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Virtual Bundesliga International Series 2020 set for kickoff

THE BUNDESLIGA is taking the next step in expanding its eFootball tournaments across the world as it launches the Virtual Bundesliga (VBL) International Series 2020. As part of the competition online and offline tournaments will take place in multiple countries as they aim to identify the top players from Asia and the Americas.

The finalists will win a unique trip to Germany for a once-in-a-lifetime experience to compete in the VBL International Final. They will be given the opportunity to meet professional Bundesliga and professional VBL players, visit some Bundesliga clubs and experience the most exciting football league in the world, live.

The VBL International Series will kick-off with Regional Qualifiers hosted in several countries including Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, India, Brunei, the Philippines, Cambodia, Singapore, East Timor and Vietnam in Asia, as well as Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Mexico, the USA and Canada in the Americas region.

In the second stage of the competition, the top performers from each Regional Online Qualifier will then represent their region at the VBL Continental Qualifiers in April 2020. These will be run as offline events — with one tournament taking place in Asia and one for the Americas respectively.

Those playing in the VBL Continental Qualifiers will be kitted out in official Bundesliga club jerseys. In line with the spirit of the competition, they will represent the respective club throughout the remaining period of the competition into the VBL International Final, which will take place in Germany in May 2020.

To organise all VBL International Series Regional Qualifiers, the Bundesliga is partnering with Battlefy.

The VBL International Series is a separate competition to Germany’s Virtual Bundesliga. As the first football league in the world to launch an eFootball tournament back in 2012, the VBL now incorporates the German VBL Open, VBL Club Championship and the VBL Grand Final, which is an Official Licensed Qualifier and awards points as part of the FIFA 20 Global Series ecosystem. The VBL has an impressive track record of over 100,000 participating online gamers every season.

Robert Klein, Bundesliga International CEO, said: “Nobody does eFootball like the Bundesliga. Whilst the last seven years have already been amazing, the last three years have really seen the VBL grow internationally with big tournaments in Chile, Malaysia or India. In season 2018/19 the VBL International Series Qualifier included participants from 12 countries, over 10 hours of Virtual Bundesliga action broadcasted across Asia and over 150.000 viewers. The VBL International Final was covered live by 6 Bundesliga broadcasting partners in over 10 countries. Together with professional teams and fan driven competitions, alongside our gaming partner EA Sports, we have brought something new and fun to the table, something bigger and better than before — ‘eFootball As It’s Meant To Be’!”

Andreas Heyden, Executive Vice President, Digital Innovations at DFL Group, added: “Combining the online and offline world of football, the VBL International Series merges the passions of a new generation of gamers and Bundesliga fans around the world. This competition is yet another milestone in the Bundesliga’s success story of establishing a leading global eSports competition, an asset that further confirms the Bundesliga’s reputation as football’s innovation leader.”

Astros apology tour

When the Astros open the clubhouse to members of the media today, they will be marking the start of what figures to be a season-long apology tour for their sign-stealing transgressions. Their first public acknowledgment of the elaborate, electronically aided scheme they concocted to net them wins and, yes, the 2017 World Series will be orchestrated and, by all accounts, stage-managed down to the last word. The grapevine has them doing their mea culpas together, an offshoot of the meeting they had with franchise owner Jim Crane the other day. If nothing else, it’s a logical move; the last thing they need as they prep for their upcoming campaign is a disjointed front that will just keep wounds from healing for good.

The problem, of course, is that the Astros’ deliberate cheating wound up hurting just about everybody else. Considering the extent of their faux pas and its effects in a zero-sum situation, a collective sorry to simply tick off a public-relations requirement won’t do. Not by a long shot. Their actions paid off by way of a championship and myriad attendant benefits, and did harm by depressing the accomplishments and earning capacity of others. If they are to truly show remorse, they need to address what they did with rawness absent from prepared statements. They can’t do what they have to do with the benefit of coaching.

Granted, brandishing candor in full humility won’t be easy. Yet, it’s precisely the Astros’ willingness to face difficulty head on that will underscore their sincerity. There can be no escaping what they stand to face from here on. In every visit to any park of any opponent, they will be subject to hearty boos and derisive chants, some of which they may not actually deserve. Through it all, they would do well to bow their heads in shame. They’re due for much, much worse given how they trampled on the rules and spat at the sport, reaped dividends from their willful ignorance of fairness, and sanctimoniously cried foul when they were called out.

