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Sporting spirit to overcome adversity highlighted in Nike film

THE ONGOING episode with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been a rough one for many people from different walks of life but Nike believes there are ways of getting by it, one of which is taking cue from lessons and values that can be taken from the world of sports.

Launched recently, Nike’s Never Too Far Down film, in line with its “You Can’t Stop US” campaign, seeks to inspire people as they find their way amid COVID-19.

Narrated by National Basketball Association superstar LeBron James, Never Too Far Down highlights how huge the world’s ongoing battle with COVID-19 is, with the Los Angeles Lakers stalwart describing it as “fighting for something bigger than a championship right now.”

But despite the rough patch everybody is experiencing, hope still remains, which could be further enhanced by what the world of sports teaches, especially digging deep and staying the course no matter the odds.

In the film, Mr. James is joined by other famous Nike athletes like Serena Williams, Tiger Woods, Rafael Nadal, Cristiano Ronaldo and Naomi Osaka, among others, who shared their thoughts on staying positive and forging ahead based on their experience as top-caliber athletes.

“Even if basketball looks different for a while, I’m excited about the possibility of getting back in the game, because I know how inspiring and powerful sports can be. I think the lessons we learn from sports can inspire us all,” said Mr. James, whose Lakers were on top of the Western Conference when the NBA decided to suspend its season in March because of COVID-19.

For Ms. Williams, unity and support like seen in sports would go a long way.

“Sport is the one thing that’s true, it doesn’t matter what you look like, where you’re from. Everything is left out in the arena. For me, I put it all out there on the court as a player, but it also feels that way as a fan. You feel that joy when someone you’re rooting for wins. That’s because of the unity that sports bring us,” she said.

Never Too Far Down can be seen on Nike’s digital channels and social media platforms.

As of this writing, there are nearly 5.6 million COVID-19 cases worldwide and still growing. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Lillard to sit out games if Blazers denied playoff shot on restart

BENGALURU — Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard has said he will sit out the rest of the National Basketball Association season if it resumes in a format that prevents his side from competing for a playoff spot.

Portland was 3.5 games behind the Memphis Grizzlies, who occupied the final Western Conference playoff spot, before the season was suspended in mid-March when a player tested positive for the new coronavirus.

The league is considering various options to restart the campaign, one of which would involve scrapping the rest of the regular season and moving directly into the playoffs, according to ESPN.

“If we come back and I don’t have an opportunity to make the playoffs, I will show up to work, I’ll be at practice and I’ll be with my team,” Lillard told Yahoo Sports.

“I’m going to do all that and then I’m going to be sitting right on that bench during the games. I’m not going to be participating. I’m telling you that right now.”

Lillard said he was in favor of a play-in style tournament involving seeds 7-12 to determine the final postseason berths.

“If they come back and say it’s something like a tournament … if we’re playing for playoff spots, then I think that’s perfect,” five-time All Star Lillard added. “We had fought ourselves back into position to get a spot.”

The NBA is currently in talks with The Walt Disney Company about restarting its suspended season at Disney World in Florida in late July. — Reuters

World-class virtual learning for students

Security Bank partners with 88tuition and Edukasyon.ph to provide quality e-learning programs

On the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, classrooms were among many areas where disruption was immediately seen. All of a sudden schools were closed, compelling the education sector to shift to online learning.

Security Bank has taken notice of the current situation of education in the country. While its endeavors to ensure the well-being of employees, customers, and all stakeholders, it also has started seeking out to fill the gap in education caused by the crisis.

Security Bank and its corporate social responsibility arm, Security Bank Foundation, Inc. (SBFI), advocates for education as a long-term solution to poverty alleviation. The foundation has been building classrooms, under their multi-award winning Build a School, Build a Nation program; training and developing teachers, and providing scholarships to deserving students under their “Scholars for Better Communities” program.

“We focused our advocacy on education because we believe that education is the greatest equalizer in life, for it will give every person the opportunity to succeed in life, no matter what his or her social and economic background may be,” Chairman of Security Bank Foundation, Inc.  Rafael F. Simpao, Jr. said.

