Facebook Instagram Linkedin Twitter Youtube
Home Blog Page 7966

#COVID-19 Regional Updates (06/23/20)

For Manila’s quarantine facilities

MANILA MAYOR Francisco M. Domagoso (left) receives plastic furnishings donated by Grand Taipan Land Development, Inc. President Joeben Tai for the city’s quarantine facilities. As of June 22, Manila has 1,270 active coronavirus patients and 715 suspect and probable cases under monitoring. Over 600 from the city have recovered from the disease.

Cimatu buckles down to work on COVID situation in Cebu City

ENVIRONMENT SECRETARY Roy A. Cimatu immediately flew to Cebu City on Tuesday after President Rodrigo R. Duterte appointed him to oversee the response measures in Cebu City, which now has the highest number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the country. “To my brothers and sisters in Cebu, both in the city and the provinces, I will send over General Cimatu,” Mr. Duterte said in a speech late Monday night. Cebu City, with 4,852 COVID-19 cases as of June 22, has overtaken all other cities in Metro Manila, which was the epicenter of the outbreak in the country. Upon his arrival in Cebu, Mr. Cimatu, a retired military general, held meetings with local government and health officials, the police, and other members of the local COVID-19 inter-agency task force. — Gillian M. Cortez with a report from The Freeman

NTA gives P49.5M assistance to tobacco farmers

THE NATIONAL Tobacco Administration (NTA) has released P49.5 million in rice production assistance under a program that aims to increase the alternative income of tobacco contract growers. The beneficiaries are 3,537 tobacco-rice farmers in major tobacco producing areas in Abra, Cagayan, Isabela, and the four provinces of Ilocos Region. The rice production assistance worth P25,000 per hectare with 40% subsidy will cover costs such as the purchase of certified seeds, tractor or animal rental for land preparation, fuel for irrigation, and fertilizers. The NTA’s Integrated Farming and Other Income-Generating Activities program is in line with the Rice Resiliency Project of the Department of Agriculture. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Senate under semi-lockdown after 2 staff test positive for COVID

THE SENATE has been placed on partial lockdown upon confirmation that two of its employees tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III said. “We are already in semi lockdown. I was just briefed by the Senate Secretary of the request of some employees,” Mr. Sotto told reporters over phone message Tuesday. He said the Senate cannot be placed on total lockdown as hearings and other legislative work are ongoing. “My suggestion to the Senate Secretary is to inform those (offices) who want a lockdown to do so if they prefer, but we cannot declare so for the entire Senate.” According to the Senate Medical and Dental Bureau, 16 positive cases have been recorded since March, of whom 14 have recovered and 2 are still active cases. Mr. Sotto also said the persons exposed to the two active cases have already concluded the mandatory 14-day self quarantine. Among those who tested positive and recovered were Senators Juan Miguel F. Zubiri, Juan Edgardo M. Angara and Aquilino L. Pimentel III. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

Public school students in Makati to get blended learning package, daily pre-paid internet access

PRESCHOOL TO senior high school students in Makati City’s public schools will get a blended learning package and free prepaid internet access daily during the coming academic year that is expected to start August. Mayor Abigail S. Binay, in a statement on Tuesday, said over 85,000 students will receive the learner’s pack, which includes a flash drive containing learning modules, printed modules, and two washable face masks. “The city government has been actively involved in current efforts of the Department of Education to ensure that quality education continues to be accessible to the youth amidst the crisis. We are committed to making the blended learning approach work to the advantage of our students, through equipping them with the right tools,” Ms. Binay said. She also appealed to parents to support the adjusted schooling system by taking a more active role in their children’s education at home. “We are counting on the parents to do their part by guiding their children in the daily learning activities.” Guidelines will also be distributed to parents on how they can better assist their children. Teachers, meanwhile, will also get free internet access for delivering online lessons and activities.

Nationwide round-up

Senate committee to call for audit of workers displaced by coronavirus crisis

THE SENATE committee on labor, employment and human resource development will push for a labor audit as 7.3 million Filipino workers have so far been displaced by the economic downturn due to the coronavirus crisis. “That’s what we’re shooting for, a labor audit. We wanted to find out how many workers are affected, how many will be affected, what are we doing, and what can we do,” Senator Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva said in an online briefing Tuesday. He said the committee will also look into the job market under the “new normal” in order to assist government agencies in the retraining or upskilling of workers. “One of the strategy is to retool, reskill or upskill… How much additional fund will we be needing for this?” He noted that this will help workers become employable as the country transitions. Mr. Villanueva further said that the government must address the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) along with improving policies for workers to enable the country to recover from the crisis. “The path to economic recovery has two stumbling blocks, one the continuing increase of COVID-19 cases, and the lack of a clear set of policies for our workers,” he said.— Charmaine A. Tadalan

