Veteran midfielder Stephan Schrock (17) is one of the players called up for national team duty and will take part in the training camp in Qatar before heading to China for the joint 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. (SEA Games 2019 website)
The Philippine national men’s football team revealed late Thursday the names of the players who will be taking part in its training camp in Qatar in preparation for a joint continental qualifying tournament set for next month.
Twenty-five players were named from which the final roster of the Azkals seeing action in the joint 2022 International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) World Cup and 2023 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup qualifiers in Suzhou, China, beginning June 3, will be culled from.
The team will first train in Qatar until the end of May before heading to the tournament proper.
Called up for national team duty were goalkeepers Neil Etheridge, Bernd Schipman and Kevin Ray Mendoza; and defenders Carlie De Murga, Alvaro Silva, Luke Woodland, Jesper Nyholm, Martin Steuble, Jefferson Tabinas, Mar Diano, Niko de Vera and Michael Kempter.
Also in the list are midfielders Stephan Schrock, Patrick Strauss, Iain Ramsay, Gerrit Holtmann, Raphael Obermair, Patrick Reichelt, Oliver Bias, Jarvey Gayoso, Matthew Baldisimo, Mark Winhoffer and Lloyd Fagerlie; and forwards Mark Hartmann and Angel Guirado.
Messrs Schrock and Etheridge were named captain and vice-captain, respectively.
The first batch of players flying from Manila left for Doha late Thursday while the other players called up flying in from different parts of the world will meet the team there.
The Philippines is currently at third place in Group A of the qualifiers with seven points from a 2-1-2 record, behind Syria (5-0-0) with 15 points, and China (2-1-1) with seven.
Maldives (2-0-3) and Guam (0-0-5) round out the group.
The Azkals last played in the qualifiers in November 2019, losing to Syria (1-0) in Dubai.
Scheduled qualifying matches of the team in 2020 failed to push through because of the pandemic.
The Philippine men’s football team is to face Guam on June 3, then China on June 9, and Maldives on June 15.
Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry is one of the finalists for the National Basketball Association most valuable player award, the league announced on Friday. (Golden State Warriors Facebook page)
Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry and Filipino-American guard Jordan Clarkson of the Utah Jazz are among the finalists for National Basketball Association individual awards, the league announced on Friday (Manila time)
Three-time NBA champion Curry is in the running for the Most Valuable Player award while Mr. Clarkson is in the mix for the Sixth Man of the year plum.
Mr. Curry, the league’s scoring leader (32 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 5.8 apg and 1.2 spg), is up against big men Nikola Jokic (26.4 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 8.3 apg and 1.3 spg) of the Denver Nuggets and Joel Embiid (28.5 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.0 steal and 1.4 bpg) of Eastern Conference top seeds Philadelphia 76ers.
For the Sixth Man of the Year award, Mr. Clarkson (18.4 ppg, 4 rpg and 2.5 apg in 26.7 minutes per game), who represented the Philippines in the 2018 Asian Games, is pitted versus teammate Joe Ingles (12.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg and 4.7 apg in 27.9 minutes), and former league MVP Derrick Rose (14.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 4.2 apg and 1 spg in 25.6 minutes) of the New York Knicks.
In the Coach of the Year award race, in contention are Quin Snyder (Jazz), Tom Thibodeau (Knicks) and Monty Williams (Phoenix Suns) while the Defensive Player of the Year list has Rudy Gobert (Jazz), Draymond Green (Warriors) and Ben Simmons (Sixers).
For the rest of the awards, the finalists are Jerami Grant (Detroit Pistons), Michael Porter Jr. (Nuggets) and Julius Randle (Knicks) for Most Improved Player; and LaMelo Ball (Charlotte Hornets), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves) and Tyrese Haliburton (Sacramento Kings) for Rookie of the Year Award.
The selection of the three finalists for each annual award was based on voting results from a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.
The winners of the awards will be announced through the course of the 2020-2021 NBA Playoffs, which kick off on Sunday. – Michael Angelo S. Murillo
TOKYO — Nearly 70% of Japanese firms want the Tokyo Olympics either canceled or postponed, a Reuters survey found, underscoring concerns that the Games will increase coronavirus infections at a time when the medical system is under heavy strain.
With just nine weeks to go before the Games, states of emergency have been imposed in much of Japan until the end of the month to counter a spike in infections that has resulted in a shortage of medical staff and hospital beds in some areas.
The country’s vaccination program has also been particularly slow, with just 4% of the population inoculated, the lowest rate among the Group of Seven nations.
The Corporate Survey, conducted May 6–17, showed 37% of firms were in favor of cancellation, while 32% want a postponement.
In particular, those calling for a cancellation have increased from February when the same questions were asked in the monthly survey. Then, 29% were keen on a cancellation while 36% favored a delay.
“There’s no way that the Olympics can go ahead under the current circumstances,” a manager at a metals firm wrote in the survey.
“Nothing the government does seems to be well-planned. All it appears to be doing is spreading anxiety.”
