FORMER Senator Heherson “Sonny” Alvarez died on Monday after getting sick with the COVID-19 virus. He was 80.
Mr. Alvarez served as a senator for two terms and was later elected congressman. He is survived by his wife Cecille and two children. He was a delegate of the 1971 Constitutional Convention and was among those who opposed the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos.
Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III and Senator Ralph G. Recto mourned the passing of Mr. Alvarez, whom they both worked with in past Congresses.
“I had the great opportunity to learn from this reasonable and hard-working lawmaker as a neophyte senator in 1992 when I first joined the Senate,” Mr. Sotto said in a statement.
Mr. Recto said he worked with Mr. Alvarez at the House of Representatives in the 11th Congress. “He crafted policies, defended these on the floor and interpellated in plenary with the skill of a seasoned parliamentarian and the undiminished passion of a patriot,” he said in a separate statement.
Mr. Recto also praised Mr. Alvarez for his advocacies as an environmentalist. “He was no longer a politician with the next election in mind, but a statesman concerned about the next generation.” — Charmaine A. Tadalan
Transportation, construction among priority sectors in Baguio’s post-quarantine plan
BAGUIO City officials met on Monday to discuss the transition plan towards a partial lifting of restrictions imposed to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong said the program towards economic recovery will be taken like “baby steps” to ensure that the health situation also remains under control. “We cannot engage into business as usual come May… We ease up per sector, not all and not right away,” he said in a statement from the city information office. Transportation and construction are among the priority sectors eyed for resumption. Meanwhile, the Baguio city council has passed a resolution asking the Department of Health (DoH) and COVID-19 national task force to provide an additional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machine, re-agents and other related supplies and equipment to the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC) to increase its current testing capacity. The BGHMC, one of the DoH-accredited COVID-19 test facilities outside Metro Manila, has only one PCR machine with a capacity of up to 300 test per day. The laboratory handles samples from Baguio City, other parts of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and serves as a confirmatory test center for the initial screening tests undertaken in northern Luzon. As of the weekend, CAR recorded 24 confirmed COVID-19 patients, of whom 18 are from Baguio City and three each in the provinces of Abra and Benguet. Of the positive patients, six are admitted in hospital, 17 have recovered while one died. There were 521 suspect cases, including 88 admitted in hospitals and the rest under quarantine at home or a designated facility. – Marifi S. Jara
Protecting Ormoc’s garbage frontliners
ENRO
Ormoc City’s garbage collectors under the Environment and Natural Resources Office (ENRO) receive protective gear donated by the Rotary Club of Ormoc. The city still has no confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 case as of April 19.
Davao Doctors Hospital provides surgery service back-up to SPMC
DAVAO Doctors Hospital (DDH) has responded to the call of state-run Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) for private health facilities to help with patients who need care not related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). SPMC chief of hospital Leopoldo J. Vega, in a text message last week, said they have already signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with DDH for the referral scheme. “Davao Doctors has responded and we already have a MOA. We will start with the Department of Surgery,” Mr. Vega said. Under the agreement, DDH will apply the No Balance Billing (NBB) policy to surgery patients referred by SPMC. The NBB policy of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), in line with the Universal Health Care law, “enables the vulnerable sectors of the program such as the poor and the elderly to pay no more in excess of their PhilHealth coverage when confined in government facilities.” “Patients will not be charged extra and all services will be covered by PhilHealth,” Mr. Vega explained in a text message. The agreement will be in effect until SPMC can again start accepting non-COVID-19 patients. SPMC, the biggest government-owned hospital in Mindanao, has been designated as a COVID-19 treatment facility. It is also currently the only accredited COVID-19 testing laboratory in the southern island. Mr. Vega said he is reaching out to other private hospitals for a similar arrangement catering to indigent patients, especially those in need of urgent and critical care. “It is the only way that we can help out these indigent patients who can no longer be admitted at SPMC because of the many positive and probable cases that we have right now,” he said. Davao Region has the highest number of COVID-19 patients in Mindanao with 105 as of April 19, of whom 58 have recovered while 16 died. “We want to concentrate now on COVID patients and so that we can allocate our human resources and PPEs (personal protective equipment),” he said. DDH is 34% owned by Metro Pacific Hospital Holdings, Inc. of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC). MPIC is one of three Philippine subsidiaries of Hong Kong’s First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being PLDT, Inc. and Philex Mining Corp. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., maintains an interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group. – Maya M. Padillo
Party-list rep calls for resumption of POGO operations to boost tax collection
A LAWMAKER called for the resumption of operations of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) to boost government funds as it addresses the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. “In view of exhausting government coffers, the suspension of POGO operations should be lifted immediately to give our tax collection a much-needed boost. We need all the help that we can get right now… Lives are at stake and we need to act fast,” said ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Eric G. Yap, vice chair of the House games and amusement committee. “Kung nandito lang naman din sila (If they are here anyway), why not allow them to operate? Work from home arrangements should be explored or… stay-in. If you can’t do either, you will not be allowed to operate,” added Mr. Yap, who is also chairman of the House appropriations committee. The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) earlier said the suspension of POGO operations is intended to ensure the safety of all employees and prevent the potential spread of the virus. “PAGCOR should come up with guidelines stipulating do’s and don’ts,” Mr. Yap said. PAGCOR Chair and Chief Executive Officer Andrea D. Domingo, in a Viber message to BusinessWorld, said she “fully supports” Mr. Yap’s petition. Finance Secretary Carlos G. Domiguez III, meanwhile, told reporters Monday that they are still evaluating if the suspension of POGO should be lifted – Genshen L. Espedido
NPC pushes for mass testing, but gov’t says available kits must be rationalized
THE National People’s Coalition (NPC) party on Monday appealed to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) and the Department of Health (DoH) to speed up the implementation of mass testing for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). IATF Spokesperson Karlo Alexei B. Nograles, however, said the conduct of “expanded” testing will have to be rationalized given the limited number of available test kits not just in the country but globally. Under the guidelines released by the IATF on Monday, health care workers, especially those showing symptoms of COVID-19, will be prioritized. “All sub-national laboratories are directed to allocate between 20% to 30% of their daily testing capacity for health workers, and the remaining 70% to 80% for patients,” Mr. Nograles said in a briefing Monday. The NPC, in a resolution dated April 17, particularly asked the IATF and DoH to assist local government units (LGUs) in establishing testing laboratories “sufficient to meet the demands of mass testing.” The DoH has so far accredited 16 testing centers, majority of which are in Metro Manila, with a capacity of at least 3,000 samples per day.
