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Bike and plant for Sarangani Bay protected seascape 

More than 500 bikers from Soccsksargen Region took part in the recent bike and plant activity marking the 25th anniversary of the proclamation of the Sarangani Bay Protected Seascape (SBPS). The bikers, representing various government agencies and private cycling groups, rode the 60-kilometer route from General Santos City and planted various species of mangrove propagules in mangrove forests in the coastal towns of Alabel, Malapatan and Glan in Sarangani province. The coastal road along the bay is being primed as a bike tourism destination in southern Mindanao because of its scenic and culturally rich highways. The event was spearheaded by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, through its Protected Area Management Office and Protected Area Management Board, to combine recreational sports and environmental education and action in Region 12.

Olympics – Tokyo organizers to bar most international volunteers

TOKYO — Tokyo Olympic organizers said on Monday that Japan would not allow in volunteers from overseas except for some who are deemed essential, after it decided to bar international spectators amid public concerns over the novel coronavirus.

Athletes’ families are also likely to be barred although organizers have yet to make a decision, Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto told a news conference.

Mr. Muto said the decision on volunteers was regrettable, but that organizers wanted to decide now so there would not be confusion for those people overseas who were waiting for a decision.

Organizers said on Saturday they had decided not to allow in foreign spectators during the Games and would refund some 600,000 Olympic tickets and another 30,000 Paralympic tickets purchased by overseas residents.

“So considering that decision, we have also decided that we will not be able to allow volunteers from outside Japan into Japan this summer to take part in the Games,” Mr. Muto said.

Mr. Muto added that organizers had yet to reach a conclusion about the families of athletes, but that they would likely be considered in the same way as foreign spectators.

More than 110,000 volunteers had put their lives on hold waiting for word from Olympics organizers about their roles this summer.

Volunteers take care of everything from translating and guiding people to driving visitors around and venue management. A rich part of the Olympic tradition, they range from university students to retirees and come from all around the world.

Mr. Muto said exceptions would be made for volunteers with expert and specialised knowledge about specific sports and that these people would receive individual notifications.

It was not immediately clear how many exceptions would be granted. Kyodo News reported earlier that organizers might allow around 500 foreign volunteers into Japan under special entry rules. — Reuters

Rudy Gobert swats nine shots as Jazz rout Bulls

RUDY Gobert had 21 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high nine blocked shots, and the Utah Jazz pulled away for a 120-95 win over the host Chicago Bulls on Monday night.

Donovan Mitchell scored a team-high 30 points for Utah, which wrapped a five-game road trip with a 3-2 record. Joe Ingles (17 points), Jordan Clarkson (16), and Mike Conley (15) also scored in double digits for the league-leading Jazz.

Gobert set a personal record when he swatted away a layup attempt by Coby White midway through the fourth quarter. He surpassed his previous high of eight blocked shots, which he established against the Indiana Pacers on March 20, 2017.

Zach LaVine finished with 27 points to lead the Bulls. Thaddeus Young contributed 14 points and nine rebounds, Tomas Satoransky scored 13, and White had 10.

Utah shot 48.9% (45 of 92) from the field and 43.6% (17 of 39) from 3-point range.

Chicago shot 40.6% (39 of 96) overall and 23.1% (six of 26) from long distance.

The Jazz led 89-71 at the end of the third quarter. Clarkson capped the period with a floating jump shot off an assist from Conley with 3.1 seconds to go.

Utah held a 56-42 lead at the half. Mitchell led all scorers with 21 points before the break while LaVine led the Bulls with 13.

Chicago opened with a 20-15 lead after White drained a 3-pointer with 4:07 remaining in the first quarter. But the advantage did not last for long as Utah closed the quarter on a 14-3 run to go ahead 29-23.

In the second quarter, Utah extended its lead to as many as 17 points. Young trimmed the Bulls’ deficit to 14 when he made a cutting layup with 25.9 seconds left before intermission.

Chicago has lost three of its past four games while Utah has won three of its past four.