The results of the survey are roughly in line with public opinion polls.
Many Tokyo residents say, however, they are conflicted about holding the Games.
“Variant strains could enter, creating a terrible situation,” said Keiko Yamamura, a 58-year–old yoga instructor. “But when I think of the athletes who have worked so hard, I’d like to let them do it.”
The government and International Olympic Committee have repeatedly said the Games will go ahead. About 70% of the 10,500 athletes due to attend have already qualified.
If the Games, which have already been postponed by a year, were canceled, a quarter of the firms expect big economic losses. But nearly 60% said economic losses would be limited while another 13% said they expect economic losses to be relatively small.
The survey, conducted for Reuters by Nikkei Research, canvassed some 480 large and midsize non-financial companies, of which about 230 answered questions on the Olympics. Respondents participate in the survey on condition of anonymity. —Tetsushi Kajimoto/Reuters
LONDON—India’s export ban on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)shots risks dragging the battle against the pandemic “back to square one” unless wealthy nations step in to plug a gaping hole in the COVAX global vaccine-sharing scheme, health specialists said on Thursday.
COVAX, which is critical for poorer countries, relies on AstraZeneca shots made by the Serum Institute of India, the world’s biggest maker of vaccines. It was already around 100 million doses short of where it had planned to be when India halted exports a month ago amid a surge in infections there.
Rich countries with plentiful COVID-19 vaccine stocks must now share them immediately, at scale, the global experts said, otherwise the pandemic could be prolonged as the world struggles to contain a virus that is continuing to spread and mutate.
“It is a huge concern,” said Anna Marriott, health policy manager at the global charity Oxfam. She and others said it was imperative that wealthy countries and regions make good on their rhetoric and share excess vaccines now.
“The current approach that relies on a few pharma monopolies and a trickle of charity through COVAX is failing — and people are dying as a result.”
Reuters reported on Tuesday that India is extending its ban, meaning it is now unlikely to resume major exports before October.
Will Hall, global policy manager for the Wellcome global health trust, said COVAX’s heavy reliance on the Serum Institute left it vulnerable. India’s extension of its export ban made it even more crucial for rich countries to share doses via the scheme, he said, “not in six months’ time, not in a month’s time, but now.”
“We’re not going to beat this virus unless we think and act globally,” he added. “We all should be concerned about this — the more the virus continues to spread, the greater the risk of it mutating to a stage where our vaccines and treatments no longer work. If that happens we’re back to square one.”
A highly transmissible new variant of the novel coronavirus first identified in India has spread to several countries around the world.
‘VERY FEW OPTIONS’
COVAX aims to get vaccines to at least 20% of the populations of the more-than 90 low and middle-income countries signed up to receive the shots as donations. It has so far distributed about 65 million doses of mainly the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, many of them to Africa.
A spokeswoman for the GAVI vaccines alliance, which co-leads COVAX, said the facility was working hard to make up supplies.
“We’re trying to find different ways of making sure that those countries that have received the first dose are able to also receive a second dose and that vaccinations can continue,” she told Reuters. “What we need right now, to meet the immediate needs, is dose sharing.”
The United States said on Wednesday it would share a total of 20 million doses of Pfizer’s, Moderna’s and Johnson & Johnson’s vaccines by the end of June, donating a significant amount via COVAX, on top of 60 million AstraZeneca shots it had already planned to give to other countries.
EU trade commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said this week that the bloc was working to significantly ramp up vaccine donations through COVAX in the second half of 2021. Vaccine sharing announced by EU member states has so far amounted to 11.1 million vaccines, he said, of which 9 million are being shared via COVAX.
Britain, meanwhile, will have enough surplus doses to fully vaccinate at least 50 million people in poorer countries once every adult at home has been fully vaccinated, according to analysis by UNICEF’s UK office last week.
The GAVI spokeswoman said COVAX’S reliance on the Serum Institute was based, largely, on its vast production capacity, ability to deliver at low cost and on assurances that it would be able to produce the millions of doses needed at speed.
“It always was COVAX’s plan to grow and diversify its portfolio to 10–12 vaccines but at the start of the year when approved vaccines were only slowly coming online, we had very few options available to us,” she said. —Kate Kelland/Reuters
Stylish designs, crystal clear displays and 5000mAh-powered batteries make the vivo Y series an exciting lineup of innovative smartphones. From gaming to entertainment and photography, vivo Y series fuel different passions and winning moments.
vivo’s best-selling Y series offers users powerful hardware in good-looking devices for friendly prices
The vivo Y series smartphones capitalize on attractive designs, crystal clear displays, and hardworking batteries.
Some of the best vivo Y series smartphones are Y20i, Y30, Y31, Y20s (G) and Y12s.
These new smartphones are now available in select vivo stores nationwide.
The vivo Y series has provided smartphone users an impeccable lineup of value-for-money devices that have stylish designs, crystal clear displays, and long-lasting batteries. These phones are proof that in a period of increased digital activity, going for online passions need not be expensive.
