VOL. XXXIV • NO. 254 • 2 SECTIONS 8 PAGES • P18 • SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
Cagayan floods ‘like Pacific Ocean’ • Isabela, Pampanga still inundated • Ulysses death toll climbs to 37 Cagayan province looks like a proverbial waterworld from the catastrophic rains caused by Typhoon Ulysses. Rescuers scramble to evacuate residents, many of whom were stranded on their rooftops for more than 24 hours as the waters released from Magat Dam caused the already swollen Cagayan River to overflow. PCG, DOTr
By Joyce Pangco Pañares
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T LEAST 156 barangays in 24 towns in Cagayan province were inundated with floodwaters—looking like a murky Pacific Ocean, according to a disaster management official—due to torrential rains brought by Typhoon Ulysses and monsoon rains as well as the release of water from Magat Dam.
“Cagayan now looks like the Pacific Ocean. All municipalities along Cagayan River are flooded,” said Col. Ascio Macalan of the Provincial Risk Reduction and Management Office in an interview with ABS-CBN’s TeleRadyo. The Tuguegarao City Command Center said almost the entire province was under water, and residents stayed on their rooftops for more than 24 hours since Friday while waiting to be rescued. Macalan said more than 13,000 families or 47,000 residents in Cagayan were severely affected by the floods.
The entire province was placed under a state of calamity on Saturday as Ulysses left at least nine people dead, Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba told dzBB. Mamba said four died from a landslide, two from drowning, and three from electrocution. Large swathes of neighboring province Isabela and Pampanga in Central Luzon likewise remained submerged in floodwaters Saturday. Data released by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council
yesterday night put the typhoon death toll at 37—20 in Cagayan Valley region, six in Calabarzon, five in Bicol, and six in the Cordillera Administrative Region. The NDRRMC deployed some 3,700 personnel to Cagayan and Isabela, but search and rescue operations were hampered by thoroughfares that remained impassable. From Cordillera to Sierra Madre “We could not move around. All the roads are closed. The high is under water. The entire valley from Cordillera to Sierra Madre was filled with water. You
cannot even discern where is Cagayan, where is the highway,” Mamba said. President Rodrigo Duterte will visit the severely flooded province today (Sunday) as Malacañang belied accusations that the national government was caught unprepared by the massive flooding in Cagayan and Isabela. “We were not caught unprepared because we were able to preposition,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a press briefing. “The rescue operations in Cagayan continue. Indeed, this is a challenging time for every Filipino. Together, we ask everyone to unite, help one another, and show kindness to our fellowmen,” Roque added. The hashtag #CagayanNeedsHelp trended late Friday evening with posting photos and audio clips of residents trapped on their rooftops crying out for help
Aside from the floodwaters, the province’s health protocols against the novel coronavirus disease has limited the movement of search and rescue teams and even media outlets. This prompted Interior Secretary Eduardo Año to order the Cagayan provincial government to ease its strict restrictions, including a 14-day quarantine for non-residents. “The situation in Cagayan requires unhampered disaster response and recovery operations by rescue and relief organizations. Therefore, all LGUs in Cagayan and Isabela should ease up access in their areas to facilitate disaster operations,” Año said. The management of the COVID-19 pandemic, Año added, should not hamper nor delay the entry, passage, or operations of all government and private sector humanitarian assistance and response personnel.
Duterte creates quick-response task force for typhoon-battered areas By Vito Barcelo, Joel Zurbano and Jess Malabanan PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the creation of a task force for the government’s response on the devastation of Typhoon Ulysses and Super Typhoon Rolly, with both leaving at least 59 people dead and a swathe of destruction in much of Luzon. “Our government is making guidelines to help our people affected by the typhoon. Thus, I created a trask force,” Duterte said in a televised address heard nationwide. “I directed them to streamline, to hasten the rehabilitation efforts [for those] affected by the typhoon. Second, the task force is made up of different agencies and all are involved in this,” he said. Meanwhile, in a series of Viber messages to reporters, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council spokesperson Mark Cashean Timbal said 16 deaths
COVID-19 PH
were recorded in the Cagayan Valley region, six in Calabarzon, five in Bicol, and six in the Cordillera region. The number of injured was placed at 22 – three in Cagayan Valley, nine in Calabarzon, eight in Bicol, and two in the Cordillera region. Those reported missing are now at 20 with five in Cagayan Valley, two in Calabarzon, eight in Bicol, and five in the Cordillera region. Timbal said damage to agriculture had been estimated at P968 million in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Bicol, and Cordillera, while damage to infrastructure was placed at P253 million in Ilocos and Mimaropa. Some 3,013 houses were also damaged in the Ilocos and Cordillera regions. In Central Luzon, disaster-control officials recorded P52 million in damage to agricultural lands, planted to high value crops including palay, in at least 101 villages in
Pampanga. Pampanga Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Officer Angelina Blanco said over 2,200 hectares of agricultural lands have been inundated by widespread flooding. “Ulysses has left wide damage to agriculture, residential houses and government infrastructure in Pampanga,” said Blanco, citing reports from line government agencies including the Provincial Agriculture Office. Blanco said P617,500 worth of livestock including poultry buildings had been damaged in Magalang and San Simon towns. Strong winds flattened 182 houses while 1,666 more others have been partially damaged in almost all towns in the province. Meanwhile, state pension fund Government Service Insurance System said it was offering emergency loan to its members and pensioners affected by Ulysses, Rolly and other typhoons that hit the country since October this year.
GSIS President and General Manager Rolando Ledesma Macasaet said “Members and pensioners may borrow P20,000 under the GSIS Emergency Loan Program. The loan is payable in 36 equal monthly instalments at only 6 percent interest rate,” Macasaet said in a statement. Qualified to apply are members who are in active service and not on leave of absence without pay; have no pending administrative or criminal case; and have a net take-home pay of not lower than P5,000 after all required monthly obligations have been deducted. Those that have due and demandable loan accounts (have arrears of over six months) are now allowed to renew their previous emergency loan from a different calamity (excluded under the COVID-19 Emergency Loan Program). It was on November 1 when the country faced the wrath of Super Typhoon Rolly, killing at least 22 people and damaging properties while Typhoon Ulysses ravaged
AL-QAEDA’S NO. 2 PRINCESS DIANA’S BE PART OF ALDEN’S KILLED IN IRAN DRAMATIC DEBUT VIRTUAL CONCERT
AT A GLANCE
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406,337 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES
1,650 35,478 NEW
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7,791
39
363,068
194
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RECOVERIES
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the country last Wednesday, November 12, submerging much of Luzon, particularly Central Luzon north of the capital and the Cagayan Valley hemmed in by the Sierra Madre and the Caraballo Mountains. The President said the task force would be given a time line to lay out plans ensuring that response and relief operations would not be delayed “and cut the red tape to facilitate delivery of aid for the affected residents.” “All of the agencies are in the task force. I gave them a time line for them to make steps ensuring there will not be any delay in the distribution of aid,” he said. The President said these agencies were working round the clock, adding “all those who could give help are there. The Coast Guard has helicopters in the area. The search and rescue has support forces. The Coast Guard has already been deployed in Region 2.” The chief executive said the Philippine Coast Guard, Army, and Navy were being deployed for search and rescue in submerged areas. In Malacañang, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the government vowed not to leave anyone behind in the on-going relief and other response efforts undertaken by various government agencies in all areas affected by the two typhoons that wrough massive damage to the Bicol region and Central Luzon, including Metro Manila. “No one will be left behind. We will get through this crisis,” Roque said. In a statement, Roque cited data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council which said Ulysses had less reported casualties and injuries compared to 2009’s typhoon Ondoy that recorded a death toll of 464 with 529 injured. “We can see how prepared is the administration under Presidente Duterte,” said Roque, adding “the President was always there monitoring and advising the people to keep safe.”
