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Lewandowski hat-trick helps Bayern rout Stuttgart, Dortmund held

MUNICH — Robert Lewandowski’s hat-trick helped 10-man Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich stay in the driving seat to retain the title with a 4-0 drubbing of Vfb Stuttgart, while Borussia Dortmund lost ground in the top-four race with a draw at Cologne on Saturday.

An early red card for left back Alphonso Davies spurred on Bayern as they scored four times in a 22-minute first-half spell despite being a man light, with Robert Lewandowski grabbing a hat-trick and Serge Gnabry netting the other goal.

Lewandowski’s treble made the Poland striker the joint second all-time top scorer in Bundesliga history on 268 goals alongside Klaus Fischer and now only behind Bayern’s iconic former striker Gerd Mueller who scored 365 times.

It also means the Pole has now scored 35 goals in 25 league games this term and is five from equalling Mueller’s record for the most goals scored in a single Bundesliga season in Germany.

“Just doing my job,” Lewandowski posted on twitter after another devastating performance took his season’s tally to 42 goals in 36 games in all competitions.

Midfielder Thomas Mueller added: “Now everyone knows, three goals, he is unstoppable.”

Lewandowski fired Bayern ahead in the 18th minute and Serge Gnabry rounded off a sweeping move to make it 2-0 before the Poland striker finished off Stuttgart with a header and a left-foot shot, thriving from good work by Mueller and Leroy Sane.

The result left Bayern on 61 points from 26 games, four ahead of closest rivals RB Leipzig ahead of a blockbuster clash at the Red Bull Arena on April 3 after the international break.

SAVIOUR HAALAND
Dortmund salvaged a point at Cologne thanks to their Norway striker Erling Haaland’s last-gasp equalizer, but will see a share of the spoils as a bittersweet outcome having fallen behind in the race for a Champions League qualifying spot.

Dortmund stayed fifth on 43 points, four behind Eintracht Frankfurt who gained ground with a 5-2 home rout of Union Berlin after Andre Silva scored twice, while Filip Kostić and Timothy Chandler added one each to complement a Robert Andrich own goal.

Haaland fired Dortmund into a third-minute lead with a superb solo effort but Cologne turned the match on its head after Ondřej Duda converted a penalty and Ismail Jacobs hit the roof of the net with a fierce shot from 15 meters.

Haaland showed his predatory skills again in the 90th minute to bundle in a low cross from the right, but Dortmund were unable to force a final twist as the hosts held on in stoppage time.

Third-placed Vfl Wolfsburg, who are 10 points behind Bayern and four ahead of Frankfurt, stayed firmly on course to secure a Champions League berth with a 2-1 win at Werder Bremen.

Wout Weghorst struck in the 42nd minute after a Joshua Sargent own goal to give Wolfsburg a 2-0 lead before Kevin Möehwald pulled one back on the stroke of half time.

Schalke suffered yet another setback to their slim hopes of avoiding relegation as a 3-0 home defeat by Borussia Möenchengladbach left them rooted to the bottom 12 points adrift of the safety zone.

Lars Stindl fired the visitors ahead in the 15th minute when he swept a loose ball into the top corner before second-half headers from Stefan Lainer and an own goal by Schalke goalkeeper Frederik Roennøw sealed ninth-placed Gladbach’s win.

Hertha Berlin, who occupy the relegation playoff spot, host Bayer Leverkusen, who are sixth, in Sunday’s standout fixture. Hoffenheim in 11th also host second-bottom Mainz, while Freiburg entertain Augsburg in a mid-table clash. — Reuters

Trade talks

There’s a reason Kyle Lowry has been in a number of trade rumors over the last couple of weeks. It isn’t that he wants to be dealt; in fact, his preference is to stay with the Raptors until he hangs up his sneakers, and not simply because he’s the longest-tenured member of the 2020-21 roster. Scotiabank Arena has been his home since the lone Canadian franchise in the National Basketball Association chose him with the 24th overall pick in the 2006 draft. Yet, it’s precisely because of his disposition that he’s viewed to be a potential target by such notables as the Clippers and Sixers; regardless or circumstance, he will plod on for the name on the front of his jersey.

Indeed, Lowry has seen it all; he has been at the top, at the bottom, and just about everywhere in between. And whether as a valued teammate of Finals Most Valuable Player Kawhi Leonard or as playoff fodder during the Eastern Conference reign of one LeBron James, he has made sure not to leave anything in the tank every time he sets foot on the court. At the same time, however, his value as a bargaining chip may never be higher; he’s turning 35 this week, and in possession of a $30-million expiring contract that gives prospective employers a Break Glass In Case Of Fire option in the offseason should he not pan out.