This was the first meeting of the season between the teams, who will square off again in Salt Lake City on April 2. — Reuters

James-less Lakers

There’s no question that LeBron James continues to be the National Basketball Association’s most influential star. Even at an old 36 and close to the end of a distinguished career, he remains the biggest name on the marquee. He once again led all players in All-Star votes, and his jersey is number one in sales. Even his “moments” are the most coveted; he has the top four and six of the top eight Top Shot collectibles. Meanwhile, he’s the engine that makes the Lakers, defending champions, run smoothly. His on-off numbers are among the highest in the league, with the purple and gold a decided net negative in his absence.

Which, in a nutshell is why the needle moved significantly following news of James’ indefinite sidelining due to a high ankle sprain he suffered in the second quarter of the Lakers’ match against the Hawks over the weekend. The type of injury he sustained typically takes weeks from which to recover, and bookmakers wasted no time lowering the odds on both a title repeat and a Most Valuable Player campaign. The jury’s still out on whether the changes are justified. That said, head coach Frank Vogel’s charges — or, to be more precise, remaining charges — will have to stay afloat in the absence of their acknowledged leader.

For the Lakers, plodding on without All-Star Anthony Davis is bad enough; since exiting their encounter with the Nuggets last month, he has been unable to suit up due to tendinosis and a right calf strain. Getting by without James is infinitely worse. No eyebrows were raised when they went on to lose to the Hawks, and then to the Suns in their next outing. Then again, the real battles begin in the playoffs, when the two are fully expected to be ready and geared to go deep. The four-time Finals MVP’s resume is littered with postseason success following seemingly unremarkable regular-season stands.

To be sure, James was far from happy to be decommissioned by a freak accident. He was bummed that he needed to be away from the floor for an indefinite period. The flipside: he’s known for recovering quickly. Not for nothing has he missed more than 10 games in a given campaign only twice since he was chosen first overall in the 2003 draft. He himself alluded to his commitment to return as fast as he can, noting in Tweet that he will be “back soon like I never left.” He better, because the Lakers will go only so far as he can take them.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.

German businesses say Easter lockdown will fuel bankruptcies

BERLIN – Germany’s decision to extend the coronavirus lockdown and close stores over Easter could drive more businesses to bankruptcy and be counterproductive by encouraging people to flock to the shops beforehand, lobby groups said on Tuesday.

The HDE association of retailers said 54% of fashion stores faced the danger of insolvency after 100 days of lockdown.

“After one year with coronavirus, the situation for many retailers is desperate. There is no longer any hope of surviving this crisis economically,” HDE president Stefan Genth said.

After talks that lasted into the early hours of Tuesday, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany would extend its lockdown until April 18 and called on citizens to stay home and reduce contacts as much as possible for five days from April 1.

The number of new infections in Germany rose by 7,485 on Tuesday to 2.674 million, while another 250 people died, bringing the death toll to 74,964. The number of cases per 100,000 in the last seven days rose to 108 from 107 on Monday.

Genth said the government was operating with “tunnel vision” by only focusing on the number of cases per 100,000 people, rather than other metrics and the fact retailers have taken many steps to limit the risk of infection while shopping.

“The risk of infection during shopping is low,” he said.

The HDE said the decision to close supermarkets on the Thursday before Easter would be counterproductive as it would mean the stores would be fuller on the Wednesday and Saturday.

The Association of the German Motor Trade (ZDK) also attacked the extension and tightening of the lockdown.

“Politicians must not shut down our country any longer,” ZDK president Juergen Karpinski told the newspapers of the Funke Mediengruppe, warning of a wave of bankruptcies.

“If car dealerships contribute practically nothing to infections, how is their closure supposed to help contain the virus?” – Reuters

Lazada recognizes everyday heroes and sellers in celebration of its 9th Birthday this March

Looking back at how far Lazada has come in the past nine years, a huge part of its success can be attributed to its flourishing marketplace and the seller community behind it. While the past year has been quite a challenge for SMEs, Lazada has continued to remain driven and passionate in empowering businesses to flourish. Entrepreneurs have always been the backbone of the platform, continuously steering the company to greater heights and success.

Themed around celebrating ‘Everyday Heroes’, this year’s Birthday festivities not only pays tribute to frontline essential workers that have been working tirelessly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, but also shines the spotlight on individuals our community who have, in their own ways, demonstrated resilience and touched the lives of people around them.

