect declines.

These factors aren’t likely at the large native prairie reserve where I work. Yet, the 2 percent per year decline in grasshoppers our study found is eerily similar to the 2 percent declines reported from long-term studies around the globe of moths and butterflies, whose young—caterpillars—are also voracious plant feeders.

Other factors, like pesticide use and habitat destruction, are certainly hurting insect populations in many places.

But since CO2 is increasing globally, my colleagues and I suspect that nutrient dilution is likely bad news for plant-eating insects across

a huge variety of habitats, in both pristine and degraded ecosystems.

And since insects are crucial parts of all terrestrial food webs, their loss affects many other organisms from plants to birds.

How we do our work

Konza Prairie is a large protected prairie in northeastern Kansas, and researchers have been collecting data on the grasses, insects and animals there since the early 1980s. My colleagues and I relied on this long-term data and physical samples from years past to perform our study.

Grasshopper numbers fluctuate on a roughly five-year cycle that follows changes in the climate, like the El Niño Southern Oscillation.

Having a decades-long data set allowed my colleagues and me to clearly separate these cycles from the long-term population decline and see how increasing CO2 levels played a part.

This kind of data is surprisingly rare, which has led to a good deal of controversy regarding the ubiquity of insect declines. Sites like the Konza Prairie (part of the NSF-funded Long Term

Ecological Research Network) are on the front lines in documenting Earth’s changing ecosystems.

What still isn’t known?

Nutrient dilution by CO2 is a compelling hypothesis for why widespread insect declines are happening. Our data jibes with other experiments that pump CO2 into ecosystems, and drive down both plant nutrients and insect growth.

But solid data on insect numbers over time is still quite rare, and there are still more questions than answers. How widespread is nutrient dilution in ecosystems worldwide? Are plant-feeding insects suffering the greatest declines? Which ecosystems will be hardest hit?

At present, we ecologists lack even basic population estimates for most of Earth’s invertebrate species, which comprise the vast majority of animal diversity.

I suspect that if nutrient dilution by CO2 is indeed widespread, it will likely be affecting Earth’s ecosystems and organisms—including humans—for generations to come, at least as long as fossil fuels burn and CO2 levels continue to rise. Ellen Welti/The Conversation (CC)

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The real ‘Silent Majority’: Voices of OFWs PR Matters

By Margarita Locsin

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HE term “silent majority” has been used and overused politically since the last election.

Truth is, there is a real silent majority and they are not in the Philippines— but overseas.

Overseas Foreign workers, or Filipino expats, with the inclusion of Filipino permanent migrants and even our government’s representatives abroad, form a formidable force and influence. They do so often unnoticed or undermined. They are, as the cliché goes, out of sight, and therefore, out of mind.

Their remittances help keep our national economy afloat and more so, support local economies with family spending. Their hard work and perseverance to survive in tough and often lonesome situations overseas also creates a new generation of more well-informed and empowered youth. Their children will often have access to better education and opportunities than the parents and other family members that came before.

To date, I have not read many articles, or even social-media posts, that focus on how to communicate effectively with this multifaceted diaspora. In fact, most communications from the motherland to her children overseas have often led to “fake news,” and a mishmash of miscommunications and misunderstandings.

What follows are a wish list from two OFWs—one an active member of the Filipino community and the other, a government official who has expansive and extensive firsthand experience dealing with Filipinos living and working abroad.

I asked them to answer a simple set of question—based on their personal and professional, where applicable, experiences. How do they think OFWs can best be communicated to? What have they seen work, or not? What do they think can be done to be more effective? And, as the diaspora is diverse—do they think a one size fits all approach works, or should communications be better customized according to the audience.

Insight: TGH Collective Founder Tay Guan Hin on His Personal Experience at the Epica Awards Sri Lanka Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic SRI LANKA—On March 5, 2020, the inaugural Epica Awards Sri Lanka launched with a bang, bringing together a community of creatives and advertisers, and a jury purely composed of journalists. This is the first major international creative festival and awards to be held in Sri Lanka in 12 years, and despite the growing concerns surrounding Covid-19, the show pushed through successfully. Keynote speaker and TGH Collective Founder and Global CCO Tay Guan Hin shared his firsthand experience with adobo magazine, and how the pandemic has affected the Epica Sri Lanka Festival show.

Read his full story below:

As I approached the airport, I begin to wonder if I made the right decision to fly. I have never seen Singapore Changi International Airport so empty before. It’s one of the busiest airports in the world. The Grab driver anxiously left quickly, leaving my luggage and me standing in the departure lobby. I looked around and realized I might be the only one on board the Sri Lanka Airlines.

Sri Lanka’s 4As President

DD, OFW, Singapore

DD, who is active in the Filipino community in Singapore and regularly interacts with Filipinos from all walks of life, believes that concerned parties, such as government and companies marketing OFW-geared products and services, should focus on directed and direct communications.

He feels that being direct “is most effective in engaging OFWs, so that you will be able to get their candid responses directly”. He stressed the need for establishing “good and trustworthy customer relationships” with the community. Talks and outreach programs, he feels, are also worthwhile and a good way to get engagement.

Being young and Internet-savvy, DD says communications is best done “through social media and basic messaging apps, including SMS, for those who have limited, or even no, access to the Internet.” Government, in particular, can utilize services like text or messaging blasts, as the Singapore government is doing to communicate Covid-19 updates. DD believes this is the most realistic way of communicating with OFWs around the world in one go.

“This means [the Philippine government] keeping record of all OFWs around the world, if possible. If it’s not, the government must make it possible as much as possible. We are in the digital era and government, and businesses must ensure they are optimized to serve the OFWs in the most convenient way. We know our personal data and information are being recorded with or without our consent, so they might as well use it in a good way, which is to make it much easier for OFWs to receive information pertinent to our welfare overseas.”

SV, policy implementer, Singapore, has lived in multiple jurisdictions.

SV’s response was incredibly thoughtful and comprehensive, and therefore best quoted in its beautiful entirety.

“I always have this feeling that OFWs are quite sensitive as they tend to react more emotionally to what they hear or read. This could be due to a confluence of factors, e.g., loneliness,

Sugibun Sathiamoorthy and I have been texting furiously back and forth for many weeks before the festival. I know how much it meant to him for the Epica Sri Lanka festival to be successful. I asked him weeks ago if this will get canceled?

Which he texted to say, “This show must go on!”

For the first time in Sri Lanka’s history, a major international creative festival and awards will finally happen. There has not been something like this for the last 12 years since the last local show occurred.

So the stakes are high to ensure everything goes well as planned.

I arrived at Bandaranaike International Airport, and to my amazement, it was packed. After flying past immigration courtesy of the Silk route fast pass, I met up with the driver who took me to Taj Samudra.

The Taj is one of the most beautiful hotels I have ever stayed in, offering views of the mesmerizing Indian Ocean and its in the vibrant city of Colombo.

Sugi greeted me in the lobby. His eyes were barely open as he had not been sleeping for days. He was an excellent host and a true gentleman.

I have been to Sri Lanka many years ago and always remembered their warm hospitality, and this wasn’t anything different. Just before dinner, I managed to squeeze in time to walk along the Galle Face Beach to witness the stunning sunset. Enjoying the beauty of Sri Lanka.

Later that evening, Sugi and his team took a few of us to the Bavarian German Restaurant for a meat fest. We wanted to order Corona beer, but they ran out? Hmm, I

wonder why?

The following night, we visited the Nuga Gama, Cinnamon Grand.

I would highly recommend it if you want to know what a traditional village in Sri Lanka looked like back in time. The entire restaurant centered around a Nuga tree (Banyan tree).

All the dishes we ate come from authentic traditional Sri Lankan food.

The Epica Sri Lanka Awards Festival started on the March 5, and I am surprised to see the majority of the speakers and jury members who made an effort to fly in and support the show. Those who couldn’t be in Sri Lanka, due to travel bans, like Ted Lim, Merlee Cruz-Jayme and Adam Ferrier made the special effort to skype, in the comfort of their own homes or office.

Babita Baruah, whom I worked with in JWT, was fully committed to speaking, she flew straight in after one of her global meetings ended.

She told me how important it is to keep a commitment as a last min cancellation to any event impacts the confidence of the audience.

I was very impressed with how well organized the conference was. After 12 years, you can see everyone’s appetite to learn and be inspired. Everyone I spoke to, burst with delight, and remarked on the quality of speakers. I overheard an agency head telling their clients the office will be closed for two days to allow their employees to soak in as much learning as possible. I had the opportunity to share not one, but two presentations after Sugi kindly asked me to fill in for a last-minute dropout. As a keynote speaker, I have a few signature speeches created, so it helps to be always

financial pressures, feeling of entitlement, work stresses, etc. I put this in mind when I communicate with them.

