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Tropical storm Jolina brings heavy rains as it heads over Luzon

TROPICAL STORM Jolina, the 10th typhoon to enter the country this year, brought strong winds and heavy rains over the central-eastern part of the country on Monday as it headed over mainland Luzon.

State weather agency Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), in its 5 p.m. bulletin on Monday, said Jolina was located 95 kilometers (km) east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar and moving northwestward with maximum sustained winds of 75 km per hour and gustiness of up to 90 km/h. Its tropical cyclone winds extend outwards up to 150 km from the center.

Storm signal #2 in a 5-level system was up in several parts of the Samar provinces. A lower signal #1 was up in southeastern portions of Luzon, parts of the Eastern Visayas Region, and the islands of Dinagat, Siargao, and Bucas Grande in Mindanao.

“In the next 24 hours, Tropical Storm Jolina may bring moderate to rough seas (1.2 to 2.8 meters) over the eastern seaboards of Visayas and Mindanao. Mariners of small seacrafts are advised to take precautionary measures when venturing out to sea. Inexperienced mariners should avoid navigating in these conditions,” PAGASA warned.

The tropical storm is forecasted to make landfall over the northern-central Luzon area by Thursday morning. However, PAGASA said a shift towards a more westward direction may move the landfall near Eastern or Northern Samar. — MSJ

Mussel, oyster farmers to lose livelihood in Manila Bay rehab

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

AQUACULTURE FARMS for mussels and oysters are among the structures that will be dismantled by the government as part of the Manila Bay rehabilitation program, which would affect the livelihood of some 15,000 fishers and coastal residents, according to a fishers group.

“Rehabilitating Manila Bay should be to restore its marine resources for the benefit of small fisherfolk. But the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) thrust says otherwise,” said the head of the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ang Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) group.

“The government’s rehabilitation program has brought fear among the fishing and coastal population because its aim is to actually destroy our livelihood and displace us from communities,” PAMALAKAYA National Chairperson Fernando L. Hicap said during a protest held at the DENR office in Quezon City on Monday.

The Cavite Task Force Group for Manila Bay previously announced that the dismantling of illegal fishing structures in the areas of Noveleta, Kawit, Cavite City, and Bacoor City will start on Sept. 7.

The task force said the dismantling is intended to regulate illegal fishing structures along Manila Bay and address the high number of bamboo poles from fish pens, fish cages, and baklads/sapras that were washed ashore during the southwest monsoon rains.

Mr. Hicap argued that the fishing structures established in Manila Bay do not pose any pollution or harm to marine biodiversity.

“The oyster and mussel aquaculture structures that will be dismantled contribute a lot to the country’s food security and fisheries production. Compared to the buildings established at reclaimed areas in Manila Bay, the mussel and oyster structures provided livelihood and supplied food to thousands of fishers,” Mr. Hicap said.

PAMALAKAYA also said the dismantling activities is but a prelude to the reclamation plan in Cavite.

“Truth be told, the government’s Manila Bay rehabilitation program is a sham and a sellout in disguise.” — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

SMC draws up plans to protect birds visiting Manila Bay in line with airport project

PHILIPPINE STAR/KRIZ JOHN ROSALES

LISTED CONGLOMERATE San Miguel Corp. (SMC) said on Monday that it is coming up with plans to protect local and migratory bird populations that often visit Manila Bay as the firm gears up to build the New Manila International Airport project in Bulacan.

In an e-mailed statement, SMC said it has tapped Singapore-based avian researcher Frank E. Rheindt who suggested the development of new and protected coastal areas, which resemble mudflats and can provide food to migratory birds throughout the year.

Mudflats are areas covered during high tide.

Of the dozens of bird species visiting the area, few are deemed “critical” from a conservation standpoint, he noted. These critical species fall under the migratory shorebirds or waterbird category. They are attracted to tidal mudflats or coastal wetlands, which serve as their feeding ground.

“We are definitely committed to protecting bird species and supporting this advocacy. We’re considering and studying all [Mr. Rheindt’s] recommendations and will put together a plan that will align with the whole airport master plan,” SMC President Ramon S. Ang.

“Birds are always a safety concern for airports around the world. But our goal here is to protect them, and there are several ways we can do that, while also ensuring safety at the airport,” he added.

SMC’s airport project in Bulacan has yet to break ground, but Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said in June that work is already progressing. — Angelica Y. Yang

Bill prohibiting child marriage hurdles House on third and final reading

PHILSTAR

THE HOUSE of Representatives approved on Monday a bill that would prohibit child marriage in the Philippines.