Senators push for suspension of online seller tax registration

Senator Risa N. Hontiveros-Baraquel on Tuesday asked the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to suspend until the end of the year the implementation of the circular requiring online sellers to register. She filed Senate Resolution No. 453 seeking to suspend the mandatory registration until Dec. 2020, pending the results of an inquiry on the taxation of individuals engaged in online business during the coronavirus crisis. “It is best for everybody’s interests if the BIR suspends the implementation of the memo until December 31, 2020, while government agencies review and craft better policy guidelines on how online entrepreneurs should register or pay taxes,” she said in a statement. The issuance of Revenue Memorandum Circular 60-2020 that directed online sellers to register until July 31 was slammed by senators, who deemed it was “ill-timed and insensitive.” The Department of Finance had explained that taxes will not be imposed on individuals earning up to P250,000 annually, but senators have argued that the registration will still be costly for online sellers. “All of this will entail administrative cost… kapag nakita niya ito, mawawalan ng gana (once they see this, they’ll lose the motivation),” Mr. Villanueva said in an online briefing. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

Team formed for policy on foreign nationals’ entry

A TECHNICAL working group has been formed to draft the country’s policy on the entry of foreign nationals amid the continued coronavirus threat. Palace Spokesperson Harry L. Roque said this was prompted by one embassy’s request for the Philippine government to allow its nationals to fly in, particularly those who have work permits as well as consultants needed in flagship projects. He did not name the country. Under current guidelines, the only foreign nationals allowed to travel to the Philippines are spouses of Filipinos and diplomats. — Gillian M. Cortez

CHED launches resource-sharing app for higher education

THE COMMISSION on Higher Education (CHED) has launched an online application that allows access to higher education course materials in various formats. “Philippine CHED Connect… is very timely during the transition to the new normal as it contains higher education course materials in text, media and other digital assets. I have always asserted over the past months that learning must continue, quarantine or no quarantine,” CHED Chairman Prospero E. De Vera III said during the virtual launch and press conference on Tuesday. The materials are in text, audio, and video format, which can be used for teaching, learning and research purposes. The resources cover a wide range of fields. “We will develop the protocols on expanding it later in consultation with universities and our partners both internationally and locally,” he said. Meanwhile, Mr. De Vera also announced that CHED is already coordinating with the Department of Health for the guidelines on holding face-to-face classes. The rules will be presented to the national task force handling the coronavirus response for approval, then to be pilot-tested in July. In areas where there is limited or no connectivity, Mr. De Vera said universities can combine “limited face-to-face and off-classroom or off campus activities.” — Genshen L. Espedido

Almost 500 complaints filed on cash aid distribution

ALMOST 500 complaints, mostly against local officials, have been filed over alleged mishandling of funds under the coronavirus cash aid program for poor households. Palace Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, in a Tuesday briefing, said there are 496 complaints involving 728 suspects based on data from the Department of Interior and Local Government. Of the total, 157 cases have been filed before the fiscal’s office. The cash aid is a national program under the Department of Social Welfare and Development, but distribution was delegated to local governments. Meanwhile, President Rodrigo R. Duterte said he is vouching for the integrity of his appointed officials after the Ombudsman’s office launched a probe on Department of Health (DoH) officials, including Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III, over their response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. In his talk to the nation Monday, Mr. Duterte said he will not interfere with the move of Ombudsman Samuel R. Martires, but trusts his officials. “With due respect to the Ombudsman, the Honorable Martires… I will say I believe in the honesty and integrity of my people,” he said. — Gillian M. Cortez

Hacking in a time of COVID-19

More than two months ago, the Philippines was placed under a nationwide lockdown. Overnight, everything became digital. The traditional classroom set-up became virtual classes, while boardroom meetings, as well as informal gatherings, shifted to video conferencing meetings. Online apps for buying and selling are also utilized, and going cashless has become the preferred mode of payment.

With the rise of these online platforms, the threat to our personal data is also increasing. Recent news reported several cyber-related breaches, including fraudulent credit card transactions, identity thefts, and software stealing. Cybercriminals have taken advantage of the current health crisis and are attacking individuals, corporations, and even government organizations when their cyber defenses are most vulnerable.

Hacking is one of the most common types of cybercrimes. These hackers, specifically the black hat hackers, are responsible for taking advantage of the weaknesses of computer systems and maliciously infiltrate the same to illegally obtain some gain or benefits.

In the Philippines, we have several laws that punish the act of hacking.

