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Suspected coronavirus positive PBA player yields negative results in confirmatory tests

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo, Senior Reporter

The Philippine Basketball Association player who earlier tested positive for the coronavirus yielded negative results in confirmatory tests, the league announced on Monday.

In an announcement, the PBA said the player, playing for the Blackwater Elite, had his antigen and reverse transcription polymerase reaction (RT-PCR) tests on Sunday and both came out negative.

The welcome news moved the league to refer to the case as possibly one of “false positive,” or “when someone does not have the coronavirus, tests positive for it.”

It is similar to that of the first suspected case in the PBA — a referee — who had negative results after undergoing confirmatory tests.

But as part of protocols in place, the Blackwater player will remain at the Athletes’ Village in Capas, Tarlac, for quarantine.

The Blackwater team, as well as the TNT Tropang Giga, whom the Elite faced in their last game, were asked to stay in isolation as the results of the tests on the player were being awaited, forcing the postponement of their respective scheduled matches set for Sunday and Monday. Said games are to be rescheduled to a later date.

The PBA teams, meanwhile, are set for their third cycle of RT-PCR tests this week in accordance with the league’s protocols to guard against the spread of the coronavirus.

“TNT, Terrafirma, Magnolia, Meralco and Phoenix will undergo their third cycle of RT-PCR test on Tuesday followed by the remaining teams in the coming days,” the PBA said in statement.

It went on to say that the PBA delegates — officials, staff and referees, TV5 delegates and Quest hotel staff — in the “bubble” in Clark City in Pampanga all tested negative.

Amid everything that has been happening, PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial assured that everything is still under control in the bubble.

“The bubble has not burst. There is nothing to worry about. We are doing everything we can to address the situation,” he said.

But the PBA chief said they will now be stricter on the protocols to better guard against the coronavirus just as he enjoined all the participants to do their part in preserving the integrity of the bubble they long worked hard for to happen.

The PBA reopened its coronavirus pandemic-hit season on Oct. 11 after getting government nod under a bubble setup in Clark City, where all the participants are holed up for the duration of the tournament, lasting at least two months.

THE BEAST RETURNS
Meanwhile, later on Monday Calvin Abueva was set to make his PBA Philippine Cup return for the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters after being suspended by the league for 15 months.

Mr. Abueva and the Fuel Masters (3-2) were to face the NLEX Road Warriors (1-4).

“The Beast,” as Mr. Abueva is monikered for his aggressive and physical style of play, was indefinitely suspended by the league in June last year for conduct unbecoming of a professional and actions detrimental to the PBA, including clotheslining TNT import Terrence Jones which nearly started a big fight.

He was reinstated at the weekend after fulfilling the requirements set by the league.

CHEd completes guidelines for resumption of collegiate sports training amid the pandemic

THE Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) on Monday revealed that it has completed the crafting of the guidelines for the resumption of collegiate sports training in the country and is ready to submit these to the government’s coronavirus task force for evaluation and then implementation.

In an online press conference, the CHEd, led by Chairman J. Prospero E. De Vera III, shared that after weeks of work and collaboration with various stakeholders, the technical working group it formed has come up with the guidelines which higher education institutions (HEIs) can take cue from as they move to resume athletic training amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Mr. De Vera underscored that the process of coming up with the guidelines was tedious as they “approached it differently” considering the large number of student-athletes, organizations and sports involved.

“The process [of coming up with the guidelines] was exhaustive. And we will bring these to the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases) for notation and then after release,” Mr. De Vera said.

He went on to say that once the HEIs receive the approved guidelines, it is now up to them if they want to use the directives and that these would not be forced to the schools.

Part of the general guidelines, collegiate training in school and off-court premises is still prohibited in Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) and Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ ) areas.

Online or virtual training is still encouraged and the preferred form of modality, but on campus stay-in training is allowed in General Community Quarantine and Modified General Community Quarantine areas but under strict health and safety monitoring.

HEIs is tasked to administer appropriate engineering  and administrative controls as directed by guidelines set by the Department of Health (DoH) on risk-based public health standards for coronavirus mitigation.

Intra-zonal and inter-zonal movements, which are considered essential travel, are still subject to the approval of the local government unit and dependent on the quarantine setup of the area.

IMPLEMENTING GUIDELINES
The implementing guidelines, meanwhile, were divided into four sections, namely; before resumption; before conduct of training; during conduct of training; and illness protocol.

Before resumption, HEIs must submit to CHEd a Collegiate Training Activities’ Certificate of Compliance duly signed by their athletic director and signed by their president.

