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Stories from the frontlines

Lopez Group supports PGH in the fight against COVID-19

This is one of the many stories from the frontlines of our battle against COVID-19. It has been a month since Nurse Ara from Philippine General Hospital (PGH) saw her five-year-old son because she does not want to expose her family to the virus. But as she said, “We got to do what we got to do, we are needed here and we must answer our calling.”

This is how most of our health workers face every day amidst the pandemic — with a sense of duty and by being of help however they can, even if it means sacrifice.

Just like any other human being, our health workers are also faced with anxiousness. One of the main problems PGH was confronted with was the lack of testing equipment.This meant that they were only able to test the patients and not the health workers.

PGH Director Dr. Gap Legaspi stressed the importance of testing not just the patients but the health workers too. He pointed out, “It’s the continuous testing that we need to do to make the services in the hospital more safe.And that would require more tests because you’d have to test the patients, you have to test the doctors, ideally, even the watchers, because you don’t want someone coming in and turns out they’re positive.”

After consulting with PGH officials, it was determined that there was an urgent need for testing machines and lab equipment for the hospital sincethe it would be a COVID-19 Referral Center and laboratory of the government and even private hospitals. Seeing this opportunity to help, the Lopez Group donated new machines and lab equipment which would allow the hospital totest more people.

Dr. Legaspi stated that, “Together with assistance from other government agencies and donors, these machines from the Lopez Group will bring us closer to the target of performing 30,000 COVID-19 RT-PCR tests daily.”

The benefits do not end there, in factit will have a ripple effect, as Dr. Legaspi added, “By strengthening our laboratories, this donation will eventually allow us to serve COVID-19 patients not only from Metro Manila, but also from nearby provinces.”

Still, the effect of this act can already be seen within the community of PGH. Angelo Javillonar, a Neurosciences nurse, expressed his relief that they can already be tested. He said that being uncertain adds stress to them as health workers but now, being able to get tested, somehow relieves them of this added burden.

Another nurse, Angelique Asis-Rosete, who tested negative of COVID- 19, expressed her happiness, not just of knowing but mostly because she could already go back to work and help those in need.

Nurse Ara said that it’s their decision to go home or not but since there is a need for manpower in the hospital, they opted not to go home and to go onduty for the meantime. She plans to see her family soon once she tests negative. When asked if her son knows what his mom is doing she answered, “He knows mom is fighting the virus, but other than that, he’s mad at Mom because she doesn’t get to go home. But mostly, I get to talk to him on a daily basis. As soon as we test everyone, I will have myself tested and be in quarantine. And when I get negative, I will have to go home, at least for three days. And then it’s back to work.”

Just like the many health workers who face this uncertain world with such inspiring determination, everyone has a part in this war against the virus. Every individual must do what they can, even if it simply meansstaying at home. Small acts of kindness are never unimportant; it keeps the gear moving towards this impending victory. It is by working together that we can achieve this future.

The world as we know has changed and it always will. It is in how one faces these changes that sets us apart, giving us that tenacity to help. AsMarcus Aureliusputs it, “You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”This message is relevant for every individual during this time.

Why Wi-Fi 6 is an essential driver of digital transformation

Editor’s note: This article was first published on www.cio.com.

It has taken less than two decades for Wi-Fi to become a ubiquitous aspect of modern organisations, with customers and employees alike expecting easy access to fast and reliable networks.

So when the Wi-Fi network fails them, not only is this embarrassing for the network provider, but it also leads to lost productivity and sales.

As organisations accelerate their digital transformations, the pressure to invest in latest-generation wireless network technology is growing – not only to meet today’s expectations, but to ensure that wireless networks can also flex and evolve to meet emerging requirements.

The need for Wi-Fi 6

According to Tam Dell’Oro, a WAN analyst and founder and CEO of the research firm Dell’Oro group, many users are already frustrated with the performance of Wi-Fi networks.

“Users want to be able to walk from one location to another and receive the best Wi-Fi connection,” Dell’Oro says. “This is not supported with older Wi-Fi technologies and is a point of irritation.”

Rapid growth in data use is also placing strain on existing networks. High-bandwidth applications, such as 4K UHDTV, augmented reality, and virtual reality are becoming widely used in education, enterprise, and healthcare, with Gartner predicting 25 per cent of organisations will be using AR/VR applications by 2021. Delivering rich AR and VR experiences requires low packet loss and low-latency connections to create a jitter-free experience for users.

Networks also need to support more devices, such as those being connected via the Internet of Things, with research by Huawei suggesting two million new sensors will be connected every hour by 2025. And this doesn’t include the growing demand for remote connections, with FlexJobs finding 85 per cent of millennials prefer remote working.