I think it is important that the messenger feels both the message and the recipients. This makes the message believable and sincere. This makes the messenger believable and credible.”

“I believe that it is imperative to communicate with OFWs in the language that they understand. But it is even more imperative to communicate with them in the language that they feel.”

“Take the case of Filipino domestic workers in Singapore. It is best to communicate with them with sympathy, always taking into account that these people have been through difficult economic struggles in the Philippines and social isolation while under the employ of their foreign households. You have to communicate with them by way of making them feel that you understand them.

When they are the ones at fault for their problems, one should not be quick to blame them. The challenge is to make them realize that the problems are their own doing and the consequences are there for them to face. It does not work well to communicate a blame with OFWs as they tend to be defensive.”

“I think those of us in government dealing with OFWs should guard ourselves against the tendency toward indifferentism. When one deals with OFW concerns every day, one becomes indifferent and tends to communicate with them dismissively. This is something that will not work out well for OFWs. And this is something that has put many of us in trouble. I always tell my colleagues that when an OFW comes to us, what he/she brings is himself/herself with a need for himself/herself, oblivious of the need of the OFW next to him/ her.”

“Those of us who deal with OFWs, on the other hand, tend to look at an individual OFW as just one among many OFWs, which may potentially result in communication failure. While it is true that we oftentimes have a uniform message to OFWs (e.g., documentary requirements), the message may not be

prepared.

“Imperfect Beauty” was about how brands should tell imperfect stories to find the right connection with their audience. There’s beauty in being authenticity. It’s reflected in my journey about how I overcame my “imperfections” to find the right connection with my wife.

Right after my second presentation on the future of vertical storytelling, it was apparent to me that most haven’t seriously considered creating mobile content to fit the vertical format, so it was heartening to receive many appreciations after.

It clearly shows how agencies and clients are hungry for new information that will help to future proof their mobile content engagements.

The theme of the awards was unbiased creativity. The 4As approached the Epica Awards because they were attracted by the show’s independent, unbiased jury of journalists. Epica’s extensive online jury of more than 200 international Journalists got a chance to vote on the 400+ long list. I spoke to a few creatives who were all satisfied with most of the winners chosen.

I thought the elephant repellent incense sticks for Aura by TBWA/Sri Lanka was a simple, cheap, effective way to ease the human and elephant tension. I didn’t realize it was a significant concern in Sri Lanka till I was almost run over, head-on, by an enormous elephant who rushed out while the owners chased it while I visited a temple. Since villagers pray early in the morning and during the evenings, it was also the same time elephants traveled into the villages. A great product idea that has a dual function.

received uniformly by OFWs since they come from different situations, backgrounds and experiences. Here, the way [and tone] the message is conveyed makes a lot of difference.

A sober and sympathetic way of conveying the message will always do the trick. A hostile dismissive approach to communicating a message will more likely lead to argument.”

“I have also observed that it is more challenging to communicate with OFWs of higher occupational position and educational background. This is quite expected as they have broader grasp of things and they can easily form opinions.

I believe they are less sensitive, but more “demanding” and engaging. I think it is best to communicate with them more firmly and straightforwardly, but never patronizingly.”

My own experience

And then, there’s myself, a member of the OFW community and a communicator by profession. After nine years as an OFW and 13 as a Filipino living overseas, not to mention having worked directly with the OFW community, I believe the foundation for effective OFW communication should be built on two things—respect and understanding.

In my years working overseas, I have experienced the most condescending of conversations with people from home who have an abysmal understanding of the needs of us OFWs. They stereotype and put us into a box that they decorate by themselves and for themselves.

OFWs are the ATMs of the nation and the convenient political tool of so-called politically-motivated representatives, many of whom have never been OFWs themselves. I guess it is because we are not there to represent ourselves and defend our rights that we are easy to negate—after all, and I will say it again, we are out of sight, and therefore, out of most people’s minds.

OFWs are also such a diverse diaspora, from domestic and construction workers to seafarers and medical and IT personnel, and also lawyers, bankers and accountants, and not to mention across different

The Grand Prix “Petal Paint” from Leo Burnett was by far the strongest and most significant win of the night. Someone remarked it was an old piece of work, however, after the Easter 2019 bombings, the submission period was extended for two years.

Despite the coronavirus and other adversities, Sri Lanka finally got their award show and festival.

Congratulations to the 4As Sri Lanka, Sugibun, Shane, Sheron Jayasundara, Chandu Rajapreyar, Rinesh Jayarathne, Ruchi Sharma, Rossen Krause, Sajith Weerasinghe, Rashini Nadarajah Kuthoor, Udyami Peiris who worked tirelessly to make it happen.

Now that WHO declares the coronavirus, a pandemic, and every government is issuing travel bans around the world, I guess this will probably be my last event I will be allowed to attend for a very long time.

Campaign Spotlight: Kumu Launches ‘Lives Streaming’ with GIGIL to Help Filipinos Stay Connected Online Amid COVID-19 Quarantine

MANILA, PHILIPPINES—In light of the COVID-19 situation, Kumu is releasing the Kumu Lives Streaming service with ideas agency GIGIL, so that—despite the mandated quarantine—the lives of Filipinos will go on: people in schools, churches and in other big groups.

Kumu is actually engineered for Filipino Internet, so there is no delay unlike other platforms—and it believes that this initiative can help our countrymen continue their lives, given the current situation.

migratory patterns, from transient to immigrant, and furthermore, across all levels all the way to CEO, that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to communicating with them. Many come with different experiences and so the communicator must first strive to understand where they are coming from and what experiences they bring to the table.

Messaging must also be targeted and thoughtful, and relationships must start on a personal level. This is the importance of engaging with Filipino communities abroad. Since they are already away from home, going to them and spending quality time, not just coming in to handshake and take a few selfies, makes a difference.

Hear them out and you will realize that the Filipino abroad has very different needs than the Filipino back home. Being away and alone, especially for extended periods of time, molds and shapes OFWs in many ways and most of the time, the changes cause frustration and hurt toward people back home because “you all simply do not understand where we are coming from.”

And finally, OFW communication must, in the current state of play, be efficient and updated, and digital. If people back home are used to things taking next to forever and rationalizing it as “how things are,” OFWs are not. We rely on social and digital media because it is the most accessible. Therefore, if you want to reach us, that is the most efficient way.

Invest in the technology and you will be better able to engage us and help us all make the Philippines, our motherland, a better place.

PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the United Kingdom-based International Public Relations Association (Ipra), the world’s premiere association for senior communications professionals around the world. Margarita Locsin is an OFW from Singapore.

PR Matters is devoting a special column each month to answer our readers’ questions about public relations. Please send your questions or comments to askipraphil@gmail.com.

“We are extending this service to help individuals, groups, private and public entities to help find a solution to events, schedules, and all other social engagements that have been impacted by the nation’s situation. As a live streaming platform, Kumu realizes its responsibility in that and opens our doors to collaborate with anyone who are still clueless on how to proceed in the coming days”, the Kumu team shares.

“If a personal or business event has been affected by Covid-19, just reach out to LivesStream@kumu.ph and the Kumu team will support you in setting up your livestream,” Roland Ros, Kumu’s founder, also stated.

Kumu aims to help hold gatherings for a few, or thousands of Filipinos by conducting private livestreams for free through our app, which is available for download on Google Play or the App Store.

“The initial inspiration came from churches, bands and schools tagging us on social media and reaching out to us,” Roland narrated, “and we’re actually already working with a few groups like Favor Church to continue their worship in this situation, and we’re still looking for more organizations like universities and government offices to work with and help continue their lives.”

As an example, Philippine indie band IV of Spades are partnering up with Kumu, as well as Red Bull, to hold their first-ever live stream stage on March 19, 2020. Thanks to the magic of live streaming, fans of the band will be able to catch the band’s performances held especially for the platform.

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Monday, March 16, 2020

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Use data to revolutionize project planning

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By Yael Grushka-Cockayne

Forty years ago, psychologist and Nobel prizewinner Daniel K ahneman, a long w ith longterm collaborator Amos Tversky, noted that humans tend to suffer from a “planning fallacy:” They overpromise and underdeliver by offering unrealistic forecasts of projects’ objectives. Today, changing attitudes toward data collection, data-driven prediction and decision-making offer unprecedented oppor tunities in the field of project planning.

In the UK, the HM Treasury’s Green Book provides guidance on how project proposals should be appraised before significant public funds are committed. The appraisal procedure includes an explicit adjustment to account for systematic optimism, sometimes referred to as “optimism bias,” which is the overstatement of benefits and the understatement of durations and costs.