Stylish designs, crystal clear displays, and 5000mAh-powered batteries make the vivo Y series an exciting lineup of innovative smartphones. From gaming to entertainment and photography, vivo Y series fuel different passions and winning moments.
In the more than 20 handsets released in the best-selling vivo Y series so far, here are the five latest favorites in terms of style and performance.
Projecting high definition displays with vivo Y20i
For gaming and entertainment fans, the vivo Y20i is the ultimate immersive experience for screens in smartphones that are worth less than PHP10,000. The 6.51-inch Halo FullView Display is among the most vibrant in entry-level devices. Sealing the excitement is the smartphone’s Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and a hardworking battery that provide lag-free, longer games.
Capturing fine moments with the triple rear camera in vivo Y30
Here’s another phone that is packed with a 5,000 mAh battery with games capability also enhanced by the Multi-Turbo 3.0. vivo Y30, however, has something extra for photo enthusiasts: its triple rear cameras that are stylishly stacked in a compact structure. Aside from gaming, the phone is also perfect for mobile photography with its 13-megapixel main camera complemented with a 2-megapixel macro camera and another 2-megapixel bokeh camera.
Hyped up for all-day fun with the vivo Y31
The Y31’s most notable improvement from its predecessor, the vivo Y30, is its 48-megapixel main front camera. The triple rear camera, also with macro and bokeh support, is maximized for all-day fun with the phone’s long-lasting battery and 18W fast charge. Making the Y31 more stylish is 8.38-mm slim design which is highlighted with a side fingerprint unlock.
Longer winning moments in Y20s [G]
Designed specifically with gamers in mind, this smartphone is supported with the Helio G80 Gaming Processor which loads game apps seamlessly and maximizes internet connectivity better. Aside from being boosted with a powerful gaming engine, the Y20s [G] also supports longer gameplay with its powerful battery and 18W fast charge that are kept in stunning colors of Obsidian Black and Purist Blue.
Powered up with the seamless performance of the Y12s
This newly-released summer of 2021 smartphone dazzles in its 6.51-inch Halo FullView Display with HD resolution 1600×720. The side-mounted fingerprint unlock makes this phone more trendy which helps gamers access its Multi-Turbo 3.0-powered processor easily, and makes the availability of the powerful dual camera to photo enthusiasts effortless.
The difference in priority specs and breakthrough innovations propel the vivo Y series as a best-selling collection of smartphones. It is, however, in equipping users with inexpensive devices for them to pursue their passions that makes the Y series an exciting smartphone lineup.
The vivo Y series phones are available in vivo stores nationwide. For more details, visit https://www.vivoglobal.ph/ or visit vivo Philippines on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The Y12s is also available for purchase at vivo’s official Lazada and Shopee stores.
GAZA/JERUSALEM—An Egyptian-mediated truce between Israel and Hamas began on Friday, but Hamas warned it still had its “hands on the trigger” and demanded Israel end the violence in Jerusalem and address the damages in Gaza Strip after the worst fighting in years.
US President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., pledged to salve the devastated Gaza. Aerial bombardment of the densely populated area killed 232 Palestinians, while rocket attacks killed 12 people in Israel during the conflict.
Palestinians, many of whom had spent 11 days huddled in fear of Israeli shelling, poured into Gaza’s streets. Mosque loud-speakers feted “the victory of the resistance achieved over the Occupation (Israel).”
Cars driving around East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah at dawn flew Palestinian flags and honked horns, echoing the celebratory scenes in Gaza.
In the countdown to the 2 a.m. (2300 GMT Thursday) cease-fire, Palestinian rocket salvoes continued and Israel carried out at least one air strike.
Each side said it stood ready to retaliate for any truce violations by the other. Cairo said it would send two delegations to monitor the ceasefire.
The violence erupted on May 10, triggered by Palestinians’ anger at what they saw as Israeli curbs on their rights in Jerusalem, including during police confrontations with protesters at Al-Aqsa mosque during the Ramadan fasting month.
The fighting meant many Palestinians in Gaza could not mark the Eid al-Fitr festival at Ramadan’s conclusion. On Friday, throughout Gaza, postponed Eid al-Fitr meals were held instead.
In Israel, radio stations that had carried around-the-clock news and commentary switched back to pop music and folk songs.
DEATH TOLL
Gaza health officials said 232 Palestinians, including 65 children, had been killed and more than 1,900 wounded in aerial bombardments. Israel said it had killed at least 160 combatants.
Authorities put the death toll in Israel at 12, with hundreds of people treated for injuries in rocket attacks that caused panic and sent people rushing into shelters.
Hamas, the Islamist militant group that rules Gaza, cast the fighting as successful resistance of a militarily and economically stronger foe.
“It is true the battle ends today but (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu and the whole world should know that our hands are on the trigger and we will continue to grow the capabilities of this resistance,” said Ezzat El-Reshiq, a senior member of the Hamas political bureau.