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RELIEF: Soldiers of the Joint Task
Force-NCR of the Armed Forces of the Philippines load relief goods at the DSWD warehouse in Pasay City on Nov. 14, 2020. (Inset) In Catanduanes, the BRP Gabriela Silang, BRP Malapascua, and BRP Sindangan arrived safely at the Port of Virac to unload some 73 tons of goods to be distributed in municipalities battered by Super Typhoon Rolly. Norman Cruz
PH logs 1,650 new COVID-19 infections Survivors T urge: Build By Willie Casas
HE Philippines logged on Saturday 1,650 new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, bringing the total to 406,337, the Department of Health (DOH) reported, as nine laboratories failed to submit their reports.
The DOH also reported that there were 194 persons who recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 363,068 or 89.4 percent of the total cases, and 194 new fatalities, bringing
Speaker wants death for rapists By Maricel V. Cruz SPEAKER Lord Allan Velasco has sought the inclusion of rape among the crimes proposed to be covered when the death penalty is reimposed The bill mandating the reimposition of the death penalty originally covered illegal drug-related crimes only. Velasco urged lawmakers to consider rape during deliberations of pending measures calling for the reinstatement of capital offense. “With regard to [the restoration of] death penalty, personally, I am in agreement that we need the death penalty but specifically for drugs related crimes and rape,” Velasco såaid. “These are the offenses as long as connected, that should be penalized to the extreme. These are unacceptable. I will push death penalty for those two crimes,” he added. Velasco had committed to pursue the reimposition of death penalty even before he assumed the speakership vice Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano who was ousted by his colleagues in the House of Represetatives following his refusal to honor the term-haring gentlemen’s agreement he had with Velasco. President Rodrigo Duterte has made several requests for Congress to pass a bill restoring the death penalty on drug-related charges. Velasco said he believed the proposal to reinstate death penalty was a “good strategy” to effectively deter heinous crimes. “My point is to actually stop or prevent crimes like rape and illegal drugs. I think we need to reinforce the penalties that may be imposed, because criminals take the present penalties for granted... they are no longer afraid of the law,” Velasco added. Velasco said the next 19th Congress had all the time to deliberate the measure if the 18th Congress would not be able to pass the measure. The House is now more focused on the measures related to COVID-19 relief and mitigation efforts, he said.
the death toll to 7,791, which is 1.92 percent of the total cases. In its latest bulletin, DOH said “nine labs were not able to submit their data to the COVID-19 Data Repository Sys-
tem on November 13, 2020.” Top cities and provinces with highest new cases are Laguna, 84; Davao City, 81; Cavite, 73; Quezon Province, 71; and Rizal, 64. There are 35,478 active cases, which is 8.7 percent of the total number of cases. Of the active cases, 83.9 percent are mild; 9.6 percent are asymptomatic; 4.1 percent are critical; 2.3 percent are severe; and 0.13 percent are moderate. The DOH also reported that, nationwide, of the approximately 1,900 to-
tal ICU bed capacity, 54 percent were available; of the approximately 13,500 total isolation bed capacity, 59 percent were available; of the approximately 5,900 total ward bed capacity, 69 percent were available; and of the approximately 2,000 units of ventilators, 78 percent were available. A total 26 duplicates were removed from the total case count. Of these, 13 were recovered cases. Moreover, 16 cases previously tagged as recovered were reclassified as deaths, the DOH said.
FATALITIES.
Police rescue personnel retrieved 10 cadavers from the site of the landslide caused by Typhoon Ulysses’ eavy rains in Brgy. Runruno in Nueva Vizcaya. Ben Ebreo, PLGU Nueva Vizcaya
Lawmaker pushes for Sierra Madre body By Maricel V. Cruz FOLLOWING massive flooding in the towns in his legislative district, a congressman from Rizal on Saturday reiterated his call for the creation of a government body tasked to oversee the rehabilitation of the Sierra Madre range that protects Metro Manila from winds and the accompanying floods brought by typhoons. Deputy Majority Leader and Rizal Rep. Fidel Nograles said there was “a critical need to put up a government body to oversee, manage, and care for the 500 kilometer-long Sierra Madre Mountain Range in order to protect the biodiverse area’s forest cover and prevent flooding in
several areas in Luzon.” Nograles represents the Second District of Rizal, two towns of which—Montalban and San Mateo—sustained destructive floods from waters coming from Sierra Madre. Typhoon flooding in eastern Metro Manila all the way to towns in the Cagayan Valley “emphasize the importance of taking concrete steps to care for the Sierra Madre mountain region,” Nograles said. “The mountain really has a big impact during weather disturbances. The increased frequency and severity of flooding in areas close to the Marikina River, as well as in towns in the Cagayan Valley are attributed to the loss of Sierra Madre’s forest cover––and we can no longer ig-
nore this,” Nograles said. “There is clearly a need to provide this vital mountain range with further safeguards and protection while finding ways to responsibly develop part of the range not under its Protected Areas,” he added. House Bill 5634, filed by Nograles last year, creates the Sierra Madre Development Authority, tasked, aside from protecting the mountain range, with adopting “a wholistic approach to enhance development of indigenous resources of the Sierra Madre region to its fullest potential for economic development in order to raise the standard of living of those residing in the area.”
back better
By Ronald O. Reyes TACLOBAN City—Vincent Basiano, 38, returned to the streets with other storm survivors on November 8 to air their plight and demand justice over the “failed” reconstruction program of the government as the Philippines marked this year’s seventh anniversary of super typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan). While the country is reeling from another devastation brought by super typhoon Rolly on November 1, followed by typhoon Ulysses on Nov. 12, Basiano and his fellow storm survivors in Tacloban city hoped survivors of Rolly in Bicol region would not experience the same “neglect and injustice” in the reconstruction program. The Community of Yolanda Survivors and Partners, a broad coalition of 163 community organizations of typhoon survivors and 11 non-government organizations like the Caritas Philippines, reiterated that the Yolanda reconstruction “did not adequately address pre-existing vulnerabilities of survivors, such as those of informal settlers, fisher folks, farmers and indigenous peoples, among others.” “Sufficient attention was never given to the community participation necessary to achieve a people-centered reconstruction process… Lastly, there remains no effective mechanism to make erring officials and employees of agencies involved in the Yolanda reconstruction accountable,” it added. The group said that while there have been well-documented inefficiencies and corruption at various levels of the bureaucracy, including wastage of relief goods, inappropriate and substandard shelter construction works, and anomalous distribution of emergency shelter assistance implementation, it remains unclear if anyone has been seriously prosecuted and made to account as a result of recommendations from these congressional investigations.”