Foremost is Republic Act No. 8792, or the Electronic Commerce Act of 2000, which defines hacking as the “unauthorized access into or interference in a computer system/server or information and communication system; or any access in order to corrupt, alter, steal, or destroy using a computer or other similar information and communication devices, without the knowledge and consent of the owner of the computer or information and communications system, including the introduction of computer viruses and the like, resulting in the corruption, destruction, alteration, theft or loss of electronic data messages or electronic document.”

A person who is found guilty of hacking is “punished by a minimum fine of P100,000 and a maximum commensurate to the damage incurred and a mandatory imprisonment of six months to three years.”

Republic Act No. 11449, which expanded the Access Devices Regulations Act of 1998, likewise punishes hacking. A person found guilty of this act is punished by an “imprisonment for not less than six years and not more than 10 years and a fine of P500,000 or twice the value obtained by the offender, whichever is higher, without prejudice to the civil liability of the offender.” Moreover, hacking of a bank’s system is considered an economic sabotage, which is met with the harshest penalty of life imprisonment.

Under Republic Act No. 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, offenses against confidentiality, integrity and availability of computer data and systems, including, 1.) illegal access to a computer system without right; 2.) illegal interception; 3.) data interference; and, 4.) system interference, are penalized. Any person found guilty of any of the above acts shall be “punished with imprisonment of prision mayor or a fine of at least P200,000 up to a maximum amount commensurate to the damage incurred or both.”

Finally, Republic Act No. 10173, or the Data Privacy Act of 2012, recognizes the role of information and communications technology in the modern world, and the need to protect and secure the rights of the data subject, particularly its right to privacy. The law punishes unauthorized processing of personal and sensitive personal information, as well as unauthorized access or intentional breach of security data systems where personal and sensitive information is stored. A person found violating the provisions of the Data Privacy Act will be subject to imprisonment and/or a fine.

With the government’s policy encouraging everyone to stay, learn, or work from home, focus on one’s cybersecurity is essential. Being online opens new doors for cybercriminals to exploit our vulnerabilities. Thus, it is timely and apt to know and understand the laws that protect our rights against hacking.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. The article is for general information and educational purposes, and not offered as, and does not constitute, legal advice or legal opinion.

 

Ann Catherine L. Co is an Associate of the Cebu Branch of the Angara Abello Concepcion Regala & Cruz Law Offices (ACCRALAW).

clco@accralaw.com

Turning the digital divide to dividends

In a recent speech, President Rodrigo Duterte declared that face-to-face classes will be suspended until a vaccine for the coronavirus disease 2019 has been found. As a result, the country’s educational system, from basic to higher education, finds itself abruptly shifting to either blended or online modes of instruction.

No less than Education Secretary Leonor Briones admitted that this new setup is a challenge, as this shift entails not only training an entire army of teachers and staff on how best to deliver educational content via computer screens, but also ensuring that the infrastructure for this new policy will be sufficient to support the demand.

The country’s current ranking in Speedtest.net’s mobile internet speed index is not reassuring; especially as mobile internet is the main gateway to the internet for most Filipino households. Ranking 121 with an average mobile internet speed of 14.23Mbps, we are trailing Côte d’Ivoire, Nepal, and Haiti, countries which had undergone fairly recent political upheavals and natural disasters. These countries’ Gross Domestic Product per capita are at worst a quarter (Haiti) of our own GDP per capita or at best half (Côte d’Ivoire) of ours.

In comparison with our peers in Southeast Asia, our internet ranking should definitely worry us. Both with lower GDP per capita than the Philippines, Vietnam ranks 60th and Laos ranks 91st in mobile internet speeds.

These indicators show that despite benchmark GDP growth in recent years, the country’s digital infrastructure has not progressed at a level consistent with our economic output. This digital divide is one of the country’s most binding constraints, the impact of which will certainly be more felt as Philippine education shifts to online learning.

The reasons for the stunted growth of the country’s digital infrastructure has been well documented. In order to increase coverage and ensure reliable delivery of mobile internet, at least 50,000 cell towers need to be built around the country. According to the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the country only has about 19,000 cell towers, the expansion of which has been stymied by the time-and-resource consuming processing of no less than 25 permits and documents needed at both the national and local government levels.

While the Ease of Doing Business Law provides specific deadlines in the processing of permits and licenses, the value of abiding by strict timelines has not yet permeated fully within the bureaucracy. This is because the anti-red tape law does not punish the unreasonable or arbitrary exercise of discretion in the processing of permits and licenses, it only punishes the failure to comply with timelines.

As a result, applicants remain on their toes on whether or not their applications will be approved or rejected despite complete requirements. We have seen these in some regulatory agencies that despite complete requirements, every supposedly legal or policy objection to frustrate applications had been raised. Imagine undergoing the same processes in at least 25 permits or licenses, just to build a single cell tower.

