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PJ Lhuillier Group boosts digital, taps MultiSys as technology partner

P.J. Lhuillier Inc. (PJLI), the parent company of the Philippines’ largest microfinancial services provider Cebuana Lhuillier, tapped leading software solutions provider Multisys Technologies Corporation to accelerate the group’s ongoing digital transformation efforts and expand its commercial services.

Through the technology partnership, MultiSys will help improve PJLI’s business processes that will digitalize the company’s operations and increase its overall organizational efficiency. MultiSys will also integrate with PJLI’s cash collection and distribution facilities, including its corporate payout, remittance, insurance, and micro saving solutions to various platforms—boosting PJLI Group’s digital financial services.

PJLI’s corporate payout and remittance will be integrated to MultiSys’ CashBox, a platform that connects cash transfers from digital channels to physical branches, while PJLI’s insurance products will be integrated with MultiSys’ other platforms via application programming interfaces (APIs). PJLI’s micro savings will also be available to select mobile apps developed by MultiSys.

Cebuana Lhuillier President and CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier, in a message, said, “Digital technologies are radically transforming the business landscape. The current health crisis has especially changed the game, further taking things to new heights. We at PJ Lhuillier Group will do what we must to scale our solutions with the best of fintech and digital technologies in the country, to be able to cater and elevate the ever-evolving financial services needs of Filipinos.”

“This partnership with Multisys affirms that decades-long commitment in providing relevant services by continuously expanding our reach, developing more innovative platforms, and exploring more untapped channels to enable the unbanked and underbanked Filipinos better access to financial services,” added Cebuana Lhuillier Senior Executive Vice President Andre Lhuillier.

Developing nations face surge in virus cases as they exit lockdowns

DEVELOPING COUNTRIES face an explosion in coronavirus infections as they exit lockdowns amid worsening outbreaks because the economic cost of remaining shuttered is too great.

From Pakistan to the Philippines, Brazil to South Africa, governments have been choosing to end orders confining people to their homes even as the global pandemic envelopes the developing world. Researchers at the University of Michigan predict India’s infections could almost double from current levels to more than 750,000 by mid-July, while Brazil just hit 1 million cases — the second-highest tally globally — with more increases forecast for this month.

Soaring unemployment and even starvation are forcing many countries to end sometimes months-long lockdowns that largely failed to stymie the virus like they did in Europe and China. With a coronavirus vaccine still months — maybe even years — away, these escalating outbreaks risk fueling the wider pandemic just as richer countries start to open up their economies and nations including China and the US see resurgences.

Policy makers in poorer countries are now left with few potent tools to combat a virus that has the potential to overwhelm their healthcare systems. In many places, those systems remain fragile despite efforts to add hospital beds and testing facilities when citizens were compelled to stay at home.

“There’s a de-facto realization that we’re going to have to live with this virus at infection levels that up to this point had been seen as dangerous and unacceptable, and couple it with a different strategy,” said Stephen Morrison, director of the Global Health Policy Center at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “The lockdown and social distancing practices don’t work or have limited utility in so many developing countries.”

With more than 2.2 million cases, the US remains the nation with the world’s largest number of infections. But data compiled by Bloomberg show that the U.S. and UK now account for about 29% of global cases, down from 37% two months ago.

Meanwhile, Latin American and South Asia are emerging as hotspots. The 10 countries from those regions with the most number of infections accounted for 29% of infections globally as of Sunday. Two months ago, they comprised only 5% of the world’s cases.

In the US, some states have also come out of lockdown while the virus has been spreading, but the challenges of managing widespread shutdowns are particularly severe in poorer nations.

In the Philippines, the experience of house cleaner Yolanda, who didn’t want to be publicly identified by her full name, shows why lockdowns weren’t as effective in halting the virus in developing countries. When the stay-at-home order came down in March, her husband, three children and five grandchildren all depended on her to put food on the table.

Staying home would have put the entire family at risk of starvation. Yolanda said she applied for aid to a local government center, but even though her neighbors received packages of canned sardines, noodles and rice, she got none and was given no explanation.

“I can’t afford not to work,” said the 52-year-old, who is among the millions that make up the informal workforce in metropolitan Manila. “I couldn’t have stayed at home. Bills were mounting. We can’t rely on the government for aid.”

The government of President Rodrigo Duterte has allowed businesses and transportation to resume and eased other restrictions since June 1.