He told Reuters in Doha that the movement’s demands also include protecting Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem and ending the eviction of several Palestinians from their home in East Jerusalem which Reshiq described as “a red line.”
“What comes after the battle of ‘Sword of Jerusalem’ is not like what came before because the Palestinian people backed the resistance and know that the resistance is what will liberate their land and protect their holy sites,”Reshiq said.
In Israel, relief was bittersweet.
“It’s good that the conflict will end, but unfortunately I don’t feel like we have much time before the next escalation,”Eiv Izyaev, a 30-year-old software engineer, said in Tel Aviv.
Amid growing global alarm, Mr. Biden had urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to seek de-escalation, while Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations (UN) sought to mediate.
In a televised address on Thursday, Mr. Biden extended condolences to bereaved Israelis and Palestinians and said Washington would work with the United Nations “and other international stakeholders to provide rapid humanitarian assistance” for Gaza and its reconstruction.
Mr. Biden said aid would be coordinated with the Palestinian Authority — run by Hamas’ rival, President Mahmoud Abbas, and based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank —“in a manner that does not permit Hamas to simply restock its military arsenal.”
Hamas is deemed a terrorist group in the West and by Israel, which it refuses to recognize.
POWER STRUGGLE
Analysts saw a key goal of Hamas’s rocket campaign as being to marginalize Abbas by presenting itself as the guardian of Palestinians in Jerusalem, whose eastern sector they seek for a future state.
Making the link explicit, Hamas named the rocket operation “Sword of Jerusalem.”
Mr. Abbas, 85, remained a marginal figure during the 11-day conflict. He secured a first telephone call with Mr. Biden during the crisis — four months after Mr. Biden took office — but his western-backed Palestinian Authority exerts little influence over Gaza, and he made no public comment after the truce was announced.
Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, an Abbas appointee, said “We welcome the success of the international efforts led by Egypt to stop the Israeli aggression against our people in Gaza Strip,” in comments published by Palestinian media.
In perhaps a worrying sign for Abbas in his West Bank heartland, some Palestinians waved green Hamas flags in Ramallah, the seat of his government.
Hamas previously demanded that any halt to the Gaza fighting be accompanied by Israeli drawdowns in Jerusalem. An Israeli official told Reuters there was no such condition in the truce.
The State Department said that Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken planned to travel to the Middle East, where he would meet with Israeli, Palestinian, and regional leaders to discuss recovery efforts.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Israeli and Palestinian leaders had a responsibility beyond the restoration of calm to address the root causes of the conflict,” he told reporters with serious dialogue.
“Gaza is an integral part of the future Palestinian state and no effort should be spared to bring about real national reconciliation that ends the division,” he said.—Nidal al-Mughrabi and Dan Williams/Reuters
Did You Know? There are More Ways to Protect You and Your Family.
Find Out More About an Innovation that Makes Sure Your Home is a Safe Zone
At the onset of this global pandemic, no one was fully prepared for it. Now, we talk about the reality we all face: the novel coronavirus is sparing no one, and we must do something about it.
On Preventive Vaccines
As of writing, only 1.86% of the population have received the first of two doses of the vaccine and only 0.47% have taken both jabs that secure the value of effectiveness of the vaccine—lagging behind the government’s goal to vaccinate 70% of Filipinos by the end of this year.
The Anti-COVID Technology
Although getting vaccinated is the highest form of prevention currently available, proper sanitation can go a long way to prevent the novel coronavirus from entering your home. Both public and private sectors have been doing extensive research to provide people more safety and security. One of which is Japan Quality brand Panasonic with its nanoe™ X Technology, nano-sized atomized water particles released by Panasonic appliances, such as its Air Conditioners.
nanoe™ X has been certified by Texcell, a French global contract research organization, to inhibit 99.7% of the novel corona virus in a 6.7m3 space in just 24 hours. [2]It deodorizes foul odors, inhibits the growth of bacteria and viruses, and is effective in eliminating dust, allergens, and pollens for a fresher, cleaner indoor environment—giving you more ways to prevent diseases from invading your home. As a bonus, it even moisturizes skin and hair!
Out for outdoor errands? Or perhaps going for a quick trip to the office? Update your to-go needs with Panasonic Portable nanoe™ X Generator. This small (0.4kgs) yet high-performance device packs a punch in virus prevention, making sure that your immediate space, whether at home, at the office, or inside your car, leaves no room for viruses.
To use, simply plug it and press the power button on top of the generator. The portable device is powered by the same nanoe™ X Technology in Panasonic Air Conditioners that is certified by Texcell to inhibit the novel coronavirus by 99.7% in a 6.7m3 space in just 24 hours.
‘Prevention is better than cure’ is real now more than ever. Make sure that you are equipped to keep yourself and your family protected in this new normal, operating in hope that the world will see this pandemic through.
