Peso declines on weaker PMI

August 1, 2022 | 9:00 pm

THE PESO weakened versus the greenback on Monday on weaker factory activity data and the rise in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the country.

The local unit closed at P55.31 per dollar on Monday, depreciating by 18 centavos from its P55.13 finish on Friday, based on data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines.

The peso opened Monday’s session at P55.35 per dollar. Its weakest showing was at P55.45, while its intraday best was at P55.31 versus the greenback.

Dollars exchanged decreased to $1.05 billion on Monday from $1.57 billion on Friday.

Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said the peso declined on weak manufacturing data released on Monday.

“Peso also weaker partly due to new 5.5-month highs in new COVID local cases above 4,000 per day recently, as well as the first monkeypox case detected in the country late last week,” Mr. Ricafort added.

The S&P Global Philippines Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) fell to 50.8 in July from 53.8 in June, marginally above the 50 mark that separates growth from contraction, data released on Monday showed.

Meanwhile, the Philippines recorded 4,159 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, bringing active infections to 33,722, data from the Department of Health (DoH) showed.

The country also reported its first case of the monkeypox virus, a 31-year-old Filipino who arrived from overseas on July 19, the DoH announced on Friday.

“The peso weakened amid market expectations of strong US unemployment and nonfarm payrolls reports for July 2022,” a trader said in an e-mail.

“However, the local currency might recover due to potentially weaker US manufacturing PMI data overnight,” the trader added.

For Tuesday, Mr. Ricafort gave a forecast range of P55.15 to P55.40 per dollar, while the trader expects the local unit to move within P55.20 to P55.40. — Keisha B. Ta-asan

Tourism recovery in Asia-Pacific seen lagging other regions in 2022

August 1, 2022 | 8:28 pm

TOURIST arrivals in the Asia and the Pacific (APAC) are expected to lag the recovery posted by other regions, with travelers still deterred by the frictions associated with international travel, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

In a statement on Monday, the UNWTO said the 2022 projection is contained in its World Tourism Barometer report.

“In Africa and the Middle East, arrivals could reach about 50% to 70% of pre-pandemic levels, while in APAC they would remain at 30% of 2019 levels in the best-case scenario,” the UNWTO said.

“Scenarios by region show Europe and Americas recording the best tourism results in 2022, while APAC is expected to lag due to more restrictive travel policies,” it added.

The UNWTO sees international arrivals hitting between 55% and 70% of pre-pandemic levels in 2022. The actual outcome will depend on further travel restrictions, the extent of inflation, and fallout from the Russia-Ukraine war.

“More recent challenges such as staff shortages, severe airport congestion and flight delays and cancellations could also impact international tourism numbers,” the UNWTO said.

Asked to comment, John Paolo R. Rivera, associate director at the Asian Institute of Management’s Dr. Andrew L. Tan Center for Tourism, said that the Philippines will be banking on domestic tourism to pick up the slack.

“Recent Philippine Tourism Satellite Accounts (PTSA) indicated that Philippine tourism is 80% driven by domestic tourism and 20% foreign tourism. The Philippines can rely on its domestic tourism to thrive unlike other countries reliant on foreign tourism,” Mr. Rivera said.

“Philippine tourism should strengthen domestic tourism through better infrastructure, product offerings, and safety measures,” he added.

Mr. Rivera noted that the recent detection of monkeypox in the Philippines could be a downside risk.

“Monkeypox is a threat if it proves to be contagious and require physical distancing and movement restrictions to contain it. It will affect tourism again negatively as tourism is a high touch, high movement industry,” Mr. Rivera said.

The Health department on July 29 announced the detection of the first monkeypox case in the country, involving a 31-year-old Filipino.

Tourism Congress of the Philippines President Jose C. Clemente III said in a Viber message that the Philippines has to balance managing outbreaks and opening up the economy.

