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PSEi inches up, tracks Trump-driven Wall St. rally

REUTERS

THE MAIN INDEX inched up on Wednesday as the market continued to digest US President Donald J. Trump’s policy comments following his inauguration and amid the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office’s (AMRO) bullish view on the Philippine economy.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) rose by 0.12% or 8.13 points to close at 6,348.34 on Wednesday, while the broader all shares index slipped by 0.04% or 1.71 points to 3,698.53.

“The local market bounced back as investors hunted for bargains. Helping in today’s session were the positive cues from Wall Street as well as AMRO’s projection of the Philippines being the second-fastest growing economy in Southeast Asia this 2025,” Philstocks Financial, Inc. Senior Research Analyst Japhet Louis O. Tantiangco said in a Viber message.

“Philippine shares climbed quietly as investors began to assess the market effects of President Trump’s executive orders. Overnight, US stocks rose on Tuesday as Wall Street viewed President Trump’s trade remarks as softer than expected,” Regina Capital Development Corp. Head of Sales Luis A. Limlingan said in a Viber message.

AMRO said in its Regional Economic Outlook quarterly update report released on Tuesday that the Philippine gross domestic product is projected to expand by 6.3% this year, unchanged from the forecast in December.

This is the second-fastest among Association of Southeast Asian Nations members, behind Vietnam’s 6.5%.

Meanwhile, Wall Street’s main indexes rose on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 and the Dow closing at their highest levels in more than a month as investors assessed Mr. Trump’s first actions as US president and were encouraged that he did not start his second term with blanket tariff increases, Reuters reported.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 537.98 points or 1.24% to 44,025.81; the S&P 500 gained 52.58 points or 0.88% to 6,049.24; and the Nasdaq Composite gained 126.58 points or 0.64% to 19,756.78 to close near its highest level since Jan. 6.

Back home, almost all sectoral indices closed in the red on Wednesday. Mining and oil lost 0.53% or 41.83 points to end at 7,720.43; holding firms decreased by 0.12% or 6.82 points to 5,336.45; financials retreated by 0.07% or 1.67 points to 2,178.87; property inched down by 0.05% or 1.17 points to 2,336.03; and industrials slipped by 0.04% or 3.55 points to 8,918.23.

Meanwhile, services went up by 0.71% or 14.83 points to end at 2,095.79.

Value turnover went up to P4.68 billion on Wednesday with 862.32 million issues changing hands from the P3.87 billion with 1.01 billion shares traded on Tuesday.

Decliners beat advancers, 103 versus 73, while 65 names were unchanged.

Net foreign selling increased to P404.25 million on Wednesday from the P173.15 million on Tuesday. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave with Reuters

Peso slips as markets await clarity on Trump tariffs

STOCK PHOTO | Image by iiijaoyingiii from Pixabay

THE PESO slipped against the dollar on Wednesday as markets continue to react to US President Donald J. Trump first wave of policy announcements.

The local unit closed at P58.51 per dollar on Wednesday, down by two centavos from its P58.49 finish on Tuesday, Bankers Association of the Philippines data showed.

The peso opened Wednesday’s session stronger at P58.35 against the dollar, which was also its intraday best. It dropped to as low as P58.605 versus the greenback.

Dollars exchanged inched down to $1.59 billion on Wednesday from $1.6 billion on Tuesday.

“The dollar-peso traded cautiously as players awaited announcements on Trump’s policies,” a trader said in a phone interview.

The dollar was moving higher early on Wednesday as markets assessed the potential economic impact of Mr. Trump’s policies, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort likewise said in a Viber message. However, the greenback dropped anew later in the day.

For Thursday, the trader expects the peso to move between P58.30 and P58.60 per dollar, while Mr. Ricafort sees it ranging from P58.40 to P58.60.

The dollar struggled to regain ground against major currencies on Wednesday, hovering close to two-week lows as a lack of clarity on Mr. Trump’s plans for tariffs kept financial markets guessing, Reuters reported.

Mr. Trump said late on Tuesday that his administration was discussing imposing a 10% tariff on goods imported from China on Feb. 1, the same day that he previously said Mexico and Canada could face levies of around 25%.