Customs feted for innovative programs By Joel E. Zurbano
CHANGE OF COMMAND. Police chief Gen. Debold Sinas administers the turnover ceremony between outgoing Region 4-A police director Brig. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. and his successor, Brig. Gen. Felipe Natividad on Nov. 14, 2020 in Camp Vicente Lim in Canlubang, Laguna. JR Josue
THE Institute for Solidarity in Asia (ISA) has recognized the Customs bureau for its innovative program aimed at transforming the bureau into a worldclass Customs Administration by 2022. The agency earned the Gold Governance Trailblazer award, the highest distinction given by ISA, in recognition of its outstanding planning, management and implementation of programs. Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero thanked lawyers Ma. Lourdes Mangaoang and Noemi Garcia for leading the Office of Strategy Management and the core team as the bureau successfully passed ISA’s Performance Governance System’s compliance stage. In 2019, the BoC received the same recognition as it passed the 1st Stage or
the Initiation of PGS. The PGS is a framework for transformation that empowers institutions to deliver breakthrough results. It contributes to national development and inclusive growth by guiding institutions through a four-stage pathway designed to create, execute, and sustain effective transformation strategies ISA, which introduced the system, is an independent group working with government agencies in hopes of achieving socio-economic breakthrough through collaboration. During the Public Governance Forum-BoC Compliance Revalida on Nov. 10, Guerrero presented the agency’s performance and compliance reports, programs and innovations and its drive in ensuring the alignment of resources and stakeholders.
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Al-Qaeda’s number two secretly killed in Iran: NYT
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L-QAEDA’S second-incommand, indicted in the US for the 1998 bombings of its embassies in Tanzania and Kenya, was secretly killed in Iran in August, The New York Times reported Friday.
Trust in vaccines vital to halting pandemic: WHO
This undated handout photo obtained from the FBI on Nov. 13, 2020 shows Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah, Al-Qaeda’s second-in-command who was on the FBI’s list of most wanted terrorists and has been secretly killed in Iran in August. AFP
Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah, who was on the FBI’s list of most wanted terrorists, was shot and killed in Tehran by two Israeli operatives on a motorcycle at the behest of the United States, intelligence officials confirmed to the Times. The attack, which took place on August 7 on the anniversary of the Africa bombings, has not been publicly acknowledged by the US, Iran, Israel or Al-Qaeda. The senior Qaeda leader, who went by the nom de guerre Abu Muhammad al-Masri, was killed along with his daughter, Miriam, the widow of Osama bin Laden’s son Hamza bin Laden, the Times said. US federal authorities had offered a $10 million reward for any information leading to his capture. Abdullah was the “most experienced and capable operational planner not in US or allied custody,” according to a highly classified document provided by the US National Counterterrorism Center in 2008, according to the Times. The bombings of the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998 left 224 people dead and more than 5,000 injured. Abdullah was indicted by a US federal grand jury later that year for his role. AFP
CONNECTED. A woman in Tokyo uses her smartphone in an interactive multimedia installation that connects Singapore and Japan in a time of separation. People in Singapore can interact with the installation to send dandelion fluffs floating virtually to locations in Japan to bloom into flowers, and vice versa – evoking connectivity in difficult times. AFP
AS THE world celebrates advances in vaccines against the novel coronavirus, a top WHO expert warned in an interview with AFP that public distrust risked rendering even the most effective treatments useless against the pandemic. “A vaccine that sits in a freezer or in a refrigerator or on a shelf and doesn’t get used is doing nothing to help shorten this pandemic,” said Kate O’Brien, director of the World Health Organization’s immunization department. US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech announced Monday that their prospective vaccine had proven 90 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 infections in ongoing final phase trials involving more than 40,000 people. O’Brien hailed the interim results as “extremely important,” and voiced hope that preliminary data from a handful of other candidate vaccines in similarly advanced trials would come through soon. If the complete data show that “one or more of these vaccines has very, very substantial efficacy, that is really good news for putting another tool in the toolbox” for fighting the pandemic, she said. But with the pandemic continuing to surge after already claiming some 1.3 million lives, she voiced deep concern at growing signs of vaccine hesitancy, with misinformation and mistrust coloring people’s acceptance of scientific advances. “We are not going to be successful as a world in controlling the pandemic with the use of vaccines as one of the tools unless people are willing to get vaccinated,” O’Brien said. More needed to be done to boost public “confidence in the fact that the vaccines that WHO is involved in evaluating, we will not be compromising on safety or efficacy,” she said. O’Brien acknowledged that there were a number of outstanding questions about the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine candidate and its peers, including how long protection against the virus would last. And while the vaccine candidates are being tested for how effectively and safely they protect people from developing the disease, it remains unclear whether they actually avert asymptomatic infection and transmission of the virus. AFP
Biden’s possible India links spark genealogical frenzy ALREADY bursting with pride at Kamala Harris’s ancestry, India has now started digging up potential local roots for US President-elect Joe Biden. The next leader of the United States has speculated that he might have had relatives in colonial India. While there is no proof, the Biden name has become a genealogical target of investigation across the country. A plaque commemorating 19th-century British ship captain Christopher Biden has been a popular selfie spot in the eastern city of Chennai since the US election. And a Biden family in western India says it has become “exhausted” by calls since their namesake staked his claim to the White House. The American vote has been under the spotlight in India because Biden’s running mate is the daughter of a migrant from Tamil Nadu state. The 56-year-old Harris has made much of her Indian connections and how she
likes to eat “idli with a really good sambar”—typical food from the south. Less attention has been paid to Biden, who has established Irish links. But he spoke of possible Indian connections on a trip to Mumbai in 2013 when he was vice president. Biden said in a speech that he had received a letter from an Indian Biden after becoming a senator in 1972, suggesting they could be related. “One of the first letters I received and I regret I never followed up on it,” he said. The letter said their “mutual, great, great, great, something or other worked for the East India Trading Company back in the 1700s.” It sparked excitement in Chennai, capital of Tamil Nadu state, which is also home to Harris’s Indian relatives. A plaque at St George’s Cathedral in Chennai that celebrates Christopher Biden, born in 1789, has suddenly become a local tourist draw. AFP
EXHIBIT. Tom Wesselmann’s ‘Still Life #57’ is on display during a press preview of MoMA’s first ever Fall Reveal at Museum of Modern Art in New York City. AFP
Court imposes travel ban on ousted Peru president A PERUVIAN judge on Friday banned ousted president Martin Vizcarra from leaving the country days after his dismissal by Congress as the nation’s political crisis spilled over into street clashes between protesters and police. The announcement came after thousands of people took to the streets in the capital Lima and cities
across Peru late Thursday to protest Vizcarra’s impeachment over corruption allegations. At least 14 protesters were wounded in clashes with police, the National Human Rights Coordinator said. Judge Maria Alvarez said she was imposing an 18-month travel ban on Vizcarra at the request of the Public
Prosecutor’s Office, investigating allegations that the 57-year-old received more than $600,000 in kickbacks from developers while a regional governor. “We have said that we will stay,” Vizcarra assured journalists Friday, once again rejecting the charges against him and questioning the legality of his removal. AFP
Trial to begin over foiled Paris train attack Hot air balloons light up during the ‘Magical Night’ part of 18th International Hot Air Balloon Festival in Leon, Guanajuato state. This year’s audience can enjoy the festival virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic. AFP
A MOROCCAN man goes on trial in France on Monday accused of an attempted terror attack on an Amsterdam-Paris train five years ago which was foiled by passengers whose heroic actions were turned into a Hollywood film. Director Clint Eastwood, 90, is on the witness list for the trial in Paris, and it is believed his 2018 film “The 15:17 to
Paris” will serve as a reconstruction of the events of August 21, 2015. Ayoub El Khazzani was tackled by passengers, including two off-duty American servicemen, shortly after emerging barechested and heavily armed from a toilet on a Thalys high-speed train. AFP
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Corteva Agriscience Philippines country director Arun Mittal
Corteva offers solutions against new farm pest GLOBAL agriculture leader Corteva Agriscience, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, recently held a forum for farmer leaders, agriculture organizations and industry leaders to help control the growing Fall Armyworm infestations across the Philippines. Corteva invited agriculture experts to discuss the spread and status of FAW in the country and offer sustainable solutions and strategies to manage the pest problem. Fall Armyworm feeds on several plant species but is most common in corn crops. It is native to the tropical regions of the western hemisphere from the United States to Argentina and has quickly become prevalent across Southeast Asia since it arrived in the region in 2018. In the Philippines, FAW infestation was first reported in June 2019 in Piat, Cagayan province. To date, a total of 19,646 hectares of corn crops and 160 hectares of sugarcanes have been infested in almost all regions in the country.