As we enter the new normal with the shift to online education, no less than the President should set the stage to fast-track the country’s digital infrastructure development, as blended or fully online modes of education cannot be effective without fast, reliable internet. The advantages of effective use integrating ICT in education are already obvious. The rich and engaging content available to learners and the skill sets needed to survive in a digitized world is now the standard that must be democratized.

For this school year, at least eight million students will be enrolled, with at least five million in basic education and at least three million in higher education. Cognizant of the limitations of public-school learners in accessing devices and the internet, the Department of Education has announced a blended learning strategy where online and offline modes will be available depending on the realities of each school. When schools eventually start non-face-to-face classes, the current bandwidth and signal of our telecommunications infrastructure will be put to the test.

But national leadership during crises has always been key to solving national problems. The President should take the lead: create a taskforce to fast-track digital infrastructure development with an immediate focus on supporting online learning. National agencies and local governments should cooperate in expediting the building of new infrastructure for digital expansion.

By doing this, we are more than certain that the great digital divide will turn into digital dividends, not only for our students in blended or online education, but for a host of productive sectors reliant on fast, reliable internet for their operations.

 

Terry Ridon is a non-resident Fellow at Stratbase ADR Institute and a convenor of InfraWatch PH.

When to wear a mask and when you can skip it

By Faye Flam

SCIENCE has a lot to say about the effectiveness of wearing a mask to stop the spread of the coronavirus, but the communication of that science has been corrupted by a combination of partisan divides, sensationalist media stories, distrust, false dichotomies, and letting the perfect be the enemy of the good.

The studies on masks aren’t perfectly definitive, but that’s typical of many issues involving health risks — from mercury contamination to cancer screenings. It’s still better to make decisions based on an incomplete body of evidence than to ignore evidence altogether. In this case, it helps to add a dose of situational awareness and common sense.

The public health community got off on the wrong foot with masks by advising against wearing them and then making a sudden flip-flop and telling us not to leave home without them. Further complicating the picture is a mix of people’s individual attitudes. Some members of the public still fear the virus and want to remain safe, and others are at peace with their risk but want some guidance on how to be a good citizen — or at least be perceived as one.

There have been reasonably convincing studies showing that masks stop some of the particles that might carry the virus out of people’s mouths. That suggests masks’ potential to protect others. Then there are observational studies, which look at mask use in the real world.

On June 1, The Lancet published an analysis of 172 such studies, many of them done in health care settings. The authors concluded that mask-wearing combined with eye protection and social distancing could cut down on the spread of the virus, though the authors admitted to a high degree of uncertainty.

Another study came down on the side of mandatory mask-wearing by watching disease trends in Wuhan and New York City. But some other researchers noted flaws in that study, published in the Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences. The one-to-two-week delay between infection and test results would suggest infections in New York City dropped well before masks were made mandatory. Some experts wanted the study retracted.

When there are multiple changes in behavior going on at the same time, it can be impossible to connect any one of those changes to rising or falling case numbers.

That doesn’t mean the information in those studies can’t be useful. Physician and infectious disease specialist Muge Cevik, who has been a prescient guide to relative risks, pointed out to me that mask-wearing should be informed by other studies on how the virus spreads. A consensus is finally starting to form that there’s a negligible risk outdoors away from other people, and that very brief encounters pose very little risk, such as people walking, running, or cycling past you.

Common sense would suggest that if an activity poses negligible risk, then wearing a mask offers only a negligible benefit, and should be optional.

On the other extreme are potential super-spreading events — anywhere many people are confined indoors, especially if there’s close contact. Trump’s planned Oklahoma rally is a good example. There, common sense would dictate that such events should not take place at all.

Then there’s the middle ground. Mask wearing is likely to do the most good in settings where people have little choice but to interact in enclosed spaces — grocery shopping, riding public transportation, ride-sharing, getting a haircut, or seeing a doctor.

Also in this middle category is gathering outdoors in large groups — such as at a protest. If most protestors wear a mask at all times, this will likely reduce transmissions.

Cevik, who works at the University of St. Andrews in the UK, pointed out that the six-foot rule applies best outdoors, while in badly ventilated indoor settings, aerosol particles might accumulate and put people at risk even if they never get that close to others. And length of exposure matters a lot, so bus drivers, haircutters, and store clerks face a much higher risk than their customers. Their risk very likely goes down if customers wear masks.

Then there’s a problematic category of activities, such as eating in restaurants, where masks can’t be worn constantly. Would diners be stuck trying to pull masks on and off with every bite? Some experts say such “fiddling” with masks is only going to spread any viruses the mask has captured. As a compromise, many restaurants are seating people outdoors and allowing them to keep masks off while eating. Gyms and yoga studios pose a similar challenge.