He also vowed duties on European imports, without providing further details.

Despite those threats, a lack of specific plans from Mr. Trump’s first day in office saw the dollar start the week with a 1.2% slide against a basket of major peers. It stabilized on Tuesday, ending flat after an attempted rebound fizzled, with US officials saying any new taxes would be imposed in a measured way.

The dollar index, which tracks the currency against six top rivals, eased 0.1% to 108 on Wednesday, not far from the two-week low of 107.86 it touched on Tuesday.

Mr. Trump on Monday signed a broad trade memorandum, ordering federal agencies to complete comprehensive reviews of a range of trade issues by April 1.

The greenback rose 0.13% to 155.715 yen, edging up slightly from the one-month low it touched the day before. — A.M.C. Sy with Reuters

Philippine Coast Guard issues radio challenge to newly sent China ship

A SCREENSHOT of Chinese Coast Guard vessel 3103 (right) with the Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Suluan in the South China Sea on Jan. 21, 2025. — PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD

THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Tuesday issued a radio challenge asking another Chinese vessel to leave its waters near the coast of Zambales province in the country’s north.

In a statement on Tuesday evening, the PCG said BRP Suluan, which replaced BRP Gabriela Silang which had been monitoring Chinese presence within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea, issued the radio challenge to China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 3103.

China Coast Guard 3103 replaced CCG 3304 on Tuesday morning, the Philippine Coast Guard said.

“Despite challenging sea conditions with wave heights of two to three meters, BRP Suluan has maintained close monitoring of CCG-3103, effectively preventing the larger vessel from approaching the Zambales coastline,” it said.

“Furthermore, the PCG vessel has aggressively radio-challenged CCG-3103, asserting that its illegal presence violates the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 arbitral award,” it added.

The Chinese vessel is one of several ships sent near the Philippine coast and close to the disputed Scarborough Shoal, which China has controlled since 2012.

Philippine authorities have said the Chinese ships had been sent to intimidate Filipino fishermen from entering the shoal.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, one of the world’s busiest sea lanes. A United Nations-backed tribunal based in the Hague in 2016 voided its claim for being illegal, as it ruled Scarborough Shoal is a traditional fishing ground for Filipino, Chinese and Vietnamese fishermen.

The Philippine Coast Guard replaced BRP Gabriela Silang, which had been monitoring Chinese presence in the area, with the 44-meter multi-role and response vessel BRP Suluan.

The new Chinese ship deployed within the Philippines’ EEZ in the South China Sea is way larger than BRP Suluan, the PCG said.

“Although this new vessel is smaller than its predecessor, it measures 77.7 meters in length and 10.4 meters in width,“ it added.

It said CCG-3304 was about 194.46 kilometers from the Zambales coast as of 9 p.m. on Tuesday. CCG-3103 was conducting illegal patrols off the coast of Zambales, and was 140.752 km from Pundaquit, Zambales it added.

Meanwhile, CCG-5901, which Manila calls the “monster ship,” was 209.3 km away from Zambales but remained within the Philippine EEZ. It was 35.188 km away from Scarborough Shoal.

Manila has accused China of intimidating Filipino fishermen near the shoal and normalizing its “illegal presence” after Beijing sent the monster ship, the world’s biggest coast guard vessel, into the Philippine EEZ on Jan. 4.

Scarborough shoal, which the Philippines calls Bajo de Masinloc, is 241 kilometers off Zambales and is within its 200-nautical mile (370.4 km) EEZ.

“The Philippine Coast Guard remains steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding the country’s maritime interests and upholding international law without escalating tensions,” it said.

The PCG was under the Department of National Defense before it was transferred to the Office of the President in March 1998 through an order issued by the late President Fidel V. Ramos. Less than a month later, he transferred the PCG to the Department of Transportation and Communications, which was split into two into separate agencies in 2016 through a 2015 law signed by the late President Benigno S.C. Aquino III.

The PCG has since been under the Transportation department.