The vivo X60 series, co-engineered with ZEISS, will be available in vivo stores and kiosks nationwide beginning May 22, Saturday, and retails for Php34,999. For more details on the new smartphone, visit https://www.vivoglobal.ph/phone/vivo-X60/.
vivo and ZEISS redefines mobile photography with the launch of the X60 Series in the Philippines
vivo has officially released the X60 series of professional photography flagship smartphones in the Philippines. The latest series marks the inaugural vivo devices to be conceived in collaboration with ZEISS, a global leader in optics and opto-electronics. Featuring a cutting-edge design, the X60 series signifies vivo’s commitment to deliver the ultimate mobile photography experience.
Photography Redefined Through Global Partnership with ZEISS
The X60 series integrates the user-oriented innovation of vivo and the outstanding expertise in mobile imaging of ZEISS. The combined best-in-class optical lenses, sensors, image processing algorithms, and diverse multi-modal features allow users to enjoy camera technologies that were previously only limited to professional photographers.
“vivo is excited to give consumers the best mobile photography experience by leveraging the capabilities of ZEISS, a legend in the world of optics for 175 years,” said Spark Ni, Senior Vice President and CMO of vivo. “Smartphones have become an extension of the consumer’s lifestyle to record and capture the joy-inspired moments of their lives, causing mobile photography to become a critical part of user experience. We have collaborated with ZEISS to bring unparalleled sharpness, clarity, and image quality to vivo smartphones.”
Key to the X60 series’ top-notch photography capabilities lies in its groundbreaking vivo ZEISS co-engineered imaging system. The X60 model has three rear cameras (48MP + 13MP + 13MP), as well as a 32MP front camera. The ZEISS logo has been emblazoned on the lens, while the ZEISS Vario-Tessar trademark is engraved beneath the cameras, fitting for the professional photography flagship device that is sure to turn heads.
For the first time, users can also access ZEISS Biotar Portrait Style on the vivo X series. This new feature allows users to create customized professional portraits, with an unprecedented ability to render center sharpness and a unique swirly harmonious bokeh.
Actress Rhian Ramos stuns in the vivo X60 ZEISS Biotar Portrait Style, a feature that will be made available for the first time in vivo smartphones. Photo taken by Master Photographer Xander Angeles using the vivo X60 5G.
Bringing Advanced Imaging Features to Users
The camera system of the X60 supplements the enhancement of image details and sharpness to help users get ultra-HD images. It utilizes a VIS 5-axis video stabilization technology, allowing users to obtain clear shots of objects in dynamic motion with greater accuracy. The Extreme Night Vision 2.0 helps users to recreate a million shades of night with a single tap, capturing the impressive expanse of the night through vivo’s innovative AI noise reduction algorithm. Users may also choose between HDR Super Night Portrait, Ultra-Wide Night Mode, Super Pano, Pro Sports Mode, Kids Snapshot, and Starry Sky, amongst many others.
Optimal Power and Flagship Performance
The vivo X60 series sports the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 processo rthat promises smoother daily user experiences. With a substantial boost in CPU and GPU performance, these energy-efficient processors contain integrated 5G basebands that can make the user’s 5G wireless network lightning fast with minimal latency[1]. To accelerate the speed of its flagship processor, the X60 series also come with UFS 3.1 ultrafast flash memory to meet consumers’ need for running and storage.
Optimizingusers’sensory experience, the vivo X60 series features a 120Hz refresh rate[2] and 240Hz response rate running on an edge-to-edge AMOLED display. The industry-leading 120Hz refresh rate allows for effortless scrolling and viewing, while the 240Hz response rate induces an ultra-responsive touch screen to optimize user performance in gaming or occupational capacities. Additionally, the X60 series has been awarded with certifications including HDR10+, SGS Eye Care Display, SGS Seamless, and Hi-Res Audio; consumers can look forward to vivid clarity with stunning displays, leading to rich and immersive visuals that won’t strain the eyes after long periods of usage.
Ultra-Thin Design with Premium Aesthetics
The X60 boasts a stunning 6.56-inch flexible Ultra O Screencontaining a 3.96mm front camera punch-hole centered at the top with ultra-narrow bezels. Exuding elegant 3D curvature with futuristic aesthetics, the X60 series has carried on the elegance of the X50 with super-slender curves and a sleek silhouette. The contours are more captivating than ever and adorned with a choker – a beautiful band that runs along the top edge to complete a picture of grace.
The rear cameras are encased within the vivo X60 series’ New Dual-Tone Step, an ingenious layered design that refrains from an otherwise bulky look. Fashioned in thin cascading panels that rise in subtle steps, the Dual-Tone Step integrates all of the professional-grade imaging technologies and photography features co-engineered with ZEISS.
New Dual Tone Step multi-camera design
New Dual Tone Step multi-camera design
As slim as 7.36mm and weigh from 176g[3], the latest models area vailable in Shimmer Blue or Midnight Black. With Shimmer Blue, users can experience the visual radiance and feel the eternal hope of a sunrise, comprised of soft blue and purple hues that peek through the morning mist. Midnight Black is a powerful colorway that envelopes consumers in the tranquil summer night sky, allowing them to feel the fervor and passion hidden within – the energy of life.