For those in the spotlight, there is a natural predisposition to control the narrative. The Astros understandably want to move on, but in a way that protects their brand. Unfortunately, they’ve lost any ascendancy to dictate the terms by which they can account for their missteps. And, no matter what, things will get worse before they get better. They may even find themselves back at the start of their process when Major League Baseball hands down its decision on its probe of the Red Sox’s own cheating mess. There’s no escape, though. They made their bed. They now get to lie on it.

 

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.

Peso rises further against dollar

THE PESO climbed further as buying interest increased. — BW FILE PHOTO

THE PESO strengthened for the third consecutive day, showing resilience even with more people in China testing positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and as agent banks bought up the local currency.

The local unit ended trading at P50.50, appreciating further by seven centavos from its Wednesday finish of P50.57.

The peso started trading at P50.57 per dollar on Thursday. Its weakest showing was at P50.59 while its intraday best was at P50.43 against the greenback.

Dollars traded climbed to $1.106 billion from $813.67 million on Wednesday.

A trader attributed the peso’s strength to buying interest for a certain range during the day.

“This is due to the credit outlook upgrade of Fitch [Ratings], ’yun pa rin (still). So we hit a low of P50.43 but we see some agent banks buying at those levels… From 50.43-P50.50, bumibili sila kaya tumaas ’yung close today (they bought at those levels that is why the peso closed stronger today),” the trader said on Thursday.

Fitch upgraded its outlook for the Philippines’ credit rating to “stable” from “positive,” saying it expects the country to see a continued sound macroeconomic policy framework to help bolster growth and to keep inflation in track.

A positive outlook means that the credit rating could be upgraded in a year or two. Fitch maintained its credit rating for the Philippines at “BBB,” which is one step closer towards the single “A” level the government is eyeing.

Meanwhile, UnionBank of the Philippines, Inc. Chief Economist Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion said the peso seemed to be resilient on Thursday despite some negative developments regarding the outbreak of COVID-19.

“The optimism that the COVID-19 outbreak infections are slowing was jolted by the additional 15,000 cases from Hubei province because of a change in methodology. However, the peso seem to be discounting this surprise,” he said in a text message.

Mr. Asuncion said the market may still be factoring in the recent outlook revision by Fitch.

Reuters reported that the number of people infected in Hubei where the virus originated grew by 14,840 on Thursday, which brought total figures to 48,206 cases.

The new methodology for diagnosis has also seen the death toll rise by 242 to 1,310, according to Chinese health officials.

Health officials in Hubei, which is the ground zero of the epidemic, said that they started including people diagnosed using a new method. Excluding cases confirmed using the new methods, the number of new cases rose by only 1,508, the official data showed.

Last week, the provincial health commission of Hubei said that it would start recognizing computerized tomography or CT scan results as a way to confirm afflicted individuals, in order to isolate patients more quickly in hospitals.

For today, the trader sees the peso trading at a range of P50.40 to P50.60 versus the dollar, while Mr. Asuncion gave a forecast range of P50.40 to P50.70. — L.W.T. Noble with Reuters

PSE index inches higher on easing virus worries

By Denise A. Valdez, Reporter

THE MAIN INDEX managed to stay up before trading closed on Thursday as investor worries over the novel coronavirus eased in favor of bargain hunting.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) gained 20.02 points or 0.27% to end at 7,403.12 on Thursday. The broader all shares index inched up 1.78 points or 0.04% to 4,357.24.

“Local shares rose towards closing as investors tried to shake off concerns over how the coronavirus would impact corporate profits and the global economy,” Regina Capital Development Corp. Head of Sales Luis A. Limlingan said in a text message.

Deaths due to the novel coronavirus reached at least 1,357 people worldwide as of Wednesday night, CBS News reported yesterday, citing Chinese health officials. The number of confirmed cases also surged to more than 60,000 people across the globe.

Despite this, Mr. Limlingan said investors turned to bargain hunting in hopes that the economic impact of the virus would be subdued.

Philstocks Financial, Inc. Research Associate Piper Chaucer E. Tan agreed, and added the PSEi’s climb was also a result of selling off as the market came from a 52-week low of 7,129 to rally up to 7,500.

“The market respected the 7,500 resistance on a technical perspective,” Mr. Tan said in a text message. “Investors are looking for cues for corporate earnings and significant updates on the coronavirus.”

Listed firms are starting to report their financial performance for the fourth quarter and the full year 2019, which Mr. Tan said may likely be the major catalyst for the market in the coming weeks.

“I think that investors are on a wait-and-see mode as value turnover registered P4.77 billion, much lower than the P7-8 billion average value turnover of the market,” he said.