“The FAW Forum is a part of our commitment to provide continuous learning and education to Filipino farmers under the memorandum of understanding inked with the Department of Agriculture last year. We wanted to stage a cross-sharing on FAW situations in the Philippines to deeply understand the threats and impact it poses to our agriculture sector. At the same time, it was an avenue to exchange ideas on how to further improve our FAW management strategies,” said Corteva Agriscience Philippines country director Arun Mittal. Data from the DA show that if left unaddressed, FAW infestations can potentially result in an estimated 20-percent yield loss from 2.5 million hectares of corn fields with an estimated volume loss of 1.6 million metric tons valued at P20 billion within corn’s crop year. Despite resources being sometime inadequate, the collective effort of the DA and agriculture leaders helped the sector achieve a decline in cases as of Oct. 5, 2020. “To fully address our FAW problem, we call on the private sector, the academe, local government units, and other institutions that have both the technical and financial capabilities to collaborate with us. Let’s work together to fight FAW,” said Agriculture Secretary William Dar. “I congratulate Corteva and other collaborators for this joint endeavor.”
Business
Ray S. Eñano, Editor / Roderick dela Cruz, Issue Editor business@manilastandard.net
Disinfection industry grows amid pandemic
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rchitect Liza Morales does not want to capitalize on people’s fear of the coronavirus pandemic, but the absence of a vaccine or cure to the disease forced business establishments to look for alternatives such as disinfection solutions that can repel the virus in closed environments such as hotels, restaurants, offices and factories.
Julieta Capulong
St. Luke’s salutes hospital staff for longtime service
Morales is the chief executive of Philippine GeoGreen Inc., a leading provider of sustainable technology that started providing energy-efficient cooling solutions more than a decade ago. “Philippine Geogreen has been around for 12 years. We are a provider of green and sustainable technologies in the Philippines. We have worked with some of the top 500 companies in the Philippines. We have also worked with residential homes and offices,” she says. This year, she formed GeoClean—a business arm of Philippine GeoGreen to provide smart solutions to businesses and households and allow them to cope with the pandemic and other infectious diseases that undermine productivity and the broader economy. “What we had to do during the pandemic is pivot to new technologies that have allowed us to adapt, survive or thrive during this time,” she says. Morales says FreshAire UVC and Big Ass Fans Clean Air technologies, both imported from the US, can reduce by 99.9 percent the presence in the air of SARS Cov2—the coronavi-
Philippine GeoGreen Inc. chief executive Liza Morales
rus strain that causes COVID-19. “These products were well received this year,” she says. “We are doing better than I initially expected.” Morales believes in the ability of ultraviolet-C in inactivating viruses and bacteria in the air. “UVC technology has been around for 25 years. Third-party tests show it is effective,” she says. The US Food and Drug Administration, in its website, confirms that UVC radiation is a known disinfectant for air, water and nonporous surfaces. “UVC radiation may also be effective in inactivating the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which is the virus that causes COVID-19,” the agency says. Morales says FreshAire UVC products have disinfection capability that work well with existing heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, while Big Ass Fans have builtin mechanisms that provide ventilation, ultraviolet light and needlepoint ionization disinfection systems. “When we launched FreshAire UVC, the response was really great across all the verticals—commercial, offices, BPOs, hotels and residential,” she says. Morales says while there are no data yet to measure the size of the Philippine disinfection industry, the potential of the market is enormous. “There are 54 million square meters of spaces that need disinfection. These include sports complexes, shopping malls, restaurants, schools, airports and public spaces. There is a huge market for it and I see the potential for that,” she says. Morales says the mission of GeoClean is to provide cutting-edge technology for the new normal. “GeoClean aims to
provide high-class disinfection technology that offers Filipinos innovative solutions that will help ease their woes as we face the pandemic as a community,” she says. GeoClean offers products certified by the US Environmental Protection Agency, UL Standards and other internationally-recognized product standards, according to Morales. “We have an exciting array of products in the pipeline, extremely diverse, yet complementary to each other. One thing they do have in common is that these products will help with achieving our company’s vision of making everyone feel much safer,” Morales says. Morales says that as the government gradually reopens the economy, smart and cost-effective solutions offered by GeoClean offer a distinct advantage for businesses. She says that like products sold by GeoGreen, disinfection systems offered by GeoClean for hotels, homes, sports complexes, shopping malls, restaurants, offices, industrial facilities and others pay for themselves in as short as one year as they reduce the cost of maintaining air conditioning systems and bring down energy cost due to improved efficiency. Morales believes that the solutions provided by GeoClean can outlive the pandemic as they can also be used to make cooling solutions more energy efficient. “I am hoping that the need for air disinfection becomes obsolete, if we find the cure for the virus and we get the vaccine. We don’t want air disinfection to become the main driver for growth and play up on the fear of people. I am hoping that people will buy it not because they are afraid of COVID, but because they want to make their air-conditioning system more energy-efficient,” she says. Morales, however, encourages other entrepreneurs to seize the opportunities in the market to survive the pandemic. “I guess my advice to entrepreneurs is to really just be agile, easily adapt and be open-minded with regards to opportunities out there. The situation is different. It creates challenges but it also creates opportunities,” she says. “You just have to go boldly and venture outside your comfort zone to be able to explore what’s out there,” she says. Roderick T. dela Cruz
Coca-Cola on track with energy efficiency goal in PH COCA-COLA is committed to growing its business the right way and not just the easy way. In keeping with this principle, the company has been implementing and working on various initiatives that contribute to the achievement of global sustainability goals—in water, energy, women empowerment, and packaging. Coca-Cola remains especially passionate about ecological protection and preserving communities through the responsible management of its environmental footprint, even as it continues to reach and refresh more consumers throughout the world. In 2010, Coca-Cola set out to reduce the carbon footprint of “the drink in your hand” by 25 percent in ten years. This means reducing carbon emissions throughout its value chain—from the procurement of raw materials, to manufacturing and use of sustainable packaging, to fleet manage-
ment, and to continuous innovations ensuring improved performance of refrigeration equipment. In the Philippines, Coca-Cola says it is on track to achieve its energy efficiency goals throughout its operations, with the end in view of further reducing its carbon footprint. “We are very conscious of our environmental footprint as an organization, especially with our scale, which is why we have comprehensive strategies in place to manage our impact on the environment,” says Gareth McGeown, president and chief executive of Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines Inc. “Across the Philippines, we have 19 plants and over 70 distribution offices, and sustainability is an integral component to the way we operate. We believe that business growth and sustainability are complementary to each other,” he says.
