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#COVID-19 Regional Updates (05/05/20)

Pangasinan starts COVID-19 mass testing; no new cases since April 25

PANGASINAN, which has not recorded any new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patient since April 25, started mass testing for the virus on May 5 as the provincial government prepares for the possible easing of restrictions by May 16. Provincial Health Officer Anna Maria Teresa de Guzman, in an interview over the local government’s CapitolNewsTV said priority for testing are frontliners and the patients with mild symptoms who are currently under the care of various health facilities at the municipal level. She explained that “the moderate to severe cases” of about 400 who are admitted in hospitals have already been tested and identified which ones are COVID-19 positive. Pangasinan, still under the strict enhanced community quarantine guidelines, had 39 confirmed cases as of May 5, with 26 recoveries, nine deaths, and four still in hospital.

Construction of temporary shelters for Cotabato earthquake victims resumes

CONSTRUCTION work is resuming soon for the adopt-a-home program for families displaced by the series of earthquakes in Cotabato last year as quarantine restrictions in the province have been eased starting May 1. Vice Governor Emmylou T. Mendoza said one shelter is already “ongoing” while computations and procurement of materials and labor are ongoing for the rest. Before the restrictions imposed to mitigate the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in March, the sponsorship-based program was aiming to start building 40 shelters in the town of Tulunan, the epicenter of several earthquakes. “In the time of COVID-19, other beneficiaries returned to their old homes while others lived with their relatives,” Ms. Mendoza said via Viber. In December last year, five units were already turned over to families in the town’s Barangay Magbok. Ms. Mendoza said their overall target is 100 homes for the villages of Magbok and Paraiso. — Maya M. Padillo

Post-COVID-19 wish list

When the pandemic has fizzled out, what will be the new normal?

Certainly if we are to mature and progress as a people, there has to be a reordering of priorities. Following months of isolation, simplicity and silence, we cannot return to the way things were. Hopefully, we will have realized what basically are truly important to us.

Hopefully, instead of idolizing celebrities, whether famous or notorious, we will have discovered our true heroes: Our farmers and fishers, who continued to produce our food. The truckers who deliver these to groceries and markets. Doctors, nurses, midwives and other health workers who risk and actually sacrifice their lives to care for our sick. Store clerks who man our groceries, banks, and pharmacies. Vendors who continue to man their market stalls. Barangay workers and bureaucrats who do the work of distributing cash, rice, sardines and other commodities to the needy including daily wage labanderas who could not go out to earn.

We should have developed deeper empathies for the jeepney, cab, and tricycle drivers and their families who have suffered greatly during the lockdowns when they could not earn a living. Plumbers, carpenters, mechanics and electricians who could not work. Waiters and baristas in the coffee shops where we chat with our friends. And oh, how we miss our hairdressers and barbers.

If our tragic experience has taught us anything, it should have made us realize that most of the people we need the most in our lives also happen to be among the poorest, including those who produce our food.

I am no economist, but it seems that what they call our Gini coefficient, or the gap between our rich and poor is one of the most obscenely huge in the world. We have a few really filthy rich families who land in Forbes’ lists of the richest in the world, and who account for a minuscule percentage of the total number of Filipinos. And we have the vast majority who are living below what might be termed decent lives.

We are basically a Christian nation. And yet, we pretend not to notice that 30-40% of our compatriots are still experiencing involuntary hunger, even before COVID-19. Imagine how much higher that percentage must have grown during the crisis.

Meanwhile, our media content has been heavy on entertainment and lifestyle (of the rich and famous). Going through them can give the impression that we are a first world country. Even the broadcast programs that reach the “masa” (masses) are heavy on light entertainment. Perhaps this accounts for the kind of voters we have today. Over-entertained?

To be fair, many of our big conglomerates have been doing their share in helping the needy during the crisis. They have given away food and health safety tools such as masks, thermometers and protective gear to health workers in hospitals. Some huge conglomerates continued to pay salaries to their employees, including those who cannot report for work, and have given assistance to many of the poor.

A village officer dressed as the Star Wars character Darth Vader rides a small boat to deliver relief goods to residents in the flooded Artex Compound in Malabon on May 4. — REUTERS

We do have a culture of responding to our neighbors’ needs in times of crisis. This has been demonstrated in the aftermath of typhoon Yolanda in Eastern Visayas, in the earthquake in Bohol, in the recent eruption of Taal. But is this crisis-related generosity sustainable?

It seems to me that our politicians and business leaders might want to do some really radical thinking on how we can attain a more egalitarian society. The most prosperous societies tend to be those where the minimum wage workers can live a decently comfortable life. The United States has to contend with the powerful labor unions who had to fight for their rights for years. And yet, businesses in that richest among all nations probably benefited from the increased and broadened purchasing power of their markets as a consequence of the power of the unions.

Our own economy has been kept afloat by the remittances of our heroic OFWs who had to leave home in order to give a better life, including education, to their families. Our highly paid call center agents have boosted economies such as those in Cebu because of the broad increase in purchasing power.