Since then, infections have surged. The University of the Philippines forecasts cases will rise 50% to top 40,000 by the end of June. While that is substantially lower than the hundreds of thousands in the US, Brazil and India, the increases are substantial for the Philippines which has a population of 108 million and has tested about 0.5% of its residents, based on estimates from its Health department.

Shutting down businesses, telling people to stay at home and enforcing lockdowns helped prevent half a billion infections in China, South Korea, Italy, Iran, France, and the US, according to a recent study published in the journal Nature. But such steps aren’t as effective in poorer countries because housing is typically much denser, a challenge to social distancing. Also, much more of their workforce are employed in informal labor, reliant on daily wages.

India imposed its lockdown almost three months ago, and some restrictions like bans on international flights remain in place. While the country has ramped up manufacturing of face masks, ventilators and testing kits, and sports stadiums and railway cars have been set up as isolation centers, it still may not be enough.

Mega-cities like New Delhi and Mumbai are already showing signs of being overwhelmed, with bodies piling up in hospital corridors and patients turned away for lack of beds. India currently has about 425,000 cases and 13,699 deaths, for a fatality rate of 3%. That compares to 5% in the US, which Indian officials say shows their approach is paying off.

Officials in India and Indonesia, which has the highest case tally in Southeast Asia, have said that people may have to learn to live with the virus. Countries like India and the Philippines are now relying on other tactics such as using lockdowns only in specific communities where the virus is spreading vociferously.

A study on São Paulo, home to about 45 million Brazilians, conducted by the Solidary Research Network, a group of researchers from institutions including Universidade de São Paulo, found that if the state had kept the same social distancing rules that were in place in May for another 30 days, deaths would have risen at a slower pace to about 14,600 by July 8.

But these restrictions — which included closing businesses, schools and many public places — were eased in June. The research group now estimates deaths could reach nearly 25,000 by July 8.

While Brazil did not have a nationwide lockdown, various states imposed restrictions on people’s movements and some have now begun to begun to ease quarantine orders. But there are a confluence of factors working against countries like Brazil, beyond a president who has been criticized for dismissing the seriousness of the pandemic. In the slums of São Paulo and elsewhere, extended families share one-room shanties and social distancing is a nearly impossible task. Lack of reliable clean water and sanitation systems also allowed the virus to take root.

Emerging economies have already been among the hardest-hit from lockdowns, and worsening outbreaks could see further pressure on consumer spending and growth. The Philippines’ gross domestic product will likely contract as much as 3.4% this year, while India is facing its first economic contraction in 40 years. — Bloomberg

Global K-pop fans emerge as political force, but some in South Korea worry

SEOUL — Some tech-savvy followers of K-pop music have emerged as increasingly active players in American politics, but in the birthplace of the genre, South Korean fans are wary that their favorite artists will be pulled into foreign partisan fights.

Fans of Korean pop artists, including the widely popular BTS, have rallied around major US political movements in recent weeks, using their online communities and mobile apps to encourage participation and donations.

K-pop fans and users of TikTok, a popular video-sharing app, claimed partial credit for inflating attendance expectations at a less-than-full arena at US President Donald Trump’s rally in Oklahoma over the weekend.

Earlier this month, they waded into social media protests against racism and police brutality, with BTS fans matching the band’s $1-million donation to Black Lives Matter (BLM).

“The mobile-based communication channels favored by the millennial generation provide an effective means to quickly spread their political voices and mobilize support,” said Jung Duk-hyun, a South Korean culture critic.

The donation to BLM fits with a long history of BTS and other groups donating to social and humanitarian causes, including supporting Syrian refugees and efforts to stop violence against children.

But the incident with Trump’s campaign rally sparked new debates among fans in South Korea, who don’t appear to have been significantly involved in that effort. Young South Korean artists rarely get involved with their country’s politics, and many fan forums ban political discussions.

Chang Ju-yeon, a 22-year-old student, said that many Korean fans support BTS-led human rights campaigns, but that the singers should not be used in US politics.

“We’re proud that BTS leads those efforts as global artists, and do want to raise voices together on universal issues that earn everyone’s sympathy,” Chang told Reuters.

“But the artists should stay away from domestic politics, as some people could take advantage of their fame for political purposes and it would eventually come back to hurt them,” Chang added.

A spokeswoman for Big Hit Entertainment, the management label for BTS, declined to comment.

Rosanna Scotto, an anchor for a local FOX affiliate in New York, apologized on Twitter on Monday after some fans criticized her for asking K-pop group TXT about the Trump rally during an interview that day. Group members looked confused and didn’t answer the question.