The certificate must attest, among others, that the HEI intends to resume training and it has athletes who will represent or intend to represent the school in inter-school competitions. The HEI must also provide the list of student athletes seven days prior to the start of the activity.

HEIs are expected to adhere to institutional, local, and national rules and regulations in relation to coronavirus mitigation.

Student-athletes, too, are required to submit health declaration forms and parents or guardians’ consent for those between the ages of 18 and 21. Those under 18 are only allowed to participate in virtual training.

Before the training, HEIs are encouraged to form a task force that would oversee the overall conduct of the activities. The schools must ensure adequate sanitization and disinfection equipment and facilities, proper transportation and lodging, among others.

During the conduct of the training, venues must be disinfected regularly and only student-athletes and personnel included in the document submitted to the CHEd are allowed inside.

Training is limited to body conditioning and no contact drills.

The CHEd said contact training may be allowed in the new normal, but the supplemental guidelines for it will be released in due time.

In case of swab testing, upon the initiative of the HEI, it must be aligned with the guidelines set by the DoH.

Wearing of masks and face shields for coaches during training is required.

Illness protocol, meanwhile, includes outright suspension of training activities upon confirmation of a positive case with all close contacts notified and required to undergo 14-day quarantine with specific instructions from health and safety officers of the school.  

Failure to abide by the guidelines, the CHEd said, is considered a violation and carries corresponding sanction ranging from written reprimand to suspension of the conduct of its collegiate training depending on the severity of the violation.

Mr. De Vera said they are taking it one step at a time and focusing on training resumption first, leaving the return of sports competitions for another discussion. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Hamilton adds another country to his map of F1 domination

LONDON — Lewis Hamilton overtook Michael Schumacher as the most successful Formula One (F1) driver of all time in terms of race wins on Sunday and the Briton’s 92nd victory, in Portugal, added another country to his global map of domination.

The six-times world champion, surely soon to be seven-times, had already won in more countries than anyone in the sport’s history and Portugal, hosting a grand prix for the first time in 24 years, raised that tally to 24.

The Mercedes driver, yet to extend his contract beyond this season but looking sure to stay, can add to the number next year with Vietnam set to make its debut while the Netherlands returns for the first time since 1985.

A race in Saudi Arabia could also feature on the calendar for the first time.

Few races have escaped Hamilton’s dominance, but South Korea and India did.

Hamilton has won at least one race in every season he has competed in since his debut with McLaren in 2007, averaging 10 a year with Mercedes since the start of the V6 turbo hybrid era in 2014.

The first win came in Canada at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on June 10, 2007.

That track has become something of a favourite, the 35-year-old going on to win there seven times in total.

Number 10 was reached in Hungary in 2009, his worst season so far in terms of wins with only two. The Briton has gone on to win at the Hungaroring a record eight times.

Schumacher is the only other driver to have won the same grand prix eight times, doing so in France between 1994 and 2006.

Hamilton’s 20th win came at Monza in 2012 and the 30th in Japan in 2014, a race overshadowed by Jules Bianchi’s ultimately fatal accident.

Hamilton chalked up 40 wins — one fewer than the total career tally of boyhood hero Ayrton Senna — at Monza again in 2015, and reached his half century with a pole-to-flag success in Austin, Texas, in 2016.

The 60th came in Singapore the following year and 70th in Russia in 2018.

Win number 80 was applauded by his home fans last year at Silverstone, a circuit where he has now won seven times, and the 90th came along at Mugello in Italy in September.

Hamilton then equalled Schumacher’s all-time record with a 91st win at the Nuerburgring, the track closest to the German’s boyhood home in Kerpen.

Ferrari great Schumacher took his 91 wins between 1992 and 2006.

Lewis Hamilton’s 24 countries: Abu Dhabi, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Britain, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Portugal, Turkey, Singapore, Spain, Russia, and United States. — Reuters

Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 Cup hits its fourth leg

COMPETITION in the 2020 Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 President’s Cup hits the homestretch with the fourth leg set for Tuesday at the INSPIRE Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.

Action has been packed and intense since the now-professional league unfurled its opening leg on Oct. 21 with the Zamboanga City-Family’s Brand Sardines and Butuan City-Uling Roasters topping the completed legs to date.

Butuan City was the latest winner, defeating the Pasig-Sta. Lucia Realtors, 21-20, in the finals of the third leg last Sunday.

Former Philippine Basketball Association player Chico Lanete and Franky Johnson  led the way for the Uling Roasters as they became the second team to win a leg in the two-week-long tournament being held in a “bubble” setup at the government-approved facility of National University.

Zamboanga City, composed of national team pool members, bagged the first two leagues of the tournament, currently powered by TM.