In a study I conducted for the UK’s Department for Transport, along with researchers from University College London, Erasmus University Rotterdam and Warwick Business School, we found that rail infrastructure projects require anywhere from a 64 percent optimism adjustment (for projects in early definition stages) to a 4 percent adjustment (for projects that have already completed detailed designs).

In the US, the Program Management Improvement Accountability Act was signed into law in 2016. The act, which aims to improve program and project management practices within the federal government, establishes initial guidance for coordinated and government-wide approaches to strengthen project management practices.

In both of these examples, the set of projects that are con-

Sarinya Pinngam | Dreamstime.com

he California bullet train.

Lockheed Martin’s Joint Strike Fighter program. Berlin’s Brandenburg Airport. Inaccurate forecasts involving durations, costs, resources and benefits are clearly a major source of risk for leaders’ careers and organizations’ growth opportunities. Late or pricey projects can also affect the health of the economy at large.

sidered in the reference class is identified by human judgment.

What if artificial intelligence could help perform this role?

Using detailed project-planlevel data with information on individual tasks, deep learning and artificial intelligence can identify patterns of similarity among project tasks, hierar-

chies and precedent relations.

A London-based start-up, nPlan, is doing this now. The company uses data from tens of thousands of construction projects involving millions of tasks combined with natural language processing techniques to predict project durations and delays. The combination of rich data and pro-

prietary AI capabilities allows nPlan to generate highly accurate and useful forecasts for project completion dates, including information about the risks of delay. Here, AI algorithms learn which patterns are most useful for predicting delays, relaxing the need to declare a reference class upfront.

Some suggest the availability of data and AI technologies will introduce a “seismic shift” in project planning. Let’s hope this shift will finally enable us to overcome the planning fallacy, too.

Yael Grushka-Cockayne is an associate professor at Harvard Business School.

How to Achieve Resilient Growth Improving care for high-need, Throughout the Business Cycle high-cost Medicaid patients

By W. Chan Kim & Renee Mauborgne

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he world has recently enjoyed the longest business cycle since the National Bureau of Economic Research has kept records.

Despite the macroeconomic uncertainty and the unpredictable business cycle, companies need to develop their investment and growth strategies. The question they face is how do you build growth and resilience, irrespective of the stage of the business cycle?

Fortunately, our research provides an answer.

As we identified in our research, there are two types of strategy. One is market-competing strategy that focuses on beating rivals in existing markets. The other is market-

creating strategy that focuses on generating new markets.

When economic conditions are favorable, all firms tend to benefit by a rising economic tide. But it is market-creating firms—and the leap in consumer surplus they unlock through their innovative value—that gives them a growth edge, as they not only capture a greater share of rising demand, but also pull all-new buyers into the market.

Adverse economic conditions only magnify the growth edge attached to market-creating moves, because, when the economy is in a downturn, there is a natural flight to value for money. Under these conditions, market-creating moves—which break away from existing offerings and offer buyers a leap in consumer surplus—fast become the products and services

of choice, allowing them to better buck contracting markets and rebound faster.

So, what actions should companies take to best manage growth through market cycles?

Make the competition irrelevant.

Don’t wait for growth to slow to make market-creation a strategic priority. Act now. Ensure that your market-creating efforts are a core component of your corporate strategy. And remember, technology itself doesn’t create markets. What creates new markets is the use of technology.

Don’t wait for monetary policy adjustments or fiscal stimulus to propel your growth. Instead, look to yourself.

W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne are professors of strategy at Insead.

What it takes to run a great virtual meeting

By Bob Frisch & Cary Greene

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s companies scramble to protect employees from the spreading coronavirus with travel restrictions and remotework arrangements, there’s a distinct possibility that in-person meetings with teams, customers or suppliers may be canceled. Virtual meetings—even impromptu ones sparked by fears of a contagion—can be run more effectively, using basic meeting best practices and easy-to-use, inexpensive technology.

Here are 12 steps you can take to make that happen: n Use video. n That said, always provide an audio dial-in option. n Test the technology ahead of time. n Make sure faces are visible. n Stick to meeting basics. n Minimize presentation length. n Use an icebreaker. n Assign a facilitator. n Call on people. n Capture real-time feedback. n Don’t be afraid to tackle tough issues.

© 2020 Harvard Business School Publishing Corp. (Distributed by The New York Times Syndicate)

n Practice once or twice while you’re still together.

Not being able to work together in the same room with colleagues may become a major challenge in the next few weeks.

To make virtual meetings work, you might need to adjust how your team conducts them. But a small investment in preparedness now could have a huge impact if that time comes.

Bob Frisch is the managing partner of the Strategic Offsites Group, and Cary Greene is a partner there.

By Farhad Modarai, Brian W. Powers, Sandeep Palakodeti, Vivek Garg & Sachin H. Jain

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or roughly two decades, health-care organizations have been aggressively experimenting with programs to improve care for high-need, high-cost patients. In an article in the new issue of The American Journal of Managed Care, we published encouraging results from a complex-caremanagement program serving high-need, high-cost Medicaid patients in Memphis, Tennessee. The program, built on top of an existing integrated care model, lowered total spending by keeping patients out of the hospital.

An early analysis of our patient population revealed that spending was remarkably concentrated: The costliest 5 percent of patients incurred roughly 70 percent of all spending. Most had multiple chronic medical conditions, often with co-occurring behavioral health disorders. Many also had significant social needs, ranging from housing instability to food insecurity.

CareMore developed a program aimed at providing high-touch, comprehensive care for these complex patients.

We augmented our primary care physician-led medical home model with a full-time community health worker and

greater support from social workers. Patients who enrolled in the program underwent a comprehensive, multidisciplinary assessment of their medical and social needs, the results of which were used to create a tailored care plan.

Patients in the program received frequent, structured follow-ups. The community health worker contacted patients weekly to check in and evaluate progress. The community health worker, social worker and primary care physician reviewed the care plan weekly. Patients returned to CareMore care centers monthly for in-person visits with the entire team. The community health worker accompanied some patients to specialist visits and social-service appointments. The social worker provided counseling for behavioral health needs, helped navigate social services and arranged for necessary referrals and medical equipment.

We found that the program led to a $7,732 (or 37 percent) reduction in total medical spending per patient per year.

This was driven primarily by decreases in hospital utilization: Patients were less likely to be admitted to the hospital (50 percent decrease), and when they were admitted, their hospital stays were shorter (62 percent decrease). We also saw a small decline in special-

ist visits, possibly due to more active management of chronic illnesses by the primary care physician. Patients were highly satisfied with the program: Its net promoter score (measured three months after enrollment in the program) was 100 out of 100.

Here are lessons for others: n Precise patient targeting can improve effectiveness and efficiency. n Programs with an integrated model for addressing medical and social risk may be most effective. n Focus only on the most relevant drivers of poor outcomes. n Partner with communitybased organizations and socialsafety-net institutions, such as food banks and housing authorities.

What’s needed now is a better understanding of which program elements work best for specific patient groups and what it takes to rapidly scale successful interventions.

Farhad Modarai is an associate regional medical officer at CareMore Health, where Brian W. Powers is director of population health strategy and analytics, Sandeep Palakodeti is a regional medical officer and Vivek Garg is chief medical officer. Sachin H. Jain is president and CEO of CareMore and Aspire Health.

B8 Monday, March 16, 2020

Pepsi Philippines ‘Win as One’with Gold Anvil Award

BPI-Philam is World Finance’s best life insurer for the 3rd consecutive year

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PI-PHILAM Life Assurance Corp.’s digital habits and customer service got the nod from London-based international business and finance magazine World Finance which hailed the company as the Best Life Insurance Company in the Philippines in 2019. This is its third consecutive year of receiving the award.

The World Finance Global Insurance Awards celebrates the industry’s most innovative players and top insurers that help drive the sector forward. BPI-Philam has proven its resilience towards challenges and practices its progressive mentality by

expanding reach to various areas across the Philippines in its aim to close the protection gap in the country.

“BPI-Philam is proud and grateful to receive the award for the third consecutive year. We are racing against risk to protect as many lives as we can, especially as the country is highly vulnerable to different disasters. Several recent events rocked both the nation and the world and have once again urged the pressing need for insurance. Our goal is to touch base with the most vulnerable sectors and we are continuously working hard to do that,” said BPI-Philam CEO Surendra Menon.

BPI-Philam supports these efforts with consumer education programs that drive the importance of insurance home. Bancassurance sales executives (BSEs) are also stationed in BPI branches nationwide to address any insurancerelated concerns.