All these needs must be catered for without increasing management overheads, meaning network owners require equipment that can be easily managed for optimal, interference-free performance.

These reasons and more are fuelling the decisions of transformative companies to invest in next-generation Wi-Fi 6 wireless access technology.

Not all Wi-Fi 6 is the same

Wi-Fi 6 offers numerous benefits over previous generations of wireless technology. For starters, it supports four times higher network bandwidth and user concurrency compared to Wi-Fi 5, with a host of other features to improve performance and reliability, and reduce the power drain for end-user devices.

Huawei has taken a leadership in Wi-Fi 6 innovation, with the introduction of 10 new AirEngine Wi-Fi 6 access point devices in February 2020. These feature a range of innovations that enable them to outperform the competition by offering seamless mobility, higher performance, and easier manageability, all while ensuring the best possible experience for specific users and critical network traffic.

 

For starters, Huawei is the first provider to enable always-on 100Mbps Wi-Fi continuous networking at scale, powered by Huawei’s leadership in 5G technologies, which means networks can be accessed anytime, anywhere.

It is also the only vendor to have implemented HE160 data transmission in eight spatial streams, featuring 9.6Gbps data transmission on 5GHz bandwidth and 1.15Gbps on 2.4GHz. This enables Huawei AirEngine access points to achieve 10.75 Gbit/s performance.

And Huawei is unique in its implementation of OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access), which enables up to 1960 sub-carriers(in HT160MHz mode), together with MU-MIMO (Multi-User Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output), which enables a wireless access point to connect with multiple users simultaneously. This improves spectrum resource utilisation, enabling Huawei AirEngine access points to set an industry benchmark of implementing 16 x 16 MU-MIMO. Together these innovations his provide for better single-user performance in multi-user concurrency scenarios.

AirEngine access points also use Smart Antenna technology with beamforming technology which analyses a user’s location and intelligently selects multiple physical antenna elements within the access point to send and receive signals, creating an optimal delivery ‘beam’.

This combination of MU-MIMO and Smart Antenna technology enables AirEngine access points to deliver superior signal strength while achieving coverage distances 20 percent greater than other devices. They also offer the lowest latency in the industry and zero packet loss when roaming, and the ability to set prioritisation for specific users, or more than 6000 different application types.

Conclusion

According to Dell’Oro Group, the need for higher-performance and reduced management overheads will fuel significant interest in Wi-Fi 6 technology in 2020, especially with vendors such as Huawei offering devices with rich features at prices comparable to Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 4 products.

“We are seeing Wi-Fi 6 beginning to ramp up significantly as the market moves from early adopters of new technology to the mass-market in 2020.”

Huawei’s AirEngine Wi-Fi 6 product line-up already has the largest global market share outside of the US, according to Dell’Oro’s Wi-Fi 6 market share statistics report from 2019, and has won recognition from customers and channel partners through upgrades and exclusive technologies such as smart antennas, lossless roaming, and smart application acceleration.

Huawei’s AirEngine range of access points have been specifically designed to meet the challenges of current and future wireless network users, helping organisations ensure they deliver seamless wireless connectivity to support a transformation to a digital future.

Click here for more information on Huawei AirEngine Wi-Fi 6.

 

#COVID-19 Regional Updates (06/18/20)

Manila Bay patrol

MEMBERS of the Philippine Coast Guard’s CCP Complex Station and Auxiliary 101st Squadron have been jointly patrolling the Manila Bay area since the start of lockdown in March, providing security as well as supporting relief operations in the coastal communities.

Central Visayas COVID-19 cases top 5,500; over 4,000 in Cebu City

CORONAVIRUS disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the Central Visayas Region has topped 5,500, with about 79% in Cebu City. The Department of Health regional office, in its latest update posted late Wednesday, reported 5,566 confirmed cases as of June 16, of which 3,799 are active cases, 1,637 recoveries, and 130 deaths. Of the total, 4,382 are in Cebu City, which is the only area in the country currently under the strictest lockdown policy. In compliance with the classification imposed by the national government effective June 16–10, Cebu City Mayor Edgardo C. Labella has issued a new executive order outlining the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) guidelines. However, Mr. Labella said he has filed an appeal to revert the city back to the less restrictive category. “I have, however, filed an appeal to return the city to general community quarantine based on significant data we have. Pending resolution of that appeal, let us work together to make sure that the ECQ regulations spelled out in my Executive Order are strictly followed,” he said in a statement posted on his Facebook page. The other cases in the region are located in the following: Mandaue City, 449; Lapu-Lapu City, 211; Cebu province, 489; Negros Oriental, 23; Bohol, 12; and none in Siquijor.

