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Angels use all 20 draft picks on pitchers

THE Los Angeles Angels wrapped up the Major League Baseball draft on Tuesday by spending every last one of their 20 draft picks on pitchers.

After going with Miami University of Ohio right-hander Sam Bachman with the ninth overall selection in the first round on Sunday, the Angels remained single-minded in their pursuit of arms. Nineteen of their 20 picks were on college pitchers; 12th-round selection Mason Albright of the IMG Academy was the only high schooler they chose.

On a conference call with reporters, Angels scouting director Matt Swanson said the team hadn’t ruled out drafting a position player, but eventually the call was made to “play the hot hand” and keep loading up on pitchers.

They are believed to be just the second team in history to spend an entire year’s worth of draft picks exclusively on pitchers. The Miami Marlins did so just last year, but the 2020 draft was shortened to five rounds due to the pandemic.

The result of that condensed draft, to Swanson, was that there was a wealth of pitching prospects available this time around. — Reuters

UEFA investigating Wembley clashes, charges England FA after Euro final

THE Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) have opened disciplinary proceedings and charged England’s Football Association (FA) for disturbances during Sunday’s Euro 2020 final against Italy at Wembley, Europe’s soccer governing body said on Tuesday.

UEFA also said it had appointed an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to conduct a separate investigation into the “events involving supporters which occurred inside and around the stadium.”

The final, which Italy won in a penalty shootout, was marred by clashes between fans and officials in and around the stadium.

British police, who said 19 of its officers were injured, have so far arrested a total of 86 people. Some 53 of the arrests were at Wembley.

The charges against the FA include: invasion of the field of play by its supporters, throwing of objects by its supporters, disturbance caused by its supporters during the national anthem and lighting of a firework.

Boos were heard around the stadium when the Italian anthem was played before kickoff while a pitch invader interrupted the match, with the referee stopping play while the stewards chased him down.

“The case will be dealt with by the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body in due course,” UEFA said.

The Met Police had urged fans not to travel to Wembley if they did not have a ticket. However, several fans breached security cordons and charged into the perimeter area of Wembley before kickoff.

The FA said on Monday they would conduct a full review into the security breach. They condemned the behavior of fans who forced their way into the stadium and apologized to those who had tickets for the “unprecedented level of public disorder.”

British Formula One driver Lando Norris was mugged and had his watch worth 40,000 pounds ($55,364) stolen, with his team McLaren saying the 21-year-old was “understandably shaken.”

Last week, the FA were fined €30,000 ($35,460) after a laser pointer was shone at Denmark goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel during what proved to be the deciding moment of their Euro 2020 semifinal.

The FA were also charged for fans booing during the Danish anthem and for the setting off of fireworks during the semifinal. — Reuters

Global interest in Tokyo Games muted — Ipsos poll

TOKYO — Global interest in the Tokyo Olympics is muted, an Ipsos poll of 28 countries showed, amid concerns over COVID-19 in Japan and withdrawals of high-profile athletes, with the host country among the most disinterested.

The poll released on Tuesday found a global average of 46% interest in the Games, but excitement varied across markets, with less than 35% in Japan.

The pandemic-hit Olympics, due to start in nine days, have lost public support amid lingering concerns over infection risks and a state of emergency being declared in Tokyo, despite organizers promising strict coronavirus measures.

Spectators have been barred from attending all Olympic events in Tokyo and surrounding regions and Japanese officials are asking residents to watch the Games on TV to keep the movement of people to a minimum.

Only 22% of Japanese say the Games should go ahead, the Ipsos survey showed.

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said a sufficient number of hospitals combined with a speed-up in the COVID-19 vaccination rollout among the elderly meant the city will be able to hold “safe and secure” Olympics.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach, who has praised the organizers for staging the event, will meet Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Wednesday, Suga’s office said.

Many Olympic delegations are already in Japan ahead of the Games, some of them are training in local towns. Several athletes have tested positive upon their arrival.

Australia will be bringing its biggest Olympic team ever to Tokyo 2020, the head of Australia’s national told reporters on Wednesday.