The agency should require its 4,000 new recruits to undergo a crash course on the newly enacted Philippine Maritime Zones Act “for a deeper understanding of current issues, particularly the conflict in the West Philippine Sea,” Senator Francis N. Tolentino said in a statement on Wednesday.

“This would help them better understand the metes and bounds of our territorial sea, international waters, exclusive economic zone, and so on,” said the senator, who heads the Senate Special Committee on Philippine Maritime and Admiralty Zones. “These are basic knowledge but very important, especially when there are challenges.”

Mr. Tolentino said the PCG has 35,000 personnel. The Senate recently passed a bill setting a three-year fixed term for the coast guard commandant.

The measure, which the House of Representatives has passed, allows the coast guard leadership to carry out its plans and programs for the long term, “which would benefit maritime safety and security,” according to PCG spokesman Commodore Algier D. Ricafrente. — K.A.T. Atienza

Senate urged to raise taxes to cut Filipinos’ tobacco use

DON-DELFIN ALMONTE-UNSPLASH

THE GOVERNMENT should raise taxes on tobacco and vape products to cut their use by Filipinos, according to the Action on Smoking & Health (ASH) Philippines.

“The buying capacity of Filipinos has increased and it will be wise to increase taxes on tobacco products to keep up with the changing times,” ASH Philippines Director-General Maria Encarnita B. Limpin told a Senate hearing looking into tobacco smuggling.

“We recommend unitary taxes on electronic smoking devices and increases to rates equal to tobacco products since electronic smoking devices are equally harmful as smoking tobacco products,” she added.

She also said the government should set up a tracking system on all standard tobacco products and e-cigarettes to monitor the movement of smuggled products.

The Philippines imposes a tax of P57 per milliliter (ml) on salt nicotine products, P6.30/ml on freebase nicotine products and P65/10 ml on classic nicotine products, according to the excise tax rates prescribed by the Bureau of Customs for 2024.

Last week, the Department of Finance pushed a single tax rate on all types of nicotine and vapor products to ease the collection burden on the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto said his agency is open to discussions on raising excise taxes on tobacco products but warned that continuous tax increases could also worsen smuggling.

Ms. Limpin, a pulmonologist, recommended a tax stamp on all tobacco products and e-cigarettes to track sales.

At the same hearing, Philippine Tobacco Institute President Jericho B. Nograles sought the establishment of a law enforcement group similar to the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to go after tobacco smuggling.

“They have a specific law enforcement group composed of multiple groups that are focused precisely on that (going after smuggled goods),” he said. “Unfortunately, there’s no such single law enforcement agency (in the Philippines).”

Mr. Nograles said the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group is often overwhelmed since it has to divide its efforts between multiple operations such as large-scale estafa and tobacco smuggling, making it difficult to cut the illegal trade.

The BIR said it collected P130.91 billion in tobacco excise taxes in the first 11 months of 2024, well behind its full-year target of P185.34 billion.

In September, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. signed into law a measure classifying agricultural smuggling, hoarding, profiteering and financing as economic sabotage.

Republic Act No. 12022 or the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act imposes a fine equivalent to five times the value of smuggled or hoarded agricultural products, with violators also under threat of life imprisonment.

“We are still seeing a lot of people dying from cancer,” Ms. Limpin said. “Lung cancer is now the number two cause of cancer deaths in the country.” — John Victor D. Ordoñez

DBM outlines coverage of 2nd tranche of state salary hikes this month

PHILIPPINE STAR/BOY SANTOS

THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has clarified the coverage of the second tranche of salary increases for government workers this month.

National Budget Circular No. 597 lays down the implementation of the updated salary schedule for civilian workers based on Executive Order (EO) No. 64, which was signed in August 2024.

“In continuation of the promise of our President, we will implement this January 2025 the second part of the salary increase for our government employees,” Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said in a statement on Wednesday.

The circular was applied to government workers in the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary; constitutional commissions and offices; state universities and colleges; and government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCC) not covered by the GOCC Governance Act of 2011 and EO No. 150.

Military and uniformed personnel and government agencies that are exempted from the Revised Compensation and Position Classification System will not be covered by the pay increase.

It also excludes workers without an employer-employee relationship and funded by nonpersonnel service budgets.