ANTI-DISCRIMINATION
Meanwhile, Mr. Nograles reported that all LGUs in Metro Manila have already issued an ordinance to prevent discrimination against health workers. He also called on victims and witnesses of discriminatory acts to report to the National Bureau of Investigation. — Charmaine A. TadalanandGillian M. Cortez
64% of Metro Manila households have 1 member who lost job
ABOUT 64% of Metro Manila residents reported that at least one member of their family lost employment under the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), with low-income households having a higher incidence of job loss, according to the second run survey by political consultancy firm Publicus Asia, Inc (PAI). “The data suggest a strong negative correlation between income and the likelihood or incidence of job loss. 78.12% of respondents from poor households reported that at least one member of their households had lost their job due to the ECQ. The proportion of respondents who reported job loss in their household decreases as household income increases,” Executive Director Aureli C. Sinsuat said in a virtual presser on Monday. PAI conducted its second run Online Panel Survey from April 13 to 18, with a weighted sample of 1,000 respondents aged 18 to 70 years old. Meanwhile, 39.5% of respondents said they are doing “good” or “very good” under the ECQ, 18.7% said they are doing “bad” or “very bad,” while 41.8% said neither. Good or very good family condition went down by 8% compared to the April 2 to 6 run of the survey, while bad or very bad condition increased by 3.7%. “Respondents from the three lowest income groups recorded higher incidences of bad or very bad family conditions than the 18.7% average across all income groups,” Mr. Sinsuat said. — Genshen L. Espedido
Sugar to be included in relief packs
THE INTER-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has approved the inclusion of refined sugar in relief packs distributed by local government units (LGUs) to help boost demand for local produce. Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar welcomed the approval and said LGUs can now include at least two kilograms (kg) of sugar in the relief packs. “Through this, we can ease pressure brought about by the high supply of the sweetener,” Mr. Dar said in a statement on Monday. According to the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), sugar traders have experienced a 30-40% decline in orders from food manufacturers and other buyers due to the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon. “With the IATF approval, we are hopeful to offset the slowdown in demand for sugar during the quarantine period,” Mr. Dar said. SRA assured that there is enough sugar supply in traders’ warehouses in Luzon. Total raw sugar stock is at 1.793 million bags while refined sugar stock is at 2.2 million bags. Each bag is equivalent to 50 kilograms. Total nationwide sugar output is 12.3 million bags while withdrawals is at 8.8 million bags. The DA recently implemented a revised suggested retail price (SRP) list for basic food commodities, which included sugar. Refined sugar is priced at P50/kg while brown sugar is at P45/kg.
DSWD
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said it has released 90% of the P81 billion emergency cash subsidies to LGUs for distribution to identified beneficiaries. “Naibigay na rin natin ang (We have released) P74.5 billion (to) 1,359 na lokal na pamahalaan sa buong bansa (to LGus nationwide),” DSWD Undersecretary Camilo G. Gudmalin said in a press briefing on Monday. Mr. Gudmalin said more than one million low-income families not covered by the government’s conditional cash grants have received P6 million in cash aid as of April 19. The poorest of the poor families under the state’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) have received P16.3 billion in financial assistance, he added. Meanwhile, about 40,000 public utility drivers in the National Capital Region received P323 million. Aside from emergency cash subsidies, Mr. Gudmalin said more than 445,580 food packs worth P173 million have been distributed to LGUs. — Revin Mikhael D. OchaveandGenshen L. Espedido
Korean wanted for cybercrime nabbed at Manila airport
A SOUTH KOREAN wanted for cybercrime and operating an illegal online gaming business was nabbed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport last April 16, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported Monday. In a statement, BI said Ju Minhyeok, 23, was identified before boarding his flight to Incheon as his name appeared in the Interpol watchlist. He was allowed to board his flight and South Korean authorities were informed of his arrival. “He was arrested upon his arrival at the Incheon airport where operatives from the cybercrime investigation squad of the Busan police were waiting for him,” Grifton SP. Medina, port operations division chief, said. Mr. Ju has a standing arrest warrant issued by the Busan district court last April 11 for violating the national sports promotion act for allegedly engaging in illegal gambling activities, BI said, adding that he could be sentenced for up to seven years. “Korean authorities charged that the suspects ran the sites called ‘Deadpool’ through which bettors could win or lose money by predicting the results of various sports competitions,” BI Interpol chief Rommel S. Tacorda said. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas
With millions of children stuck at home due to the coronavirus pandemic, many have turned to the Internet as both a resource for communication, education, and entertainment. Yet, even as online platforms become increasingly important spaces for learning and socializing, they can also expose children to the unsavory elements of human nature.