In a vote of 197-0 with 2 abstentions, the congressional representatives approved House Bill 9943 that would protect children from abuse and other forms of exploitation.

Under the measure, people who arrange a child marriage will be jailed for up to 10 years, be fined at least P40,000, and lose parental authority if the person is an ascendant, parent, adoptive parent, stepparent, or guardian of the child.

Those who officiate a child marriage will also be jailed for 10 years, pay a fine of at least P50,000, and be disqualified from public office if the person works in government.

Those caught cohabiting with a child out of wedlock will also be jailed for 10 years, be fined at least P50,000, and will be disqualified from appointive or elective office.

The measure was approved by the House Committee on Women and Gender Equality on Aug. 7 and was approved on second reading on Aug. 31.

A counterpart measure was approved in the Senate on Nov. 9, 2020. — Russell Louis C. Ku

DoJ backs higher compensation for victims of wrong conviction, heinous crimes

BW FILE PHOTO

JUSTICE SECRETARY Menardo I. Guevarra on Monday said his department fully supports the proposed amendment to the law on claims that would increase the amount of compensation for those wrongfully convicted and for victims of heinous crimes.

“The DoJ (Department of Justice) will give its full support for the amendment of (Republic Act) 7309,” Mr. Guevarra told reporters in a group message on Viber.

RA 7309 is titled An Act Creating a Board of Claims under the Department Of Justice for Victims of Unjust Imprisonment or Detention and Victims of Violent Crimes.

“The law was enacted in 1992 and the value of the award has not kept up with the changing times,” he said.

On Sunday, House Deputy Speakers Michael L. Romero and Evelina G. Escudero called for the immediate consolidation of five similar bills to amend Republic Act 7309.

The bills allow victims of unjust conviction and imprisonment to file civil action and claim up to P5,000 per month of incarceration from the current P1,000. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago

Prisoners call amnesty grant a ‘sham’

KAPATID PHOTO RELEASE

PRISONERS slammed Proclamation 1093 granting amnesty to 715 prisoners who are allegedly self-confessed members of the communist movement, saying its conditions are a further form of political oppression.

“It is totally unjust that those foisted with false charges will own up to crimes they did not commit just to be able to leave prison,” the prisoners said in a statement on Monday released through human rights group Kapatid.

“Proclamation 1093 is a sham. This cannot be the means for the release of political prisoners. This is a proclamation of continuing oppression of political prisoners,” they added.

They said the other provisions of the proclamation that makes it “fake” and a “trap” are: amnesty will only be given to those who surrendered, prisoners must prove that their crime was committed only to fight for their political beliefs, and prisoners must not have been proscribed and charged and convicted under the Human Security Act of 2007 and the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.

Proclamation 1093 was signed by President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Feb. 16, 2021, along with three others granting amnesty to Moro rebel groups, and the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade.

The Philippine government has declared the Communist Party of the Philippines as a terrorist group. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago

Green power or coal power?

PIKISUPERSTAR-FREEPIK

The world has gone green. Tesla and even Porsche have electric cars. Yet, in a country like ours, green power is not getting enough of a push. Did you know it takes 200 permits to get a solar plant started? Now that’s real red tape.

We used to be number two in geothermal, now we slid to number three because Indonesia overtook us. This and other energy-related tidbits were shared with us by attorney Jay Layug, who used to work at the Department of Energy (DoE). I asked many questions related to shifting our little farm to solar power.

I asked a solar provider to give me a quotation to turn my coffee mill and cupping lab into a solar-powered facility. Alas, I need to spend AT COST almost P400,000, and it would take three years plus to recover the investment.

But I will still try to make a solar panel installation for my small house to at least provide for hot water and a few lights. Amadeo, Cavite is at a high elevation and we may not need air conditioning through most parts of the year. But we do need hot water and some lights. We need to run our electric water pump, etc.

The ideal scenario — given our green-related laws:

1. Use solar power if you consume at least 100 kilowatts (kW).

2. Sell your excess to government through Feed-in Tariff (FiT) which has been suspended for now. But which we hope will be reinstated in the next administration. Hello Mr. Secretary, what is the reason for suspending FiT?

3. We have the right and option to get power from green power providers. It’s supposed to be cheaper and better than coal, right?

(MAP had a general membership meeting on Aug. 10 where Mr. Layug was a guest and along with Sherwin Gatchalian and they explained to us the power situation.)