MORE POLICE
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday deployed 100 officers to Cebu City to beef up forces for the implementation of health and safety protocols during the ECQ period. PNP deputy chief for operations Lt. Gen. Guillermo T. Eleazar said the contingent consists of 50 cops each from the Western and Eastern Visayas regions. They are assigned at checkpoints and ordered to conduct regular patrols to help ensure that residents follow minimum health standards such as wearing of face masks and observing physical distancing. “The key to defeating the spread of the virus is cooperation. We need to have a unified front to effectively enforce the quarantine rules,” he said in a statement. — with a report from Emmanuel Tupas/PHILSTAR

Eastern Visayas lawmakers call for review of Hatid Probinsya program after spike in COVID-19 cases in region

TWELVE lawmakers from Eastern Visayas called for a review of the government’s Hatid Probinsya program following the recent spike in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the region. The Hatid Probinsya assists residents in returning to their hometowns after being stranded locally due to the lockdowns. “Official records show that the rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 cases was observed shortly after the national government implemented its Hatid Probinsya program… we firmly believe that it is the duty of government to ensure that these constituents of ours are free from coronavirus infection and other diseases before they are allowed to rejoin their family members,” the lawmakers said in a joint statement on Thursday. They also urged the national government to increase support to the region for containing the virus through funding for medical supplies, local quarantine centers, and contact tracing capability, among others. They said, “We pray that our plan for collective action to contain the spread of COVID-19 disease in Eastern Visayas will come into fruition the soonest time possible,” the House members said. “Time is of the essence. We do not need another epicenter of COVID-19. Not in Eastern Visayas. Not in any part of the country.” The statement was signed by House Majority Leader Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez; Tingog Party-list Rep. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez; Northern Samar Representatives Paul Ruiz Daza and Jose L. Ong, Jr.; Leyte Representatives Vicente S.E. Veloso III, Lucy Torres-Gomez, and Carl Nicolas C. Cari; Western Samar Representatives Edgar Mary S. Sarmiento and Sharee Ann T. Tan; Eastern Samar Rep. Maria Fe R. Abunda; Southern Leyte Rep. Roger G. Mercado, and Biliran Rep. Gerardo J. Espina Jr. — Genshen L. Espedido

Globe adds cell sites in Mindanao

GLOBE TELECOM, Inc. said it continues with its network expansion projects in Mindanao despite the coronavirus crisis, with new cell sites expected to rise soon in the provinces of Davao Oriental, Saranggani, Bukidnon, South Cotabato, and Sulu. “We want to assure our customers that our efforts to give better service and experience are not only concentrated in Luzon or in major commercial centers in big cities,” Joel R. Agustin, Globe senior vice-president for program development-network technical group, said. The expected improvement in connectivity in these areas, Mr. Agustin said, will benefit residents as more Filipinos now work from home and bring more opportunities to small businesses. “In Sulu, for example, better signal means the farmers there can go directly to potential buyers and customers not only in Zamboanga but directly to other places where they can sell their mangosteen, lanzones, marang, durian, vegetables and other harvest goods. This will mean more income for them,” he said. Globe is also studying to carry out more expansion projects in the Visayas and in other parts of Luzon. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Supreme Court junks construction firm’s petition in Makati parking case

THE SUPREME Court dismissed the petition of a construction firm head seeking to stop anti-graft court Sandiganbayan from continuing proceedings on case over the alleged overpriced Makati City Hall parking building. In a nine-page resolution dated February 17 and released June 17, the high court’s second division affirmed Sandiganbayan’s decision to junk the motion of Efren M. Canlas, representative of Hilmarc Construction Corp., to dismiss the case against him and other local government officials, including former Makati mayor Jejomar Erwin S. Binay, Jr. The Supreme Court ruled that private individuals may be charged for violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act if they “act in conspiracy with public officers.” The prayer for a temporary restraining order against Sandiganbayan to hold further proceedings was also denied. The case stems from the contracts awarded to Hilmarc for the P649.3 million Phase IV construction and P141.6 million Phase V construction of the parking building. The company was named lowest bidder in the Bids and Awards Committee resolution and was approved by Mr. Binay despite knowledge of the absence of public bidding. The resolution was penned by Associate Justice Henri Jean Paul B. Inting and concurred by Associate Justices Estela M. Perlas-Bernabe, Andres B. Reyes, Jr., Ramon Paul L. Hernando, and Edgardo L. Delos Santos. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

ADB cuts growth outlook for 2020 GDP

THE Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) outlook for the Philippines has turned grim, as it now expects the economy to shrink by as much as 3.8% this year. Read the full story.

ADB cuts growth outlook for 2020 GDP

Economy to shrink by 3.8% — ADB

The Philippine economy will continue to bear the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic this year, according to the Asian Development Bank. — REUTERS

THE Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) outlook for the Philippines has turned grim, as it now expects the economy to shrink by as much as 3.8% this year.