This includes business owners and SMEs who have been through bumps and hiccups, but continue to place importance on bringing happiness and joy to their customers by providing amazing products that cater to a range of consumer needs. Lazada celebrates its ninth anniversary by recognizing its community of sellers and entrepreneurs, whose stories serve as an inspiration for other business owners and continue to contribute to the growth of the Philippine economy.

TRIZIE PH – Darla Bautista

TRIZIE Fiber is a wellness product company founded in Thailand, exclusively sold by luxury lifestyle retailer BFF Bangkok. TRIZIE Fiber originated in the Philippines when founder Darla’sformer college professor introduced her to the owner of BFF Bangkok, Porsajika Thongsuk, who is also involved in the creation and formulation of TRIZIE products. Porsajika Thongsuk aspired to bring TRIZIE to the Philippines because she believed in the huge untapped potential of the market.

Teaming up with former college acquaintances and mentors, Darla launched TRIZIE on Lazada in October 2020, and has been a meaningful journey for both herself and her team. 

“Lazada was our top choice because it’s the first and largest eCommerce platform in the country. With its scale, network, and credibility, Lazada helped kickstart our brand successfully with their reach, credentials, and payment options. The platform enabled our customers to easily discover our pilot products, and the new items we subsequently launched, like our new wellness accessories. It solved a lot of first-time shopping barriers for shoppers too – like credibility of the quality, payment options, and pick-up options,” said Darla Bautista, founder of TRIZIE Philippines.  

Darla attributes their 11.11 success with the seller support that the business provided. The team has been consistently reaching out to ensure that businesses are poised for growth, which is what makes the platform an ideal partner for both aspiring and budding entrepreneurs. 

“We’ve over-delivered revenue expectations month-on-month since our launch last year, and we’ve consistently been landing a spot as one of the top 10 LazMall health brands!” Darla said.

Mighty Baby PH – Meryll Dy

Meryll Dy, the owner of Mighty Baby PH, has been distributing their products since 2014 in established retail stores in the Philippines and saw an increasing need to strengthen their online brand presence and widen their network to reach more potential customers across the country. This led to Meryll’s decision to start selling on Lazada in 2014. She and her team were one of the first few sellers on Lazada. Today, she is the owner of a brand that’s been identified as one of the Top 15 brands under the Mom and Baby Category. 

For the first few years with Lazada, we were not very active in joining campaigns, and the look of our online store was pretty ordinary. We hired more manpower two years ago to focus on just Lazada, and also spruce our store up to make it more aesthetically pleasing for our customers. Our sales have grown exponentially since! Revenue from traditional brick and mortar stores dipped the past couple of months due to the pandemic, but we are very happy that we have Lazada to back us up as a partner that will help us grow our business. They have completely changed the online shopping scene in the Philippines,” said Meryll.

Greenika – Gesika Baylon

Greenika was founded by Gesika Baylon, who onboarded her brand onto Lazada in October 2018. Gesika used to work for a small digital marketing agency that provided services for several eCommerce businesses across the globe selling on Amazon, E-Bay and Shopify. Gesika saw an increasing demand for online shopping, and fueled by her passion for skin care dreamt of starting her own business. She had a vision of creating organic beauty products that are chemical-free, safe, and affordable. Leaving her 9-5 job, she went on to launch Greenika – which comes from the words “green” symbolizing nature and plants, and the last three letters “ika” from first her name.

Almost three years since joining Lazada, Greenika now has over 100,000 followers, and now has two shops that make a sizeable monthly revenue. I’m extremely grateful for Lazada because selling on the platform has enabled me to make money to pay off all of my bank loans and debts, and now has given me the opportunity to purchase properties I’ve always dreamt of providing for my family. I wouldn’t have been able to reach all these milestones if it wasn’t for Lazada. Lazada University has been an essential tool enabling me to learn how to build a stronger presence on the platform, and gain traffic for our page and products. This is why we have seen tremendous improvement month after month,” Gesika said. 

Although starting a business from the ground up may seem very daunting at first, Lazada offers a multitude of tools, educational modules and excellent seller services to guide them throughout the process. These entrepreneurs also credit their success to their loyal customers who continue to support their businesses. Gesika adds that putting customers first is also an important advice she would give to aspiring business owners. 