To be sure, the Raptors have so far turned away from propositions. Offhand, they’ve told suitors that Lowry’s not on the block. Perhaps they know he’s not the cause of their swoon, and that the solution to success that has so far eluded them is as simple as getting the entire roster — at times decimated by injuries and safety protocols — back for the stretch run. Then again, anything can happen in the intervening days before the trade deadline draws to a close on March 25, not coincidentally his natal day. Could it mark a new beginning for him? Or could it provide him with a present in familiar confines?

At this point, it’s anybody’s guess what the future holds for Lowry. He knows he has no control over the situation, and is bent on soldiering on no matter what. One thing’s clear, however: He’s keen on retiring as a Raptor, even if on a one-day contract. That kind of loyalty deserves reciprocation, but the nature of the business precludes sentimentality. Sooner or later, he will say goodbye. Whether on his terms or on theirs, only time will tell.

 

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.

Philippines to expand coronavirus curbs to include provinces near capital

MANILA – The Philippines will expand tighter COVID-19 restrictions to include four provinces surrounding the capital region, President Rodrigo Duterte’s spokesman said on Sunday, as the country battles a renewed surge in infections.

The restrictions currently in effect in Metropolitan Manila will also be imposed in the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal, including night curfews and the prohibition of mass gatherings, Harry Roque said. — Reuters 

Canada’s main opposition party members reject proposal to recognize climate change as real

TORONTO – Canada’s main opposition Conservative Party members on Saturday voted down a proposal to recognize climate change as real, in a blow to the new party leader’s efforts to embrace environment-friendly policies ahead of a likely federal election this year.

The rejected motion included the willingness to act against climate risks and to make highly polluting Canadian businesses take more responsibility to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole had urged party members on Friday to rally around an ambitious climate agenda to avoid a defeat at the hands of Liberals. He asked members to be open to new ideas if they were serious about toppling Liberals in the next election, even if that goes against party’s conventional thinking and said he doesn’t want Conservative candidates to be branded as “climate change deniers.”

Yet, the Conservative delegates rejected the policy shift by 54% to 46%.

Climate change has been a polarizing issue in the last election campaign. While Trudeau stresses that the environment is a priority, Canada has failed to meet any of its climate pledges amid resistance from politicians who say the targets threaten the oil industry’s future.

Canada is the world’s fourth-largest oil producer and one of the highest emitters of green house gases on a per capita basis and Prime Minister Trudeau’s Liberal Party supporters rank it among their top concerns. U.S. President Joe Biden’s aggressive climate policies are expected to galvanize Canada to march in step with Washington’s tough measures to avoid being disadvantaged. – Reuters

IMF sees signs of stronger global recovery, but significant risks remain

WASHINGTON – The No. 2 official at the International Monetary Fund on Saturday pointed to emerging signs of a stronger global economic recovery, but warned that significant risks remained, including the emergence of mutations of the coronavirus.

IMF First Deputy Managing Director Geoffrey Okamoto said that in early April the Fund would update its January forecast for global growth of 5.5% to reflect additional fiscal stimulus spending in the United States, but gave no details.

In a speech to the China Development Forum, Mr. Okamoto raised concerns about the growing divergence between advanced economies and emerging markets, with some 90 million people seen falling below the extreme poverty threshold since the pandemic began.

Mr. Okamoto said China had already recovered to pre-pandemic growth levels ahead of all large economies, although private consumption was still lagging investment there.

Outside of China, he said, there were worrying signs of a widening gap between advanced economies and emerging markets.

The IMF projects that cumulative income per capita in emerging and developing countries, excluding China, between 2020 and 2022 will be 22% lower than it would have been without the pandemic, which will push more people into poverty, he said.

The overall outlook remained “exceptionally” uncertain, Mr. Okamoto said, adding that it was unclear how long the pandemic would last and access to vaccines remained very uneven, across both advanced and emerging economies.

Mr. Okamoto said some countries also had little scope to boost spending to fight the pandemic and mitigate its economic impact, especially low-income countries with high debt levels.

He said tighter financial conditions could exacerbate vulnerabilities in countries with high public and private debt, citing recent increases in bond yields triggered by market expectations of an earlier withdrawal of monetary stimulus.