Mr. Laneta top-scored for Butuan City in the finals with eight points, with Mr. Johnson adding six of his own.

Teammates Chris De Chavez and JR Alabanza, meanwhile, had four and three points, respectively.

Mr. Johnson, with his team down, 19-20, with 27 seconds to go, provided the go-ahead basket for Butuan City in the victory, draining the basket from two-point land to overtake Pasig,

Uling Roasters swept its way to the finals, going unscathed in the group stages before breezing through Zamboanga Peninsula Valientes, 21-14, in the quarterfinals and then breaking down Bacolod-Master Sardines, 21-18, in the semifinals.

For topping the third leg, Butuan City got P100,000, with Pasig receiving the runner-up prize of P30,000. Third-place and P20,000 went to Bacolod. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Supporting business survival and recovery

Survival, Recovery, Business Continuity — these are the themes that resonate in the minds of entrepreneurs and likely keep them awake at night, especially with the impact of the pandemic on businesses. Yes, “Cash is King” — but the real question is where to source or access funds? While all businesses have not been spared from the pandemic, the most affected are the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). They are a critical force in our economy, and comprise 99.6% of Philippine establishments, and the majority are owned and/or managed by women.

With MSMEs driving innovation and job generation, governments, central banks, and financial institutions have all responded positively and adopted flexible policies to mitigate the impact of what started as a health crisis — and has now become a socio-economic crisis.

Even before the pandemic, several Philippine government agencies launched programs that specifically address the needs of MSMEs. These programs have proven to be a good resource and response to the crisis, more so today.

SUPPORTING WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS
This crisis prompted me to revisit the Inclusive Lending Window for Aspiring Women Entrepreneurs (ILAW) Program — a partnership between the Women’s Business Council Philippines, Inc. (WomenBizPH) and the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), which commenced almost six years ago. As of May 2020, ILAW has extended credit facilities valued at P2.1 billion to 370 women entrepreneurs: mainly in the agriculture, wholesale and retail, and health sectors. While ILAW was conceptualized pre-COVID-19, the program may be availed of during this crisis by female business owners, as it gives priority to women and has simple lending procedures. It is a dedicated lending window that provides flexible collateral policies and customizes repayment schedules.

SUPPORTING INSTITUTIONS IN A CALAMITY
For businesses, including startups, that have been operating for only one year prior to a calamity, DBP has another program called, Rehabilitation Support Program on Severe Events (RESPONSE). This program extends rehabilitation financing support to both public and private institutions which have been severely affected by calamities and/or events arising from such calamities. Eligible businesses are provided financial support to expedite their recovery process while simultaneously assisting in the economic recovery of the calamity-stricken area. Loans of up to 95% of the funds needed may be extended with flexible terms of five years, at an interest rate of 1% over the Bloomberg Valuation Service (BVAL) rate, and fees are also waived.

SUPPORTING AGRIPRENEURS
In my conversations with the DBP, I was introduced to the lending programs of the Department of Agriculture (DA), which are managed by the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC). The program is called the Expanded SURE Aid & Recovery Project (SURE COVID-19) which is available to agri/fishery-based micro and small enterprises to enable them to continue operations and ensure availability of food supply during the lockdown. Up to P10 million in loans for working capital may be extended at zero interest, payable up to five years.

Another ACPC Program is the Kapital Access to Young Agripreneurs (KAYA), which provides loans for working capital or fixed assets acquisition. Eligible borrowers are graduates of formal or non-formal schooling, aged 18 to 30 years, who can borrow to finance startups or fund existing agri-based projects. Up to P500,000 in uncollateralized loans, payable over five years, at zero interest may be availed. An innovative feature of this lending program is the use of a digital platform where disbursements and collections may be transacted through cash cards using ATM terminals, and the conduct of training and mentoring modules through web conferencing, among others.

Also available is the AgriNegosyo Loan Program (ANYO), which can provide capital to micro and small agri-based enterprises for working capital, fixed assets, and construction. From P300,000 up to P15 million loans may be extended for up to five years, likewise at zero interest.

SUPPORTING MICRO AND SMALL ENTERPRISES
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has launched the COVID Response to Restart Enterprises (CARES) to address the needs of micro and small enterprises. CARES is administered by SB Corporation, an attached agency of the DTI.

This program grants interest free loans from P10,000 to P50,000, depending on the asset size of micro and small enterprises. The payment period is from 18 to 30 months inclusive of a six-month grace period.

BEYOND THE PANDEMIC
There is no “one size fits all” solution to access financial support. Every entrepreneur should study and consider the options available and choose what suits their business and are realistically “doable.”