“As we celebrate Lazada’s ninth anniversary this month, we want to also thank our sellers and partners for their support and trust in Lazada as they forge ahead in their digital transformation journeys. We hope to continue to inspire even more local entrepreneurs in their eCommerce journeys, and support them to grow and build a stronger digital economy in the Philippines,” says Carlos Barrera, Lazada Philippines Chief Operating Officer.

With Lazada’s 9th Birthday just around the corner, Lazada fans and shoppers can look forward to more amazing deals from your favorite sellers and stores! Before checking out, tune in to Lazada’s Super Party on GMA7 and LazLive on the Lazada App on March 26 at 9:30 PM. The virtual concert will also be simulcast on Lazada’s Facebook, Tiktok, Twitter, and Youtube accounts.

Enjoy a star-studded lineup of performances by Katy Perry, NCT Dream and other top Southeast Asian artists highlighting the “Lazada Super Party” concert by checking out the exclusive Lazada 9th Birthday Super Party playlist on Spotify. Keep any eye out for Php 150 million worth of vouchers up for grabs and seize the best deals during Lazada’s upcoming Birthday sale offering up to 90% off with free shipping! 

Don’t miss out on all of the fun-filled birthday festivities! Keep up to date by visiting lazada.com.ph, https://www.facebook.com/LazadaPhilippines, and @lazadaph on Instagram and Twitter.

If you are interested to know more about growing your business on Lazada, visit  www.lazada.com.ph/sell-on-lazada!

Israel, NZ give interim approval for sale of virus nasal spray firm, company says

JERUSALEM/WELLINGTON — Israel and New Zealand have given interim approval for the sale of biotech firm SaNOtize Research and Development’s Nitric Oxide Nasal Spray (NONS) which could help prevent transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the company said on Monday.

Manufacturing of NONS, under the brand name Enovid, has begun in Israel with SaNOtize’s partner Nextar Chempharma Solutions Ltd. and it is expected to be on sale there this summer.

In New Zealand, SaNOtize has registered its nasal spray with the New Zealand Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority, which permits the company to distribute and sell NONS over the counter immediately, the Vancouver-based company said.

However, New Zealand’s health ministry said it has not approved the product for use as an anti-viral nasal spray.

The approval referred to by the company may relate to a notification made to the New Zealand Web-Assisted Notification Database (WAND) operated by Medsafe, where medical devices for supply in New Zealand are required to be notified. This is not an application or approval process, the health ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

“The presence of an entry on this database does not confirm or imply that the product meets the requirements of the Medicines Act 1981,” it said in a statement, adding that it would follow up with the company.

Last week, SaNOtize and Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Surrey, UK, announced results of clinical trials showing that NONS was an effective antiviral treatment that could prevent the transmission of COVID-19, shorten its course, and reduce the severity of symptoms and damage in those already infected.

Chris Miller, SaNOtize’s chief science officer, said its formulation of Nitric Oxide for use in humans is designed to “kill viruses in the upper airways, preventing them from incubating and spreading to the lungs.” — Reuters

ANALYSIS | Investors seek out ‘back to the future’ trades to beat inflation as bond yields rise

NEW YORK – Widespread expectations of a coming U.S. economic boom are forcing bond fund managers to dust off their playbooks to combat a nemesis they have not had to worry about for more than a decade: inflation.

The tepid recovery from the Great Financial Crisis elongated the long bull market in bonds reaching back to the early 1980s, pushing yields to historically low levels. Yet continued accommodation by the Federal Reserve and the anticipated effects of the Biden administration’s $1.9-trillion stimulus plan have pushed up benchmark 10-year Treasury yields to last week touch their highest levels since January 2020.

Inflation is anathema to bond investors, eroding earnings over time, but it has not posed a significant threat since well before the 2008-2009 financial crisis. Now, though, the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic is forcing inflation back into the consciousness of fixed-income markets.

“We are going to see some really high inflation numbers in the next two or three quarters,” said Matt Freund, co-chief investment officer at Calamos Investments, who is overweight in shorter duration bonds in anticipation that inflation could reach as high as 3% this year.