Chef de Mission Ian Chesterman said he was very comfortable because almost all of his athletes were vaccinated.

But a number of global star players are skipping the Games.

Former world number one golfer Adam Scott said he questioned whether holding the Tokyo Olympics was a “responsible decision,” pointing to fear among people in Japan as the country battles a resurgence of coronavirus infections.

Scott said earlier that he would not play at Tokyo.

Switzerland’s Roger Federer became the latest big name in tennis to withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics after the 20-times Grand Slam champion said on Tuesday that he had picked up a knee injury during the grasscourt season.

The Games, postponed from last year because of the pandemic, run from July 23 to Aug. 8. Tokyo’s state of emergency, the capital’s fourth, lasts until Aug. 22, shortly before the Paralympics begin. — Reuters

Global PR Alliance elects PH executive to executive board

The Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management (Global Alliance), the world’s top federation of independent PR agencies, recently elected PR executive Ana Pista as Director of Communications, Content & Digital Asia Pacific, India and Africa.

Switzerland-based Global Alliance is a confederation of the world’s major PR and communication management associations and institutions and represents more than 300,000 practitioners and academics around the world. Its mission is to unify the PR profession, raise professional standards all over the world, share knowledge for the benefit of members and be the global voice for public relations in the public interest.

A diverse and multicultural organization, the Global Alliance board members include leading professionals, academics, training and industry association leaders from every continent and across religions, cultures, societies and races. With 60 percent (13) female and 40 percent (8) male directors membership.

Pista’s appointment as the first representative from the Philippines gives the opportunity for Asian countries to partake in developing a comprehensive strategy that would promote Global Alliance’s objectives to uplift the PR and communications industry

Global Alliance President & CEO Justin Green stated, “Global Alliance is delighted to welcome Ana Pista as the first representative from the Philippines to join the Global Alliance Board. We are now more than ever before a global diverse and multicultural organization. The board and I look forward to working much more closely with the PR professionals and academics form the Philippines.”

Pista, who founded top digital PR and communications agency Ardent Communications in 1997, served as Vice President External of the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) for two consecutive years and chaired the 26th and 27th National PR Congress held in 2019 and 2021, respectively. ArdentComm has worked with leading global and local brands across various industries, establishing itself as having a strong client retention rate and able to carry out innovative social investment programs and digital services.

PRSP is the country’s premier organization for public relations professionals. Its membership roster comprises practitioners from the business and industry, government, nonprofit organizations, hospitals, schools, hotels and professional services.

“I am honored to be elected to the Global Alliance Board of Directors. I am excited about what the Philippine PR and communications community can contribute to the global efforts to improve the practice and improve the exchange of ideas across our different cultures. I look forward to broadening my knowledge and experience and then sharing all the best practices I will learn in this new role with our PR and communication practitioners in the Philippines,” Pista said.

Pista, along with other newly elected board of directors, will commence her appointment this July 2021.

 

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E-commerce venture introduces bone broth fasting to the Philippines  

Amidst the plethora of diets that claim to trim down weight and boost health, another contender has arisen — the bone broth lifestyle plan, pioneered in the Philippines by Kimberly E. King, a licensed “fasting coach” and gut health specialist who is also a culinary entrepreneur.  

Her passion project, Kim King’s Kitchen (KKK), founded over a year ago, developed a broth that is the center of a meal plan approved by its team of nutritionists. Its basic form comes in two healthy meals and a daily serving of 200-ml of bone broth that can be a meal replacement or snack, depending on a customer’s eating habits.  

“Our flagship product is our 100% organic broth. I always highlight that it’s hormone-free. If you take it for fasting, your system is so clean and you get to absorb all the nutrients that you get from the bones,” she said in a media roundtable in July, where she also announced that KKK has plans of going national.  

Bone broth, also known as stock and bouillon, is made from boiling animal bones and connective tissue, often with some meat or vegetables, then strained to leave just the liquid. It is most commonly used as a base for other dishes like soups, but may be taken on its own. 