However, according to data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, 526 cities and municipalities remain unbanked as of the second quarter of 2019. Of this number, 458 have other access points, which BPI-Philam has begun to tap through strategic partnerships with other notable service providers like Tambunting Pawnshop.

BPI-Philam has also adopted and developed new tools to expand its reach and make things easier for both its customers and BSEs. To help BSEs guide clients

through the process of acquiring a policy, the industry leader developed its internal Bancassurance Portal. Through the portal, BSEs can access Interactive Point of Sale (iPoS), an application that expedites the process of application submission, and Interactive Customer Assistance and Requirements eSubmission (iCARE), which makes after-sales servicing quicker and more convenient.

BSEs are continuously supported at BPI-Philam through regular trainings, effective communication, and a nurturing company culture.

With its customers in mind, BPIPhilam adopted digital habits that would make purchasing and managing an insurance policy more convenient and hassle-free. It has developed ePlan, a 24/7 online portal where clients can easily access a digital copy of their policy, anytime and anywhere. ePlan allows consumers to view policy values and payment history, update contact information, and perform policy transactions in just a few taps.

BPI-Philam Life Assurance Corp. is a strategic alliance between two leading companies in the country – The Philippine American Life and General Insurance Company (Philam Life) and Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI). It has recently celebrated its 10th successful year in the industry. For more information, visit www.bpi-philam.com.

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EPSI-COLA Products Philippines, Inc. (PCPPI) won the coveted Gold Award during the 55th Anvil Awards organized by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) held recently at the Manila Hotel. PCPPI won the award under the category Public Relations Tool for the outstanding execution of its 2018 Annual and Sustainability Report, titled Win as One! As PCPPI's first sustainability report, the theme signified the teamwork PCPPI had in fulfilling its activities guided by its sustainability framework, as the company achieves its wins on its sustainability journey. It was in alignment with the Sustainability Reporting Guidelines for Publicly Listed Companies of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and an important

partnership executed well between PCPPI and with Drink Editorial and Design, Inc. (Drink) in producing the report. It was in May 2019 when the report first saw print, ahead of the SECrequired disclosures in 2020, making them one of the first Filipino companies to do so.

Shown in the photo are the PCPPI team led by Vivian Cheong, PCPPI SVP for Human Resources & Corporate Affairs (center); together with (from left) BJ Camaya (Anvil Awards Juror); Joane Legaspi (DRINK); Denise Ramallosa (DRINK); Naj Dingcong (DRINK); Aljon Valdenibro (PCPPI), Monique Castro (PCPPI); Atty. Ari Fabros (PCPPI), Noel Melarpis (PCPPI), Gabe Ongkiko (DRINK), Harris Guevarra (DRINK), Eli Gagelonia (DRINK); and Cherie Mijares (Anvil Awards Juror).

Duty Free Philippines celebrates women with month-long SALE

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UTY Free Philippines Corporation (DFPC) joins the celebration of the National Women’s Month by offering up to 30 percent discount on a wide range of products from March 1-31, 2020.

Participating Duty Free outlets are the Fiestamall in Parañaque City, Duty Free Luxe in Pasay City, Mactan-Cebu International Airport, Duty Free stores at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminals 1, 2, and 3.

“Women hold a special place in our hearts as we see them as key influencers to the family’s purchasing patterns. They do not just shop

for themselves but for the whole family,” said DFPC Chief Operating Officer Vicente Pelagio A. Angala.

The sale applies to select merchandise and brands women usually purchase such as home furnishing products, mom and baby essentials, sporting goods, chocolates, and the following fashion and beauty brands: Gucci, Chanel, SK II, Jo Malone, Tumi Coach, Michael Kors, Dolce and Gabbana, Versace, Salvatore Ferragamo, Estee Lauder, Lancome, Bulgari, Clinique, Kate Spade, Bally, Mac, Dior, and among others.

For more information, visit DFPC Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/dutyfreephils.

An open heart surgery journey through the eyes of a loving wife

Marcelo is happy in love with his wife Minda by his side as he starts his journey to recovery after a successful bypass surgery.

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N January 12, 2020, Marcelo Licardo and wife Minda, were in their car on the way to their child’s house in Dasmariñas, Cavite, after serving at church and bonding with their grandchild. However, what seemed like a regular Sunday for the couple took a turn when Marcelo started wheezing and had trouble breathing. “We were in Quiapo when he started coughing.

I asked him what happened, but he just shook his head. We continued with our drive,

but it was obvious he was having hard time breathing,” said Minda.

Minda shared that after a while, Marcelo couldn’t handle it anymore. He parked and went out of the car to catch his breath. “I was looking at him—I wasn’t talking to him anymore because he was so winded. He was drenched in cold sweat. I suggested we go to a hospital already since there are some in the area.” Marcelo, however, insisted that they go to Dr. Catherine Ang, their family doctor at the De Los Santos Medical Center. He was rushed to ER and was later admitted to the ICU. Dr. Danilo Santos, head of the DLSMC Catheterization Laboratory Unit, suggested that Marcelo should undergo a coronary angiogram. After reviewing the results, Dr. Santos explained to Minda that the best course of treatment for her husband was a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), a type of surgery that improves blood flow to the heart muscle by taking a healthy artery or vein from the leg, arm or chest and connecting or grafting it beyond the blocked arteries. This procedure creates a new passage that redirects oxygen-

rich blood around the blockage to the heart muscle. “We recommend CABG to people who have severe coronary heart disease (CHD), a condition where a plaque builds up inside the coronary arteries. The DLSMC Cardiovascular Surgery Team, led by Dr. Avenilo Aventura Jr., did a successful bypass surgery to Marcelo last January 19.

“During the time na makikita mo ang mahal mo sa buhay na nasa ganung sitwasyon, hindi mo iisipin ang ibang bagay.

Ang maiisip mo yung love; na ayaw mo siyang mawala sa ‘yo. I was satisfied with how the treatment went,” Minda said.

She said Marcelo used to feel out of breath and tired when walking up the stairs which he attributed to his old age (Marcelo is 65). After the procedure, the discomfort in his chest dissipated, proving that it was not his age but rather because of an existing heart condition.

DLSMC offers complete cardiac packages for coronary angiogram, coronary angioplasty, pacemaker insertion, and CABG surgery. For inquiries, contact Telephone No. 889-35762 ext. 3190.

Security Bank Foundation’s ‘Build a School, Build a Nation: The Classrooms Project’Wins Gold Anvil Award

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ECURITY Bank believes in the importance of social development. This is embodied by the Bank’s mission to enrich lives, empower businesses and build communities.

Its corporate social responsibility arm, Security Bank Foundation, Inc. (SBFI), stands as its primary instrument for helping build better communities.

Following through on its belief that a progressive nation is built on education, Security Bank Foundation Inc. (SBFI)’s flagship corporate social responsibility program (CSR) “Build a School, Build a Nation: The Classrooms Project” recently won a Gold Anvil Award for a Public Relations Program on a Sustained Basis.

Since its inception, SBFI has advocated for education as a long-term solution to poverty.

“We believe that education is the greatest equalizer in life for it will give every person the opportunity to succeed in life, no matter what his or her social and economic background may be,” said Rafael F. Simpao, Jr., chairman of SBFI. The Classrooms Project stands out because of its holistic approach to uplifting the level of education in the country.

It involves the participation of Security Bank employees, clients, the Department of Education, local government units, academic partners (Ateneo De Manila University and De La Salle Philippines), and the beneficiary community. The program’s approach to education is highlighted by end

SBFI Chairman Rafael Simpao, Jr. (center), SBFI Trustee Melissa Aquino (2nd from right) and SBFI Program Manager Louie De Real (2nd from left) with Members of the 55th Anvil Awards Board of Jurors Marco Polo and Deivid Rioferio

to end initiatives – from the construction of classrooms benefitting the students and the communities to spearheading leadership development for school heads and facilitating technical training for teachers.

“Providing outstanding service is a combination of business excellence and focusing on enhancing the quality of people’s lives. These form the core of our BetterBanking promise. We serve our colleagues well, and manifest the same brand of customer-focus in our branches and in the communities we cater to. Our CSR efforts, bannered by The Classrooms Project, embody our willingness to serve with utmost malasakit (empathy),” said Sanjiv Vohra, Security Bank president & CEO.

Since 2011, the Foundation has already turned over 545 classrooms to 102 schools located in 55 cities and municipalities and provided conducive learning facilities to 100,000 Filipino students.

The Anvil Awards program is spearheaded by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines and recognizes public relations programs and tools that best represent exemplary performances in their respective fields.