“Why would you buy a 10-year bond and lock in a negative real yield for the entire 10-year period?” Freund said.

Sustained inflation will likely depress total returns in the U.S. fixed income market over the next three to four years, bond analysts say. As a result, some investors say they are holding assets that will benefit if inflation rises without taking on the risk of equities, which have stalled as investors price in higher debt costs for consumers and companies.

Mark Egan, portfolio manager of the Carillon Reams Core Bond Fund, said that he is focused on the safety offered in shorter-term Treasuries rather than expensive premiums in the high-yield debt market. He expects that fixed-income funds will post average declines of 2% or more over the next 3-4 years.

“You have to go back a long time to where people can remember a rising interest rate environment for more than a few months,” he said. “The price of safety is relatively low and the price of yield or return is very high.”

 

BLIP OR HERE-TO-STAY?

The big question for bond fund managers is how long above-average inflation will last.

“Is inflation going to rise in the next couple months? Absolutely,” said Gregory Peters, head of PGIM Fixed Income’s multi-sector and strategy. “But the gravitational pull is for inflation to go lower not higher.”

The Fed sees core inflation – which strips out the more volatile costs like food and energy – rising between a median of 2.0% and 2.2% a year through 2023, while projecting that long-term GDP – one of the main drivers of inflation – will return to 1.8% a year after spiking to 6.5% in 2021.

The U.S. 10-year break-even inflation rate on 10-year Treasury inflation protection securities, a gauge of expected annual inflation over the next 10 years, rose as high as 2.32% on Thursday, the highest since January 2014.

“It seems like the rise in breakeven inflation rates … has pretty much allowed the market to fully price in what they see coming in the way of inflation,” said Greg Whiteley, portfolio manager, DoubleLine. “And now they’re saying we’re seeing stronger real growth alongside inflation.”

Yet the Fed sees an inflation rise as transient. Richmond Federal Reserve President Thomas Barkin said on Monday that he expects some pretty large spikes in prices but it will be a one-time surge.

Indeed, since publicly setting its 2% target in 2012, the Fed has rarely hit it.

Commodities will likely be a winner from inflation regardless of whether it matches or exceeds the Fed’s assumptions, said Brian Jacobsen, senior investment strategist for the Multi-Asset Solutions team at Wells Fargo Asset Management.

The S&P GSCI commodity index is up 15.1% for the year to date.

“This is a sort of the back to the future play that hasn’t been in vogue for a while because we haven’t had to worry about inflation,” Jacobsen said. – Reuters

China’s Tencent faces concessions to win green light for giant videogaming merger – sources

March 23 – Chinese internet giant Tencent Holdings Ltd is having to offer concessions in a plan to merge the country’s top two videogame live-streaming sites in order to resolve antitrust concerns, two people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

Tencent, China’s No. 1 videogame and social media firm, first announced plans to merge Huya and DouYu last year in a tieup designed to streamline its stakes in the firms, estimated by data firm MobTech to have an 80% slice of a market already worth more than $3 billion and growing fast.

But with regulators concerned the deal would give Tencent overwhelming dominance, it’s willing to settle for approval subject to conditions, according to the people, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter.

China’s State Administration of Market Regulation (SAMR) said in December it was reviewing the merger.

Tencent, Huya, DouYu and SAMR did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.

The change of tack comes amid Beijing’s sweeping anti-monopoly crackdown on China’s internet giants. The crackdown started with 2020’s shelving of financial technology firm Ant Group’s $37 billion initial public offering, and has expanded across the sector, battering share prices and prompting some to take pre-emptive measures before they are targeted.

A separate person with direct knowledge of the deal said the antitrust review of the merger had been an “elongated process”, but nothing concrete had been communicated from the regulator to the companies regarding potential concessions.

Huya and DouYu are ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, as China’s most popular video game streaming sites, where users flock to watch e-sports tournaments and follow professional gamers. Tencent is Huya’s biggest shareholder with 36.9% and also owns over a third of DouYu, with both firms listed in the United States, and worth a combined $10 billion by market value.

“Tencent has a dominant position in game publishing in China, while the two live-streaming sites combined would be tantamount to gargantuan in the business,” one of the people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

Announcing the Huya-DouYu plan last October, Tencent said it aimed to fold its own fully-owned videogame live-streaming business into the combined businesses of Huya and DouYu after the merger under its Penguin arm. – Reuters

Be prepared for emergencies with M Lhuillier Quick Cash Loan

In the midst of a crisis, M Lhuillier remains committed to its mission of supporting Filipino families through safe and trustworthy financial solutions.

True to its name, the M Lhuillier Quick Cash Loan is a collateralized money lending service that provides customers the option to obtain cash immediately, making it a great option when emergencies lead to unexpected expenses.

The ML Quick Cash Loan offers the highest appraisal and lowest interest rates in the industry. Combined with staff who are well-trained to give fair and reliable appraisals, customers are certain to enjoy the maximum value of their collateral items while paying minimum interest. Transactions are also kept strictly confidential.

To apply for an ML Quick Cash Loan, simply visit your nearest M Lhuillier branch and fill out the form provided. Present a valid I.D. and hand over your collateral item to the personnel for appraisal. Then get your cash and your loan ticket.

When you’re ready to retrieve your collateral item, return to the branch where you availed your ML Quick Cash Loan and present your valid I.D. with your payment.

lhuillierAmong the items that customers may use as collateral include gold and diamond jewelry, Ray-Ban sunglasses, guitars, medical equipment, gadgets such as cellular phones, laptops, tablets, and cameras; and home essentials like kitchenware, silverware, appliances, and power tools. M Lhuillier branches are equipped with CCTV, fire alarms, and monitored security systems, while collateral items are safely secured in a safe-within-a-vault during the pendency of the loan. 

The items mature in a period of 30 days, though customers may easily renew or extend their loan. Just hand over your signed transaction slip along with a valid I.D. and your payment, affix your signature on the new transaction slip, and claim it.

Renewals and extensions may be done from any branch. With 3,000 M Lhuillier branches nationwide, getting an ML Quick Cash Loan is widely accessible to many Filipinos, including those who live in remote provinces.

M Lhuillier, the Philippines’ largest and most respected non-bank financial institution, continues to uphold its promise of being the Bridge and Tulay ng PaMLyang Pilipino with more than 3,000 serviceable locations nationwide. It continuously seeks better and innovative ways to serve its community by providing fast, easy, and reliable financial services such as Kwarta Padala, Quick Cash Loan, Bills Payment, Insurance Plan, Money Exchange, Jewelry, ML Wallet, ML Express, ML Logistics, and Telco and online TV Loading. Follow M Lhuillier Financial Services, Inc. on Facebook, or visit mlhuillier.com for more information. For inquiries, contact Customer Care through its toll-free number 1-800-1-0572-3252 or email customercare@mlhuillier.com.

Firms feel pinch as curbs tightened

A policeman is seen at a checkpoint at the boundary of Calumpit, Bulacan and Apalit, Pampanga, March 22. — PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

By Jenina P. Ibañez, Reporter

BUSINESSES are calling for a quicker rollout of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines as they feel the pinch from tighter restrictions in the capital region amid a fresh surge in infections.

The Health department on Monday reported 8,019 new COVID-19 cases, the biggest daily jump since the pandemic began (Read related storyPhilippines sets up checkpoints as daily case count hits record”).

The government on Sunday announced that only essential travel would be allowed to and from Metro Manila and its neighboring provinces or the so-called “NCR Plus” bubble. Until April 4, some businesses will be temporarily banned from operating at full capacity or at all, while indoor dine-in at restaurants will not be allowed.

Acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua said on Monday the economy could no longer afford to have its major cities revert back to the strictest form of lockdown given its huge impact on jobs and the income of workers and businesses.

“We need to consider that strict quarantines previously imposed entailed huge income losses and hardships, especially among the poor. The IATF Resolution No. 104 allows key businesses and services to operate, instead of imposing a blanket and prolonged community quarantine which could cost some P2.1 billion in wages daily,” he said in a statement.

Businesses are anticipating losses in the next two weeks. The tourism sector was hoping to get a boost during Holy Week, which usually marks the start of the peak travel season.

“There will definitely be an impact as a majority of travelers for the Holy Week would have been from NCR (National Capital Region),” Tourism Congress of the Philippines (TCP) President Jose C. Clemente III said in a mobile message.

He said the industry is hoping the “situation gets under control” so that businesses can resume plans to reopen.

“A lot of stakeholders, especially travel agents and tour operators, are still on work from home or alternate work schedules as there is still not much business to be had so in those terms, most of us have not yet thought of fully reopening.”

Smaller retail businesses will also be affected by the lockdown, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) President Benedicto V. Yujuico said.

“Even with minimum additional restrictions, people will be afraid to go to the malls so there will be less customer traffic and this will also affect restaurants even if outdoor sitting is allowed,” he said in an e-mail.

The government, he added, had taken into account the potential business revenue and employment disruption and had taken steps to minimize them, noting that the lockdown would help slow the surge in infections.

“The lockdown is helpful but the true solution lies in the arrival of vaccines and the faster rate of inoculation of the citizens,” he said.

Henry Lim Bon Liong, president of the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc., said the private sector is looking to help import more vaccines.

“If we have more vaccines nationwide this year, we are optimistic that we can fully revive consumer confidence, rebuild businesses, and restore our Philippine economic growth this 2021,” he said in a statement.

The Philippines has inoculated just more than 330,000 people.

Foreign businesses in the country are also encouraging the government to adopt international best practices in mitigating COVID-19 transmission.

“The Chamber underscores the urgency of smooth and speedy rollout of the immunization program. This is essential in stabilizing the current situation, and in ensuring that the majority of sectors are up and running again on all cylinders,” European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines President Nabil Francis said in a mobile message.

Exporters, on the other hand, are adopting a wait-and-see approach. The companies during the stricter lockdown last year saw disruptions as they encountered bottlenecks in moving goods across multiple checkpoints.

Philexport President Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis, Jr. in a phone interview said that there could be disruptions among suppliers moving goods, but is not yet certain that the same would happen amid new restrictions.

But Danilo C. Lachica, president of the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines, Inc. (SEIPI), said disruptions will be minimal.

“(The) industry has learned to adjust and cope,” he said in a mobile message.

The Philippine economy contracted by a record 9.5% in 2020 due to the prolonged lockdown. — with inputs from Beatrice M. Laforga

More fake news, more at stake as national elections draw near

By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter

BRIX JUSTINE R. PAGTALUNAN, a millennial voter, thinks his relatives are unlikely to vote for opposition candidates at next year’s elections.

Not because they don’t deserve voters’ trust, but more because of the risk of being branded communists or terrorists online by minions of the ruling administration.

BW Bullseye 2020-focus“This is especially true now that the campaigns of certain candidates are blatantly financed and publicized in both print and digital media,” the 25-year-old entrepreneur said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

“Social networking platforms and influencers are maximized to promote these candidates and enhance their image, exploiting their reliance on the internet for facts,” he added.

Fake news has been with us since time immemorial, and from the 2016 presidential elections to the coronavirus pandemic, it has proven to spread fast. It also poses a greater danger thanks — or no thanks — in large part to social media.

Civil society should help combat disinformation campaigns during the campaign season for the 2022 general elections, political analysts said.

“Voters would be prone to electing the undeserving ones if fake news continues to drown out and overwhelm the truth,” Danilo A. Arao, a University of the Philippines journalism professor who started the group KontraDaya said in a Messenger chat.

About 45% of Filipino adults had access to the internet in 2019, according to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) poll. About 98% of them or 29.4 million Filipinos had Facebook accounts.

Of 66.2 million adult Filipinos, about a quarter or 15.7 million people use Facebook to read news daily, SWS said.

Among social media sites, Facebook remains to be the worst perpetrator of fake news, according to a global poll by the Centre for International Governance Innovation and Ipsos.

Mr. Arao said people who stay mostly at home amid a coronavirus pandemic must be taught how to spot fake news so they don’t fall prey to disinformation campaigns by certain political camps.

DIGITAL CAMPAIGN
Disinformation was among the topics discussed at the 14th meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Ministers Responsible for Information in 2018.