He said the crisis could also leave deep scars.

In the past, advanced economies have seen their output reduced almost 5% below pre-recession trends five years after the beginning of a recession, and it could be worse in countries that cannot afford a strong macroeconomic response and/or had large services sectors more affected by the pandemic, he said. – Reuters

Philippines says 220 Chinese vessels spotted at disputed reef

The Philippines expressed “concern” after spotting what it said were Chinese fishing vessels at a reef claimed by it and China, and could file a diplomatic protest on the presence of the boats.

About 220 Chinese vessels were seen moored in line at Whitsun Reef in the South China Sea on March 7, a government task force overseeing the disputed seas said in a statement on Saturday.

The area, which the Southeast Asian nation calls Juan Felipe, is a large but shallow boomerang-shaped coral reef within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, the task force said. The vessels’ presence is “a concern due to the possible overfishing and destruction of the marine environment, as well as risks to safety of navigation,” it said.

Both China and the Philippines have overlapping claims in the resource-rich South China Sea. In January, the Philippines filed a diplomatic protest against China’s law giving its coast guard freedom to fire on foreign vessels.

A protest over the 220 vessels may be lodged if Philippine military generals recommend it, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin said in a Twitter post on Sunday. – Bloomberg

Philippines inks deal for 20 million Moderna vaccine doses

The Philippine government and the private sector have sealed an agreement with Moderna, Inc. for 20 million doses of its coronavirus vaccine, according to the presidential palace, making it the country’s largest vaccine supply deal to date.

The government secured 13 million doses of the Moderna vaccine, while private firms led by International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Chairman Enrique K. Razon Jr. will get 7 million doses for their workers, vaccine czar Carlito G. Galvez, Jr. said in a statement.

“We would also like to thank Mr Patrick Bergstedt and the whole Moderna Team for keeping up with their commitment in providing 20 million ‘doses of hope’ for 10 million Filipinos,” Mr. Galvez, chief implementer of the country’s pandemic plan, said.

Mr. Galvez said the signing of the tripartite agreement boosts Manila’s goal of having a steady supply of vaccines this year.

“This is part of our goal to vaccinate 70 million of our adult population and recover the economy from the pandemic,” he said.

The government started negotiating with the US-based drugmaker after its two-dose vaccine, which has a 94.5% efficacy rate, was authorized for emergency use in the United States.

Moderna, however, has yet to secure an emergency use authorization from Manila’s drug regulator.

“We are honored to be part of this enormous and noble endeavor to help our people recover from the impact of pandemic and to catalyze a return to growth for our nation,” ICTSI Foundation said on behalf of the so-called Moderna Vaccine Buyer’s Group.

There were no details on which companies are getting the Moderna vaccines.

In a televised press briefing on Friday, Mr. Galvez said the country would take delivery of Moderna vaccines in the second quarter, along with about two million vaccine vials from China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd.

Massive vaccinations will be held from May to June, he added.

Mr. Galvez earlier said Manila would receive at least 1.4 million more doses of Sinovac vaccines this month. Of the total, about 400,000 vials were donated from Beijing, and the rest were paid for by the government.

About 900,000 more doses of the shots developed by British drugmaker AstraZeneca, Plc. and secured under a global initiative for equal vaccine access will also arrive in late March or early April, he said.

The shots developed by America’s Novavax, Inc., Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Pfizer Inc, and Russia’s Gamaleya Institute are also included in the government’s coronavirus vaccine portfolio.

The Health department reported a record 7,103 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday. This brought the total number of cases in the Philippines to 648,066.

FIRMS NOT ALLOWED TO IMPORT VACCINES DIRECTLY

Meanwhile, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said in a Viber message on Friday that private firms are not allowed to import COVID-19 vaccines directly due to existing laws and the request of pharmaceutical companies that make the vaccines.

“[There are] two reasons [why]: first, the pharmas insist on the government providing the indemnity, second, [there is] the COVID 19 Vaccination Program Law,” he said when asked if he supports the proposal of Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) to allow private companies to import vaccines themselves,” he said.

“Moreover the requirement by pharma companies of government indemnity necessitates government involvement in purchases by the private sector.”

Republic Act 11525 signed on Feb. 26 allows DOH and the National Task Force (NTF) against COVID-19 to directly procure vaccines from manufacturers.