Mel Nava, CEO of 1Export, during her pitch in SoGal San Francisco 2020 AS THE economic downturn continues, exporting has become one of the few remaining opportunities for micro, small and medium enterprises hoping to outlive the pandemic. Many such businesses are finding a life line through the local startup 1Export, an end-to-end platform for cross-border trade and fulfillment. With 1Export’s help for all their exporting needs, MSMEs aren’t just staying above water, they are growing. 1Export has won numerous awards internationally including Gojek Xcelerate 2019 and SoGal San Francisco 2020 Global Pitch, because of its focus on making exporting easier for businesses big or small. It remains to be
ST. LUKE’S Medical Center continues to recognize its employees’ commitment through its 2020 Service Awards ceremony held recently. It marked the important career milestones of the hospital’s employees, where they cited stories and experiences at St. Luke’s, including experience during the pandemic. Julieta Capulong, an instrument technician in SLMC-QC, received an award for her 35 years of service under the OB-Gyne Complex. In her acceptance speech, she thanked the board of trustees, executives, and doctors for giving her enough benefits and assistance in times of distress. “Taos puso po akong nagpapasalamat sa inyo [St. Luke’s] dahil po hindi niyo po ako pinabayaan lalo na noong nagkakasakit ang aking mga magulang at anak. Dahil po sa inyo, napagtapos ko rin ang aking mga anak,” Capulong said. She revealed that the pandemic is a rough period that strengthened her commitment to her oath as a lifesaver.
Lodi Tonolete
Lodi Tonolete, a department manager in the Institute of Pathology in SLMC-BGC, was also named as a 35-year service awardee. He revealed that he did not regret working in the company for three decades despite several opportunities abroad because his contributions to pathology were highly recognized. During his acceptance speech, he vowed to continue his service by imparting optimum learning to young minds to be the best in the field of laboratory medicine and to ensure that the Institute of Pathology will maintain its reputation to be the leading laboratory in the country. SLMC president and chief executive Dr. Arturo De La Peña expressed his gratitude to the awardees. “I salute you for your tireless effort to provide compassionate and patient-centered experience with excellence. We are fortunate to have you as part of the SLMC family. Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat.” he said.
PH startup brings small businesses to export market the largest export e-commerce platform in the Philippines in terms of revenue share. In tough times like these, taking steps toward exporting may seem expensive, confusing and risky, especially since a profitable return is not certain. This is where 1Export comes in. Led by young professionals in their respective fields, 1Export is a one-stop, holistic solution for businesses looking to expand their market range without needing to carry the numerous pitfalls associated with exporting their products. As the process of becoming compliant begins, 1Export holds the hands of its partners by finding them the appropriate buyers for any and all of the products that they wish to export.
Youth & Culture B1
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2020
Bernadette Lunas, Editor
manilastandardlife@gmail.com
@manilastandardlife
@MStandardLIFE
Making play happen for children
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HE pandemic has made playing outside with friends impossible for many children.
School closure, physical distancing requirements, and home confinement have dramatically reduced young children’s access to early learning and play opportunities as well as appropriate care and well-being. According to UNICEF, 188 countries have imposed countrywide school closures, affecting more than 1.6 billion children and youth. Many children are therefore not able to actively participate in their regular activities outside of their homes. Under such conditions, many tend to be less physically active and have longer screen time, which may affect their holistic well-being and development. According to the United Nation’s Policy Brief on COVID-19 and Children, “there are three main ways children are affected by the crisis and this includes infection with the virus itself, immediate socioeconomic impacts of measures to stop virus transmission and end the pandemic, and the potential long-term
THE RIGHT TO PLAY. This year's National Play Advocacy Week emphasizes children's right to play, which has been greatly affected by the pandemic and natural disasters that recently struck the country.
NPAW promotes play activities that can be done at home and through online platforms.
effects of delayed implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.” Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child says every child has the right to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child, and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts. Unfortunately, play is considered as “laru-laro lang” in many households and communities in the country—a mindset that causes many Filipino families to view it as trivial, useless, and unimportant. Hence, in celebration of this year’s National Play Advocacy Week on Nov. 1622, the Philippine Play Coalition, together with its partners, reimagines play with its theme, “Making Play Happen: Reimagining Play in The Time of Crisis.” The event kicks off with an online town
AS PEOPLE shift to purchasing items—essentials and otherwise—online, a few trends has been noticed on social media. “There’s no doubt that shopping conversations on Twitter are increasing across Southeast Asia. While we see peaks in the lead-up to e-commerce days and for a few days after, shopping is a year-round conversation on Twitter,” said Arvinder Gujral, Twitter managing director for Southeast Asia.
Knowing consumers' interests is vital in making campaigns.
Connecting to interests pique their attention
Aside from creating campaigns that suit their target audience, knowing consumers’ interests gives an overview of what they will most likely search for, anticipate promos on, and eventually purchase. For starters, female shoppers are into music (82 percent), food and drink (81 percent), and cooking (80 percent); while top picks for male shoppers are technology (82 percent), gadgets (79 percent), and music (78 percent).
Purchase drivers among Filipinos
Majority bought their essentials online
Since most people #StayAtHome, Filipinos have turned to the Internet to safely purchase their essentials. In the past month, 78 percent of Filipinos on Twitter have recently purchased a product online, while 93 percent have visited an online retail site or store to check out items. Evolution of purchasing habits was also seen during the lockdown period, with Filipinos mostly stocking up on the essentials. The top five items they bought online last month were shampoo and conditioner (81 percent), cleaning products (76 percent), laundry products (72 percent), deodorant (70 percent), and snack food items (66 percent).
How can one campaign stand out from the rest? It lies in knowing which drives consumers to purchase. For Filipino online shoppers on Twitter, 67 percent are driven to purchase because of free delivery, 55 percent buy from brands that champion an advocacy, 52 percent check out if a store allows pay with cash, and 50 percent are enticed by discounts.
Keep the conversation going before and after a big sale event.
Filipinos openly express excitement on shopping moments
Complete product information helps buyers make a purchase.
People think before they shop
Over 69 percent of Filipino online shoppers on Twitter always do their research first before making a purchase, so brands must ensure that their content can actually guide consumers in making the right purchasing decisions.
The Muñoz String Quartet, composed of violinists Juan Muñoz and Gian Barayuga, violist Mhaze Lim, and cellist Paul Natividad.
Recreation center presents Muñoz String Quartet
Free delivery drives consumers to purchase from a store.
Essentials top Filipino consumers' online purchases.
can be downloaded at bit.ly/NPAW2020Toolkit. The toolkit serves as a guideline in conducting play activities at home or through online platforms. It features the benefits of play and also contains communication materials that can be used to advertise the coolest play extravaganza of the year.
CONCERT
Retail therapy at home
Twitter reveals Filipinos’ online consumer behaviors during lockdown
hall on Nov. 16 where children and their families are encouraged to express their concerns relevant to play especially in the time where we face not only a virus outbreak but also other disasters like typhoons Rolly and Ulysses which recently struck most parts of the country. An NPAW 2020 Partner’s Toolkit
Though 9.9, 10.10, or 11.11 sales only happen for one day, conversations around it actually begin and last longer. For brands to successfully launch their campaigns, here’s an overview on how conversations unfold during e-commerce shopping days: - Start of conversation (5-7 days before e-commerce shopping day) - Start publishing online content. - Warm up (2-3 days before actual day) - Don’t waste the momentum! Tease and hype it up some more. - E-Commerce Day - Go all out and create a conversation. - Unboxing (2-3 days after) - Parcels are delivered; be ready to see (and re-share) reviews online. - Aftermath (5-7 days after) - Conversations have mellowed down, but online content must continue.