The X60 will be available in vivo stores nationwide on May 22, Saturday. For more details on this new smartphone, visit https://www.vivoglobal.ph/phone/vivo-X60/ or visit vivo Philippines on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The X60 is also available for purchase at vivo’s official Lazada and Shopee stores.
vivo X60
Price
Php34,999
Camera
vivo ZEISS Co-engineered Imaging System
Processor
Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 870
Storage*
12GB+3GB Extended RAM
256GB Internal Storage
Screen*
6.56″ Flexible 2.5 Ultra O AMOLED Screen
120Hz Refresh Rate | 240Hz Response Rate *Measured diagonally, the screen size is 6.56-inch in the full rectangle.
Actual display area is slightly smaller
Operating System
Android 11 (Funtouch OS 11.1) *Android is a trademark of Google LLC
Battery
4300mAh (TYP) with 33W FlashCharge
Connectivity
Type-C, 2.4GHz/5GHz Wi-Fi MIMO, Bluetooth 5.1, OTG
Sensors
In-Display Fingerprint Sensor, Accelerometer, Ambient Light Sensor, Proximity Sensor, E-Compass, Gyroscope, Color Temperature Sensor
Location
GPS, BEIDOU, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS
Dimensions*
Midnight Black
158.63 x 75.01 x 7.36 mmShimmer Blue
159.63 x 75.01 x 7.40 mm *Actual Dimensions and weight may differ due to variations in processes, measurement method, and material supplies
[1]Actual 5G experience depends on local networks and software and is subject to the local carrier’s network situation.
[2] Some applications or gaming interfaces may be displayed with a 60 Hz refresh rate due to reasons such as software compatibility.
[3] X60 Midnight Black edition measures 7.36mm thick and weighs 176g, while Shimmer Blue edition measures 7.40mm thick and weighs 177g.
Construction works are expected to pick up during the dry season. — PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS
By Beatrice M. Laforga, Reporter
STATE SPENDING on infrastructure climbed 41.1% year on year to P87.7 billion in March as the government completed more public works projects, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) reported.
Latest DBM data released on Thursday showed that infrastructure and other capital outlays in March were higher than the P62.2 billion in the same month last year. On a monthly basis, this was also 56.4% bigger than the P56.1 billion seen in February.
“This was largely propelled by the payment for completed and partially completed infrastructure projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) nationwide such as construction, repair and rehabilitation of access, by-pass, and diversion roads, bridges, and flood mitigation structures and drainage systems,” it said.
Spending in March brought the first-quarter total to P195.2 billion, up 25.1% from P156.1 billion a year ago — when the first and strictest form of lockdown was imposed in Luzon.
On a quarterly basis, the DBM said the first quarter’s growth showed signs of recovery from last year’s 32.7% slump in the fourth quarter and the 33% decline in the third quarter.
The bulk of the funds were spent on the construction of roads and payment to direct suppliers of foreign-assisted projects such as the Metro Manila Subway Project and the Davao City By-Pass Construction Project.
Public construction helped temper the overall slump in the entire construction sector in the first quarter, jumping 26.2% year on year after seeing a 17.7% decline in the fourth quarter.
“This trend can be a good sign that the construction sector is already bouncing back from the effects of the community restrictions in place in the previous year as the economy is gradually reopened and the implementation of projects gains steam,” the DBM said.
The government allocated P1.2 trillion for infrastructure projects this year, as it pins its economic recovery hopes on an aggressive infrastructure program. It also targets to complete big-ticket projects before the Duterte administration steps down in mid-2022.
“President [Rodrigo R.]Duterte is on the last year of his term, he has to heighten infrastructure spending to leave a legacy of a progressive economy that was able to rise up from the pandemic,” said Colegio de San Juan de Letran Graduate School Dean Emmanuel J. Lopez in an e-mail.
Construction works are also expected to pick up during the dry season.
Moving forward, state spending on infrastructure will likely sustain its growth in the second quarter despite the lockdown reimposed in Metro Manila and nearby areas according to Cid L. Terosa, a senior economist at University of Asia and the Pacific.
“Gains made by countries around the world and the Philippine government in terms of the number of vaccinated individuals have raised expectations of more brisk economic and business activities in the second half of the year. Capital formation in the form of infrastructure spending will be one of the foundations of a resurgent economy,” Mr. Terosa said in an e-mail on Thursday.
Accelerating the infrastructure rollout is a time-tested way of creating multiplier effects across sectors and income classes, as it generates jobs and provide incomes for households, he said.
“Ramping up infrastructure spending is tantamount to preparing the economy to ride the wave of future domestic and international economic revival,” he added.
Economic managers earlier this week downgraded its gross domestic product (GDP) growth target to 6-7% from 6.5-7.5% penciled in last December 2020. This after first-quarter GDP shrank by 4.2% as the prolonged coronavirus pandemic continued to dampen economic activity.