Some 978.23 million issues valued at P4.77 billion switched hands on Thursday, down from Wednesday’s 1.31 billion issues worth P6.07 billion.

Sectoral indices at the PSE ended mixed. Gainers were holding firms, which increased 61.64 points or 0.87% to 7,129.93; and financials, which added 8.25 points or 0.47% to 1,764.07.

On the other hand, property dropped 37.22 points or 0.92% to 3,995.26; mining and oil gave up 29.85 points or 0.41% to 7,102.85; industrial lost 31.97 points or 0.35% to 9,031.68; and services shed 2.16 points or 0.14% to 1,454.70 at the close of Thursday’s session.

Foreign investors were sellers on Thursday, with net foreign outflows ending at P528.74 million, a reversal of Wednesday’s net foreign buying of P241.31 million.

“Most investors are still on sidelines which proved to be the better strategy as the sentiment continues to deteriorate on fears of a much worse pandemic… The main index may end the week closer to the 7,475 resistance level,” AAA Southeast Equities, Inc. Research Head Christopher John Mangun said.

Trump says he does not mind Duterte ending VFA

US PRESIDENT Donald Trump on Wednesday said he did not mind Philippine President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s decision to end a decades-old military agreement with the United States, a position at odds with that of his defense secretary who viewed the move with dismay.

Mr. Duterte on Tuesday announced the termination of the two-decade-old visiting forces agreement (VFA), which governs the deployment of troops for war games. US Defense Secretary Mark Esper called the decision “unfortunate” as Washington and its allies press China to abide by international rules in Asia.

The US Embassy in Manila called it “a serious step with significant implications.”

Mr. Duterte’s decision, sparked by the revocation of a US visa held by a former police chief who led Mr. Duterte’s bloody war on drugs, takes legal effect in six months and US officials have expressed hope it can be reversed or delayed.

“I don’t really mind if they would like to do that, it will save a lot of money,” Trump told reporters at the White House when asked about Duterte’s move and whether anything could be done to get him to reconsider. “My views are different from others,” he added.

Mr. Trump has frequently expressed a desire to bring US military forces home from decades-long deployments abroad and has strong-armed some allies into paying more for the right to US defense.

Mr. Trump said the United States had helped the Philippines defeat Islamic State militants. He said he had “a very good” relationship with Duterte and added: “We’ll see what happens.”

Mr. Duterte’s decision could complicate US military interests in the broader Asia-Pacific region as China’s ambitions rise. Some Filipino senators quickly sought to block the move, arguing Mr. Duterte had no right to unilaterally scrap international pacts the country’s Senate had ratified.

The VFA is important to the overall US-Philippine alliance and sets out rules for US soldiers operating in the Philippines, a former US colony.

Washington has called the relationship “ironclad,” despite Duterte’s complaints that include allegations of US hypocrisy and ill treatment.

Ending the VFA complicates Washington’s efforts to maintain an Asia-Pacific troop presence amid friction over the presence of US personnel in Japan and South Korea and security concerns about China and North Korea.

Mr. Esper referred to the period before Mr. Duterte’s decision takes effect when he spoke with reporters on Tuesday.

“One hundred and eighty days. We’ve got to work through it, and we’ll just take a deep breath and take it one day at a time,” he said. “I don’t get too excited about these things. We’ve got a process we have to work through.”

Some lawmakers in the Philippines are concerned that without the VFA, two other pacts that make up the long-standing US alliance with Manila would be irrelevant, namely the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement made under the Obama administration, and a 1951 Mutual Defence Treaty.

‘ONE-SIDED’
Supporters of the agreements say they have helped deter Chinese militarization in the South China Sea and $1.3 billion of US defense assistance since 1998 had boosted the capabilities of underfunded Philippine forces.

Salvador S. Panelo, Mr. Duterte’s spokesman, called the VFA a one-sided deal that only benefits the US.

“The VFA and other treaties are there because of the global strategic defense of the United States,” he said at a briefing on Thursday.

Also yesterday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. said the Philippines should stop entering into a visiting forces agreement (VFA) with other countries.

“No more VFAs even with other countries,” he said in a social media post. “We stand by our own guns by buying our own with a defense budget commensurate to the threats to our sovereignty.”

The Philippine military this week said it would boost defense ties with allies in the region including China, Japan and Australia after the VFA termination.

The tough-talking Mr. Duterte on Tuesday formally notified the US of his decision to pull out of the VFA, the first time he has scrapped a military deal with the former colonial power that he had criticized for treating the Philippines “like a dog on a leash.”

His decision came after the US Embassy canceled the visa of his former police chief, Senator Ronald M. de la Rosa.

Mr. Duterte had pushed for the Philippines to be less economically and militarily dependent on the US, which he accuses of hypocrisy in its criticism of his deadly war on drugs.

Mr. Duterte ordered his chief diplomat on Monday evening to send the termination notice. It will take effect in six months.

Armed Forces Chief of Staff Felimon T. Santos, Jr. said the Philippines would also increase military engagements with Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and Australia to fill the void left by the VFA.

Mr. Santos said the Philippines would try to build its own military capability, noting that the military had been receiving P20 billion yearly under a modernization program.

He said war games with the US would proceed in May unless Washington wishes otherwise. The event falls within the 180-day notification period, he said. — Reuters with Gillian M. Cortez and Charmaine A. Tadalan

Taiwan travel ban not due to politics — Panelo

A PHILIPPINE travel ban on Taiwan was prompted by a health issue and had nothing to do with geopolitics, the presidential palace said on Thursday, after Taipei threatened to retaliate.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte ordered the inclusion of Taiwan in the travel ban on foreigners from China and its administrative regions because of a novel coronavirus outbreak that has killed more than 1,000 people there and sickened tens of thousands more, his spokesman said.

The ban on Taiwan was not issued because of the Philippines’ so-called One-China policy, presidential spokesman Salvador S. Panelo said.

“My primary concern is the health and safety of our countrymen,“ he quoted Mr. Duterte as saying. “Until the danger persists, then we have to do what is necessary to secure their safety.”

Taiwan is an independently governed territory but the Philippines considers it part of China under the One-China policy.

Mr. Panelo earlier this week said Taiwan was included in the travel ban because it is “part of China.”

“Since there is a ban on China, necessarily, Taiwan, being part of China, is included. And we always follow the recommendations of the World Health Organization,” he told reporters on Tuesday.

Taipei has urged Manila to lift the travel ban after its citizens were stranded at airports in the Philippines.

Mr. Panelo said Taiwan should recognize Mr. Duterte’s concern for the health and safety of Filipinos.

“We also have our own interest to protect — the health and safety of our countrymen,” he said in Filipino.

The Philippines has confirmed three novel coronavirus cases, including one death, all involving Chinese nationals.

Health authorities were checking more than 400 people for infection, more than half of whom had been confined in hospitals.

More than 115,000 Filipinos live and work in Taiwan, mainly in factories and as housemaids.

Also yesterday, House Speaker Alan Peter S. Cayetano urged the tourism industry to work with the government in easing job losses from the deadly coronavirus outbreak.

“We urge tourism stakeholders from the private sector to continue working with us so as to prevent the displacement of workers affected and the disruption of growth in the tourism industry,” he said in a statement on Thursday.

Mr. Cayetano earlier cited the need for a contingency plan to ensure the virus outbreak won’t derail growth.

He vowed to support efforts to revitalize the tourism industry by promoting local travel.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Fatima T. Romulo-Puyat has said the industry could lose P42.9 billion from February to April — P16.8 billion this month, P14.11 billion in March and P11.98 billion in April.

Roberto Lim, executive director and vice-chairman of the Air Carriers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (ACAP) said they expect to lose about P3 billion from ticket refunds in the next two months after the Philippine travel ban on China and its administrative regions. — G.L. Espedido and G.M. Cortez

DoJ may use drug dealer as witness in case vs senator

GOVERNMENT prosecutors will consider using a self-confessed drug dealer as a witness in the inciting to sedition charge against a former senator critical of President Rodrigo R. Duterte and 10 others.

“We will think about it,” Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Olivia I. Laroza-Torrevillas told reporters on Thursday.

She said Peter Joemel Advincula was the sole witness of the police when it filed a sedition complaint against Senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV last year.

The Justice department last month indicted Mr. Trillanes along with 10 other people including Mr. Advincula for allegedly circulating a series of videos accusing President Rodrigo R. Duterte and his family of being in the illegal drug business.

Vice President Maria Leonor G. Robredo was cleared of the charges.

Mr. Advincula, who was featured in the videos, in May sought legal assistance in filing charges against members of the drug syndicate he formerly belonged to. He later surrendered to police over estafa charges, and tagged the Liberal Party as being behind the propaganda.

The Liberal Party has accused the government of political harassment and persecution, saying the complaint is based on lies.

Human Rights Watch earlier said authorities should drop the “preposterous complaint” against opposition politicians, religious leaders and human rights advocates. It said the case was a “transparent attempt to harass and silence critics” of Mr. Duterte’s bloody drug war.

Inciting to sedition carries a maximum penalty of four years in jail and a fine of P2,000.

Ms. Torrevillas said that they have to assess the evidence in considering Mr. Advincula as a witness.

The Justice department dismissed the sedition, inciting to sedition, cyberlibel, libel, estafa, and obstruction of justice complaint against all 31 respondents, including Mr. Trillanes, Ms. Robredo, detained Senator Leila M. De Lima, former Senator Paolo Benigno A. Aquino IV, and other opposition candidates during the midterm elections.

Assistant State Prosecutor Michael John M. Humarang said there were no “corroborative evidence” that would point their participation other than the allegations of Mr. Advincula.

Mr. Trillanes said the case is another proof that the administration “continues to weaponize the law against the political opposition, critics, and the media.” — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Sagada eco-tourism activities suspended; other attractions still open

ECO-TOURISM activities in the mountain town of Sagada have been temporarily suspended due to the threat of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The directive was made by Mayor James B. Pooten, Jr., through an executive order issued Feb. 13. The temporary closure covers sites and activities managed by the local government, including the different caves, Pongas and Bomodok Falls, Adventure Trail, Echo Valley, Mt. Ampacao, Marlboro-Blue Soil, and Langasayan. “There is an urgent need to protect the municipality of Sagada and its residents being a top destination for tourists in the North Philippines from the threat of the COVID-19 and similar strains by strictly implementing prevention and control measures,” the mayor said in his directive. The order will be in effect “until further notice.”

OPEN
The town’s tourism office said other attractions, particularly those that are privately-owned or managed, will remain open. These include the St. Mary’s Church, weaving and pottery shop, and Masferre’s Photographs, among others. The Sogung Hanging Coffins and Burial Cave along the road are also still accessible for viewing. The tourism office also asked residents and visitors to “remain vigilant against any signs or symptoms of the said virus” and to refer those manifesting symptoms to the NCOV-Fastlane at the Rural Health Unit.

On with the fun at the Baguio Flower Festival

Baguio City’s Panagbenga, its biggest annual festival, is pushing through, with the main activities now scheduled in the latter part of March. The big events were postponed due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) threat. The Department of Health regional office reported Thursday that the confirmatory tests from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine show the 14 people under investigation are all negative of COVID-19.

Bacolod City urged to hasten mobilization of barangay response teams as 1st line of defense vs COVID-19

AS THE national government imposes travel restrictions and line agencies undertake strict monitoring of entry points, local governments should focus on organizing their barangay health emergency response teams (BHERTs) to serve as the first line of defense against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) said. “Even though we guard the ports and passengers, LGUs (local government units) should focus on organizing their BHERTs,” he stressed. OPAV Assistant Secretary Anthony Gerard Y. Gonzales said in a press conference in Iloilo City on Wednesday. In Western Visayas, Mr. Gonzales said only Bacolod City needs to fast-track its mobilization of BHERTs. “I am just worried about Bacolod because out of 61 barangays, only 17 have been organized,” he said, citing data from the Department of Health (DoH) regional office. “Aside from organizing, they should capacitate the barangay response teams by providing tools like handheld thermal scanners,” he added. Under the government’s response plan, people showing symptoms of COVID-19 should be able to initially consult with the local health unit before being referred to other facilities. Overall, Mr. Gonzales said the region’s response measures are well in place. “I am happy. They are well prepared and doing their best to handle the situation,” he said. As of Feb. 13, DoH data shows there are 11 persons in Western Visayas under observation in medical facilities, while 22 have already been discharged. In Bacolod, City Health Officer Grace Tan, spokesperson of the local inter-agency task force against COVID-19, said there were no new suspected cases as of Thursday. In a live-streamed interview, Ms. Tan also said they have already coordinated with all hotel and accommodation facilities for the implementation of preventive measures such as requiring all guests to fill-up a health declaration card for easier monitoring and tracking. — Emme Rose S. Santiagudo

UNICEF calls for effective implementation of law protecting children in armed conflict

IN THIS April 2017 photo, 10-year old Tarik, a former member of the Abu Sayyaf Group known for kidnap-for-ransom activities and has ties with the extremist Islamic State, receives a bicycle during the launching of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (ARMM) Program Against Violent Extremism. The ARMM was replaced in 2018 by the Bangsamoro ARMM following the passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law. — BPI-ARMM

IN JANUARY 2019, the Philippines passed a law giving special protection to children in armed conflict situations, considered a landmark legislation for a country that continues to grapple with communist insurgency and violent extremism. “We urge the Government of the Philippines to ensure the effective implementation of the law so that children in situations of armed conflict realize the full spectrum of their rights,” Oyun Dendevnorov, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Philippine representative, said during a commemoration activity for the International Day Against the Use of Child Soldiers on February 12 in Davao City. The implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 11188, An Act Providing for the Special Protection of Children in Situations of Armed Conflict, was completed in May last year. The IRR’s provisions include specific measures that the government must “take to prevent the recruitment, re-recruitment, use, displacement of, or grave child rights violations against children involved in armed conflict.” The 2018 report of the UN Secretary-General on children and armed conflict in the Philippines show 69 grave violations affecting 109 children, 26 of which took place in 2017, mostly in the restive parts of Mindanao. “Children pay a deadly price during conflicts. Thirty years after the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, many children still get caught in the crossfire, their schools and homes attacked. We must remember that children are zones of peace and we must do all we can to protect them,” Mr. Dendevnorov said.

AGENTS OF PEACE
The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) said while the government undertakes programs to put an end to armed conflicts, including social and economic interventions that address the roots of unrest and violence, the youth can also play a part as “agents of peace and development.” “The youth can do so much more with your vast potential to do great things. We encourage all of you to play a more active part in helping build a culture of peace and development,” Ariel Hernandez, co-chairperson of the Joint Normalization Committee for the Bangsamoro peace agreement, during the OURmindaNOW Summit 2020 held earlier this month. The gathering was attended by youth leaders coming from different parts of Mindanao. Mr. Hernandez reminded the young leaders to guard against the “spoilers of peace (who) remain by our doorstep and continue to promote the culture of fear, mistrust and violence among our people.” — Mindanao Bureau

Davao City completes swine culling operations; Davao del Sur rolls out measures with new ASF cases

THE DAVAO City Veterinarian’s Office (CVO) has completed the culling of pigs in two villages with confirmed cases of the African Swine Fever (ASF), but the movement of pigs and pork products remains restricted to avoid another outbreak. “The two barangays will continue with decontamination and disinfection activities by individual hog raisers daily for 30 days… In case repopulation is considered, rearing will be allowed after 90 days provided that all infected materials were disposed properly and thorough disinfection has been properly conducted,” City Veterinarian Cerelyn B. Pinili told the media on Wednesday. “All entry and exit points will be manned by the barangay concerned to carry out disinfection of vehicles that pass through its area of responsibility,” she added. The CVO, together with the Department of Agriculture-Davao Region (DA-11), is also maintaining the surveillance of areas within the seven-kilometer radius of the two affected barangays. Under the DA-prescribed 1-7-10 quarantine procedure, hogs within a one-kilometer radius of the outbreak will be immediately culled and buried, and the area disinfected; the seven-kilometer radius will be placed under surveillance and subject to sampling and testing; and strict monitoring of entry and exit points within 10 kilometers. Ms. Pinili reiterated the local government’s appeal for cooperation among backyard hog farmers, and at the same time gave the public assurance that the meat sold in the city’s market are safe for consumption. “We continue to enjoin everyone to cooperate to contain the disease. The consuming public is assured that meat that passed through proper inspection procedures in slaughterhouses are safe to eat.”

DAVAO DEL SUR
Meanwhile, DA-11 and the Davao del Sur provincial government said quarantine measures were already rolled out even before the release of confirmatory results on suspected ASF cases in two villages in Sulop town. Sulop is host to a major trading post for livestock in Davao as well as parts of the neighboring region of SOCCSKSARGEN, which covers the provinces of South Cotabato, Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat, and General Santos City. DA-11, in a statement, said they are working closely with the local government units for the implementation of ASF-related contingency plans. The first ASF outbreak in Mindanao was confirmed two weeks ago in Don Marcelino, Davao Occidental.

BAN
The Iloilo City government, which already has a ban in place for products from Luzon and the Davao Region, is considering further expanding the coverage to the entire Mindanao area. City Veterinarian Tomas J. Forteza has made the recommendation in a letter to Mayor Jerry P. Treñas. “The rapid spread of ASF in Mindanao, from one town to another, is unprecedented and the possibility of ASF virus spreading to the whole island of Mindanao is imminent,” Mr. Forteza said in the letter. — Maya M. Padillo and Emme Rose S. Santiagudo

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