“We are pleased with the current arrival rate of the Philippines as it continues to ramp up with each month. We are still getting back in the swing of things and having a slower but steady pace is fine for now,” he added.

The UNWTO said that international tourism posted a sustained recovery in the first five months of 2022 despite economic and geopolitical challenges.

“International tourism saw a strong rebound in the first five months of 2022, with almost 250 million international arrivals recorded. This compares to 77 million arrivals from January to May 2021 and means that the sector has recovered almost half (46%) of pre-pandemic 2019 levels,” the UNWTO said.

The UNWTO said that Europe posted a 350% increase in international arrivals in the first five months of 2022, while the Middle East and Africa remained 54% and 50% below 2019 levels, respectively.

It added that APAC posted 94% increase in arrivals during the first five months. However, the number was 90% below 2019 levels as some borders remained closed to non-essential travel.

The UNWTO noted that more destinations are easing or lifting travel restrictions at this stage of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

It said that as of July 22, 62 destinations (including 39 in Europe) had no COVID-19 related restrictions in place and more destinations in Asia have started to ease their rules.

“The recovery of tourism has gathered pace in many parts of the world, weathering the challenges standing in its way. At the same time, (we should be cautious) in view of the economic headwinds and geopolitical challenges which could impact the sector in the remainder of 2022 and beyond,” UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said.

Since Feb. 10, the Philippines has allowed the entry of fully vaccinated tourists by nationals permitted visa-free entry, while fully vaccinated Filipinos have been permitted entry since Feb. 1.

Foreigners and returning Filipinos are no longer required to undergo mandatory quarantine upon arrival.

The Department of Tourism estimates tourist arrivals, including Filipino balikbayans, at 814,144 as of the end of June.

According to preliminary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, the tourism industry’s direct gross value added accounted for 5.2% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2021, up from 5.1% of GDP in 2020. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Business chambers call for COVID-19 lessons to be applied to managing monkeypox

August 1, 2022 | 8:27 pm

21057_lores-monkeypox — A SECTION of skin tissue, harvested from a lesion on the skin of a monkey, that had been infected with monkeypox virus. — CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION

BUSINESS LEADERS expressed the hope that a possible monkeypox outbreak will be managed by a government now well-versed in what measures proved effective in containing the coronavirus.

“We are hopeful that monkeypox remains non-epidemic and that this administration, the healthcare sector, and the private sector use the lessons of COVID-19 to minimize its impact on Filipino lives,” Francisco Alcuaz, Jr., Makati Business Club executive director, said in a Viber message.

On July 29, the Department of Health (DoH) announced that it had detected the first monkeypox case in the Philippines, a 31-year-old Filipino national who arrived from overseas on July 19.

Monkeypox causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled skin lesions. It can spread via close contact.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the monkeypox outbreak as a global health emergency following its rapid spread.

Eric Teng, Restaurant Owners of the Philippines president, said that he does not expect COVID-style lockdowns following the detection of monkeypox.

“However, we should heed what safety precautions or warnings that the WHO will be recommending to our DoH,” Mr. Teng said in a mobile phone message.

“As with the COVID-19 pandemic, we have to act and work together with the right information, and be careful of fake news or false cures,” he added.

Steven T. Cua, Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association president, said his industry remains focused on operating as normal, though it has a plan should restrictions be reimposed.

“It’s still business as usual. Hoping that there’s no need for any future alarm,” Mr. Cua said in a mobile phone message.

“We urged our members to continue their practice of checking if employees or customers are nursing a fever before allowing entry. Cleaning of surfaces helps against infection from any form of virus,” he added.

Tourism Congress of the Philippines President Jose C. Clemente III said in a Viber message that the government should know at this point which measures are effective.

“Monkeypox is definitely a concern but we are hoping that with the information we have, the government can mount a defense against wide spread. Of course, we cannot understate the possible effects and continue to ask that people continue health and safety protocols,” Mr. Clemente said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

DBM releases rice farmer subsidy of over P8 billion

August 1, 2022 | 8:27 pm

THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said it released P8.05 billion worth of subsidies for rice farmers for distribution in the third and fourth quarters.

