Manila Standard - 2020 March 19 - Thursday by Manila Standard

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75k cases in 3 months unless... Timely cure stems community spread, health exec warns By Macon Ramos-Araneta

ITHOUT appropriate interventions, the number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the Philippines may spike to 75,000 in three months, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire warned Wednesday.

As of noon on March 18, the number of confirmed positive COVID-19 cases in the Philippines stood at 202, with 17 deaths and 7 recovered patients, the Department of Health said in a statement. Vergeire said the 75,000 figure was based on the “modelling estimate” made by Filipino and World Health Organization experts and epidemiologists in the country. “And they were saying that (COVID-19 cases) would reach 75,000 if we will not put appropriate interventions. So we are trying to forecast to properly respond,” she added. Vergeire is also optimistic authorities “can flatten this curve.” “We can prevent the peak with this number. So this means we can spread this across many months if only we can implement stringent measures like social distancing,” she noted. Next page

MARCHING ON. Filipino medical interns wear masks to guard against infection as they step outside a hospital in Manila. AFP

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VOL. XXXIV • NO. 39 • 2 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Medical interns won't go home Joy puts 2 QC villages under 'extreme quarantine' even off-duty LOCAL ROUNDUP By Rio N. Araja, Willie Casas and Macon Ramos-Araneta

OVER 100 unpaid medical interns assigned to the Philippine General Hospital have volunteered to go back on duty to help patients and health workers despite being ordered to go home. The University of the Philippines, which manages the PGH, in a statement said the Association of Philippine Medical Colleges had ordered all medical interns working at various hospitals in the National Capital Region to be pulled off duty. But the ones assigned at PGH stayed behind, Coconuts Manila reported. As of Tuesday night, eight people being monitored for coronavirus were being treated at the PGH, while 34 have been sent home. Responding to the news, UP said it “salutes the hard work and bayanihan [camaraderie] spirit among the frontliners, health workers, and medical professionals in the country’s battle against COVID-19.” Next page

WORLD ROUNDUP

China stirs to life from virus stupor SHANGHAI—Restaurants are reopening, traffic and factories are stirring, and in one of the clearest signs yet that China is awakening from its coronavirus coma, the country’s “dancing aunties” are once again gathering in parks and squares. As the rest of the world runs for cover, China—where the virus first emerged—is moving, guardedly, in the opposite direction as domestic infections fall to nil following unprecedented lockdowns and travel restrictions. But ordinary life is far from normal. Masks and temperature checks are essential to enter most places and many eateries are banning diners from facing each other in a mass “social distancing” campaign—no easy task in the world’s most populous nation. In other developments: Underestimated magnitude In Brussels, political leaders “underestimated” the magnitude of the danger Next page

AT LEAST two villages in Quezon City have been placed under “extreme lockdown” and some hospitals under “facility quarantine” starting 6 a.m. Thursday as the number of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases continue to rise. Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said as of Wednesday afternoon, there were 29 COVID-19 cases in the city. Those placed under “extreme lockdown” were barangays Tandang Sora and Kalusugan, while hospitals under “facility quarantine” were East Avenue Medical Center, Philippine Heart Center,

National Kidney and Transplant Institute, St. Luke’s Medical Center and Quirino Memorial Medical Center. Karl Michael Marasigan, the city’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office chief, said checkpoints and surveillance teams have been set up in the two villages under extreme lockdown. Residents in the affected barangays will not be allowed to leave their homes and nobody will be allowed to enter as well. Next page

Mayor Joy Belmonte

PH gets WB aid to fight disease By Julito G. Rada, Rey E. Requejo, Maricel V. Cruz, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Willie Casas THE World Bank said Wednesday it has committed $100 million (about P5.15 billion) in aid to the Philippines to fight the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In a statement, the Department of Finance said the amount would enable the Department of Health to procure personal protective equipment for health care workers, along with testing and laboratory materials, quarantine areas, isolation rooms and other essential equipment to contain the spread of the disease. The funds under the World Bank’s Fast Track COVID-19 Facility can be made available to the DOH in a matter of weeks. At the direction of Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, a team led by Next page

Gov't lifts deadline for departing pax By Vito Barcelo, Joel E. Zurbano, Rio N. Araja and Rey E. Requejo THE Bureau of Immigration has lifted the 72-hour travel window for departing overseas Filipino workers, balikbayan, and foreign nationals, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Wednesday. Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said foreign nationals may now leave anytime during the community quarantine period, unless their flights have been canceled by the airlines or the Civil Aeronautics Board. Morente also said balikbayan and OFWs are allowed to depart as well. Departing Filipino tourists, however, are still not allowed to depart. Morente added that previously imposed travel restrictions for arriving passengers still remain in effect. As of Wednesday, 79 international flights were inbound to all terminals in Next page

GROCERY DISTANCING. Shoppers stand apart even on the sidewalk to follow social distancing measures while queueing outside a supermarket in Manila on Tuesday. President Rodrigo Duterte ordered about half the country's population to stay home for the next month in a drastic bid on Monday to curb the rising number of new coronavirus cases. AFP

COVID-themed cyberattacks

Monkey, banana: Curative remedy?

WASHINGTON—It may look like an email from a supervisor with an attachment on the new “work from home policy.” But it could be a cleverly designed scheme to hack into your network. The abrupt move of millions of people

SCIENTISTS who infected monkeys with the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 have found that those that recovered developed effective immunity from the disease—a potentially important discovery in the race to develop a vaccine. Next page

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SM waives mall rentals nationwide THE SM Supermalls announced Wednesday it will waive rentals to all tenants nationwide from March 16 to April 14, 2020. This is to offer tenants some relief during this trying time, “so they can in turn lend more assistance to their employees during the period of Community Quarantine,” the company said in a statement. “We share our tenants partners’ concerns at the unfortunate situation and will waive rental charges for those affected and unable to operate during this period,” said SM Supermalls president Steven T. Tan. This support forms part of SM’s commitment to fight the effects of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. It is in addition to its recent announcement that it has allocated P100 million to provide protective equipment and supplies towards hospitals for the safety of medical frontliners, as they actively fight the spread of COVID-19.

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“We have identified three patients in Kalusugan coming from different residences,” Marasigan said. The egress and ingress of St. Luke’s, which is located on E. Rodriguez Avenue in Barangay Kalusugan, District 4, will be closely and strictly monitored. “E. Rodriguez Avenue shall be closed to traffic, except for delivery supplies, family members with patients at St. Luke’s, doctors and other health workers, authorized government personnel, and others performing essential supplies,” Marasigan said. A physician and an elevator operator contracted the disease from a patient at St. Luke’s, the mayor said. “In the area of East Avenue, where the Philippine Heart Center, East Avenue Medical Center and National Kidney Institute and Transplant are, there will be closure from Elliptical Road to East Avenue to BIR Road. There will be checkpoints and screening, and that non-essentials would not be allowed,” Marasigan said. Dr. Rolly Cruz, city epidemiologist, said “of the 29 COVID-19 cases, 18 percent have no travel history. Most of them have no close contact to hospital with (COVID-19) confinement or with confirmed cases.” “Fourteen persons have no known exposure, while 35 percent have been tested positive because of severe pneumonia. Most cases are community transmission,” he said. Marasigan said there will be no road closure going to and from the Quirino Memorial Medical Center in District 3, but police checkpoints will be put up at its entrance. The Quezon City Police District on Wednesday reminded the public that curfew hours between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. would be strictly enforced. A part of Tondo in Manila was also locked down on Wednesday as residents in the district continued to loiter on the streets despite the government directive to stay indoors. Manila Public Information Office chief Julius Leonen said non-residents of Manila’s Zone 4―which covers Dagupan and Tayuman streets, and portions of Tondo― will be restricted from these areas. President Rodrigo Duterte has placed the entire Luzon under a month-long enhanced community quarantine. Under the lockdown, public transportation, malls and other establishments that do not sell basic necessities are suspended as communities are advised to stay indoors to stop possible contamination. As of Wednesday noon, 193 people in the Philippines have contracted the disease. Fourteen have died, 7 recovered, while the rest remain confined in hospitals. Manila will be requiring “quarantine passes” for individuals who need to go out of their homes just to buy basic necessities like food and medicine, a Manila City Hall official said on Wednesday.

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PGH, for its part, welcomed the interns’ help, echoing the State University’s spirit and praising the “concerted effort to fight this unseen menace called COVID-19.” The PGH is furnishing the interns with lodging, food, and protective gear while on duty, the report on Coconuts added. The public hospital, which was built in 1907, thanked not only the medical frontliners, but also “well-meaning individuals, regardless of affiliation or inclination” who have made donations to help “empower people in the frontline.” “You did not disappoint us. Neither will we disappoint you. In the national push championed by the Department of Health, PGH is giving its full support, backed by 112 years of service, training, and research,” it added. The government’s declaration of a state of national health emergency ensures that the PGH has enough funds, but it is still facing a shortage of disinfecting alcohol and masks, which is why it urged the public to provide donations in kind.

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Tax deadline extension looms By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel Cruz

“Just got off the phone with DOF Sec. Sonny Dominguez. I requested him to extend the deadline of the filing of taxes. He said he will act on it ASAP,” said Senate President Vicente Sotto III. “He said he is calling a meeting right away to formulate the extension,” Sotto added. Several lawmakers from both chambers of Congress have been using moral suasion on the DOF to allow the Bureau of

Internal Revenue to extend the deadline. BIR deput commissioner Arnel Guballa earlier said the April 15 deadline will remain as the filing of the ITR can be done online, with provision for electronic payment. But Sotto said not all Filipinos have access to BIR’s online platform. “Not everyone has internet. Not all have access to Wi-Fi, especially those in the provinces,” he said.

At the very least, Sotto said a two-week extension may be possible. “He [Dominguez] said he will study if at least two weeks can be done. I said, okay, let’s extend for at least two weeks or by the end of April, and after that you can play it by ear,” Sotto said. The COVID-19 outbreak has prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to place the entire Luzon under an enhanced community quarantine, short of calling it a total lockdown, that will last until April 14. At the House of Representatives, Deputy Majority Leader and Bagong Henerasyon Party-list Rep. Bernadette Herrera said under the tax code, the BIR Commissioner may grant reasonable extension in “meritorious cases.” “The country is currently facing a grave health crisis. This has caused a serious dent on the livelihood of our people. We

75k...

tive COVID-19 case. “You can no longer link it to each other. In effect, there is already unlinkable clustering of cases or untraceable chains of transmission in the community,” emphasized Duque. In other developments: • CNN Philippines stopped broadcasting on Wednesday after a coronavirus case was confirmed in the building where the television channel is based, forcing it off the air while the offices are disinfected. Viewers tuning in to the local franchise were met with the network’s red logo on a blank screen as it announced it would be offair for at least 24 hours. “CNN Philippines will temporarily stop broadcasting on Wednesday after a COVID-19 case was confirmed in the building [in Manila] where the company is located,” the franchise said on its website. “As a result, CNN Philippines will be off the air for at least 24 hours,” it added, stressing the infection occurred at another company in the building. It said it would continue to provide news on its website and social media accounts. • SENATOR Panfilo Lacson said Wednesday placing the entire country under a state of calamity, as President Rodrigo Duterte did Tuesday night, was “timely and rational”

which deserved the support of the 109 million Filipino people. He said it would allow the local government units as well as the national government agencies to utilize their calamity funds and Quick Response Fund, in accordance with Republic Act 10121 and other pertinent laws. Lacson said the government, for all its disaster preparedness and response efforts, could not overcome the threat by itself. “Having said that, I cannot imagine that concerned local government officials in charge of dispensing those funds can still have gall and malevolent intention of stealing the monies under their control, considering the seriousness of this unprecedented crisis that we are all facing,” he said. “We must all do our part, whether as workers rendering frontline services, scientists developing ways to deal with the problem, or responsible Filipinos giving support to them,” the senator added. • Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the Department of Justice, if requested, would assist the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos in tracing the whereabouts of the 215 Filipinos who attended a global religious gathering in Malaysia where several attendees were reportedly tested positive for COVID-19.

Guevarra said he had not received any request from the NCMF seeking their help to track down the Filipinos, 125 of them Islamic (tabligh) preachers, who attended the ijtimak tabligh gathering at the James Sri Petaling Mosque in Malaysia from Feb. 27 to March 1. The Justice Secretary, who exercises administrative supervision over the Bureau of Immigration and National Bureau of Investigation, admitted he had not seen any request from the NCMF. Guevarra, also a member of the InterAgency Task Force, stressed that when these 215 Filipinos return to the Philippines, they “will undergo stringent quarantine screening” to help determine if any of them developed COVID-19 symptoms. • Meanwhile, the non-government organization Philippine Legislators Committee on Population and Development said one reality emerged from the current pandemic situation: the wide gap between the rich and the poor. “In a time of crisis, when everyone is vulnerable, the poor is way more vulnerable to the immediate and attendant threats to public health and their economic impact,” said Au Quilala, advocacy manager of PLCPD. With Rey Requejo, Willie Casas and AFP

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Manila except Terminal 4, which is dedicated to domestic flights. “Our travel restrictions for foreign nationals arriving from China, Hong Kong, Macau, North Gyeongsang including Daegu and Cheongdo of South Korea, Iran, and Italy still stands,” Morente said. Currently, foreign nationals are not allowed to enter the country if they have a history of travel from these countries within the last 14 days. Exempted classes are Filipinos, their spouses and their children, foreigners with Philippine permanent resident visas, and members of the diplomatic corps. Meanwhile, passengers coming from Iran and Italy are required to present a medical certificate issued within the last 48 hours from arrival, stating that they are COVID-19 free. The Manila International Airport Authority on Wednesday allowed all airport-accredited taxis to operate to serve passengers going to and from airport terminals amid the land public transport restrictions imposed by the government. “Airport metered and coupon taxis were allowed to operate. They are now being informed to serve the passengers [with flight schedules]. Though they are being advised to avoid EDSA,” said MIAA chief information officer Connie Bungag. The MIAA decided to allow airport accredited taxis to operate again after the 72hour window for international flights was lifted. Only one person is allowed to bring a

passenger to the airport and he or she must depart immediately after dropping off the traveler. The driver should have a copy of the airline ticket of the passenger as proof of conveyance. Meanwhile, the management of Philippine Airlines appealed to their customers not to proceed to the airport terminals or the PAL Ticket Office for ticketing and transaction needs amid the travel restrictions in the entire Luzon. “PAL has closed our ticket offices in the Metro Manila area in line with the enhanced community quarantine,” said PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna. She said while the Ticket Office at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 remains open to serve the most urgent transaction needs, visiting the terminal there for other transactions is “highly discouraged in the interest of public health and safety.” “We are unable to fully accommodate the very high volume of requests related to thousands of cancelled flights over a four-week period, reportedly the largest mass cancellation ever to affect the entire Philippine aviation industry.” Villaluna said public transportation and other quarantine-related constraints make it challenging to provide full staffing at the airport and Ticket Office. For other modes of transportation affected by the lockdown, the Office of Vice President Leni Robredo on Wednesday launched a pilot run of its free shuttle service for health workers and front-liners to bring them to their work place. The shuttles serve major hospitals in various localities in Metro Manila.

eral hours, according to a US-government funded study published Tuesday. Scientists found that the virus that causes the COVID-19 disease had similar levels of viability outside the body to its predecessor that caused SARS. This means that other factors like greater transmission between people with no symptoms might be why the current pandemic is far greater than the SARS outbreak of 2002-2003. The new paper was published in the New England Journal of Medicine and carried out by scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, University of California, Los Angeles and Princeton. Beijing retiree Wang Huixian was among a dozen women practicing the national pastime of dancing in unison to music from portable speakers in a public park—but now with a gap of three metres (10 feet) between them. “During the epidemic, everyone was very tense and afraid. So we want to relax now,” said Wang, 57. But she added: “Everyone is cautious and keeping a distance from each other to avoid getting infected.” Alongside more than 3,200 deaths and over 81,000 total infections, the coronavirus outbreak has left further scars. China, the world’s second-largest economy, was shut down for weeks, with factories silent and massive cities locked down. The pain from that is expected to persist, with a surge in joblessness and many businesses gone bust. Most of the country is now slowly lifting restrictions and people are returning to work, unlike many Western countries where governments have ordered sweeping restrictions not seen during peacetime. AFP

COVID-themed...