“Wow. We didn’t want you to ask them that rude question about the Trump rally, that’s for sure,” one Twitter user who identified as a North Carolina-based K-pop fan told Scotto.

Scotto replied, “Sorry… it was trending on Twitter. I had no idea that would upset you.”

A post shared on Sunday on theqoo, a popular fan site, that included US news reports about K-pop fans’ disruptions of Trump’s Oklahoma rally was met with mixed responses.

Although some users cheered and made supportive comments, others voiced concerns it would hurt the artists and the K-pop industry.

“There could be differences among fans about how they relate to their stars in their everyday lives, as some might see their online fan group as an exclusive channel to share their interests and love, and others more actively use it as a broader platform to express themselves,” said Jung, the culture critic.

The campaign for BLM largely garnered support after BTS’ donations, but some Korean fans urged those in the United States to stop “forcing others to give money” and respect the rights of individuals to express themselves.

“BLM was understandable as it was about human rights but it makes me uncomfortable to see my idols pop up in Trump-related news,” one fan wrote on Monday on Weverse, BTS’ official fan community app. — Reuters

How PSEi member stocks performed — June 23, 2020

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Tuesday, June 23, 2020.


Arts & Culture (06/24/20)

Last week of VLF 2020 Kapit online

THE Virgin Labfest (VLF) is now on its last week in the virtual stage. Catch the featured plays with their free live online performances at Cultural Center of the Philippines’ official Facebook account and VLF official Facebook account until June 28. Virgin Labfest 2020: KAPIT is also available on Vimeo (https://vimeo.com/ondemand/vlf2020kapit) until July 1. Watch at your own leisure with the regular package (P100) or the premium package (P200). Limited performances come with English subtitles. One of the main components of VLF, the Playwright’s Fair keeps up with conversations with playwrights and authors on June 25 to 27, at 8 p.m. Meanwhile, the VLF Fellowship Program concludes with an online staged reading of the fellows’ works, directed by Dennis Marasigan, on June 28 at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. VLF 2020 Kapit: Lab in the Time of Covid (A Virtual Labfest Edition), the theater festival of untried, untested and unstaged plays features nine new works, three revisited plays, and six staged readings. For Festival Schedule and synopses, visit https://bit.ly/3bT6Y3y.

Casa de Memoria launches new online auction platform

FOLLOWING the success of its Primero and Segundo anniversary and inaugural online auctions, Casa de Memoria, the Lhuillier-managed auction house now introduces The Casa Online. Powered by Invaluable, The Casa Online is a series of auctions that aim to provide budding art enthusiasts and younger collectors with an accessible platform featuring smaller art pieces and interesting bric-a-brac that are priced within the reach of this growing audience. With this, The Casa Online will be featuring a series of at least four online auctions, starting with The Casa Online 01 on July 11, Saturday. It will feature European-Filipino art pieces but highlighting paintings and small vintage items with a ceiling price of P45,000. Proceeds from The Casa Online 01 will be donated to Sagip Kapamilya, the emergency humanitarian assistance program of the ABS-CBN Foundation. Among the items included are Cafetera by Victor Arrizabagala, Portrait of a girl by Henri Matisse, Bronze Lioness by Antoine-Louis Barye, and an album containing 62 Spanish advertisements.

West Gallery opens several exhibits

WEST GALLERY reopens to the public on June 25 with new solo exhibitions by Raffy Napay, Mark Andy Garcia, Neil Pasilan, and Ryan Rubio. The exhibits — Raffy Napay’s Dugtong, Mark Andy Garcia’s To Live, Neil Pasilan’s Beautiful Sunrise to Sunset, and Ryan Rubio’s The Beauty and the Truth — will run from June 25 to July 25. To ensure the health and safety of the staff, artists, and guests, there will be no opening reception but the gallery will be receiving visitors by appointment only. There are new gallery hours — it is open Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. To make an appointment, call 3411-0336.