Bicycle commuters cross the EDSA-Aurora intersection in Quezon City. — PHILIPPINE STAR/ MIGUEL DE GUZMAN
By Arjay L. Balinbin, Senior Reporter
ENZO C. PAYOT, a 32-year-old casino dealer from near the Philippine capital, started biking seven kilometers to work in October after getting infected with the coronavirus.
“After getting the virus, I was traumatized and avoided the jeepney,” he said by telephone. “So I bought a bike.”
City dwellers from Paris to Tokyo and Manila — notorious for its traffic jams — are hopping on bikes as governments around the world cut public transportation to contain the pandemic.
Global bicycle sales have surged to a point where even Taiwan’s Giant, the world’s biggest bike maker, has struggled to meet demand.
Traffic congestion in Metro Manila eased to 53% last year from 71% a year earlier as President Rodrigo R. Duterte locked it down amid a coronavirus pandemic that has sickened 1.15 million and killed almost 20,000 people.
But it was still the fourth most congested city in the world, with a 30-minute trip taking 53% longer, according to Amsterdam-based TomTom International B.V.
Many Filipinos started riding bicycles as public transportation was shut during the first lockdown in mid-March last year. The government also began creating more bike lanes.
A law that provided a stimulus package cited the role of bicycles as an additional mode of transportation, allotting P1.1 billion for a national bike lane project.
Of the total, P800 million will be used to build more than 338 kilometers of bike lanes in Manila, the capital and nearby cities, while P150 million will be used to build a 140-kilometer bike lane in Cebu City in central Philippines. A 60-kilometer bike lane worth P150 million was also planned for Davao City, Mr. Duterte’s hometown.
A poll by the Social Weather Stations in November showed that 87% of Filipinos thought bicycles and pedestrians should be prioritized over public vehicles.
The government had built 296 kilometers of bike lanes as of April, complete with pavement markings, bollards, curbs and solar studs, Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade told an online news briefing last month.
The vision is for every local government to have its own bike lanes that will be interconnected to create a network, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Benjamin de Castro Abalos, Jr. told the same briefing.
The state seeks to build 535 kilometers of bike lanes in Metro Manila, Cebu and Davao by yearend.
Mr. Tugade said the government’s push for the use of bicycles would likely continue after the pandemic.
“Active transport,” which is part of the government’s pandemic response, would help people keep social distance and make them more physically and mentally active, said Dasha Marice S. Uy, program officer at the Health department.
“A lot of people feel less stressed when they bike,” she told the briefing. “They become happier and more productive as well. Physically, they will prevent the most common lifestyle diseases that we see in many Filipinos like diabetes, heart disease and hypertension.”
The main EDSA highway is enforcing “road dieting” by reducing the size of car lanes and allotting a lane for bicycles. “It’s still the same number of vehicles on the same road, but you now have space for the bike lanes,” Mr. Abalos said.
The MMDA is also installing more closed-circuit television cameras to monitor the highway.
The Transportation department is also building 34 bike-sharing stations within the buffer of the EDSA corridor.
JUST A TREND Transport expert Rene S. Santiago doesn’t seem to share the government’s enthusiasm for bike lanes.
“Once the pandemic is over and public transport goes back to normal, there will be very few who will bike to work,” he said by telephone. “That has been Marikina City’s experience. They were the first to build bike lanes.”
He also doubts that cycling will become part of the public transport culture in the Philippines under the so-called new normal.
“Ask any Filipino if they learned to bike when they were kids. Most of them bike for leisure — the rich ones who buy expensive bikes and form groups,” Mr. Santiago said in Filipino.
“There’s nothing wrong with that. But bikes are unlikely to become a normal transport mode. Once the typhoons and floods come, they will all disappear.”
“Infrastructure will be wasted, he said. “We’re used to that. We have so many projects that get wasted.”
Mr. Santiago said the bike lanes on EDSA are a bad idea and hazardous, noting that bike lanes should be built on secondary roads where there are fewer cars.
“They look at The Netherlands as a model, but the Dutch have a different culture. They learn how to bike early, they have cool weather and their sidewalks are good,” he said.
“Some bike lane proponents are green advocates who are sincere, while others are Europe copycats suffering from colonial mentality,” Mr. Santiago said, adding that the government should prioritize sidewalks instead.
“Most of us walk. Even after you take your ride, you walk. So the majority of trips that are not served properly are sidewalks,” he said. “If you really want to improve active transport, sidewalks should be given the highest priority instead of bicycles.”
Aldrin O. Pelicano, MNL Moves founder, an urban planner and bike advocate, begs to disagree.
“People will go back to regular transport modes if there are no alternatives,” he said in a Zoom Cloud Meetings interview. “The very important question is, what are we doing right now?”
While he lauds the government for building bike lanes, he doubts whether the public was consulted about the matter. “Even their design guidelines have room for improvement. But we still appreciate their effort.”