A valuable piece of advice from a banker on how to make a business “bankable”: Business owners and entrepreneurs must believe in their business and have the know-how and commitment to execute their business plan. While it may seem “easy” to borrow money and survive for the time being, what is critical is to ensure that the business will be able to repay a loan and keep the business afloat and eventually thrive.

With no end in sight to the pandemic, businesses will be facing an uncertain future. My recommendation: reevaluate your strategies, develop clear long-term solutions, seize the opportunities, and navigate the crisis. With different institutions working together to support entrepreneurs, I have no doubt that we will emerge stronger and create a more resilient business ecosystem in the Philippines.

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

 

Ma. Aurora “Boots” D. Geotina-Garcia is the President of Mageo Consulting Inc., which provides corporate finance advisory services. She is a member of the MAP Corporate Governance Committee and the Chairperson of the Philippine Women’s Economic Network (PhilWEN).

map@map.org.ph

magg@mageo.net

http://map.org.ph

Can fear be a factor in President Duterte’s high approval rating?


The results of the latest Pulse Asia survey on the performance and trust ratings of President Duterte and his key officials drew considerable scepticism and criticism from political analysts.

The nationwide survey conducted from Sept. 14 to 20 among Filipinos aged 18 and above revealed that 90% of Filipinos approve of President Duterte’s performance amid the Duterte administration’s effort to control the spread of COVID-19. Vice-President Leni Robredo had a 57% approval rating, Senate President Tito Sotto, 84%, House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, 70%, and Supreme Court Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta, 44%.

The respondents were asked to give their opinion on the performance of the officials’ duty in the last three months. They were to choose from several options: approve, truly approve, somewhat approve, disapprove, somewhat disapprove, truly disapprove.

As for their trust ratings, President Duterte scored 91%, followed by Senator Sotto with 79%, Speaker Cayetano with 67%, Vice-President Robredo with 50%, and Chief Justice Peralta with 39%.

The political pundits find it hard to reconcile the high ratings of the President and his key allies in the Senate and in the House of Representatives with the various issues surrounding the administration’s poor response to the pandemic while the Vice-President fared badly when she has been rolling out her own assistance to those affected adversely by the lockdown without help from the administration.

Among the issues cited were the massive corruption allegations against executives of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp., which plays a crucial role in meeting the challenge posed by the pandemic, the indecision regarding the opening of classes and the inadequacy of the country’s communications system for the new teaching method the pandemic circumstance requires, the denial of the popular ABS-CBN broadcast network of a new franchise, and the spending of P349 million for the beautification of the baywalk alongside Roxas Boulevard when the government has claimed it no longer has the resources to give financial aid to those who lost their job or livelihood due to the lockdown.

A number of the skeptical analysts asked if a climate of fear influenced individuals’ answers to the survey. University of the Philippines Professor of Sociology Randy David wrote in his Oct. 11 column in the Inquirer: “Any show of hesitation on the part of the respondent, or any reservation, has to be noted, evaluated, and considered in the interpretation of the data. This requires of the interviewer a sensitivity and concern for the integrity of responses that may not always be there in the actual field work.

“Most importantly, on something as controversial as, say, President Duterte’s performance and his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, interviewees must be assured there are no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answers. Indeed, a guarantee of strict confidentiality is routinely given in almost all opinion surveys. But that guarantee may not mean much to people who cannot tell the difference between a legitimate private survey and one conducted by a government agency. Even if they can, what are the chances that they would not be deterred in their responses by the simple thought that the ‘kapitan’ might know how they answered?”

Pulse Asia President Ronnie Holmes may have read that column of Professor David for when he guested in the TV show Basagan ng Trip that morning of Oct. 11, he admitted that fear, though difficult to measure, cannot be ruled out as possibly influencing survey results. He said you can’t rule out the possibility that there are some people whose prevailing sentiment is apprehension or fear.

According to Mr. Holmes, Pulse Asia interviewers record the “nonverbal behavior” of survey respondents, such as the time it takes a respondent to answer questions, if he showed apprehension, or appeared to be assessing the interviewer. However, the interviewers’ observations are not shared with the public.

When the Social Weather Stations (SWS) published the results of its 3rd Quarter survey in November of 2018, the detractors of President Duterte laughed off the findings. They asked derisively how 70% of adult Filipinos could be satisfied with President Duterte’s performance when prices of basic commodities were soaring, the drug trade was flourishing, and incidents of crime increasing. Some political observers went as far as to say that SWS had been co-opted by the President just as non-believers of results of Pulse Asia surveys are suspecting that the pollsters are “doctoring” the findings to gain the goodwill of the President.