Monkey...

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PH...

to working remotely has sparked an un-

But the researchers, according to a report by the South China Morning Post, also found that the animals could become infected through their eyes, which means wearing a face mask may not be enough to protect people from the disease. Scientists around the world have been racing to develop a vaccine, and the first clinical trials could be held in China and the US within a month, SCMP reported. But a number of cases, where people who had tested negative for the disease and were discharged from hospital only to give a positive result a few days later, have cast doubt on the process, the report added. Meanwhile, no evidence, neither sufficient study, could give supporting data that bananas will thwart the transmission of the novel coronavirus to a human being or prevent the latter from getting it, Health undersecretary Rosette Vergeire said wednesday. While she downplayed a video claiming that “a banana a day keeps [the] coronavirus away” circulated on social media, Vergeire acknowledged its health benefits. She stressed there’s nothing wrong with eating bananas, as the fruits provide the human body several nutrients.

Undersecretary Mark Joven met last week with Achim Fock, the World Bank acting country director for Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand, to outline possible financing options to help the government address the threat of COVID-19. Health officials said the virus has infected 187 people and killed 14 as of Wednesday morning. Six who had earlier tested positive for COVID-19 recovered from the disease. On March 3, the World Bank announced that it was making available an initial package of up to $12 billion in immediate support to help countries cope with the COVID-19 global outbreak. Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte’s economic team unveiled a P27.1 billion package to help frontliners fight the pandemic and provide economic relief to people and sectors affected by the virusinduced slowdown in economic activity. The package consists of government initiatives to better equip health workers to fight COVID-19, provide relief to those infected by the disease, and offer assistance to sectors now reeling from the fallout from the outbreak.

INANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez III is now open to a possible two-week extension of the April 15 deadline for the filing of income tax returns amid the novel coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) in the country.

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“So that we can flatten that curve, we can flatten that peak. It will become wide, will become longer but the cases will be lower and our system can be responsive,” Vergeire said. The DOH official underscored the need to implement stringent measures, such as the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon, which calls for social distancing. The health official also confirmed there is now a clustering of COVID-19 cases in the country, an indication of sustained community transmission of the contagious virus. She pointed out that some of the confirmed cases do not have any links with other cases. “If we have this kind of situation, it means we already have sustained community transmission. DOH defined sustained community transmission as “increasing number of local cases whose links cannot be established.” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III confirmed this, stressing that some cases no longer have a history of travel to COVID19-affected countries or exposure to a posi-

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precedented volume of attacks to trick people into giving up credentials to attackers, according to security researchers. “We’ve never seen anything like this,” said Sherrod DeGrippo, head of threat research for the security firm Proofpoint. “We are seeing campaigns with message volumes up to hundreds of thousands which are leveraging this coronavirus.” The pandemic has created a perfect storm for cyberattacks, with millions of people working in unfamiliar, less secure circumstances and eager for information about the virus and new organizational policies being implemented. This opens up a new avenue for malicious actors using phishing e-mails or “social engineering” to gain access or steal sensitive information. “When someone is working from their home it is a similar threat profile as at an airport or a Starbucks, you just don’t have that protection you might have in the workplace,” DeGrippo said. “And if we’re at home with our family where we feel safe, you might see a family member hop on to do homework, and might not understand the security controls. Keeping mom’s and dad’s computer for mom and dad is the right thing to do.”

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posed by the coronavirus, the president of the European Commission admitted Wednesday, as the EU shut its borders. “I think that all of us who are not experts initially underestimated the coronavirus,” Ursula von der Leyen told Germany’s Bild newspaper in an interview published Wednesday. “But now it is clear that this is a virus that will keep us busy for a long time yet.” “We understand that measures that seemed drastic two or three weeks ago, need to be taken now,” she added. US journalists expelled China on Wednesday announced it would expel American journalists from three major US newspapers in one of the communist government’s biggest crackdowns on the foreign press, escalating a bitter row over media freedoms. The move against The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal came as the superpowers also feuded over the coronavirus pandemic, with US President Donald Trump provocatively branding it the “Chinese virus.” Beijing said the expulsions were in retaliation to Washington’s decision to cut the number of Chinese nationals allowed to work for its state-run media on American soil. “They are legitimate and justified selfdefense in every sense,” the foreign ministry said of the expulsions. Virus can survive ‘for days’ The novel coronavirus can survive on some surfaces for days or in the air for sev-

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call on the BIR to listen and consider our appeal, the appeal of Filipino taxpayers to extend the deadline for the tax filing,” Herrera said. For his part, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, chairman of the House committee on ways and means, said his committee will recommend the easing of filing requirements if the deadline is not extended. Salceda said the BIR should also provide taxpayers with administrative relief, such as considering waiving the penalties for filing tax returns beyond the April 15 deadline. “It makes sense to extend. I understand the Secretary of Finance’s sense that they are constrained. But we have options. We can extend the deadline, or we can temporarily waive the consequences of the deadline, which are penalties and surcharges. It makes sense to do either.” Salceda said.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., meanwhile, said China has committed to donate 100,000 testing kits, 10,000 N95 masks, 10,000 pieces of personal protective equipment and 100,000 surgical masks. On his Twitter account, Locsin said China would be chartering a flight to the Philippines to bring the donations. This followed an announcement Monday by Senator Manny Pacquiao, who said Chinese billionaire Jack Ma has pledged to donate 50,000 test kits through his foundation to combat the virus here. Party-list congressmen also donated P5 million worth of protective items to health workers in Metro Manila and other provinces affected by COVID-19. In a statement, the Party-list Coalition Foundation Inc. said its members would donate 150,000 N95 masks, 1,300 goggles, 40,000 pairs of gloves and 1,300 sets of personal protective equipment. Among the recipients were the military and police health installations, the Philippine General Hospital, the Philippine Heart Center for Asia and other government medical centers where budgetary and audit regulations prevent them from procuring the items swiftly. At the same time, the party-list legislators expressed approval for the holding of on-line sessions of Congress.

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Water shortage could worsen virus spread By Macon Ramos-Araneta

NSUFFICIENT water supply could threaten efforts to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said, as Metro Manila braces for possible water interruption during the summer season. “We cannot compromise the health of the people. Water is fundamental in ensuring hygiene and sanitation, infection control, and prevention measures that is why we cannot afford water shortage at this critical time,” Gatchalian said.

The senator urged water concessionaires to ensure uninterrupted water supply in households, hospitals and medical facilities where confirmed COVID-19 patients are treated. The World Health Organization

has said the most effective way to protect oneself against the coronavirus is by frequently cleaning the hands and washing them with soap and water. By doing this, one can eliminate the virus that may be on one’s hands and avoid infection that could occur by touching the eyes, mouth, and nose. Water shortage can compound the risk for Filipinos, especially those with compromised immune systems. The National Water Resources Board had earlier announced that

service interruptions will be implemented in some areas in Metro Manila in the coming weeks. Angat Dam supplies 96 percent of Metro Manila’s water requirement. As of March 13, the water elevation of Angat dam was 200.41 meters, 11.59 meters below the dam’s normal high water level of 212 meters. The NWRB has allowed the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System to use its existing deepwells to augment water supply for the two concessionaires, Manila Water and Gatchalian Maynilad.

IBP seeks suspension of hearings

BOUND FOR HOME. Residents

get into a truck for a free ride home in Manila on March 17 as the government imposed measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, including suspending all public transport in Luzon. AFP

By Rey E. Requejo THE Integrated Bar of the Philippines has urged President Rodrigo Duterte to suspend hearings and all processes in the quasi-judicial and administrative bodies nationwide while the enhanced community quarantine is in effect. In a letter to President Duterte dated March 16, the IBP said an order from his office suspending the hearings would be most welcome considering that the Supreme Court has already done the same for courts nationwide. “In view of the current public health emergency and in support of the efforts to contain COVID-19, the IBP respectfully recommends the temporary suspension of hearings and processes in all quasi-judicial and all administrative tribunals all over the Philippines, except for the extremely urgent and critically important cases and matters,” the IBP said. The lawyers’ organization also asked Duterte to extend the deadline for the submission of pleadings and other case requirements. The group said it may help if the tribunals remain functional with minimal staff on a rotation or on call basis, and work-at-home arrangements. “A weekly assessment and adjustment of the suspension and other precautionary measures may be judicious,” the IBP said.

‘Slash budget, use savings vs. pandemic’ By Maricel V. Cruz A LEGISLATOR from the Bicol region on Wednesday appealed to the Department of Budget and Management to take “a long hard look” at implementing cuts in the outlays for non-essential expenditures under this year’s P4.1-trillion national budget, with the would-be savings to be used to augment government funds for what could turn out to be a protracted battle against the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Deputy Speaker Luis Ray Villafuerte said forced savings in non-essential spending such as those on foreign travel or the purchase of brand-new official vehicles and office supplies and equipment should go to a pool that the national government could use to expand and extend its programs to cushion the economic fallout from the pandemic. The savings can also be used to bet-

ter equip the country’s health workers in saving lives and treating infected Filipinos, he said. “The Budget Secretary should take a long hard look at the possibility of effecting cuts in the 2020 budget outlays for non-essential expenditures,” he said. While he welcomed the announcement by President Rodrigo Duterte’s economic team of a P27.1-billion fiscal stimulus package, Villafuerte said more funds could be needed for, say, living allowances for dislocated workers and cash transfers and food rations for underprivileged sectors to be hit the hardest by the community quarantine and the drawn-out economic slowdown, in the event of a prolonged health crisis spawned by COVID-19. Apart from relief programs for the poor and other heavily-affected sectors, Villafuerte said the would-be savings could be used not only to purchase more rapid testing kits but also personal

protective equipment sets for doctors, nurses and other health workers at the frontlines of the country’s battle against the lethal coronavirus. “In case the pandemic is contained sooner than later, the Duterte administration could use the would-be savings to spend more on its priority programs on infrastructure and social services, which, in turn would further energize the domestic economy after the present health crisis,” said Villafuerte, a member of the Defeat COVID-19 Committee that Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano is creating as an advisory and coordinating committee for anti-pandemic legislative initiatives. “But in the event of a prolonged health crisis that could last till the yearend or even longer, the government should have more than enough anti-COVID-19 resources to last for the long haul,” he added.

OceanaGold president steps down By Abe Almirol

LIKE A GHOST TOWN. Very few vehicles pass along the Nichols interchange of the South Luzon Expressway on the second day of the Luzon-wide Enhanced Community Quarantine. Ey Acasio

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—The president and chief executive officer of the Melbourne-based OceanaGold Corp., which owns the Didipio mine in Kasibu town here, has announced his resignation. Mick Wilkes has served as OGC president and CEO in the last 10 years. He was instrumental in developing Didipio as a flagship mine along with two other operational mines in New Zealand and in the United States. “While OceanaGold has been a huge part of my life in the last 10 years, I have decided to step down. I am doing so to allow me to spend more time with my family, particularly my young

daughter who has ever known her dad as someone always away from home, and I want to change that,” Wilkes said in a written message to employees. Wilkes praised the company’s success as a mid-tier mining firm operating in New Zealand, the Philippines and the United States. After the Didipio mine was commissioned in 2013, OGC was able to acquire Waihi mine in New Zealand and Haile mine in state of South Carolina, USA. “I have reflected on all the great things we have achieved at OceanaGold during my tenure. At first, we took the daunting challenge of building Didipio and did so incredibly successfully, creating a truly world class mine,” Wilkes said.

PAMPI assures public of stable supply of canned meat products THE Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. on Wednesday assured the public of adequate supply of canned meat products as it advised consumers against panic buying and hoarding. PAMPI vice president Jerome Ong said the canned meat manufacturers currently have an inventory level that is good for 60 days based on normal demand. Their manufacturing plants, Ong said, have about 30 days inventory plus

another 15 to 30 days inventory with the distributors and the retailers. Ong, who is also the president of Foodsphere Inc., warned what will deplete stocks faster is the tendency of some people to hoard. He lauded efforts of the national government to make sure that basic necessities, especially food, continue to be accessible to consumers. He noted how the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Agriculture have been very

supportive in addressing the needs of the people and listening to the problems of the food manufacturers, supply chain sector as well as the industry’s suppliers. “We fully understand that checkpoints are strictly enforced to reduce people in the streets but workers in the manufacturing sector must be given exceptions, just like the heath workers in the front lines,” the PAMPI official said. The group also asked the national

government to immediately resolve logistical concerns on the ground as some shuttles carrying workers and trucks transporting their raw materials and products were not allowed to pass through certain checkpoints despite showing necessary documents and identification. “We are doing our best to ensure that the country would have sufficient supply of processed meat products, especially during this very challenging time,” Ong said.

Bar examinees told to focus on their review By Rey E. Requejo SUPREME Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen has urged examinees for this year’s Bar Examinations to focus on their studies and review instead of asking for a postponement of the country’s most grueling state examinations. Leonen, who is chairman of the 2020 Committee on Bar Examinations, said while many of the activities and schedules have been postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic, Bar applicants should not be distracted and continue preparing for the exams scheduled in November. “Whether the Bar will be postponed is not yet a relevant question. Study instead,” Leonen said in his Twitter account. “To all aspiring lawyers: Do not start with the habit of asking for postponements. Live with the reality that there are deadlines for you to keep for those who will trust you to deliver. Learn to deal with difficult challenges along the way,” he added. With the enhanced community quarantine in effect, Leonen advised those who would take the Bar Exams this year to allocate time to study. Emphasizing the hashtags #BarNovember2020, #BarTip, and #Attitude, Leonen implored Bar takers to structure their day, balance their activities, address their family and their personal needs; eat well, exercise, and set aside enough time for study. The Bar Exams is scheduled on the four Sundays of November.