The Gold Anvil Award is bestowed upon public relations programs that are the epitome of execution excellence. Awardees are those that make significant positive impacts on the lives of target beneficiaries and society at large.

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God of the living

EAR God, You defend us against the foe and lead us along the path of life. Secure in Your faithful love we pray: Let us walk by Your light, oh God. Help us to strengthen one another in faith and to speak a word of encouragement to the fainthearted. Confirm priests, brothers, deacons and women religious in their vocation. Bless and inspirit teachers, students, and all who are involved in Catholic education, and other forms of learnings. May God strengthen us in holiness and anoint us to be more like Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

GIVE US THIS DAY SHARED BY LUISA LACSON, HFL Word&Life Publications • teacherlouie1965@yahoo.com

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

Life

ALL ACCESS ROCCO NACINO: UP WHERE HE BELONGS C4

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Monday, March 16, 2020

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The ‘Ibong Adarna’ and its interpretations in fashion TOTA PULCHRA MISS CHARLIZE

@misscharlize

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AGA CITY, Camarines Sur—Filmmakers, critics and enthusiasts from across the regions trooped to this pilgrim city for the 12th Cinema Rehiyon, an innovative initiative of the National Committee on Cinema of the National Commission of Culture and the Arts.

Cinema Rehiyon, “a noncompetition film festival that complements the filmmaking frontiers of the various regions of the Philippines outside Metro Manila,” paid tribute to the centenary of Philippine cinema.

Full-length features and short films were shown at the Ateneo de Naga, while films that were previously shown commercially were screened at SM City Naga.

For my part, I was excited to watch Ibong Adarna, the film produced by LVN Pictures in 1941 directed

by Vicente Salumbides with technical direction by (future National Artist for Film) Manuel Conde. The fantasy/adventure film, based on a Spanish-era Filipino epic poem, was screened early in the morning to accommodate kids.

The last time I was that early at the cinema was in 1996—to behold Madonna in Evita.

For credible reviews of Ibong Adarna and the other films showcased, please refer to this paper’s “Annotations” column by our resident critic, Tito Genova Valiente, who was also one of the prime movers of the successful festival.

In Hollywood, the popular films released in 1941, include Citizen Kane, The Maltese Falcon, Dumbo, Suspicion (with Joan Fontaine), the Oscar winner How Green Was My Valley (with Maureen O’Hara), The Sea Wolf (Ida Lupino), The Lady Eve (Barbara Stanwyck), The Little Foxes (Bette Davis) and Ziegfeld Girl (Judy Garland, Hedy Lamarr and Lana Turner).

Ibong Adarna, meanwhile, starred Fred Cortes, an impossibly handsome actor, and the luminous Mila del Sol, who is still alive today at 96. With Ester Magalona and Deanna Prieto as empowered princesses, Mila and her costars were dressed by the label Tres Chic, which also costumed Norma Blancaflor and Jaime de la Rosa in Aladin (1946).

The film, about a mythical singing bird from local folklore that has healing powers, was recently

MISS Filipinas Katrina Llegado at Reina Hispanoamericana 2020 wearing Rocky Gathercole. ROJ MIGUEL

scanned in 4K resolution by the ABS-CBN Film Restoration Project. Originally shot in black and white, it had the distinction of being the first Filipino film with a color sequence. During the scenes when the Adarna is singing, its plumage changes colors, the visual glory hand-painted frame by frame.

Not surprisingly, the mythical Adarna’s magnificent and colorful feathers continue to inspire fashion designers even after almost 80 years.

Binibining Pilipinas Globe 2015 Ann Lorraine Colis wore a national costume, a white terno designed by John Cliff with the Ibong Adarna hand-painted on its voluminous ball skirt, on her way to winning Miss Globe 2015.

Catriona Gray’s preliminary gown by Mak

MISS Universe Philippines 2018 Catriona Gray wearing Mak Tumang.

MISS UNIVERSE ORGANIZATION

Tumang at the Miss Universe 2018 was called “Adarna: Blazing Siren.”

Samantha Bernardo, second runner-up at the Binibining Pilipinas 2018 and 2019, is taking another shot at a crown this year. (Like all events affected by Covid-19, the 2020 finals will be moved to May 31.)

The pageant has not yet released the photos of the candidates in their national costumes, but in 2019 Samantha wore a creation by Patrick Isorena.

“The costume was a fusion of Ibong Adarna and the Palaw’an Tribe. The costume was made up of golden feathers which signify the fancy long shiny metallic tail of the legendary bird. The fans were also covered with golden feathers which served as the wings of the Adarna, while the 10,000 wooden beads

BINIBINING Palawan Samantha Bernardo wearing Patrick Isorena at Binibining Pilipinas 2019. JOHAN OCAMPO

which covered the body represented the culture of the Palaw’an Tribe, also known as Palaweno. They built houses on the hill side and hunt their food using their spears,” Samantha said.

When Miss Filipinas Katrina Llegado sauntered in her Ibong Adarna national costume created by Rocky Gathercole at the Reina HispanoAmericana 2020 pageant, her chances of winning soared.

“I chose to be the Adarna because I believe its story reaffirms the importance of nature in our lives,” said Katrina, who eventually placed fifth runner-up.

“By embodying the Adarna, I hope to be a living reminder that we all bear the responsibility to take care of the environment not just as a member of the Hispanic community but as a citizen of the world.” ■

Beauty-related precautions undertaken during health crisis AND THEN SOME DINNA CHAN VASQUEZ @dinnachanvasquez luckydinna@gmail.com

THE coronavirus has turned the world upside down.

Traveling has been reduced drastically, people are being allowed to work from home, some businesses have closed temporarily, and public gatherings are being discouraged. In the midst of all this, a new term has emerged.

Social distancing is now a thing. This is term used by public health officials to stop or slow down the spread of the virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said social distancing means “remaining out of congregate settings, avoiding mass gatherings and maintaining distance [approximately 6 feet] from others when possible.”

But for many women, including myself, this can be difficult because of one thing that is important to us: beauty. We need to have our brows done, we have

to have our facials, we test makeup in stores, and we need to have our hair and makeup done for special occasions.

For people like us, how do we keep our social distance? Makeup artist Jigs Mayuga stressed the important of cleanliness and hygiene at all times.

“I wash my brushes and sponges after each gig. I make sure to wash my hands before doing makeup.

And I never double dip into makeup products. I use either a fresh brush or I scrape the pigment with a spatula,” said Mayuga.

He also believes that living a healthy lifestyle also puts clients at ease. One other way Mayuga puts his clients’ mind at ease is by wearing a mask.

Benefit Cosmetics counters and boutiques in the Philippines are also undertaking several measures for the safety of their customers and store personnel.

“Our makeup testers are always cleansed with sanitizing spray to keep makeup free from germs and bacteria. We disinfect our makeup brushes with an environmentally safe makeup brush cleaner after every use,” said Tasha Santos, digital and PR manager at Benefit Cosmetics Philippines.

They also disinfect and deodorize their BrowBars, chairs, mirrors and makeup counter tables with allpurpose disinfectant disposable wipes after every use.

Beauty retailers globally have undertaken safety measures against the virus.

TOP makeup artist Jigs Mayuga FROM HIS FACEBOOK PAGE

“We have taken additional actions to ensure our entire organization is here to serve you in the safest way possible. All store employees have been trained to uphold and practice these measures, and we are closely following the latest guidance from the CDC, WHO, local governments and public health agencies,” said Sephora Americas CEO Jean-André Rougeot.

One of these measures is Sephora stores suspending paid and free in-store services, makeup and skin-care application and classes until further notice.

Sephora store personnel will also regularly disinfect all workstations, product displays and hygiene stations with a hospital-grade disinfecting cleaner. All stores and distribution centers will have a deep cleaning every week. Hand sanitizer stations will be accessible for customers and employees. Product testers will also be disinfected several times a day and replaced when necessary.

I haven’t done makeup shopping for a while so I don’t know what measures many of our retailers are taking to help protect us and their personnel.

But really, my advice right now is avoid stores and if you’re there, don’t even touch those testers. If you have to, bring your own cotton swabs and disinfect the products yourself. This sounds crazy but I’ve actually done this in the past when I wasn’t feeling well and I didn’t want to contaminate the testers.

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ABE STANDS FIRM: GAMES WILL GO ON J

APANESE Prime Minister Shinzō Abe insisted the country will host this year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games “without problem as planned” despite growing international concern over the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Abe refused to waver from the stance adopted

by Japanese officials and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that Tokyo 2020 will take place as scheduled.

The Covid-19 virus, which has so far killed more than 5,600 people and infected over 150,000 worldwide, has spread to over 130 countries, fueling speculation and suggestions the Olympics and Paralympics will be postponed or canceled.