He said people would only embrace bikes as a permanent mode of transportation if there is interconnection. “The network should be complete and connected, not piecemeal. The design should also be safe and comfortable.”
Mr. Payot, the casino dealer mentioned at the outset, said car drivers should learn to respect cyclists on the road.
“They might be unaware of how bikers help reduce traffic congestion, or maybe that’s just how they are,” he said.
“Sometimes a car or motorcycle will try to get close to you in the bike lane. Sometimes a taxi will park on the lane waiting for a passenger or a vendor will stand in your way, forcing you to get out of the lane and cheat death.”
Over 540,000 displaced overseas Filipino workers have been repatriated since the pandemic began, according to the Labor department. — PHILIPPINE STAR/ EDD GUMBAN
By Luz Wendy T. Noble, Reporter
MORE THAN three-fourths of repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are struggling to find new jobs, a study by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) showed.
IOM Philippines Head of Programs Troy Dooley said in a webinar on Thursday that 83% of OFWs remained unemployed three months after they returned to the Philippines.
The repatriated workers are also facing financial difficulties due to the lack of a regular income, while others were not given separation pay by their former employers.
“It tells us to work more in the government so that they can reintegrate in the Philippine domestic labor. We have to work harder on this migration cycle,” Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Sarah Lou Y. Arriola said during the webinar.
The IOM study titled “COVID-19 Impact Assessment on Returned Overseas Filipino Workers” found that most OFWs repatriated came from the Middle East, namely Saudi Arabia (24%), United Arab Emirates (21%), Qatar (6%) and Kuwait (4%). Around 4% of the returning OFWs were from Hong Kong. Nearly all or 98% of returning OFWs are land-based.
The study showed 59% of the workers did not receive separation or compensation pay, while 17% did not get their final salary and 19% reported early contract termination.
Over 540,000 displaced OFWs have been repatriated, according to the Labor department.
Despite the pandemic, nearly half (48%) of the repatriated OFWs still want to work abroad, while 35% prefer to stay home and 2% looking to move to other parts of the country.
As a significant number of workers want to return abroad, Ms. Arriola expressed concern human traffickers may take advantage of this situation.
“We have to prepare for this as a country of origin, simply because now because of the pandemic, there are really acts of desperation,” she said.
The government is looking to raise awareness over the risks involved in seeking work in a foreign country using only a tourist visa.
Susan V. Ople, the head of the Blas F. Ople Policy Center, said the significant number of migrant workers wanting to continue working abroad strengthens the case for their immediate vaccination against the coronavirus.
“I see the need for all stakeholders — government, recruitment agencies, NGOs (nongovernment organizations) to help in the effort to encourage more of our ex-OFWs and potential OFWs to get vaccinated. So that, whatever their aspirations are, they can do it in the safest way,” she said.
Meanwhile, IOM’s Mr. Dooley said that most OFWs (78%) see finding a job as a major challenge upon their return to the country, while 24% were concerned about paying debts.
Repatriated OFWs are also keen on setting up their own business, but most lack the required capital. The study found that 45% of the respondents want to venture into business but only 27% said they have capital while more than half (69%) do not have money for their business.
Meanwhile, 52% of the returning workers said they want to upgrade their skills to improve their chances of getting employed.
Data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration showed OFW deployments plummeted by 75% to 549,841 last year from 2.16 million in 2019.
Despite this, cash remittances only dropped by 0.8% to $29.903 billion in 2020, the first annual decline since 2001.
“The prediction once was that it will drop by 20% but the reality in 2020 was that it only dropped by 0.8%. It’s quite interesting that you have all these returnees but remittances have not significantly dropped,” Mr. Dooley said.
Cash remittances is crucial in fueling consumption, which makes up 70% of the economy. The central bank expects inflows to grow by 4% this year due to the reopening of various host economies.
PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte signed an executive order (EO) creating a trade facilitation committee that aims to streamline customs processes.
Executive Order No. 136 creates a Philippine Trade Facilitation Committee to “streamline and improve customs procedures and facilitate the implementation of rational, efficient, and simple customs rules.”
The order, signed on May 18, was made to comply with the country’s commitments under the World Trade Organization – Trade Facilitation Agreement (WTO-TFA).
The committee shall “study, propose, and coordinate the position, activities, or actions of the Philippine government on matters pertaining to the implementation of the WTO-TFA and other trade facilitation commitments.”
It will represent the country’s interests in trade facilitation meetings and submit reports on the compliance of the Philippines with various trade commitments.
It will also coordinate with relevant government agencies and stakeholders on trade-related matters.
The committee will submit to the National Economic and Development Authority – Board Committee on Tariff and Related Matters its proposed measures and practices that would expedite the movement and clearance of goods.
The order also directs the committee to coordinate with the Anti-Red Tape Authority for the implementation of Republic Act No. 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018 “in relation to trade facilitation.” — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza
Global bicycle sales have surged to a point where even Taiwan’s Giant, the world’s biggest bike maker, has struggled to meet demand.