Opinion

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

More questions than answers THE imposition of a lockdown on Luzon by President Rodrigo Duterte for 30 days and a state of calamity for six months is necessary to contain the spread of the coronavirus. But there are more questions than answers. A leader like Mr. Duterte always considers, first and foremost, the interest of the nation and safety of the people. On the part of the citizens, we should be willing to observe the guidelines, discipline ourselves and make sacrifices because we should think about the common good over our convenience.

You can’t see this enemy. Among the guidelines: Suspension of work until April 14 except in supermarkets, public markets, businesses engaged in food, health and utilities, banking and finance, BPO and mass media. Mass transportation is also suspended—LRT, MRT, jeepneys and buses. The Department of Social Welfare and Development has been ordered to give food to the poorest, but cash grants are suspended. I don’t understand the logic of the suspension of cash grants. Suspension of work and mass transport would mean a loss of income for the poor. Food from the DSWD will not be enough. There is also the guideline that mall tenants will be given reprieve from

rent and other fees. Mass gatherings are banned—this will include Church services even during the Holy Week. My question is—after the lockdown, what happens? The reason I am not so optimistic about the coronavirus being over is that it has been declared a pandemic, and that there is no cure for it yet. I am now 92 years old and I survived the hardships of World War II. At least, then, it was clear who the enemy was. With coronavirus, you really cannot tell. With all these, the people’s problems are multi-fold. Not everything we need can be found in the markets. Opportunists are jacking up prices of goods. And then, you can never really know who has the virus because some patients are asymptomatic. Just take a look at Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri. This is why we need to observe social distancing. *** Insofar as the April 15 deadline for the filing of income tax returns, common sense dictates that the deadline should be moved, with penalties waived. My gulay, Filipinos are now in a state of emergency, and nothing is more important than that! The best place to be is home. Sure, sometimes you have to go out and buy necessities, but always wear a mask and always wash your hands and disinfect. I commend the health workers who are exposed to patients who may be infected with the virus. They know the dangers they are facing, but they go to work anyway. This is heroism in any language. The worst thing anybody can do right now is to politicize the lockTurn to A5 down.

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Leadership in a crisis

F THE ongoing COVID-19 crisis has taught us anything, it is the critical importance of choosing the right leaders. In the United States, US President Donald Trump wasted precious weeks during the early days of the outbreak by lulling Americans with baseless assurances. Fear of the spread of the novel coronavirus, he said, was “a hoax” perpetuated by the political opposition and its allies, “the fake news media.” He also tried to blame the preceding Obama administration for the lack of preparedness to deal with the outbreak—when it was his own chief of staff that disbanded the White House pandemic response team two years ago. “No, not at all. We have it totally under control,” Trump said in January, after being asked if he were worried about the COVID-19 outbreak. “It’s one person coming in from China, and we have it under control. It’s going to be just fine.” At a White House news conference in February, he commented on the first cases in the US. “We’re going to be pretty soon at only five people. And we could be at just one or two people over the next short period of time. So we’ve had very good luck.”

Later, even as the World Health Organization reported that the virus had infected more than 46,000 people and killed more than 1,100, Trump predicted the virus would go away on its own. “By April, you know, in theory, when it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away,” he said at one campaign rally. In the face of a dire shortage of COVID-19 testing kits, Trump also false announced that anybody who needed a test could get one. A business psychology professor at the University College London and Columbia University, Thomas Chamorro Premuzic, observes that poor leadership choices may go unpunished or unnoticed when times are good, but bad times will expose and amplify the harmful effects of incompetent leadership. Writing in Forbes, Premuzic says a person’s probability to lead effectively through a major crisis will largely depend on four aspects of leadership potential: Intelligence. A vast body of academic research shows that leaders are much better prepared to confront a crisis when they are more rather than less intelligent. “The world is far more data-driven today than it ever was, so unless leaders have the capacity to be factual, reason logically, and adopt an

evidence-based approach to making decisions, they will be handicapped,” Premuzic ways. Accurate threat sensitivity. The main job of a leader is not to keep people calm and happy, but to keep them safe, and this is only be possible if leaders have an accurate sense of environmental threats and dangers, meaning they are neither under-confident nor over-confident, Premuzic writes. Courage. The true importance of courage, Premuzic observes, will only be on display when leaders are faced with difficult choices, such as choosing the least detrimental option among many bad or negative alternatives. Trustworthiness. The previous three qualities are really important, but they will be useless unless we can trust the leader, Premuzic concludes. “No leader will be able to handle a crisis if they have lost people’s trust, and while we are often wrong when we decide to trust leaders in the first place..., we are usually right when we come to the realization that they can no longer be trusted,” he writes. This is food for thought after we survive this COVID-19 crisis and are asked once again to undertake the clearly crucial task of picking our leaders, tempered by the knowledge that poor leaders also appoint incompetent officials under them.

Oligarchy is back

OLIGARCHY is doubtlessly making inroads into the country’s lucrative power industry, and our so-called democratic institutions are helping them achieve their rapacious objectives. Consider this. A Makati-based power conglomerate is making untrammeled headway to capture the supply of electricity in the Visayas, abetted by the unholy collaboration of government regulators, the court of law, and local electric cooperatives. An unmistakable evidence of this conspiracy theory is the Bantayan Island experience in Cebu where a subsidiary of the Makati-based Vivant Energy Corp. appears to be enjoying five-star room service in its bid to take over the local power supply at the expense of an existing indigenous company. A local Regional Trial Court seems to have surrendered decency and fairness in the discharge of its duty as a mediator of sorts in resolving the case between the Johnny-come-lately Vivant Integrated Diesel Corp. and the home-grown Bantayan Island Power Corp., holder of the current power supply contract in the island. The RTC, in utter disregard of fair play and ethical correctness, ruled in favor of Vivant in deciding the contest over an appeal for a temporary restraining order initiated by Bipcor in an attempt to derail the imminent grant of the power supply agreement to Vivant. Here’s what took place. The RTC judge initially gave the contending parties five working days to submit their respective arguments. The deadline was supposed to end on a Monday. Alas, the judge handed down his decision on that fateful same Monday when Bipcor was poised to submit its position papers, confident that it is doing so within the time frame given

by the court. That being said, the judge had unbelievably prejudged the case; he already had a decision beforehand. Talk about fair play and level playing field. Talk about justice and injustice. As the martyred human rights leader Martin Luther King Jr had said; “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

I just hope I am wrong about this. Rewind to the time when the PSA was still under negotiations between Vivant and the Bantayan Electric Cooperative. At this point, the transactions were supposed to adhere closely to the protocols defined by the Competitive Selection Process as laid down by the Energy Regulatory Commission in a 2015 memorandum circular. At this stage, the process was also obviously railroaded and manipulated in favor of Vivant, setting aside all arguments and protestations raised by Bipcor. At the end of the day (that was last November) Vivant proudly announced that it has bagged the PSA awarded by the Banelco. Under the 15-year contract, the holder would set up a 23-megawatt diesel-fired generator to energize Bantayan Island. The whole upgraded power project will consist of two 7.5-MW bunker-fired units and three 2.8-MW units seen to be completed as Bipcor’s existing contract expires next year. If allegations were true, the grant of the PSA to Vivant was done with undue haste and without giving Bipcor sufficient time to complete its financial and technical offers. Bipcor submitted an undertaking promising to present its bids within the prescribed period but this was reportedly peremptorily denied. Put another way, Bipcor lost by deTurn to A5

Our cooperation is our contribution WE ARE in the midst of a crisis. The entire Luzon island is on enhanced community quarantine until midnight of April 13, Monday. The Department of Health has earlier raised Code Red Sublevel 2 response due to the increasing confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country. The number of patients infected with the coronavirus has already reached more than 200. First and foremost, we understand the risks posed by COVID-19. There have been deaths from the disease, but there are also who have recovered. Still, we cannot let the number of infected persons rise. We need to imme-

diately stop the transmission of the disease. For this reason, the government has implemented a strict home quarantine. By this, it means that no one is allowed to go out, and no public utility vehicle is allowed to roam the streets. Ordering people to stay in their homes lessens the chances of virus transmission.

Stay home, please. This is with the exception of health workers and those who work and operate private establishments that provide basic necessities such as food and medicine. These establishments shall remain open to ensure the availability of these goods.

People may still buy from them as long as they maintain social distancing and proper hygiene. In preparation for COVID-19, the provincial government earlier formed the Quezon Provincial Inter-agency COVID-19 Task Force that has been actively monitoring the number of confirmed cases, persons under investigation and persons under monitoring. The task force is continuously assessing the situation in Quezon to come up with responsive guidelines and policies that will be followed to safeguard the welfare of the Quezonians. Our Provincial Health Office has also been diligently conducting surveillance and reporting of the status of the patients under investigation in the entire Quezon province to ensure that our people are well-informed on the accurate Turn to A5

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher ManilaStandard

Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial) 832-5554, (Advertising) 832-5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www.thestandard. com.ph; e-mail: contact@thestandard.com.ph

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Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

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Opinion Coping with the lockdown People who have no more money to buy food or people who get sick could also report these to the barangay. We already wasted a few days in this lockdown and we only have about 23 days remaining. The question is whether this will be enough WE ARE now facing the most serious to contain the sustained spread of the threat to the well-being of our nation virus or whether an extension of a and it is important that we all realize few days will be needed. Let us hope this so that we can all contribute to that it is enough. the solution instead making it more *** difficult. It is certainly the most seriA lot has been said about the imous challenge to this government and portance of social distancing; too litit is right in saying that we are in a tle, however, has been said on social fight for our lives. responsibility or duties. Let us all hope that the country will The resistance by some citizens be able to live through this crisis with could perhaps be lessened if they the minimum loss of life. The govare more aware of their duties and ernment measure of locking down or responsibilities and strive to cooperquarantining the whole of the island ate with the government program to of Luzon containing about 56 million contain and defeat the virus instead people may be drastic to many, but it of making the fight harder. The way is the most effective way of containwe behave during this crisis must be ing the spread of the virus no matter guided by the our understanding that how painful it will be. our first duty is One of the best to try our best to ways to let the stay clean and not virus die out is We should stop get infected, but for people to stop mingling for now. also seeing to it mingling with that we do not ineach other so that fect others. those infected will A case in point not infect others. Very recent studies is what reportedly happened in Ba Bahave indicated that about 79 percent guio. A couple allegedly came up to of the infections are coming from Baguio City to attend a seminar and people who are not exhibiting any symptoms even though they do have stayed in one hotel even when they already had symptoms. They are now the virus. The lockdown will of course cause gone, but this caused the managetemporary hardships to our working ment of the hotel to close the hotel people but this is better than the dis- for disinfection and its restaurant to ease decimating all of us. The DOH completely shut down. A lot of trackhas already described the spread as ing of people who might have come sustained so we cannot afford to un- into contact with the couple had to be derestimate the threat of the disease done which could have been avoided considering that there is still no cure if the couple simply stayed home. Fortunately, the city remains free of or vaccine for it. any confirmed cases of COVID-19. The whole idea of the lockdown, As to what we can do to spend our as Secretary Eduardo Ano reiterattime productively, well, there is Neted, is to keep people from going out flix, YouTube movies, books and of their homes. This may be hard for bonding with family. many at first but absolutely neces*** sary. What we call social distancing Former President Fidel V. Ramos will eventually defeat COVID-19 celebrated his 92nd birthday yesterbut it needs the cooperation of evday. A party on the 22nd of March to eryone. The sight however, of so celebrate the occasion has now been many people congregating in those postponed due to the COVID-19 checkpoints trying to get clearances to be able to proceed to their des- pandemic. Although people are now tinations during the first day of the living longer, getting to 92 is still lockdown defeats the very purpose something many of us can only wish of social distancing. The system ob- for especially when it is a long fruitviously needs improvement, which ful and productive life dedicated to seems to have happened on the sec- the service of one’s country because ond day when public transportation that in a nutshell is the life of our 12th president. ground to a complete halt. It started in the fields of West Point The improvement may also be which he entered when he was barebecause the government decided to ly 18 years old to the battlefields of implement a complete lockdown, Korea and Vietnam and the jungles of removing many of the exemptions our sierra Madre Mountains until the which should be the case. The nationpeople gifted him with the highest ofal government should also consider fice of the land in 1992the presidendesignating the barangays—they are the front liners when it comes to peo- cy. He retired in 1998 but continued ple movement. Since the barangays promoting the country thru his founknow everyone in the community, dation to this day. There are very few people should be able to report to people more prepared to occupy the them their problems and what they office of the president than FVR. He need. It will be the barangay officials started from the lowest level of the who will coordinate with higher au- government bureaucracy and worked thorities. That way, it will be orderly his way up. Happy Birthday, Mr President. and less chaotic.

A wake-up call for repentance By Ben Cal MANILA—In the face of the Coronavirus outbreak worldwide, the clarion call is for mankind to repent and stop offending God before it is too late. It may be recalled that during the famous Fatima Apparition in Fatima, Portugal in 1917, the Blessed Virgin Mary relayed an urgent message to the world through the three children—Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco—for man to repent and pray the Rosary or face chastisement. At that time World War I was raging in Europe. The Blessed Mother appeared before the three children six times. First on May 13, 1917 and every 13th month thereafter until Oct. 13 of the same year. During the apparition, the Virgin Mary handed to Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco three messages known as the Secrets of Fatima, warning the world of chastisement if mankind would continue to sin and offend God. Today, Coronavirus-19 is rapidly spreading the world over, including the United States, China, Italy, the Philippines, and many other countries. Total number of death is 6,606 worldwide as of March 16, 2020, and counting with China posting the highest number of death at 3,218, followed by Italy 1,809. The Philippines has recorded 14 fatalities as of Wednesday, March 18, 2020 with 187 afflicted, according to the Department of Health (DoH). Governments around the world have taken step to stop the deadly disease that has claimed thousands of lives and afflicted thousands more. Scientists are frantically trying to find a cure of the deadly Coronavirus-19. Rev.Fr. Christopher “Kit” Ramirez, SVD of the Parish of St. Jude in Malacañang District, summed up the Fatima Apparition as “a call for mankind to repent for our sins now or face the consequence of chastisement such as when World War II broke out as prophesied in the first Fatima message in 1917.” Fr. Kit also cited the importance of love quoting the verse in the Bible, John 13:34-35 which says: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” for the world to have a lasting peace. He also quoted John 15:5-8:”I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch

From A4

*** Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go is certainly the busiest among his colleagues. As chairman of the Senate committee on health, he has put up almost 60 Malasakit Centers to serve indigent patients. He has also gone to victims of fire and other calamities. Name one senator who has done what he is doing. If there were a contest for the most hardworking senator, I would vote for him. And yet we also always see him beside the President. When he talks about what Mr. Duterte wants or thinks, we believe him because they are so close that he already knows the mind of the President, having been his aide for so many years.

health situation in the province. Moreover, we have made efforts to make sure that the delivery of goods and other essential emergency medicines and supplies are not impeded, slowed down, or interfered. In the same way, our local farmers are guaranteed of continuous assistance to maintain their supply for food production. I cannot emphasize that we need to strictly abide by the guidelines. As we monitor the developments and assess the situation not only in the province but also in Metro Manila, it is inevitable that certain guidelines will be updated to contain the appropriate steps to take by both the citizenry and the government. I highly encourage everyone to listen and understand the reasons behind the policies being implemented. This is not only for the sake of one, but for the benefit of all. By following the guidelines, we, as a community protect each other by decreasing the chances of getting the virus. With this, I seek the compassion of employers to extend financial help to

Oligarchy... From A4

fault. In effect, there was a failure of bidding. Banelco then felt it had all the rights and the good reasons to proceed and confer the PSA to Vivant. Banelco did just that in apparent violation of the CSP rules providing that a distribution utility may execute a PSA only after successfully complying with the protocols. One of the requirements is for a DU to conduct a public bidding involving at least two qualified bids from gen-

eration companies. Direct negotiations with other suppliers can only be done after two failed CSPs. Feeling that there was a clear violation of the CSP, Bipcor tried to stop the grant of the PSA by asking for a TRO from the RTC. The rest is now history. Did I say that Vivant is primarily owned by the tremendously rich, powerful and influential Aboitiz clan? You bet I didn’t. But arguably, the Aboitizes qualify as an oligarch. These are the facts I gathered, but I will be very happy to be proven wrong.