In a statement on Monday, Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said the DBM released the Notice of Cash Allocation (NCA) to the Department of Agriculture (DA), which will distribute a P5,000 subsidy to 1.56 million farmers.

“Our farmers deserve our help and care. The immediate release of cash assistance could provide relief to our rice farmers given the recent natural calamities they experienced,” Ms. Pangandaman said.

The release of the NCA supports the Rice Farmer Financial Assistance (RFFA) program, targeted at farmers affected by the Rice Tariffication Law, she said.

The RFFA is a P3-billion unconditional cash transfer program targeting rice farmers tilling 0.5 to 2 hectares of land.

Passed in 2019, the Rice Tariffication Law allowed rice to be imported more freely but charged tariffs of 35% on grain imported from Southeast Asia. The tariffs provide P10 billion a year to the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) to help the industry modernize.

“This unconditional cash assistance could also provide aid to the rice farmers in securing farm inputs such as fertilizer and oil farm machinery,” Ms. Pangandaman added.

The NCA likewise covers the service fee, including the cost of card generation, for the RCEF-RFFA of the Development Bank of the Philippines.

On March 24, DBM released a Special Allotment Release Order amounting to P8.9 billion to the DA as an unprogrammed appropriation.

Additionally, on May 6, an initial NCA worth P894.8 million was released by the DBM to the DA to support 173,753 qualified rice farmer-beneficiaries. — Keisha B. Ta-asan

SEC revokes registration of poultry firm for selling securities without approval

August 1, 2022 | 8:26 pm

chicken-poultry — ARTEM BELIAIKIN-UNSPLASH

THE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said it revoked the business registration of Katuwang Poultry Chicken Egg Producing Co. for selling unauthorized securities.

The SEC found that the company offered shares in the company to the public without registering the offer with the commission, in violation of Sections 8.1 and 28.1 of the Securities Regulation Code.

Section 8.1 prohibits the sale, offer, or distribution of securities without registering them and obtaining approval from the commission.

Section 28.1 regulates which persons may engage in buying or selling securities as a broker or dealer, or as a salesman.

Katuwang Poultry, organized as a producer of eggs, was found to have invited the public to invest in the company without the necessary licenses to sell or offer shares of stocks and other investment-taking schemes. It also promised high returns in as little as six months, and offered subscribers a 10% referral commission for bringing in other investors.

“Based on the evidence gathered, Katuwang Poultry is engaged in the offering, solicitation and sale of securities to the public without the required registration statement duly filed and approved by the SEC,” the SEC said.

“The investment scheme of Katuwang Poultry also operates to defraud investors as it deceives the investing public by making it appear that it has the authority to deal in securities,” the commission added. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

To infinite energy and beyond

August 1, 2022 | 8:26 pm

According to the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA), the Philippines is made up of 7,641 islands, which contain significant natural resources. Despite the abundance of such resources, the country is still in the early stages of exploiting these natural assets to produce renewable and sustainable energy. The main constraint appears to be the lack of investment due to the high cost of developing, producing, and sustaining renewable energy.

In his first State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. said renewable energy is at the top of his climate agenda. The President called for increased use of hydropower, geothermal, solar, and wind. The increased use of renewables will help expand the power supply to meet growing demand.

To help attract investment to renewable energy (RE), the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) issued Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 7-2022, setting guidelines for the availment of fiscal incentives under Republic Act (RA) No. 9513, otherwise known as the Renewable Energy Act of 2008.

The salient provisions of the RR are discussed below.