For local government units and other entities who want to buy the vaccines, the DOH and NTF have been tasked to negotiate on their behalf. – with Beatrice M. Laforga

BSP, DoF support bill giving PDIC flexibility to adjust deposit insurance limits

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Department of Finance (DoF) expressed support for a Senate bill that gives the Philippine Development Insurance Corp. (PDIC) the flexibility to adjust the maximum deposit insurance coverage, depending on current economic indicators.

The Senate Committee on Banks, Financial Institutions and Currencies on Friday began its hearings on Senate Bills no. 1260 and no. 3464 that seek to introduce amendments to the PDIC Charter.

“The proposed amendments remove the tedious process of passing a law each time the maximum coverage needs to be adjusted. They will also do away with the requirement of a BSP-determined financial crisis to make a routine adjustment in the insurance coverage levels. In other words, the proposed bill will make the PDIC more responsive to the constantly changing financial landscape,” Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez told the Senate committee.

The PDIC currently provides a maximum deposit insurance coverage of P500,000 per depositor for each bank.

Under SB 3464 authored by Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara, the PDIC Board of Directors can increase the maximum deposit insurance coverage to an amount deemed appropriate, considering various economic indicators and inflation. This amount will be reviewed every three years.

BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno also supported the proposal that would give the PDIC “the flexibility to increase the maximum insurance coverage to an amount indexed to inflation or in consideration of other economic factors.”

However, the BSP chief and banking industry leaders were cool to the provision under SB no. 1260, which sought to raise the maximum deposit insurance coverage to P1 million.

While he admitted the current deposit insurance coverage of P500,000 is “inappropriate” at this time, Mr. Diokno said raising the maximum amount will require an adjustment in premium payments by banks.

Foundation for Economic Freedom’s Romeo L. Bernardo noted there is a need to be “mindful of moral hazard that may accompany overly high insurable maximum amounts.”

“When indexed to inflation…the P500,000 (deposit insurance) should be adjusted to P675,000… Determining the limit should be left to the board of the PDIC to allow for timely adjustments. Maximum limits should reflect the depositor profile and seek to protect the vast majority of depositors, with a focus on small ones,” Bankers Association of the Philippines President Jose Arnulfo A. Veloso said, adding that most deposits in banks are already insured in the Philippines.

If the current deposit insurance is doubled, it is estimated the premiums of the banking industry will increase to two-fifths of one percent of total deposits from the current one-fifth of one percent of total deposits.

The Rural Banks of the Philippines and Chamber of Thrift Banks (CTB) both noted banks might not be able to cope with the potential premium increases, as many continue to struggle amid the pandemic.

“Increasing the premium coverage will create stability for the banking system as this will boost public confidence and trust in the banking sector. However, banks are adversely affected by the pandemic, particularly loan portfolios, hence cannot afford any increase in premium,” said CTB President Paul D. San Pedro said in the hearing.

The Senate bills also proposed the BSP take over the regulatory functions of the PDIC, “such as the issuance of cease-and-desist orders relating to unsound banking practices.” The PDIC, which is currently under the Department of Finance, will also become an attached agency of the BSP.

Mr. Dominguez said this would help prevent “confusing functions and sending confounding signals to the banking industry.”

“Overall, the proposed amendments are reasonable. These will ensure that the PDIC will be fully capable of protecting our people’s hard-earned savings. The bill will also help in revitalizing our economy over the long term,” Mr. Dominguez said.

The counterpart measure, House Bill no. 8818, was approved on second reading by the House of Representatives earlier this week. — G.M.Cortez

Gov’t eyes online registration for national ID

The government is looking to allow online registration for the national ID within the second quarter, amid tighter restriction measures as the number of coronavirus infections continue to surge.

The Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) in an online ceremony said they are looking to allow online registration for demographic information.

Currently, this process is done on ground via house-to-house data collection of Filipinos from low-income families. Last year, the government decided to focus on 32 provinces and cities with low active coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases.

The Philippine ID system (PhilSys) was authorized under Republic Act No. 1105 that was signed into law in August 2018.

“As we pursue this long-overdue project, I ask every Filipino to give PhilSys a chance so we may maximize the advantages of a universal and secure database that will make transactions more efficient, and our lives more convenient,” President Rodrigo R. Duterte said in a pre-recorded statement during the event.

Around 10.2 million Filipinos as of December 2020 have finished the first step, where they provide basic information such as name, birthday, and address. This process was continued in January, expanding to other areas including Metro Manila and other provinces.