Now, what is happening to our green or renewable sector? Given that we already had a close brush with brownouts last summer, it’s time to prepare for next summer. Let’s use solar power whenever we can.

Besides being cost efficient and cheaper over the long haul, green power is something every household should consider. This is the future. Rommel, my nephew, turns on his air-conditioning which is powered by the sun. He installed solar panels and enjoys free aircon while conducting virtual meetings from his home. Rommel is also Mr. Electric Vehicle and started the EVs and electric jeeps many years ago.

So, where is this headed? Even Meralco has started its foray into green power. What about the other coal companies? When will you speed up towards going green?

The damage to the planet is being assessed as “irreversible,” but we are not losing hope. The first to go will be methane-producing cows and then, simultaneously, a conversion or transition to renewable energy.

Another investment will be solar plants or solar farms. We are looking for areas where the idle land can be converted into solar farms. Not every country has the gift of as much sun as ours —imagine the western countries who have the technology but do not have as much solar power as we have.

But again, 200 permits to put up a solar plant? Let’s think again. Where did we make a mistake? In any case, maybe this will be speeded up by the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) or, if enough netizens gave their opinion about it, maybe the DoE and other agencies will wake up to sun power, or wind power, or ocean power.

Like Congresswoman Loren Legarda says: “We have good laws. We just need to implement them well.” So, what are we waiting for? If each company or each village produced their own power through solar, it can even be a money-making activity for each town.

Let’s keep learning. Because power is something we all need. But we can shift to renewables. We can slowly get rid of coal or fossil fuels. But it has to start from the top. So, we are calling on our corporate heads to start green projects and the general investing public to choose renewable energy investments.

Why is it taking so long for corporate leaders to realize that this is the way of the future? Is it just profit even if it is not green profit? If one has to adjust to today’s pandemic, the heat upon us, the unprecedented power shortages, and the dire situation of our power plants, we must act now. Be the one who looks to the future. Be the one who looks at a sustainable tomorrow for your company while you are in charge.

It can be done if we all do it. If we see it.

However, only visionaries are seeing it. Are you one?

This article reflects the personal opinion of the author and does not reflect the official stand of the Management Association of the Philippines or MAP.

 

Chit U. Juan is a member of the MAP Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and Chair of the Philippine Coffee Board.

map@map.org.ph

pujuan29@gmail.com

map.org.ph

Pandemic statistics and public welfare

DCSTUDIO-FREEPIK

On Aug. 3, Deputy Speakers Bernadette Herrera and Kristine Singson-Meehan, Deputy Minority Leader Stella Quimbo, AAMBIS-OWA Representative Sharon Garin, and Quezon City 4th District Representative Bong Suntay filed House Resolution No. 2075 “Urging the House Committee on Good Government to Conduct an Inquiry, in Aid of Legislation, on the Qualifications, Research Methodologies, Partnerships, and Composition of OCTA Research Philippines.” Among the justifications given for the resolution is “the need to ensure the safety and security of the population… and that information being distributed is correct and are not irresponsibly and erroneously published.”

Many objected to the move of the legislators. Typical among the objections was that of UP sociology professor and columnist Randy David, who considers an inquiry “a misuse of congressional time” and notes that it could be taken as “a form of harassment, a muzzling of independent voices.”

I understand where the concerns are coming from, given the political temper of the times, but I think that the congressional probe is not only proper, but also necessary. I don’t necessarily doubt the COVID-19 projections of OCTA Research. Prof. Guido David and Fr. Nicanor Austriaco, the analysts of the firm who are the most often quoted by the media, seem more than qualified to conduct these kinds of projections. But people have the right to know how a private research group comes up with projections related to the pandemic, especially when these are actively disseminated by the media such that they affect public perceptions and behavior. Besides, scientists and data analysts have been increasingly called upon worldwide to practice transparency and accountability in their research and reporting activities, especially when these activities have impacts on people.

I looked for the methodology of the group in the OCTA Research website, but could not find it there. I have requested members of OCTA Research to share their methodology and look forward to studying it closely. Meanwhile, media outfits continue to report OCTA Research projections, with a recent one being the possibility of 30,000 cases across the country by the end of September.

To be fair, the congressional probe should not be limited to OCTA Research, but should include the projections of the Department of Health (DoH) as well. What is the department’s projection methodology? Why do DoH projections sometimes differ from those of OCTA Research when they are supposedly using common data? Which projections are ultimately used by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF)? Why?