I didn’t think so. The projections of SWS and Pulse Asia surveys have always been borne out by the results of the general elections. That is because their survey method is in accordance with accepted general practice in the field of public opinion polling. I know the method for I was once a research associate at Robot Statistics, the first public opinion pollster in the country and a Gallup Poll affiliate.

In reaction to the high satisfaction rating of the President in surveys in 2018, I ventured to opine that it was the integrity of the answers of the respondents that may be suspect. I wrote back then that survey respondents might be afraid to say something unfavorable to the President, his directives, and his programs.

As the President has shown a disdain for criticism and opposition, as evidenced by the fates of Senators Leila de Lima and Antonio Trillanes, Chief Justice Lourdes Sereno, media organizations Philippine Daily Inquirer and Rappler, and journalist Maria Ressa, survey respondents might also be afraid to say something not favorable of him. Because of fear of the possible adverse consequence of their answers, the respondents’ answers during SWS interviews may not reflect their true sentiments.

Interviews are conducted face-to-face. The respondent’s name and address are known to the interviewer. The respondents could be suspicious of the interviewer’s true purpose. That may be the reason for the favorable rating of President Duterte in surveys.

That is why in my column of April 30, 2019, I wrote that political surveys are not useful in these times. The prevailing atmosphere of fear may restrain respondents from expressing their true sentiments. With prominent and credible political analysts casting doubt on the validity of the results of the surveys on the President, his directives, and his programs, because of the atmosphere of fear, such surveys have no value.

 

Oscar P. Lagman, Jr. is a retired corporate executive, business consultant, and management professor. He has been a politicized citizen since his college days in the late 1950s.

To retire rich, don’t leave too much to your kids

LIKE self-improvement books, the purpose of pension adequacy surveys is to make us feel lousy about ourselves.

Lousy and scared: We haven’t saved enough because we’re myopic and lack self-control. We don’t have a retirement plan, and it’s getting late. That next avocado toast may deny our future selves a pair of reading glasses.

And the nagging chases us right into our graves. At the back of our minds, there’s always the guilt that we should be leaving something — actually, a lot — to our children. Yet, after you throw in the bequest motive, the avocado toast is truly toast. So perhaps we shouldn’t bother having kids?

Think about it: If our rationality wasn’t bounded, if we weren’t so conditioned to enjoy the present, if we could all do the probability and payoff math for every situation, and discount future utility correctly, would any of us ever walk out without an umbrella… or fall in love?

But we do, and will. So why should our approach to money be any different, and why, for instance, should it be a surprise that 51% of Indians don’t have a retirement plan? People who do have plans aren’t doing a whole lot better. In the US, a third of 5 million defined contribution accounts for which Vanguard does the record keeping had a 2019 balance of less than $10,000. The median account balance was less than $26,000. And this was before COVID-19 withdrawals.

Global life expectancy went up by five years between 2010 and 2015, the fastest increase since the 1960s. A post-pandemic boost to healthcare investment may make us all live longer, on average. Don’t be surprised if those retiring in 2035 need an extra five years or more of future income because of longevity alone. Where will that money come from in a low-yield environment? The most obvious answer is that retirement will keep getting postponed. In 1996, only 14% of Americans saw themselves working beyond 65 years of age. Last year’s figure was 45%.

The other strategy may be a natural byproduct of desperation. The nest egg promised by the superannuation industry will seldom prove sufficient after paying fund managers’ exorbitant fees. Nearing the end of their working lives, savers will buy riskier products. A Fidelity International Ltd. survey shows that 48% of younger Hong Kong residents allocate 25% or less of their savings to equities, while 22% of older workers have at least 75% of their holdings in stocks or shares.

There’s a third trick, and most Asian cultures know it.

Kobe University economist Charles Yuji Horioka is a scholar of our desire to financially enrich our progeny. In January, he co-authored a new paper highlighting the difference between those Japanese who want to leave a legacy for altruistic reasons, and those who use it strategically to exercise intergenerational leverage. The former will work both harder and longer, while those who want to be looked after by their children in old age will put in longer hours, but retire early to maximize the care they receive. They’ll work harder, not longer.

Asians naturally don’t want to die working, and many societies have some form of non-family safety net. Japan has a public long-term care insurance. In South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Malaysia, retirees expect the government to play a role in ensuring income security.

Yet Asians know it’s not enough. Horioka’s own past research has shown the Japanese and Chinese have a strong bequest motive. Indians have an even keener wish. Given the country’s youthful demographics, constrained state finances and underdeveloped pension markets, even limited financial assistance for the elderly may have to be “purchased” by them from the next generation. (That such help won’t be freely given by children is now a well-established fact. Asian family values are no longer as robust as they used to be.)