The PCOO said they expect Filipinos to complete the second step, which includes biometrics, by the fourth quarter.

By end-2022, 90 million are expected to have completed the process, including both Filipinos at home and overseas.

The national ID is expected to help improve the country’s financial inclusion, as central bank data showed only 29% of Filipino adults have a formal bank account as of 2019. In turn, such formal accounts could ease disbursement of government subsidies for low income families.

The lack of documentary requirements for banks’ know-your-customer process has been among the hindrance to Filipinos joining the formal financial system.

Current account swings to $13-B surplus

The country’s current account swung to a $13 billion surplus last year, the highest since at least 2005.

Data released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on Friday showed the current account posted a surplus of $12.979 billion, which is equivalent to 3.6% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). This is a turnaround from the $3.047-billion deficit in 2019 which is about 0.8% of the country’s economic output.

BSP data showed this is the highest since at least 2005, which is the year the central bank started adopting the preset format of the current account.

In the fourth quarter alone of 2020, the current account yielded a surplus of $4.2 billion, a reversal from the $342-million deficit in the same period of 2019.

“This was attributed mainly to the narrowing of the deficit in trade in goods accounts. Trade in services recorded higher net receipts, while net receipts of primary and secondary income declined during the quarter,” the central bank said in a statement.

The current account depicts the country’s overall economic interaction with the rest of the world and includes flows related to trade in goods and services; remittances from overseas Filipino workers; profit from Philippine investments abroad; interest payments to foreign creditors; as well as gifts, grants and donations to and from abroad.

The surplus seen last year was mainly due to the trend seen in the country’s external trade, UnionBank of the Philippines, Inc. Chief Economist Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion said.

“The current account surplus was largely supported by the slight rebound of exports last year vis-a-vis the persistent double-digit growth decline of imports due to the collapse of local demand and production,” Mr. Asuncion said in a Viber message.

This year, the central bank expects a surplus of $9.1 billion for the current account, which is equivalent to 2.3% of the GDP. 

Mr. Asuncion said developments including better trade prospects amid reopening measures as well as the faster-than-expected recovery in the global economy.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed exports dropped 10.1% to $63.8 billion while imports shrank 23.3% to $85.6 billion in 2020. 

This year, the BSP expects both goods export and import to grow by five percent and eight percent, respectively.

Restrictions back for leisure, travel as PHL records highest daily tally at 7,103

THE Health department on Friday reported 7,103 new cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the highest daily tally since the start of the pandemic.

“Recorded today is the highest number of COVID-19 cases which is why the DoH (Department of Health) continuously calls for everyone to stay in our homes and avoid going out if it is not necessary,” the department said in a statement in Filipino.

The previous highest daily tally was 6,958 recorded on August 10, 2020.

Prior to the release of the coronavirus daily count, the government announced earlier on Friday renewed restrictions on leisure establishments, gatherings, and international travel due to a fresh surge in infections over the last two weeks.

The inter-agency task force leading the country’s pandemic response issued its latest resolution that will be in effect from March 19 to April 4 in the capital region and other areas under a general lockdown, or officially labelled as general community quarantine (GCQ).

Presidential Spokesman Hermino L. Roque, Jr. announced in a virtual press briefing that the new rules include suspension of the operations of driving schools, traditional cinemas, video and interactive- game arcades, cultural centers, and establishments accredited by the Tourism department.

The Department of Trade and Industry released complementary guidelines on Friday, which also covers tourist attractions except those that have an open air
setting.

Meetings, conferences and exhibitions will be limited to essential business gatherings at 30% capacity of venues in areas under GCQ, Mr. Roque said.

Religious gatherings will also be limited to 30% venue capacity, “provided that there is no objection from the local governments where the religious gathering may take place,” he said.

Mr. Roque said a 50% venue capacity limit will be re-imposed in dine-in restaurants, cafes, and personal care services in GCQ areas.

Government agencies are encouraged to postpone non-critical activities that would entail mass gatherings, he said.

Cockfighting and cockpit operations are also suspended.

Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III, in Viber message to reporters Friday, said the uptrend in COVID-19 cases is “certainly not helping” the economy’s recovery.

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL
For inbound international passengers, all Filipino citizens and their foreign spouses and children travelling with them, and those on emergency and humanitarian grounds will be allowed entry.

Foreign nationals who can enter will be limited to diplomats and international organization members and their dependents, those involved in medical repatriation, and foreign seafarers for crew change.

The travel restriction will be in effect from March 22 to April 21, based on the
memorandum circular released by that national task force on Friday.

The task force had previously banned returning Filipinos who are not migrant workers along with most foreign nationals from traveling to the country as COVID-19 cases in the country saw a renewed surge.

The month-long travel restrictions are also subject to the arrival quota set at ports of entry.

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the country’s main gateway, will only accept 1,500 passengers per day from March 18 to April 19, the Civil Aeronautics Board said on Monday.

Flag-carrier Philippine Airlines, in compliance to the rules, said on Friday that it cancelled several international flights scheduled on March 19 to March 31, and plans to announce additional cancellations.

The company said customers can request rebooking or refunds without penalty fees or store their ticket amount in a travel fund.

TOTAL CASES
As of March 19, coronavirus cases has reached 648,066, of which 73,264 or around 11% are active.

The DoH also reported 13 additional deaths, bringing the total death tally to 12,900. The number of new recoveries was 390 for a total of 561,902.

Over 93% of the active cases are classified as mild while 3.3% are asymptomatic. Severe, critical, and moderate cases are at 1.1%, .10%, and 0.59%, respectively, according to the DoH.

The OCTA Research Group from the University of the Philippines earlier said the transmission level in Metro Manila had reached its highest level since May last year.

Government-run and private hospitals in the capital region as well as several other regions are at or nearing critical levels in terms of capacity.

As of March 18, the five regions with the highest number of cases are the National Capital Region, its neighboring Calabarzon (Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon) and Central Luzon, Central Visayas, and Western Visayas.

Public Works Secretary Mark A. Villar also said on Friday that half of the beds in Metro Manila’s quarantine facilities were already occupied.

Nationwide, however, the usage rate of these facilities was at 16%.

Mr. Villar, who also serves as the country’s isolation czar, said an additional 700 facilities with more than 26,000 beds will be constructed by next month.

A pop-up hospital dedicated for severe coronavirus cases will soon be operational at the Quezon Institute, he added.

Mr. Villar said about 602 facilities with more than 22,350 beds have been established so far.

“We will continue to plan for more facilities as the need arises,” he said. — Gillian M. Cortez, Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, and Jenina P. Ibañez

WHO official says ‘vaccine optimism’ a factor in health protocol complacency

THE World Health Organization’s (WHO) top official in the Philippines said “vaccine optimism” has contributed to complacency in following minimum health protocols, which is seen as a factor in the renewed surge of coronavirus cases in the past two weeks.  

The country’s coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) innoculation program was rolled out on March 1, starting with doctors, nurses, and other health workers. Vaccine hesitancy, authorities said, has been partly addressed as heads of medical institutions were among those who first received the initial dose in public ceremonies. 

“It resulted in the decrease in compliance in public health measures,” WHO Country Representative Rabrindra Abeyasinghe said in a virtual briefing Friday. 

He said the same trend has been seen in other countries, as with the emergence of more transmissible new variants that is causing a rapid increase in COVID-19 patients.

“The presence of the multiple new variants… they have been associated with increased transmissibility,” he said. 

Mr. Abeyasinghe said reviving “stringent quarantine measures” on a large-scale may be avoided if local governments effectively implement granular lockdowns.

Philippine experts studying COVID-19, meanwhile, suggest the implementation of modified quarantine levels to control the current surge of COVID-19 positive cases in the country.

Professor Ranjit S. Rye of the University of the Philippines OCTA Research team said in an online presentation on Friday that their proposed community quarantine scheme involves continuing  “the localized lockdown… but there will be other restrictions added” over a two-week period. 

The other restrictions include adjustments in work in offices through work-from-home or alternate working hours; limited social gatherings and public activities in enclosed areas; and mass transportation will be utilized only for workers.

After two weeks, if the reproduction number or the number of people that one COVID-19 positive case can infect continues to rise, Mr. Rye proposes the implementation of further restrictions such as a limited operations for essential businesses and total ban on social activities. 

OCTA research fellow and molecular biologist Nicanor R. Austriaco, Jr. said in the same briefing that a strict lockdown could still be avoided if more people will implement a “personal” strict quarantine. 

“To avoid a lockdown, we need to encourage our people to continue to decrease their mobility using a voluntary, personal ECQ,” Mr. Austriaco said, referring to the ‘enhanced community quarantine’, which is the strictest level previously set by the government. — Gillian M. Cortez and Bianca Angelica D. Añago

 

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