CERTIFICATIONS/ACCREDITATIONS TO AVAIL OF THE TAX INCENTIVE
RE Developers and manufacturers, fabricators, and suppliers of locally produced RE equipment must register with the Department of Energy’s (DoE) Renewable Energy Management Bureau (REMB). They must secure and submit to the BIR the DoE Certificate of Registration or the DoE Certificate of Accreditation. Other certifications required are the DoE Certificate of Endorsement (CoE), Registration with the Board of Investments (BoI), and Certificate of Income Tax Holiday (ITH) Entitlement (CE).

INCENTIVES FOR RE PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES
a. Income Tax Holiday. ITH of seven years from the start of commercial operations (SCO) is provided to existing RE Projects and New investment in RE Resources. RE Developers undertaking discovery and development of new RE resources distinct from their registered operations may qualify as new projects and must set up a separate book of accounts to be registered with the BIR. In such a case, a fresh ITH from start of commercial operations applies. For additional investment in RE projects, the ITH only applies to the income attributable to the additional investment.

b. Corporate income tax of 10%. Following the expiration of the ITH, all registered RE Developers pay a corporate income tax of 10% on their net taxable income: Provided, that the RE Developers pass on the savings to the end-users in the form of lower power rates.

To avail of this incentive, the RE Developer must submit the following to the BIR:

1. Copy of the Certificate of Endorsement issued by the DoE prior to the first year of its availment of the 10% corporate income tax rate;

2. Valid and subsisting renewable energy service/operating contract and the corresponding Certificate of Registration; and

3. Sworn Undertaking attached to the ITR stating that for the year of availment of the 10% corporate income tax rate incentive, it has not been found to have breached its obligations under the renewable energy service/operating contact and that it intends to pass on the savings derived from this incentive in the form of lower power rates.

The RE Developer must also attach to its ITR and submit to the BIR proof of submission to the DoE and ERC of the report, supported by technical and financial documents, in the years succeeding its initial availment of the 10% incentive. To prove that savings derived from incentives during the previous year were passed on to end-users, the RE Developer must submit to the BIR the rates approved by the ERC.

c. Net operating loss carry over. In addition to the above incentives, the net operating loss carry over (NOLCO) of RE Developers during the first three years from the SCO may be carried over as a deduction from gross income for the next seven consecutive taxable years immediately following the year of such loss. Provided, that the NOLCO has not been previously offset as a deduction from gross income, and that the loss should be from the operation and not from the availment of incentives.

d. Accelerated Depreciation. If an RE project fails to receive an ITH before full operation, an RE Developer may apply for accelerated depreciation on its plant, machinery and equipment that are reasonably needed and used for the exploration, development and utilization of RE resources. Once applied, the project or its expansions shall no longer be eligible to avail of the ITH. The RE Developer is to inform the BIR of availment of accelerated depreciation instead of ITH.

e. Zero Percent VAT Rate. Sale of power or fuel generated through RE sources is subject to 0% VAT. The local purchase by RE Developers of goods, property, and services needed for the development, construction, and installation of power plant facilities, and the whole process of exploration and development of RE sources up to its conversion of power, is subject to 0% VAT. Accordingly, local suppliers of goods, properties, and services of duly registered RE developers should not pass on the 12% VAT, provided, that the RE Developer provides a copy of its BoI and DoE registration to avail of the VAT incentive.

f. Tax exemption of carbon credits. All proceeds from the sale of carbon emission credits are exempt from any and all taxes.

INCENTIVES FOR RE COMMERCIALIZATION
Sale of locally produced RE equipment and components by accredited and registered DoE and BoI manufacturers, fabricators, and suppliers to RE Developers are subject to the following incentives:

1. VAT-free imports of components, parts, and materials subject to conditions;

2. ITH and exemption for seven years starting from date of registration and accreditation with DoE and BoI; and

3. VAT zero-rating on their transactions with local suppliers of goods, properties, and services needed in the manufacture/fabrication of RE equipment.