Komikera wins 2020 PBBY-Alcala prize

THE Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY) will give the grand prize award of the 2020 PBBY-Alcala Prize to illustrator Victoria Melissa R. Tadiar during the 37th National Children’s Book Day (NCBD) celebration on July 21. Tadiar won for her illustrations for Boon Kristoffer Lauw’s chapter book, Team Abangers at ang Estilong Trumpo. Lauw won the grand prize at the 2020 PBBY-Salanga Prize, the first time the competition was opened to chapter books. A full-time IT professional who works on comics and illustrations in her free time, Tadiar won the Komiket Best Komiks Award in 2017 for her Filipiniana fantasy comic SAGALA, which was released as a self-published graphic novel in 2019. Her current project, Twinkle, Twinkle, is an Official Selection finalist at the First Philippine International Comics Festival. She is also a new member of Ang InK (Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan), the only professional organization of children’s illustrators. The Cultural Center of the Philippines and the PBBY celebrate NCBD every third Tuesday of July to commemorate the anniversary of the publication of Jose Rizal’s rendition of the folk tale “The Monkey and the Turtle” in the July 1889 issue of Trubner’s Oriental Record in London. For inquiries about the contest, contact the PBBY secretariat at secretariat@pbby.org.ph.

Peso weakens further on budget balance data

THE PESO weakened further on Tuesday due to a wider budget deficit and uncertainties over the US-China trade deal.

The local currency closed at P50.19 per dollar, depreciating by five centavos from Monday’s close of P50.14, data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines’ website showed.

The local unit started the day stronger at P50.10 per dollar, weakening to as low as P50.25. Its strongest showing was at P50.09 versus the dollar.

Dollars traded on Tuesday rose to $891.8 million from the $456.96 million seen the day prior.

Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said via text that the peso dropped on data showed a wider budget deficit in May.

Data from the Bureau of the Treasury released Tuesday showed the budget balance was at a P202.1-billion deficit last month from the P2.6-billion surplus in May 2019.

This put the January-May deficit at P562.176 billion, a sharp increase from the P800-million gap logged in the same five-month period last year.

Meanwhile, a trader attributed the weaker peso to conflicting statements on the status of the first phase of the US-China trade pact.

Mr. Ricafort also said rising coronavirus disease 2019 cases globally “partly weighed sentiment on the financial markets, including the peso.”

Mr. Ricafort and the trader both see the local currency settling within P50.10-50.30 per dollar level on Wednesday. — B.M. Laforga

Shares decline on rise in new coronavirus cases

By Denise A. Valdez, Reporter

LOCAL SHARES ended lower on Tuesday as fear over rising cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients continued to affect investor sentiment.

The 30-member Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) fell 49.65 points or 0.78% to 6,297.78 on Tuesday. The broader all shares index shed 21.18 points or 0.57% to 3,685.72.

“The PSEi closed lower as investors weighed optimism over a quick recovery for the domestic economy, or V-shaped rebound, against evidence of an acceleration of COVID-19 infections in half of all US states and elsewhere in the world,” Regina Capital Development Corp. Head of Sales Luis A. Limlingan said in a mobile message.

COVID-19 cases continued to rise in different parts of the world, with South Korea officially declaring a second wave of infections on Monday, news wires reported.

Several US states and Beijing have also seen an increase in new COVID-19 cases over the weekend.

Data from Johns Hopkins University’s Coronavirus Resource Center showed there are over 9.1 million COVID-19 cases across the globe as of Tuesday, with US and Brazil leading the charts having 2.3 million and 1.1 million cases each, respectively.

Timson Securities, Inc. trader Darren T. Pangan said these developments led to a more cautious stance by investors, resulting in selling off on Tuesday. Uncertainty over the trade relations between the US and China also pushed investors to watch their risk exposures.

“Second and third liner issues joined the list of most active stocks today, as market participants continue to speculate on which businesses will be the least affected by the ongoing pandemic situation,” Mr. Pangan said in a text message.

Most active stocks on Tuesday in terms of value turnover were MerryMart Consumer Corp. (+3.06%), DITO CME Holdings Corp. (-0.54%) and Emperador, Inc. (+0.13%).

Despite the PSEi drop, Mr. Pangan said the market seems to have formed a base above the 6,150-6,200 level. He puts this area as support level and resistance at 6,600.

Four of six sectoral indices ended Tuesday’s session in red territory. Property lost 45.62 points or 1.43% to 3,140.28; holding firms slid 75.36 points or 1.14% to 6,497.40; industrials trimmed 65.67 points or 0.83% to 7,763.45; and services dipped 3.05 points or 0.21% to 1,398.63. Gainers were mining and oil, which rose 102.44 points or 2.03% to 5,134.31; and financials, which improved 13.99 points or 1.11% to 1,270.88.

Some 1.31 billion issues valued at P7.31 billion switched hands on Tuesday, slightly higher than Monday’s 1.21 billion issues valued at P7.33 billion.

Advancers bested decliners, 103 against 98, while 45 names ended unchanged.