“The amounts required for the salary adjustment of the civilian government personnel in fiscal year 2025 shall be charged against the miscellaneous personnel benefit fund and any available appropriations under the 2025 General Appropriations Act, subject to budgeting, accounting and auditing rules and regulations,” the DBM said.

For state-run companies covered by the circular, the amount for the salary increases will be provided by their operating budgets.

“Conversely, the DBM wishes to highlight that the guidelines applicable to local government units shall be covered by a separate circular,” it said.

The circular noted that the updated salary schedule for civilian personnel will be enforced in four tranches from 2024 to 2027. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

House bill grants amnesty to hospitals amid P59.6-B unpaid PhilHealth claims

STOCK PHOTO | Image by Silas Camargo Silão from Pixabay

A BILL granting amnesty to hospitals with denied reimbursement claims, embroiled in legal disputes with the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), has been filed at the House of Representatives.

The state health insurer has P59.6 billion in unpaid claims to hospitals, which it accumulated from 2018 to 2024, PhilHealth Senior Vice-President Renato L. Limsiaco, Jr. told lawmakers during a House hearing on Wednesday.

“I have filed a House bill giving amnesty to these denied claims because of late submissions and return-to-hospitals [claims] because of small discrepancies [in reimbursement forms],” Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee said during the same hearing.

House Bill (HB) No. 11298, filed on Monday, aims to ease the strain experienced by hospitals amid “legal battles resulting from payment delays, disparities in claims processing, and other compliance difficulties,” the bill’s explanatory note read.

Philippine hospitals file reimbursement claims to PhilHealth for the accrued costs of medical services provided to Filipinos, which is then deliberated by the state health insurer to determine its validity for compensation.

Processed claims which PhilHealth finds worthy of repayment are tagged as a “good claim,” according to a 2021 PhilHealth memorandum; while reimbursement requests seen as “deficient” are categorized into return-to-hospital (RTH) and denied claims, which leads to it being unpaid.

The Health department last week noted that most claims are denied as hospitals exceed the 60-day deadline for filing reimbursement claims.

HB No. 11298 proposed to automatically dismiss year-old pending cases against hospitals filed by PhilHealth for “suspected fraudulent activities.” The state health insurer should also reassess claims due to late form submissions prior to 2018, provided that hospitals demonstrate their delays were caused by “circumstances beyond their reasonable control.”

“[Granting] amnesty by facilitating the payment of denied claims due to late filing will help healthcare providers recover from financial strains and ensure continued operation and the availability of services to the public,” the proposed law stated.

Mr. Lee’s amnesty bill is “untenable,” Iloilo Rep. Janette L. Garin said. “It will be very difficult for PhilHealth to do that because they will now be the subject of a lot of cases,” she told lawmakers during the same House hearing.

PhilHealth should instead fast-track its digitization efforts to curb denied and RTH claims to hospitals, she said. The state health insurer started automating its claims system in 2018.

Reimbursement claims are often returned or denied for minor documentary discrepancies due to manual processes, PhilHealth Senior Vice-President Israel Francis A. Pargas said in the same hearing.

The state health financier has received more than 101 million reimbursement claims amounting to P985 billion since 2017. Of this, it has settled 93 million claims worth P899 billion, according to its presentation during the House hearing. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

House OKs bill overhauling Philippine education system

Students walk inside the campus of a high school in Quezon City, April 18, 2024. — REUTERS

THE House of Representatives on Wednesday approved on second reading a bill that seeks to overhaul the Philippine education system by dividing the tertiary education pipeline and aligning it with industry standards.

In a voice vote, congressmen approved House Bill No. 11213, which gives students the option to pursue a college education or learn a trade.

After junior high school, students will choose between two education pathways — the university preparatory program under the Department of Education (DepEd) or the technical-vocational program under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), according to the bill.

The Philippines in 2013 adopted the K-12 program, which meant to enhance the quality of basic education and the competencies of Filipino students and equipping them with the skills to enter the workforce without going to college.

But Pasig Rep. Roman T. Romulo told the House plenary that senior high school graduates find it challenging to find employment as companies continue to favor college graduates.