By knowing more about the methodologies behind COVD-19 projections, the public can be educated about the usefulness of such projections and understand the government’s basis for deciding to impose different levels of lockdowns.

The pandemic is literally a life and death matter. In addition, many among the poor think of the long lockdowns as a violation of their right to work and as a slow economic death. Hence, scientific analysis of the status and anticipated future of the pandemic is a matter of grave public interest. People should understand what terms like “reproduction number,” “surge,” “peak,” “positivity rates,” and “flattening the curve” mean for them in practical terms so that they can act responsibly to protect themselves and their communities.

While members of OCTA Research have welcomed the opportunity to explain their methodology to the legislators, Fr. Austriaco foresees the challenge of explaining the technical details of COVID-19 model-building to them. I wish them well in their presentations. I think their explanations on Pandemic Modeling 101 to the House representatives should be heard by all Filipinos in order to elevate scientific literacy in the country.

According to business history, the Japanese educated their managers and workers on statistical quality control after World War 2. Helped by the leading American statisticians of the day, such as W. Edwards Deming and Joseph Juran, Japan used the science of quality to achieve the most phenomenal post-war economic booms the world had ever seen.

Let’s face it. If there is one thing the pandemic has taught us, it is that we have to gear up as a nation to prove that we are collectively smarter than a virus. So far, we have not been doing so great. But if we can better understand the science and data analysis related to the pandemic, we will have a fighting chance.

In relation to the upcoming congressional probe, Ranjit Rye of OCTA Research said it well: “We will take the opportunity to explain our methodologies. … [Our] intent [is to] use science for public good. … This is the life of our nation. As citizens, we need to contribute.”

 

Dr. Benito “Ben” L. Teehankee is the Jose L. Cuisia, Sr. Professor of Business Ethics and Head of the Business for Human Development Network at De La Salle University.

benito.teehankee@dlsu.edu.ph

How gaming will change humanity as we know it

FREEPIK

THE ADVENT of gaming, especially computer gaming, marks a fundamental break in human affairs. Gaming is profoundly transforming two central aspects of the modern world: culture and regulation. There will be no turning back.

When it comes to culture, the West has been in a dialogue with itself for centuries, indeed millennia, stretching at least as far back as the Bible and the ancient Greeks. Literature, music, cinema, and the visual arts provide a common body of knowledge that intellectual elites are expected to be conversant with. Knowing one part of that canon usually helps you master the other parts; Verdi drew upon Shakespeare, who influenced Orson Welles, and so on. Culture has never been about self-contained worlds. Quite the contrary.

Games break that continuity. Typically, a game is a closed system that requires a lot of time and attention to achieve mastery, thereby encouraging specialized consumption. It is easy to become a world-class performer in a game without knowing much about the broader culture. By the same token, most of today’s cultural experts know very little about gaming, and they get on just fine. The worlds of culture and gaming are largely separate.*

This is not a criticism of gaming, which has enriched many millions of lives. It is simply to note that the mix of digitization and immersion — combined with the closed, world-building, proprietary structure of the gaming enterprise — has created something new. Games very often use interesting music and visual effects, and in this sense, they are cultural objects. But the fundamental appeal of gaming has more to do with performance and focus. Gaming is more like participating in an event than watching an event.

And make no mistake about it: As an avocation, gaming is winning out. The gaming sector produces about $179 billion in worldwide revenue, larger than that for global movies and North American sports combined. Gaming increased during the pandemic and has emerged robust.

Other cultural products, so to speak, seem to be on the wane. Are there many books today that get the attention and discussion that, say, the Harry Potter series did at the turn of the century? Even when the pandemic passes, will art exhibits have the same influence they once did?

The self-contained nature of games also means they will be breaking down government regulation. Plenty of trading already takes place in games — involving currencies, markets, prices, and contracts. Game creators and players set and enforce the rules, and it is harder for government regulators to play a central role.

The lesson is clear: If you wish to create a new economic institution, put it inside a game. Or how about an app that gamifies share trading? Do you wish to experiment with a new kind of stock exchange or security outside the purview of traditional government regulation? Try the world of gaming, perhaps combined with crypto, and eventually your “game” just might influence events in the real world.

To date the regulators have tried to be strict. It is currently difficult to build fully realized new worlds without creating something that is legally defined as an unregistered security. Those regulations don’t receive a lot of attention from the mainstream media, but they are rapidly becoming some of the most significant and restrictive rules on the books.