Perhaps Indians are already strategic with their bequest motive. They aren’t postponing the act of giving to their final years. They’re doing it now. One of the world’s hottest education technology unicorns is Byju’s, an Indian online tutoring company valued at $11 billion after its last financing round. Bangalore-based Byju’s recently paid $300 million to acquire Mumbai-based WhiteHat Jr, which teaches coding to children. For $3,999, WhiteHat promises kids younger than 14 exposure to “full commercial-ready utility apps.”

So this is a form of early bequest. If junior hits upon the idea for the next Facebook or Uber, the parents can retire today. Otherwise, the kid can always go work in Silicon Valley and send money home, grateful for a timely $3,999 investment the parents couldn’t really afford. In either scenario, there won’t be a need to give much more on one’s deathbed.

Glaring wealth inequality makes it risky to bequeath anything more than the family pet in the will. As economists Thomas Piketty and Emmanuel Saez have forcefully argued, inheritance taxes should be 50% to 60%, and even higher for bigger bequests. So the choice is either to spend the money on one’s own betterment, or to give it early to the offspring.

Today’s workers can use the money. They can re-skill themselves to stand up to the robot overlords and stay employed for longer. But spending the same sum on the education of a couple of teenagers may offer superior returns. It may even be the only long-term investment that beats a broad equity index fund.

That’s the retirement plan Indians and many perhaps struggling middle-class people everywhere are on. They just forgot to tell the wealth manager, who’s still shaking his head about how little clients are saving.

BLOOMBERG OPINION

Smart cities: Managing wastewater in the new normal

THIS World Cities Day, it is important for us to reflect on how we can be fostering liveable cities that allow us to not only survive but thrive. 2020 has been a trying year for everyone with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but we should not lose sight of building resilient and sustainable cities as the Philippines continues to rapidly urbanize.

The Philippines has already set in motion its smart nation ambition — currently under construction, New Clark City will be the country’s first smart and resilient metropolis. The Philippines should not let its initiatives lose momentum.

Amidst the recurring urban problems that smart cities can address, such as flooding, traffic and overcrowding, there is one crucial pillar where technology and digitalization can help address — wastewater management.

WASTEWATER CHALLENGES TODAY
With the growth of the economy and rapid urbanization in the Philippines, the country is facing significant challenges in terms of water and sanitation. Only 10% of wastewater is treated while 58% of the groundwater is contaminated — Metro Manila alone generates about two million cubic meters of wastewater every day*.

Additionally, the current pandemic climate has led to increased wastewater production. We are witnessing an exponential increase in medical waste making its way into landfills and oceans, which can adversely impact our health.

Water management in cities also presents its own unique problems. In cities where increasingly dense populations are driving greater space constraints, water solutions need to be constructed in a way that ensures minimal disruption to its residents and existing infrastructure.

As the Filipino government gears up to address the issues of universal water and sanitation services coverage by 2028, reliable and intelligent technology will play a critical role in enabling this transformation.

INNOVATIVE, AGILE SOLUTIONS NEEDED
To make smart cities a reality, governments need to find the right partners to help bring this ambition to life. For example, water solutions providers like Grundfos have been increasingly integrating intelligence into its technology, such as pumping stations.

Pumping stations are crucial to the entire water and wastewater process — they are designed to collect and quickly move as much water as possible. With today’s technology and innovation, pumping stations can undergo advanced computer modelling of pressurised sewer systems, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) flow simulation and model testing to optimize the design right from the start, avoid future complications such as blockages, odors, power outages and flooding.

Notably, Grundfos recently worked with Lio Tourism Estate, located in El Nido, Palawan, to support their wastewater management efforts. Lio Tourism Estate was keen to find wastewater management solutions that will help them raise the bar for sustainable tourism. They were able to achieve this through applying intelligence to their wastewater management process, creating energy and cost savings whilst ensuring a space efficient, reliable solution.

In smart cities, smart wastewater systems can also meet the demand for freshwater by detecting and preventing combined sewage overflows and chemicals in wastewater with the help of IoT sensors. Effective wastewater treatment also allows us to get the most out of the water we have used by harnessing it repeatedly.

Freshwater is one of the most precious natural resources that is getting scarce day by day. By treating and reusing wastewater instead of simply taking in new water, this reduces water consumption, and further saves water for the community. Increasingly, we need to not see used water as waste, but instead as a resource that can be reused when it is treated and can be looped back into production.

WHAT NOW?
We recognize that the technology to empower the smart cities transformation exists, but how do we start? Collaboration is key and needs to be done on a larger scale. The public sector brings the power to effect change, while the private sector brings the expertise, agility and the innovation.