The risks associated with close contact and crowds seem obvious and intuitive. And yet Americans have been fixated on the unlikely possibility that infectious doses of virus would fly off cyclists or creep in on packages. In response, some have adopted irrational mask-wearing practices, such as keeping one on while riding or driving, but pulling it down to congregate and chat with groups of people.

And it’s no surprise that politics would infuse the issue, given the moral tone of the mask debate and different messages on mainstream and conservative media. In the US, we have some fraction of people wearing a mask all the time, and some fraction never wearing one. It would be better if everyone wore one when it was likely to help.

BLOOMBERG OPINION

NCAA dealing with impact of the pandemic head-on

ADVERSELY AFFECTED by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the National Collegiate Athletic Association finds itself needing to be creative in finding ways to forge ahead, particularly in staging its Season 96.

Speaking at the online Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday, NCAA Management Committee Chairman Fr. Vic Calvo of Season 96 host Colegio de San Juan de Letran and last season’s chair Peter Cayco of Arellano University shared the current episode with COVID-19 has been tough for the country’s oldest collegiate league but they remain hopeful that things would eventually settle for them to resume activities.

“This is something difficult for us. We were supposed to open [the season] soon but we’re not. This is the new normal which is really not normal. It is tough but we are doing everything we can,” said Mr. Calvo, whose institution is celebrating its quadricentennial anniversary this year.

Traditionally opens in July, the NCAA decided to push the staging of Season 96 to early next year because of COVID-19, which remains a going concern for the country.

It has short-listed four mandatory sports for the season, namely, basketball, volleyball, track and field and swimming, even as it said it is still studying the possibility of including online sports and activities in the calendar.

The NCAA in March decided to cut short the holding of Season 95 as COVID-19 took further root in the country and mitigating measures put up by the government to fight against it were raised.

Some events like indoor volleyball were abruptly ended because of it while sports like beach volleyball, track and field and cheerdance did not even see the light of day.

The turn of events pushed the NCAA not to award an overall champion for the truncated season.

For Season 96, Messrs. Calvo and Cayco said the NCAA is looking at all possibilities, crafting numerous plans to stay flexible to whatever situation it may face come opening day.

“It all depends on what the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases), CHEd (Commission on Higher Education) and DepEd (Department of Education) would say. We would follow them in the kind of setup, protocols we will have for the season,” said Mr. Calvo.

“We are studying everything, from the budget, eligibility, holding of games and concerns on vaccines, and others. We are looking at different scenarios,” he added.

The officials said all NCAA member schools are having their share of struggles amid the pandemic but that they as an organization are standing together and they are confident that when activities eventually resume the NCAA will be one and strong. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Players test positive for COVID-19, poses questions for tennis’ return

BELGRADE/BENGALURU — Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki tested positive for COVID-19 after playing in Novak Djokovic’s Adria Tour exhibition event, raising serious concerns for tennis governing bodies in their bid to restart the sport after a lengthy shutdown.

The professional circuit was halted in early March as nations closed borders and imposed lockdowns to contain the spread of the virus.

Last week the men’s ATP and the WTA, which runs women’s events, issued revised calendars for the resumption of the circuit from August while organizers of the US Open said the Grand Slam will be staged without fans as scheduled from Aug. 31 to Sept. 13 in New York.

Those plans, however, could need to be redrawn after three players who had featured in the Adria Tour event tested positive for the coronavirus. On Sunday Grigor Dimitrov said he had contracted the coronavirus disease 2019.

While the players did not break any Serbian or Croatian government protocols, as neither country required the athletes to maintain any social distancing, the fact that three players and some support staff caught the virus highlights the risks of athletes from different countries being in close proximity to each other.

“I want to make sure anyone who has been in contact with me during the last few days gets tested,” Coric, ranked No. 33 in the world, said on Twitter. “I am really sorry for any harm I might have caused. I’m feeling well and don’t have any symptoms.”

Troicki played in the first leg staged at Djokovic’s tennis complex in central Belgrade from June 13–14, before Dimitrov and Coric tested positive at the second leg in Zadar held from June 20–21.

Troicki, 34, entered Janko Tipsarevic’s Eastern European Championship tournament which started in Belgrade last Monday and pulled out after learning that he and his wife tested positive.

“My wife took the test on Friday and I took it on Sunday after she tested positive,” Troicki told Serbia’s Telegraf website. “Our daughter tested negative.”

The ATP wished players and staff who tested positive at the event a speedy recovery and urged “strict adherence to responsible social distancing” to limit the spread of the virus.

The governing body added that it will implement a variety of precautions and protocols that would be adjusted as and when dictated by the latest medical information to ensure safety at events when the tour resumes on Aug. 14.

The WTA did not respond to a request for comment. Organizers of the Adria Tour could not be reached for comment.

Bulgarian Dimitrov flew in to play in Djokovic’s event in Belgrade and the second leg, as did other top names like Dominic Thiem of Austria and Germany’s Alexander Zverev.

Organizers of other sports looking to resume from the coronavirus shutdown will be watching developments with some trepidation as they try to find the safest way of getting competition back under way.

NO SOCIAL DISTANCING
The tournament witnessed packed stands during the opening leg in Belgrade, players hugging at the net, playing basketball, posing for pictures and attending press conferences together.

Djokovic organized nights out in Belgrade for the players and pictures and videos of him dancing with the other participants at his event were posted on social media.

With both Serbia and Croatia easing lockdown measures weeks before the event, players were not obliged to observe social distancing rules in either country.

“It is recommended that anyone who has been in close contact for more than 10 minutes with the tennis player be advised to self-isolate for 14 days and to contact their doctor,” the event organizers said in a statement on Monday.

With international tennis suspended, Djokovic organized the Adria Tour as a charity event to be contested over four legs across the former Yugoslavia.

Djokovic’s fitness coach Marco Panichi also tested positive, Serbian daily Sportski Zurnal reported, quoting Croatia’s health institute.

The men’s world number one took the test on Monday after returning to Belgrade in the morning and his test results will be announced on Tuesday, after which he is set to address the public, Serbian media reported.

Zverev, Croatia’s Marin Cilic and Russian Andrey Rublev — who all played at the Adria Tour — said they tested negative for the virus but will follow self-isolation guidelines. — Reuters

Raptors preparing to resume season in Florida

THE defending National Basketball Association champions Toronto Raptors began preparations to resume the 2019–20 season on Monday.

Select players and staff members were headed to Fort Myers, Florida, where they will remain until the NBA campus in Orlando opens in early July.

“In keeping with NBA and team safety protocols, there will be no group workouts during this phase of return to play, and strict protocols have been designed to ensure this initial level of access will take place in a safe, controlled, and healthy way,” the team said in a press release.

Group workouts will not begin until the Raptors report to the Disney World facility for the league’s 22-team restart.

The organization also said there will be no in-person media availabilities during this stage. Access to team hotels and voluntary individual workout facilities will be limited to essential team personnel.

Toronto compiled a 46-18 record and ranked second in the Eastern Conference, 6.5 games behind the Milwaukee Bucks, when the season was suspended in mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

KNICKS COACHING JOB
Meanwhile, add Jason Kidd and Mike Brown to the growing list of New York Knicks head-coaching candidates.

The Knicks reportedly received permission to interview the two former head coaches, which would increase the number to 11 under consideration for the post.

The New York Times on Monday first reported that the club had obtained the go-ahead to interview Kidd, who is currently an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Athletic first reported the news that Brown would be interviewed. He is associate head coach of the Golden State Warriors.

Kidd, a Hall-of-Fame player, has a 183-190 record in parts of five seasons as an NBA head coach. He spent one season coaching the Brooklyn Nets (2013-14), compiling a 44-38 record and guiding the club to the second round of the playoffs.

Kidd, 47, jumped to the Milwaukee Bucks and went 139-152 with two playoff appearances, both ending in the first round. He was fired just past the midway point of the 2017-18 season.

Brown, 50, has a 347-216 mark in seven-plus seasons. He guided the Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA Finals in 2006-07 before they were swept by the San Antonio Spurs.

He won 50 or more games four times with the Cavaliers, including records of 66-16 in 2008-09 and 61-21 in 2009-10. However, he was let go after neither of those 60-win clubs reached the NBA Finals.

Brown took over as coach of the Los Angeles Lakers prior to the 2011–12 season and was eventually fired after five games of the following season. He again served as coach of the Cavaliers in 2013–14 before again being dismissed.

Brown guided the Cavaliers to the playoffs five times and also helped the Lakers make a postseason appearance in 2012.

The other coaches in New York’s mix, according to multiple media reports, are former head men Tom Thibodeau, Kenny Atkinson and Mike Woodson; interim Knicks head coach Mike Miller and assistants Pat Delaney (Orlando), Chris Fleming (Chicago), Will Hardy (San Antonio), Jamahl Mosley (Dallas) and Ime Udoka (Philadelphia). — Reuters

POC reaffirms support to athletes as it celebrates Olympic Day

IN LINE with the celebration of Olympic Day this week, the Philippine Olympic Committee reaffirmed its support to Filipino athletes especially during these trying times with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

In an online press conference on Monday organized by the POC in celebration of Olympic Day, body president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said the POC is downright working to ensure that athletes are looked after accordingly despite the myriad of challenges at hand.