At the same time, regulators are already falling behind. Just as gaming has outraced the world of culture, so will gaming outrace US regulatory capabilities, for a variety of reasons: encryption, the use of cryptocurrency, the difficulties of policing virtual realities, varying rules in foreign jurisdictions and, not incidentally, a lack of expertise among US regulators. (At least the Chinese government’s attempt to restrict youth gaming to three hours a week, while foolhardy, reflects a perceptive cultural conservatism.)

Both the culture-weakening and the regulation-weakening features of games follow from their one basic characteristic: They are self-contained worlds. Until now, human institutions and structures have depended on relatively open and overlapping networks of ideas. Gaming is carving up and privatizing those spaces. This shift is the big trend that hardly anyone — outside of gaming and crypto — is noticing.

If the much-heralded “metaverse” ever arrives, gaming will swallow many more institutions, or create countervailing versions of them. Whether or not you belong to the world of gaming, it is coming for your worlds. I hope you are ready.

*It has been a common argument that the rise of the “postmodern” has meant the decline of central meta-narratives. But for decades the same people, in the same institutions, conducted the same debates about whether a particular kind of central cultural thread had vanished. Those debates themselves were a kind of central thread, well known to virtually everyone in the intellectual elite. The advent of gaming has brought about what postmodernism only promised.

BLOOMBERG OPINION

Budget 2022, borrowings, and OCTA

There are five important and unprecedented trends in the proposed National Government budget for 2022 that were not present in 2021 and previous years.

One, the budget will reach P5 trillion. When there is fiscal responsibility, this should also require P5 trillion of taxes, fees, and other revenues without resorting to new borrowings.

Two, allocations to local government units (LGUs) will reach P1.1 trillion. The Mandanas ruling affirmed by the Supreme Court and to be implemented in 2022 mandates that the internal revenue allotment (IRA) of LGUs should be based on total tax revenues of the National Government and not just collections by the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

Three, the budgets of some departments keep rising even if they should devolve more functions to the LGUs. These include the Departments of Education, Health, and Social Welfare and Development.

Four, outstanding public debt will reach P13.4 trillion. This is due to high borrowings of P2+ trillion a year since 2020 and big decline in revenues due to prolonged indefinite lockdown. Interest payments alone for the huge government borrowings were P532 billion in 2021 and P513 billion in 2022.

Five, government personnel services and pensions are to reach P1.4 trillion. From 2021, the Pension and Gratuity Fund were created separately from personnel services and these pensions, separation benefits have reached P232 billion in 2022. Government salaries, allowances and bonuses including non-essential bureaus continued despite many business closures (see Table 1).

 

One seemingly minor but noticeable trend in the budget is that while the Office of the President has P5 billion to P8 billion a year budget despite having control and jurisdiction over all Departments, the Office of the Vice-President only gets P0.6-P0.9 billion a year. This despite the fact that the Vice-President is the second highest official of the country.

On Monday, Sept. 6, the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability was to discuss House Resolution (HR) No. 2075, “Urging the House Committee on Good Government to Conduct an Inquiry, in Aid of Legislation, on the Qualifications, Research Methodologies, Partnerships, and Composition of OCTA Research Philippines.” The HR was authored by Representatives Bernadette Herrera Dy, Kristine Singson-Meehan, Sharon Garin, Stella Luz Quimbo, and Bong Suntay.

I received a formal invitation to be one of the speakers from the Committee Chairman, Representative Michael Edgar Aglipay. Since Dr. Benigno “Iggy” Agbayani was also invited and we are both members of the Concerned Doctors and Citizens of the Philippines (CDC PH), I informed Mr. Aglipay that I would not present and I sent my input and research to Doc Iggy and he will present our joint paper.

Among the data that Doc Iggy and I submitted to the Committee were the economic damage of indefinite, hard, “circuit breaker” lockdowns that OCTA has been advocating and are music to the ears of Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) officials.

The actual GDP level, the flow of goods and services in a year or in a quarter — not just GDP percentage growth or contraction — are as follows:

The 2020 GDP level of P17.53 trillion was even lower than the 2018 level of P18.26 trillion, so three years of economic performance was erased. And this is only P351 billion higher than the 2017 level.

The first half 2021 GDP level of P8.89 trillion was even lower than the first half 2018 level of P8.94 trillion. And it was only P490 billion higher than the first half 2017 level (see Table 2).