The Greek leg of the Tokyo 2020 Torch Relay was canceled this week, while numerous events, including Olympic qualifiers and test events, have been impacted by the coronavirus outbreak.

But Tokyo 2020 and the IOC have repeatedly insisted the Olympics will open as planned on July 24.

“We will overcome the spread of the infection and host the Olympics without problem as planned,” Abe said.

The Japanese Prime Minister also said delaying the Games was “not even mentioned” on a telephone call he had with Donald J. Trump after the United States president suggested postponing them because of the virus.

Abe said Japan, which has reported just under 800 cases of Covid-19 and 22 deaths, did not need to declare a national emergency. He added that Japan was following the advice of the World Health Organization (WHO), which declared the virus a pandemic earlier this

JAPANESE Prime Minister Shinzō Abe refuses to waver from the stance that Tokyo 2020 will take place as scheduled.

week.

A Japanese government spokesman insisted the WHO declaration had not changed Japan’s plans to proceed with the Games as scheduled.

Any decision on a possible cancellation or postponement of Tokyo 2020 rests with the IOC. In the Host City Contract signed by Tokyo 2020 in 2013, the IOC has the right to terminate the Games should they not take place in 2020.

There is no reference to a postponement.

The IOC can also cancel the Games “in the event of war, civil disorder or boycott, or if

the organization believes that the safety of participants would be threatened “for any reason whatsoever.”

IOC President Thomas Bach said earlier this week the organization would follow WHO advice on Tokyo 2020.

“Nineteen weeks from the Opening Ceremony, we are strengthened in this commitment by many authorities and sports organizations around the world who are taking so many significant measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus,” Bach said. Insidethegames

PISTONS’ WOOD POSITIVE FOR VIRUS

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hristian Wood of the Detroit Pistons has tested positive for the coronavirus, a person with direct knowledge of the situation said Saturday night.

Wood is feeling fine, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither the Pistons nor Wood had publicly confirmed his positive result. Wood’s diagnosis became known one week after he played against the Utah Jazz—spending much of that night matched up with Rudy Gobert, who was the first National Basketball Association (NBA) player known to test positive for the virus.

Utah’s Donovan Mitchell has also tested positive for the virus. It cannot be concluded that any of those three players were involved in spreading it to one another.

The Pistons later confirmed that a player— they did not name Wood—tested positive Saturday and has been in self-isolation.

“A player on the Detroit Pistons, who is under the care of team medical staff and in self-isolation since Wednesday night, was tested for Covid-19,” the team said. “A

preliminary positive result came back on March 14. The health and safety of our players, our organization, those throughout our league, and all those potentially impacted by this situation is paramount.”

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover. In mainland China, where the virus first exploded, more than 80,000 people have been diagnosed and more than 58,000 have so far recovered. AP

Christian Wood is the third National Basketball Association player who tests positive of the coronavirus. AP

Horse racing goes on in US but with few fans

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rayden Van Dyke hopped off Charlatan after winning the sixth race by 10 and 1/4 lengths at Santa Anita on Saturday and celebrated by trading elbow taps in the winner’s circle. No traditional postrace handshakes during the coronavirus pandemic.

The jockey, like all riders at the Southern California track where no fans were in attendance, had already had his temperature taken. The jockeys’ room has “hand sanitizer everywhere you look,” Van Dyke said.

Bugler Jay Cohen blew his horn to an empty grandstand, with only trainers, jockeys and those working directly with the horses on hand to hear.

“It’s a little strange looking up there and not seeing anybody,” Cohen said before playing the traditional “Call to the Post” that greets runners as they hit the track.

The usual scent of hand-carved sandwiches—turkey, corned beef and prime rib—wasn’t wafting through the air. The food stands were shut down. There was no one manning the admission gates, selling programs and Daily Racing Forms or operating the elevators or gift shop, and no mutual clerks to sell and cash tickets.

Without fans yelling for their favorites, the sounds of jockeys chirping to their mounts and horses’ hooves pounding the dirt track as they flew toward the finish line were easily heard.

“It’s really scary what’s going on right now,” Van Dyke said. “I hope they get it under control.”

Even without fans around, workers could be seen cleaning various public areas of Santa Anita to defend against the coronavirus, which left horse racing as one of the few sports still going on in the US. AP

Without fans yelling for their favorites, the sounds of jockeys chirping to their mounts and horses’ hooves pounding the dirt track as they flew toward the finish line were easily heard. AP

orts

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Monday, March 16, 2020

LOOK WHO’S WATCHING The Auburn fan section gets creative with paper plate

faces on the seats during the team’s Class 1C boys high-school basketball championship game against Ogallala at Pinnacle Bank Arena, on Saturday, in Lincoln, Nebraska. Crowds are limited to staff and immediate family due to concerns over the coronavirus. AP

DIAZ MISSES QUALIFIER IN COLOMBIA O

lympic silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz didn’t make it to her last qualifying event in Colombia’s Ibero American Open to be held this coming March 19 after Colombia announced last night that no foreigner from Europe and Asia will be allowed starting today March 16. Diaz was already confirmed by the International Weightlifting Federation as an entry as requested

by Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas President Monico O. Puentevella last week.

Six qualifying events are required for any lifter to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics and this was the last one needed. Three Chinese lifters are ranked ahead of her now but only one lifter can represent any country in the Olympics.Which makes her ranked no. 2 in the world as of now. Hidilyn’s group have tickets already for her flight to Colombia tomorrow until the Colombian lockdown was announced last night.

However, Puentevella, since two weeks ago, had already requested the International Weightlifting Federation, of which he used to be a member, to review the six event qualifying policy be reduced to five events

due to the unforeseen circumstances affecting not only Weightlifting but all sports. And due to no fault of the athletes, with lockdowns everywhere. The IWF Board will be meeting today in Lausanne, Switzerland to tackle this agenda affecting majority of the qualifying lifters in the world. “I’m optimistic that the IWF Board will reconsider our plea and resolve this problem at hand in fairness to all Associations world wide.”

“In the meantime, Hidilyn and her group will continue their training in Malaysia. Other aspirants for qualifying to the Tokyo Olympics, Seagames Gold Medalis Kristel Macrohon, Rio Olympian Nestor Colonia, Eileen Ando, John Ceniza, and Mary Flor Diaz, will continue their training in their respective provinces until a new IWF policy will clear the air.”

We are thankful to the PSC under Chairman William Ramirez for all the support. So far, the Asian Championships this April In Uzbekistan have already been canceled together with Romania last week and next month in Mauritius. Colombia is the latest,” Puentevella said.

PSC attends to athletes, coaches stranded at PhilSports dormitory

T Athletes take to social media comments on quarantine

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By Ryniel Berlanga

HE coronavirus—Covid-19—has grounded Philippine sports to a halt, like elsewhere in the world.

And only on Sunday, Metro Manila was put on community quarantine, meaning all nonessential activities are shut shot down for a month upon orders from Malacanang.

The lull, eerie as it appears, has drawn several reactions from Filipino athletes who are forced to spend time away from competition and training, and even from the gym.

Former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Most Valuable Player Arwind Santos of San Miguel Beer took to Instagram his comment on the pandemic.

“Hello, kamusta po kayo dyan? Sa Luzon, Visayas, at Mindanao. After the PBA and NBA [National Basketball Association] got suspended that’s fine. What’s important is the lives of everyone,” said Santos, a nine-time PBA champion, two-time Finals MVP and 2013 PBA MVP. “The lives of my fellow Filipinos. I’m here to remind you guys to not panic and be reminded that we always remember to pray, watch the news to properly know how to avoid the virus (Covid-19),” Santos added. “Like what our President said, we need to be more cautious. We parents, our children’s lives rely on us. That’s all.

Thank you and we need to protect ourselves.”

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel’s Joe Devance also shared his thoughts on Twitter.

“I hope everyone is well out there considering the circumstances. Be safe everyone,” said De Vance, a 10-time PBA champion and eight-time PBA AllStar.

“Some of the NBA players still want to play but without the fans. If you think about it, it doesn’t make any sense! It doesn’t matter whether if there is a fan or not if a player has the virus and is playing it will spread!! I honestly think Manila or even the Philippines should shut everything down.

Until it is contained. Just one person can spread it to thousands. Please be vigilant in sterilizing. Be safe everyone!!” he added.

Agatha Wong, wushu gold medalist in the 30th Southeast Asian Games, reminded people not to

hoard food, disinfectants (rubbing alcohol) and other supplies.