By creating policies and guidelines for availing of incentives, the RE industry is encouraged to invest more in the renewable energy market. Considering the uncertainty hanging over the price of oil, the adverse impact of climate change, and the increasing demand for electricity, it is high time to shift the focus to maximizing the use of natural resources to achieve self-reliance in energy. Relying on renewable energy will not only save billions of pesos; it can also save the country from the catastrophic effects of climate change.

Let’s Talk Tax is a weekly newspaper column of P&A Grant Thornton that aims to keep the public informed of various developments in taxation. This article is not intended to be a substitute for competent professional advice.

Lorenzo Miguel A. Soriano is a senior in charge of Tax Advisory & Compliance division of P&A Grant Thornton, the Philippine member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd.

pagrantthornton@ph.gt.com

Marcos: Philippines won’t rejoin International Criminal Court

August 1, 2022 | 8:10 pm

BBM-Duterte — PRESIDENT BONGBONG MARCOS TWITTER PAGE

By John Victor D. Ordoñez, Reporter

THE PHILIPPINES won’t rejoin the International Criminal Court (ICC), President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. said on Monday, in a move that political analysts said is meant to protect his predecessor from prosecution for the government’s deadly drug war.

“The Philippines has no intention of rejoining the ICC,” Mr. Marcos told a virtual news briefing. “There is already an ongoing investigation here in the country,” he added in Filipino.

The president said he had ordered government lawyers to carefully study the possible legal proceedings involving the ICC, which might resume its probe of alleged crimes against humanity by ex-President Rodrigo R. Duterte in connection with the drug war that killed thousands.

Mr. Duterte had told police officers to shoot drug suspects if their lives were at risk. When he was president, he often defended the campaign by saying it had saved Filipino families from the drug menace and prevented the country from turning into a “narco-politics state.”

“This ICC is a very different kind of court, which is why we are carefully studying first the procedure so that our actions won’t be misinterpreted,” Mr. Marcos said.

Mr. Marcos is probably trying to shield Mr. Duterte given his alliance with his family, Arjan P. Aguirre, a political science professor at the Ateneo de Manila University, said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

“This is just an alibi,” he said. “The main reason for not rejoining the ICC is still connected to his alliance with the Dutertes. Marcos values more the stability of his rule and he will not do anything to destroy his relationship with Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio.“

Mr. Marcos ran with the presidential daughter in the May 9 election, which both won by a landslide.

Senator Ana Theresia N. Hontiveros-Baraquel said Mr. Marcos should not block any investigations of the drug war that started even before the Philippines withdrew from the ICC.

“It is still their mandate to investigate, which is why they shouldn’t be blocked from their work,” she said in a statement in Filipino. “If there is nothing to hide, no one should be afraid of this investigation.“

The Hague-based international court on July 14 gave the Philippines until Sept. 8 to comment on the ICC Office of the Prosecutor’s request to resume the investigation into alleged crimes against humanity by Mr. Duterte and his officials. It also allowed victims to make written submissions through their lawyers.

Mr. Duterte canceled Philippine membership in the tribunal in 2018.

Mr. Marcos last week met with his legal officials including his Justice secretary and solicitor general to discuss the government’s next move on the ICC probe.

Last month, ICC Prosecutor Karim Ahmed Khan asked the ICC’s pre-trial chamber to reopen the probe months after it was halted upon the Philippine government’s request.

The Department of Justice had only brought five of the 52 cases involving about 150 police officers to court since it started its own investigation in 2021.

In a 53-page request to the ICC pre-trial chamber, Mr. Khan said the Philippines had failed to show it investigated crimes related to the campaign.

He said the chamber should issue an order on an “expedited basis.” It should “receive any further observations it considers appropriate from victims and the government of the Philippines,” he added.

Former national police chief Ronald M. dela Rosa, the main enforcer of the drug war and now a senator, said the probe is an insult to the Philippine Justice system. He said he would not cooperate with the investigation.