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2020

that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” Fr. Kit also reminded everyone not to separate himself from God and asked sinners to repent for “Jesus Christ is the way and the truth” The apparition at Fatima is also referred to as Our Lady of the Rosary because the three children said the Blessed Mother called herself the "Lady of the Rosary." It was also during the Fatima apparition that the Blessed Virgin Mary revealed the so-called Three Secrets, including the prediction of World War II more than two decades before it broke out in 1941 and other future disasters. Fatima Apparition records show that Lúcia Santos (who later became a nun) and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto were herding sheep at the Cova da Iria near their home village of Fátima, Portugal. “They claimed to have experienced the visitation of an angel on three separate occasions. The angel taught them prayers to pray, to make sacrifices, and to spend time in adoration of the Lord,” official records disclosed. “On May 13, 1917, Lúcia described seeing a lady "brighter than the sun, shedding rays of light clearer and stronger than a crystal goblet filled with the most sparkling water and pierced by the burning rays of the sun". Astonished they ran back to their village and told everyone.[3] Further appearances were reported on June 13 and July 13. In these, the lady asked the children to do penance and Acts of Reparation and make personal sacrifices to save sinners. According to Lúcia's account, the lady also confided to the children three secrets, now known as the Three Secrets of Fátima.” “The children subsequently wore tight cords around their waists, performed self-flagellation using stinging nettles, abstained from drinking water on hot days, and performed other works of penance.” “Thousands of people flocked to Fátima and Aljustrel in the following months, drawn by reports of visions and miracles. On August 13, 1917, the provincial administrator Artur Santos (no relation to Lúcia Santos), believing that the events were politically disruptive, intercepted and jailed the children before they could reach the Cova da Iria. The administrator interrogated and threatened the children to get them to divulge the contents of the secrets. Lúcia told him everything short of the secrets, and

Mr. Cal is the author of the book “Battle of Bessang Pass.”

their employees who will be forced to stay in quarantine pursuant to the President's declaration. At this point, I would like to thank our hardworking health professionals nationwide—the doctors, nurses, those from the allied health professions, and our barangay health workers, for your unparalleled dedication and persevering service to our fellow Filipinos. You have chosen a truly noble career. I also thank our workers in the food and medicine production, and also those volunteers who help ensure that basic necessities are available to everyone anytime. Thanks also to the municipal social workers, barangay frontliners, and ordinary citizens who take it upon themselves to monitor their communities. I highly encourage the people to give their support by following the guidelines set by the enhanced community quarantine. For those who have no symptoms, no contact with any known case, or no travel history to affected areas, let us avoid getting infected by remaining in quarantine for the meantime. Perhaps this may be the opportunity to give time to our families and loved ones, catch up with whatever we need to do,

and rest. Those who have been in contact with a confirmed positive COVID-19 case and those coming from COVID-19 positive areas must comply with the mandatory strict self-quarantine. While those who show symptoms, I strongly urge you to go to the nearest hospital to have yourself checked. We need to educate the people on what to do during this health crisis. The national government has already assured us that it has funds that will be used in the delivery of basic goods and services. More test kits are arriving in the country soon. Foreign scientists are already working on a vaccine against COVID-19. Our contribution now is our cooperation. Be vigilant. If there is someone who should be monitored and investigated by local health authorities, let them know immediately. Other countries such as South Korea are reporting an increasing number of recoveries. Let us keep praying for our country, that we may be able to get through this crisis immediately, with only minimal losses. Let us remain hopeful that we will be able to overcome this together, healthy and happy, and return to normal living in no time.

offered to ask the Lady for permission to tell the Administrator the secrets.[5] Prisoners held with them in the provincial jail later testified that the children led them in praying the rosary. That month, instead of the usual apparition in the Cova da Iria on the 13th, the children reported that they saw the Virgin Mary on 15 August, the Feast of the Assumption, at nearby Valinho.” Thirty-six years ago, mankind witnessed the unfolding of cataclysmic events around the world starting with the near-fatal assassination of Pope John Paul II (now St. John Paul II) in 1981, the breakup of the Soviet Union, the Iraq war, the 9/11 terror attacks, the devastating earthquakes in various parts of the world, including the deadly 7.2 magnitude Bohol earthquake on Oct. 15, 2014, followed by the Super Typhoon “Yolanda” that wrought havoc Samar, Tacloban City and several Visayas islands on Nov. 8, 2013, volcanic eruptions, killer floods, the unrest in several countries in the Middle East, the Ukrainian crisis, and currently the rise of a new terror group called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) that continues to wage terror in the Middle East, Europe, and other parts of the world, particularly in what happened in Paris on Friday the 13th of November 2015 when terrorist suicide bombers hit a concert hall, a major stadium, restaurants and bars, almost simultaneously—and left 130 people dead and hundreds wounded. These are clear discernment that the Third Secret of Fatima is fulfilled as foretold a century years ago. It may be recalled that on Oct. 13, 1917 the Miracle of the Sun occurred in Fatima, Portugal which was witnessed by 30,000 to 100,000 people. The rare solar activity was described by many witnesses who said that: “After a period of rain, the dark clouds broke and the sun appeared as an opaque, spinning disc in the sky. It was said to be significantly duller than normal, and to cast multicolored lights across the landscape, the shadows on the landscape, the people, and the surrounding clouds. The sun was then reported to have careened towards the earth in a zigzag pattern, frightening those who thought it a sign of the end of the world. Witnesses reported that their previously wet clothes became ‘suddenly and completely dry, as well as the wet and muddy ground that had been previously soaked because of the rain that had been falling.’”

To be continued

LGUs

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2020

lgu@manilastandard.net

PNP bans bus movement in Cagayan Valley

LIFE-SAVING GEAR.

‘The Helmet that Saved a Life’ was recently turned over to the Philippine National Police and can now be viewed at the PNP Museum. Present at the turnover of the Enhanced Combat Helmet which saved the life of Patrolman Juvannie Libradilla, a member of the PNP 1st Bukidnon Provincial Mobile Force Company—were (from left) Rosario Plurad, VP, ARMSCOR Shooting Center, Inc.; Rowan Rellosa, Manager, 3M; Patrolman Libradilla; LTC Gina Marie Angangco GSC PA (RES), SEVP and Deputy CEO, ARMSCOR; BGEN Gerry Amante (Ret), VP, ARMSCOR; and Police Colonel Mario Albitos Reyes, Chief, Supply Management Division, PNP.

Manila budgets P60m to aid 20k city workers By Willie Casas THE Manila City Council has authorized the disbursement of P60 million in financial aid to the capital’s 20,000 government workers expected to be affected during Luzon’s month-long coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown. According to City Ordinance 8620, P3,000 will be given to each of Manila’s 10,000 regular and 10,000 job order employees. Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Domagoso also appealed to commercial establishments to waive rental fees while the Philippines’ most populous island remains under enhanced community quarantine. “This appeal is being made with the utmost intention of cushioning the socio-economic impact of the present crisis in the City of Manila,” Domagoso said in his letter. “I am humbly and sincerely asking and hoping for your understanding,” said Domagoso. Manila declared a state of calamity earlier this week as the city tended to five COVID-19 patients and monitored 118 others who may be possible carriers of the disease. On Tuesday, President Rodrigo Duterte placed the entire country under a state of calamity as the number of COVID-19 cases in the country rose to nearly 200, with 14 dead, 4 recovered and over a hundred still hospitalized. Luzon’s borders are expected to be sealed later this week, except for repatriation flights and cargo containing basic necessities like food and medical supplies. The World Health Organization described the COVID-19, which originated from Wuhan, China, as a global pandemic after it killed nearly 8,000 people, while 197,000 others have been infected.

By Ben Moses Ebreo

Makati gives trike drivers P11.9m as 2-week budget M By Joel E. Zurbano

AKATI Mayor Abby Binay has ordered the distribution of around P11.9 million in ﬁnancial assistance to almost 6,000 tricycle drivers living in the city who are affected by the lockdown and land public transport restrictions imposed by the government to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019.

The mayor said the initial amount of P2,000 for each of the city’s 5,946 tricycle drivers is meant to help them and their families get through the first two weeks of the enhanced community quarantine period. She added the city government is also preparing a separate financial package for jeepney drivers. Earlier, Makati started deploying shuttle buses for front liners and

other employees going to and from Ospital ng Makati amid the increasing number of cases relative to COVID-19. Binay ordered the deployment of buses to ferry doctors, nurses and other employees to and from OsMak to ensure their continuous operations despite the travel restrictions imposed by the government on public transport in line with the enhanced community

quarantine in Luzon. Binay said the buses will be coming daily from three points of origin - Light Railway Transit - Buendia, Puregold Makati and Waterfun-C5 to pick up hospital personnel reporting for duty. She added employees going home from work will also be picked up from designated areas near OsMak and dropped off near their homes. The mayor, at the same time, assured residents that Makati Health Plus Program cards, better known as Yellow Card, expiring within the enhanced community quarantine period will still be valid for another 30 days. This will ensure the continuous delivery of social services to all residents of the city, especially the sick and the elderly.

DONNING OF RANK. Noel S. Alamar,

dzMM Radyo Patrol Reporter, was recently promoted to the rank of Captain (equivalent to full Colonel at AFP/ PNP) in the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary. Alamar belongs to 125th District Auxiliary Squadron based in Cavite. Leading the donning of ranks is Rear Adm. Leopoldo, Laroya, Deputy Commander for Operations, PCG; Rear Adm Beethoven Sur, National Director Main Office, PCGA; and Rear Adm. Manny Idquival, District Auxiliary Director, NCR-CL, PCGA. Roy Tomandao

CDC implements 4-day workweek amid COVID-19 CLARK FREEPORT—As part of its preventive measures and to ensure the safety and well-being of employees in the workplace amidst threat of the coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), Clark Development Corp. implemented a four-day work week starting March 16. Following the issuance of the Labor

Advisory No. 9 by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the state-owned firm adopted an alternative work schedule for its employees. In an inter-office memorandum released by CDC, it was mentioned that under the new arrangement, CDC employees are required to render 10 hours

of work from Monday to Thursday, starting 7 AM to 6 PM. While Friday was declared as day-off for its employees, the implementation of the flexible working hours will not hinder the delivery of services of CDC offices to its stakeholders. Skeletal force for CDC departments

‘Pa-Tubig’ tack helps Tanay village SITIO Sampaloc in Tanay, Rizal is the latest community to have access to clean water through the help of Mercury Drug Foundation, Inc.’s Operation Pa-Tubig. The community has had no access to water for over 50 years, and they had to walk 1.5 Km to fetch water from Daranak Falls. The tap stands constructed by MDFI were turned over to the residents of Sitio Sampaloc last 28 February 2020. Water is one of the most basic of human necessities. It sustains all life forms on earth and the United Nations even recognizes access to clean water and sanitation as a human right. But in many places around the world, especially in some underserved areas here in the Philippines, access to water is still a problem that severely impacts the quality of

life of many people. Recognizing the important role of water in the health and well-being of underprivileged communities around the country, Mercury Drug Foundation, Inc. (MDFI) has been undertaking Operation Pa-Tubig since 2001. One of the most recent communities that benefited from the said program is Sitio Sampaloc, Brgy. Tandang Kutyo, Tanay, Rizal. For more than five decades, Sitio Sampaloc has not had access to clean and potable water for their various needs. Residents needed to walk more than 1.5 Km to Daranak Falls to fetch water for their families. And this trek to and from their nearest water source is made much more difficult by the fact that the residents need to go down and climb a steep slope.

and divisions will be made available on Fridays. These include Trade Facilitation Division, Maintenance Units from Engineering Services Group, Public Safety Division, and Health and Sanitation Division. According to CDC, employees who are assigned as skeletal force on Fridays will have their day-off every Monday.

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya— The Philippine National Police has banned the movement of buses going inside and outside Cagayan Valley region. The move is part of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) measures being implemented here to prevent the entry and spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the province and region as well. Nueva Vizcaya serves as the main entry point of commuters to Cagayan Valley region along with the BenguetKayapa alternate road. Police Senior Supt. Richard Saavedra, Police Provincial Director, said the bus ban started at noon yesterday right after the Provincial COVID 19 Task Force meeting called by Governor Carlos Padilla and also attended by the provincial government’s department and division heads. He also called on all villagers planning to travel to cancel their trip in the meantime as the ECQ is now in place and effect. “Movement of private cars are only allowed within their jurisdiction during important purposes such as buying of basic needs and emergencies,” he said. Saavedra also said Municipal COVID Task Force checkpoints were already set up in the 15 municipalities of the province to limit movements of villagers and to ensure their safety from the COVID 19 infection.

Endangered ‘pawikan’ gets protection THE Philippines is home to five out of seven species of sea turtles or pawikan that can be found in the world. Sea turtles play an important role in keeping the oceans healthy by nourishing seagrass beds and coral reefs. However, as human activity increases, sea turtle populations have become endangered. Guided by their vision of creating better ways to live, AboitizLand, the real estate arm of the Aboitiz Group, believes that nature and its inhabitants must be protected to promote good quality of life for all. The developer, therefore, initiated a Pawikan Conservation Project together with Aboitiz Foundation and UP Diliman Environmental Science experts. AboitizLand’s Pawikan Conservation Project established a five-year management plan to preserve sea turtle nesting sites located at Seafront Residences—their first residential project outside Visayas. Located in Barangay Calubcub II in San Juan, Batangas, the beach community is a 43-hectare, 800 unit development and its shoreline is tagged by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as prime nesting grounds for the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles. “We recognize that the pawikan is vital to the marine ecosystem. Knowing that it is endangered, we are making efforts to preserve the sea turtle population by protecting their nesting sites,” says Rafael de Mesa, AboitizLand’s First Vice President of Operations. “We will always strive to commit to sustainability. Together with the right facilities, and the collaboration of the local community, we can build new homes while at the same time protect the pawikan’s home too.”