OCTA has proposed “circuit breaker” hard lockdowns twice this year, on March 19 and July 27, both days with 7,000 cases each. Three weeks after March 19, there were 9,000 to 12,000 cases per day. Palpak sila OCTA and IATF (OCTA and IATF bungled) — their “circuit breaker 1” hard lockdown did not work and was based on false prediction.

In “circuit breaker 2” hard lockdown that OCTA announced on July 27 and implemented by the IATF in early August, the range of cases was 6,000 to 22,000 a day, an average of about 13,000 a day, twice the July 27 level of 7,000. Palpak na naman sila OCTA and IATF (OCTA and IATF bungled it again). More proof that hard lockdowns do not work and OCTA was using and announcing false predictions.

While OCTA may have good math models in computing the reproduction number R naught (R0) and related statistics, OCTA has a bad understanding about the virus. Viruses are not static and have properties of natural mutation into other variants.

OCTA and its followers in government should shut up about the false predictions and step back on hard lockdown policies. We have had lockdowns for 18 months straight already, have mass vaccination and vax discrimination policies, and still infection rates and daily cases are rising, not declining.

 

Bienvenido S. Oplas, Jr. is the Director for Communication and Corporate Affairs, Alas Oplas & Co. CPAs,

nonoyoplas@alasoplascpas.com

Shipping industry proposes levy to speed up zero carbon future

REUTERS

LONDON — Leading shipping associations have proposed creating a global levy on carbon emissions from ships to help speed up the industry’s efforts to go greener.

With about 90% of world trade transported by sea, global shipping accounts for nearly 3% of the world’s CO2 emissions and the sector is under growing pressure to get cleaner.

For the first time, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and Intercargo jointly proposed a levy based on mandatory contributions by ships trading globally, exceeding 5,000 gross tonnages, for each ton of CO2 emitted.

The money collected would go into a climate fund that would be used to deploy bunkering infrastructure in ports around the world to supply cleaner fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia, according to the proposal.

“What shipping needs is a truly global market-based measure like this that will reduce the price gap between zero-carbon fuels and conventional fuels,” ICS Secretary-General Guy Platten said.

The proposal was submitted on Friday to the UN’s shipping agency, the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

An IMO spokesperson said all proposals were welcome and would be up for discussion later this year, adding that “proposals on market-based measures are in line with the initial IMO GHG (greenhouse gas) strategy.” 

The IMO will hold an intersessional working group meeting scheduled for late October, ahead of a late-November session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee, which will address issues including carbon-reduction efforts.

The European Commission in July proposed adding shipping to the bloc’s carbon market, targeting an industry that had for more than a decade avoided the EU’s system of pollution charges.

The ICS said “piecemeal” approaches such as the EU’s proposal would significantly complicate “the conduct of maritime trade.”  — Reuters

Vietnam’s capital ramps up testing after extending COVID-19 curbs

GORDON JOHNSON – PIXABAY

HANOI — Vietnam’s capital on Monday extended coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) restrictions for a further two weeks, as authorities launched a plan to test up to 1.5 million people for the coronavirus in higher-risk areas of the capital to contain a climb in infections.

The Southeast Asian country dealt successfully with the virus for much of the pandemic, but the virulent Delta variant has proved more challenging in recent months.

Hanoi, which has ordered people to stay at home and has halted all nonessential activities since July, has now divided the city into “red,” “orange” and “green” zones based on infection risk.

“Accordingly, people in red areas must shelter in place and one person of every household there will be tested three times per week,” a statement from city authorities said, adding that in other zones people would be tested every five to seven days.

Barricades on Monday separated red zones from other areas, photographs posted on social media and media outlets showed.

Hanoi authorities expect up to 1.5 million test samples to be collected in the next week. The government is eager to keep the outbreak from reaching the intensity seen in Ho Chi Minh City.

In the southern business hub, people have been encouraged to test themselves using antigen COVID-19 kits after health services were overwhelmed.

Hanoi has been reporting on average 50 cases daily and has recorded over 4,000 cases since the pandemic began, official data showed.

Although the numbers are still low, authorities are wary after the Delta variant has helped drive up infections across the country to over 524,000 cases.

One third of Hanoi’s 8 million residents have been fully vaccinated and on Sunday the health ministry called on the capital and Ho Chi Minh City to vaccinate all adult residents with at least one dose by Sept. 15.

Vietnam has one of the lowest coronavirus vaccination rates in the region, with only 3.3% of its 98 million people fully vaccinated, and 15.4% with one shot. — Reuters

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