At the same time, developing Asia is projected to grow at its slowest pace in nearly six decades, as the economic fallout from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic widens.

In its June supplement to the Asian Development Outlook (ADO) 2020, the ADB slashed its gross domestic product (GDP) forecast for the Philippines this year to -3.8% from the 2% growth estimate given in April. This is lower than the 2-3.4% contraction projected by economic managers.

“The forecast for 2020 is revised down to 3.8% contraction because household consumption and investment have slowed more than expected. The contraction in the global economy will continue to drag external trade, tourism and remittances,” the ADB said in the report.

If realized, a 3.8% full-year contraction will be the worst since 1985 when the economy shrank 6.9% according to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority.

The government implemented strict lockdown measures in mid-March to contain the COVID-19 outbreak, which led to a drastic decline in domestic economic activity. As a result, the economy contracted by 0.2% in the first quarter, with an even worse second quarter expected.

The ADB took note of flat household consumption, weak imports and exports, as well as a plunge in investment. Only government spending rose during the first quarter. A broad contraction was also seen across all major sectors — services, industry and agriculture.

For 2021, the ADB kept its 6.5% growth forecast for the Philippines, “supported by public infrastructure spending and anticipated recovery in consumer and business confidence.”

The Philippines’ projected economic contraction is deeper than the Southeast Asian regional average of -2.7%. The economies of Thailand (-6.5%), Singapore (-6%), Cambodia (-5.5%) and Malaysia (-4%) are all expected to shrink this year, along with Timor Leste (-3.7%), Indonesia (-1%) and Laos (-0.5%).

Only Vietnam (4.1%), Myanmar (1.8%) and Brunei (1.4%) are seen to post growth, according to ADB.

Washington-based World Bank earlier trimmed its 2020 forecast for the Philippines to -1.9% from its 3% baseline projection in April.

Other institutions that already downgraded their outlook for the country include International Monetary Fund which now sees the economy shrinking by 3%; Fitch Ratings with a -4% projection; S&P Global Ratings with -0.2% forecast and Moody’s Investors Service with -2.5% projection.

RISKS REMAIN
Developing Asia, composed of 45 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, is now projected to grow by 0.1% this year, the lowest since 1961. ADB in April gave a 2.2% full-year growth projection for the region.

“Economies in Asia and the Pacific will continue to feel the blow of the COVID-19 pandemic this year even as lockdowns are slowly eased and select economic activities restart in a ‘new normal’ scenario,” ADB Chief Economist Yasuyuki Sawada was quoted as saying in a statement.

The ADB expects the region’s growth to rebound to 6.2% in 2021, mainly due to high base effects.

“While we see a higher growth outlook for the region in 2021, this is mainly due to weak numbers this year, and this will not be a V-shaped recovery. Governments should undertake policy measures to reduce the negative impact of COVID-19 and ensure that no further waves of outbreaks occur,” Mr. Sawada said.

Downside risks to its forecasts for Asia persist as the COVID-19 pandemic “may return in multiple waves in the coming period, as happened during the 1918-1919 global influenza pandemic,” ADB said.

“Sovereign and financial crises cannot be ruled out, and social unrest is possible. A further risk is renewed escalation in US-PRC trade tensions,” it added.

Meanwhile, the ADB predicts inflation for developing Asia to ease to 2.9% in 2020 from its earlier 3.2% projection, “reflecting depressed demand and lower oil prices.” Inflation is expected to slow to 2.4% in 2021.

For Southeast Asia, the inflation forecast was revised to 1% this year and to 2.3% in 2021.

ADB kept its inflation projection for the Philippines at 2.2% this year and 2.4% next year.

“In the Philippines, inflation edged lower in April, averaging 2.6% year on year in the first 4 months of 2020. Inflation forecasts for this economy are maintained, however, as lower oil prices offset possibly higher prices for food from feared domestic supply disruption,” ADB said. — B.M.Laforga

ADB cuts growth outlook for 2020 GDP

PHL to lag behind Asian peers in economic recovery

THE Philippines’ path to economic recovery faces headwinds, as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases continue to rise and policy measures rolled out by the government are still “meager.”

In a report published Wednesday, Oxford Economics measured the recovery paths of 12 economies across Asia Pacific based on the following criteria: health and economic vulnerability, stringency of lockdowns, success in containing the virus, and macro policy support.

The Philippines recorded the second-lowest score after India.

Vietnam, on the other hand, had the brightest recovery prospects in the region.

“At the bottom are India, Philippines, and Indonesia. All three are clearly still struggling to get past the peak of the pandemic, which is a major headwind to their outlooks,” the report read.