Sitio Sampaloc in Tanay, Rizal is the latest community to have access to clean water through the help of Mercury Drug Foundation, Inc.’s Operation Pa-Tubig. The community has had no access to water for over 50 years, and they had to walk 1.5 kilometers to fetch water from Daranak Falls.

World

Biden clean sweep in 3 big primaries as Sanders fades M

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONALTRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 105, QUEZON CITY

Standard

TODAY

MA. NENITA CHING ET AL., Plaintiff, -versus-

CASE NO. R-QZN-15-10203-CV

SUMMONS HILARIA FRANCISCO VD. DE VILLEGAS, ET AL., Defendants. x---------------------------------------------x TO: HEIRS OF HILARIA FANCISCO VDA. DE VILLEGAS No. 29 Kalawag St., San Fancisco Del Monte, Quezon City

But following a string of victories in highprofile contests starting with South Carolina in late February, and continuing into his show of strength Tuesday, Biden now has a commanding lead in the all-important race for the delegates needed to become the nominee. Political analyst David Axelrod concluded that Sanders was a mortally wounded candidate. “No Dem has ever come back from anything like this deficit,” tweeted Axelrod, chief strategist for Barack Obama’s two successful presidential campaigns. “The race for the nomination is over. That is the reality @BernieSanders faces.” On Tuesday Biden’s delegate count stood at 1,147 compared to Sanders’s 861, according to a New York Times rolling tally. A candidate needs 1,991 delegates to secure the Democratic nomination and face Trump in the November election. Biden has long said that Americans want pragmatic results, not the political “revolution” advocated by Sanders. But he reached out on Tuesday by appealing to Sanders supporters. “To young voters who have been inspired by Senator Sanders, I hear you,” Biden said. Biden said he and Sanders “share a common vision” to expand health insurance, address economic inequality and fight climate change. AFP

You are hereby required, within fifteen (15) days after service of this summons upon you, to file with this Court and serve on the plaintiff your answer to the complaint, copy of which is attached, together with the annexes. You are reminded of the provision in the IBP-OCA Memorandum on Policy Guidelines dated March 12, 2002 to observe restraint in filing a motion to dismiss and instead allege the grounds thereof as defenses in the Answer. If you fail to answer within the time fixed, the plaintiff will take judgment by default and may be granted the relief applied for in the complaint.

(Sgd.) DOMINADOR C. GUZMAN, JR. Branch Clerk of Court

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT QUEZON CITY, BRANCH ____ MA.NENITA CHING in her capacity as the Attorney-In-Fact of ANITA LAMORENA ANTONIO MARK JAYSON ANTONIO MASAGANDA, JEFFREY ANTONIO MASAGANDA SHEILA ANTONIO MASAGANDA and LIGAYA MASAGANDA MADRID, Plaintiffs, -versus-

November 5,2015

ANNEX “C”

(Sgd.) ARTURO S. SANTOS Counsel for the Plaintiff 6/F TRIDA Building, now Parkview Plaza T.M. Kalaw cor. Taft Avenue, Ermita, Manila IBP LIFETIME MEMBER NO. 437471/01-05-98 PTR NO. 3817936/105-15/Manila ROLL NO. 24816 MCLE Compliance No. IV-0017322/04-23-13 Tel. No. 525-1355 VERIFICATION AND CERTIFICATION OF NON-FORUM SHOPPING I, MA. NENITA CHING, of legal age, Filipino, married to Jesse Ching and a resident of Unit C20 Landwealth, 1995 Juna Luna St., Tondo, Manila, after first having been duly sworn, do hereby depose and say: 1. I am on of the plaintiffs in the above-entitled complaint;

GREETINGS:

WITNESS, my hand under the seal of the Court this 16th day of January 2020.

As the United States grappled with combating the spreading coronavirus pandemic, voters handed the former vice president victory in delegate-rich Florida, as well as Illinois and Arizona. The command performance speaks to the eagerness of many Democrats to coalesce around a moderate flag bearer, to challenge Republican President Donald Trump, after several other candidates dropped out of the contest in recent weeks and endorsed Biden. In Florida, the 77-year-old won 62 percent to 23 percent against Sanders, a 78-year-old self-described “democratic socialist” senator from Vermont. Biden was ahead by 23 percentage points in Illinois, with 89 percent of precincts reporting. And in Arizona, where polls closed last, Biden was coasting to a third definitive win -- and his 19th victory in the last 24 contests. “Our campaign has had a very good night,” Biden said in televised remarks from his home in Delaware. “We’ve moved closer to securing the Democratic Party’s nomination for president, and we’re doing it by building a broad coalition that we need to win in November.” By all accounts it is an astonishing reversal of fortune for Biden, whose campaign was left for dead just one month ago after poor showings in early voting states.

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Manila

IAMI – Joe Biden scored decisive victories in all three major Democratic primaries Tuesday, earning him a nearly insurmountable lead over rival Bernie Sanders in their race for the party’s presidential nomination.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2020

CIVIL CASE NO. R-QZN-15-10203-CV FOR: REVIVAL OF JUDGMENT AND SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE

2. I have caused the preparation and filing of the foregoing Petition, I have read and understood the same and all the material allegations contained herein are true and correct of my own personal knowledge and based on authentic records; 3. I certify that I have not commenced any similar action or proceeding in the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, or any other tribunal or agency; to the best of my knowledge, no such similar action or proceeding is pending before the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals or any other tribunal or agency; and if I should learn thereafter that a similar action or proceeding has been filed or is pending before the aforesaid courts or agencies, I will promptly inform this Honorable Court within 5 days therefrom. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto affixed my signature this 5th day of November, 2015 at Manila. (Sgd) MA. NENITA CHING Affiant SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 5th day of November 2015 at Manila, affiant presented to me her identification card with signature and photograph as competent proof of her identity.

DOC. NO. 486; PAGE NO. 98; BOOK NO. 59; SERIES OF 2015

ANNEX “A”

HILARIA FRANCISCO VDA. DE VILLEGAS, VILLAMOR I. DELOS SANTOS, SR. and BENJAMIN I.DELOS SANTOS, Defendants. x---------------------------------------------------x

ANNEX “D”

COMPLAINT PLAINTIFFS, through counsel, to this Honorable Court respectfully allege: 1. The parties in this case are: a) MA. NENITA CHING, plaintiff, of legal age, Filipino, married to Jesse Ching and a resident of Unit C20 Landwealth, 1995 Juna Luna St., Tondo, Manila, in her capacity as attorney-in-fact of ANITA LAMORENA ANTONIO, MARK JAYSON ANTONIO MASAGANDA, SHEILA ANTONIO MASAGANDA and LIGAYA MASAGANDA-MADRID, as per Irrevocable Power of Attorney hereto attached as Annex “A”. b) HILARIA FRANCISCO VDA. DE VILLEGAS, as defendant, of legal age, Filipino and a resident of No. 29 Kalawag St., San Fracisco Del Monte, Quezon City; and c) VILLAMOR I. DELOS SANTOS, SR. and BENJAMIN I. DELOS SANTOS defendants, both of legal age, Filipinos and residents of No. 34 Umali St., San Francisco Del Monte, Quezon City.

FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION 2. Domingo delos Santos and Dominga delos Santos Masaganda (now both deceased) filed before this Honorable Court a complaint for Reconveyance with Damages docketed as Civil Case No. Q-90-7069 against Hilaria Francisco Vda. De Villegas. 3. After trial, Branch 94 of this Honorable Court rendered a Decision dated October 14, 1996 disposing the case as follows: “WHEREFORE, premises considered, judgment is hereby rendered: 1. Ordering the defendant to reconvey in accordance with law the subject property in favor of the herein plaintiffs; 2. Ordering the defendant to pay plaintiffs P30,000.00 by way of moral damages as well as P20,000.00 by way of exemplary damages; 3. To pay attorney’s fees of P20,000.00 plus costs.” A copy of the decision is hereto attached as Annex “B”.

HOPEFUL SIGN. A woman passes under a supportive sign at the Castro theater in San Francisco California on March 17. Millions of San Francisco area residents last Monday were ordered to stay home to slow the spread of the deadly coronavirus as part of a lockdown effort covering a section of California including Silicon Valley. AFP

ANNEX “E”

4. Defendant Hilaria Francisco Vda. De Villegas timely appealed the said decision to the Court of Appeals docketed as CA-GR- CV No. 55828. 5. After due proceedings the 10th Division of the Court of Appeals promulgated its decision affirming the Decision of the RTC, except pars. 2 & 3 thereof granting damages and attorney’s fees which were ordered deleted. 6. Consequently, the defendant Hilaria Fracisco Vda. De Villegas elevated the case to the Supreme Court via a petition for review on certiorari under G.R. No. 168212 and July 25, 2005, its 3rd Division the Supreme Court issued a Resolution denying the aforesaid petition for review. 7. The said Resolution of the Supreme Court became final on November 8, 2005. 8. However, the former counsel for the deceased Domingo delos Santos and Dominga delos Santos Masaganda did not take the necessary steps to execute or enforce the said judgment within the 5-year period, hence this action for revival of judgment pursuant to Section 6, Rule 39 of the Rules of Court, in relation to Articles 1144 of the Civil Code.

ANNEX “B”

SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION 9. During the pendency of Civil Case No. Q-90-7069 Domingo delos Santos and Dominga delos Santos Masaganda while still alive, entered into an Agreement dated March 15, 1995 with Irene Ong (now deceased), the mother of plaintiff M. Nenita Ching binding themselves to sell a 300-square meter portion of the property described in TCT no. 273575 with an area of 374 square meters in the event a decision is rendered in their favor, a copy of the said Agreement is hereto attached as Annex “C”. 10. The parties in the said Agreement have partially complied with their respective obligations thereunder. 11. Specifically, Ma. Nenita Ching a have paid substantial advances which Domingo delos Santos and Dominga delos Santos Masaganda have accepted as consideration of the sale. 12. On her part, Dominga delos Santos Masaganda executed a Deed of Absolute Sale dated August 22, 2008 in favor of plaintiff Ma. Nenita Ching, in substitution of her mother, a photocopy of which is hereto attached as Annex “D”.

Iraq names Zurfi as new premier amid protests, virus, rocket attacks BAGHDAD—Iraq’s president on Tuesday named pro-Western lawmaker and former Najaf city governor Adnan Zurfi as the next prime minister, tasked with ruling a country hit by military unrest, street protests and the coronavirus pandemic. The nomination came as Iraq faced two separate rocket attacks, one near the highsecurity Green Zone in Baghdad late Tuesday after a dawn attack hit a military base hosting US-led coalition and NATO troops. In a statement late Tuesday, 54-year-old Zurfi pledged elections within a year of forming his cabinet and vowed to respond to the demands of protesters hitting the streets for months over government graft and inefficiency. He served multiple terms as governor of the Shiite holy city of Najaf and was elected in the 2018 parliamentary vote under the Nasr coalition, led by ex-PM Haider al-Abadi. Zurfi once belonged to the Dawa party, an opposition force to dictator Saddam Hussein who was ousted in the 2003 US-led invasion, and has spent years in the United States. The Iraqi-US dual national would have to renounce his American citizenship to take up the premiership. He met late Tuesday with outgoing premier Adel Abdel Mahdi, who resigned in December during Iraq’s unprecedented wave of anti-government rallies. Zurfi has 30 days to pull together a cabi-

net, which would be put to a vote of confidence in parliament. While he is likely to have the backing of some Shiite parties and the Kurdish and Sunni factions, he was quickly spurned by the powerful Fatah bloc, parliament’s secondlargest. “We reject the president’s unconstitutional step,” said a statement by Fatah, the political arm of the Hashed al-Shaabi military network that includes factions allied with Washington’s arch-foe Tehran. The United States was more upbeat. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Iraqis wanted “a government that upholds Iraq’s sovereignty, provides basic needs, is free of corruption, and protects their human rights.” If Zurfi “puts these interests first, he will have US and international support,” Pompeo wrote on Twitter. A senior Iraqi government source told AFP political factions had intensely debated names for days, seeking a “non-confrontational” figure. An earlier nominee, Mohammad Allawi, failed to form a cabinet by March 2, triggering a new 15-day deadline for President Barham Saleh that ended late Tuesday. Zurfi’s nomination comes at an especially tumultuous time for Iraq, which has been battered by almost six months of street protests, collapsing oil prices, the novel coronavirus outbreak and renewed rocket attacks. AFP

13. However, the said Deed of Absolute Sale was not registered because the TCT No. 273575 covering the property had remained in the name of Hilaria Francisco Vda. De Villegas because the final judgment of Branch 94 Annex “B”, as affirmed by the Court of Appeals, have become stale. 14. Furthermore, Domingo delos Santos passed away on February 6, 2006. He was survived by spouse, Caridad Delos Santos and his legitimate sons Villamor I. Delos Santos, Sr. and Benjamin I. Delos Santos. 15. On December 3, 2008 Domingo delos Santos Masaganda died. She was survived by her legitimate children, Rodolfo Delos Santos Masaganda ang Ligaya Masaganda Madrid.

ANNEX “F”

16. Rodolfo delos Santos Masaganda passed away on June 2, 2011. He was survived by his spouse Anita Lamorena Antonio and his children Mark Jayson Antonio Masaganda, Jeffrey Antonio Masaganda, Sheila Antonio Masaganda and Christian Antonio Masaganda who died on August 6, 2013 without any issue. 17. Ligaya Masaganda-Madrid who is still alive and the said heirs of Rodolfo delos Santos Masaganda have recognized the obligation of their ancestors under the Agreement hence they have executed the following documents to carry out and give effect thereto: a) Ligaya Masaganda-Madrid executed a Deed of Absolute Sale transferring her share in the property to plaintiff, a photocopy of which is hereto attached as Annex “E”. b) The heirs of Rodolfo delos Santos Masaganda, executed an Extrajudicial Settlement of Estate with Sale dated November 5, 2015, in favor of plaintiff, Ma. Nenita Ching, a photocopy of which is attached as Annex “F”. 18. The heirs of the deceased Domingo delos Santos have yet to comply with the obligation which they inherited from their father, but despite demands, the said heirs failed and refused to perform their said obligation.

THIRD CAUSE OF ACTION 19. Because of the failure of defendants Villamor I. Delos Santos, Sr. and Benjamin I. Delos Santos to comply with the obligation which prompted plaintiff Ma. Nenita Ching to file his action for specific performance, the said plaintiff was compelled to engage services of counsel thereby incurring the sumof P 100,000.00 as acceptance fee, P5,000.00 per appearance and the sum of P300,000.00 as attorney’s fees.