When Lito Osmena was governor of Cebu, he noted that labor strikes here, which led to higher average salaries especially in the industrial parks, were actually good for Cebu because of the enhanced market for local products and services. When the local shipbuilding industry had to contend with the entry of a Korean shipbuilder in Subic, Cebu welders’ salaries were increased, to stem the tide of “piracy” which was good for the economies of the small towns in Western Cebu.

Perhaps we should consider that instead of keeping our wages low as our competitive edge for investments, we should invest in raising our workers’ productivity; and develop higher value-adding industries the way Singapore did.

Hopefully, our experience with the pandemic has enabled our industrialists and other businessmen to realize that there is really little more that they need; and that they can afford to share more of their corporate incomes with their workers.

Perhaps the academe and civic and business organizations can mount a series of conferences with the government once the pandemic has fizzled out, to figure out how to restructure our economy into a sustainably more equitable and egalitarian one. “Left-leaning” parliamentarians should be part of the process. We cannot go on the way things have been.

The armed radical left has it wrong. My old friend Boy Morales, when he was chair of the National Democratic Front, once said to me “When you no longer have the support of the people, that means your politics is wrong.” The NPA has become, to my mind, a bunch of bandits who live on retainers from threatened businesses. The parliamentary struggle which is allowed under our Constitution should be accepted and respected.

We should not accept the administration’s continuing threats against so-called “leftists” as long as they are not violating the laws of the land. The process of raising consciousness about the need for greater justice must be allowed. It can be functional, if we are to undertake the radical reforms that our country needs.

 

Teresa S. Abesamis is a former professor at the Asian Institute of Management and Fellow of the Development Academy of the Philippines.

tsabesamis0114@yahoo.com

Hello, lockdown, goodbye: Exit strategy for COVID-19

Undeniably, the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), which was imposed by the National Government in the entirety of Luzon, and by different local government units (LGUs) in the other parts of the Philippines, has saved many lives. In its latest report, the University of the Philippines COVID-19 Pandemic Response Team determined that at the time of the imposition of the Luzon-wide ECQ, the virus’ Reproductive Number was hovering at above two to four — the Reproductive Number is used to measure the transmission potential of a disease, and a Reproductive Number of >1 is an indication that the number of cases is increasing. As of April 19, the Reproductive Number in the Philippines is at 1.072. While we have not yet flattened the curve, we can optimistically say that we are slowly getting there.

Undeniably also, the negative economic impact of the imposition of ECQ is quite massive and far-reaching. Not only the private businesses, but even the government is starting to buckle under the financial weight of the ECQ. It comes as no surprise that more and more individuals from the public and private sectors, and even ordinary folks, are advocating for a gradual lifting of the ECQ. To be sure, a shift to normalcy carries with it huge risks. The report from UP COVID-19 Pandemic Response Team warns of an expected surge of COVID-19 cases if the Luzon-wide lockdown is untimely lifted. Thus, the Philippines needs a sustainable exit strategy, which is mindful of both the economy and public health.

One of the aspects of the exit plan which the government must seriously look into is the reopening of businesses and the resultant movement of individuals. With the severity of outbreaks varying markedly across the country, there is a common proposal for the lifting or modification of the ECQ in areas with cases of COVID-19 under control. Under this paradigm, ECQ for low-risk areas are lifted first. The most recent recommendation by the IATF (Inter-Agency Taskforce) favors this kind of geographic segmentation. Another proposal is to implement sector segmentation wherein lower-risk sectors as well as essential sectors of the economy are allowed to reopen.

An important requisite in the implementation of any of these exit proposals is the harmonization of policies issued by different LGUs. Without any collaborative effort on the part of LGUs, the limitation of movement between regions, the enforcement of ECQ in areas still under lockdown, as well as the containment of COVID-19 cases would become major challenges.

The difficulties encountered during the start of the ECQ can actually serve as an illustrative example of the many complications that may arise if policies are not harmonized. When Metro Manila was first placed in a “community quarantine” back in March, the Department of Transportation Task Group’s Guidelines for Management of Emerging Infection Disease required inter-regional public transportation to and from Metro Manila to be terminated at entry points as identified by the PNP (Philippine National Police). This posed a great challenge to individuals residing in the neighboring towns and cities but who worked within the metropolis. Note that at that time, establishments were still allowed to operate. A total of 56 checkpoints at Metro Manila’s different entry points were set up, with police and military personnel performing temperature checks on all passengers. Considering that Metro Manila’s population of 12.88 million swells to around 15 to 16 million during the daytime due to the influx of individuals from neighboring LGUs, it is no wonder that the implementation of these government checkpoints was described to be a “logistical nightmare.” The same problem may arise with the proposed geographic segmentation, as residents from low-risk LGUs may attempt to return to their jobs in LGUs which are still under ECQ and vice versa.