CONTINUING its classical concert series online, Makati-based senior recreation center Sunshine Place presents the Muñoz String Quartet on Nov. 16-30. Happening via Sunshine Place’s YouTube Channel, violinists Juan Muñoz and Gian Barayuga, violist Mhaze Lim, and cellist Paul Natividad will be performing selections from Dvorak’s “American String Quartet,” as well as Carlos Gardel’s “Por una cabeza (a tango)” and Verdi’s “Brindisi from La Traviata.” Born in Santiago, highly-acclaimed Chilean violinist-conductor Muñoz was the concertmaster of the University of Santiago Symphony Orchestra. He currently has a private violin studio and also teaches at the Waldorf School in Laguna and in St. Scholastica’s College of Music where he conducts the String Orchestra. Barayuga, meanwhile, started playing the violin at the age of 10 under Belgian violinist Dr. Cedric Lachenal. Currently, he is the assistant concertmaster of the PIC-AUP orchestra and the sec-
ond violin of Muñoz String Quartet. A graduate of the UST Conservatory of Music, Lim was the Grand Prize Winner and Special Prize Winner for Best Interpretation of Contest Piece in the NAMCYA 2015 Strings Competition Category C (Lower Strings). Currently, he is the principal violist of the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra and also plays viola for the Emanon String Quartet. Natividad started playing his instrument when he was 13 years old. A graduate of the St. Scholastica’s College of Music, he won the 1st Prize and Best Interpretation of a Contest Piece in the NAMCYA 2017 Category C. Contact Mariel Ilusorio at 0917-7092255 or marielilusorio@hotmail.com to reserve tickets. Ticket prices are P250 senior rate and P350 regular rate. Ticket purchases are accepted until 12:00 noon of Nov. 30. Once registered, an email will be sent to registrant containing the program’s link, which will be valid in the duration of the concert.
HEY, YOUTH! SHARE your unpublished essays with the readers of Manila Standard. Chosen essays will be published in the Young Life corner that comes out every Sunday. This space is open for young writers, aged 13-29 years old. Send your essay (maximum of 800 words) with photo/s, if available, to manilastandardlife@gmail.com with the subject: “Young Life - (title of your essay)” along with a brief description of yourself.
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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2020
Joel D. Lacsamana, Editor E-mail: jdlacsamana@gmail.com
Home/Design
INTEREST IN PH REAL ESTATE REMAINS STRONG Opportunities outside MM drive investor impetus
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ESPITE the impact of the coronavirus outbreak, real estate interest in the country has not waned, with overseas interest continuing to come in, and property seekers looking into provincial cities, a recent report by Lamudi and Colliers showed. With stay-at-home orders relaxed in the second half of August, businesses in Metro Manila and affected areas in Luzon have resumed, and residents now move more freely. Lamudi looked at where the market was headed in 2019, and how changes in 2020 disrupted or sustained real estate investment trends. Colliers Philippines listed recommendations for opportunities outside Metro Manila. The past year and a half (January 2019 - July 2020) registered a variety of changes in the residential market trends, especially in Metro Manila and the surrounding regions. With the uncertainties heralded by the pandemic, real estate transactions experienced a slowdown in various stages of completion, and property developers and sellers worked together to revive the market through contactless initiatives and more flexible payment options.
Beyond fences Overseas interest in properties in the Philippines remained fairly consistent from the first half of 2019 through the first half of 2020. Data from Lamudi showed that the United States — the country where the highest number of Filipino OFWs are concentrated, according to Migration Policy Institute — accounted for the most overseas page views and leads from the first half of 2019 to the first half of 2020. Four other countries and a region contributed to overseas
interest: the Middle East (Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, and Riyadh Province), Canada (Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia), England, Australia (New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland), and Japan (Tokyo). Interest in provincial cities growing Provincial cities enjoy preference over most Metro Manila cities (particularly those with large central business districts). Provincial cities near Metro Manila recorded the greatest jumps in interest for both page views and leads on Lamudi from the last six months of 2019 to the first six of 2020. A trend observed from the top provincial cities is that seekers interested in properties in these areas are more active in viewing and making inquiries. The growth in leads from the first half of 2019 to the first half of 2020 is also much larger than the growth in page views. Calamba (37.34%), General Trias (30.45%), Santa Rosa (27.22%), and Lipa (26.87%) registered the highest change in leads, pointing to high property seeker interest in these areas — likely due to their close proximity to Metro Manila and relatively low property prices. The move towards provincial cities, fueled in part by lower population levels, fewer COVID-19 cases, and relaxed lockdowns, may continue in the near to medium term. While the growth in interest in Metro Manila properties was outpaced by the growth shown in provincial cities, Valenzuela, Marikina, Pateros, and Caloocan showed positive growth for both page views and leads. These cities are located on the fringes of Metro Manila. Preference for more outdoor and indoor space Amenities that have remained important for property seekers in the past year and a half are related to leisure and comfort. Amenities important for physical activity (swimming pools and gyms) have always enjoyed popularity, regardless of the current changes in the environment brought by nationwide lockdowns. And with many working professionals currently working from home, air conditioning and stable Internet connectivity remain important features and make homes not only more comfortable but also more conducive for work. From the first half of 2019 to the same period in 2020, there was an increase in searches for garages (from 5 to 6%) and built-in wardrobes (from 4 to 5%), suggesting that property seekers are satisfying either or both of these qualities in 2020.
The lockdowns for the first half of 2020 have led to notable searches related to the outdoors (12.34%), upscale interiors (11.36%), security (10.25%), and vehicle storage (8.58%), pointing to property seekers wanting a home that offers not only shelter and security, but also a boost to their wellness and well-being. Growth drivers outside Metro Manila Colliers asserted a strong recovery happening in 2021 in real estate markets outside the capital region. As vertical, horizontal, and mixed-use developments dot key areas in Metro Manila as well as provincial cities, it is important that developers recapture the interest of the market with their changing preferences considered:
Mid-income projects In Cebu, condominium projects priced between P3.2 million to 6 million have currently been the most popular, according to Colliers’ report Cebu Residential Q1 2020. The rising buying power of Cebuano investors and end-users is likely to remain resilient in the next coming years, as developers are urged to offer flexible lease terms supporting the low loan rates. The mid-income segment is expected to enjoy renewed interest in Davao as well. The affordable projects have also been attracting property seekers, and are likely to be more in demand as the economy recovers and low mortgage rates become easily accessible.New residential market trends Despite natural calamities, pandemics, restrictions on mobility, and the economic uncertainties that followed, property seekers are still active in the residential market, which bodes well for the market’s health and its performance in the near and medium term. As the Philippines restarts its real estate activities and international markets gradually reopen, the report observed that it is only a matter of time before the ‘new normal’ becomes the standard.
HAVING YOUR OWN SAFE SPACE With cities reporting a record number of COVID-19 cases, the lure of the suburbs and the provinces has become stronger than ever . “Urban living has its perks but it isn’t for everybody,” said Sta. Lucia Land Inc. president Exequiel Robles. “As the population continues to increase and areas become highly dense, many are now seriously considering moving outside the metro and relocating to nearby provinces. Sta. Lucia Land has built more than 250 projects across the country that includes golf courses and country clubs, lake residences, resortthemed developments, condominiums, farm lots, hotels and house and lot projects. In Batangas, Sta. Lucia has Catalina Lake Residences Bauan, a Spanish-Mediterranean themed lakeside community that features open spaces, a lake and lush greenery.
RIDGEWOOD IN BGC, A SURE BET. Forbes magazine recently picked the Philippines as among seven countries that can become world-class destinations once the COVID-19 crisis is over. Such endorsements can lure back investors who are in the hunt for guaranteed returns. One such investment is Ridgewood Premier hotel in Fort Bonifacio, which offers a guaranteed 6% annual return on investment, plus another up to 6% performance bonus per annum based on hotel occupancy. Ridgewood Premier Hotel is set to open its doors to local and foreign guests by early 2023, or about the time global economic activity will have picked up immensely.“We are excited to become a major contributor to the eventual rise of the Philippine tourism industry, which has no way to go but up as the world slowly climbs out of the economic rut caused by COVID-19,” said Alfonso Keh Jr., treasurer at Novel Residential Concepts Inc., the developer of Ridgewood Premier Hotel. The 168room prime facility on C-5 Road adjacent to BGC has units ranging from Standard Suite (24.8 sq. m. at P3.54 million), to a Two-Bedroom Suite (55.7 sq. m. at P6.92 million). Investors can choose between two payment schemes spread over 24 months.
PHIRST PARK HOMES FETE SELLERS. PHirst Park Homes Inc. (PPHI),
the home buyer brand of Century Properties Group and Mitsubishi Corporation, recently held its bi-annual sales awards which recognized the company’s top sellers in the booked and reserved sales categories. The company awarded 47 individuals who exceeded their sales quotas. At the awards night were Century Properties Group president and CEO Marco R. Antonio (Shown in photo); and PPHI president Ricky M. Celis. “This new world challenges each one of us to rise through adversity, and to do things better and differently,” said Antonio in his keynote message. “This means putting customer experience and service first, strengthen relationships even more with our buyers and homeowners; and innovate on our offerings.” PHirst Park Homes is present in Tanza, Cavite; Lipa and Nasugbu, Batangas; San Pablo and Calamba, Laguna; and Pandi, Bulacan. The company has also announced its newest project located in Magalang, Pampanga, its seventh horizontal housing development and the second community in the north after Pandi, Bulacan.
Entertainment
UST Tiger Cubs’ dashing ‘Sniper”
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2020
B3
Nickie Wang, Editor; E-mail: nickie.standard@ gmail.com
Jan Jan Salazar, 19, plays for UST Tiger Cubs as point guard.
By Paolo Manuel C. Fule
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VERY success is forged in a dream, for every journey starts with a beginning. The quest for basketball glory is underway for this upcoming basketball superstar who is making his mark in the world of hoops. Meet Jan Jan Salazar of University of Santo Tomas who showcased his basketball talent at the FilOil Flying V Preseason Cup last year. Born on Dec. 6, 2000 in Cainta, Rizal to Rommel Salazar and Analyn Salazar, the 5-foot-9 hardcourt hottie is currently studying (Grade 10) and playing as point guard for UST’s junior basketball team. Jan Jan lists Barangay Ginebra cager Scottie Thompson as his ultimate idol. “I’ve been looking up to him since my days at Perpetual. Napapanuod ko na siya sa TV lalo na nung nakita ko na siya sa personal mas lalo akong na inspire sa kanya. I also like the fact that he’s a very religious
person. And he believes that it was God who gave him the talent kaya naman super idol ko si Scottie,” said Jan Jan. His favorite basketball shot is the pull-up jumper, which most point guards can execute best. Jan Jan also averaged 15 points per game during his stint at JRU for the PSSBC tournament. Asked about what he can contribute as a player for the UST squad, Jan Jan said succinctly, “I think I’d be a good follower to our head coach’s system.” Jan Jan aspires to join the PBA one day, a dream that could help him rise above and give his parents and siblings a much better life.
Do you want to be part of ‘Alden’s Reality’ virtual concert?
Singer-actress Pau Palacio with Khel Pangilinan. The two collaborated for a modern love song billed ‘Sa Taas.’
Pau Palacio’s modern love song featuring Khel Pangilinan NOT So Famous’ girl next door Pau Palacio drops a new single, a collaboration with Khel Pangilinan. Entitled “Sa Taas,” the modern love song revolves around different meanings based on how the listener interprets the song. “As for me, I always don’t give direct meaning as I think it gives out the mystery and art of the song,” says Pau. For the 20-year-old artist, “Sa Taas” is a labor of love along with the record label and Khel, who inspired her in many ways. “I am so excited for everyone to hear it because my team and I poured so much love for it. I am very blessed to be surrounded by talented people-my team and my label--who inspired me and guided me to figure out my own voice and sound,” she says. “I learned a lot through this process especially from Michael (Pangilinan).” “Sa Taas” is Pau’s follow-up single to “Used To Do” featuring rapper and music producer Delly Flay. After the digital release of “Used To Do” in April, it landed on Spotify’s New Music Friday Regional playlists in various countries in Asia The new track is now available on
major digital music platforms, including iTunes, Apple Music, YouTube, and Spotify. For more updates, follow Pau on social media: facebook.com/itspaulinepalacio and Instagram.com/paupalacio. Also, follow Not So Famous on Facebook (facebook.com/notsofamousph), Twitter (twitter.com/notsofamousph), Instagram (instagram. com/notsofamous.ph), and YouTube (youtube.com/notsofamousph).
MARK your calendars for the firstever virtual reality concert of Alden Richards happening on Dec. 8. Dubbed Alden’s Reality (AR), which the concert celebrates the 10th anniversary in the entertainment industry of multimedia star, will utilize the cutting-edge technology of a virtual reality to bring Alden closer to his fans. And since it’s online, concertgoers from all over the world can enjoy a night full of energetic and powerful performances in a oneof-a-kind viewing experience produced by Synergy: A GMA Collaboration. For those who have yet to secure their e-ticket, here’s how: 1. Head over to www.GMANetwork.com/synergy and create an account. A form will pop-up where you can input your personal details and click the “sign up” button. Wait for the confirmation to be sent to your email to verify your account and direct you to the site’s log in page. 2. Go to the Home page and Buy Ticket. Scroll down the Home page and find the ‘Buy Ticket’ option. This will take you to the event calendar where you can pick a preferred date and timeslot to attend the concert. Choose carefully as all ticket sales are f i n a l pur once purchased. Be sure to click the READ TICKET DESCRIPTION for a final review of your details. 3. Select your desired ticket. There are t w o kinds of tickets: GENERAL ADMISSION and VIP (inclusive of one VR device and is limited to Philippine residents only). After Afterwards, click Continue. Note that you can only buy one ticket per transaction. 4. Choose a payment method. Payment instructions will flash on the screen to show different payment channels. Once paid, you will receive your e-ticket via email, along with other details on accessing the virtual reality concert. 5. Check your GMA Synergy account. You may view your e-ticket anytime through the ticket page on your GMA Synergy ac-
count. 6. Wait for the link. Five days before the actual date of Alden’s Reality (AR), a link will be sent to your email to access the concert. Please be reminded that you cannot share this link with others. 7. Be part of Alden’s Reality (AR)! On Dec. 8, just click on the link and prepare for an immersive experience! For more information and updates, visit www. g manet work.com /sy nerg y and like www.facebook.com/ GMASynergy.
Alden's anniversary concert will utilize the technology of virtual reality that will bring him and his fans closer despite the distance forced upon us by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2020
Joyce Pangco Pañares, Editor
Features mst.daydesk@gmail.com
Glamorous and worldly: Things to know about Vikings IN POPULAR culture they're depicted as ruthless warriors who pillaged and plundered. That reputation is not totally undeserved, but is only part of the picture. Here are some things to know about Vikings.