As of June 18, the Health department reported the total number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines stood at 27,799, with 1,116 deaths and 7,090 recoveries.

“At the same time, the fiscal policy response has been quite meager in both India and Philippines, especially compared to the stringency of lockdowns they had imposed — which at one point were not only among the most severe in Asia but also globally,” it added.

The government placed Luzon under an enhanced community quarantine in mid-March, halting almost all economic activity. Lockdown restrictions have started easing around the country in May, with Metro Manila now under a general community quarantine.

According to the Asian Development Bank’s COVID-19 Policy Database, the Philippine government’s pandemic response package is the sixth-largest in Southeast Asia and fifth-smallest relative to population. The Philippine package was $20.078 billion as of June 1, equivalent to 5.46% of gross domestic product (GDP) and $188.26 per capita.

Based on its scorecard, Oxford Economics said Vietnam, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, China and Hong Kong had high scores which indicate stronger prospects for recovery.

“Vietnam and South Korea have the added advantage of achieving high containment scores without a very stringent lockdown for a prolonged period. This also partly explains why their economies require less fiscal support to contend with the outbreak and its aftermath,” it said.

Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand’s scores placed them in the middle of the pack. Singapore’s recovery is hobbled by the prolonged lockdown and rising cases, despite a massive fiscal response.

‘REBOUND’
Meanwhile, Capital Economics said there are indications all countries in the Asia-Pacific region are now “rebounding” although the pace varies.

“The recovery is most advanced in China, Taiwan and Vietnam. The Philippines, Indonesia and India are doing the worst,” it said, citing high-frequency data based on mobility from Google and Apple, daily tourist arrivals and electricity usage.

With the easing of lockdown measures in the region, Capital Economics said “activity has now bottomed out,” although the pace of recovery appears uneven.

“In Vietnam and Taiwan, which appear to have eliminated the virus, the Recovery Trackers are not far off pre-crisis levels… In contrast, in the Philippines, Indonesia and India, where restrictions on movement and commerce are still in place and case numbers are showing little sign of coming under control, our Recovery Trackers are still at least 40% below normal levels,” it added.

Capital Economics said recovery is expected to be slow, with rising unemployment, impaired balance sheets, and weak global demand.

At the same time, the Institute of International Finance (IIF) on Thursday slashed its economic output forecast for ASEAN-4 region to -3.2%. ASEAN-4 is comprised of the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

“Widespread lockdowns and travel bans will have a substantial impact on the tourism industry as well as domestic demand, while weakening activity in major trading partners will be a drag on exports. Forecast downgrades are largest for Thailand and the Philippines, where Q1 data already show substantial weakness, and Malaysia, where a longer-than-expected lockdown will be challenging for the economy,” IIF said in its latest Macro Notes “ASEAN-4: Worst recession since the Asia crisis.”

The region’s fiscal response is bigger than most emerging markets, IIF said it is uneven with Indonesia’s at 4.6% of GDP to Thailand’s at 11%.

“On the monetary side, we expect central banks to continue to inject liquidity via open market operations and bond purchases, while delivering further policy rate cuts. Overall, we expect the region to fare better than most other EMs (emerging markets), with the contraction most severe in 2020 Q2, and expect a healthy recovery in 2021,” it said.

The Philippine economic team projected GDP to contract by 2-3.4% this year before rebounding to 8-9% in 2021. — Beatrice M. Laforga

Gross revenue index declines in Q1 — PSA

By Lourdes O. Pilar, Researcher

REVENUE across all industries declined in the first quarter, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Thursday.

Data from the PSA’s Quarterly Economic Indices (QEI) report showed total gross revenue index, which measures sales generated by companies, contracted by 4.9% in the three months to March, a reversal of the growth rates of 3.2% in the previous quarter and 8.3% in the first quarter of 2019.

Based on available data, the first-quarter reading marked the first time the index fell since switching to a 2016 base year from 1978 previously.

Declines were observed in four of the eight sectors in the index, with mining and quarrying falling 22.7% in the first quarter, a turnaround from the 3.7% growth it registered in the first quarter last year.

Other sectors showing slumping revenues were manufacturing (-13.2% from 6.2%); transportation, storage, and communication (-4.6% from 14.1%); and other services (-3.4% from 6.9%).

Meanwhile, these sectors posted growth in the first quarter, albeit at a slower pace compared to last year: electricity, gas, and water supply (1.5% from 4.7%); trade (2.7% from 11%); financial and insurance activities (13.6% from 15.1%); and real estate (3.7% from 9.8%).

Employment slipped by 1.7% in the first quarter compared to the 1.4% growth logged a year earlier.