One possible solution to this problem is to enter into reciprocity agreements with other LGUs. This mechanism was previously resorted to by the cities of Cebu, Lapu-Lapu, and Mandaue during the initial stage of the ECQ. Under their reciprocity agreements, cross-border entry of individuals who are exempted from the mandatory stay-at-home orders of the originating LGU was allowed. Further, exempt individuals under the reciprocity agreement were merely asked to show supporting documentation to prove their exempt status. This did away the requirement of securing ECQ passes from different LGUs where the individual would pass through in going to his destination. The clear benefit of these reciprocity agreements is that business establishments which are finally allowed to operate need not worry about their employees being turned away at checkpoints due to conflicting border policies of neighboring LGUs.

Understandably, not all LGUs are willing to enter into reciprocity agreements during the ECQ, especially with an LGU with a burgeoning number of COVID-19 cases. For instance, while the Province of Cebu, just like the cities of Cebu, Lapu-Lapu, and Mandaue, has allowed Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) establishments located within its territorial jurisdiction to continue to operate during the ECQ, BPO employees are not among those individuals who are allowed entry into the Province of Cebu and any of its component cities and municipalities. In effect, a BPO employee who lives in, say, Talisay City, which is within the jurisdiction of Province of Cebu, and goes to work at a BPO in Cebu City, which is outside of the jurisdiction of the Province of Cebu, will not be allowed to go home to Talisay City at the end of his shift even if Talisay City is just adjacent to Cebu City. The rationale for this restriction is valid — that is — to prevent COVID-19 positive individuals from outside the Province of Cebu from inadvertently spreading the virus to any of the latter’s component cities and municipalities.

As a protectionist reaction, it is possible that there may be some LGUs which will continue to impose strict border restrictions even after the implementation of the geographic/sector segmentation. Thus, harmonization of policies and coordination between LGUs is the key. Indeed, a sustainable exit strategy must protect public health, and to the extent possible, prevent a second wave of infection. However, by marooning individuals and keeping employees from going back to work due to strict border restrictions, these LGUs also defeat the very purpose of geographic/sector segmentation, which is to allow the economy to restart and go back to the grind.

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

 

Therese Marie P. Amor is an Associate of the Branch of the Angara Abello Concepcion Regala & Cruz Law Offices (ACCRALAW).

tpamor@accralaw.com

Rebuilding consumer and business confidence towards the new normal

As the government extended the quarantine period further until May 15, a new set of guidelines was released that allowed some businesses to resume, either in partial or full operations. In areas that are still under the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), the list of businesses allowed to operate was expanded on the condition that proper health precautions are strictly observed. In areas now classified as under general community quarantine (GCQ), most businesses will now be allowed to operate but were reminded to still follow the minimum set of health standards.

Getting back to business in the so-called “new normal” is a welcome development for the entire workforce and will also facilitate the uninterrupted flow of goods affected by the travel bans and lockdowns.

Though consumers are eagerly anticipating the reopening of commercial establishments, such as salons, malls, etc., we should be mindful that in the “new normal” scenario, the strict practice of regular sanitation, disinfection, personal hygiene, wearing of personal protective equipment, and appropriate physical distancing in all public places must be followed.

The immediate operation of businesses is critical in order to transition the local economy from its nearly two months of dormancy. However, both consumer and business confidence may take time to recoup, especially if there is still no assurance that the virus would not continue to take its toll even if all quarantine measures have been lifted.

A previous report from the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) stated that, “once the enhanced community quarantine is lifted, there may still be reduced economic activity as the public becomes hesitant to engage. The best way to address this problem is to assure the public of the adequacy of our improved health systems.”

Just over the weekend, the number of COVID-19 positive cases in the country surpassed the 9,000 mark. It is also unfortunate that the death toll breached 600. Over the past several weeks, the reported daily new cases has been maintained at around 200.

The Department of Health (DoH) has been cautious in declaring that it had “flattened the curve,” acknowledging that there are limitations in the available data and expansion of testing is still being conducted in different areas of the country. The agency stated that “it is too early to tell whether the Luzon-wide ECQ is effective, but initial imputation analysis seems to suggest that the quarantine is keeping new case numbers steady.”

As of May 3, there are 22 testing laboratories nationwide with daily output of over 5,000 tests per day. However, according to the DoH, these were still less than the testing capacity goal of 8,000 by the end of April.

In order to further expand and reach the goal of 30,000 tests by May 30, the Inter-Agency Task Force — National Task Force (IATF-NTF) and the DoH, with the support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) launched the public-private task force T3 (Test, Trace and Treat). This expansion in the testing is critical in managing COVID-19 and determining when the ECQ can be modified in selected locations and sectors. The Government has requested the private sector such as hospitals, clinics, and pharmaceutical groups to be initial members of Task Force T3​, and hope that more business groups will throw their much needed support. Among those invited to participate are the Ayala Group’s AC Health, the Metro Pacific (MPIC) Hospital Group, Unilab, the Philippine National Red Cross, and Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation.

Several business groups also want testing for their workers and are willing to invest in necessary safety measures. This facilitates the gradual resumption of operations while safeguarding against new outbreaks.

Private companies are doing their part and cooperating with the government. Some of the country’s top employers have committed to continue the payrolls and even advanced some benefits for their workforce, even when revenues have been greatly disrupted since the quarantine period.

In a previous statement, President Rodrigo Duterte appealed to the private sector for assistance and acknowledged its vital role in augmenting the resources and manpower of the government.