“The reality of the job market has not aligned with these expectations,” he said in his sponsorship speech on the measure.

Also on Wednesday, the House approved on third and final reading a measure that would let the National Housing Authority (NHA) restructure housing loans.

For a period of two years after the issuance of the implementing rules of the proposed law, all socialized and low-cost housing loans with the NHA and Social Housing Finance Corp. that have at least three months of unpaid monthly amortizations will be covered by loan restructuring and condonation program, according to the bill.

A housing loan must be under P1.8 million to be covered. “All existing interests on principal, penalties and surcharges shall be condoned upon approval of the restructuring application. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

DMW reviews Kuwait deployment

Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are seen at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3. — PHILIPPINE STAR/WALTER BOLLOZOS

THE Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is reassessing its policies on deploying overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Kuwait, aiming to bolster protections for Filipino workers, particularly domestic helpers, in the Gulf state.

Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac said the department is examining its current deployment guidelines and considering stricter measures to safeguard the welfare of OFWs.

“We are reviewing our deployment policies and also trying to review the welfare of long-time OFWs in Kuwait. And as I said, we will come up with the findings on whether to tighten the requirements or impose more stringent measures,” Mr. Cacdac said in mixed English and Filipino in a statement.

Currently, the DMW prohibits the deployment of first-time OFWs without prior overseas experience. The department has also introduced measures, such as pre-departure briefings, electronic on-site monitoring, and a system of whitelisting and blacklisting Kuwaiti recruiters.

“We are also implementing the whitelisting and blacklisting of Kuwaiti recruiters, pre-departure briefings, and electronic on-site monitoring. Everybody goes through pre-departure briefings, and so we know their contact numbers. We meet them personally before they leave,” he added.

The review follows the recent deaths of two OFWs in Kuwait, including Jenny Alvarado, who died from suffocation caused by burning coal, and Dafnie Nacalaban, who was found dead in December after being reported since October. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Ballot printing to resume on Jan. 24

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it would resume printing ballots on Jan. 24, after the Supreme Court (SC) ordered the inclusion of two more candidates in the midterm elections this May.

This followed the issuance of temporary restraining orders (TROs) against the poll body on Tuesday after it disqualified social media personality Francis Leo Marcos and dismissed Albay Governor Noel E. Rosal.

In a Viber chat with BusinessWorld on Wednesday, spokesman John Rex C. Laudiangco said the printing would restart on Friday to include two political bets, while the mock election would be on Saturday, Jan. 25.

The poll body started printing ballots for the May 12 midterm elections last Jan. 6, but halted printing after the top court issued the first round of TROs from Jan. 14.

Comelec said about 6 million ballots were wasted, amounting to P22 each.

Meanwhile, Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia said Comelec will commence its three-month training of field officials on Jan. 27.

“Monday next week (Jan. 27) is the start of our national and local elections (NLE) training. It will last until May,” Mr. Garcia told reporters in a Viber chat on Wednesday.

The training covers operations for the automatic counting machines, which the election commission will use for the first time in May, replacing the previously used precinct count optical scanners. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Lawmakers slam delays in VP ouster

VICE-PRESIDENT SARA DUTERTE-CARPIO — PHILIPINE STAR/ RYAN BALDEMOR

A GROUP of minority congressmen on Wednesday urged the House of Representatives’ top official to submit the consolidated impeachment complaints against Vice-President (VP) Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio to the office of the House speaker so discussions for her removal could begin.

House Secretary-General Reginald S. Velasco should no longer “sit on” the impeachment complaints by handing them to Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, Party-list Reps. France L. Castro, Arlene D. Brosas, and Raoul Danniel A. Manuel said.

“Never in the history of Congress have we witnessed impeachment complaints languishing in the Secretary-General’s office for more than a month,” they said in a joint statement.

“The House Secretary-General cannot continue to sit on these three complaints. The Constitution mandates that impeachment proceedings must be initiated upon proper filing of complaints,” they added.

The 1987 Constitution states that ouster raps against impeachable officials “shall be included in the Order of Business within 10 session days,” and for it to be referred to its “proper committee” three session days after.