Even as classes were stopped due to COVID-19, Security Bank and Security Bank Foundation remains committed to its advocacy to provide quality education to all students. In particular, the Bank looked for partners who can provide quality alternative learning services to children and families. Among the partnerships the Bank has formed is with e-learning platform, 88Tuition and with online youth platform, Edukasyon.ph.

World-class e-learning for diverse levels

88Tuition is a Singapore-based e-learning platform with the social objective of making quality video-based learning material available to all students.

With lessons for Grade 1 to Grade 10 students, 88Tuition offers a complete curriculum accessible to one’s fingertips anytime. It also creates a wonderful opportunity for children and parents to bond while they are engaging in valuable learning activities.

Security Bank brings 88Tuition closer to its debit and credit cardholders as they can access the materials for free until June 30, 2020. They will also receive an exclusive discount once the free access ends.

Since the launch of 88Tuition in the country earlier this year, the platform established through the partnership with Security Bank has helped over 2,500 students who have been learning Math, English, Science, and Mandarin Chinese.

“We are delighted to partner with Security Bank, bringing very high-quality education to all students… 88tuition gives the student complete control over the learning process. [It is] affordable education for all,” Founder and CEO of 88Tuition Anil Ahuja said.

Advanced and tailored online learning for seniors

Grade 11 and 12 students are not left behind. With SBFI’s partnership with Edukasyon.ph — the largest online youth platform in the Philippines that empowers students aged 13 to 23 — to make self-aware education decisions that lead to a fulfilling career and life.

Resources of Edukasyon.ph — include Online Ed, Certificate Courses, and Skills Kit — enable students to find and take the paths best suited to their own interests, skills, and priorities.

“For Edukasyon.ph, ‘making the future less scary’ means reducing uncertainty, and we are fortunate and excited to work with Security Bank to promote opportunities that help upskill students and lead them toward their dream careers,” CEO and founder of Edukasyon.ph Henry Motte-Munoz said.

Through SBFI, senior high students can take short courses from Edukasyon.ph for free. SBFI also helped promote the Edukasyon.ph’s platforms through the Bank’s Facebook page, e-mails sent to employees and partner schools, as well as targeted communication to SBFI scholars.

Starting May 27, senior students of Security Bank cardholders can access specialized courses — including computer-related, administration, self-development, and writing — from online institutions such as Udemy, Kadenze, and Google Garage via Edukasyon.ph for free.

For FVP and head of SB Cards Business Development and Operations Group Celeste Lim, Security Bank strongly believes that a better future lies with continuous and more access to learning and development, which platforms like Edukasyon.ph and 88tuition can supplement anytime and anywhere.

“With our partners, we make education easily available to everyone especially during these unprecedented times,” she added.

Security Bank encourages students and families to experience the power of e-learning through 88Tuition and Edukasyon.ph and experience world-class education right at the comforts of their homes.

“We want to support all Filipino families.” President and CEO of Security Bank Sanjiv Vohra said. “We collaborated with Singapore’s 88Tuition, and Edukasyon.ph to provide clients with world-class learning opportunities, and we extended the same opportunities to the broader community and public at large. We are optimistic that with these partnerships, together, we can get better.” he added. — Adrian Paul B. Conoza

BusinessWorld Insights Phase 2: Beyond Survival

Industries face unprecedented challenges amid the COVID-19 crisis. While the pandemic has caused socioeconomic disruptions unseen in recent history, it has also brought to the fore new avenues for growth. Where are these opportunities and what steps can businesses take to rise again?

Watch the first session of BUSINESSWORLD INSIGHTS Phase 2 as industry experts discussed the topic, “Beyond Survival: Charting the Path to Recovery”, with Simon Wintels; McKinsey and Company Singapore partner; Gary de Ocampo, Kantar Philippines, Inc. president and Insights Division CEO; Winn Everhart, Coca-Cola Philippines president and general manager; Nicky Gozon, Entrego Express Corporation director; and Vince Tempongko, Globe Telecom VP for site acquisition and management moderated by Willy Reyes, BusinessWorld editor-in-chief.

#BUSINESSWORLDINSIGHTS Phase 2 is made possible by SM, Globe, Entrego, Unilab, The Philippine STAR and www.olern.com
with the support of Management Association of the Philippines, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Philippine Association of National Advertisers, Bank Marketing Association of the Philippines and CFA Society Philippines.

Paving the path towards recovery and resiliency

By Adrian Paul B. Conoza
Special Features Writer, BusinessWorld

MBC forum focuses on recovering post-COVID and resiliency against future disasters

The country’s fight against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) does not only drive the government, sectors, and communities to create solutions to recover from the crisis. It is also teaching them how to make the country more resilient to disasters of various kinds, as the recent roundtable discussion hosted by the Makati Business Club (MBC) and the National Resiliency Council (NRC) revealed.

The digital forum held last May 22, with the theme “Recovery & Resilience: Rethinking Growth Post-COVID”, highlighted insights from BangkoSentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno, the forum’s keynote speaker, and Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, chief executive officer (CEO) of Ayala Corporation and co-vice chairman of MBC.

The forum was also participated by Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana; Ambassador Roberto R. Romulo, governor of NRC and chairman emeritus of Zuellig Family Foundation; Nestor Tan, president and CEO of BDO Unibank; Gerardo Borromeo, vice chairman and CEO of Philippine Transmarine Carriers, Inc. (PTC); and Ignacio Mijares, president and CEO of CEMEX Holdings Philippines.

Fast, fact-based response
Providing a perspective from the private sector, Mr. Zobel de Ayala highlighted the value of collaboration and data-based decisions, as well as the need to provide efficient solutions at a fast pace in dealing with the current crisis.

He noted a parallel between how the NRC pursues climate resiliency and how the country combats the COVID-19 crisis as both involve public-private partnerships and the use of data and science.

The Ayala Corporation CEO pointed out that the private sector has working hand-in-hand with the government and local government units in terms of helping vulnerable individuals, protecting frontliners, and sharing data and analyses with key government agencies.

He further noted that data and science are very helpful at a time when both sectors have big and unfamiliar decisions to make.

“The data we use is far from perfect, but it is reassuring to know that we’re making decisions based on facts and not just suppositions,” Mr. Zobel de Ayala said.

The MBC vice-chairman also stressed that employment should remain among the top priorities in the ongoing fight against COVID-19, adding that programs and proposals relevant to the crisis should eventually preserve or create jobs.

Mr. Zobel de Ayala also suggested that the government should formalize a structured wage subsidy program at a time when businesses hardly can pay their employees further and might be forced to lay them off or close down completely.

“The government gives money to those companies that keep their employees,” he explained. “This does not have to be a one-to-one subsidy. For many MSMEs, it is a maximum of just 8,000 per employee per month, for just two months. But that help may be enough to help companies just to keep their employees.”

Furthermore, he emphasized that the speed of execution is key to successfully address the crisis and hasten the path to recovery and resilience.

“We are no longer in a position to hesitate, and an important momentum will be lost if we don’t execute fast,” Mr. Zobel de Ayala said.

Need for structural reforms
For his keynote presentation on macroeconomic recovery and national resilience after the pandemic, Mr. Diokno laid out the big picture of the country’s economic situation during the crisis and stressed certain reforms necessary for the country to thrive from it.

He noted that out of the exogenous shocks in the first quarter—which includes the Taal Volcano eruption, the tensions between the United States and China, and African Swine Fever—nothing comes close to the COVID-19, which has brought the economy to a standstill.

“The confluence of these shocks resulted in the contraction of the economy by 0.2% in the first quarter of 2020,” he added.

On the other hand, Mr. Diokno spotted a positive note on the peso’s performance compared to the depreciation of regional currencies against the US dollar, as well as the reform agenda that the government has pursued across administrations, which he finds has allowed the country to achieve growth.

In terms of how the BSP has tackled the COVID-19 crisis, Mr. Diokno pointed out the measures it promptly implemented to ease liquidity and sustain flow of credit. He also highlighted the Central Bank’s support for the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as it allowed banks to create new loans to the sector.

He nonetheless recognized that there is still much work to be done. “The crisis has exposed the vulnerabilities and gaps in existing processes and systems that we need to swiftly deal with to cover lost momentum because of the COVID-19,” Mr. Diokno pointed out.

The BSP governor shared four structural reform imperatives that are critical as the country recovers from the crisis.

First, Mr. Diokno highlighted the need for modernizing the country’s health system.

“This would require giving incentives to the use of science and technology in health policy decision-making. It would require overhauling of healthcare supply chain management,” he explained. “The government must also initiate the formulation of a national preparedness and response framework for disease outbreaks and pandemics, taking into account coordination gaps across different levels of government.”

The country’s information and computer technology (ICT) system and processes must be massively upgraded, Mr. Diokno added. For the BSP governor, technology will play a pivotal role in reshaping the means of production and delivery of goods and services in the post-COVID world, and the demand for digital technology will be heightened.

He also pointed out that digital technology will be critical in enabling simpler and more efficient transactions with government agencies, and will also serve as a key to the government’s monitoring and evaluation systems for policy responses and action.

Mr. Diokno also recommended the modernization of the country’s agriculture and government’s supply chain management system, with the help of digital technology, which he finds will help ensure that food and essential goods and services will be available, accessible, and affordable.

An efficient logistic system for farmers, for instance, will ensure that farm produce are made available to Filipino consumers and provide Filipino farmers the right full share in the gains from production.

Developing a highly skilled and resilient workforce is also another reform Mr. Diokno finds vital as the country bounces back from the crisis. He suggested strengthening the educational system and providing adequate health protection to workers to future-proof the country’s workforce, which is one of the youngest labor forces relative to other Southeast Asian countries, according to the United Nations.

Furthermore, the BSP governor observed that as the preference for electronic payment and financial services is set to heighten, there is a need to increase contact-less payment facilities such as PayMaya and GCash. He also sees the need to quicken the adoption of a national quick response code standard to enable interoperable payments from person-to-person and person-to-merchant transactions.

Mr. Diokno also noted that the national ID system will enable inclusive and innovative digital finance and ensure a reliable database for the design and impact assessment of policies.

Resilient industries
In response to Mr. Diokno’s keynote presentation, Mr. Tan of BDO Unibank, Mr. Borromeo of PTC, and Mr. Mijares of CEMEX Holdings expressed their support for the governor’s initiatives and added their respective insights on moving towards resiliency.

Mr. Tan expressed his support for the national ID system, regarding it as the cornerstone of financial inclusion. He suggested that this system should be biometric-based, federated instead of centralized, self-sovereign, enabled with audit trails, and accessible yet secure.

He also noted that a challenge lies in creating a COVID-safe and controlled operating economic communities. “How do we create self-contained communities that operate with very limited chance or risk of getting infected or infecting others?” he asked.

Mr. Borromeo, meanwhile, stressed that the maritime industry should prioritize preserving the jobs of seafarers as well as shifting towards an innovative and creative way of developing talent.

“This industry is no longer just about putting people on ship,” he said. “It is about putting the type of people who have the skill sets necessary to work in a more digital and technologically-advanced industry, and at the same time to continue to promote digital transformation not only in the way we work but in our ability to handle transactions.”

Mr. Mijares, for his part, anticipates infrastructure to be a crucial part of new fiscal measures to help revitalize the economy in terms of creating jobs and moving towards inclusive sustainable development.

He also sees an opportunity to reduce population density through infrastructure. “The pandemic has highlighted even more the need for accessibility networks, healthcare infrastructure, rethinking urbanization, technology investment, and the need to redistribute growth outside Luzon, particularly Metro Manila,” he said.

House panel OK’s P1.3-T stimulus bill

THE House of Representatives’ Defeat COVID-19 Committee on Tuesday approved a P1.3-trillion economic stimulus package that aims to help industries affected by the coronavirus crisis.

Aside from the Philippine Economic Stimulus Act (PESA), the House panel also approved the Financial Institutions Strategic Transfer (FIST) Act and a bill seeking to prohibit discrimination against health workers and COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) patients.

The three measures were s taken up at the House plenary on Tuesday.

Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez called for the immediate passage of the economic stimulus measure, saying there is a need to sustain worker income and help businesses that have been affected by the pandemic.

“By providing working capital assistance, technical and entrepreneurial education and financial management, among others, we will be able to protect Filipinos by ensuring businesses will continue operating post-lockdown and help turn the tide for businesses and workers affected by the health crisis,” he said.

Under the proposed stimulus package, P650 billion will go to the government’s flagship infrastructure projects under the “Build, Build, Build” program for three years starting 2021. The projects will involve building new facilities for health, food security and education.

For this year, P568 billion will be allocated for mass testing (P10 billion); wage subsidies (P110 billion); cash-for-work program (P30 billion); assistance to students (P15 billion); loans for micro, small and medium enterprises or MSMEs through Small Business Corp.(P50 billion); loan guarantees (P40 billion); zero interest loans from Land Bank of the Philippines and Development Bank of the Philippines (P50 billion); and funding for the National Development Corp. (P25 billion).

This year’s allocation also includes assistance to various sectors such as MSMEs (P10 billion); tourism (P58 billion); industry and services (P44 billion); transportation (P70 billion); and agri-fishery (P56 billion).

For 2021, P80 billion will be allocated for loans for MSMEs through SB Corp.(P25 billion) and P25-billion funding for the National Development Corp.

Meanwhile, the House committee approved House Bill 6622, which aims to encourage banks to transfer their bad loans to asset management companies in expectation of a spike in bad loans in the wake of the health crisis.

Also approved was House Bill 6676 or the Anti-Discrimination Bill, which seeks to protect healthcare workers and persons who are declared confirmed, suspect, probable and recovered cases of COVID-19 against prejudice and discrimination.

Meanwhile, the Defeat COVID-19 Committee’s social amelioration cluster approved House Bill 6709 that sets a P1.5-trillion infrastructure spending program over three years to address slowing economic growth and create jobs.

Also known as the proposed COVID-19 Unemployment Reduction Economic Stimulus Act of 2020, the measure targets increased spending on readily implementable health, education, agriculture, local roads and livelihood spending items.

The Health department on Tuesday reported 14,669 infections to date, with 886 deaths. It said 3,412 patients have recovered. — Genshen L. Espedido and Jenina P. Ibañez

PHL gets $400-M loan for capital mart dev’t

THE Philippine government has secured a $400-million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) that will strengthen the domestic capital market and boost infrastructure financing efforts.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Manila-based multilateral lender said it approved the $400-million policy-based loan, which will “address key constraints that have limited the growth of domestic capital markets, especially government and corporate bond markets.”

“It also focuses on building a vibrant domestic institutional investor base that will become a sustainable source of long-tenor infrastructure finance. By boosting infrastructure finance, the capital market development program will support higher public infrastructure spending for years to come,” the ADB said.

The government is banking on the P8-trillion “Build, Build, Build” program to help the economy bounce back from the coronavirus crisis. It had targeted to boost infrastructure spending to about 7% of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2022, up from 5.4% in 2019. State spending on infrastructure projects averaged 2.8% of GDP in the past three decades.

This month, the economic team projected infrastructure spending to account for 3.8% of GDP in 2020, due to budget constraints.

“Resilient and vibrant capital markets are key to achieving economic development, growth, and poverty reduction as set out in the government’s long-term strategy AmBisyon Natin 2040. By developing domestic capital markets, funds are generated to support higher levels of long-term investments and sustainable quality job creation,” ADB Vice-President Ahmed M. Saeed said in the statement.

The ADB said the capital market development program had backed reforms on the domestic bond market and modernization of debt trading infrastructure.

The latest loan approval brought ADB’s total lending to the Philippines to $2.1 billion so far this year, after a $1.5-billion loan extended for the government’s pandemic response and $200 million in additional funding for the social protection program. — BML

Continued support for MSMEs, agri sector sought

THE government should continue to support small businesses and the agriculture sector even after lockdown measures are lifted, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

In a paper titled “We Recover As One,” the agency said micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), as well as farmers and fisherfolk will continue to struggle and require help to sustain and restore their livelihood.

“Grants or soft loans should continue to be extended to farmers, fisherfolk and MSMEs to restore and sustain livelihood activities and businesses. Given that most of the losses are in terms of forgone incomes, a guarantee fund may be more adequate. The fund must be able to guarantee loans amounting to about P800 billion,” the NEDA said.

Affected farmers, fisherfolk and other enterprises involved in agriculture, forestry and fisheries should also be helped through zero interest, no collateral, and longer-term credit programs, it said.

NEDA also recommended additional support programs for businesses such as payment deferment to government and debtors, tax credits and low interest loans.

Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura Chairman Rosendo O. So said the zero interest loans will bring relief to agriculture industry players.

“The zero interest recommendation would be nice but the implementation on how it could reach the agri sector should be clear. It should be clear when they can secure loans,” Mr. So said in Filipino over a phone call.

Mr. So said farmers and agri-businesses would need the government’s aid to reach their market.

“End-users are having a hard time to buy from us so we don’t know how the government will address this. There is also a problem with the buying power of the government,” Mr. So said.

“More credit guarantees would also increase the access of SMEs (small- and medium-sized enterprises) and the agricultural sector to bank loans, at lower borrowing costs as well due to the guarantees,” Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said.

Alvin P. Ang, an economics professor at the Ateneo de Manila University, said more direct forms of support would be a better relief measure for small businesses and agri-enterprises.

“(Proposed guarantee fund) okay but why guarantee fund? Why not direct support? There should be direct assistance to retrofit their businesses,” he said by telephone.

Direct support could come in the form of training that will improve capacity and productivity to help businesses gauge how to do their operations in the new normal, Mr. Ang said.

“Operations for MSMEs such as barbershops and small restaurants for the new normal will have a larger cost to reopen because they will only be allowed to operate 50% facility. The cost of adjustment time will be really large,” he said. — L.W.T.Noble

NTC: No abuse in network’s halt order

By Vann Marlo M. Villegas, Reporter

THE NATIONAL Telecommunications Commission (NTC) asked the Supreme Court to deny for lack of merit the petition of broadcast network ABS-CBN Corp. to stop the implementation of the cease-and-desist order that forced it to go off air.

In a 98-page comment, the NTC argued that its issuance of the halt order to the operations of ABS-CBN is valid and it did not commit grave abuse of discretion.

The telecommunication regulator said that ABS-CBN cannot operate after its legislative franchise expired on May 4.

“The NTC cannot authorize the petitioner to operate without a new franchise from Congress,” it said. “It is ineluctable that a legislative franchise is necessary before a broadcasting entity may start its operations.”

The commission also claimed that it has the power to stop broadcast operations due to lack of franchise under the 2006 NTC Rules of Practice and Procedure and its mandate under Executive Order No. 546

It also said that the Letter of the House of Representatives and Senate Resolution No. 40, which urged the commission to issue provisional authority to the network pending the renewal of the franchises, “merely express the sentiment” of the Congress.

“Hence, these issuances cannot amend the current law requiring a congressional franchise for the operation of broadcasting networks. As held by the Court, a resolution, not being a law itself, cannot amend prior laws,” it said. The NTC also maintained that it did not violate the equal protection clause of the company when it deviated from past practice of allowing other mass media entities to operate despite the expiration of their franchises, saying the “contention is misplaced.”

The commission said that the past practice of issuing provisional authority with pending application with the Congress “cannot be the source of a demandable right.”

“It is not hard to discern that what is being curbed by the NTC in issuing the assailed CDO is the erroneous past practice of passively allowing a mass media entity to continue its broadcast operations during the pendency of its franchise application in Congress,” it said.

It also said the network is not similarly situated with those who were granted provisional authority pending the franchise renewal and it enforced the order over the alleged violations of ABS-CBN.

The operations of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines does not involve commercial operations. The franchise of Iglesia ni Cristo was granted four days after the franchise expiration and Smart Communications, Inc.’s was approved one month after the lapse.

It also said that it did not violate the network’s right to due process as it can issue the cease-and-desist order on its own initiative upon the expiration of franchise.

With the order, the commission said it did not curtail the right to freedom of speech and of the press, and deprived the public of their right to information as it is only performing its mandate.

The NTC also cited procedural issues on the filing of ABS-CBN, saying the issuance of the order is a purely administrative act and that the filing of a motion for reconsideration is the proper remedy.

It said the network’s move also violated the doctrine of exhaustion of administrative remedies, primary jurisdiction and hierarchy of courts, adding that the issues raised are not of transcendental importance. It also said the grant of franchise is within the scope of the Congress.

The NTC also asked the court to drop the House of Representative and Senate as parties to the case.

The commission issued the order on May 5 after the franchise of ABS-CBN expired on May 4 while the process for renewal is pending with the Congress, forcing it to stop television and radio operations.

The network asked the court for a temporary restraining order and/or preliminary injunction against the order saying the shutdown would cost the livelihood of its more than 11,000 employees and a loss of revenue for the government as the company paid P70.5 billion tax between 2003 and 2020.

It also would lose up to P35 million daily when off-air, it said.

ABS-CBN also asked the court to immediately act on its petition on May 18, saying it will take weeks or months before it would be allowed to operate through a measure by the Congress.

House panels want Calida at ABS-CBN hearings

TWO COMMITTEES at the House of Representatives are calling on Solicitor General Jose C. Calida to attend the next hearings on the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN Corp.

“The SolGen being absent in this hearing should be enjoined to attend future hearings and explain his side on why should he not be held in contempt,” House committee on good governance and public accountability chair and Bulacan Rep. Jose Antonio R. Sy-Alvarado said during the virtual joint hearing on Tuesday.

“We will ask them to give their side bago natin masabi na kung tunay nga bang may contempt na naganap laban sa komiteng ito, laban sa dignidad ng buong House of the people at kung may criminal cases ba na dapat isampa laban sa kanila o wala,” he added.

(We will ask them to give their side before we can say whether there was indeed contempt against this committee, against the dignity of the people’s House, and whether a criminal case should be filed against them.)

House committee on legislative franchises chair and Palawan Rep. Franz E. Alvarez said that the panels would “resort to compulsory processes” if Mr. Calida fails to join the succeeding hearings.

The committees will also amend and consolidate all 11 measures seeking to renew ABS-CBN’s franchise to House Bill 6694, which grants a new 25-year license to the media network. The two panels will convene again on Monday morning to resume their deliberations on the network’s franchise.

In a letter to the House legislative franchises committee on Tuesday, Mr. Calida said he would not attend the hearing due to the pending petitions he had filed before the Supreme Court against ABS-CBN.

On May 5, ABS-CBN went off-air after the cease-and-desist order issued by the National Telecommunications Commission. — Genshen Espedido

Petron suffers nearly P5B in losses

PETRON CORP. incurred a net loss of P4.9 billion in the first quarter, a reversal of its P1.3-billion income a year ago, as it noted “significant” inventory losses due to the price collapse in both local and international oil markets when demand contracted.

In a stock exchange disclosure on Tuesday, the Philippines’ largest oil refiner and marketing firm reported a 16% decline in overall revenues to P104.6 billion during the quarter brought down by lower sales, citing the “sudden and significant” drop in demand for petroleum products during the lockdown period.

The listed unit of San Miguel Corp. said its combined sales volume for its businesses in the Philippines and Malaysia was at 24.7 million barrels, lower compared to the 26.3 million barrels recorded in the same quarter in 2019.

“The entire industry is going through a rough phase because of COVID-19’s (coronavirus disease 2019) impact on oil demand and prices. As expected, domestic consumption has gone down particularly in retail and aviation which is understandable because of travel bans and restrictions,” Petron President and Chief Executive Officer Ramon S. Ang said.

The oil company has implemented “strict” cost-saving and cash conservative measures to respond to such a financial situation.

Since the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine in the country, Petron has temporarily shut some of its refilling stations or shortened operating hours as lesser cars are traveling during the period.

On May 5, Petron closed its Bataan refinery for maintenance activities on its major process units. It expects that the shutdown will help reduce the impact of low fuel demand and poor refining margins.

The company has assured it has enough inventory to meet the local market requirements, which will be replenished through the importation of finished products.

“Business is challenging. We have to be more prudent in managing our resources while ensuring that the needs of our customers are still met,” Mr. Ang said.

“Demand recovery will depend upon the lifting of quarantine measures and ultimately, finding a vaccine to fully restore mobility. While we are hopeful for a swift recovery, we know that these are things we cannot rush. The health and safety of the people is still the most important,” he added.

The oil refiner has a capacity of 268,000 barrels per day, while it operates about 40 terminals in Southeast Asia. It has over 3,000 service stations selling gasoline and diesel.

On Tuesday, shares in Petron were down 1.01% to close at P2.93 apiece. — Adam J. Ang

5 tips for keeping sane while working at home during this pandemic

THE COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic has up-ended schedules of work, sleep, meals, and everything else you thought was normal.

To help us cope with the changes, we attended a webinar by mental health service Flourish Circle called “Flourishing in the Digital Workspace Amid the Pandemic.”

Christopher Lagman, a life and executive coach from the Hudson Institute of Sta. Barbara and HR head of a market research and business intelligence company, gave the talk. Addressing those who were watching and presumably working from home, he said, “Some of us have been quite fortunate.” The talk breaks down the tools for succeeding at work and keeping yourself mentally fit into five tips.

Mr. Lagman started by addressing employers: “I would like to talk to your leaders right now and say, ‘Manage your expectations.’ This is not the time to expect [a lot from] your employees, even if you have provided them with the resources they need to work from home. We cannot expect everyone to be at their usual 100%. Simply put, this is not the usual time. Everyone is really struggling.”

Addressing employees, he said, “Let me also say that I hope this does not become an excuse for us to throw all cares to the wind. It’s not really healthy for us just to blame COVID-19 for everything. We still want to thrive and flourish.”

“We still want to do great things,” he said. “The center of it all is well-being.”

1.) Be Active. “Even just moving, it can produce the healthy hormones in our body to improve our mind,” he said. Short walks, stretching, standing up, and simple yoga exercises are things one can do, he said. He also says that being active isn’t limited to physical motion. “Engage in calls, make your presence felt,” he said. “Being active means speaking up. I would recommend that you speak up [at conference calls] at least once or twice.”

2.) Take Notice. “Taking notice means listening,” he said. “As much as I recommend you to speak up, you also [must], in equal measure, listen.” He said to take notice when someone speaks up in a call. “Acknowledge and build up on their ideas. Appreciate the contribution of people.” The good feeling this generates flows down to yourself and the team, according to Mr. Lagman. “To be heard and to be listened to; to be acknowledged, is something nice. When you know that you have made somebody feel validated… it makes you feel good as well. You energize them, and you also get energized.” He also says that “taking notice” means having an attitude of gratitude: taking notice, for example, of the small mercies granted one during a pandemic.

3.) Connect. “We are wired as human beings to connect with other people,” said Mr. Lagman. However, social distancing measures, quarantines, and curfews, prevent us from doing so at this time. “That doesn’t mean we should be socially disconnected. We still should be emotionally connected with other people.” He tells us to check up on people, make small talk, and ask how people are — “In a sincere and genuine way,” he emphasized. He also says that this is a time to join a community. In the absence of one, make one. He gave his own situation as an example: joining a Facebook group in his condominium enabled him to not only expand his circle, but also made doing chores such as the grocery shopping easier, thanks to online marketplaces.

4.) Keep Learning. While he acknowledges that some people are just trying to survive, he addressed the more fortunate when he said, “We have resources; we have time. Use it well.” Of course, joining classes and webinars and reading books were brought up, but also says that meditation and knowing oneself can also be a goal. “Have a goal, carve out time for it.”

5.) Give. “Giving means being generous. Giving one’s self means creating value for others; creating positive outcomes for others, and actively exploring the ways of doing this,” he said. One can donate to charity, of course, or maybe even send care packages. He does say there are other things one can donate — “It could be time; it can be positive words. It can be just your listening presence.” — Joseph L. Garcia

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