Painstaking race against time to uncover Viking ship's secrets I By Pierre-Henry Deshayes
NCH by inch, they gently pick through the soil in search of thousand-year-old relics. Racing against onsetting mould yet painstakingly meticulous, archaeologists in Norway are exhuming a rare Viking ship grave in hopes of uncovering the secrets within. Who is buried here? Under which ritual? What is left of the burial offerings? And what can they tell us about the society that lived here? Now reduced to tiny fragments almost indistinguishable from the turf that covers it, the 20-meter wooden longship raises a slew of questions. The team of archaeologists is rushing to solve at least some of the mystery before the structure is entirely ravaged by microscopic fungi. It's an exhilarating task: there hasn't been a Viking ship to dig up in more than a century. The last was in 1904 when the Oseberg longship was excavated, not far away on the other side of the Oslo Fjord, in which the remains of two women were discovered among the finds. "We have very few burial ships," says the head of the dig, Camilla Cecilie Wenn
of the University of Oslo's Museum of Cultural History. "I'm incredibly lucky, few archaeologists get such an opportunity in their career." Under a giant grey and white tent placed in the middle of ancient burial grounds near the southeastern town of Halden, a dozen workers in high visibility vests kneel or lie on the ground, examining the earth. Buried underground, the contours of the longship were detected in 2018 by geological radar equipment, as experts searched the known Viking site. When the first test digs revealed the ship's advanced state of decomposition, the decision was taken to quickly excavate it. Viking VIP So far, only parts of the keel have been dug
out in reasonable condition. Analyses of the pieces have determined that the ship was probably raised on land around the ninth century, placed in a pit and buried under a mound of earth as a final resting place. But for whom? "If you're buried with a ship, then it's clear you were a VIP in your lifetime," Wenn says. A king? A queen? A Viking nobleman, known as a jarl? The answer may lie in the bones or objects yet to be found— weapons, jewels, vessels, tools, etc—that are typical in graves from the Viking Age, from the mid-eighth to mid-11th centuries. The site has however been disturbed several times, accelerating the ship's disintegration and reducing the chance of finding relics. At the end of the 19th century, the burial mound was razed to make space for farmland, entirely destroying the upper part of the hull and damaging what is believed to have been the funeral chamber. It's also possible that the grave may have been plundered long before that, by other Vikings keen to get their hands on some of the precious burial offerings and to symbolically assert their power and legitimacy. Animal bones So far the archaeologists' bounty is
pretty meagre: lots of iron rivets used for the boat's assembly, most heavily corroded over time, as well as a few bones. "These bones are too big to be human," says field assistant Karine Fure Andreassen, as she leans over a large, orange-tinged bone. "This is not a Viking chief we're looking at unfortunately, it's probably a horse or cattle." "It's a sign of power. You were so rich that an animal could be sacrificed to be put in your grave," she explains. Beside the tent, Jan Berge looks like he's panning for gold. He's sifting soil and spraying it with water in hopes of finding a little nugget from the past. "Make an exceptional find? I doubt it," admits the archaeologist. "The most precious items have probably already been taken. And anything made of iron or organic material has eroded over time or completely disappeared." But Berge, whose big bushy beard gives him the air of a Viking, is not easily discouraged. "I'm not here for a treasure hunt," he says. "What interests me is finding out what happened here, how the funeral was carried out, how to interpret the actions of the time." AFP
Where does their name come from? Like many things about them, the etymology of the word "viking" is uncertain. In Old Norse, an old Scandinavian language, the word appears as "vikingr" which designates a person, while "viking" designates a practice. "The Scandinavians never spoke of themselves as Vikings, as an identity for anybody Scandinavian. The word rather meant an activity, to go raiding, or a person who was doing that," explains Jan Bill, a professor of Viking archaeology and curator of Oslo's Viking Ship Museum. "But today, practice is to use 'Viking' to describe anybody Scandinavian from the Viking period," he adds, referring to the period from around the mid-eighth to mid-11th centuries. Exposed to cannabis and Buddha Apart from their pillaging, the Vikings were big tradesmen who forged a vast network of contacts from the Caspian Sea to Greenland. It has been debated for years, but it is very likely that Vikings landed in America around the year 1,000, or five centuries before Christopher Columbus. Some objects recovered from ship graves—three such ships are on display in very good condition at the Oslo museum —bear witness to the rich and varied nature of their contacts. Among the numerous objects is a small leather bag containing cannabis, found on one of the two women buried with the longship dug up at Oseberg. "The seeds may have been for recreational or medicinal purposes, or to grow hemp plants whose fibres were used for textiles and rope," says Jan Bill. Other finds at various Viking sites include textiles and beads from the Orient, as well as coins from the Arab world—often broken into pieces as the Vikings didn't use them for currency but rather for their weight in silver and other precious metals. AFP
Bethlehem 'Corona Sandwich' eases bite of tourism loss By Guillaume Lavallee
Princess Diana makes dramatic debut in 'The Crown' By Pauline Froissart MORE than two decades after her death, princess Diana's ill-fated entry into the British royal family is the main storyline in the long-awaited fourth season of the hit Netflix drama "The Crown." Emma Corrin, a 24-year-old actress little known until now, immerses herself in the role of the young Diana, capturing her soft voice and timid gaze from under a heavy fringe. But the actress admitted in an interview with The Sunday Times that she felt a "huge amount of pressure" to pull off the role in the new season, which starts on Sunday. Diana is shown as a naive teenager who quickly becomes lonely in the role of Prince Charles' fiancee and roller skates around Buckingham Palace to
pass the time. Even before their unhappy marriage, she begins cycles of bulimia: bingeeating and then purging herself of food. Diana Spencer had just turned 20 when the couple married in 1981, while Charles was 32. As heir to the throne, since reaching his 30s, he had faced pressure to marry to ensure succession. Despite having doubts, he agreed to propose to Diana but did not sever ties with his long-time lover, Camilla Parker-Bowles. Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris in 1997 and Charles subsequently married Parker-Bowles in 2005. While the previous series depicted Charles as a sensitive and misunderstood boy, as Diana's husband he is seen as cold and unfaithful, complaining to Camilla that she is "so weak, so fragile." AFP
WHEN the coronavirus pandemic left Bethlehem without its hordes of visitors, tour guide Raed Bannura needed a new source of income. His plan, a sandwich shop, was hardly revolutionary and the ingredients of his signature dish—meat with onions and spices wrapped in a tortilla—were certainly not groundbreaking. But, when it came to marketing, Bannura has grabbed attention. "I have a special sandwich," he told AFP. "I call it 'Corona sandwich.'" Bethlehem, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, hosts the majestic Church of the Nativity, built on the site where Christians believe Jesus was born. Before the pandemic, dozens of buses carrying pilgrims and other visitors would converge on the city each day from nearby Jerusalem through the towering Israeli-built grey concrete wall that encircles the West Bank. Now Bethlehem guides chase after the few remaining visitors, while craft stores and hotels have mostly closed. 'Genius' vs 'stupidity' While tourism revenue was evaporating, Bannura said he had a brain-flash one day at "six o'clock in the morning." "I woke up my wife; I told her
listen, I know what I'm gonna call this restaurant... Corona." Her first response was to call him crazy. "I told her, 'this name will spread as fast as the virus,'" Bannura said. Located in the shadow of the basilica, the small cafeteria is easily spotted by its huge red and yellow "Corona Sandwich" sign. Also on the menu is the "COVID-19 hot-dog" with a beef and lamb sausage. As to whether the name lacks sensitivity towards the devastation coronavirus has wrought, Bannura said: "I know that people die, that corona is a disease.”
“But there are people who also die from sugar or tobacco and we do not ban those words from our vocabulary," he said. "A philosopher once said that there is a hair's breadth between genius and stupidity...I still don't know on which side I am." Bannura dreams of holding out until the tourists return, but does not intend to rename his restaurant even then. "I will keep the name," he said. "Because people will come here, they will say, 'I survived. I am proud, I am eating—and I am burying that 'corona.'" AFP