Data from the Philippine government released in June 2021 showed that at least 6,117 suspected drug dealers had been killed in police operations as of April 2021. Human rights groups estimate that as many as 30,000 suspects died.

Several human rights groups have urged Mr. Marcos to rejoin the ICC and to work closely with the tribunal in its probe of Mr. Duterte’s anti-illegal drug campaign.

Marcos names his military and national police chiefs

August 1, 2022 | 8:09 pm

Bartolome-Bacarro — PHOTO shows Armed Forces Chief Bartolome Vicente O. Bacarro on the right.— BOB BACARRO FACEBOOK PAGE

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has appointed a military commander assigned on Luzon island to head the Armed Forces, the presidential palace said on Monday.

Medal of Valor awardee Bartolome Vicente O. Bacarro, who heads the Southern Luzon Command, will serve as Armed Forces chief of staff for three years starting Aug. 8, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said in a statement.

He will replace Andres C. Centino, an appointee of ex-President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

Mr. Marcos also named Rodolfo S. Azurin, Jr. as national police chief, Ms. Angeles said in a separate statement.

She added that Mr. Centino, a classmate of Mr. Bacarro in the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1988, will be appointed to a new post “befitting a former chief of staff.”

Mr. Bacarro was assigned to an infantry division in Isabela province in northern Philippines after finishing his military education, exposing him to counterinsurgency operations in the province from 1988 to 1995.

It was during his Isabela assignment that he earned his Medal of Valor, the highest award for soldiers in combat, Ms. Angeles said.

The award was given to him on Dec. 21, 1991 for his “conspicuous acts of courage, gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty,” she said, citing a 10-hour encounter between the military and more than a hundred New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in an Isabela town on Feb. 26, 1991.

Mr. Bacarro was designated army spokesman in November 2004. He later became a spokesman for the Armed Forces.

In 2014, he was designated chief of the Army’s 4^th Infantry Division. He also served as the chief of staff for operations, commander of the 502^nd Brigade, commandant of the PMA and an Armed Forces internal auditor.

It was under his watch that a young PMA cadet died from hazing, which forced him to resign as PMA commandant.

Mr. Azurin, the new PNP chief, graduated from the PMA in 1989.

He is the commander of the Northern Luzon Police Area composed of the regions of Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and the Cordillera Administrative Region.

“Azurin is a well-rounded police officer, having served the Philippine National Police in various capacities, both in police operations and administrative work,” Ms. Angeles said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Marcos appointed lawyer and long-time National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Assistant Director Medardo G. de Lemos as the bureau director.

“Director de Lemos rose from the ranks and his appointment as NBI Director is a strong indication of President Marcos’ commitment in strengthening the system of ‘meritocracy’ in the promotion, placement and hiring of government personnel,” Ms. Angeles said. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Marcos says monkeypox not as scary as coronavirus

August 1, 2022 | 8:08 pm

Marcos-BBM-1 — President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. answers questions from the media after his first Cabinet meeting at the Heroes Hall of the Malacañan Palace, July 5. — PHILIPPINE STAR/KRIZ JOHN ROSALES

PHILIPPINE President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Monday downplayed the effects of monkeypox, saying it is not as scary as the coronavirus.

“We don’t have any more cases of monkeypox,” he told a news briefing in Manila, based on a transcript sent by the presidential palace. “Monkeypox is not as scary as COVID. It’s like smallpox and there are medicines for it,” he added in Filipino.

The Philippines detected its first case of the monkeypox, which is now considered a public health emergency of international concern, last month. The patient has recovered.

Smallpox, an acute contagious disease caused by the variola virus, “was one of the most devastating diseases known to humanity and caused millions of deaths before it was eradicated,” the World Health Organization (WHO) said on its website.

“It is believed to have existed for at least 3000 years,” it said. “The last known natural case was in Somalia in 1977.” The WHO declared smallpox was eradicated in 1980. 

The country’s first case of Monkeypox was a 31-year-old Filipino who arrived from overseas on July 19.

The virus, which was first discovered in 1958, causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled skin lesions, according to WHO. It spreads via contact.

Mr. Marcos said the government would strictly monitor the country’s monkeypox situation. “Right now, we are strictly monitoring monkeypox. We got used to COVID-19.”

Health officer-in-charge Maria Rosario S. Vergeire said not all Filipinos need to get vaccinated against monkeypox, adding that high-risk people would be prioritized.

The global supply of vaccines that offer protection against the virus is limited, she pointed out.

“Monkeypox is not like COVID-19 that we need to vaccinate all Filipinos to prevent further transmission,” she told CNN Philippines.

Meanwhile, Mr. Marcos said the country’s coronavirus situation is much better than a year earlier. “Many people have been vaccinated already. The subject of the booster rollout actually came about because we were talking about the face-to-face classes this coming semester.”

The Philippines posted 24,100 coronavirus infections in the past week, with a daily average of 3,443 cases, according to health authorities.

The daily average for July 25 to 31 was 24% higher than a week earlier, the Health department said in a bulletin. Of the new cases, 76 were severe and critical.

It said 44 more deaths were verified in the past week, one of which occurred in June and 3 in January. There were no deaths from July 18 to 31.

The agency said 601 of 2,583 intensive care unit (ICU) beds had been used as of July 31, while 6,505 of 22,051 non-ICU beds were occupied. There were 744 severe and critical admissions, it added. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Magnitude 5.2 quake rocks Abra 

August 1, 2022 | 8:07 pm

earthquake-northern-phil — BUREAU OF FIRE PROTECTION FACEBOOK PAGE

A MAGNITUDE 5.2 earthquake rocked Abra province in northern Philippines on Monday morning, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS), less than a week after a magnitude 7 temblor killed almost a dozen people there.

The quake struck at 2:48 a.m. 10 kilometers (km) southeast of San Ramon town and had a depth of 10 km, the USGS said on its website.

The quake was also felt in Ilocos and Baguio City in the country’s north, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said in a bulletin posted on its website.

Phivolcs said separately in a Facebook post it had recorded 2,010 aftershocks since the July 27 quake.

Last week’s earthquake affected more than 380,000 people from more than 100,000 families the local disaster agency said in an 8 a.m. report.

The earthquake damaged almost 25,000 houses, while infrastructure damaged had reached more than P700 million, it said.

Meanwhile, irrigation damage had risen to P243.33 million, according to the National Irrigation Administration (NIA).

The agency said 27 irrigation systems were damaged, affecting more than 3,000 hectares of agricultural land. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza and Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson 

Men’s chess team beats Cyprus; women’s squad suffers setback

August 1, 2022 | 7:12 pm

Ph-team_Chess-Olympiad_FIDE — PHILIPPINE men’s and women’s chess teams

GRANDMASTERS (GM) Banjo Barcenilla, John Paul Gomez and Darwin Laylo saved the day for the Philippines as it smashed Cyprus, 3-1, on Monday night to keep its bid for 44^th World Chess Olympiad glory alive in Chennai, India.

Messrs. Barcenilla, Gomez and Laylo essayed impressive wins over Alexandros Isaakidis, Ioannis Damianou and Michalis Florentiades on boards two to four, respectively, that made up for GM Mark Paragua’s stinging defeat to FIDE Master Konstantinos Michaelides on top board.

It was a win that catapulted the Filipinos, who are being sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission, back into contention as they zoomed to a 63-way logjam at 26^th place with four match points to show.

The Eugene Torre-coached squad, seeded 52^nd, could barge into the top 20 if it could overcome 89^th seed Monaco in the fourth round at press time.

The national team is resting Mr. Paragua in favor of International Master (IM) Paulo Bersamina after his sorry defeat that started when he made an errant rook move in the middle game that blew away his chances to win or at least draw.