RELIEF WHEREFORE, it is respectfully prayed of this Honorable Court that after due proceeding, a judgment be rendered as follows: 1. The first cause of action in this complaint be granted and that the decision dated October 14, 1996 in Civil Case No. Q-90-7069 be revived pursuant to Rule 39, Section 6 of the Rules of Court; 2. With respect to the second cause of action, the defendants Villamor I. Delos Santos, Sr. and Benjamin I. Delos Santos be ordered to specifically perform the obligation of their deceased father Domingo delos Santos under the Memorandum of Agreement Annex “C” hereof; 3. Under the third cause of action, the defendants Villamor I. Delos Santos Sr. and Benjamin I. Delos Santos be ordered to solidarity pay plaintiff Ma. Nenita Ching the sum of P100,000.00 as acceptance fee, P5,000.00 per appearance and the sum of P300,000.00 as attorney’s fees, plus costs. PLAINTIFF, further prays for other just reliefs.

(MStandard - Mar. 5, 12 & 19, 2020)

Sports

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

sports@manilastandard.net

sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2020

Japan Olympic Committee deputy has coronavirus TOKYO—Japan Olympic Committee deputy chief Kozo Tashima said Tuesday he had contracted coronavirus, as doubts increase over whether Tokyo can safely host the Summer Games. “Today, my test result showed positive for the new coronavir us,” Tashima said in a statement, issued via the Japan Football Association, which he also heads. “I have a Kozo Tashima mild fever. Examinations showed a symptom of pneumonia, but I’m fine. I will concentrate on treatment following doctors’ advice,” he said. Japanese officials insist that the summer Games—due to start in July—will take place as scheduled despite rising speculation that it might be postponed or even cancelled due to the virus. Tashima said he had been on a business trip since February 28, first heading to Belfast to attend the annual general meeting of the International Football Association Board (IFAB). From March 2, he visited Amsterdam for a Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) meeting to give a presentation on Japan’s bid for the 2023 women’s World Cup. And On March 3, he attended a general meeting of the same body. “In Amsterdam and in Europe in early March, the level of nervousness against the novel coronavirus was not the same as now,” he said in the statement. “Everyone was still doing hugs, handshakes and bises (cheek kissing).” He then travelled to the United States to watch the Japanese women’s team in action and to lobby for the women’s World Cup, before returning home on March 8. “In the United States, too, the sense of crisis about the novel coronavirus was not as serious as now,” he said. Staff at the Japan FA have been working from home as a precaution against the virus, but Tashima said he went to the association building several times last week and attended meetings. He began feeling chills and experienced a mild fever from Sunday. He went to a local public health centre on Monday and told them about his travel history. During the UEFA gatherings, Tashima said he saw Swiss and Serbian football chiefs, who have tested positive for the virus, although he added it was not clear how he contracted the infection. His positive test came out on Tuesday. “I have chosen to face the illness as so many people are doing in Japan and around the world,” he said, adding that he hoped his decision would help eradicate the stigma attached to the infection. AFP

Ex-champ Roger Mayweather dies LOS ANGELES—Roger Mayweather, a two-time world champion turned trainer and uncle of unbeaten boxing great Floyd Mayweather, has died at the age of 58. “My uncle was one of the most important people in my life inside and outside of the ring,” said Floyd Mayweather, who was trained by his uncle for much of his illustrious career. Roger Mayweather, who had struggled with diabetes, won world titles at super featherweight and super lightweight, earning 59 wins in a near-20year ring career that included notable fights against Julio Cesar Chavez and Pernell Whitaker. “Roger was a great champion and one of the best trainers in boxing,” Floyd Mayweather said. “Unfortunately, his health was failing him for several years and now he can finally rest in peace. Roger meant the world to me, my father Floyd Sr., my uncle Jeff, our whole family, everyone in and around the Mayweather Boxing Gym and the entire boxing world.” AFP

Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets speaks to media during Brooklyn Nets Media Day at HSS Training Center in the Brooklyn Borough of New York City. Durant is among the four Brooklyn Nets players to test positive for the coronavirus. The Nets did not identify any players and said Tuesday that of the four players, only one is exhibiting symptoms. All four are isolated and are undergoing medical care from team physicians, the Nets said in a statement. AFP

Durant, 3 Nets teammates test positive for COVID-19

EW YORK—Kevin Durant is reportedly among four Brooklyn Nets players who have tested positive for the new coronavirus and are in isolation.

The injured Durant, who has yet to play for the Nets since signing for the club last year, confirmed to The Athletic website he had tested positive for the virus. “Everyone be careful, take care of yourself and quarantine. We’re going to get through this,” Durant was quoted as saying. News that the two-time NBA Finals MVP was among those who had contracted the virus came soon after the Nets confirmed four players had tested positive for COVID-19. “Four Brooklyn Nets players have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus,” the team said in a statement. “Of the four, one player is exhibiting symptoms while three are asymptomatic. “All four players are presently isolated and under the care of team physicians.” The Nets said they were notifying

known contacts of the players including those from teams who played against the Nets shortly before the NBA shut down its season indefinitely on March 12. The last team to play the Nets was the Western Conference-leading Los Angeles Lakers, who were stunned 104-102 by Brooklyn on March 10. The Lakers said in a statement Tuesday they had been informed of the four Nets players testing positive and have been in touch with their own players and staff. “Given the exposure risks from our game against the Nets on March 10th we are following the next steps of our COVID-19 procedures and protocols that are established in consultation with various health officials, the NBA and our UCLA Health doctors,” the Lakers said. The Nets said all players and members of the team travel party had been asked

to isolate themselves and monitor their health. The four cases more than double the known number of cases of COVID-19 among NBA players. Utah Jazz defensive standout Rudy Gobert was the first NBA player to test positive—his illness triggering the NBA’s current closure. Teammate Donovan Mitchell and Christian Wood of the Detroit Pistons have also tested positive for the virus. Woods was tested after reporting flu-like symptoms to the Pistons medical staff. Mitchell was tested after Gobert’s positive test, but had not experienced symptoms. “I don’t have any symptoms,” Mitchell said in an interview broadcast by ABC television on Monday. “I could walk down the street (and) if it wasn’t public knowledge that I was sick, you wouldn’t know it. I think that’s the scariest part about this virus.” AFP

Tokyo Olympics plans ‘irresponsible’ MONTREAL—International Olympic Committee member Hayley Wickenheiser said Tuesday that vows to press ahead with plans for the Tokyo Games are “insensitive and irresponsible.” Wickenheiser, a member of Canada’s women’s ice hockey team that won four straight Olympic golds between 2002 and 2016, made her comments on Twitter. The 41-year-old IOC Athletes Commission member was speaking as the IOC said there was no need for “drastic decisions” over the staging of the July 24-August 8 event. IOC and Japanese officials have insisted they are working towards staging the Olympics as planned despite the escalating coronavirus pandemic. “This crisis is bigger than even the Olympics,” said Wickenheiser. “We don’t know what’s happening in the next 24 hours, let alone the next three months.” Wickenheiser pointed to the disruption the pandemic had already caused to athletes preparing for the games. Athletes have been prevented from accessing training facilities because of virus-related lockdowns, while others have seen key competitions and qualifying events cancelled.

A woman with a suitcase wearing a facemask, amid concerns over the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, sits at a bus stop in front of a Tokyo 2020 Olympics advertisement in Bangkok. AFP

“From an athlete perspective, I can only imagine and try to empathise with the anxiety and heartbreak athletes are feeling right now,” Wickenheiser said. “The uncertainty of not knowing where you’re going to train tomorrow as facilities close and qualification events are cancelled all over the world would be terrible if you’ve been train-

ing your whole life for this. “Athletes can’t train, attendees can’t travel plan. Sponsors and marketers can’t market with any degree of sensitivity. “I think the IOC insisting this will move ahead, with such conviction, is insensitive and irresponsible given the state of humanity.” AFP

US Open tennis could be postponed by virus NEW YORK—The US Tennis Association acknowledged Tuesday that developments in the coronavirus pandemic could dictate moving the US Open, now scheduled to start in August. But the American federation said it wouldn’t determine any new date for its flagship Grand Slam without consulting the other major championship organizers, the International Tennis Federation and the ATP and WTA tours. “We recognize that such a decision

should not be made unilaterally,” the USTA said in a statement—a scarcely veiled jab at the French Tennis Federation which announced earlier Tuesday it was moving the second Grand Slam of the year, the French Open, to September 20-October 4. In postponing the event originally sheculed for May 24-June 7, the French Federation apparently declined to consult other stakeholders in the sport. The chosen dates, one week after the cur-

rent scheduled conclusion of the US Open, caught the ATP and WTA by surprise. They conflict with the Laver Cup in Boston, where Europe’s top players are scheduled to take on a World team. Roger Federer has already committed to the event. The US Open, the final Grand Slam on the calendar, is scheduled to run August 24-September 13 at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York. AFP

National University Bullpups win boys’ title NATIONAL University remains the gold standard in UAAP boys’ basketball after being crowned champion for the second straight season. One of the cornerstones in the Bullpups’ run to a special sweep of Season 82 was graduating big man Kevin Quiambao. Quiambao was a force at both ends of the floor with his output of 12.6 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.4 blocks also earning him a seat in the Mythical Team. The 6’8” center’s consistent play throughout the tournament did not go unnoticed as he has been hailed as the no. 1 player in the UAAP NBTC 24 high school player rankings. Adamson’s Jake Figueroa placed second after an unforgettable rookie year that saw the runaway Season MVP leading the Baby Falcons back into the semifinals. Carl Tamayo ranked third and saved his best for last as he was named Finals MVP for the second year in a row. Ateneo double-double machine Josh Lazaro and FEU super scorer Penny Estacio rounded out the top five. Bismarck Lina of UST finished sixth followed by Blue Eaglet Lebron Lopez. Completing the top 10 are FEU’s Cholo Anonuevo, National U’s Terrence Fortea, and Ateneo’s Fortshky Padrigao. Here is the final list of the UAAP NBTC 24 rankings: 1. Kevin Quiambao (NU); 2. Jake Figueroa (AdU); 3. Carl Tamayo (NU); 4. Josh Lazaro (ADMU); 5. Penny Estacio (FEU); 6. Bismarck Lina (UST); 7. Lebron Lopez (ADMU); 8. Cholo Anonuevo (FEU); 9. Terrence Fortea (NU); 10. Forthsky PaWdrigao (ADMU); 11. Aldous Torculas (UPIS); 12. Gerry Abadiano (NU); 13. Matt Erolon (AdU); 14. Reyland Torres (NU); 15. Jacob Cortez (UST); 16. CJ Austria (UE); 17. Patrick Sleat (FEU); 18. Jorick Bautista (FEU); 19. Ernest Felicilda (NU); 20. Kean Baclaan (DLSZ); 21. Joshua Barcelona (AdU); 22. Jordi Gomez de Liaño (UPIS); 23. Ivan Cudiamat (DLSZ); and 24. Ian Espinosa (ADMU) Due to COVID-19, the Chooks-toGo NBTC League National Finals as well as the annual All-Star Game have been postponed and tentatively rescheduled.

IN BRIEF PSE to resume trading today

The Philippine Stock Exchange will resume trading today after two days of suspension amid the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak. PSE president Ramon Monzon said in a memorandum the exchange would implement a shortened trading period from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. “Please be informed that trading at The Philippine Stock Exchange Inc. and clearing and settlement at the Securities Clearing Corporation of the Philippines will resume on Thursday, March 19, 2020,” PSE said. “Further, as prescribed by the national government’s Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases, the PSE trading floor will be closed and will not be accessible by the trading participants. Trading activities by all trading participants will have to be conducted remotely through offsite locations,” it said. The shortened trading period will be implemented until April 14. Prior to trading suspension, the bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange Index on Monday closed at 5,335.37, down 458.57 points, or 7.9 percent from last Friday’s close. Jenniffer B. Austria

Business

SMC donates food to Metro Manila LGUs

Conglomerate San Miguel Corp. said it continues to deliver food donations to various local government units in Metro Manila to help support communities and front-liners in the fight against the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. “Today, we started delivering on our commitment to extend help to our local government units, as we collectively fight the spread of the virus. We will continue to do is in the next coming days,” San Miguel president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang said. “Many people are unable to work and perhaps provide for their families. We want to help our LGUs make sure that the needs of the most vulnerable in their areas, are addressed,” he said. Ang said the delivery of food started in Manila, with other cities to receive donations in the coming days. Among those that will receive donations are Caloocan, Las Pinas, Malabon, Pateros, Mandaluyong, Navotas, Marikina, Paranaque, Makati, Pasay, Muntinlupa, Pasig, Quezon City, San Juan, Taguig and Valenzuela. The food donation consists mostly of assorted San Miguel food products, including canned food, biscuits, spreads, dairy milk drinks, coffee and water. Jenniffer B. Austria

Banks assure public of enough cash in ATMs THE Bankers Association of the Philippines assured the public of continuous availability of cash through automated teller machines and digital platforms during the month-long enhanced community quarantine imposed by the government in Luzon. “In our efforts to support the local economy, the national government and the banking public in the fight against COVID-19, the banking community and their people are in the front lines to help ensure the delivery of banking services,” BAP managing director Benjamin Castillo said in a statement Wednesday. Castillo said that to alleviate the plight of businesses and their workers, banks would also extend flexible arrangements to borrowers who need critical support during these extraordinary times. Banks said they remained vigilant of the possible risks facing their employees and clients. They said they were taking the necessary measures against the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19. BDO Unibank Inc., the biggest lender controlled by the Sy family, said it continues to service the requirements of its clients through its more than 1,400 branches nationwide, complemented by over 4,400 ATMs and digital channels via internet and mobile platforms. It said that to provide uninterrupted service to customers and safeguard employees’ well-being, BDO activated its business continuity plan and implemented precautionary workplace measures. Julito G. Rada

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2020

SMC eyes two coal-fired plants worth P200b By Alena Mae S. Flores

Travel ban severely affects PAL, Air PH

PAL Holdings Inc. said operations of Philippine Airlines and Air Philippines were “severely” affected by the coronavirus disease 2019/ PHI said PAL and Air Philippines Corp. had cancelled numerous flights to and from Manila, both local and international. “Considering the continuing gravity of the situation, more flights are expected to be cancelled,” PHI said. “Nevertheless, both airlines continue to assess any and all possibilities available to mitigate the increasing risks it is currently facing. Rest assured that both PAL and APC will continue to exercise extraordinary diligence to make sure that the spread of the disease will be stopped,” the company said. PHI said both airlines implemented guidelines in pursuit of healthier and safer travels such as the continuous cleaning of all its planes and premises and temperature check of all its pilots, staff and passengers. PAL earlier announced the suspension of all domestic flights and selected international flights. It aso laid off about 300 employees amid continued losses, aggravated by the ongoing travel restrictions and flight suspensions to areas affected by COVID-19. Darwin G. Amojelar

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor

GLOBAL ACHIEVEMENT. Alliance Global Group Inc. chairman Dr. Andrew Tan (center) receives the ‘Global Achievement Award’ from Santos Knight Frank chairman and chief executive Rick Santos (left) and Knight Frank senior partner and chairman Alistair Elliott during the Knight Frank Asia Pacific Conference, the largest international property gathering held at Okada Manila recently.

S&P warns of capital flight from PH, 2 other countries By Julito G. Rada

EBT watcher S&P Global Ratings said the Philippines is among the three countries in the Asia-Pacific region that will experience capital flight as economic recession is “guaranteed” in this part of the world because of the spread of coronavirus disease-2019.

“If lingering uncertainty results in a strong preference for US dollars, policymakers in Asia’s emerging markets may be forced into a damaging round of pro-cyclical policy tightening,” Shaun Roache, the chief Asia-Pacific economist at S&P Global Ratings, said in a report titled ‘Asia-Pacific Recession Guaranteed’ published Wednesday. “The countries most vulnerable to capital outflows remain India, Indonesia and the Philippines,” Roache said. Roache said Asia-Pacific economic

growth in 2020 would more than halve to less than 3 percent as the global economy would enter a recession. “An enormous first-quarter shock in China, shutdowns across the US and Europe, and local virus transmission guarantees a deep recession across AsiaPacific,” Roache said. He said recession would mean at least two quarters of well below-trend growth sufficient to trigger rising unemployment. “Our estimate of permanent income losses is likely to at least double to more than $400 billion,” said Roache. “For credit markets, a key question is how these losses are distributed across sovereigns, firms, banks, and households.” Roache said China was gradually recovering from an enormous economic blow early in 2020. February data confirmed a huge shock to activity in the first quarter. Investment accounts for about 45 percent of China’s economy and fixed asset investment in January and February combined plunged by almost 25 percent from a year ago. He said over the same period, industrial production and retail sales fell by 14 percent and 21 percent, respectively. He said external shocks from the fallout of global viral spread added a new

dimension. People flows from the US and Europe would be decimated for at least two quarters, heaping more pressure on the tourism industry. Roache said the timing of a recovery depends, most of all, on progress in containing viral spread. He said even if major progress was made during the second quarter, after a sustained period of stressed cash flow many firms would be in no position to resume investing quickly. “Households that have either lost their jobs or have worked fewer hours will spend less. Banks will be busy managing the deterioration in asset quality. There will be pent-up demand but the longer the crisis drags on, the weaker it will be,” he said. The onslaught of the disease made economists predict that the Philippine economy would likely be missing the official GDP growth target of 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent in 2020 because of the pandemic’s huge impact to the tourism industry, one of the pillars of economic growth. The National Economic and Development Authority last week said it was looking at a slower 5.5 percent to 6.5 percent GDP expansion for 2020.

STAFF HOUSING.

MyTown, a co-living space serving young professionals in Bonifacio Global City and Makati central business districts, now offers temporary staff housing for businesses across the metro that are impacted by the recent quarantine and curfew, and require emergency staff accommodation as part of their business continuity planning. MyTown allows accommodation for businesses that require emergency shortterm housing for its employees during the quarantine. It also implements a wide range of preventive and sanitary measures.

Gokongwei Group donating P100-m to fight COVID-19 By Jenniffer B. Austria

First Gen’s net income climbed 34% to P15.4 billion in 2019 FIRST Gen Corp., the Lopez Group’s power generation company, said net income attributable to equity holders climbed 34 percent in 2019 to P15.4 billion ($296 million) from P11.6 billion ($221 million) in 2018 on higher electricity sales of clean fuel platforms, foreign exchange gains, lower interest expense and benefits from deferred income taxes. It said recurring net income attributable to equity holders also increased 17 percent last year to P14.8 billion ($284 million) from P12.7 billion ($242 million) in 2018. “Our steady financial results for 2019 [we hope] demonstrate to our shareholders that our strategy to catalyze the country’s movement towards a decarbonized future is feasible and continues to pay off. We will continue

CONGLOMERATE San Miguel Corp. plans to build two high-efficiency coal-fired power plants with a combined capacity of 2,130 megawatts in Pagbilao, Quezon worth P200 billion, documents filed with the Environment Department show. SMC, through Central Luzon Premiere Power Corp., plans to construct a 1,420-megawatt (4 units of 355 MW) supercritical pulverized coal-fired power plant in Barangay Ibabang Polo, Pagbilao, Quezon. The CLPPC project costing P140 billion is expected to start construction in August this year. Commercial operation is scheduled by November 2024. SMC is also developing another 710-MW (2X355MW) supercritical pulverized coal project also in Barangay Ibabang Polo through Lumiere Energy Technologies Inc. The LETI project is estimated to cost P60 billion, with construction scheduled start in July 2021. Commercial operation is expected by July 2025. It will be located adjacent to CLPPC coal plant. SMC said the power plants would contribute to increased reliability and resiliency of the Luzon grid and help stimulate the local and provincial economy. “Given the country’s rapidly growing economy, the proposed power project will augment the demand for reliable and affordable baseload power supply. The proposed power plant will not only supply enough electricity to Filipino households and businesses but will also contribute to the national development,” it said. The projects will provide employment opportunities to the working age population of Pagbilao and neighboring municipalities during the construction period and during the plant’s commercial operation. The local government units will also benefit through revenue sharing and local taxes. SMC said the power plants will operate in an environmentally responsible manner. Pollution control devices and processes will be installed to meet the Department of Environment and Natural Resources standards.

to focus on advancing decarbonization by constructing the country’s first liquefied natural gas delivery terminal. This will be completed before our contract from the Malampaya natural gas field expires in 2024, and provide for the continuing reliable operations and expansion of our gas-fired power plants,” First Gen president and chief operating officer Francis Giles Puno said in a statement. First Gen operates 3,492 megawatts of clean low carbon and renewable portfolio. “First Gen will play a catalyzing role to unlock the use of clean, low-carbon natural gas for the power and other industries in the Philippines. This will certainly complement the feasibility for more variable renewable energy

projects throughout the Philippine archipelago,” Puno said. First Gen said its natural gas-fired power plants delivered increased recurring earnings for the year. The two newer gas plants—the 420MW San Gabriel and 97 MW Avion— generated higher electricity sales from their respective customers. Avion provided a larger increase in earnings as the merchant plant enjoyed higher dispatch and higher selling prices in 2019. The two older plants—the 1,000 MW Santa Rita and 500 MW San Lorenzo—performed steadily. The gas platform generated P10.1 billion recurring attributable net income to parent in 2019, up 5 percent from P9.7 billion ($186 million) in 2018. Alena Mae S. Flores

THE Gokongwei Group said it established a P100-million fund to help fight the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic in the country. The Gokongwei Brothers Foundation said in a statement the fund would be used to support national and local frontline health providers currently serving in various hospitals to combat the disease and the local communities where the conglomerate’s various businesses operate. It said the fund was on top of the ongoing initiatives undertaken by the various companies under the Gokongwei Group. GBF will provide urgently needed personal protective equipment such as surgical masks for healthcare frontliners and rapid test kits. It identified U.P. Medical Foundation and PGH Medical Foundation as priority list. Meanwhile, the subsidiaries of the Gokongwei group extended assistance to various stakeholders. Food manufacturing unit Universal Robina Corp. is donating food products such as coffee, crackers, cup noodles, mineral water and Vitasoy drinks to health workers in different hospitals. Real estate property arm Robinsons Land Corp. is providing support for the purchase of test kits for various hospitals in the National Capital Region. Robinsons Land agreed to waive rental charges for all non-operational tenants of various malls for the period during which the mall is closed because of the community quarantine. Robinsons Bank is offering customers an extension of the payment period for their various loan products. Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc., through various stores such as supermarkets, drugstores, convenience stores, has been operating to continuously serve the needs of Filipinos consumers during the enhanced community quarantine.

Business

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2020 extrastory2000@gmail.com

US leads economic fightback vs. virus By Stuart Williams

ARIS—The United States and Britain led a multibillion-dollar global fightback against economic havoc wreaked by the coronavirus as the European Union shut its borders to travelers from outside for 30 days to stem the pandemic’s ferocious spread. The sweeping measures, never before seen in peacetime, have upended society worldwide and roiled financial markets on fears of a global recession. The coronavirus outbreak, which first emerged in China late last year, has quickly marched across the globe, infecting nearly 200,000 people and killing 7,900 as governments scramble to contain it. Following criticism that they were mismanaging their crisis response, London and Washington on Tuesday announced massive economic stimulus

packages. President Donald Trump said the White House was discussing a “substantial” spending bill with Congress that would include immediate cash payments to Americans. Officials did not give hard numbers but The Washington Post reported the amount could reach $850 billion, with a chunk destined for airlines fearing ruin. “We’re going big,” Trump told reporters. British Finance Minister Rishi Sunak also unveiled an “unprecedented

package” of government-backed loans worth 330 billion pounds ($400 billion) for businesses struggling in the sudden economic paralysis caused by mass selfquarantine. France has pledged a 45-billion euro ($50 billion) aid package. German Chancellor Angela Merkel meanwhile confirmed the 30-day “entry ban” into the EU. European countries were already in near-total internal lockdown, with Belgium starting from Wednesday until at least April 5. The World Health Organization urged the “boldest actions” on the continent, the pandemic’s latest epicenter. In the United States, restrictions continued to build, with Maryland becoming the latest state to delay presidential election primaries and New York City considering curfews. Australia urged citizens to not travel abroad, and banned gatherings of more

than 100 people. Asian hotspots China and South Korea have seen new infections and deaths level out in recent weeks— China reported just one new domestic case for the second consecutive day on Wednesday—but numbers are ballooning across Europe. Africa, with its fragile healthcare systems, has also recorded more than 400 cases, and Latin America has more than 1,100, with the continent’s most populated country Brazil confirming its first death on Tuesday. ‘Invisible enemy’ Trump, who for weeks has been accused of playing down the crisis, appeared determined to take control of his messaging, declaring he would do everything to fight an “invisible enemy.” “We have to win this war,” he said at the White House, where staff and journalists now have to undergo regular temperature checks.

Battered US stocks—which Trump considers a key metric of his success ahead of the November presidential election—closed higher after the stimulus announcement. Trump had acknowledged on Monday that the economy might be sliding into recession. In France, President Emmanuel Macron also likened the outbreak to war and ordered almost the entire population to stay at home for at least two weeks. Britain stepped up its own measures following scientific advice that infections and deaths would spiral without drastic action. Citizens were told to avoid all nonessential overseas travel and large social gatherings, with more stringent restrictions expected in the coming days. Germany has banned gatherings in churches, mosques and synagogues and said playgrounds and non-essential shops would close, too.

Asian stock markets sink as stimulus rally fizzles HONG KONG―Asian markets sank Wednesday as investors struggled to build on an early rally fueled by global stimulus pledges, including a more than $1-trillion package flagged by the United States. With borders being shut and countries going into lockdown, there is a broad expectation the world economy will plunge into recession as markets convulse. Dealers across the planet, who have been sent running for the hills, have been begging for government measures to mitigate the impact of the disease as trade collapses and businesses close. Tokyo ended down 1.7 percent, while Sydney plunged more than six percent and Hong Kong lost more than three percent in the afternoon, while Shanghai was 1.8 percent off. Seoul shed almost five percent, Mumbai lost 3.5 percent and Jakarta and Taipei retreated more than two percent. Singapore was 0.7 percent lower but Wellington and Bangkok squeezed out gains. “The missing fundamental ingredient for a sustainable recovery in risk appetite is some evidence that the growth of global COVID-19 infection rates is peaking,” said Paul O’Connor, head of multi-asset at Janus Henderson Investors. “Clearly, we are not there yet.” On Tuesday, the US led the charge, with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin saying officials were drawing up a package that could surpass $1 trillion, on top of $300 billion in deferred tax payments, making it among the largest federal emergency plans ever and far surpassing assistance during the 2008 global financial meltdown. The measures would include cash payments to struggling families, with Mnuchin warning the pandemic could drive US unemployment to 20 percent, a Republican Senate source told CNN. “We don’t want people losing jobs and having no money to live,” Donald Trump said at a White House press conference, adding that the package “is a substantial number. We are going big.” Also Tuesday British finance chief Rishi Sunak unveiled an “unprecedented package” of government-backed loans worth ￡330 billion ($400 billion), while France and Spain announced tens of billions of euros in aid. AFP

EMPTY. Fisherman’s Wharf and surrounding streets are seen empty in San Francisco California on March 17, 2020. Millions of San Francisco area residents last Monday were ordered to stay home to slow the spread of the deadly coronavirus as part of a lockdown effort covering a section of California including Silicon Valley. AFP

Companies hit pause button as outbreak infects world economy Oil nosedive PARIS―Layoffs and cutting costs... companies are trying to adapt as the coronavirus hits demand and the draconian measures taken to contain the spread of the illness undercut both production and demand. With the economic impact of the coronavirus threatening the survival of many firms, governments have pledged tens of billions to help them limp along, or failing that, to bankroll outright rescues or nationalization if necessary. Here are some measures companies have implemented. Suspending production Several industrial giants, in particular in the automobile industry, have moved to reduce or even suspend their production. Nissan suspended production at its Sunderland plant in northern England, the automaker’s biggest plant in Europe, employing about 7,000 workers. French automobile manufacturer Peugeot-Citroen is shutting down all of its production sites in Europe, and ItalianUS carmaker Fiat Chrysler, with which it is in the process of merging, also intends to close most of its facilities on the

continent, as does its American counterpart Ford. Germany’s VW said Tuesday it would shutter most of its European plants for two to three weeks. France’s Renault is halting production at plants in France, Spain and Slovenia. Tire giant Michelin is halting production at its sites in Spain, France and Italy for at least a week. Airbus said it was suspending work at its French and Spanish plants for four days to take measures to improve workplace safety in light of the coronavirus. Even the luxury industry is taking steps. Gucci, part of the Kering group, is closing all of its sites until March 20. Meanwhile Hermes is shutting its manufacturing sites until the end of the month. In Germany, long-distance bus companies Flixbus and Blablabus said they were halting services to and from Germany as new travel restrictions take effect. Reduced hours, forced leave, layoffs A slew of American retailers have shut some or all of their outlets, including Nike, Macy’s, Crate & Barrel

and Gap. The iconic Saks Fifth Avenue flagship store in New York is closed, and Apple has shuttered its stores outside of China. The situation is particularly catastrophic for the travel industry, with US hotel giant Marriott shutting down some of its properties and furloughing tens of thousands of workers. Airlines have been hit by a doublewhammy: plunging demand and sweeping travel restrictions imposed by governments. They have taken different measures to adapt. Russian airline Aeroflot has asked employees who have accumulated extra time off to use it. Air France says it will look at reducing working hours, a measure that several countries have facilitated with easier access to state benefits for workers now forced into part-time work. Low-cost airline Ryanair, which has forecast an 80 percent drop in flights for April and May, said it is looking at that option along with voluntary departures and temporarily suspending work contracts. AFP