On an international level, best practices can be shared between countries to replicate what works and take lessons from what did not work well.

We must also ensure that we have a citizen-centric design approach. Smart cities are built by the people, for the people, and must solve actual, pressing problems and bring value to citizens. As we continue to move towards greater industrialisation and urbanisation, our cities need to evolve as well. Water management is a key pillar in this transformation. Once we begin to reconsider our approach to water management, we will start the journey on building cities that are resilient against global crises of any scale moving forward.

* https://www.bworldonline.com/progress-and-concerns-in-wastewater-management/

 

Jonathan Breton is the General Manager of Grundfos Philippines, a full range supplier of pumps and pump solutions.

Chat service offers support to victims of gender-based violence

Lockdowns have made it more difficult for victim-survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) to report crimes committed against them. 

Government data shows that the number of cases of GBV and abuse reported to authorities declined during the first month and a half of COVID-19 lockdown measures. “While these figures could mean a reduced prevalence of violence and abuse, it more likely points to something more worrisome—that victims are simply unable to report abuse,” said Lunas Collective chief volunteer Danna Aduna during the launch of FamiLigtas, a campaign that builds awareness about GBV in the home. 

Supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Lunas Collective, a volunteer-powered chat service, the campaign offers support for those seeking help with GBV issues during COVID-19. 

Less than 40% of women who experience violence seeking help of any sort, making data gathering a challenge. Less than 10% of those women seeking help go to the police. The National Demographic and Health Survey 2017 released by the Philippine Statistics Authority revealed that one in four Filipino women aged 15–49 has experienced physical, emotional, or sexual violence from their husband or partner. An average of eight people a day have also fallen victim to sexual assault in the country during the community quarantine, according to data from the Philippine National Police. 

The risk for GBV increases due to race, disability, social class, and religion, added Ms. Aduna. Women can be faulted for what they wear or not agreeing with partners or parents, or for talking back in the first place. There’s also intersectionality, or the complex, cumulative way in which the effects of multiple forms of discrimination (such as racism, sexism, and classism) intersect. Those with overlapping oppressions—such as individuals who are both poor and uneducated—have less power. 

Those who are privy to possible abuse may be wary of reporting domestic violence because of the notion that such issues are a private matter. 

Perpetrators work by isolating their victims, said Ms. Aduna, so that the latter feel they cannot escape the violent situation. To help, a friendly greeting can go a long way. “It doesn’t have to be outright intervention,” she said. “Don’t impose solutions on them. The first thing you can offer is support and active listening.” 

PREVENTING GBV
“While it’s true that Filipinos love their families, some families are the most hostile and dreadful environments. It’s supposed to be the place where we’re most protected,” said Lolito Tacardon, deputy executive director of the Commission on Population.

To protect their family, parents can start by teaching their children concepts such as consent and healthy boundaries. “You can start by teaching them the difference between good touch and bad touch,” said Ms. Aduna.

Speaking up is a crucial step to ending gender-based violence.

“Regardless of gender, you deserve to be spoken to with respect,” said Miriam Quiambao, entrepreneur, actress, and Miss Universe 1999 runner-up, who was in an abusive relationship. 

“I think I should’ve done things differently,” she added. “I should’ve lifted my hand up and said, ‘Stop, you have no right to call me that. You have no right to raise your voice at me. When you’re ready to speak to me with respect, then we can try to resolve this issue like decent adults.’” — Patricia B. Mirasol

Those with GBV concerns may visit the FamiLigtas Facebook page for more information.

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Chileans vote to tear up Pinochet’s constitution

SANTIAGO — Chileans poured into the country’s main squares on Sunday night after voters gave a ringing endorsement to a plan to tear up the country’s Pinochet-era constitution in favour of a new charter drafted by citizens.

In Santiago’s Plaza Italia, the focus of the massive and often violent social protests last year which sparked the demand for a new magna carta, fireworks rose above a crowd of tens of thousands of jubilant people singing in unison as the word “rebirth” was beamed onto a tower above.

With more than three quarters of the votes counted, 78.12% of voters had opted for a new charter. Many have expressed hopes that a new text will temper an unabashedly capitalist ethos with guarantees of more equal rights to healthcare, pensions and education.

“This triumph belongs to the people, it’s thanks to everyone’s efforts that we are at this moment of celebration,” Daniel, 37, told Reuters in Santiago’s Plaza Nunoa. “What makes me happiest is the participation of the youth, young people wanting to make changes.”