According to WebMD, bone broth does have some health benefits including weight management (“broth and broth-based soups can help you feel full despite their low-calorie content, making it an excellent choice for people following a weight loss diet plan”), better hydration, improved sleep (“bone broth contains small amounts of the amino acid glycine, which may promote relaxation and deeper, more restorative sleep”), and nutrition. 

For now, KKK delivers various types of broth — organic pure beef, vegetables and herbs, organic beef and chicken, and a cheaper organic Jell-O broth — within Metro Manila and nearby provinces in Luzon. Other products on their website include fat-burning smoothies, organic versions of kimchi and meat burger patties, and gluten-free, sugar-free donuts and cookies.  

“We offer healthier food choices and a holistic lifestyle for Filipinos,” said Ms. King, noting that the goal is overall health and not just losing weight, “95% of it is about nutrition and the rest will just follow, especially for weight loss.”  

Bone broth, which has been around for thousands of years, has been used as natural medicine for the digestive system due to its density of nutrients like amino acids and electrolytes, according to Ms. King.   

Still, she said that no meal plan is a “one size fits all,” encouraging people to undergo personalized coaching and consultations and to browse through the different types of meal plans and products on their website. — Brontë H. Lacsamana 

Curriculum flexibility, teacher training, enhanced connectivity are keys to improving Philippine education   

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

By Patricia Mirasol  

According to educators at a July 14 education forum by the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), the keys to improving the quality of education in the country are: allowing schools to choose between a disciplinal or spiral curriculum, elevating the quality of training for teachers, and improving access to learning resources through enhanced internet connectivity. 

CURRICULUM FLEXIBILITY 

With a spiral curriculum, schools are only able to cover 40-75% of the curriculum, according to NAST academician, physicist, and Central Visayan Institute Foundation co-founder Christopher C. Bernido. 

“Amend Republic 10533 to delete the provision of Section 5g that states, ‘The Curriculum shall use the spiral progression approach,’” he said. “A spiral curriculum is like watching the first 30 minutes of a movie in grade 7, the next 30 minutes in grade 8, [and so on]. Students have forgotten the foundations of the subject when continued after a year.” 

A spiral curriculum is an approach to education that introduces key concepts to students at a young age and covers these concepts repeatedly, with increasing degrees of complexity. 

“This could mean teachers being tempted to rush through subjects, or [give] superficial coverage that makes deep learning impossible for many,” Mr. Bernido said. “Essential and non-essential topics end up being given equal weight.” 

In view of the pandemic, he recommended the emergency measure of allowing schools to choose between spiral and disciplinal curricula. In a disciplinal curriculum, a subject is tackled extensively per school year (e.g., general science in grade 7, biology in grade 8, chemistry in grade 9, and physics in grade 10). 

“Allow schools to choose between disciplinal or spiral,” said Fr. Bienvenido F. Niebres, SJ, a mathematician and former president of Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU). AdMU has shifted to a disciplinal curriculum, he added. 

“Allow schools to focus on those topics that are most essential,” Fr. Niebres told the forum audience. “Many physics and mathematics teachers know what to focus on. If they can only cover 60%, which 60% can they cover? Give teachers and schools the allowance to prioritize.” 

According to Nepomuceno A. Malaluan, undersecretary and chief of staff of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Office of the Secretary, Sulong Edukalidad is the department’s response to reforms in the immediate term. One of the four pillars of the reforms is a review and update of the K to 12 curriculums. 

“We found that there is a space to differentiate between essential and desirable learning competencies, and to focus on the essential,” said Mr. Malaluan, as he shared updates on the curriculum review. “The review also revealed the need to improve sequencing, placement, and – in certain instances – the presence of prerequisites.” 

TEACHER TRAINING 

Another integral aspect of education is teacher training, said Sherwin T. Gatchalian, a senator and chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture. 

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, research has shown that teachers, more than any other constituent group in education, determine educational quality and student achievement. 

“We are pushing for revival for congressional oversight for education, or EdCon for short,” he said. “Unang dapat solusyonan ang teacher training [We need to first address] teacher training.” 

Senate Bill 2152, or the Teacher Education Excellence Act, aims to improve education by improving the quality of teachers and teacher education in the Philippines. 