Children face a higher risk of being exposed to online predators in the wake of the enhanced community quarantine. More disturbingly, most cases of online sexual exploitation of children in the Philippines involve parents or family members as facilitators. As the country bunkers down to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, more children could be vulnerable to exploitation in their own homes.
Around seven million children are sexually abused in the country every year, with more than 70% of the children between 10 and 18 years old. Among those victims, 20% are under six years of age. Cases of child sexual abuse are one of the most common issues that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has to handle after abandonment and neglect. Despite the Anti-Rape Law of 1997, rape remains the most frequent type of sexual abuse, while a third or 33% is due to incest.
The 2015 Child Protection Network Annual Report stated that 87% of all cases of sexual violence are girls, 11.7% of which occurred in the family home. While victims of sexual exploitation for commercial purposes are predominantly 13 to 18 year-old girls, some of them were forced into prostitution from age 10 for the youngest ones.
SaferKidsPH, a consortium of Save the Children Philippines, The Asia Foundation and UNICEF, and funded by the Australian Government, is expanding its efforts to protect children against online sexual abuse and exploitation during the COVID-19 enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
The initiative aims to address cyberbullying, online sexual abuse and exploitation, and other forms of harm that may have increased risks during the quarantine period, as children spend more time online, with or without the guidance of a parent or carer.
Starting April 15, SaferKidsPH, in collaboration with the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the National Telecommunications Commission, Smart Communications, and Globe Telecom, launches an SMS campaign focusing on practical child online safety measures that can be used during the COVID-19 ECQ. Mobile subscribers are invited to visit the platforms of SaferKidsPH and UNICEF for more information.
Brigadier General Alessandro C. Abella, Chief of the Philippine National Police-Women and Children Protection Center (PNP-WCPC), said that during the lockdown, his staff will continue to receive, monitor, and respond to online sexual abuse and exploitation of children-related reports.
“Even in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, the PNP-WCPC continues to be aggressive in its fight against online sexual exploitation of children,” he said.
For more information on how to stay safe online and how you can help stop online sexual exploitation of children, please visit www.saferkidsph.org. You may also follow SaferKidsPH on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
SaferKidsPH, a six-year Australian Government initiative (2019-2025), aims to keep children safe online through awareness raising; supporting the investigation, prosecution and adjudication of online sexual exploitation of children cases; and improving child protection services in the communities. SaferKidsPH is implemented through the Australian Federal Police and the consortium of Save the Children Philippines, The Asia Foundation, and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Philippines. -– Bjorn Biel M. Beltran
THEY may be archrivals in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines but in the country’s fight against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic Ateneo and La Salle are on the same team.
Working for months now as the country tries to cope up with the effects of the highly contagious respiratory disease, the two learning institutions are partners under the campaign “Let’s Work Together To Fight, COVID-19!”
The Jesuits (Society of Jesus) and the De La Salle Brothers, founders of Ateneo and La Salle in the country, respectively, have seen it fit to join hands to help in efforts against the pandemic, which, as of this writing, has tallied 6,259 confirmed cases here, with 572 recoveries and 409 deaths.
While on their own they were already doing share in the battle against COVID-19, with De La Salle University, together with Arnold Janssen Kalinga Center, opening the doors of the Razon Sports Complex and College of Saint Benilde’s covered courts to the homeless of Manila City, providing them shelter and food, and Ateneo de Manila University also opening its dormitories to the medical frontliners, they still saw the need to do more — together.
“I appreciated the shelters, so the first thing that crossed my mind was to help. The Ateneo alumni, those in business, said they’d like to help. I told them, ‘Let’s raise money together with our friends — which means also La Salle friends,’” said Philippine Jesuit Provincial Fr. Jun Viray, SJ.
Thinking along the same lines, DLSU President Bro. Armin Luistro, FSC, said talks to collaborate were fluid, allowing for the partnership to become a reality.
“A little conversation between myself and Father Jun created a spark that is more explosive than UAAP that allowed us to say, maybe this is the time to work together rather than compete,” said the La Salle official.
“And that’s the story of our love life with the Jesuits in the time of COVID-19,” he added.
And to date the joining of forces has bore good results with the Let’s Work Together campaign raising P10 million that will feed almost 500 homeless individuals and 6,000 urban poor families.
Season 82 of the UAAP was officially cancelled by the league early this month as COVID-19 continued to be a growing concern and the signs it was looking for with regards to the resumption of activities were deemed no longer possible.
For those who want to donate to the Let’s Work Together To Fight, COVID-19! campaign may do so through Metrobank (Account name: Tanging Yaman Foundation, Inc./Metrobank Peso Checking Account Number: 448-7-44800988-9) and BPI (Account name: Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan/BPI Peso Checking Account Number: 3081-1111-61) for Ateneo. For proper acknowledgment, kindly send photo of the deposit slip to slb@affiliate.ateneo.edu.
For De La Salle donors you can course your help through RCBC (Account name: De La Salle Brothers, Inc./Account number: 7590-569081), Security Bank (Account name: De La Salle Brothers, Inc./Account number: 0000014366500) and BPI (Account name: De La Salle Brothers, Inc./Account number: 3103-3749-86). GCash and PayMaya donations may also be transferred online to any of the above bank accounts.
BELGRADE — Novak Djokovic faces a dilemma if it becomes compulsory for players to get vaccinated before they can begin competing once the tennis season resumes following the hiatus created by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the world number one said on Sunday.
“Personally I am opposed to vaccination and I wouldn’t want to be forced by someone to take a vaccine in order to be able to travel,” Djokovic said in a live Facebook chat with several fellow Serbian athletes.
“But if it becomes compulsory, what will happen? I will have to make a decision. I have my own thoughts about the matter and whether those thoughts will change at some point, I don’t know.
“Hypothetically, if the season was to resume in July, August or September, though unlikely, I understand that a vaccine will become a requirement straight after we are out of strict quarantine and there is no vaccine yet.”
Last month, former world number one Amelie Mauresmo said the rest of the 2020 tennis season might be wiped out, saying that action should not resume before players can get vaccinated against the coronavirus disease 2019.
“International circuit = players of all nationalities plus management, spectators and people from the 4 corners of the world who bring these events to life. No vaccine = no tennis,” the two-time grand slam winner said in a widely shared tweet.
Medical experts have said that vaccines against the respiratory virus would not be ready until next year, raising doubts whether any further tennis tournaments can be contested this year.
This year’s Wimbledon championships have been cancelled for the first time since World War II while the French Open, originally due to be held from May 24–June 7, was rescheduled for Sept. 20–Oct. 4, shortly after the end of the US Open.
Djokovic made a flying start to the 2020 season, winning the Australian Open in January for his 17th grand slam title and stretched his winning run to 18 matches before the pandemic brought sports events across the world to a halt.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the Euro 2020 soccer championship were among the events postponed until next year as the pandemic has caused 165,000 deaths worldwide.
So far the governing bodies of tennis have suspended all tournaments until July 13. In addition, the women’s Rogers Cup in Montreal, which had been due to be held in August, will also not take place this year. — Reuters
Last Thursday we studied the Knight-and-Pawn Endgame in Alekseenko vs. Giri. Nowadays we have the benefit of the endgame tablebases to assist us in the analysis of these endgames. As BW readers know an endgame tablebase is a computerized database that contains precalculated exhaustive analysis of chess endgame positions. They are generated by working backwards from a checkmated position. Thus, the tablebase acts as an oracle, always providing the optimal moves.
Before the development of the tablebases, chessplayers had to work out the do’s and don’ts of endgame play with their own brains. Do you know that the theory of that specific knight and pawn endgame in Alekseenko vs. Giri was first brought to light by GM Eugene Torre in the crucial game Torre vs. Portisch from the 1982 Toluca Interzonal?
Torre went to Toluca with every hope of qualifying for the Candidates’ Matches, but started very badly, scoring four draws and a loss (from a winning position against Igor Ivanov, formerly Soviet who was already representing Canada then) for 2.0/5 and a place near the bottom of the tournament table.
After the loss Eugene reckoned that he had no more chances to qualify and, with nothing to lose, started playing in a carefree manner. Feeling no pressure at all he threw caution to the winds and shocked the chess world with a five-game winning streak against several of the top GMs in the world, starting with Lev Polugaevsky (USSR), the Cuban Amador Rodriguez, then Yugoslavia’s champion Krunoslav Hulak, the American champion and sensation Yasser Seirawan, and finally the tough Lebanese-turned-French champion Bachar Kouatly.
Suddenly three rounds before the end he was leading the field with 7.5/10 followed by Lajos Portisch (7.0/10) and three pre-tournament favorites with 6.5/10: Yasser Seirawan (USA), Artur Jussupow (USSR), and former world champion Boris Spassky (USSR).
In the 11th round he met Hungarian living legend Lajos Portisch. With the tournament leaders all tightly bunched it was obvious that there was no question of an early draw — they were both in for the fight of their lives.
Portisch was among the leading theoreticians of his day. He introduced this move for the first time in this game, and it has since become the main line. Previously everybody automatically played 9…d5.
The time came for Eugene to seal a move. Elated with the fact that the draw is already well within reach he makes a mistake.
41.b5?
The move 41.Ke2 holds everything. 41…Nf5 (Black cannot advance with his king because then 41…Ke4 42.Kf2 Kxf4 43.Nc6 wins Black’s a-pawn) 42.Kd3 Nd4 43.Nc4! Ne6 44.Ne3+ Kd6 45.f5!= No kidding, these knight endgames are very difficult to play.
Now Eugene goes after the b-pawn in order to leave Black with doubled pawns on the same file.
50…Ne5+ 51.Ke2 b4 52.h6 b3 53.h7 Ng6?
The question mark comes from Portisch, who claims that 53…Nf7! wins. What is the difference between putting the knight on f7 and g6? In fact on g6 it performs the additional function of defending his f4–pawn. It turns out that on f7 a valuable check becomes available on g5. It appears that he is right, Black wins if Eugene defends the same way as he did in the actual game. However, there is still a way to a draw: 53…Nf7 54.Kd3 Kb4 55.Nf3 Ka3 56.Nd2 b2 57.Nc4+ Kb3 58.Nxb2 Kxb2 59.Ke2! we have a draw as Black’s king cannot get back in time to save his pawns.
Now Black realizes the dilemma. If he tries to queen his b-pawn then 58…Kc2 59.Na3+ Kc1 60.Kf3 b1Q 61.Nxb1 Kxb1 62.h8Q Nxh8 63.Kxf4 draws, so he has to reconcile himself with the reality that the b-pawn must be given away for its counterpart white pawn on h7.
59.Nd2+ Kd5 60.Ke2
Game was adjourned for the second time here with White sealing the text move. Eugene was very distraught at the prospect of his qualifying chances melting away and came away from the board with a sinking feeling of hopelessness. GM Miguel Quinteros of Argentina, who was a close personal friend of Eugene, was present in Toluca as a correspondent for several big newspapers in his country, and did not hesitate to offer his services in the adjournment analysis.
They were both aware of the importance of the game and so really burned the midnight oil on this one. However, after several hours’ study they were forced to conclude that the endgame was lost. There was nothing left to be done but to catch a few hours sleep before the morning adjournment so that at least Eugene could meet the Hungarian legend with a clear head.
The game would not leave Eugene’s mind, though, and after sinking into an exhausted sleep the adjourned position broke into his dream with the knights and pawns dancing around the board. They were moving at a rapid pace all over the board and then, suddenly, a sequence of moves kept repeating itself in his dream and, subconsciously realizing its significance, he was shocked into wakefulness.
“Miguelito! Miguelito! It’s a draw! It’s a draw!” This call in the wee hours of the morning brought Quinteros running, and once again the feverish analysis started. Finally, with daybreak peaking from the waning darkness of the night they both sat back, smiling and happy. They had really found it.
The position on the board more or less forcibly arises after the adjournment. They had concluded that it was lost because of 69.Kf2 Ng5 70.Kg2 (70.Ke2 Ne4 71.Kf1 f3 72.Ne6 Kg3 73.Ke1 f2+ 74.Ke2 f4) 70…f3+ Kf1 Kf4 and now the winning method is obvious — Black will bring his knight to g4 and king to e3 and force through the pawn. Here is how it will go 72.Kf2 Ne4+ 73.Kf1 Nf6 74.Kf2 Ng4+ 75.Kf1 Ke4 76.Nb5 Ke3 the sequence …Nh2+ followed by …f2 and queens cannot be prevented.
But this was the sequence Eugene saw — there WAS a way after all to prevent Black’s king from going to f4 and crossing over to the other side.
69.Kf1!!
The dream sequence. Eugene’s knight is already on d4 and that is good — his King has to be on f2 when Black plays Ng5 otherwise he won’t be able to maintain his blockade on f3. If immediately 69.Kf2 Ng5 70.Kg2 (70.Ke2 Ne4 71.Kf1 f3 72.Ne6 Kg3 73.Ke1 f2+ 74.Ke2 Nd2) 70…f3+ 71.Kf1 (71.Kf2 Kf4 once the Black king gets to f4 it is curtains for White) 71…Kf4 72.Kf2 Ne4+ 73.Kf1 Nf6 74.Kf2 Ng4+ 75.Kf1 Ke4 76.Nb5 Ke3 Portisch wins.
69…Ng5
[69…f3 70.Kf2 Kf4 71.Nxf5!=]
70.Kf2
This is the same position as in 69.Kf2 Ng5, only now it is Black to play, and it is a draw.
70…Ne4+
If 70…f3 then 71.Ke3 preventing Black’s king from going to f4. Black is now in a bit of a zugzwang. If he moves his king then Nxf5. If he moves his knight then Nxf3. Take note that white’s king is two diagonal squares away from the black knight, meaning that it will take black a minimum of three moves before it can check the white king. Just a small tidbit to remember if you want to avoid any surprise checks.
71.Kg2
The blockade on f3 holds. Portisch has to find a way to break it.
71…Nd2 72.Kf2 Ne4+ 73.Kg2 Nd2 74.Kf2 f3 75.Ke3!
The second part of the dream. Eugene’s king has to go to have access to e3 when the Black pawn advances to prevent …Kf4.
Taking the knight is an immediate draw, the black king cannot move without losing the pawn, and if his knight moves then Nd3 would win the pawn.
With this very important draw GM Eugene tied with Lajos Portisch for 1st place in the 1982 Toluca Interzonal and qualified for the Candidates’ matches.
Bobby Ang is a founding member of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines and its first Executive Director. A Certified Public Accountant, he taught accounting in the University of Santo Tomas for 25 years and is currently Chief Audit Executive of the Equicom Group of Companies.
By Aliyya Sawadjaan Features Writer, The Philippine STAR
The COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic has changed the lives of millions all over the world, with people now physically distancing themselves and practicing self-quarantine to prevent infection.
Most companies have to stop physical operations and employers have adopted a work-from-home policy to help curb the coronavirus.
Some excel from working remotely, compared to working in the office. But others, not so much, as working from home can mean too many distractions (Netflix, napping, snacking, etc.), or productivity dwindles mid-working.
Here are some tips to keep the momentum going while working from home:
FIND AN OFFICE SPACE
Find a dedicated and comfortable location in the house to work on — that is not the bedroom. This area’s sole purpose should be for working, a place that you can come in for work and leave later when you’re off the clock. If there is a spare room in your home, the better, so that you can close the door and shut out any and all noise and distractions. Create a cozy but productive space that is suited to your individual working style. While you’re at it, add elements that promote either a calming environment or an inspirational one.
DECLUTTER
If you find that you lose concentration because of a cluttered desk or room, declutter. Claim the space as a clutter-free zone. This will help you stay focused on your workload and more aligned with your in-office experience.
GET READY FOR THE DAY AS USUAL
Working from home does not necessarily mean sitting around in your pambahay clothes. Instead, get ready for the day as if you were still going to the office. Practice your morning routine: getting dressed, making your coffee, eating breakfast, etc.
PLAN OUT YOUR DAY
Determine which time of the day do you prefer working: in the morning or in the afternoon? Then keep a structured daily schedule. Determine what time you start and what time you stop or clock out. Some studies recommend that time spent alone is better if it is structured. Include multiple breaks. The schedule also gives a message to your coworkers that these are the hours you are available. Don’t forget to put your highest priority task first.
TAKE BREAKS TO GET AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER AND/OR DESKS
Spend time with family or pets. Make yourself a fresh cup of coffee or green juice. Have lunch at the kitchen table with family instead of bringing a plate to your desk. Just because you are working from home does not mean you need to work 100% of the time just to be productive. Don’t be afraid to take a nap if it’ll make you more productive and energetic after.
TALK TO SOMEONE
Some people can work through isolation and solitude, but others may need some social interactions to get through the day. Some studies say that it is essential for the mental well-being of a person working remotely. Find or choose a colleague that you can chat with when you feel the need to chat with someone. Alternatively, find a friend who is going through the same experience as you.
WORK ON YOUR WORK COMMUNICATION
Build up camaraderie among your colleagues by using digital communication apps that go beyond texting. Use video conferencing services like Zoom or chat apps like Slack. Better work communication while working remotely can help maintain your relationship with your colleagues and managers.
Managers should also remember that each employee works differently, and that even though they are working from home, these are challenging times and that the COVID-19 pandemic adds another layer of stress to themselves and their employees. It is key that they communicate with them and help the employees who are struggling with the quarantine.
FIND INSPIRATION
Play on blast your playlist to get you going, or put on a more soothing soundtrack while working or try listening to an audiobook or podcast. If you prefer looking at nature and listening to the birds, face your desk towards the windows (or doors) towards where there is greenery.
DO MORE TASKS
Commit to doing more tasks as this might make you more productive and burn a fire within you to see those list of tasks filed under “complete.”
TAKE CALLS AND MESSAGES AT A CERTAIN TIME
If you are the type that easily gets distracted from taking calls and answering messages, allot a time slot on your schedule just for this particular purpose. You will save time and energy to focus on other tasks and projects.
By Hannah Mallorca Features Writer, The Philippine STAR
According to the Department of Health (DoH), maintaining proper nutrition is crucial to protect the body from COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019). The department released guidelines on how to care for the nutrition and boost the immunity of Filipino families, especially during the quarantine period.
Proper nutrition amid the COVID-19 pandemic
Observe the three principles of nutrition in preparing food for your family.
Balance, Variety and Moderation
Maintain a balanced diet.
– Eat Go, Grow and Glow food.
– Drink eight glasses of water.
Observe health measures when shopping for groceries.
Prioritize buying vegetables, fruits, meat, fish and eggs.
Plan your family meals.
– Make a food inventory.
– Observe First In, First Out when deciding what meals to serve your family.
Double-check the food you buy and observe proper preparation methods.
– Ensure that your drinking water is clean.
– Wash and clean food properly before cooking and preparation.
– Wash your hands for 20 seconds before cooking.
– Wash dishes and cooking utensils.
Observe proper exercise
Do it three times a week.
Eating the right food
For National Nutrition Council – Nutrition Information and Education division chief Jovie Raval, good nutrition is crucial during the pandemic as it helps build immunity against diseases.
“Nutrition should be part of a healthy lifestyle. If you have a balanced diet, there is no need to take vitamin and mineral supplements unless prescribed by your health professional,” she said.
According to Ms. Raval, nutritious food include vegetables, fruits, lean meat, eggs, chicken, tofu or tokwa, legumes, brown rice, corn and root crops. She also recommends avoiding alcohol since it reduces immunity.
For Nutritionist Dietitians Association of the Philippines national president Zenaida Velasco, staying hydrated is important to maintain proper nutrition. However, drinking water every 15 minutes is a myth since it doesn’t guarantee full protection against the virus.
“Drinking water flushes toxins from your body. They do not neutralize the toxins, but our kidneys use water to get rid of certain waste products. An accumulation of toxins weakens the immune system,” clarified Ms. Velasco.
Boosting immunity through medicine
According to Ms. Velasco, relying on supplements to treat or prevent COVID-19 may do more harm than good. Maintaining nutrition by eating food rich with vitamins A, C, D, E and zinc is still recommended.
“There is not enough research to support the use of high dose of vitamin C (1000 milligrams or more) with lung inflammation. Taking too much vitamin C supplements can cause side effects like diarrhea, heartburn, abdominal cramps, headache, even insomnia,” added Ms. Velasco.
For Ms. Raval, there is limited evidence supporting the claim that taking high doses of vitamin C can boost the immune system.
“Any excess vitamin C intake is excreted in the urine. Thus, there is really no need to take vitamin C supplements if the diet is adequate,” said Ms. Raval.
WHAT IF YOU’RE MORE AT RISK?
If you’re more prone in catching the virus, Ms. Raval recommended these tips in taking care of your health during the pandemic.
Follow the recommendations of DoH such as frequent proper handwashing, social distancing, staying at home, and eating healthy food.
Older people should be supported by their families to make sure they eat healthy and drink enough water.
Babies should be breastfed exclusively in the first six months and be given appropriate complementary feeding while continuing to breastfeed.
At present, there is no antiviral medication to treat COVID-19. However, the pandemic is a call for the world to take care of their health and for various sectors to ensure the safety of mankind.
It’s been a little over a month since the national government began announcing community lockdowns around the country. In that time, millions of Filipino workers have begun to experience for the first time the benefits and challenges of work-from-home arrangements.
And with talk of extending the current ECQ, or mandating intermittent lockdowns over the next few months, that struggle will only continue.
Beyond connectivity and logistics concerns, one major issue many of us who have become used to reporting to office spaces designed for productivity is: What can I do to make my personal space more conducive for work?
Here are five simple tips you can use to build the best possible workspace at home:
1. Dedicate a space. Keep it clean and uncluttered, distractions are the enemy.
This might sound simple, but it’s an important distinction to make. Your home is meant to be comfortable and is designed to help you relax. But now that you need a place to get things done—mixing business with pleasure will not work.
Whether it be a desk in your bedroom or spot in the living room, make sure you designate your work area, and stick to it. The clearer a distinction you can draw between what is a workspace, and what is a relaxation space, the quicker and more effectively your brain can switch into work mode when you need it to.
2. Light it up.
Research shows that natural light significantly increases productivity. So, as much as possible, find a spot by your window. Daylight will minimize eye strain from exposure to computer screens and the view always helps keep your mind stimulated.
If that’s not an option, a good task lamp with a white or daylight color bulb is best. Avoid warm lights, they promote relaxation and will get you ready for bed (even more than the back-to-back Zoom calls you have on deck).
3. Organize – Your space and yourself.
Make sure there is a place for everything you need—books, reference materials, chargers, a pen and paper, and the like. You do not want to be procrastinating by getting up now and then to go on a scavenger hunt. A drawer or desk organizer should do the trick as long as it’s within your reach. In a pinch, a nice wooden crate or a shoebox can also be used.
Put up a calendar, a scrum board, or a ‘to-do’ list to keep track of your progress. Set your working time for each day and be firm about it. Humans thrive on routine, and now that we don’t have excruciating daily commutes to help us delineate our schedules, it’s time to practice some self-discipline.
4. Remember—”Less is More.”
This saying, attributed to modernist architect Mies van der Rohe, perfectly describes the minimalist philosophy.
Your work space is a reflection of your mind, and a clear mind is a productive one. Stick to the essentials and save the rest for your down time. Avoid putting distracting gadgets or toys near your work area. Put a natural touch instead—we suggest a plant or a fishbowl.
5. Make it yours – functional and personal.
Now that you’ve experimented with all these previous tips, the real goal is to find what works best for you.
The beauty of building a personal workspace at home is you have total control over how to set it up. So be flexible. Add a personal touch to keep yourself inspired and motivated, your favourite artwork or a family photo would be perfect.
Try out different configurations or even different spots around your home until you find what feels right. Your most productive days are ahead of you—so get designing.
Timelines, logistics, mechanics, and budgets—these are some of the concepts that come to mind when one mentions project planning and implementation. But there is another one—monitoring and evaluation (M&E)—that is very important and unfortunately, often overlooked.
Some may misconstrue M&E as being synonymous with project auditing, but they’re actuallytwo different processes with differing points of focus. “[M&E] doesn’t say if what you’re doing is wrong… or what sanctions you should be given because you’re doing something wrong,” said Lemuel Segui, former monitoring and evaluation officer at the Philippine Development Foundation, during QBO’s TBI 4.0 Virtual 4.0 Conference held last April 1.
“M&E is actually allied with planning and implementing because [it tells] you, “These are the lessons that we saw on-ground, and these are the challenges that we need to address for you to make more informed decisions and improve your performance.”
On planning and implementing
M&E may be jointlydefined as a “continuous management function” that assesses if progress is being made, spots bottlenecks in implementation, and highlights whether there are any unintended effects from a project or program. While the two processes that comprise its name more or less have the same objective, thekey difference is that monitoring is done internally while the latter is conducted by a separate body.
To help ensure effective results management, there are a number of factors that an organization must finalize. For one, an organization must set how often they will conduct M&E, which depends on the project cycle and success indicators that are being measured.
An organization must also know what system they will use. There are a number to choose from, such as results-based management (RBM), which emphasizes improved performance and tangible, demonstrable results.
However, it doesn’t stop with crafting and implementing the plan. There are three principles that must be observed while doing so:
Ownership, or understanding the purpose of the project and going beyond simple compliance of the requirements;
Encouragement of stakeholders to participate actively in the entire process; and
A focus on results, or emphasis on achieving results instead of rigidly following activities as planned.
“M&E is actually an art and a science. There is a system, a scientific process… But the art part is how you implement the system,” said Segui.
Weaving stories from systems
If implemented well, M&E can bring several kinds of benefits. On a technical level, it can help an organization make informed decisions, improve their performance, and meet their goals. Internally, it gives them more confidence in making decisions. But perhaps one of its most fascinating benefits is that it brings out beautiful stories that can increase engagement among your stakeholders.
“People would always say that [M&E is] very scientific, and is sometimes even perceived as a boring aspect of implementation. But what we don’t [see] is the heart of a story that you’re making,” said Segui.
“For example, if your indicator [of success as an incubation program] is the number of startups that you’ve incubated, it doesn’t tell you the kind of effect your intervention had on your beneficiaries. It doesn’t tell you the change that happened to them or how you changed the lives of your beneficiaries through your initiatives. So this is something that’s unique with M&E: you see the effects through its proper implementation.”
THE government’s main collection agencies failed to meet their revenue targets for the first quarter, as March collections took a hit due to the Luzon-wide lockdown that shuttered government and business operations.
Citing preliminary data, the Finance department reported the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Bureau of Customs (BoC) generated a combined P600.86 billion from January to March. This was 20.63% or P156.26 billion short of the P757.12-billion revenue target for the first quarter, and P10.17 billion lower than the collections in the first quarter of 2019.
Collections in March were significantly affected by the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon which began on March 16 and has been extended until April 30.
For the month of March, the BIR and BoC collected P163.15 billion, representing 65.65% of the month’s P248.5-billion goal, and 17.45% lower than the P197.64 billion collected in March 2019.
BIR collections in March slumped 20.06% year on year to P118.35 billion, which represented only 62.13% of the P190.48-billion target for the month. Collections from large taxpayers fell 17.42% to P80.19 billion.
Customs revenues also declined 9.66% to P44.8 billion in March, which also fell 22.78% short of the P58.02-billion target.
“I think it’s safe to say the global situation due to the COVID-19 affected port operations globally, leading to the shortfall we experienced in March,” BoC Assistant Commissioner and Spokesperson Vincent Philip C. Maronilla said in a mobile phone message earlier.
For the first quarter, BIR collections stood at P455.45 billion — 22.86% short of its P590.43-billion target and slipping 2.86% from a year ago’s P468.86 billion.
BIR collected P284.39 billion from large taxpayers in the January to March period, 26.36% lower than the P386.19-billion goal and a 6.14% drop from a year-ago’s collections.
The BoC reported P145.41 billion in collections during the first quarter, 2.28% up from the P142.17 billion it collected last year, but still 12.76% short of its P166.69-billion target.
As the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic widens, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said he expects tax collections to be “definitely… a bit lower than our original target.”
The two agencies were tasked to collect P3.307 trillion this year to partially fund the government’s P4.1-trillion spending plan, with BIR’s target at P2.576 trillion and BoC’s at P731 billion.
Mr. Dominguez said the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) estimated that the government’s revenues could decline by as much as P318 billion if the 2020 gross domestic product (GDP) will contract by one percent or by P286.4 billion if the economy posts zero growth.
Meanwhile, National Treasurer Rosalia V. de Leon has assured that the government has enough cash to fund its cash aid programs and response against the coronavirus outbreak.
In an interview on Friday, Ms. De Leon said the government could still meet its funding requirements given the central bank’s P300-billion payment for the government bonds as well as the previous successful auctions which raised P84.925 billion.
She said there will be additional liquidity once the $5.7 billion worth of loans from multilateral lenders are approved. She said they will also continue to tap the local market via the regular auctions, while keeping an eye on the international market for opportunities. — Beatrice M. Laforga