Offshore investors remained sellers, with net outflows increasing to P1.15 billion from P1 billion the previous day.

Philippines may start trials for anti-flu drug Avigan in July

By Vann Marlo M. Villegas, Reporter

THE PHILIPPINES plans to start clinical trials next month of the Japanese anti-flu drug Avigan as a treatment for the novel coronavirus, according to the Department of Health (DoH).

The trials would start as soon as the agency’s ethics committee and the local Food and Drug Administration give their clearance, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario S. Vergeire said at an online news briefing on Tuesday.

Japan in April said it would send the drug manufactured by Fujifilm Toyama Chemical Co., Ltd. to 38 countries including the Philippines after clinical trials in other countries.

The Philippines is also participating in another clinical trial led by the World Health Organization.

Avigan has caught the world’s attention as a front-runner among treatment options for the illness it causes, COVID-19.

The drug has been given to more than 350 people in Japan, and as reports of its efficacy roll in, work has begun to ramp up production and carry out clinical trials aimed at obtaining government approval.

The drug had been effective in alleviating symptoms, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told a news briefing on April 7, raising the prospect of offering Avigan to other countries.

The administration has included ¥13.9 billion ( $130 million) to boost the stockpile of Avigan in Japan’s 2020 supplementary budget proposal to an amount enough to treat two million people for the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Fujifilm Toyama earlier announced a significant increase in production of the influenza antiviral drug. It said it would boost capacity from about 40,000 treatment courses a month to 300,000 a month by September.

DoH reported 1,150 new coronavirus infections on Tuesday, bringing the total to 31,825.

The death toll rose to 1,186 after nine more patients died, while recoveries rose by 299 to 8,442, it said in a bulletin.

Of the new cases, 789 were reported in the past three days, while 361 were reported late, the agency said.

Five duplicates and two negative cases had taken out of the count, DoH said.

Ms. Vergeire said the agency was studying pooled testing to maximize the capacity of licensed laboratories.

The plan is under review by an ethics committee before pilot testing can start at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Muntinlupa City, Ms. Vergeire said at an online news briefing.

They were also checking the number of laboratories that could participate in the pooled testing based on their capacity and manpower.

Under the method, specimens from several people will be pooled in a single polymerase chain reaction or PCR test to cut costs.

Iloilo Rep. and former Health Secretary Jannette L. Garin on Sunday said pooled testing seeks to cut a test to as low as P300.

Earlier on Tuesday, Ms. Vergeire said DoH was cautious about declaring a flattening of the curve even if the infection rate has slowed. Some areas of the country such as Cebu City have also experienced a spike.

She said it now takes 7.26 days to double infections, longer than the two to three days before.

“There are indications of a flattening of the curve,” Ms. Vergeire said. “We we would like to be cautious in saying that because we are seeing spikes of cases in some areas of the country,” she added.

Ms. Vergeire said the country’s healthcare system had not been overwhelmed, with few coronavirus hotspots.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte last week ordered Cebu City in central Philippines to revert to a strict lockdown until June 30 because of rising cases.

The city had 3,471 active cases as of June 21, with 58 new infections reported that day.

Ms. Vergeire said there’s still a room for improvement in the government’s anti-COVID-19 response, including on data automation and analysis.

“We’ve learned a lot because of the pandemic and hopefully in the coming weeks and months, we can improve our process for a better response,” she said in Filipino.

Pessimistic Filipinos rose to record — SWS

THE RATIO of Filipinos who expect to be worse off in the next 12 months rose to a record 43% in May, as the world battles a novel coronavirus pandemic, according to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) poll.

The ratio of pessimists was the highest in the 37-year history of the polling firm, breaking the previous record of 34% in March 2005, it said in a statement on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, 24% of Filipinos expected their quality of life to stay the same, while another 24% expected it to improve, SWS said.

Net optimism (optimists minus pessimists) was lower among people with less education. By educational attainment, only college graduates received a low net optimism score while the rest received very low scores, it said.

Meanwhile, by job situation, net personal optimism was higher among those who had a job and were getting full pay, and those who never had a job.

It was lower among people who lost a job or were not getting income even if they had a job, SWS said.

The presidential palace said the poll results were to be expected because of the lockdown.

“That poll happened at the height of our quarantine,” presidential spokesman Harry L. Roque told a news briefing. “We know the whole nation and the entire world will suffer because the economy was shut.”

SWS said only 12 of 135 surveys since 1984 had a score of net zero or lower. Out of the 12, the score reached very low levels in October 2000 (–13), March 2005 (–13), May 2005 (–12) and May 2020 (–18).