Sectors posting contractions in employment during the period were: mining and quarrying (-7.3%); manufacturing (-3.7%); other services (-3.4%); construction (-2.8%); financial and insurance activities (-0.2%); and transportation, storage, and communication (-0.04%)

Compensation likewise registered a drop of 1.3% in the first quarter from a 3.5% growth a year earlier, led by financial and insurance activities (-8.5%); mining and quarrying (-8.5%); transportation, storage and communication (-5.8%); trade (-2.8%); manufacturing (-2.6%); and construction (-2.2%).

On a per-employee basis, compensation grew by 0.4% from 2% a year earlier using current prices. At constant 2016 prices, however, it shrank by 2.2%, accelerating from a 1.7% decline last year.

“The fall in gross revenue mirrors the contraction noted in the first quarter of the year, owing in large part to the March 15 lockdown, Taal Volcano eruption and slowing construction activity on uncertainty ahead of a then brewing epidemic in China,” ING Bank N.V. Manila Senior Economist Nicholas Antonio T. Mapa said in an e-mail.

“On particular industries, transport was likely hit by travel restrictions introduced in February, culminating in the total lockdown in March with airline travel grounded entirely during the enhanced quarantine. Land transport was also hit as all forms of transport, outside essential services, were halted due to the health crisis. Meanwhile, manufacturing saw weaker performance with the lockdowns implemented,” he added.

In a separate e-mail, UnionBank of the Philippines, Inc. Chief Economist Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion attributed the declines to “non-pharmaceutical interventions” (NPIs) that were implemented in April to help slow down the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019).

“Manufacturing and transportation bore much of the early brunt of the economic lockdown, as part of the government’s NPIs. Although manufacturing was already set to recover at the beginning of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent government containment responses initiated work stoppages. This also includes the mining and quarrying sector,” Mr. Asuncion explained.

Both economists expect a worse outcome for the index in the second quarter given earlier data releases during the period.

“[Second-quarter] revenue will also be downbeat, with unemployment surging in April while overall revenue and compensation lower as people lose their source of income,” ING Bank’s Mr. Mapa said.

For UnionBank’s Mr. Asuncion: “The NPIs are still in place in some areas as of today. However, April and May were the biggest hit months due to these virus containment measures. So, I do expect the second quarter to bear the biggest declines in gross revenue.”

To recall, the country’s unemployment rate surged to 17.7% in April from a year earlier, the highest since the government adopted new definitions for the Labor Force Survey in 2005, according to the PSA’s latest round of the survey. This translated to 7.25 million jobless Filipinos, more than three times from 2.27 million a year ago.

Moreover, around three million Filipinos have left the labor force in April, translating to a record-low participation rate of 55.6%.

Remittance drop seen to dent GDP by 0.4%

A POSSIBLE contraction in remittance inflows from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) due to the pandemic this year could further bring down gross domestic product (GDP) by 0.4%, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin E. Diokno said on Thursday.

Remittance inflows may recover by next year, depending how fast host countries can bounce back from the current crisis, he added.

The BSP projected remittance inflows to drop by 5% this year, a reversal from the 2% growth estimate it gave in May and the baseline 3% outlook given last year.

“Now, the impact of that on the economy… is that it will slow down GDP by 0.4%. But as you know these numbers are subject to review again because we really don’t know the extent of the pandemic and the what’s the outcome in the host countries,” Mr. Diokno told reporters in an online press briefing.

Latest data from the BSP showed cash remittances in March fell by 4.7% to $2.397 billion as the coronavirus outbreak escalated in host countries and global oil prices plunged. This was the first contraction since the -2.9% in June 2019 and the highest decline since the -9.8% recorded in March 2018.

In 2019, cash remittance inflows jumped 4.1% to a record high $30.133 billion despite global uncertainties and the decline in remittances from the Middle East.

Mr. Diokno said the 5% contraction estimate for cash remittances is “based on the assumption that there will be job losses among overseas Filipinos working in tourism and tourism-related services.”

“In addition, travel bans and lockdowns were imposed by host countries and the Philippines has restricted OFW deployment,” he added.

Security Bank Corp. Chief Economist Robert Dan J. Roces said a contraction in remittance inflows could hit household spending.

“This, in turn, will pull down growth as consumption contributes around 70% to GDP,” he said in a text message.

Mr. Diokno said 80% of remittance inflows end up being consumed, citing a BSP survey.

“In some ways, lower remittances also indicate a contraction in overseas deployment and thus may add to the unemployment numbers locally,” Mr. Roces added.

Around 47,000 OFWs have already been repatriated as of June 16, data from the Department of Foreign Affairs showed.

Meanwhile, the BSP is expecting remittances to bounce back with a four percent growth in 2021.

“The first condition [for this assumption] is that health and economic measures adopted by host countries have gained significant traction. The second condition is that the labor market conditions in the host countries have improved,” Mr. Diokno said.