Among the concerns they are looking into, Mr. Tolentino said, is the possibility of select athletes, particularly those who have qualified for the Olympic Games and are still angling to make it there, to resume training albeit under strict health and safety protocols.

Mr. Tolentino, also the president of the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines (PhilCycling), said the POC will try to help as well in restoring the full amount of the athletes’ monthly allowances, which were recently cut as part of the government coffers was rechanneled to the fight against COVID-19.

The POC president said they have reached out to the pertinent government agencies, including the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), on the possibility of resuming training for athletes vying for a spot in the rescheduled Olympic Games in Tokyo next year.

This is to allow the athletes enough time to condition their body and prepare for the eventual reopening of qualifying tournaments later this year or in early 2021.

“We need to start preparing now for the resumption of overseas tournaments where athletes will compete in. We should allow them (athletes) to train, especially those seeking to qualify for the Olympics,” said Mr. Tolentino, who is also a sitting congressman, representing the eighth district of Cavite.

“We’re discussing the possibility of resuming training with the PSC and IATF,” he added.

Currently, four Filipino athletes have already qualified for the Tokyo Games, namely, EJ Obiena (pole vault), Carlos Yulo (gymnastics) and Eumir Felix Marcial and Irish Magno (boxing).

Those still trying to qualify include Hidilyn Diaz (weightlifting), skateboarder Margielyn Didal, BMX rider Danny Caluag, cyclist Ariana Dormitorio, boxer Nesthy Petecio, taekwondo jin Pauline Lopez and karateka Junna Tsukii.

Mr. Tolentino said they are hoping that these athletes, along with others, be allowed to train once again although with safety a primary consideration.

ALLOWANCES
As for the athletes’ allowances, Mr. Tolentino said it was unfortunate such had to be done, especially since Philippine sports was coming from a high last year after the country bagged the overall title in the 30th Southeast Asian Games held here.

Because of the ongoing battle against COVID-19, a large chunk of the budget of the PSC from the government was realigned to efforts addressing the effects of the pandemic.

This, along with limited remittances from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), where the PSC also gets funding for its operations, forced the sports agency to make the hard decision to slash what athletes get monthly as allowances.

Mr. Tolentino said in his capacity as well as a member of the House of Representatives, he will ask Congress to give back the money intended for the athletes so as to have the latter get by amid the pandemic.

“As a member of the House of Representative, we in Congress will try to give back the amount that was taken from the PSC and have the athletes included as beneficiaries in the extension of the Bayanihan Act,” he said.

Meanwhile, unlike previous years, Olympic Day, which celebrates the birth of the modern Olympic Games and is commemorated every June 23, in the country will largely be observed online.

The POC has lined up a series of activities until June 30 in celebration of the event built around the theme of “Move. Learn. Discover.” — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Quest to repeat

Of the 22 franchises in the National Basketball Association slated to head to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort for the resumption of the 2019–20 campaign, the Raptors have the toughest hurdles by far. For instance, cross-border considerations — significant under normal circumstances and downright restrictive in light of the pandemic — have compelled them to set their assimilation schedule even ahead of the players union’s efforts to come up with a consensus on participation in the bubble.

And so the Raptors find themselves already in Florida, a full week and a half before the other playoff hopefuls arrive in the state to gather for the culmination of the season. Prepping for the resumption of their title defense in their Toronto home base wound have been complicated at best, with quarantine protocols requiring them to first isolate themselves for 14 days upon their arrival in Canada. Instead, they opted to adopt the Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers as their temporary headquarters before pushing forward to Orlando early next month.

If nothing else, the Raptors’ willingness to be subject to extraordinary measures just to be among those casting moist eyes on the hardware speaks volumes of their confidence in repeating as champions. Pundits have pointed to the Bucks, Lakers, Clippers, and even Celtics as the most likely contenders, but no matter. As far as they’re concerned, they remain first among equals until they’re dethroned; everybody else has to come through them. And, to their credit, they’ve proven their capacity to exceed expectations; for all the discounting being done to their chances following the departure of Finals Most Valuable Player Kawhi Leonard, they’ve remained focused, confident, and eminently capable of going all the way anew.

To be sure, they’ve benefited from excellent planning, not to mention experience. Having been there and done that, they continue to be wholly committed to the cause. And, Leonard’s absence aside, continuity isn’t a problem at all. Chief bench tactician Nick Nurse, prime candidate for Coach of the Year, not only knows how to make the most of what he has; his charges have responded in turn. Which is to say they’re right where they want to be: written off, but in excellent position to thrive.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.

Pandemic digital habits expected to stick around after public health crisis

NEW digital behaviors adopted by consumers and businesses during the coronavirus crisis are expected to linger after the pandemic, accelerating the long-term growth of the technology sector, the Franklin Equity Group said.