“This is already in the plenary,” Mr. Gatchalian said, adding that the bill also aims to empower the Teacher Education Council. “The training needs of teachers has to be a continuing deliberate endeavor.” 

An education forum series that will tackle ongoing major reform initiatives for quality is in the works by the DepEd and its partners, said Mr. Nepomuceno. “Initial topics include best practices in blended learning, upskilling and reskilling of teachers, as well as contentious topics such as the language of instruction.” 

INTERNET CONNECTIVITY 

Section 1 of the 1987 constitution’s Article 14 is the guiding principle, said NAST academician and University of Santo Tomas vice–rector for research and innovation Maribel G. Nonato. 

In light of the realities caused by this pandemic, she said, “quality education” now refers to “quality online education.” “Education accessible to all,” meanwhile, now also refers to technological capacity and internet connectivity. 

An October 2020 BusinessWorld article reported that a majority of parents, or 8.8 million, preferred modular learning for their children last year, as this option was not reliant on gadgets or internet access. 

The same article also noted a huge gap in internet speed between highly urbanized cities and rural areas — as much as 5.54 megabits per second (Mbps) versus 1 Mbps in Mindanao. 

The Department of Information and Communications Technology should be put back under Department of Science and Technology, said Dr. Ester A. Garcia, president and chief academic officer of University of the East. “We have a good learning management system, but our students complain that it doesn’t reach them. Connectivity is very important. We can’t just blame the private sector for this.” 

“I hope that the circumstances of COVID-19 would result in the planning of connectivity enhancement by the government,” Ms. Nonato told the forum audience. “We’re low at ICT (information and communication technologies) adoption. If we really intend to move towards hybrid learning, we have to act on this.”

All on Singapore cruise ship confined to cabins after suspected COVID-19 case

SINGAPORE, July 14 (Reuters) – A Genting Cruise Lines’ ship on a “cruise to nowhere” has returned to Singapore after a passenger was suspected of having contracted COVID-19 and the nearly 3,000 passengers and crew on board have been confined to their cabins.

A 40-year-old passenger tested positive to a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test onboard and had been conveyed to hospital for further testing after the ship docked early on Wednesday, the Singapore Tourism Board said.

“The passenger was identified as a close contact of a confirmed case on land, and was immediately isolated as part of onboard health protocols,” the board said in a statement.

The global cruise industry has taken a major hit from the coronavirus pandemic, with some of the earliest big outbreaks on cruise ships in Asian waters.

Singapore, which has seen relatively few domestic COVID-19 cases, launched “round trips” on luxury liners in November, with no port of call during a few days of sailing.

Dream Cruises’ World Dream had 1,646 passengers and 1,249 crew members on board and all of them were required to remain in their staterooms with contactless meals sent to them, Dream Cruises, a part of Genting Cruise Lines, said.

The guest suspected of having COVID-19 had tested negative in a mandatory, pre-departure antigen rapid test before the ship set sail for a three-night cruise on Sunday.

The passenger’s three travelling companions tested negative and were isolated while further contact tracing was being done, the tourism board said.

Only essential service crew with personal protective equipment were being allowed limited movement within the ship, Dream Cruises said.

Passengers said they found out about the suspected case in an announcement at around 1:00 a.m.

“We were prepared for the possibility,” said passenger Suryana Ali in an online session with media organised by the operator.

Several guests on board the docked ship could be seen chatting to one another across their private balconies, a Reuters witness on Singapore’s waterfront said.

The cruises to nowhere, restricted to Singapore residents, have become popular during the pandemic with very limited other travel opportunities because of coronavirus restrictions.

Tan Choon Seng, 51, was on his third cruise this year with some friends when the bad news came through, but at least it was nearly the end of the holiday, he said.

“We are thankful that this happened at 1 a.m so we were done with all the activities,” Tan said.

Tan said he was worried about quarantine but would go on a cruise again.

The passengers said they were waiting to be told when they could disembark.

World Dream’s next sailing, a two-night voyage departing on Wednesday, has been cancelled.

In December, passengers on Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas vessel were held in their cabins for more than 16 hours in Singapore after a suspected COVID-19 case on board.

But that turned out to be a false alarm. – Reuters

MVP Group launches Gabay Advocacies for a sustainable Philippines

Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (“MPIC”), together with the rest of the MVP Group of Companies, will be launching its six GABAY Advocacies for a Sustainable Philippines through a digital concert on July 14, 8:00 PM. The event will feature the brightest stars of the Philippine entertainment industry coming together for the various causes that the group is supporting.

Through the years, the Group’s Chairman, Manuel V Pangilinan – or MVP as he is fondly called, has inculcated the culture of “malasakit” within his organization.  He believes that with proper guidance and support, anyone can have the power to change their lives and rise above any crisis or setback.   It is for this reason that the group’s advocacies carry the word “GABAY” – because it embodies who MVP is to many – an inspiration, a true leader, and a guiding light.

Broadcasted through the Gabay Guro Facebook and YouTube accounts, the virtual concert will be hosted by Ogie Alcasid, Iza Calzado alongside Augie Palisoc Jr., President and CEO of the Metro Pacific Hospitals Holdings Inc., and Bong Sta. Maria, President and CEO of Pilipinas Global Network.

The two-hour concert will feature performances from the country’s top performers: National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab, Lea Salonga, Regine Velasquez, Martin Nievera, and Gary Valenciano, among many other artists. Together, they will perform iconic Filipino songs including a touching medley of “Bayan Ko” and “Impossible Dream.”

In between the high calibre production numbers, the GABAY Advocacies – Gabay Kabuhayan, Gabay Kabataan, Gabay Kalikasan, Gabay Komunidad, Gabay Kalusugan, and Gabay Karunungan – will be introduced, all geared towards uplifting more Filipino lives and communities for sustainable nation-building. The six GABAY Advocacies respond to the call for individuals and organizations to contribute to the country’s achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“This is also a tribute to MVP to mark his life and achievements over the past 75 years as a keen businessman, as a respected boss, and as a well-loved friend. We also wanted to find a way to thank him for his contributions towards the betterment of our country, which he has chosen to do quietly, wholeheartedly, and continuously. We decided to introduce the GABAY Advocacies to emphasize our steadfast commitment to align our entire organization’s initiatives towards sustainability and a better, stronger Philippines,” Jose Ma. K. Lim, Metro Pacific Investments Corporation President, said.

Sarah Geronimo and Matteo Guidicelli will be the advocacy anchors for Gabay Kabuhayan while Gabay Kabataan, Gabay Kalikasan, Gabay Komunidad,  Gabay Kalusugan, and Gabay Karunungan will be anchored by Ian Veneracion, Derek Ramsey, Korina Sanchez-Roxas, Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski, and Pops Fernandez, respectively.

Believing that it is in the Filipinos’ nature to persevere, rise above poverty, and take hold of their futures, Gabay Kabuhayan opens more doors for small and medium entrepreneurs through livelihood training programs, distribution of tools and equipment needed for businesses, among other initiatives. The organizations also created a virtual trade expo platform for micro enterprises that allows them to explore online markets and find buyers.

Gabay Kabataan’s mission is to provide tools for the youth to imagine and pursue the grandest vision of their future. Under this advocacy, the companies develop programs that will provide the youth with access to quality education, opportunities for financial security, independence, and wellbeing, as well as venues for values formation, recognition of their achievements, and the nurturing of their artistic, creative, and innovative spirits.

Under Gabay Kalikasan, the MPIC and MVP Group aim to become catalysts for a cleaner, greener, and more resilient planet for every Filipino. They joined forces with experts to protect and nurture vital ecosystems and habitats such as the Laguna de Bay and the Caimpugan Peatlands in Agusan Marsh, and developed campaigns to engage their employees and the general public into becoming environmental champions.

Never having been a silent witness to crises and calamities, Gabay Komunidad embodies the organization’s culture of empathy. Since 2018, the companies have worked with other leaders and experts to build a more resilient and disaster-prepared Philippines through the world’s first private sector-led national emergency operations center. The organization likewise built and assisted in building quarantine centers and distributed personal protective equipment and basic supplies to frontliners and others in need.

Gabay Kalusugan aims to make health care and wellness available and accessible to more Filipinos. Through medical missions, sports camps, the distribution of hospital supplies, equipment, test kits, and beds to various hospitals and facilities, and the development of an integrated healthcare platform called mWell, the organization strives to ensure that every person’s health and wellness needs would be just a few clicks away.

And finally, Gabay Karunungan embodies the whole organization’s belief that good education helps contribute to national development and improve the lives of Filipinos. Working closely with the Department of Education, the companies created initiatives that helped lead the way towards the digitization of schools and universities, provided educational assistance, facilities and tools for students and teachers through its flagship Gabay Guro program.

MPIC CFO and Chief Sustainability Officer, Chaye A. Cabal-Revilla shared that MPIC and its business units have already started working on the vital collaborations and partnerships that will move their sustainability projects forward. “We know we can achieve our sustainability goals if we break down barriers and all work together,” she says. “The GABAY Advocacies will provide us with the platforms to reach and respond to more people and communities, to help and empower them into making their own contributions towards sustainability. This also affirms our commitment towards helping create a brighter future for our country.”

Learn more about the Gabay Advocacies through Youtube, Facebook, and Instagram channels.

 

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U.S. Senate Democrats agree to $3.5 trln for budget reconciliation bill

WASHINGTON – U.S. President Joe Biden’s drive for big new infrastructure investment got a boost on Tuesday when leading Senate Democrats agreed on a $3.5 trillion investment plan they aim to include in a budget resolution to be debated soon, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said.

“We have come to an agreement,” Schumer told reporters after more than two hours of closed-door talks that included Senate Budget Committee Democrats and White House officials. Republicans have not been part of these negotiations.

“You add that to the $600 billion in a bipartisan plan and you get to $4.1 trillion, which is very, very close to what President Biden has asked us for,” Schumer said.

Schumer was referring to work being done on a separate, bipartisan infrastructure bill totaling $1.2 trillion, of which nearly $600 billion would be new spending. This bill would finance the rebuilding of roads, bridges and other traditional infrastructure, as well as expand broadband internet service to many rural parts of the United States.

Democratic and Republican negotiators on the bipartisan measure also reported progress late in the day.

Schumer said the $3.5 trillion agreement, which still must be endorsed by the 50-member Senate Democratic caucus, would include a significant expansion of the Medicare healthcare program for the elderly – a top goal of Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders.

Included in the Medicare expansion, Schumer said, will be coverage for dental, hearing and vision healthcare.

Further details were expected on Wednesday.

Biden will travel to Capitol Hill on Wednesday, Schumer said, to have lunch with Senate Democrats and discuss the difficult road ahead for advancing the emerging legislation.

Senator Mark Warner, a moderate Democratic member of the budget panel, said the agreement includes provisions to fully pay for the $3.5 trillion in infrastructure spending, but he did not elaborate.

The Senate’s 50 Republicans are not expected to back the broader infrastructure effort, likely leaving Democrats to pursue passage on their own under a budget “reconciliation” process that sidesteps a rule requiring at least 60 votes to advance legislation in the 100-member chamber.

Biden has been seeking an increase in taxes on corporations and the wealthy to help fund the initiatives.

While the Senate Democrats did not detail the tax increases that would be part of this effort, Sanders said: “The wealthy and large corporations are going to pay their fair share of taxes so that we can protect the working families of this country.”

Republicans oppose any rolling back of tax cuts, which were achieved in their signature 2017 tax reform law, to finance Biden’s infrastructure initiatives.

Liberal Democrats, including Sanders, had been seeking a much larger infrastructure effort, one that various lawmakers described as costing between $6 trillion and $10 trillion.

But Biden and moderate Democrats in Congress tamped down those expectations amid complaints from Republicans over the large government expenditures enacted this year to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and stimulate the economy.

Despite the lower level of spending than Sanders wanted, he embraced the plan saying that it comes at “a pivotal moment in American history.”

In a nod to climate change programs expected to be included in the infrastructure package, Sanders said, “Today we begin the process of having this great country lead the world in transforming our energy system.”

 

TWO-TRACK APPROACH

Democrats aim to push through Biden’s sweeping infrastructure proposals in two phases: The $1.2 trillion bipartisan bill https://www.reuters.com/world/us/whats-us-senates-12-trillion-infrastructure-plan-2021-06-24 focused on physical infrastructure like roads and bridges and the $3.5 trillion bill that focuses on home care for the elderly and children, climate change and other non-traditional “human infrastructure.”

It would advance through Congress with only Democratic votes in a maneuver known as “reconciliation https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-senates-reconciliation-process-its-not-way-it-sounds-2021-06-16. ”

Under Schumer’s “two-track” plan for advancing Biden’s vast infrastructure investment goals, the Senate would aim to approve the $1.2 trillion bipartisan bill before going on an August recess. It also would pass a budget resolution providing the framework for Democratic legislation this fall on the $3.5 trillion measure.

Senate negotiators on the bipartisan bill, including Republican Senator Rob Portman, said an evening of negotiations brought progress on that measure. They added that a Thursday deadline has been set for resolving many of the remaining disagreements, which include how to finance the cost of the bill.

 

PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR PLAN

An Ipsos poll conducted this month for Reuters found that most Americans want the kind of infrastructure improvements that are included in the plan being pursued by Biden and congressional Democrats.

The national opinion poll conducted last Wednesday and Thursday found that 84% of adults in the United States supported a government spending plan that would repair or replace aging ports, railways, bridges and highways.

Seventy-six percent supported investing in home-based care for the elderly or disabled, 74% supported extending high-speed internet access to all Americans, and 69% supported replacing all lead pipes in the United States.

When asked how to pay for what could be a multi-trillion-dollar effort by Washington, 64% said they would support a tax increase for top-earning Americans, while 27% said they would oppose such a tax increase. Only 37% said they were willing to personally pay more in taxes to help fund a government infrastructure plan.

The Ipsos poll gathered responses from 1,004 adults and the results had a credibility interval, a measure of precision, of 4 percentage points. – Reuters

Hong Kong says no personal data shared in vaccine deal with Fosun

HONG KONG – Hong Kong’s agreement to buy BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines from Chinese sales agent Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group Co Ltd did not include clauses for Fosun or other third parties to collect personal data, the territory’s government said.

Reuters reported this week that Fosun had sent over a template, based on a contract signed with Chinese-run Hong Kong, in talks with two Taiwanese tech firms for the vaccine in which Fosun sought access to Taiwanese medical records.

Those clauses did not end up appearing in the final contract, the sources said.

Fosun is BioNTech SE’s sales agent for mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

In a statement late on Tuesday, Hong Kong’s government said in its contract with Fosun there are no clauses which “empower or enable Fosun or any third party to collect, access, or via any means to obtain or use the personal information of vaccinated individuals”.

Hong Kong’s government has always attached great importance to personal data privacy, and in the city’s vaccination programme there are clear and strict guidelines and procedures for the collection and use of personal information, it added.

Fosun has not responded to requests for comment on the clauses in the template sent to Taiwan.

Fosun signed a deal on Sunday with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSMC), Taiwan contract electronics maker Foxconn and the charity of Foxconn’s founder Terry Gou for a total of 10 million vaccine doses. – Reuters

WHO warns individuals against mixing and matching COVID vaccines

STOCK PHOTO

GENEVA – The World Health Organization’s chief scientist has advised individuals against mixing and matching COVID-19 vaccines from different manufacturers, saying such decisions should be left to public health authorities.

“It’s a little bit of a dangerous trend here,” Soumya Swaminathan told an online briefing on Monday after a question about booster shots. “It will be a chaotic situation in countries if citizens start deciding when and who will be taking a second, a third and a fourth dose.”

Swaminathan had called mixing a “data-free zone” but later clarified her remarks in an overnight tweet.

“Individuals should not decide for themselves, public health agencies can, based on available data,” she said in the tweet. “Data from mix and match studies of different vaccines are awaited – immunogenicity and safety both need to be evaluated.”

The WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on vaccines said in June the Pfizer Inc vaccine could be used as a second dose after an initial dose of AstraZeneca, if the latter is not available.

A clinical trial led by the University of Oxford in the UK is ongoing to investigate mixing the regimen of AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines. The trial was recently expanded to include the Moderna Inc and Novavax Inc vaccines. – Reuters

As Meralco navigates the country’s COVID-19 journey, MVP inspires service with a passion

Meralco Chairman Manny V. Pangilinan, also known as MVP, has always championed customer-centricity from his troops, and so it is not surprising that the Meralco team is inspired to do the same.

When the pandemic hit in March 2020, amidst the operational and transport issues that made keeping the lights on a challenge, and billing and collections became difficult, MVP gave the clear direction to make the customer the priority.

He said, “Our greater purpose is serving the country while caring for our people during this unprecedented and unsettling time of Covid-19.”

MVP also reminded his troops to use that time to understand customers more and learn from the situation, turning #KeepingTheLightsOn from a hashtag to a reinvention of the business.

Enhancing Customer Experience

Following MVP’s vision and with President and CEO Atty. Ray C. Espinosa at the helm, Meralco listened and learned from its customers, taking great strides in enhancing the customer experience.“Powering the customer, the community, and the country continues to be Meralco’s solemn duty, and we pledge to adapt our services and hand-hold customers in this journey for a better normal,” said Espinosa.

To serve more customers, the Customer Care Group was beefed up and transformed. Live chat on Facebook became a key channel, with capacity increased to 8,000 transactions per hour.

Customer care representatives

All Meralco Business Centers now have a Virtual Customer Assistant (VCA) system. This gives customers the option of video conferencing with a Meralco customer care representative who is working off-site, providing a safer interaction.

To reduce waiting time, an Online Customer Appointment (OCA) on the Meralco website and Meralco Online web version allows customers to schedule their visit to the Business Center at their most convenient time.OCA will also offer online video conferencing so customers can discuss their concerns from the safety of their own homes.

To provide customers proactive updates, an aggressive program was launched to get customers to update their contact details. Once they do, bill reminders, payment confirmation, and service bulletins are messaged straight to their phones (via SMS). Soon, brownout and restoration alerts will also be made available.

To simplify the payment process, Meralco developed the Customer Account Number (CAN). No need to worry about ATM and Meralco Reference Numbers that expire every month. Customers can just use their permanent 10-digit CAN to pay thru Meralco’s authorized payment partners anytime, anywhere. Payments are now posted real-time via Meralco Online/App, Bayad Online/App, Maybank App, and BPI QuickPay; other payment partners to follow within the year.

To make the bill easier to read and understand, the company will launch a new Meralco bill format this September. It has bigger letters and numbers to make it more readable for household heads, with all relevant information strategically grouped together. Taking off from customer comments, the new bill includes additional features that customers want to see. It has up to 24 months of historical consumption so one can compare current consumption versus the past month and past year. It will also show the customer’s payment history and what remains unpaid. Payment is made easier with a QR code of the CAN to go along with the current barcode that can be used to input details faster.

To help meter readers, a Meter Reading App provides a digital list of itineraries and a Waze-like experience to optimize their routes. The reader will be notified if the reading is too high or too low, based on the account’s historical data thus ensuring more accurate readings. The application also prompts to take a photo of the meter for reference and proof of the reading.​

Finally, a Real-Time Payment Validation App allows Meralco crews to confirm the status of the Disconnection Field Order before they execute. This prevents the occurrence of “salisi,” where the Meralco crew arrives on the same day that the customer paid.  Now, customers can be assured that they have uninterrupted service, as long as they have paid their bill.​

Commitment to #KeepingTheLightsOn

Today, Meralco remains committed to #KeepingTheLightsOn, ensuring uninterrupted service to its customers and supporting the country’s vaccination campaign.

By using technology to enhance customer experience and empower its people during these times of adversity and uncertainty, Meralco continues to respond to the call of its Chairman MVP – to be beacons of reliability and hope for the future of our country.

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