Global trade recovery will also affect how slow or fast remittance inflows could recover, he added. — Luz Wendy T. Noble

Razon-led ICTSI trims spending to $160M

INTERNATIONAL Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) has slashed its capital expenditure (capex) budget for this year by 40.7% to about $160 million as the coronavirus pandemic continues to hamper global trade.

“We have cut our capex budget from the original $270 million to approximately $160 million, having already spent $60 million at the time of the pandemic,” ICTSI Chairman and President Enrique K. Razon, Jr. said during the company’s annual stockholders’ meeting on Thursday.

“We have also drastically cut our operating cost budget by 11% across the board with further cuts planned,” he added.

Mr. Razon said the company saw the “severe impact” of the pandemic on the global trade flows starting from China in February and cascading to all by the end of March. “At this juncture, we still do not see the end in sight.”

“But I can tell you that the impact has not been as severe as we ourselves expected, proving once again the tremendous resilience of our business,” he added.

Despite the pandemic, ICTSI is still on the lookout for new opportunities to expand its portfolio, Mr. Razon said.

He said the company remains “very active in seeking out potential acquisitions or new projects whose potential or valuation makes sense in this environment.”

In the first quarter, ICTSI saw its net income attributable to equity holders drop by 18% to $59.6 million due to lower operating income, increase in concession interest, and pandemic-related expenses.

The net income decrease was partially tapered by the 10% decrease in equity in net loss of its joint ventures and an associate to $5.5 million from $6.1 million for the same quarter in 2019.

The global port developer and operator saw its gross revenues from port operations fell by 2% to $375.8 million in the January-March period from $383.8 million in the same quarter last year, dragged down by lockdowns and decline in trade activities, no thanks to the pandemic, as well as lower revenues from storage.

“Given the great uncertainty of many economies and the global economy itself, we have shored up our balance sheet, and we will continue to seize every opportunity to further strengthen our finances going forward,” Mr. Razon said.

On Thursday, shares in ICTSI went down 2.04% to close at P101 apiece. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Netflix survey reveals 87% of Filipinos watched shows with LGBTQIA+ themes, character

STREAMING service Netflix is celebrating Pride Month this June with a selection of inclusive shows that “tell diverse, inclusive, and authentic stories of the LGBTQIA+ community,” and releasing a Philippine survey and video on the importance of inclusivity and representation among its viewers.

(LGBTQIA+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, queer, intersex, asexual, with the “plus” sign standing for many other meanings like ally, non-binary, pansexual, etc.)

In a May survey that included responses from more than 900 respondents from Metro Manila, Cebu, and Davao, Netflix said that 87% of the respondents “watched shows that feature LGBTQIA+ characters and themes” and 63% “reflected that watching content with LGBTQIA+ characters or themes represented helps them better understand, empathize, and interact with the LGBTQIA+ community,” according to a press release.

The same respondents noted that films such as Die Beautiful (2016) by Jun Robles Lana and its sequel Born Beautiful (2019) by Percival Intalan, and shows such as Sex Education, Stranger Things, and the documentary A Secret Love (2020) by Chris Bolan, all of which feature LGBTQIA+ themes and characters, resonated with them.

And in celebration of Pride Month, the streaming service compiled a list of LGBTQIA+ series, movies, and documentaries which can be accessed at Netflix.com/Pride.

Pride Month is a month-long celebration and promotion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people as a social group, and is held annually in June in remembrance of the June 1969 Stonewall riots in New York City, a protest against social and political discrimination against homosexuals.

VIDEO ON FACEBOOK
Netflix Philippines also produced a video called When I Saw Me on its Facebook page where members of the Filipino LGBTQIA+ community shared their thoughts on representation onscreen.

“I first identified myself as gay, actually when I was very young. It was in fourth grade. I did not know if there was life to being gay aside from the ones I usually see on TV,” photographer BJ Pascual said in the almost six-minute video.

Marga Bermudez, an emcee, and filmmaker Samantha Lee both said in the video that often films and shows show people liking people of the same gender as a joke. “There was always just the gay and the ‘tomboy’ (lesbian) and if you are gay, it was this really effeminate man, and if you’re a tomboy, it was this hyper-masculine, butch lesbian,” Ms. Lee said in the video. “My image of myself and the images I saw on the screen didn’t really align. If I wasn’t those things that I saw on TV, how could I be gay?” she added.

Filmmaker Fifth Solomon shared that he had a friend who didn’t allow their children to watch shows with gay characters because they thought it was “contagious” so he told this friend that he grew up watching shows where most characters were straight people and he didn’t grow up straight.

“When you see a reflection and you don’t see yourself in it, it renders you invisible,” Ms. Lee said of the importance of representation.