Member countries issued a joint declaration to quell fake news, improve digital literacy and encourage agencies to develop mechanisms to address the rise of fake news.

Traditional face-to-face campaigns may no longer be allowed at next year’s elections as the pandemic drags on, according to the Commission on Elections.

“Digital campaigning may sound like an inexpensive, attractive idea, but this will deprive a large segment of the population of vital information,” Mr. Arao said. “Not all people have access to the internet. Even in urban areas, internet connection is generally slow and intermittent.”

He said traditional media such as print, radio and television remain viable platforms in reaching out to people, together with social media.

“All media platforms should be maximized in the probable absence of face-to-face campaigns,” he said.

Mr. Arao said the Commission on Elections must look at the possibility of having campaign rallies with small crowds to ensure the voters are well informed.

“An election loses a part of its democratic character when people are not informed properly about their candidates,” Bryan E. Gonzales, executive director at Human Rights and Peoples Empowerment Center, said in a Messenger chat.

“The Philippines is obviously not doing its part in quelling fake news despite the claims of the government, mainly through the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO),” Mr. Arao said.

“Ironically, it is the PCOO and the government media under it that have proven to be guilty of spreading fake news through the years.

The PCOO drew flak last year after its official Facebook page shared false information claiming franchise violations by ABS-CBN Corp. It also shared a post claiming that journalists who supported the media giant’s franchise renewal were communist fronts.

FACEBOOK TROLLS
“Social media trolls employed by well-funded candidates exert a strong influence,” Neri J. Colmenares, a human rights lawyer and former congressman, told a news briefing this month in Filipino.

“If we can convince young people who have mastered social media to join the battle for their future, we’re 100% sure,” he told the briefing for the launch of a political party, referring to the 2022 elections.

“Even if administration candidates spend billions of pesos on trolls, we can fight them.”

“The 2016 presidential contest is widely considered as the first social media election in the Philippines,” according to a study published online by Cambridge University Press.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte used the grassroots model for his campaign, it said, citing 20 million Facebook activities and 39,942 randomly sampled comments across the official Facebook pages of key presidential candidates.

“Such inconsistencies raise the prospect that Duterte’s online victory was fabricated by paid trolls and fake accounts,” according to the study. “Instead, our analysis suggests that Duterte’s digital fanbase was, at least in part, a reflection of offline, grassroots political support.”

Mr. Duterte’s supporters were not only aggressive in their support for him online; they were more committed to him offline as well, it added.

“There is nothing to expect from a government that continues to be an enemy of basic freedoms and a perpetuator of lies, misinformation and disinformation,” Mr. Arao said.

“When people are bombarded with fake news and distorted pieces of information everyday, we either take these things altogether as reality or we become disillusioned and refuse to believe in anything,” Mr. Gonzales said.

Fake news can deepen divisions among citizens. “Disinformation is deliberately employed to trigger prejudices that make meaningful solidarity difficult. The result is an ‘us against them’ situation that the powers-that-be continue to exploit,” he added.

Mr. Gonzales said progressive candidates and other opposition figures who’ve been vilified by administration allies would likely suffer from fake news.

Mr. Duterte has accused members of a progressive bloc in the House of Representatives of participating in the armed rebellion. His task force against communist insurgency has also accused opposition members and journalists for being communist fronts.

“Fake news has been weaponized against different sectors of society that continue to suffer from discrimination, disfranchisement, and so on,” Mr. Gonzales said. “Fake news deliberately misrepresents the image and interests of these groups, which are already struggling to establish a foothold in our democratic processes and institutions, including our elections.”

Civil society must inform and organize the public at the grassroots level, Mr. Gonzales said.

He said there were now dozens of organizations and networks devoted to fact-checking, media literacy and digital rights. Several people’s organizations and advocacy groups have also been cheating social media’s dangerous algorithms by informing and organizing people at the grassroots level.

Mr. Pagtalunan, the millennium voter mentioned at the outset, said he was more worried about older relatives who rely on the internet to get news updates.

“I’m worried that  my family members might be affected by fake news in the upcoming polls. I think most of my relatives won’t vote for someone who’s publicly opposed to the policies of Duterte because they can be branded communists or terrorists online.”