Chile’s President Sebastian Pinera said if the country had been divided by the protests and debate over whether to approve or reject plans for a new charter, from now on they should unite behind a new text that provided “a home for everyone.”

The centre-right leader, whose popularity ratings plummeted to record lows during the unrest and have remained in the doldrums, spoke to those who wanted to keep the present constitution credited with making Chile one of Latin America’s economic success stories.

Any new draft must incorporate “the legacy of past generations, the will of present generations and the hopes of generations to come,” he said.

He gave a nod to fears that the high expectations placed in a new charter cannot be met, saying: “This referendum is not the end, it is the start of a road we must walk towards a new constitution.”

As votes were counted on live television around the country, spontaneous parties broke out on street corners and in squares around the country. Drivers honked car horns, some as revellers danced on their roofs, and others banged pots and pans. The flag of the country’s indigenous Mapuche people, who will seek greater recognition in the new charter, was ubiquitous.

Four fifths of voters said they wanted the new charter to be drafted by a specially-elected body of citizens — made up of half women and half men — over a mixed convention of lawmakers and citizens, highlighting general mistrust in Chile’s political class.

Members of a 155-seat constitutional convention will be voted in by April 2021 and have up to a year to agree a draft text, with proposals approved by a two-thirds majority.

Among issues likely to be at the fore are recognition of Chile’s Mapuche indigenous population, powers of collective bargaining, water and land rights and privatized systems providing healthcare, education and pensions.

Chileans will then vote again on whether they accept the text or want to revert to the previous constitution.

The National Mining Society (Sonami), which groups the companies in the sector into the world’s largest copper producer, said it hoped for “broad agreement on the principles and norms” that determine the sector’s coexistence with Chilean citizens and that the regulatory certainty that have allowed the sector to flourish would continue. — Reuters

China sees surge in asymptomatic COVID-19 cases, highest in 7 months

SHANGHAI — China reported the highest number of asymptomatic COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) cases in nearly seven months, following a mass infection of an unknown origin in the northwestern Xinjiang region.

Xinjiang health authorities found 137 asymptomatic cases on Sunday amid a testing drive for the 4.75 million people in the Kashgar area triggered by an asymptomatic infection in a 17-year-old female garment factory worker reported on Saturday. It was not clear how she was infected, though all of the new cases were linked to the garment factory.

The woman’s case was discovered during routine testing but it was not clear why she was subject to such testing, Chinese media reported quoting health officials.

Contact tracing work to locate the origin of the outbreak is ongoing, the reports said.

A total of 20 new confirmed and 161 new asymptomatic cases were reported in the mainland on Oct. 25, China’s National Health Commission said in a statement.

The number of new symptomless infections was the highest since China began publishing daily counts starting from those reported on March 31.

More than 2.84 million people in the Kashgar area had already been tested for COVID-19 as of Sunday afternoon and the rest expect to be completed by Tuesday. The scale and speed of the testing is in line with those seen during other outbreaks including the most recent one in Qingdao earlier this month.

Though the number of new COVID-19 cases are down sharply in mainland China from the peaks seen in February, Beijing is wary of another wave of infections and maintains mass and rapid testing capabilities.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in mainland China to date now stands at 85,810, while the death toll remained unchanged at 4,634. — Reuters

Malaysia, amid political turmoil, says to host virtual APEC summit in Nov.

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia said on Monday it will host the first ever virtual summit of leaders from Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) nations in November, amid political uncertainty faced by its Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

Doubts had arisen earlier in the year if the summit will go ahead due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019)pandemic. New Zealand, which is hosting next year’s APEC summit, has said it will use virtual platforms to conduct the meeting due to travel restrictions and uncertainty caused by the pandemic.

Mr. Muhyiddin is facing calls to resign as doubts swirled over the support he commands, after the Malaysian king rejected his request to declare a state of emergency to fight the pandemic.

In a statement, the International Trade & Industry Ministry said Mr. Muhyiddin will chair on Nov. 20 the Economic Leaders’ Meeting (AELM) which will have the participation of all 21 APEC economic leaders.

“Malaysia is making history by transforming APEC’s usual ways of doing business and convening a majority of APEC Meetings in a fully virtual-format,” it said.

The Southeast Asian nation, which will be hosting APEC for the second time, said the summit is expected to launch the region’s Post-2020 Vision, the key policy set to replace the “Bogor Goals” which will reach maturity at the end of the year.

The “Bogor Goals,” adopted at the 1994 APEC summit in Bogor, Indonesia, called for all APEC economies to achieve free and open trade and investment by 2020.

Malaysia is facing a third wave of the coronavirus outbreak. It reported 823 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, bringing the total number to 26,565. — Reuters

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