The When I Saw Me video also features reflections from content creators Issa Pressman and Kevin Balot about the shows that made them feel seen. In Ms. Balot’s case, the show is Pose which follows the story of African-American and Latinx LGBTQ and has gender non-conforming scenes and features several transgenger characters.

“Ever since Pose was released in the Philippines, it resonated with the trans community because we always thought our lives weren’t normal. So when Pose came out it was like, ‘Ah, that’s me!’… I’m just really proud that they opened doors and platforms for transgender women when it comes to acting,” Ms. Balot said. — Zsarlene B. Chua

Solaire North to open late 2022 or early 2023

RAZON-LED Bloomberry Resorts Corp. has met delays in the construction of the new Solaire in Quezon City because of the lockdown, but has scheduled its opening by late 2022 or early 2023.

In the company’s online stockholders’ meeting Thursday, Bloomberry Chairman Enrique K. Razon, Jr. said quarantine measures due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in a two-month delay in the construction of Solaire North.

“We are continuing with the construction of Solaire North in Quezon City which, given the delay due to the lockdown, should be completed by the end of 2022 or early 2023,” he said. “Construction has partially restarted and the period of lockdown can be reasonably added to the completion date.”

Solaire North would be Bloomberry’s second integrated resort in the Philippines located in a 1.5-hectare property within Vertis North. The 40-storey building aims to capture the gaming market in the north and the nearby provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga.

Mr. Razon said opening it in two to three years might coincide well with the country’s full economic recovery from the effects of the pandemic.

Bloomberry’s earnings in the first quarter fell 38% to P1.4 billion due to a decline in global tourism and the suspension of its gaming operations. This reversed the company’s record year in 2019, when it posted a net income growth of 38% to P9.96 billion.

“The record performance of the company in 2019 will no longer reflect our short term future performance. Until the pandemic is over, in one way or another, whether it runs its course or a vaccine is created in mass quantities, when this may happen is simply a wild guess at this point,” Mr. Razon said.

“But even during this crisis, we are still on the lookout for opportunities whose potential and valuation makes sense in this environment,” he added.

Solaire has partially reopened this week and is now testing how it will perform amid the ongoing health crisis. What it did to keep attracting guests is install technologically advanced disinfecting equipment and train employees for new safety standards.

“Given the great uncertainty, we will exercise prudence and restraint in managing our balance sheet and finances, and when this crisis has been overcome, we look forward to being an even stronger company,” Mr. Razon said.

Shares in Bloomberry at the stock exchange went down 20 centavos or 2.67% to P7.30 each on Thursday. — Denise A. Valdez

Parokya ni Edgar to take requests during online concert

FILIPINO band Parokya ni Edgar will be holding an online concert on June 19, via Tanduay Rhum’s official Facebook page, at 8 p.m.

Called Isang Tinig with Parokya ni Edgar, the concert will see the 27-year-old band perform their biggest hits and take audience requests.

“At Tanduay, we encourage everyone to have tibay ng loob (resolve) and this event is the embodiment of that. We are staging this concert to help uplift the Filipino spirit during these challenging times and, at the same time, promote online socializing and entertainment so that we can continue to observe social distancing,” Paul Lim, Tanduay senior vice-president for sales and marketing, said in a press release.

Parokya ni Edgar was formed in 1993 and is known for its rock novelty songs and often satirical covers of popular local and foreign songs. They have so far released nine studio albums, with Pogi Years Old from 2016 being its most recent release.

The band is composed of Chito Miranda (lead vocals), Buwi Meneses (bass guitar),

Darius Semaña (lead guitar), Gab Chee Kee (rhythm guitar, vocals), and Dindin Moreno (drums).

Some of their most popular songs include “Buloy” (1996) and Awit Award winning-singles “Don’t Touch My Birdie” (1999) and “This Guy’s In Love With You Pare” (2003) — both songs won in the Best Novelty Recording category. “Mister Suave” (2004) won Record of the Year at the Awit Awards.

The band had previously teamed up with Tanduay for the 2011 Tanduay Rhum Rockfest and Tanduay First Five concert tour.

“Tanduay is a staunch supporter of [Original Pilipino Music] and usually chooses its artists not only because of our history with them but also on how well they connect with their audience. It’s important for us to make our audience smile in these trying times,” Mr. Lim said.

A few quizzes will be held during the Tanduay concert to give the audience a chance to win “special prizes,” and there will also be a tambayan (hang out) segment where the band will share what they have been up to during the quarantine.

The Isang Tinig with Parokya ni Edgar concert will be held on June 16, Friday, 8 p.m., at the Tanduay Rhum Official Facebook page. — Zsarlene B. Chua

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