“I know we’re all on the edge with what’s going on right now, but please don’t [submit to] panic buying,” Wong said. “Calm down and educate yourselves with the necessary things you need to know then plan on the next move.

This is our chance to start nourishing our bodies and keep it at optimum health.”

Cignal HD libero Jheck Dionela also took her thoughts on social media.

JHECK DIONELA: I hope and pray for everyone’s safety and please take extra precautions.

“Postponed na PSL [Philippine Superliga] guys. Sorry, but we really have to cooperate with the safety standards because we don’t want this virus to spread pa,” said the PSL’s 2018 best libero who also played for the national team.

“Most importantly, we must take care of our health. I hope and pray for everyone’s safety and please take extra precautions. Godbless!” she added.

AGATHA WONG tells people no to hoard on essential goods.

HE Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is not shutting down on its operations despite the ongoing community quarantine in Metro Manila.

This was guaranteed by PSC Chairman William Ramirez on Sunday, the first day of the RAMIREZ quarantine that barred entry and exit of individuals in Metro Manila as ordered

by Malacañang before the weekend.

“We will continue to serve and be available to the national athletes,” said Ramirez, who instructed the agency’s officials to ensure the unhampered delivery of basic services to the national athletes.

“These are extraordinary times which call for extraordinary commitment and service from all of us,” Ramirez added.

Ramirez ordered continuous assistance to the athletes and coaches still billeted at the PhilSports Complex in Pasig City.

The PSC chairman restricted access at the PhilSports and the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila amid the virus outbreak, and Ramirez asked athletes and coaches billeted at the facilities to go home and limit their movement as a precaution.

The athletes who were unable to return

to their homes—the Metro wide quarantine included the ban on travel by land, sea and air to and from Metro Manila—remained at the dormitory.

“They are provided with food, recreation facilities and medical monitoring,” Dormitory Manager Roselle Destura said.

There are 28 athletes, six coaches—four Filipinos and two Koreans— from fencing, boxing, athletics and para sports who remained at the PhilSports.

Acting Executive Director Merlita Ibay supervised the sanitation efforts in both venues.

“We made sure that athletes who needed assistance to go home like booking and buying their tickets are properly addressed,” Ibay said.

Deputy Executive Directors Atty. Guillermo Iroy and Simeon Rivera assured the availability of PSC personnel for medical emergencies, delivery of basic services in the facilities and the processing of salaries and allowances of national coaches and athletes.

“We all increase our susceptibility when we go out of our homes, but we also know that there are very basic services that we need to deliver,” Ramirez said. “I appreciate the sacrifice of our officers and staff to brave the risk to work on these things.”

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Rick Olivares bleachersbrew@gmail.com

Bleachers’ Brew

In this time of lockdown, quarantine THE world has almost stopped thanks to this pandemic. And it’s frightening. The last time I felt this fear and uncertainty was post-9-11 New York City (I was living in the Empire State during that time) and in February 1986—if you were in Edsa.

And the way my parents and those of their generation tell it—it was the same during World War II. The common denominators included these feeling of uncertainty and anxiousness. You really do not know what happens next. You must—as the saying goes—hope for the best, but expect the worst.

And yet, not even a world at war could stop sports leagues from being played. There was some form of baseball played back in the United States during that time. Now, there is nothing.

And with good reason.

Suddenly, everything seems trivial as opposed to staying safe, alive, and healthy even if there are so many unanswered questions.

Most of it is beyond my control so why worry about that?

In this time of a lockdown, quarantine, and curfew, here is what I will do when I am not working: Finish my viewing of the following on Netflix (that I have started but not finished) Boca Juniors Confidential and First Team Juventus. I love these documentary/reality series about sports teams.

Boca Juniors is one of my favorite football teams and it is really good for football fans to know about other squads outside Europe.

Finish the book I am writing about the Xavier Golden Stallions. The principal writing is 90 percent done. Just a bit more then we will see this book released in a few months. This will be my eighth book and fourth as sole author.

The books I have written include two about the Ateneo Blue Eagles’ 2008 and 2012 championships, Gilas Pilipinas’ 2013 FIba Asia campaign, the National University (NU) Bulldogs’ 2014 University Athletic Association of the Philippines title run, the rise of the NU Pep Squad Gilas Cheerdance Champions, multititled basketball coach Virgilio “Baby” Dalupan, and the history of Philippine football.

Finish reading the book, Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand. I have seen the film adaptation, but the book, is more powerful.

And figure out what to write over these next few weeks. Sports events aside, there are still stories to tell.

It’s going to be an interesting and worrisome month.

Oh, and pray. Do not forget to pray.

NCAA bound for cancelation of season?

N

ATIONAL Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Chairman Peter Cayco bared the league faces the dilemma of canceling the remainder of Season 95 or resume the competitions to a later date when the coronavirus pandemic has ceased.

Cayco also said everyone in the league has to “bite the bullet” as the coronavirus outbreak canceled or postponed sporting events in the country.

“So far, we have to bite [the bullet] for the moment because we can’t do anything about it anymore,” Cayco told the BusinessMirror in a phone interview over the weekend.

This marked the third time that the NCAA was halted, the first during World War II and

the second in the 1965-66 season because of a massive eligibility issues among athletes.

Cayco said the league is contemplating on two options—absolutely cancel the season or postpone the games.

“The league officials are going to meet on these options but at the moment, we cannot do that because of the community quarantine in Metro Manila,” Cayco said.

But Cayco hinted at an absolute cancellation because the league is bound by a strict academic calendar.

“I think what will happen is a cancellation— kind of [going to] termination,” he said. “But we still need the policy board’s approval for a formal termination.”

Cancellation of the season, Cayco said, equates to losses on the schools’ investment in their sports programs.

“The NCAA schools spend a lot on their athletes—not only their [free] tuition, but also other expenses like dorm maintenance and so on. It’s big and you spend not only money, but time and effort,” Cayco said.

“Losses from sponsors burden ABS-CBN [official coveror of the league]. They got also affected,” he added.

But Cayco assured that the schools’ sports programs remained despite the lull.

“We didn’t cut the expenses for the athletes.

The schools continue to take care of them,” he said. Ryniel Berlanga

Mabalacat golfer triumphs in Clark

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LARK Freeport—Mabalacat Golfers Association’s Sonny Bordon carded a net 71 to emerge overall champion of the Seventh Capampangan in Media Inc. (CAMI) Clark Golf Tournament at the Mimosa Golf Course on Friday.

Gen. Jun Mison won Class A, Gold Ong topped Class B and Sharon Ngo ruled Class C of the tournament that was staged a day before

Metro Manila went on community quarantine at midnight Saturday.

Veteran journalist Alex Magno finished runnerup in Class A while Ernesto Ngo and another veteran journalist Conrad Banal wound up second in Class B and C, respectively, in the invitational tournament that gathered 19 players.

The event was backed by Platinum sponsor

San Miguel Corp. and Gold sponsors Converge ICT Solutions, Inc., Smart Communications, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., Waterfront Hotel and Casinos and Hausland Development Corp.

The silver sponsors were Cherrylume & Sumo, Bank of the Philippine Islands, OISHI, Meralco, NLEX Corp., the Clark Development Corp., Pampanga Gov. Dennis “Delta” Pineda

and Dumaguete City Mayor Felipe Antonio “Ping” Remollo while the Bronze sponsors were MegaWide, Development Bank of the Philippines, AyalaLand, Steel Asia, Manila Water, TIPCO/TECO, and Pradera Verde.

The minor sponsors were Metro Clark Waste Management Corp., Westchester Realty Corp., Senator Lito Lapid, Jolibee Food Corp. ABS-CBN, Chevron,

DMCI, UNILEVER, Maynilad, Quest Hotel, Mimosa Plus, Full Circle Communications, Cebu Pacific, Westchester Realty Corp., Mekeni Food Corp., Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Administrator Atty. Wilma Eisma, and Coca-Cola Femsa Philippines.

Mabalacat City Mayor Cris Garbo sponsored 10 tickets of the Mabalacat Golfers Association.

Ashley Manabat

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Show BusinessMirror

Monday, March 16, 2020

Today’s Horoscope

By Eugenia Last

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Rocco Nacino:

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Alexandra Daddario, 34; Lauren Graham, 53; Victor Garber, 71; Chuck Woolery, 79.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Set goals that are realistic but also stretch your intelligence, motivation and expectations.

Reach for the stars, and be willing to take on whatever challenge comes your way. You will see new situations this year, but when it comes to your reactions, control will be necessary. Getting involved in gossip, rumors or secret matters will work against you. Your lucky numbers are 4, 12, 20, 27, 33, 36, 42.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Consider the challenges you face and who is involved. Be direct, precise and leave nothing to chance.

