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House to probe delays in coronavirus cash aid

By Genshen L. Espedido, Vann Marlo M. Villegas
and Gillian M. Cortez, Reporters

HOUSE of Representative leaders led by Speaker Alan Peter S. Cayetano want to investigate delays in the government’s distribution of cash aid to citizens affected by a coronavirus pandemic.

In a resolution, the congressmen cited unnecessary requirements imposed on beneficiaries including long application forms that intimidate ordinary people.

The House probe would seek to find ways to help the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) properly enforce its so-called social amelioration program.

The Department of Health (DoH) yesterday reported 364 new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections, bringing the total to 26,781.

The death toll rose to 1,103 after five more people died, while 301 more patients have gotten well, bringing the total recoveries to 6,552, it said in a bulletin.

Of the new cases, 249 were reported in the past three days, while 115 were reported late.

DoH said three cases had been removed from the tally after being verified as negative. One of them was tagged as having recovered.

“The total cases reported may be subject to change as these numbers undergo constant cleaning and validation,” it said.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario S. Vergeire said most of the new cases were from Metro Manila and Cebu province in central Philippines.

‘ARBITRARY’ COUNT
Meanwhile, the House resolution cited issues that may have led the agency to miss distribution deadlines such as the release of the second tranche of aid for beneficiaries for May and June.

The lawmakers said the agency had arbitrarily and without consulting local governments based the number of beneficiaries on the 2015 national census. There were actually more people eligible for the aid because the population had since increased, they said.

Because of this, local governments have been in a quandary in identifying people who should be prioritized for the cash assistance, they said.

A law that gave President Rodrigo R. Duterte special powers in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic allotted a budget in which 18 million low-income households would get P5,000 to P8,000 in monthly aid for two months.

The House inquiry will look into the distribution of the emergency subsidy and other assistance programs of the Social Welfare department amid the pandemic.

“The pandemic and its aftermath forces all of us to re-examine the way we do things,” Mr. Cayetano said in a statement on Tuesday. He said government bureaucracy could “sometimes get in the way of helping the people,” adding that there are right and wrong ways to help them.

Social Welfare spokeswoman Irene B. Dumlao did not immediately reply to a Viber message seeking comments.

Aside from the House Speaker, Deputy Speakers Luis Raymund F. Villafuerte. Jr., Raneo E. Abu, Danilo Ramon S. Fernandez, Neptali M. Gonzales II, as well as Batangas Rep. Theresa V. Collantes, Manila Rep. Cristal L. Bagatsing, Laguna Rep. Ruth Mariano-Hernandez and Manila Rep. Manuel Luis T. Lopez signed the resolution.

Meanwhile, Mr. Duterte would meet with business leaders after June to discuss lockdown measures and efforts to restart the economy that the pandemic had brought to a near standstill, his spokesman said.

Presidential spokesman Harry L. Roque told a news briefing the dialog would happen after this month, when the general community quarantine in Metro Manila is expected to be eased further.

Mr. Duterte locked down the entire Luzon island in mid-March, suspending work, classes and public transportation to contain the pandemic. He extended the strict quarantine twice for the island and thrice for Manila and nearby cities where infections were mostly concentrated.

The lockdown in the capital region was eased to a general lockdown on June 1, which was extended until June 30 this week.

Metro Manila accounts for more than a third of Philippine economic output. The economy shrank by 0.2% last quarter because of the lockdown.

The virus has sickened 8.1 million and killed about 440,000 people worldwide, according to the Worldometers website, citing various sources including data from the World Health Organization.

Fertilizer procurement rules followed after overpricing claims — DA

AGRICULTURE Secretary William D. Dar brushed off claims of overpriced fertilizer distributed to farmers, saying the Department of Agriculture (DA) followed government procurement rules.

In a virtual briefing Tuesday, Mr. Dar said that the urea fertilizer approved budget was P1,000 per 50 kilogram bag, citing estimates by the DA Field Operations Service.

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

“The survey we conducted from March to May showed that urea fertilizer retail prices range from P1,043 to P1,062 and even cheaper than the average price of P1,140 in December, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA),” Mr. Dar said.

On April 28, the DA posted an invitation to bid for the supply and delivery of 5.69 million bags of urea fertilizer with an approved budget of P5.69 billion.

“We initially procured a total of 1.81 million bags of urea fertilizer at a price lower than the national average retail price of P1,035.60 for April 27 to May 1; P1,037.53 for May 4 to 8; and P1,040.68 for May 11 to 15. The volume procured comprises four of the 16 lots for wet season 2020 cropping,” Mr. Dar said at Tuesday’s virtual briefing.

“Such prices were a lot cheaper compared to previous purchases of more than P1,300 per 50 kilogram bag of urea fertilizer,” Mr. Dar said.

So far, the DA, through its Bids and Awards Committee, had issued Notices to Award and Contract to the two winning companies, La Filipina Uy Gongco Corp. and Atlas Fertilizer Corp., for the four lots out of the original 16 lots under the urea fertilizer procurement project.

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

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

Mr. Dar said that other bidders were disqualified due to their inability to show technical, legal, and financial capability to address the emergency procurement of urea fertilizer.

In a statement Monday, Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) Chairman Rosendo O. So said fertilizer purchased by farmers cost P830 to P850 per bag.

“This shows that the purchase of urea fertilizer by the DA Central Office was utterly disadvantageous to the government and to our farmers, especially now when we need all the funds available to survive this pandemic,” Mr. So said.

Mr. Dar said the farm group failed to consider that the contract price includes the cost of fertilizer, transportation, incidental services, and applicable taxes.

“The minimum winning bid price of P900 per 50 kilograms was P40 to P50 higher than the prices quoted by farmers in their complaint, at P860 per bag of 50 kilograms in Nueva Ecija and P850 per bag in Tarlac,” Mr. Dar said.`The P5.69-billion fertilizer procurement falls under the DA’s Rice Resiliency Project, which aims to increase rice production by the end of the year.

The DA said it followed procurement rules for emergency purchases under Section 53.2 of Republic Act No. 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act, and Government Procurement Policy Board Non-Policy Matter Opinion 003-2020. The emergency procurement also complies with RA 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

DoH wants P182.1-B budget for next year

THE DEPARTMENT of Health (DoH) on Monday said it was proposing a P182.1-billion budget for 2021 as it starts enforcing the Universal Healthcare law.

Of the total, P53.2 billion will be used to fund programs related to universal healthcare, while P20.89 will be allotted to boost the country’s response to emerging infectious diseases, Health Undersecretary Mario C. Villaverde told lawmakers on Monday.

“These are interrelated, and most of the provisions of the Universal Healthcare law can also be adopted in terms of our response to emerging infectious diseases,” he said.

Mr. Villaverde was presenting to the joint oversight committee tackling the law enacted in February 2019 to give Filipinos access to free essential health services.

He said P35.1 billion will fund programs under other health-related laws such as on cancer care and HIV/AIDs prevention and control.

Under the 2020 national budget, the Health department got a budget of P101 billion.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) in early June set a proposed P4.335-trillion cash-based national budget for 2021, up from P4.1-trillion in 2020.

Meanwhile, Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) President Ricardo C. Morales proposed that a higher subsidy of P138 billion be given to the agency for 2021.

The agency’s original subsidy proposal was P153 billion. It received P71.2 billion this year, he told the same hearing. “This was not enough to fund the premium of all indirect contributors, thus affecting PhilHealth’s capacity to cover all benefits.”

He also said the agency was expected to have a deficit by year-end due to lower collections caused by the pandemic and additional benefit payouts worth about P40.7 billion.

“We will be running a deficit by the end of 2020 and we will be maintaining that deficit until 2024,” he said. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

ADB makes pitch for more clean energy investment in stimulus spending

THE Asian Development Bank (ADB) encouraged governments to include more investment in renewable energy in their economic recovery plans after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

“Increased investment in clean energy infrastructure should be an important part of post-pandemic stimulus packages,” ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa said at the opening of the bank’s annual Asia Clean Energy Forum Tuesday.

In the first five months of 2020, the ADB said it released around $900 million out of the $5 billion it set aside for clean energy development.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) is projecting a 20% decline in global energy investment this year to $400 billion, describing it as a “historical drop” if the forecast is borne out.

“We have never seen such a big decline,” IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said.

So far during the pandemic, renewable energy has been among the most resilient energy sources, David Turk, acting deputy executive director of the IEA, noted.

“This is a very promising sign about renewables’ potential, its importance for resilience, its importance in the decentralized solution for many parts of the world,” he added.

Mr. Turk, who is also the agency’s head of Strategic Initiatives, said the energy industry should take advantage of the opportunities in various economic stimulus programs for renewables, as well as energy efficiency.

In the Philippines, both the energy efficiency and solar industries have urged Congress to include incentives for more green projects and digitize energy infrastructure after the pandemic subsides.

According to the ADB, the pandemic has not tempered the need to transition to renewable energy.

“The urgency to address climate change by accelerating the clean energy transition has not been diminished because of the pandemic; in fact, the task is more important than ever,” Mr. Asakawa said.

Meanwhile, for Asia to meet its sustainability goals, including its shift to renewable energy, the IEA said, it must spend $3 trillion each year over the next decade.

“Our numbers show that in order to (achieve a) sustainable future in Asia, we have to mobilize each year about $3 trillion… in the next 10 years,” Mr. Birol said. — Adam J. Ang

Opposition Senator de Lima seeks bail, cites weak evidence

A SENATOR critical of President Rodrigo R. Duterte has asked a trial court to allow her to post bail more than three years after her detention, citing weak evidence in her drug trafficking case.

In a 44-page motion dated June 15,, Senator Leila M. de Lima argued the testimonies against her so far have been based on hearsay.

She also said she wouldn’t be a flight risk because she respects the legal process as a senator.

Her bail would also uphold her “constitutional presumption of innocence, recognizing her right to due process and guarantee her appearance in court for the remainder of the trial.” Her temporary liberty would also let her serve her term as a senator, she said.

Ms. de Lima is on trial for allegedly abetting the illegal drug trade in the country’s jails when she was still Justice secretary. She was accused of extorting millions of pesos from a drug lord that she allegedly used to finance her senatorial campaign in 2016.

She has been jailed at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame since February 2017. Several witnesses against Ms. de Lima were drug convicts serving time at the national penitentiary in Muntinlupa City.

The senator said the prosecution had failed to prove her alleged drug transactions by omitting details of the crime such as the specific drugs involved, the buyers and sellers and the place where the trade took place.

The US Senate early this year passed a resolution condemning the Duterte government for the wrongful detention of one of his staunchest critics.

The chamber approved Resolution 142, sponsored by Senator Edward J. Markey, on Jan. 9 urging the Philippines to release Ms. de Lima and drop charges against Maria A. Ressa, founder of news website Rappler. A trial court this week convicted her and the website’s former researcher for cyber-libel.

Drug-trafficking charges against Ms. de Lima “followed a history of criticizing extrajudicial killings in the Philippines and the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign,” according to the US resolution.

The US later barred the entry of several Philippine government officials responsible for Ms. de Lima’s prosecution including Senator Ronald M. de la Rosa, whose US visa was canceled.

Mr. Duterte in February said he was ending the visiting forces agreement with the US because of this, only to reconsider months later.

Mr. Duterte last year ordered authorities to ban several American senators who led the campaign in support of Ms. de Lima. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Cebu City is lone area under strict lockdown

CEBU CITY will be the lone area in the Philippines to be under an enhanced community quarantine starting June 16 as coronavirus infections there continued to surge, the presidential palace said on Tuesday.

Presidential spokesman Harry L. Roque said cases have been doubling in the central Philippine city every 6.5 days.

From 1,749 cases on May 31, the number has ballooned to 2,417 as of June 14, he said at a news briefing.

Mr. Roque added that four of 10 tests in Cebu City were positive. Sixty-one out of 80 villages had active cases, 13 of which were the worst hit, he added.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Monday said Cebu City would revert to an enhanced community quarantine, while its neighbor Talisay City would go back to a modified enhanced quarantine.

National task force chief implementer Carlito G. Galvez, Jr. said they flew to Cebu to check the situation there before they came up with the decision

Aside from Metro Manila, also kept under a general quarantine were the northern provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Santiago City, Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Tarlac and Olongapo City.

Joining them were the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Occidental Mindoro, Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, and the cities of Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, Davao and Zamboanga.

The rest of the country remained under a modified general community quarantine, Mr. Roque said. — Gillian M. Cortez

Power utilities told to secure electricity for online classes

THE Department of Energy ordered power distributors to ensure a steady supply of electricity after power interruptions affected students studying at home during the summer term.

“It was brought to my attention that some students from General Santos and North Cotabato were not able to join online summer classes and submit assignments on time due to power interruptions, and not due to internet connectivity,” Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said in a statement Tuesday.

Remedial, enrichment and advancement classes during the term started last month.

Mr. Cusi said power utilities must meet the electricity needs of each household as enrollment turnout for the incoming year is “very good.”

“I have given my order to all cooperatives through National Electrification Administration (NEA) Administrator Edgardo R. Masongsong to ensure stable supply of power in their respective franchise areas,” he said.

“This directive is not only to help the students as they attend online classes but a sufficient and stable supply of electricity at this time is what businesses need as we revive the economy,” he added.

The Department of Education has resorted to distance learning until physical classes can resume.

Some schools introducing blended learning approaches are preparing to reopen in August. — Adam J. Ang

Regional Updates (06/16/20)

Cebu City hospitals to increase COVID-19 bed capacity as cases rise

PRIVATE hospitals in Metro Cebu are increasing their bed allocation for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients as severe cases in the highly-urbanized area continue to swell. Department of Health (DoH) Central Visayas Regional Director Jaime S. Bernadas, in a statement on June 15, said the planned expansion will bring isolation beds in private hospitals to 548 while government hospitals will have 364. He added that the DoH regional office “will augment human resources for health to assist” in the increased bed capacity. “COVID-19 has highlighted deficiencies of the overall health capacity of the region. However, it should be noted that these deficiencies were already present even before the current pandemic,” Mr. Bernadas said. The Cebu Doctors’ Group of Hospitals is among those setting up the biggest expansion at 175 beds from 100 for mild and moderate COVID-19 cases, and to 36 from 15 intensive care unit (ICU) beds. “Our role is to calm the public by providing enough COVID beds and COVID ICUs. That’s the only way,” Cebu Doctors’ Group President Potenciano Larrazabal III said over the Mugstoria Ta program live-streamed by the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas. The group’s members include the Cebu Doctors University Hospital, Mactan Doctors, North General, South General, San Carlos General, and Ormoc Doctors. In the same program attended by other health officials, it was noted that while the average daily cases remain flat, there has been an increase in severe cases, which require hospital care. Latest available data from the DoH regional office, which is as of June 12, show 4,591 cases in the entire Central Visayas. Cities in the Metro Cebu area with the highest cases are: Cebu, 1,366; Mandaue, 89; Lapu-Lapu City, 70; and Talisay, 61. Of the regional total, 1,094 are in hospital facilities while 1,856 are under home isolation. There have been 1,556 recoveries and 85 deaths. The cities of Cebu and Talisay have been placed under stricter quarantine protocols from June 16-31.— MSJ

Sibuyan Island group asks gov’t to reassess road project that will cut through Mt. Guiting-Guiting

FRANZ HECTOR

A NON-PROFIT organization in Sibuyan Island has called on the government to again stop and reevaluate a road project that will cut through the Mt. Guiting-Guiting Natural Park, a declared protected area. “Mt. Guiting-Guiting Natural Park or known as #G2 has thick forests which serve as carbon sink and protection against landslides and floods in the entire island,” Rodne Galicha, chairman of the Bayay Sibuyanon Inc., said in a statement emailed on June 16. Mr. Galicha pointed out that the project was already halted in 2018 by the Department of Public Works and Highways, but was again included in the 2020 national budget with a P95 million allocation. The project, a 3.8-kilometer road that provides a link to the Magdiwang Port from San Fernando, is supported by local officials citing economic benefits. Mr. Galicha, on the other hand, argues that the environmental cost outweighs the potential commercial value. With Mt. Guiting-Guiting’s plant and mammal biodiversity, considered one of the richest in the world, “The small island of Sibuyan has been contributing to climate change mitigation and adaptation and disaster risk reduction,” he said. The mountain’s watersheds also power a mini-hydro power plant that serves as an energy source on the island. He also noted that the project did not go through community consultation. Mr. Galicha, a recipient of the 2018 Ten Outstanding Young Men Philippines award for Environment and Climate Change, said the P95 million budget for the road should instead by realigned for the coronavirus response or reallocated to unfinished infrastructure projects on the island such as the circumferential and farm to market roads, bridges, and ports.

Metro Manila bicycle lanes to be coordinated, says MMDA

THE METROPOLITAN Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said it will coordinate all bicycle lanes that will be set up in Metro Manila, which is composed of 16 cities and one municipality. MMDA General Manager Jose Arturo S. Garcia, Jr., in a virtual hearing of the House of Representatives committee on Metro Manila development on Tuesday, said they are already coordinating with the Department of Transportation and Department of Public Works and Highways to “connect” the bikes lanes. He noted that some local governments already have bicycle lanes while others have started plans as cycling has become an important mode of transport amid the limited public transport services during the lockdown. On June 5, the House committee on transportation approved several bills that seek to establish bike-friendly communities across the country. — Genshen L. Espedido

NGCP, power distributors asked to update capex plans

THE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) directed all power utilities and the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) to update their capital expenditure (capex) plans to reflect adjusted demand forecasts for upcoming projects.

The regulator noted that electricity demand assumptions and forecasts used by distribution utilities and the private transmission company for their proposed projects this year “may need to be adjusted… as the same may no longer be realistic under the current demand and supply scenario,” ERC Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer Agnes VST Devanadera said in a statement Tuesday.

The power utilities and the NGCP will also have to submit a new timetable for implementing their proposed projects, as well as the electricity distributors’ plans to address issues with project execution during the pandemic.

“We trust that the regulated entities will extend their usual support to the Commission by assisting us in determining the necessity and timeliness of these capex projects and its possible impact to the electricity consumers given the unprecedented situation brought about by the global pandemic,” Ms. Devanadera said.

The NGCP told legislators last month that some of its ongoing projects suffered from delayed delivery of equipment due to quarantine restrictions. Also, technical consultants for some projects have not been able to conduct scheduled inspections due to an inability to travel.

It said the delays would “result in facilities’ deficiency to cope with the anticipated grid requirements.”

“While the demand is low during the ECQ (enhanced community quarantine), it is still expected to increase as quarantine measures are relaxed and upon full lifting of the restrictions. Thus, delayed projects may introduce system operating limits that could lead to Automatic or Manual Load Dropping,” it said.

Between mid-March and April, the Department of Energy reported an electricity demand decline of up to 30% as industries and business establishments closed.

Starting May, when the government eased restrictions in some areas, demand began to gradually pick up, based on the monitoring of the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines. — Adam J. Ang

CoA finds P81 million in PIDS unfinished research projects

STATE auditors reported that the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) failed to complete 24 research projects worth P81 million due to “unanticipated delays” encountered from other government agencies.

“Verification of the Project Status Report as of December 31, 2019 furnished by (PIDS) Management to the Audit Team showed that there were still twenty-four (24) ongoing projects with total cost of P81.236 million, which original target completion dates were in CYs (calendar years) 2017, 2018 and 2019,” the Commission on Audit (CoA) said in its 2019 Annual Audit Report.

Ou1t of the total project cost of P81.236 million, PIDS spent P56.321 million with the balance at P24.915 million. The 24 ongoing projects included one project which was started in 2017 and eight projects which commenced in 2018.

“According to Management, the causes of the non-completion of the projects within the original timetable indicated in the projects’ work plans could be attributed to, among others, delays encountered from other government agencies in processing PIDS’ requests for data and difficulty in hiring qualified project staff. PIDS requested for time extension in consultation with the partner agencies, in the case of externally-funded projects,” CoA said.

CoA said these delays go against PIDS’ mandate to provide “relevant, reliable and timely” policy research to guide policymakers and leaders in decision making. — Genshen L. Espedido

UAAP looking at a full calendar for Season 83, officials say

DESPITE THE CHALLENGES presented by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the University Athletic Association of the Philippines is looking at having a full calendar of events when Season 83 unfurls.

The league, however, is not yet ready to commit when the start of the new UAAP season will be as it says it all depends on how things further unfold as far as the effects of COVID-19, which is still a going concern in the country.

Served as guests at the online forum of the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) on Tuesday, UAAP Executive Director Atty. Rebo Saguisag and UAAP Season 82 President and Board of Managing Directors Representative Emmanuel Fernandez of Ateneo de Manila University shared some of the things the league is looking at as it moves forward under circumstances brought fore by the pandemic just as they reassured that the UAAP is still committed to continue championing the community, particularly the student-athletes.

The UAAP officials said conditions permitting, the league is looking to have all sporting events take place in Season 83, which is set to be hosted by De La Salle University.

Season 83 was initially eyed to start in September but with COVID-19 still a concern, compounded by the extension of the General Community Quarantine setup in Metro Manila early this week, Messrs. Saguisag and Fernandez fear it may not be possible to start the season this year.

Given that, they said that one of the scenarios the UAAP is looking at is starting the new season in the second semester in the first quarter of 2021.

But the officials were quick to say though that everything concerning the conduct of Season 83 is still dependent on the guidelines and directives from relevant government agencies, including those from education, health and sports, as well as the schools themselves.

They are also eyeing how other organizations are handling their affairs moving forward in forming the direction they intend to take.

“We’re getting the best models from different organizations,” said Mr. Saguisag.

In the event the UAAP does start early next year, the league will try to follow a setup similar to the Southeast Asian Games where events take place at the same time so as to accommodate as many events as possible.

For instance, basketball, which traditionally takes place in the first semester of the school year, will run simultaneously with volleyball, a second-semester sport. Basketball and volleyball are mandatory events in the UAAP, along with the cheerdance competition.

“The idea is to have the full calendar, operationally and if allowed to start it first quarter of the year. It’s like all sports in the second semester. Whatever we can fill in for the season we will try to do,” said Mr. Fernandez.

The catch, however, the UAAP officials said, the events may be held without a live audience, especially if COVID-19 remains an issue by that time.

But despite the uncertainty hovering over Season 83, the truncated Season 82 will be given a closure.

The league is set to hold closing ceremonies for the season, which was cancelled altogether in April because of the pandemic. University of Santo Tomas is expected to be crowned overall champion.

Details of the ceremonies, to be done online, are still being finalized with broadcast partner ABS-CBN.

“The UAAP is not going away. We are working hard,” assured Mr. Saguisag.

“The UAAP is older than all of us and it will stay. Watch out for Season 83,” Mr. Fernandez, for his part, said. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

US Open will go ahead without fans amid COVID-19 — reports

TORONTO — The United States Tennis Association will hold the US Open this year without fans amid the COVID-19 pandemic even though some top players have expressed concerns about attending the tournament due to the virus, according to multiple reports.

The New York Times, which both cited unnamed sources, said the USTA will announce this week that it will hold the Aug. 31 to Sept. 13 event in New York with the support of the men’s ATP Tour and the WTA, which runs the women’s circuit.

The USTA’s agreements with the men’s and women’s tours are “happening or almost there,” one source told Forbes. ESPN, which cited a source familiar with the plan, said the USTA is waiting for a green light from local and state health officials.

“We’re following each step in the procedure that we need to with the great hope that we can announce that the 2020 US Open will be played in its regularly scheduled date,” USTA spokesman Chris Widmaier said in an e-mail to Reuters.

“We hope to make an announcement regarding the status of the 2020 US Open in the very near future.”

No professional tennis tournaments have been held since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has left the sport’s calendar in tatters, and the shutdown will extend until August.

Wimbledon was cancelled altogether while the French Open has been moved to September and is due to start one week after the scheduled US Open men’s final.

World number one Novak Djokovic and reigning US Open men’s champion Rafa Nadal are among the players who have expressed concerns about attending the New York tournament.

Nadal said earlier this month he would not travel to the US Open in present circumstances while Djokovic said playing the event this year would be impossible given “extreme” protocols that would be in place.

In mid-April the USTA said its decision on whether to hold the Grand Slam this year will be made in June, and playing it without fans is on the table but highly unlikely.

The US Open is held annually in New York City, which has been hit hard by the pandemic. The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center was even turned into temporary hospital to help in the battle against the virus.

Last year’s edition drew an all-time attendance record of nearly 740,000 fans and the event is the engine that drives the governing USTA. — Reuters

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