WOMEN’S TEAM
It was more heartbreaking for the women’s team, which appeared to have headed to a shock 2-2 draw to 18^th seed Serbia only to see WFM Shania Mae Mendoza blew a drawn position and lost to WIM Adela Velikic on board three.

The rest — WGM Janelle Mae Frayna and WIMs Jan Jodilyn Fronda and Kylen Joy Mordido — all drew their games on boards one, two and four with WGMs Teodora Injac and Jovana Eric and WIM Marina Gacin, respectively.

Ms. Mordido, the youngest member of the team at 19 years old and is being tipped to become the country’s WGM, had her chances for a victory but she missed a pawn capture late that could have earned her a pawn edge and a lasting advantage.

Ms. Mendoza’s loss wasted Ms. Fronda’s valiant effort when she clawed her way back from a pawn down and a cramped position to steal a draw from her higher-ranked WGM opponent.

The Philippines, tied for 22^nd spot along with 52 others with four points, was battling Angola in the fourth round with WIM Marie Antoinette San Diego replacing Ms. Mendoza in the roster. — Joey Villar

Philippines nabs 3 golds in ASEAN Para Games

August 1, 2022 | 7:12 pm

SURAKARTA — Swimming delivered the country’s first pair of gold medals in the 11^th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Para Games Monday as Ernie Gawilan and Roland Sabido splashed their way to the top of their respective events at the Jatadiri Sports Complex pool in the neighboring city of Semarang.

Comely thrower Cendy Asusano added the third gold in early morning action in ruling the women’s javelin throw F54 at the Manahan Stadium for a promising start for the PHL para-athletes, a majority of them competing for the first time since the 2017 edition of the meet held in Malaysia.

A triple gold medalist in the 2018 Jakarta Asian Para Games, Mr. Gawilan kicked off the Philippine campaign in ruling the men’s 400-meter freestyle S7 in a time of four minutes and 54.87 seconds in the outing sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission.

Then Mr. Sabido and Arnel Aba led a 1-2 finish in the men’s 400-meter freestyle S9 in clocking 5:09.40 and 5:14.13, respectively, much to the delight of the small Filipino crowd at the pool led by Philippine Paralympic Committee President Mike Barredo.

Mr. Gawilan, 31, who won a pair of golds and silvers in the regional meet for para athletes held in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur five years ago.

The Davao City pride was aiming for another mint as he was scheduled to compete in the 4×100 meter freestyle relays 34 points in the afternoon with Messrs. Sabido, Aba and Edwin Villanueva, who copped a bronze medal in the men’s 400-meter freestyle S8.

Also contributing a bronze medal each for athletics were Joel Balatucan, Daniel Enderes, Jr., Armand Dino and Jesebel Tordecilla in the men’s shot put F55, men’s 5,00-meter T20 race, men’s 100-meter T47 race, and women’s discus throw F55, respectively.

Overnight, table tennis also made its modest medal contribution with two bronze medals in the men’s team Class 4 through Billy Cartera, Racleo Martinez and Darwin Salvacion and men’s class 8 doubles courtesy of Jobert Lumanta and Jayson Ocampo.

Counting the silver in men’s 3×3 wheelchair basketball last Sunday, the Filipinos now boast an early overall medal tally of three gold, two silver and seven bronze medals.

More medals were expected to come in the afternoon in swimming, track and field and powerlifting, where two-time Asian Para Games silver medalist Achelle Guion is vying in the women’s 46-kilogram division.

Among those likewise expected to figure prominently for gold are wheelchair racer Jerrold Mangliwan, who will see action in the men’s 100-meter dash T52, and Jeannete Aceveda in the women’s discus throw F11-13 plus Angel Otom in the women’s 50-meter backstroke S5.

The country’s standard-bearers aim to surpass the haul of 20 gold, 20 silver and 29 bronze medals, good for fifth overall, of the country in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur in 2017.