In response, the biggest business groups have been swift, aggressive, and efficient, as these are qualities integral to the developmental culture of successful enterprises. All the government has to do is to remove the barriers for unleashing the potential of all levels of the private sector. Divisive expletives may be entertaining to some but have a damaging effect to our national image as an investment preference.

When the virus has been defeated, the prospect of a quick rebound will depend on the confidence of big investors to choose the Philippines over other economies who will also want to recover from the global economic fallout of the Wuhan virus. The country must be ready to compete for the huge capital needed to reboot the economy.

 

Victor Andres “Dindo” C. Manhit is the President of Stratbase ADR Institute.

For hungry Filipinos during the pandemic, Bayan Bayanihan brings food and hope

By Rosemarie F. Marquez

WHEN a Philippine Army soldier brought food packs to Rowena P. dela Cruz’s doorstep one Saturday afternoon in April, tears streamed down her face.

“Finally, we have food for our children,” said the 29-year-old housewife. Her family of six lives in a 20-square-meter dwelling in Navotas City, northwest of the capital Manila. “We were so happy, as well as all our neighbors. The relief goods were a big blessing to us, especially since my husband is a passenger jeepney driver and he can’t work now, so we don’t know where to get money for food.”

The previous day, Mrs. Dela Cruz, her husband, Federico, and her 70-year-old father-in-law who lives with them and has a lung ailment, had skipped dinner, lunch, and breakfast. Her three children, including an infant, had consumed only milk and bread. Her husband had to give up his job temporarily when enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) started in Metro Manila on March 16. The ECQ is one of the government’s emergency measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 and save lives.

RESPONDING TO THE COVID-19 HEALTH CRISIS
The Dela Cruz family is just one of tens of thousands of poor Filipino households who have received food supplies under the Bayan Bayanihan, a food program launched by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the private sector, in coordination with the Philippine Army.

Bayan Bayanihan, based on the traditional Filipino bayanihan principle of community spirit, was funded through a $5 million technical assistance under the Rapid Emergency Supplies Provision project approved by the ADB on March 26. The project addresses the health crisis caused by COVID-19 by delivering critical food supplies to as many as 140,000 vulnerable households in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces. Target beneficiaries are the poor and marginalized, including people with disabilities and the elderly, as well as daily wage earners in the informal labor market.

“We felt strongly that we had to play our part during these extraordinary times to immediately help the poor and vulnerable groups,” said ADB’s Director General for Southeast Asia Ramesh Subramaniam, who led Bayan Bayanihan. “At the same time, we worked with the government to rapidly prepare our broader support for the country’s fiscal stimulus programs and social protection initiatives.”

A COORDINATED RESPONSE
Mr. Subramaniam said the program was designed to complement national and local governments’ immediate efforts to provide for the basic needs of Filipinos, especially those living in relatively remote areas or far from retail facilities or food markets.

ADB’s approval of the project spurred a rush of online coordination meetings that went late into the night. Hundreds of phone calls were made between program partners including the private sector. Systems and procedures were immediately put in place for the emergency distribution of food supplies.

ADB staff led the food procurement and distribution schedules, and worked with the DSWD to identify the neediest communities. The Philippine Army deployed more than 400 soldiers and civilians to distribute and pack the goods into canvas bags, each containing 35 cans of sardines, tuna flakes, corned beef, and other items.

HELP FOR THE MOST IN NEED
Assembled in line with DSWD specifications, the food packs and accompanying 10-kilogram sacks of rice can sustain a family of five for a week. Soldiers, together with DSWD representatives, visited target communities days before distribution to validate poverty data and coordinate with village captains and social workers to ensure the smooth flow of goods from army trucks to doorsteps.

On March 31, five days after the project approval, Philippine Army trucks rolled out of Army headquarters in Taguig City with rice for 2,000 target households in four cities in Metro Manila — Pasay, Caloocan, Quezon, and Manila. On April 4, Army trucks started going deep into hard-to-reach barangays or villages, delivering 4,613 food packs to residents of Barangay Hulong Duhat in Malabon City. E-tricycles and bicycle taxis were hired to take the food packs to residents who lived down narrow alleyways, allowing them to abide by government guidelines to limit movement outside their homes.

100,000 POOR HOUSEHOLDS REACHED
By April 30, around 100,000 poor households, or half a million people, from all over Metro Manila had received food packs, including people with disabilities in Caloocan City. Contributions from large private sector and philanthropic partners, such as the Philippine Disaster Relief Foundation and Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry enabled the distribution to at least 40,000 more households. The program will end in May.

“We had other groups doing the same thing, but what made ADB’s program of Bayan Bayanihan really matter was the fact that we had a decision to give more,” said Ambassador Marciano Paynor, Jr., a seasoned diplomat and former Chief of Presidential Protocol who helped organize coordination systems for the program. “We are reaching out to the poorest of the poor. We are able to alleviate their hunger. And with this extended ECQ, then all the more you see the importance of having given them the amount that we gave and the places we have been to.”

Aleli Mantequilla, a 39-year-old who works at a biscuit factory and whose nine-year-old son is a person with disability, said the food packs allowed them to stay at home in Caloocan City.

“It is enough for at least two weeks, so we need not go out of the house during this time when it is so dangerous for our health, especially since my son cannot get sick. The food supplies also gave us some peace of mind. We can reallocate our money for paying house bills which are sure to come after the quarantine is lifted,” Ms. Mantequilla said

INSPIRATION AND STRENGTH IN PARTNERSHIP
Lieutenant General Gilbert Gapay, Philippine Army chief, said the program also employed as packers 250 students and caddies working at the Philippine Army golf course who had lost their jobs during the quarantine.

“They work on rotation in batches of 50 to 60, so that all of them will have income,” said General Gapay. “So apart from addressing the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 to poor communities, the program is also helping individuals who lost their jobs. We thank ADB for that.”

Despite risks to their health as frontline workers of the food program, Philippine Army and Navy personnel toiled almost daily to pack and bring food supplies to neighborhoods.

“We derive satisfaction and fulfillment out of helping these poor people, the needy,” General Gapay said. “We also draw inspiration and strength knowing that we have staunch partners willing to serve, like ADB.”

 

Rosemarie F. Marquez is a Senior External Relations Officer of the Philippines Country Office of the Asian Development Bank

Dumb conspiracy theories aren’t the only 5G headwinds

By Alex Webb

DO YOU remember 5G? Before the coronavirus consumed all of our attention, the fifth-generation mobile networks were supposed to be the panacea for lagging economies, telecoms firms, keeping pace with China, autonomous cars, smart factories and plenty more besides.

Overhyped? Maybe. But 5G will still be an economic boon. And perhaps inevitably, COVID-19 has collided with the rollout of the new technology, which ultimately depends on four ingredients: popular acceptance and adoption; the ability to install the equipment; access to capital; and the availability of spectrum — the radio frequencies used to transmit the signal that will allow vast gobs of data to be transmitted at lightning speeds.

For now, telecoms companies insist the pandemic will only delay the rollout by several months. That may be optimistic. Problems with any one of the four factors above could throw things off course, and the current environment has elevated that likelihood. Given their role in dividing up the spectrum and auctioning it, governments have a particular responsibility to ensure they don’t hold up the process any more than is necessary.

Much has been made of the conspiracy theories falsely suggesting 5G contributed to, or even caused, the virus’ spread. They prompted the gloriously terse response from the UK’s telecommunications regulator Ofcom: “This is wrong. There is no scientific basis or credible evidence for these claims.”

The falsehoods may still permeate public opinion. Research suggests that even if people don’t believe conspiracy theories per se, they can nonetheless influence their views. So an underlying fear, however unwarranted, could persist that 5G is somehow detrimental to one’s health. That could perpetuate popular opposition to the necessary proliferation of new antennas.

The virus has already disrupted the global supply chain, making it harder to source gear from China in particular. Telecoms equipment maker Nokia Oyj said that such interruptions shaved 200 million euros ($218 million) from revenue in the first quarter, and they continue to be a risk. Lockdowns are also making it harder to install that equipment. Orange SA Chief Financial Officer Ramon Fernandez said last week that fiber deployment — whose wires connect not just homes but the antennas — will be delayed by the virus.

Telecoms operators are changing how they spend their money, too. The surge in people working from home has put huge pressure on their existing setup. That means operators are having to reallocate capital in the short term toward making sure their fixed networks are reliable, rather than working to upgrade and install everything that’s needed for the next generation of mobile services.

Even with all that, the delay is only likely to be a “couple of months,” Nokia CEO Rajeev Suri told me, echoing comments from his peer at rival Ericsson AB, Borje Ekholm. Perhaps the biggest risk to a fast rollout is therefore the availability of spectrum, which is where governments come in. They dedicate a particular tranche of frequencies to 5G and then auction it off. A slew of those sales have been put on the back burner by the pandemic. While Germany and Italy have all but finished theirs, a bevy of other countries, including France, the UK, and Spain, are unlikely to auction frequencies until later this year.

With national budgets increasingly stretched by efforts to counter the economic impact of the virus, there will be a temptation to milk those auctions for all they’re worth. That could create a pinch on companies’ finances that makes rolling out the new networks even harder. Italy managed to squeeze 6.2 billion euros out of its telecoms firms back in 2018; Germany wrung 6.6 billion euros from Deutsche Telekom AG, Vodafone Group Plc, Telefonica Deutschland AG and 1&1 Drillisch AG.

Before the crisis, France set the minimum spend for its 5G spectrum auction at 2.2 billion euros — a hefty threshold below which it will not grant access to its airwaves. The UK has set a 21 billion-pound ($1.2 billion) minimum for its second auction.

Economists generally classify networks as “productive” government investments, because they contribute positively to long-term economic output. They would be well advised to foster their new 5G networks by not overcharging for them. Otherwise they risk ceding more ground to China in the race for adoption. In return for more generous auction terms, it would be fair for governments to request an accelerated rollout pace. Operators will need cash not just for 5G, but network investment more broadly.

The virus is already reaping havoc with vast tracts of the economy. Best not to let it damage any more growth.

 

BLOOMBERG OPINION

ASEAN Para Games cancellation tough but needed — officials

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

CANCELING something much had been put into is a decision not easy to make but sometimes unavoidable circumstances and pressing concerns push such to be made, like in the case of the 10th ASEAN Para Games.

Supposed to happen in the country in October, the biennial sporting event for the differently abled athletes is set to be canceled as local sports officials moved to follow government direction in the battle against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Citing health and financial concerns, officials and organizers of the ASEAN Para Games here said it would be impossible now to stage the event as seamlessly as possible as they envisioned it to be.

“As far as the decision was concerned we were anticipating it already. When we heard of the news that the Department of Budget and Management was looking at the realignment of unused programs for the year I knew that the Para Games will be affected. Then there is the overall welfare of our countrymen [in the face of COVID-19] which is very important,” said Michael Barredo, president of the Philippine Paralympic Committee (PPC), in a phone patch interview with PTV Sports on Monday.

The PPC official said the notice of cancellation was relayed to him by PSC Chairman William Ramirez following the PSC board meeting last week.

Mr. Barredo said the letter of the country’s decision had already been sent to the ASEAN Para Sports Federation (APSF) and they are now awaiting word from the APSF on the fate of the Games.

The ASEAN Para Games usually takes place after the staging of the Southeast Asian Games.

The 10th edition of the sporting meet was originally scheduled to happen in January following the SEA Games hosting of the country in December but budget problems by the PSC, the agency tasked to fund the Para Games, forced the event to be postponed to March.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic happened, moving the organizers to propose to stage the Games in October, hoping that by that time there is more clarity on the disease and its impact.

Things for the staging turned for the worse when the DBM, through National Budget Circular 580, made known that it would undertake belt-tightening measures, including rechanneling parts of the national budget to the fight against COVID-19.

Among those affected was the money allotted for the PSC, from which budget for the ASEAN Para Games was to be derived from, leaving the sports agency with no choice but to pull the plug on financially supporting the event.

And it was not only the Para Games that was affected as other events under the watch of the PSC for the rest of the year had all been canceled.

Mr. Barredo said the news was hard to accept but that he clearly understands where the PSC and the government are coming from just as he expressed hope that the APSF and other paralympic federations in the region would understand the decision as they themselves deal with COVID-19 in their own countries.

FRUSTRATION AND DISAPPOINTMENT
Given the way it went for the 10th ASEAN Para Games, Mr. Barredo said it is normal that stakeholders in the country feel frustrated and disappointed.

“We have been working on it for two and half years. Of course, there is frustration and disappointment because this is for the para athletes who have been training and looking forward to competing in front of their countrymen,” said Mr. Barredo.

“The ASEAN Para Games is the first step for them to showcase their talent and what they can do to the world. All of us were looking forward to competing but this happened. They (athletes) feel bad also because the Games was an opportunity for them to get added incentive because under the law those who win medals will be rewarded,” he added.

And such sentiment is not lost to Mr. Ramirez, who said he truly feels for the para athletes of the country.

“I can feel their frustration and anxiety on losing the chance to compete,” said the PSC chairman in a separate interview with PTV Sports.

“There is always that frustration but as the leader of the PSC I am just following the instruction of the national government. While it is true that these marginalized people need the attention and we have to help them, we cannot do anything. COVID-19 is very lethal and we have to protect the athletes, especially the para athletes, and that is more of our concern now,” he added.

NOT THE END
But despite what had happened, Messrs. Barredo and Ramirez urged para athletes and other stakeholders not to lose hope and continue forging ahead with the paralympic push.

“We must not lose hope. COVID-19 really affected everything sports here. Local leagues postponed their events, some were even cancelled. Even the Olympics was postponed for next year. But this is not the end of it. Sports will always be there. Just continue training and preparing because there are still future events to compete in. And keep safe,” said Mr. Barredo.

He went on to say that they will start to put “closure” on things, including terminating basic operations for the hosting of the Para Games.

Mr. Ramirez, for his part, reiterated their continued support for the PPC and the para athletes.

“We will honor our commitment to pay all the operational expenses of the Para Games and we are committed to procuring equipment for our athletes and other privileges, including their allowances. We will take care of them,” the PSC chairman said.

McLaren boss expects to ‘hit a glitch’ in F1 season plans

LONDON — Formula One (F1) can be expected to “hit a glitch” as the sport tries to complete a 2020 season stalled by the COVID-19 pandemic but 14-15 races look feasible, McLaren boss Zak Brown said on Monday.

The American told motorsport.com that number could be achieved at 10 circuits. Organizers have said they are aiming for 15-18 races, ending with a double-header in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi in December.

“I think we will do a couple of races in Austria, a couple of races at Silverstone,” said Mr. Brown. “If we start running into issues with travelling, then I think you could see doubling up some other races.

“I’m going to assume that we’re going to hit a glitch, somewhere along the way.

“If we want to go to Asia, or America, I think it’s going to be when we get on planes and have to fly overseas where I think the risk will start to potentially get greater.”

Austria is expected to host two races from July to start a season that has so far seen 10 rounds either cancelled or postponed.

The scheduled opener in Australia on March 15 was cancelled after a McLaren team member tested positive for the new coronavirus.

Formula One’s managing director Ross Brawn outlined to Sky Sports television the measures Formula One was planning for Austria’s Red Bull-owned circuit.

“Everybody will be tested and will have a clearance before they even go into the paddock, and then every two days they’ll be tested while in the paddock and that will be with an authorized authority and consistent,” he said.

The Briton said Formula One, working closely with the governing FIA, would use the same European facility for testing.

“We’ll have restrictions on how people move around, We cannot socially distance a team, we cannot have staff socially distanced,” he said. “So we have to create an environment that, within itself is effectively a small bubble of isolation.“

“And the teams will stay within their own groups. They won’t mingle with other teams, and they’ll stay at their own hotels.”

There will be no “motorhomes,” used by teams for hospitality and providing meals for staff. The Red Bull Ring and Silverstone have their own catering facilities.

“I’m very encouraged by what I’ve seen and what I’m hearing that we’ll be able to provide a safe environment,” said Mr. Brawn. — Reuters

NFL mourns legendary Dolphins coach Don Shula

DON SHULA, the winningest coach in National Football League (NFL) history, died Monday. He was 90.

“Don Shula was the patriarch of the Miami Dolphins for 50 years,” the team said in a statement. “He brought the winning edge to our franchise and put the Dolphins and the city of Miami in the national sports scene. Our deepest thoughts and prayers go out to Mary Anne along with his children Dave, Donna, Sharon, Anne and Mike.”

Shula was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1997 after more than four decades in the NFL, first as a player and then a coach.

Shula’s Dolphins won two Super Bowls and appeared in three others, including the iconic 1972 team that went undefeated.

“Today is a sad day,” Dolphins president Tom Garfinkel said in a statement.

Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino, who played for Shula from 1983-95, expressed his condolences on Twitter.

“Coach Shula — you will truly be missed! You embody the definition of ‘greatness.’ You brought that winning attitude with you every day and made everyone around you better,” Marino wrote.

“Thank you for always believing in me. You made me a better player and person. My thoughts & prayers are with the entire Shula Family. Love you Coach!”

At age 33, Shula was named head coach of the Baltimore Colts in 1963. It was the first of 33 seasons he spent as an NFL head coach. Shula was hired by the Dolphins in 1970 and retired after the 1995 season with 328 career wins and 490 games coached.

Only Shula and George Halas have at least 300 career victories. — Reuters

The Last Dance continues to churn out impressive numbers

MIDWAY into its run, the 10-part documentary The Last Dance continues to churn out impressive audience numbers, now averaging 5.8 million viewers across its first six episode premieres, this according to numbers shared by ESPN.

Had its Episodes 5 and 6 premiere on Monday (Manila time), The Last Dance, which chronicles the final run at the NBA championship by Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s in 1998, saw an average 5.5 million viewers who tuned in for its latest drop.

The number took the average viewer numbers of the documentary to 5.8 million across the first six episodes, 62% more viewers than the next-closest documentary debut on ESPN — You Don’t Know Bo in 2012.

Episodes 5 and 6 averaged 5.5 million viewers across ESPN and ESPN2, with episode 5 averaging 5.8 million viewers and episode 6 averaging 5.2 million viewers, based on initial Nielsen reporting, ESPN said.

Moreover, The Last Dance is seeing it being consumed a lot through re-airs and on-demand viewing.

After a record-setting initial audience, including all viewing, Episodes 1 and 2 now have an average minute audience of 13 million and 13.1 million, respectively, figures which represent more than a 100% increase from initial Nielsen reporting.

In less than one week, Episodes 3 and 4 have seen their audiences increase by 84% and 94%, respectively, from initial Nielsen reporting, now coming in at 11.3 million (Episode 3) and 10.9 million (Episode 4) viewers, both of which are higher figures than Episodes 1 and 2 reported a week after their initial airings.

To reach more people, the documentary series has been made available outside of the United States as well by way of Netflix.

The Last Dance was supposed to originally set to air in June but ESPN decided to push up the airing to an earlier date (April 19 debut).

ESPN said by doing so it would be providing people who are longing for their steady fix of live sporting events with a temporary reprieve from the cloud of uncertainty and concern that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has brought. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Revelations

Fans past the halfway point of The Last Dance cannot be faulted for deeming it a gift that keeps on giving. Episodes Five and Six, released Monday, come with the air of inevitability that permeates all documentaries chronicling the past, and yet proves continually compelling all the same. The series’ microscopic look at the 1997-98 season all and sundry know the ending to benefits from the willing, even enthusiastic, participation of its principal protagonist. Indeed, Michael Jordan, whose voice invariably carries heft because of his status as the best of the best of all time, opens his thoughts and feelings in a manner that sheds new light on history. It’s his light, granted, but one that unveils a unique perspective on already-established facts.

That Jordan is the fulcrum of The Last Dance cannot be understated. It makes use of a forward-and-back narrative style in telling his ascent to the top of the sport through two timelines, and the methodology may well be confusing to follow were it not anchored on his present-day participation. Following both his pre-stardom life and reign at the top becomes easier with his informed takes, enabling a holistic view to those from the outside looking in. The fifth and sixth parts cover a lot of potentially overwhelming ground — from his relationship with an upstart Kobe Bryant to the Dream Team to his Association with shady characters to the end of the first three-peat to the middle of the second. Nonetheless, the by-product offers clarity and discernment.

Significantly, the Jordan in the latest episodes of The Last Dance is humanized. He’s unparalleled on the court, but frail off it — consumed by ego, admittedly selfish, domineering, and, on the flipside, helpful, committed, determined. He loves to be part of a group, but not really just one of the guys; instead, he needs to assert his status as first among equals, and, just as importantly, to make everybody around him acknowledge it. And if his abrasive, in-your-face leadership style works, it’s because he puts in the effort to hone his craft, and then produces results.

The figure Jordan cuts is alternately sympathetic, irritating, pitiful, despicable. It is also spellbinding, authoritative, candid. Which, in the final analysis, is why the fifth and sixth parts of The Last Dance manage to enthrall from start to finish. Armed with his vantage point, they reveal themselves to be insightful revisits of seminal stories. Crucially, they reveal a side of him few have seen: He craves for companionship, but demands respect to a point where lasting ties are made only on his terms. He believes he has earned the right to dictate them.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994.

alcuaycong@bworldonline.com

Project ARK conducts pilot run at Mayor Isko’s Manila

Project ARK has officially started its pilot run in the City of Manila. Launched last April 24, the massive rapid testing initiative in Sampaloc successfully conducted 854 tests out of the target 1,500 sampling size, and had consequently identified 31 persons as potential cases of Covid-19. A similar activity was conducted in Tondo, while the community went under a two-day hard lockdown last Sunday, May 3. A total of 1,409 successful tests were done utilizing the antibody rapid test kits donated by Angkas. Of these, 109 tests were potential cases.

Those identified are immediately directed to the appropriate hospital facilities for confirmatory testing.

Project ARK, an initiative led by Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion bands together the country’s biggest economic and business players to ramp up mass testing in order to safely and gradually reopen the economy. The gathered data will be used so everyone can gain a better visibility of—and formulate better strategies to combat—the virus.

Barangay-level implementation

“On behalf of the people of the City of Manila, thank you very much for your efforts,” said Manila Mayor aisko Moreno. “Malaking bagay ito sa amin. It was very timely when Project ARK was introduced to us because we had to address two districts of Manila: District 4 which is Sampaloc, and District 1 which is Tondo. We are very grateful to our donor Angkas, Presidential Adviser Joey Concepcion, and all the groups who are part of this project kasi we were able to take the opportunity to do mass testing by rapid tests.”

Barangay implementation is part of the project’s bayanihan core. In addition to encouraging the regular screening of employees to ensure safety at work, Project ARK is shorter by companies that are funding the voluntary testing of barangay residents.

Rapid testing protocol

In a May 3 press briefing, Dr. Minguita Padilla, Medical Team Leader and Clinical Associate Professor at the UP College of Medicine, noted that there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to how often one should test employees and residents. Those who are tested to be positive for the IgG antibody, for instance, may have some immunity to the coronavirus already and thus do not have to be tested as frequently as those who have never had the disease (i.e., those who are negative for the IgG and IgM antibodies) and are thus more vulnerable. Those who belong to high-risk groups (such as client-facing staff and the elderly) and/or go home to barangays that have been identified as hot zones, on the other hand, may have to be tested with more regularity.

“This is a new virus. We are learning a lot of things,” Dr. Padilla explains. “We are changing our protocol depending on what we learn everyday. It is a living protocol. So the possibility is every two weeks. If you’re high-risk or if you develop symptoms, then by all means test, even if wala pang two weeks.”

George Royeca, Chief Transport Advocate of Angkas, also points out the other ways to mitigate risks. Employers, he says, can consider work-from-home schemes or shifting schedules for those who really need to report for work at a physical office. “We really have to change this mindset na pansamantala lang po ito… This is our new normal. Cost of doing business na ito ngayon sa ating ekonomiya.”

A delicate balancing act

Concepcion emphasizes the importance of both life and livelihood and of mass testing as a prerequisite to safely reopening the economy. Moreno agrees with the sentiment: “Binabalanse talaga namin. If we are to lock it down, magugutom ang lahat. I-address ang Covid-19, i-address ang kabuhayan ng tao pero we should impose and follow regulations…” The mayor adds that his city could not afford another ECQ. “We may have different approaches but we must act in synchronicity. Flattening the curve is the minimum goal of every government unit… There is no right formula, but we have to try.”

To date, Project ARK has secured close to one million Antibody Rapid Test kits and is already prepping the cities of Makati and Antipolo for their own massive rapid testing endeavors this week. They are currently in talks with the local governments of Quezon City, Pasig City, and Region 4A in Batangas for possible collaboration.

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