“People and businesses have learned new digital skills and found that many of these experiences are passable. We believe many behaviors have permanently changed,” Franklin Equity Group Vice-President and Portfolio Manager Jonathan Curtis said in a virtual conference Tuesday.

He also noted that businesses and consumers will continue to utilize many of the new digital services they discovered during the crisis.

“This will compel digital laggards to invest in their own transformation and could help to accelerate digital transformation in the years ahead,” Mr. Curtis said.

Before the crisis, he said, the information and communications technology sector was already performing well due to a combination of “secular digital transformation growth; good quality, highly profitable businesses with strong balance sheets; and reasonable valuations.”

The government-imposed lockdowns in most countries had tested resilience across all industries, but digital transformation leaders “were more agile than their non-digital peers as they quickly pivoted… with work from home, educate from home, shop from home, health care from home, exercise from home, socialize from home, and dine out from home solutions,” Mr. Curtis said.

“We believe that social distancing will continue even as lockdowns are lifted, keeping many of these new digital skills, services and revised digital business processes highly relevant,” he added.

Once the crisis is over, Mr. Curtis said, a “very powerful acceleration” in tech revenue growth is expected.

Among the companies that responded to the new landscape brought about by the pandemic are Google, Apple, GitLab, and Atlassian.

“They have moved their sales conferences to online formats and are learning how to close deals over Zoom meetings,” Mr. Curtis noted.

Exercise equipment and media company Peloton saw “significant demand and has opened its digital app offering to new users,” he added.

Nike, a sportswear company, has also been offering digital workout classes.

With the surge in demand for entertainment, both Netflix and Youtube had to reduce their bit rates to protect local access to networks.

Gaming entertainment services like Amazon’s Twitch also saw “very strong demand” during the crisis, Mr. Curtis said. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Legislators seek investigation into fertilizer procurement

THE Makabayan bloc in Congress filed House Resolution 992 urging the Committee on Agriculture and Food to investigate the Department of Agriculture’s (DA’s) fertilizer procurement, amid allegations that its purchase price was inflated.

On April 28, the DA posted an invitation to bid for the supply and delivery of 5.69 million bags of urea fertilizer with an approved budget of P5.69 billion. The agency also invited bids to supply 1.8 million bags of urea fertilizers for P1.8 billion or P1,000 per bag.

“The total contract for the P1.8 billion fertilizer could be overpriced by at least P271.66 million as farmers from Tarlac and Nueva Ecija attest that the prevailing average price of urea is pegged only at P850 per bag,” according to the resolution.

Through its Bids and Awards Committee, the DA had issued Notices to Award and Contract to the two winning companies, La Filipina Uy Gongco Corp. and Atlas Fertilizer Corp.

La Filipina Uy Gongco Corp. delivered 97,615 bags at P990 per bag to Region 4-A; 694,904 bags at P995 per bag to Region 6; and 911,073 bags at P995 per bag to Region 3.

Meanwhile, Atlas Fertilizer Corp. delivered 107,498 bags at P900 per bag to Region 7.

“This issue on the alleged overpriced fertilizer further raised suspicion because news reports stated that La Filipina does not also have available stock of urea fertilizers nor has it shown any bill of lading to prove that it had an incoming supply of urea fertilizer and yet it still bagged the contract,” according to the resolution.

The Makabayan bloc added that the DA should put on hold or suspend the succeeding bids for the procurement of an additional P3.8 billion worth of fertilizer “until the questionable bidding and procurement of the P1.8 billion fertilizer is given clarity.”

In a virtual briefing on June 16, Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said that the DA followed government procurement rules in its acquisition of fertilizers.

He said that P1,000 for a 50-kilogram fertilizer bag is lower than the average retail price of urea fertilizer, based on a survey conducted by the DA’s Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority between March and May.

Meanwhile, in a virtual briefing Tuesday, Undersecretary for Operations and Agri-Fisheries Mechanization Ariel T. Cayanan said that the department is open to an investigation by Congress.

“Maliwanag po at consistent ang pahayag ng kalihim. Ito pong dinadaanan nating prosesong ‘to at kung po tayo ay iimbestigahan ay maluwag pong sinasabi ng kalihim na ine-entertain po niya (The Secretary’s pronouncements are clear and consistent. He welcomes an investigation into the process)” he said.

The DA procured fertilizer for rice farmers under the Rice Resiliency Program which aims to increase the country’s rice self-sufficiency to 93% from 87% by the end of 2020. — Genshen L. Espedido

1...7,9657,9667,967...12,800Page 7,966 of 12,800
© 2024 BusinessWorld Publishing.
All rights reserved.
Read our privacy guidelines
Facebook Instagram Linkedin Twitter Youtube