“Negative ratings in 1984, 2000, and 2005 were associated with political unrest in the late Marcos-era, the impeachment crisis of Joseph Estrada and the controversial 2004 election of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,” it said.

SWS interviewed 4,010 Filipinos on May 4 to 10 for the poll, which had an error margin of ±2 points.

It earlier said eight of 10 Filipinos said they became worse off in the past 12 months, also a record number.

It said 83% of Filipinos said their quality of life worsened, 6% said it improved, while 10% said it was unchanged.

This resulted in an “extremely low” net score of -78 from a “very high” +18 in December, the pollster said. It was the worst figure since the “low” -50 in June 2008, it added.

The number of Filipinos who said they were worse off was the highest in the Visayas, which had a net score of -82, followed by Mindanao at -80, Metro Manila at -77 and the rest of Luzon at -75.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte locked down the entire island of Luzon in mid-March, suspending work, classes and public transportation to contain the pandemic. People should stay home except to buy food and other basic goods, he said.

At the time, areas under strict lockdown were Metro Manila, Central Luzon (except Aurora), Calabarzon region, Benguet, Pangasinan, Iloilo, Cebu and the cities of Bacolod and Davao. All other areas were under a more relaxed general quarantine. — Genshen L. Espedido

600 more OFWs come home amid pandemic

ABOUT 600 more overseas Filipino workers (OFW) recently came home amid a coronavirus pandemic that has sickened 9.1 million and killed more than 470,000 people worldwide, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

This brings the number of repatriated workers to more than 55,000 since February, the agency said in a statement on Tuesday.

It said 53 Filipino seafarers in Amsterdam had returned after being stranded on June 19 when their flights were canceled.

This followed the arrival of 580 Filipinos from Saudi Arabia who arrived in two separate flights on Monday, DFA said.

As of June 22, 8,300 Filipino workers have been infected with the COVID-19 virus, 2,740 of whom were being treated. About 5,000 have recovered, while more than 500 have died, it said.

Meanwhile, a senate committee will hear on Wednesday the plight of returning OFWs.

Senator Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva, who heads the labor committee, said a government program for OFWs has reached only 64% or 160,000 out of a 250,000 target.

Wednesday’s hearing would also tackle proposals to help reintegrate returning workers from abroad, he told an online news briefing. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

Duterte to visit troops inside military camps

PRESIDENT RODRIGO R. Duterte will visit military camps around the country to check on soldiers, he said in a speech on Monday night.

“In the coming days, I intend to go around the country. I will visit military camps,” he said.

His spokesman Harry L. Roque said the President wanted to check the condition of soldiers. There’s no final schedule yet, he added.

Mr. Duterte also said he planned to visit Cebu City, where there has been a spike in coronavirus infections.

He criticized Cebuanos for ignoring health protocols to prevent the spread of the virus.

Mr. Roque said the President’s visit to Cebu would happen once infections have eased.

Mr. Duterte locked down the entire Luzon island in mid-March, suspending work, classes and public transportation to contain the pandemic. People should stay home except to buy food and other basic goods, he said.

The lockdown was extended twice for the island and thrice for Manila and nearby cities, where cases were mostly concentrated.

Cebu City was ordered to revert to a strict lockdown after a spike in coronavirus cases. — Gillian M. Cortez

Court says suit vs ABS-CBN moot

THE Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a lawsuit filed by the Office of the Solicitor General seeking to void the franchise of broadcast giant ABS-CBN Corp. for being moot.

The tribunal junked the suit against the network, which is critical of President Rodrigo R. Duterte, during a full court meeting, court spokesman Brain Keith F. Hosaka told reporters in a Viber message.

The case against the network’s unit, ABS-CBN Convergence, Inc. remained pending, he said.

Solicitor General Jose Calida filed the quo warranto petition in February against ABS-CBN and its unit, the same lawsuit that ousted Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, who was also critical of the government.

Mr. Calida accused ABS-CBN of allowing foreign investors to take part in its ownership when it issued Philippine depositary receipts to foreigners.

The unit allegedly committed an “ingenious corporate layering scheme” to transfer its franchise without congressional approval.

ABS-CBN went off air on May 5 after the National Telecommunication Commission issued a cease and desist order after its legislative franchise expired on May 4. Its renewal application was still pending in Congress.

The network has asked the high court to nullify the regulatory order and allow it to reopen.

The court would tackle the petition on July 13, Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta said at an online briefing on June 11. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas