GRAB Philippines on Tuesday said it had resumed its food and delivery service to support food outlets allowed to operate during a Luzon-wide lockdown.
“Upon careful assessment of the situation on the ground and after discussing with our regulators, we have resumed GrabFood and GrabExpress operations as of 1:30 p.m. today, (March 17), with skeletal delivery-fleet,” it said in a statement.
“The decision was made to support the food establishments that will continue to operate and maintain continuous flow of goods to serve the essential needs of Filipinos during these trying times,” it added.
The ride-hailing company said it would use safety measures such as contactless delivery, temperature checks and increased cleaning frequency of delivery bags to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Food delivery company Foodpanda Group issued a separate advisory saying it had been allowed to operate along with other food service platforms as providers of basic goods.
“In light of this recent mandate, we would like to reassure you that Foodpanda continues to operate as usual with free delivery on every order,” it added.
The government suspended public transportation including buses, jeepneys, taxis, transport network vehicle service, FX, UV Express, Point-to-Point buses, motorcycle taxis and trains.
The Trade department earlier said supermarkets, drugstores and banks would remain open, while cargo transporting basic goods would be allowed to cross the checkpoints unhampered. — Arjay L. Balinbin
THE NATIONAL Water Resources Board (NWRB) has guaranteed that water supply is sufficient in Metro Manila amid further decline in the water level of Angat Dam.
As of Tuesday morning, Angat Dam’s water level was at 199.73 meters, lower by 0.10 meters from Monday, according to data from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
The dam, the main water source for the capital, dropped below the 200-meter elevation mark last Sunday.
Its “ideal” water level is at 212 meters. NWRB Executive Director Dr. Sevillo D. David Jr., in a text message, assured that the decline in water level is normal due to relatively scarce rainfall.
“Even with the decline, and based on the rainfall projections of PAGASA, we will have sufficient supply of water for the next months, particularly this summer, until the onset of the next rainy season,” Mr. David said.
NWRB recently increased the water allocation to the two water concessionaires, Manila Water Company, Inc. (Manila Water) and Maynilad Water Services Inc. (Maynilad), amid the state of public health emergency due to the new coronavirus spread. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
Mindanao business sector proposes measures to soften COVID-19 impact to MSMEs
THE MINDANAO business sector issued on Tuesday a 14-item list of proposals to the national government to soften the impact of the new coronovirus threat in the southern islands, especially for consumers and small enterprises.
The petition, signed by Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Area Vice President for Mindanao Maria Teresa R. Alegrio and the six PCCI regional governors, calls on “President (Rodrigo R.) Duterte to immediately approve and implement the above measures to allow affected firms and households to cope with the adverse effects of COVID-19 and the fallout from countermeasures enforced by the national and local governments to curb its further spread.”
One of the requests is for the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the Department Finance to “encourage banks to declare a moratorium on loan amortizations falling due within six (6) months from the occurrence of Covid-19.”
This covers financing for business, consumer, home, and large enterprises.
“Affected MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) and even corporations have to apply with their respective universal, commercial and savings banks for the moratorium to take effect,” it said.
PCCI also urged the Department of Trade and Industry to strictly enforce price controls, particularly for “food supply and other basic and prime commodities.”
Other recommendations include, among others:
For the Department of Information and Communications Technology to enjoin telecommunication companies to remove “all Data Capping in mobile Broadband Internet services” until the crisis is declared over;
Reconsider the holiday pay for workers for April 9, Holy Thursday, which is also Araw ng Kagitingan, suggesting a 200% salary computation if in operation instead of 300% and 100% if closed;
That Mindanao be declared a separate food quarantine area to allow the unhampered delivery of food for the entire country in light of the Department of Agriculture’s declarations on nationwide quarantined agricultural products (affected by the foot and mouth diseases, avian flu, etc.);
Create a food logistics backbone from General Santos to Cebu City and Tagbilaran City via Davao and Bukidnon with cold storage in key points;
Utilize the Conditional Cash Transfer/Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program to subsidize micro and small businesses;
For the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to establish a rehabilitation fund for affected MSMEs; and
That DTI encourage mall owners/management/lessors to waive rentals for MSMEs during the period of closure orders. — Carmelito Q. Francisco
Local governments warn residents vs ‘fake disinfectors’
AT LEAST two local governments, one in Luzon and another in Mindanao, have warned residents against burglars posing as members of official COVID-19 response teams and offering free disinfection services.
“These criminals have looted many houses with this deceptive method,” the Cagayan provincial government said in an advisory on its official Facebook page.
The information office of the province, which has no confirmed case of the new coronavirus disease as of March 16, stressed that there are “NO groups authorized by the government to sanitize homes.”
Cagayan de Oro City issued a similar warning saying “some unscrupulous individuals” have been reported to be posing as part of the local government’s teams.
“At present, the disinfection is being done at churches, schools, mosques, city hall, and public places, and residential areas are not yet included as of this moment,” the city government said, “be on guard… against fake disinfectors.”
There is so far no COVID-19 case in the city, the regional center of Northern Mindanao, but a positive patient was treated at one of the hospitals located there.
DFA Luzon operations suspended, scaled down in VisMin
THE DEPARTMENT of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will temporarily suspend operations in its consular offices in Luzon beginning Tuesday and will operate with a skeletal workforce in its Visayas and Mindanao offices amid national and local government measures to mitigate the spread of the new coronavirus. “Passport applicants with confirmed appointments will be accommodated once operations resume,” the DFA said in a statement on Tuesday. Consular offices in Visayas and Mindanao will continue operations, but will only provide services for “urgent consular needs,” particularly those concerning overseas Filipino workers or medical emergencies. Moreover, Saturday operations in Visayas and Mindanao will be suspended until further notice. Passport applicants with confirmed appointments from March 9 to April 8 will be accommodated from April 13 to May 29 during regular hours except Saturdays. The same period goes for those applying for Authentication and Civil Registration. The Department also said delays or disruptions in the delivery of passports are expected. — Charmaine A. Tadalan
No receiving of documents at OSG
THE OFFICE of the Solicitor General (OSG) is implementing a work-from-home policy for all its employees due to the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine. “Hence, please be advised that the OSG premises are closed and will be unable to receive documents during the duration of the quarantine period,” it said on Tuesday. “The OSG shall begin receiving and processing documents once the quarantine is lifted,” it added. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas
Lawmakers recommend use of P2P buses, other measures amid quarantine
LAWMAKERS HAVE recommended several measures amid the enhanced community quarantine throughout Luzon island. Marikina Rep. Stella Luz A. Quimbo urged the government to use the existing point-to-point (P2P) buses to provide transportation for workers exempted from the stay-at-home policy. She also called on the government to provide cash transfers for “no work, no pay” employees. Valenzuela Rep. Weslie T. Gatchalian, chair of the House committee on trade and industry, is calling on big companies to roll out corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs that will help Filipinos affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). “A sector that requires the most immediate provisions are our health care workers, health care institutions, and other necessary frontliners like the policemen at checkpoints who are ill-equipped, due maybe to the sudden increase of cases and the new guidelines to address the demands of the health emergency,” he said in a statement on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus B. Rodriguez urged telecommunications companies to reduce their fees for calls and text messages. “That is really the social distancing means of communication now, with the movement of people being restricted to prevent this deadly coronavirus disease from spreading,” he said in a statement on Tuesday. Albay Rep. Jose Maria Clemente S. Salceda, meanwhile, expressed support for the enhanced community quarantine, citing that this will only result in gross domestic product (GDP) reduction of 2.95%. “Obey the lockdown, it will save 1,565 lives. It could be yours or your loved ones. No lockdown, mass transmission will kill 4.13% of GDP,” he said. “My office has done the numbers. The lockdown will prevent up to 26,500 more infections by May 4, when Congress’s session resumes,” he added. — Genshen L. Espedido
TITLE fights of Filipino world boxing champions John Riel “Quadro Alas” Casimero and Jerwin “Pretty Boy” Ancajas scheduled for next month have been postponed to a later date over concerns on the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
In an announcement made yesterday, Top Rank Boxing, which is presenting said fights, said it was postponing all of its events scheduled for March and April because of the COVID-19, with cases of the highly contagious respiratory disease in the United States steadily climbing.
As of this writing, confirmed COVID-19 cases in the US have reached 4,667 with 87 reported deaths.
“The health and safety of our fighters, staff and ESPN’s incredible production team is the most important thing as we plan our next steps,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum in a statement.
“We look forward to the day when we can bring our loyal fans world-class boxing once again, but exercising caution is the most prudent thing to do at this moment,” he added.
Affected offerings were those involving Messrs. Casimero and Ancajas.
World Boxing Organization bantamweight champion Casimero (29-4) was to battle undefeated World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation champ Naoya “Monster” Inoue (19-0) of Japan in a unification fight on April 25 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.
Mr. Ancajas (32-1-2), the IBF super flyweight champion, meanwhile, was set to defend in Las Vegas his title against Mexican challenger Jonathan Rodriguez (21-1).
Thirty-one-year-old Casimero expressed his excitement over finally landing a showdown with Mr. Inoue, 27, and vowed to come out triumphant.
He is looking at it as a great opportunity to further solidify his standing in the sport in the event of a victory.
“This is it. I’m excited for this fight. Inoue is a big challenge but I intend to fight it out and come away a winner,” said Mr. Casimero, a three-division champion, in the press conference announcing the big fight in February.
“It’s unfortunate that my fight with Inoue was postponed. But it is for the good of many, to keep everybody safe. We’ll continue preparing and be ready,” said Mr. Casimero, who is already in the States, in a Facebook video post after news of his fight’s postponement came out.
Ormoc native Casimero is coming off a win over South African Zolani Tete by way of a third-round knockout in Birmingham in November while Mr. Inoue beat Filipino Nonito Donaire by unanimous decision in Saitama, Japan, also on the same month.
Mr. Ancajas, for his part, was to engage Mr. Rodriguez in a fight that was supposed to happen on Nov. 3 last year.
Because of the failure of the Mexican to secure his US Visa on time, leaving him unable to complete his medical requirements, Top Rank decided to cancel it.
The Filipino champion eventually got to defend his title a month later against replacement challenger Miguel Gonzalez of Chile, who he defeated by technical knockout in the sixth round to retain his IBF title for the eighth straight time.
Mr. Ancajas was in thick of preparation in Manila as news of the cancellation of his fight broke out.
He was previously training in Dipolog City in Zamboanga.
THE already-delayed staging of the 10th ASEAN Para Games in the country was further pushed back after the ASEAN Para Sports Federation (APSF) Board of Governors decided in an emergency meeting on Monday to tentatively stage the event in October over the ongoing concerns on the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Done by way of videoconference, the meeting was held to tackle the status of the ASEAN Para Games relative to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has now affected all Southeast Asian member countries.
The APSF members in the two-hour videoconference, chaired by Philippine Paralympic Committee (PPC) president Michael Barredo, agreed to move the sporting event for the differently abled athletes to Oct. 3 to 9 this year from March 21 to 27.
It is hoped that by moving the date of the staging, the event would finally be held and the COVID-19 disease already contained.
The move was also done to give the Philippines ASEAN Para Games Organizing Committee (PHILAPGOC) added time to prepare and make the needed adjustments.
It marked the second time that the 2020 ASEAN Para Games had been moved.
The sporting event, which usually happens immediately after the SEA Games, was scheduled to take place from Jan. 18 to 25 this year in different parts of Luzon, including in the newly built sports facilities at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, but was deferred to March 21 to 27 because of lack of funds on the part of the PSC, which was tasked to fund the event.
Despite the postponement, the PPC said its preparation would continue.
But with the COVID-19 far from being contained to this date, with local cases now numbering 142 as of this writing, another postponement was rendered inevitable.
As of the moment, training of Filipino para athletes has been put on hold with the country under a state of Public Health Emergency because of COVID-19.
As part of precautionary measures, the Philippine Sports Commission requested all athletes to leave their dormitories for the meantime and placed its facilities on restricted access. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo
AMERICAN Tiger Woods sought to put the cancellations of a slew of golf tournaments due to the coronavirus into perspective on Monday, saying the well-being of others trumped the sport.
“There are a lot more important things in life than a golf tournament right now,” the 15-time major champion wrote on Twitter.
“We need to be safe, smart and do what is best for ourselves, our loved ones and our community.”
Woods, 44, has been struggling recently with pain in his surgically repaired back but had hoped to defend the Masters title he won last year at Augusta National next month.
Last week organizers of the year’s first major postponed the tournament in the hopes of helping slow the spread of the growing pandemic.
The decision to postpone the year’s first major came the day after the PGA Tour cancelled the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Florida after one round and all events through April 5.
Woods’s remarks came on the heels of the Centers for Disease Control recommendation on Sunday that events of 50 or more people should be cancelled for the next eight weeks throughout the United States.
The coronavirus pandemic has infected almost 180,000 people and killed over 7,000 worldwide. — Reuters
The University Athletic Association of the Philippines already cancelled Season 82 over the ongoing and concerning threat of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). And while it still provided a glimmer of hope of resumption of collegiate play, including the marquee volleyball tournament, albeit with a reconfigured format if the situation improves, at this point nothing is definite yet.
With the abrupt ending to the season, I am not surprised at all that UAAP fans, particularly those of volleyball, are ruing greatly the unexpected turn of events, believing firmly that they are missing out on potentially one of the more exciting seasons of the sport in the country’s biggest collegiate league.
It is really hard to argue with their assertions. I mean, prior to the cancellation of the season, UAAP volleyball was up to a competitive start.
In women’s volleyball, the National University Lady Bulldogs and De La Salle Lady Spikers were the only unbeaten teams with 2-0 and 1-0 records, respectively, with four teams — Ateneo Lady Eagles, Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws, University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses and University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons – third running with identical 1-1 cards.
The Adamson Lady Falcons and University of the East Lady Warriors were at seventh and eighth place with respective records of 0-1 and 0-2.
Level of play was engaging with hardly any team really dominating the other.
NU was undefeated but its victories over UST and Adamson, in that order, were hard-earned ones showing both the strength and vulnerabilities of its team of mixed faces of old and new. La Salle topped rival Ateneo in its lone game in Season 82 but it was not as fluid like what we are accustomed to seeing from the Lady Spikers.
The same goes for the defending champions Lady Eagles, who were deemed to be favorites anew but showed some kinks early on despite their tremendous upside.
UST, FEU and UP, too, were still finding their groove albeit showed fire and competitiveness.
Adamson dropped its lone game for the season but it showed promise and so did UE which displayed fight in the two games it had.
It was seemingly a wide-open race for the title, something not seen in recent league history.
Then there were the impressive individual plays which were not only confined to familiar faces as rookies were front and center, too, which made the season all the more interesting at the onset.
Rookies Faith Nisperos (Ateneo), Imee Hernandez (UST), Thea Gagate (La Salle) and Margot Mutshima (NU) were some of the freshmen who instantly impressed with their showing for their teams.
Also making heads turn with their play were Adamson setter Louie Romero, Ateneo libero Roma Mae Doromal, UE’s Jana Lana and NU’s Chi Arroyo.
These new faces complemented the showing of the veterans like Tin Tiamzon and Joanna Dela Cruz (La Salle), Kat Tolentino and Jhoanna Maraguinot (Ateneo), Risa Sato (NU), Tots Carlos and Isa Molde (UP), sisters Eya and EJ Laure (UST) and Jeannette Villareal (FEU), making the games really worth watching.
The same went for the men’s side.
The league positioned Season 82 as the year the men’s play would be better spotlighted and the UAAP men responded and showed they deserve a better share of the limelight with quality competition.
NU and FEU were tied on top with 2-0 cards, followed by UP, Ateneo and UE (1-1).
La Salle and Adamson were at 0-1 and UST at 0-2.
Just like the women’s play, the men were really fighting it out and angling to get their campaign to a solid start.
Top teams NU (defending champion) and FEU were leading the pack early alright but teams like UP and UE, which had it rough last year, were showing much competitiveness while Ateneo, UST, Adamson and La Salle could not be discounted either; all good signs worth putting forward.
Considering what the fans might have missed out with the abrupt cancellation of UAAP Season 82 volleyball, the ruing over it that we have in our midst is not unwarranted.
But the current situation over the serious threat of COVID-19 undeniably is far important than volleyball, or any sport for that matter, engaging they may be. This is a battle we have to take on with much seriousness and addressed with great resolve.
Who knows? Maybe we will still see UAAP volleyball this season. But until then, stay safe, Philippines.
Michael Angelo S. Murillo has been a columnist since 2003. He is a BusinessWorld reporter covering the Sports beat.
It’s still too early to say the world is on the way to recovery from the novel coronavirus pandemic. The worst is yet to come in many parts of the globe, and it’s fair to argue that no one country has succeeded in keeping the spread in check for good. In the midst of the uncertainty, however, all have remarkably tried to keep or restore a semblance of normalcy to their affairs. In Japan, for instance, the B. League decided to resume competition over the weekend after having suspended the season in mid-February. In South Korea, meanwhile, the Korean Basketball League is prepping for the return to action of its 10 teams by the end of the month.
Which is not to say things are looking up. The B. League’s resumption of play did not come without complications. Even as precautionary measures were taken, principal among them the banning of spectators, not all matches on the docket wound up pushing through. One had to be scuttled because three players recorded a fever prior to tipoff, while another met the same fate after a referee was likewise found to be running a temperature. A third continued, but without three otherwise-healthy imports who opted to stay in the sidelines due to fears of contracting the virus.
All the same, the intent of hoops organizations is to pick up from where campaigns have left off. It’s the case even in China, where the virus first took root; in anticipation of games being held in April, the Chinese Basketball Association has asked its foreign players to return to the country. And, significantly, many have heeded the call. Needless to say, the objectives are commercial in nature from either side; due to the delay, franchises lose potential revenues and stars forego salaries. Whether the prospect of holding set-tos in closed doors is enough remains to be seen, and will undoubtedly be subject to determination by health authorities.
In any case, optimism reigns. If there is anything the moves underscore, it’s the resiliency of all and sundry. Everybody finds ways to overcome unexpected developments. More than just livelihoods are at stake, but life goes on. And mankind manages not just to survive, but 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.
In light of the COVID-19 situation, we at Kumu are releasing the Kumu Lives Streaming Service, so that–despite the mandated quarantine—the lives of Filipinos will go on: people in schools, churches, and in other big groups.
Kumu is engineered specifically for Filipino internet, so there is no delay unlike other platforms. We believe that livestreaming can help our countrymen continue their lives, given the current situation.
We are extending this service to help individuals, groups, private, and public entities to help find a solution to events, schedules, and all other social engagements that have been impacted by the nation’s situation. As a live streaming platform, Kumu realizes its responsibility in that and opens our doors to collaborate with anyone who are still unsure on how to proceed in the coming days.
“If a personal or business event has been affected by COVID-19, just reach out to LivesStream@kumu.ph and the Kumu team will support you in setting up your livestream,” said Roland Ros, Kumu’s founder.
Kumu aims to help hold gatherings for a few, or thousands of Filipinos by conducting private livestreams for free through our app, which is available for download on Google Play or the App Store.
“The initial inspiration came from churches, bands, and schools tagging us on social media and reaching out to us,” Roland said. “We’re actually already working with a few groups like The Favor Church to continue their worship in this situation, and we’re still looking for more organizations like universities and government offices to work with and help continue their lives.”
As an example, Philippine indie band IV of Spades are partnering up with Kumu, as well as Red Bull, to hold their first-ever live stream stage on March 19th, 2020. Thanks to the magic of live streaming, fans of the band will be able to catch the band’s performances held especially for the platform.
QBO Innovation Hub announced over the weekend that they will be closing their Makati HQ this week, in the interest of the health and safety of their community. This is in light of the developments around Covid-19 in the country.
Additionally, they will not be accepting any space reservations until April 15, to deter public gatherings that may serve to spread the infectious disease.
“We will still proceed with most of our programs virtually,” the announcement read. “Attendees will be contacted and will be given further instructions on how to access these programs.”
“To ensure the safety of medical frontliners, SM is bringing in personal protective equipment (PPE) – face masks, gowns, visors, hoods, gloves, and shoe covers, as well as urgent medical supplies to help government hospitals who badly need them,” said SM Prime’s Hans Sy. Assistance has also been extended to Philippine General Hospital (PGH) and Research Institute for Tropical Management (RITM) for their urgent needs and for improving their laboratory testing capacity. SM has also allocated PPEs and medical supplies to the UP Medical Foundation Inc. to reach a wider network of hospitals.
To improve availability of tests, SM has reached out to Manila Healthtek Inc. to distribute 20,000 tests for free to government hospitals, once approved for use.
More and more individuals are paying keen attention to their health nowadays because of the continuous spread of Covid-19. This development has compelled companies to offer products and services that help address this issue.
One such company is KonsultaMD, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Globe Telecom, which provides a convenient way to get health consultation for every Filipino, particularly relevant in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Globe and TM customers who subscribe to KonsultaMD may now get in touch with a doctor via the 79880 telehealth hotline without incurring mobile call charges.
Maridol D. Ylanan, CEO of Global Telehealth, Inc., said the company has decided to remove the Php 1 per minute charge for calls to the 79880 mobile hotline to make it easier for the public to avail of medical advice anytime they want to. “We want access to trained and licensed medical practitioners to be as easy, affordable, and convenient as possible for every Filipino especially these days when many people are afraid to leave their homes or visit the hospital because of Covid-19. Since there is no physical interaction with our doctors, our customers avoid exposure from other illnesses when they seek advice for their health-related symptoms or queries,” she said.
KonsultaMD is equipped with modules and internal protocols in handling different health issues, including Covid-19, and provides a telephone triage to determine whether a situation is an emergency or not. Its team of doctors can also offer general health information, guidance and specific measures, interim care and self-care recommendations, reading of laboratory and diagnostic results, health coaching and nutrition counseling, and permissible medication.
The platform offers unlimited immediate access to doctors 24/7 through flexible and affordable plans such as an individual subscription fee of Php 15 a week or Php 60 a month for Globe Prepaid and TM customers, deductible from their prepaid load.
Globe Postpaid customers have the option to subscribe to a Php 99 per week plan which may be extended to one additional family member or Php 150 per month with four extensions, chargeable to their monthly bill. Non-Globe and TM customers may also avail of KonsultaMD services through a one-year subscription of Php 150 per month for group or Php 60 a month for individual, payable via credit card or mobile money and subject to regular cell phone charges if call is via mobile.
Subscriptions may be done by visiting their website or calling 79880 toll-free via mobile for Globe and TM customers, or (02) 7798-8000 for non-subscribers.