‘Worse than 9/11’: Coronavirus threatens global airline industry NEW YORK―Fears of massive bankruptcies and calls for emergency bailouts swept global airlines Tuesday as a top US official warned the coronavirus crisis threatens the industry even more than the September 11 attacks, which saw US airspace shut down entirely. I Italy moved to take over insolvent Alitalia while Sweden and Denmark offered 275 million euros in guarantees to help prop up Scandinavian carrier SAS. In the United States, airlines sought $50 billion in help from the government as the White House prepared a reportedly $850-billion plan to support the entire economy. “This is worse than 9/11 for the airline industry―they are ground to a halt,” US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said. Industry officials said most airlines face burning through their cash reserves in three months or less. And airlines warned that vital air cargo could be impacted by the shutdown

A Boeing 777 bearing the Alitalia livery is parked at Rome’s Fiumicino international airport on March 17, 2020. Italy’s government said on March 17, 2020 it will renationalize the bankrupt former national carrier Alitalia to make sure crises like the coronavirus pandemic never strand its compatriots abroad. AFP

of 185,000 passenger flights around the world. “Most airlines in the world will be bankrupt” by the end of May, Market intelligence firm CAPA warned. “If the crisis will continue at that in-

tensity, it’s clear we will see a consolidation,” Alexandre de Juniac, director general and CEO of the International Air Transport Association, said in Geneva. Alitalia nationalized More airlines slashed flights Tuesday

as millions of passengers cancelled travel to self-quarantine and countries blocked arrivals to stem the spread of the COVID-19 infection. Belgium-based Brussels Airlines, a Lufthansa subsidiary which operates 48 aircraft, suspended all flights for at least a month on Tuesday. Lufthansa has already cut back flights by 90 percent. In Australia, Qantas slashed international capacity by 90 percent early Tuesday, as the government required that anyone arriving from abroad needs to isolate themselves for 14 days to be sure they are not carrying the virus. Italy’s government said it would take over Alitalia, the former flag carrier already mired in bankruptcy negotiations since 2017. “At a time like this, a flag carrier gives the government more leeway,” said Deputy Economy Minister Laura Castelli. “We all saw the difficulties our compatriots faced in returning to Italy. Our decision stems from this.” AFP

piles pressure on S. Arabia RIYADH, Saudi Arabia—From empty hotels to shuttered beauty salons, oildependent Saudi Arabia is bracing for a coronavirus-led economic slump on top of possible austerity measures as crude prices go into free fall. Huge losses are expected after the Arab world’s biggest economy shut down cinemas, malls and restaurants, halted flights, suspended the year-round umrah pilgrimage and locked down eastern Qatif region—home to around 500,000—in a bid to contain the deadly virus. The top crude exporter also faces plummeting oil prices, which slipped below $30 a barrel this week for the first time in four years, on the back of sagging demand and a price war with Russia. The shock of this liquidity sapping cocktail of events has necessitated austerity measures which are likely to imperil grandiose diversification projects. Adding to the chain of events are the recent arrests of King Salman’s brother and nephew, which triggered speculation of political instability amid the government’s public silence on the royal purge. “It’s crisis time,” said a Saudi government employee, explaining why he had begun converting part of his salary into US dollars and gold coins. “Everything is unpredictable and we should be ready for the worst.” The central bank has shrugged off fears that plunging oil prices were straining the kingdom’s currency, pegged for decades to the US dollar. A jeweller in Riyadh told AFP he had fielded a number of enquiries to convert “substantial amounts of cash” into gold bars and coins. Many government workers fear cuts to state allowances are coming despite rising living costs. Some Saudis also worry that recruitment in the public and private sectors will freeze, just as unemployment was already high. Meanwhile, Saudi students are worried that government scholarships for overseas education will take a hit.AFP

Nickie Wang, Issue Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2020

Entertainment North American box office sinks to two-decade low

Kapuso Foundation launches campaign to aid medical frontliners GMA Kapuso Foundation (GMAKF) is calling for monetary and online donations to help provide basic medical supplies for the workers at the frontlines in the fight against COVID-19. The much needed funds will be used to purchase face masks, rubbing alcohol, hand sanitizers, and gloves for medical workers of public government hospitals and frontliners at the border points during the community quarantine implementation. GMAKF discourages material donations from the public to keep people home and off the streets to avoid the spread of virus. Online bank donations are highly recommended. To donate and view GMAKF’s bank details, please visit www.gmanetwork. com/kapusofoundation/donate.

Since 1991, GMA Kapuso Foundation, as the network’s socio-civic arm, has been touching the lives of communities everywhere, uplifting the life of countless beneficiaries.

UNDER the shadow of the coronavirus outbreak, the North American box office had its lowest weekend ticket sales in two decades as viewers stayed home and theaters closed or slashed capacities, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said. Pixar/Disney’s animated film Onward retained the top spot for the second week, but saw ticket sales for the Friday-to-Sunday period plummet from last week’s $39 million to just $10.6 million. Overall, the box office sank to $53.5 million—a figure even smaller than the weekends after the 9/11 attacks in 2001. The mayors of New York and Los Angeles have ordered all movie theaters to close in their cities. North America’s top movie theater chains are shutting or reducing capacities to allow “social distancing”. AMC—the largest, with 8,000 screens across the continent—will cap US audiences at 50 percent, while Regal is closing all US screens from Tuesday “until further notice.” In second spot for the weekend was

new Sony film Bloodshot, a superhero film starring Vin Diesel. It took in $9.2 million. Third spot went to another new release, Lionsgate’s I Still Believe, at $9.1 million. The cast of the Christian romantic drama includes country singer Shania Twain. Universal’s thriller The Invisible Man placed fourth, at $5.9 million. It stars Elisabeth Moss as the former girlfriend of a man who returns to haunt her after supposedly committing suicide. And in fifth spot was another new film, Universal’s thriller The Hunt, at $5.3 million. Hilary Swank and Betty Gilpin are among the stars in a tale of a dozen strangers who find themselves being pursued, as a sport, by a group of wealthy hunters. Due to the pandemic, Universal said upcoming releases will be made available via home streaming on the same day they hit remaining theaters. Films currently playing in theaters will be available to stream “as early as Friday.” AFP

This theater in Seattle, Washington, was closed due to coronavirus fears on March 12, one of an estimated 100 theaters to do so in North America.

Tom Hanks released from hospital after virus quarantine Verzes led by crooner from Tawag Ng Tanghalan Rico Garcia (far left) with London-based composer Rusty Malllilin (seated). The group will soon release a song called ‘Ligaya’ in time for a UK tour in September.

Power of three

O MUCH things have happened early on in the year, from Kobe Bryant’s death to COVID-19 outbreak. With social distancing in effect and an enhanced community quarantine officially implemented, it’s certainly not the best time for a musical group to take the baby steps, unless it’s one matured enough to face the music and destined to be created in the midst of a virusstricken world.

Early this month, vocal trio Verzes, bannered by Rico Garcia of “Tawag Ng Tanghalan” fame, appeared on Net 25’s Pambansang Almusal without a hint that in a few days’ time, Metro Manila, then the rest of Luzon, would be quarantined to keep the dreaded coronavirus from spreading. At least they have already spread some good news about their newly created ensemble and shared their wonderful harmonies to the public by the time COVID-19 took over. Verzes is tuned to this year’s nature to surprise, with the group suddenly finding itself happening several weeks back after bossa nova specialist Marvin Velasquez recruited Jeri Barrios to join a group he and close friend Rico were envisioning. Rico remembered exchanging messages with Jeri and sensing he was talking to the right fellow even if they haven’t met yet. “When you are an artist, mararamdaman mo kung magkapareho kayo ng

preferences o magkakasundo kayo kahit hindi pa kayo nagkikita,” said Rico whose mainstream TV exposure a couple of years back made some quarters rate him as a first-rate jazz crooner. Rico’s solo effort “Lovestruck in London Square” emphasized that ability and reflected his admiration for the city mentioned in the title. His manager Rusty Mallillin is a London-based songwriter who helped introduced Marvin to the British audience. Verzes is actually a passion project for its members as Jeri, a TV commercial model with considerable singing experience in hotels and lounge bars, is also pursuing his own solo career. Being under the same management Erasmostar makes it less complicated for them to perform as a unit. Not to mention the enjoyment that comes along singing together and lending each other’s styles for a common goal.

HOLLYWOOD A-lister Tom Hanks has been released from the Australian hospital where he was in isolation since testing positive for the coronavirus last week, but his wife Rita Wilson remains hospitalized, health officials said Tuesday. The multiple Oscar-winning actor was on the Gold Coast near Brisbane to film an Elvis Presley biopic directed by Australian Baz Luhrmann when he and Wilson, both 63, came down with the disease. Wilson, a singer-songwriter, had given concerts in Sydney and Brisbane before testing positive for COVID-19 and Australian authorities have been tracking the couple’s contacts to identify

any other people who may have been infected. Australia has so far confirmed nearly 400 cases of coronavirus, with five deaths from the disease. The couple have posted to social media about their run-in with COVID-19, thanking their Australian carers and urging their fans to follow the advice of experts on avoiding the disease. Hanks was believed to have returned to the penthouse apartment in the Gold Coast where the couple had been staying while he worked on the Lurhmann film, in which he was due to portray Elvis’ long-time manager, Colonel Tom Parker. AFP

YUGEL LOSORATA

Jeric noted, “We feel like we three jive musically. Experience-wise hinog na din lahat and our individual journeys made us all ready for this.” Last month I dined with all three in an all-you-can-eat restaurant, along with the Manila-visiting Rusty, and I could see there was that closeness among them. They came from a rehearsal and were excitedly discussing about their upcoming recording. At some point I opened the subject of inexperienced singers becoming recording artists in an instant because one guy videoed them singing somewhere and the upload went viral. To this, Rico expressed, “I believe that a true artist never stops learning. Fame may come but your job is to explore more possibilities.” That’s precisely is the idea with Verzes, merging together Rico’s jazzy groove to that of Marvin’s bossa nova calm and Jeri’s pop ballad expression.

Multiple Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks was on the Gold Coast near Brisbane to film an Elvis Presley biopic when he came down with coronavirus.

Life

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

HOUSEHOLD

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2020

Households can minimize their exposure to coronavirus by cleaning and disinfecting their homes, especially the frequently touched surfaces.

How to clean and disinfect your home By Steph Llarena

ITH the threat of coronavirus, it has become the responsibility of members of the household to minimize exposure to the virus by practicing routine cleaning and disinfecting their living spaces. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, routine cleaning must involve frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs, light switches, handles, tables and desks, remote controls, toilets, faucets, and sinks. Household cleaners and EPA-registered disinfectants appropriate for the said surfaces (check the label) must be used. While the CDC guidelines are for households with people isolated in home care (suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19), we can also use this in keeping our houses clean and coronavirus-free. Wear disposable gloves when cleaning and disinfecting surfaces Gloves should be discarded after cleaning; if using reusable variants, they must only be dedicated to cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces. Use soap and water for cleaning; diluted household bleach or 70 percent alcohol solution for disinfecting When cleaning surfaces, the CDC rec-

ommends using detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection. Follow it up with diluted bleach or alcohol solution— as long as appropriate for the surface to be cleaned. Mix five tablespoons or 1 1/3 cup of bleach per gallon of water. For normal disinfecting, the Department of Health recommends 1 part bleach to 99 parts water. Wash soft and porous items in warm water Carpets, rugs, and curtains must be washed using laundry detergent and “the warmest appropriate water setting for the items,” according to the CDC. Use disinfectant spray on soft surfaces like mattresses Spray down couches and mattresses to remove germs and viruses. Disinfectant spray can also be used on countertops and handles. Experts strongly recommend disinfecting other frequently touched objects such as cellphones, wallets, pens, computer keyboard and mouse or touchpad.

Operating hours of supermarkets in Luzon HERE are the updated (as of March 17 until further notice) operating schedules of the following supermarkets and hypermarkets in Luzon: All Day Supermarket - 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Landers Superstore - 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p. Landmark Supermarket (Makati) - 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Landmark Supermarket (Trinoma) - 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Landmark Supermarket (Alabang and Nuvali) - 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Metro Supermarket (Metro Manila) - 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Metro Supermarket (Imus) 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Metro Supermarket (Legazpi) - 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Mix one part bleach to 99 parts water to make an effective solution in disinfecting select surfaces.

Bills payment extension

Several supermarkets in Luzon are open during the enhanced community quarantine.

(Mon-Thu) / 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (Fri-Sun) Metro Supermarket (Lucena) - 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Metro Hypermarket (Plaza 66) - 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Metro Hypermarket (Naga) 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Puregold - regular opening hours to 7:00 p.m. Robinsons Supermarket - regular opening time to 7:00 p.m. Rustan’s (Supermarket and The Marketplace)* - 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Rustan’s The Marketplace (Uptown BGC) - 11:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Shopwise (Araneta, Alabang, Commonwealth, Makati, Sucat, Sta. Rosa) - 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Shopwise (Circuit) - 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Shopwise (Batangas) - 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. SM Markets (Supermarket, Hypermarket, Savemore) - 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. S&R Membership Shopping 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Walter Mart - 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. * Shangri-La and The 30th branches are closed due to lack of personnel

AS OF March 18, several businesses have announced bills payment extension and other leeway for their respective customers. ENERGY AND WATER Meralco 30-day payment extension for bills due from March 1 to April 14. Manila Water 30-day payment extension for due dates that fall within the quarantine period. Maynilad Water Services 30-day payment extension and disconnection activities will be suspended until April 14. TELECOMMUNICATIONS Globe Telecom 30-day payment extension for mobile and broadband services bills due from March 15 to April 14. PLDT, Smart Communications 30-day payment extension for postpaid bills. CABLE TELEVISION Cignal TV 30-day payment extension for all postpaid subscribers. SkyCable 30-day payment extension. BANKS Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) 30-day grace period on payments for credit card, personal, home, auto, and SME loans of qualified clients. BDO Unibank, Inc. 60-day payment extension for qualified credit card, auto, home, personal, and SME loan clients with due dates up to April 15.

CIMB Bank 30-day payment extension for due dates of qualified personal loan borrowers. East West Banking Corp. 30-day payment extension for auto, personal, mortgage, and EEL loans, and credit cards of eligible customers. Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank) 30-day grace period on payments for auto, home, and personal loans of qualified clients. Security Bank Corp. 30-day payment extension for credit card, and home, personal, auto, business mortgage, and business loans due March 16 to April 14. All ATM fees are waived. Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) 30-day payment extension for auto, home, personal, and salary loans of clients in good standing. Free fund transfers via Instapay until April 15 and free transfers via Pesonet until further notice. INSURANCE FWD Life 90-day grace period on premium payments for customers with confirmed COVID-19 cases and 60-day grace period for all other customers. Manulife 60-day payment extension for all life insurance policies due from March 16 to April 30. Extended deadline for filing of COVID-19 related claims from March 10 to June 30. SunLife 91-day grace period extension on premium payments for policies or pre-need plans due from February 15 to May 31.