Mr. Velasco did not immediately respond to a Viber message confirming the number of session days since the filing of ouster complaints against Ms. Duterte.

The estranged vice-president is facing three impeachment complaints at the House since last month, with civil society organizations, clergymen, and activists seeking her removal from office due to alleged corruption, bribery, and betrayal of public trust. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

Revilla has highest social media engagement

PHILIPPINE STAR/MICHAEL VARCAS

PHILIPPINE Senator and reelectionist Ramon “Bong” B. Revilla, Jr. topped the list of senatorial candidates with the highest social media engagement last month heading into the midterm elections this year, according to a report by PUBLiCUS Asia, Inc.

In its Auditus survey, published on Wednesday, Mr. Revilla garnered a score of 53.2% positive social media engagement from Dec. 16 to Jan. 15, followed by  former Senator and boxing legend Emmanuel “Manny” D. Pacquiao (44.2%), and Senate Majority Floor Leader Francis N. Tolentino (37.6%), former Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin C. Abalos, Jr. (36.8%).

Party-List Rep. Erwin T. Tulfo got 27.3%, while Senator Christopher Lawrence T. Go, and Senator and presidential sister Maria Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos scored 30.6% and 21.1% in engagements, respectively.

The report tracked mentions, engagements, sentiments, and topics related to 31 senatorial candidates on Facebook, X, Instagram, news reporters, forums, and Reddit,

“Strategies such as raffle draws and personalized content have proven effective in fostering a stronger personal connection with voters, significantly enhancing positive engagement,”  PUBLiCUS Asia said.

It added that Mr. Abalos was seen as overexposed during the campaign season due to the “omnipresence” of his advertisements on billboards, soap operas and public utility vehicles, while Las Piñas Rep. Camille A. Villar had been criticized online for presenting herself as a candidate with a “new perspective” despite her ties to the Villar political family.

“Camille Villar’s ‘new perspective (Dapat May Bago)’ campaign was perceived as an attempt to project herself as a new candidate but clashed with the reality of her association with a political dynasty,” PUBLiCUS Asia said. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Baguio activates dedicated health team vs Mpox

REUTERS

BAGUIO CITY — The Baguio City Health Services Office (CHSO) said it has activated a dedicated health team to focus on the prevention, detection, and management of monkeypox (Mpox) cases.

The team is currently conducting communication campaigns, contact tracing, and establishing procedures for case management and transmission prevention.

On Saturday night, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong reported the city’s first Mpox case — a 28-year-old male, which was caused by the less severe Clade II Mpox virus type.

As one of the modes of transmission of Mpox is intimate skin-to-skin contact (hugging, kissing, sexual contact, etc.), CHSO chief Dr. Flor C. Brillantes profusely urged people to avoid such contact especially with the manifestation of symptoms.

Common symptoms of Mpox are skin rashes or muscle lesions which can last two to four weeks. These lesions are accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes.

Residents were also advised to visit their nearest District Health Center for a check-up if symptoms manifest.

She also appealed to hotels, inns, lodges, AirBnBs, and transient houses to implement stricter sanitation procedures as Mpox can be transmitted through infected items, such as beddings, and other frequently touched objects or surfaces.

Ms. Brillantes emphasized that bedding, towels, and similar items must be washed and sanitized after every use by guests or clients.

Employees of these tourism service establishments were also advised to wear face masks, gloves, and long sleeves when handling the housekeeping and laundry of such items to avoid the spread of infection.

Food establishments, including food delivery services, were likewise reminded of sanitation practices especially handwashing and making these sanitation areas in the establishments visible to all customers.

She also urged tourists and residents to wear masks, long sleeves, and long pants when visiting crowded places and events. She advised frequent handwashing and the use of hand sanitizers.

Event organizers were also urged to apply transmission preventive measures for all activities to be held in the city.

As a proactive move, the health team is also preparing the reactivation of an isolation facility for patients whose own houses may not be conducive for home isolation, Ms. Brillantes said.

The CHSO is also in coordination with the Cordillera Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council for other preparedness and mitigation measures. — Artemio A. Dumlao

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