Protect your reputation, and your personal information and passwords. Learn from whatever experience you encounter, and push forward with greater enthusiasm and drive. ★★

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): A change will take place if you are honest regarding your intentions. Gather information, and prepare to discuss your plans. Gaining knowledge, traveling and nurturing meaningful relationships are favored. An attitude adjustment will help you infiltrate something that eluded you in the past. ★★★★★

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Don’t be fooled by what someone says. Uncertainty will set in if you fall for someone’s fast talk. Added responsibility at home will put you in a vulnerable position. Wait for a better time to express your feelings or your plans. ★★★

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Share your thoughts. Put your imagination to work for you, and you’ll come up with a unique idea that will raise interest, as well as awareness. Look for a way to masterfully put your plans in motion. ★★★

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Let go of a grudge, and move on. A new approach or attitude will help you revise relationships that have undergone stressful or sensitive times. A personal change may not be something you want, but it will be in your best interest. ★★★

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Embark on a new task, hobby or pastime. Explore the possibilities, and open your mind to new activities. Relationships will cause you to question motives. ★★★★★

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Make a reasonable suggestion, and you’ll get your way. Thinking too big or taking on too much should be stopped before you begin. A time-out to rest and rethink your objectives and motives will help clear your vision. ★★

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): A surprise will lead to an unexpected opportunity. You’ll discover something you are good at if you explore possibilities. Visiting a retreat or a place offering unfamiliar surroundings will inspire you. ★★★★

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sharing will make or break you today. Keeping things equal will be the challenge, especially if you are dealing with someone you are trying to impress or please. Don’t take on a project you can’t afford. ★★★

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Don’t reveal secret information. You can win a settlement or get what’s owed to you if you state your case and refuse to budge. Be prepared to disclose the information that will prove your position, losses or claims. ★★★

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Someone experienced will show you the ropes. Learn all you can, and venture out on your own.

Using new skills and knowledge will help you bring about a worthwhile change based on what you have to offer. ★★★

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Refuse to let your emotions rule your life. Make decisions based on facts, not on what others do or say.

Sensitive information will become public if you are too open or opinionated. ★★ BIRTHDAY BABY: You are enthusiastic, imaginative and reliable.

You are diligent and convincing.

Up where he belongs ALL ACCESS RICKY GALLARDO

rickygallardoTFI@gmail.com

G

MA contract star Rocco Nacino turns 33 this weekend and he is happy to see his big dreams come into wonderful realities one after the other.

It was more than 10 years ago when we first met Nacino as a hopeful contestant in StarStruck, a local star search of his mother studio that opened the biggest door for him and changed his life forever. Back then, we told him that he would win and, if he played his cards right, he would go very far. True enough, Nacino did and, a decade after, he is up where he belongs, and most of his achievements are due to hard work, patience, focus and trusting what his inner voice tells him.

Prior to his plunging into the crazy world of show business, Nacino was a conscientious nursing student, an athlete, and a part-time actor for commercials.

He passed the boards and was planning to work as a nurse before the lure of showbiz beckoned.

He took on different roles on TV, never complained and learned as much and as fast as he could, stepping up every time and impressing his directors and the production teams with his innate skill, positive aura and pleasant attitude. Nacino made us take notice of his depth as a promising actor in the indie film Ang Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa and, from then on, we have followed his career.

And like many of the successful ones that came before him, Nacino persevered in both high and low periods of being an actor, trusting the universe and keeping his faith. And even if he was already making a big name for himself as a competent and reliable actor, Nacino continued to pursue higher education and finished his masteral studies in nursing with cum laude honors in 2017.

Today, he is regarded as one of the prized assets of GMA, and amazing roles continue to be offered to him. Take his current show, Descendants of the Sun, the Philippine adaptation of the hit Korean drama series

where Nacino essays the challenging role of Sgt. Diego Ramos, one of the four main characters of the series.

We can’t agree with local fans of Korean stars who tell us Nacino is a doppelganger of Korean actor Jin Goo, because Nacino certainly looks better in all angles. For this role, Nacino trained hard along with the stars, starting off with an intensive military orientation course which allowed him to immerse with real-life Special Forces. Feeling he can learn more, he committed himself to 15 more sessions of military training and was accorded Petty Officer Third Class by the Philippine Navy, which means that he is officially a reservist.

The difference between Nacino and your next-door matinee idol is that Nacino knows what he wants,

works hard, strategically plans his career moves and saves for his future.

He quietly purchased a property on a hill in Antipolo City and personally supervised the construction from scratch. Now that the final touches of his new house are almost done, Nacino will move to his dream home right in time for his birthday, a gift to himself and his family. “It’s a dream come true and I am simply thankful that I am able to build this dream house for those who I love and hold dearly,� he told us, almost in a whisper—the same humble Nacino we met 11 years ago.

We are truly happy for Rocco Nacino and the beautiful man he has become. â–

Covid-19 impacts TV programming everywhere THE impact of the novel corononavirus, or Covid-19, can be seen and felt everywhere. Not only have conventions, concerts and theater productions been shuttered or postponed, but filming on such popular franchises, like James Bond and Mission: Impossible has been halted and the opening of such surefire blockbusters as the latest Fast and Furious and the live-action version of Disney’s Mulan has been pushed back.

Recently, America’s popular late-night talk shows, including The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel Live! have taken to airing sans a live audience save for their staff.

Now, top media company GMA has announced that its programming is also being impacted by the global pandemic. The network has released the following statement: “GMA Network is staying true to its commitment

LS 97.1, and the rest of Radio GMA stations across the country. Netizens, on the other hand, will still be updated via GMA News Online and GMA News and Public Affairs social-media accounts. “However, in accordance with the government’s declaration of a community quarantine in Metro Manila and as part of the measures that the network is doing to ensure the safety and well-being of its talents, production teams, employees and their families, as well as the general public, GMA will be temporarily suspending the production of network-produced entertainment programs.

The network has also advised its blocktimers and coproducers to comply with the community quarantine guidelines. GMA will continue to air fresh, pretaped episodes of some shows and thereafter, a new programming lineup is in store for all Kapuso viewers in the coming days.�

to deliver ‘Serbisyong Totoo’ most especially during these trying times through the continued delivery of the latest news and information to the public across all its platforms. “On air, viewers could stay up-to-date by watching newscasts and other breaking news on GMA and GMA News TV. Listeners can be assured that they can still tune in via Super Radyo DZBB 594khz, Barangay

‘it’s not rocket science’ BY LEE TAYLOR The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg

ACROSS 1 “___ la vie!�

5 First, second, third and home 10 Pitcher in some still lifes 14 Skating jump 15 Previously, in poetry 16 Running behind 17 Flaky person 19 Dracula author Stoker 20 Pull 21 Ohio tire city 22 Bulgaria’s capital 23 Ignores deliberately 25 Dance move once known as a backslide 27 Superlative for a holiday sweater 30 New Deal org. that anagrams to “paw�

31 Food writer Drummond 32 Big name in student grants 33 “To each ___ own�

35 Highland musicians 37 Dark and inescapable situation 40 “Curiously strong� mint 43 ___ 13 (2019 Apple release)

44 48 49 51 53 56 57 58 61 62 63 65

Auto loan figs.

Outdoor gear store Conk on the noggin Navy jacket Chocolate bar with caramel Kind of scene in an action movie Downward dog, e.g. “See what I’m saying?�

Revolutionary Guevara Hoodwink Headquarters, slangily Bachelor who dumped and then married Lauren 66 Hatred 67 Give up, as land 68 Animal within “sea lion�

69 Out of style 70 Country where Argo is set DOWN 1 Throws ashore, as the ocean does with shells 2 Wipe out 3 Unwanted “guest� at a beach picnic 4 Mom’s forte, for short 5 Spine’s place

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 18 22 24 26 28 29 34 36 38 39 40 41 42 45 46 47 50

A long way off Sin city long before Las Vegas Previously, in poetry Tennis match segment Macaroni shape Military conflict Online merchant 2019’s Aladdin and The Lion King Effortlessness Escargot The Hobbit hero Stand against Significant sight on Groundhog Day Nervous twitch Hit a bunny slope, say Georgia’s state fruit Tripoli is its capital Move like a kangaroo Naval fleets ___ suit (1970s garment) Often-farmed fish Illegal hunter Jones of Parks and Recreation Raise the grade of?

Chinese temple

52 54 55 59 60

Dell competitor Prepare to pray, perhaps Legendary Himalayans Consequently “LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Tinder,� e.g.

63 Unkempt hair 64 ___-fi Solution to Friday’s puzzle: