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King Nadal continues Paris reign with record-equaling 20th Slam

PARIS — Spaniard Rafael Nadal inflicted one of the most humiliating defeats on great rival Novak Djokovic in the French Open final on Sunday, thrashing the world number one (6-0 6-2 7-5) to lift a record-equalling 20th Grand Slam men’s singles title.

Tennis fans would have been salivating at the prospect of another epic clash in one of the sport’s greatest rivalries, but it proved to be one of the most one-sided Grand Slam finals in the Open era under the closed roof of Court Philippe Chatrier.

The roof, which made its debut at this year’s rescheduled Grand Slam, was closed just before the start of play, sending fans and pundits on social media into a frenzy on which player would benefit from the indoor conditions.

Most thought it would favor the Serbian’s game against the 34-year-old Nadal, who was bidding for a 13th title on the red claycourts at Roland Garros.

But Nadal adapted brilliantly as he has done all fortnight to the new brand of balls and the much colder and wet conditions at this year’s event, which started in late September rather than its usual May-June slot due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Of course, we were hoping for a great final and this is not going to go down as a great final. I am more surprised, I didn’t think Rafa was going to play this well,” Eurosport tennis expert and seven-times Grand Slam champion Mats Wilander said.

The stakes were high for both players in their ninth meeting in a Grand Slam final — they were tied 4-4 previously — with the added incentive of lifting another major trophy in the battle to be considered the men’s “Greatest of all time”.

Nadal has now tied Roger Federer’s haul of 20 majors with Djokovic, the last active player to beat the Spaniard at Roland Garros, three adrift.

Before the match, Djokovic had said Roland Garros was Nadal’s home and the Spaniard did not once leave the door ajar for the Serbian to make a comeback into the match.

Djokovic, 33, who had won five Grand Slam finals in a row since losing to Stan Wawrinka at the 2016 US Open, still leads Nadal 29-27 in career meetings but the scar of Sunday’s defeat will run deep.

The drop shots on the slow claycourts served Djokovic well in earlier rounds and he used plenty of them in his opening game on Sunday, but Nadal ran most of them down, blunting the Serbian’s weapon and gameplan.

Djokovic struggled with his first serve and was unable to come up with a Plan B as Nadal continued to be the aggressor while making just two unforced errors in the opening set to hand his opponent a rare bagel in the opening set.

Nadal showed exemplary athleticism and court coverage to get his racket to Djokovic’s crunching groundstrokes as the bewildered Serbian watched on, fast running out of ideas on how to win important points.

In the second set, there was no letup in intensity from Nadal, who continued to hit deep returns to keep his opponent pinned to the back of the baseline.

Djokovic got on the board at the start of the second set after managing to save three breakpoints, but Nadal maintained his iron grip by breaking the Serbian’s next two service games to take a 2-0 lead in the match.

In a high-quality third set, Djokovic broke Nadal’s serve for the first time for 3-3, but dropped serve on a double fault in the 11th game before the left-hander went on to bag his 100th victory at Roland Garros with an ace.

“Today, you showed why you are the king of clay. Today was a tough match. I was outplayed by a better player today,” said Djokovic after losing his third final to Nadal at Roland Garros.

“He did surprise me with the way he was playing, the quality of tennis he was producing, the level. He’s phenomenal. He played a perfect match, especially in the first two sets.” — Reuters

Filipino golfer Pagdanganan earns US Women’s Open spot

FILIPINO golfer Bianca Pagdanganan is bound for the US Women’s Open in December after finishing in the top 10 of the just-concluded KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in Pennsylvania on Sunday (Manila time).

Ms. Pagdanganan birdied the 72nd hole to save a 73 and be among top finishers in the event that happened from Oct. 8 to 11.

She was tied for ninth spot with an even 280 with three others, namely, Lauren Stephenson and Brittany Lincicome of the United States and Gaby Lopez of Mexico.

South Korea’s Sei Young Kim topped the $4.3-million event with a 14-under 266.

Ms. Pagdanganan, 22, said after the tournament the feeling was “incredible” and that she was proud to have exceeded her expectations.

The top 10 finish did not come easy for the Filipino, who won gold medals for the Philippines in the 2018 Asian Games and 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

She had a sluggish start to the tournament, which saw her tally a 7-over 77 in the first round.

But she made up for it in the succeeding days, registering back-to-back 5-under 65 in the next two rounds that pushed her to solo fifth place heading into the final round.

For her impressive run, apart from booking a spot in the US Women’s Open, she also pocketed $83,765 (P4 million).

The US Women’s Open will be held from Dec. 10-13 at Champions Golf Course in Houston. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Aranas vows to work with stakeholders as he seeks POC presidency

A PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee (POC) representing its stakeholders is what Clint Aranas will be pushing for in seeking the body’s presidency.

Set to challenge incumbent president Abraham Tolentino in elections set for late next month, Mr. Aranas, the country’s archery federation president, vows to work with national sports associations (NSAs), particularly in making them self-sufficient, if privileged enough to be voted to the POC’s top position.

“While we appreciate the service of the current president, we feel we can improve on it. We feel there are still things that need improvement… we want to go back to the basics of why the POC was built,” said Mr. Aranas in his session on the Power & Play with Noli Eala program on Saturday.

“Our program is rooted in transparency and accountability because the POC is the representation of the NSAs to the sporting community here and in the world. And our vision is to be the ambassador of all these NSAs. And we want to be a representative of them not only to the IOC (International Olympic Committee), but also to corporate sponsors because we want them to be self-reliant,” he added.

Mr. Aranas went on to say that he and his ticket will work to make sure that athletes are properly supported.

And one of the ways they are looking to go about it is bringing the NSAs to possible corporate sponsors with support going directly to the sports federations themselves.  

“We have a clear plan ahead in relation with the NSA, especially in making them self-sufficient. We want to be transparent that corporate help could go their way,” he said.

Mr. Aranas’ ticket for POC elections set for Nov. 27 has incumbent chairman Steve Hontiveros (handball) running for the same position and Philip Ella Juico (archery) for first vice-president and Ada Milby (rugby) for second vice-president.

Also part of the ticket are Julian Camacho (wushu) for treasurer; Monico Puentevella (weightlifting) for auditor; Charlie Ho (netball), Robert Mananquil (billiards and snooker), and Robert Bachmann (squash) as directors.

An adopted candidate of the group for director is Pearl Managuelod (muay thai).  Ms. Managuelod incidentally is part of the ticket of Mr. Tolentino. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

NFL roundup: Dak suffers ugly injury in Cowboys win

GREG ZUERLEIN kicked a game-winning field goal from 34 yards out on the final play as Dallas defeated the visiting New York Giants 37-34 Sunday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in a game that was overshadowed by an ugly ankle injury suffered by Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.

Midway through the third quarter, Prescott gained 9 yards on a run and was tackled by New York safety Logan Ryan. Prescott immediately clutched his lower right leg. After he was put in a cast, Prescott appeared to be crying as he was carted off the field. He was transported to an area hospital and ESPN later reported that Prescott was expected to undergo surgery Sunday night.

Dallas gained the final possession with 52 seconds left and moved 72 yards in four plays with backup quarterback Andy Dalton at the controls to set up the winning field goal. With the win, the Cowboys (2-3) snapped a two-game losing streak in their first outing against an NFC East Division rival.

The Giants (0-5) went ahead on Devonta Freeman’s 4-yard run with 8:46 remaining, extending the lead to 34-31 on Daniel Jones’ two-point conversion pass to offensive tackle Andrew Thomas. The 17-yard drive was set up after a fumble by Dalton.

Dallas led 24-23 at the time of the injury. Prescott completed 14 of 21 passes for 166 yards and an interception. Dalton was 9-for-11 for 111 yards after replacing Prescott. Jones was 20-for-33 for 222 yards. He was sacked twice.

RAMS 30, WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM 10
Jared Goff threw for 309 yards and two touchdowns to lead Los Angeles past host Washington in Landover, Md., on a day that Alex Smith played in his first game in nearly two years.

Defensive tackle Aaron Donald had four sacks and linebacker Troy Reeder had three as the Rams (4-1) finished with eight on the day.

Washington quarterback Josh Allen was sidelined after taking a hit to the head and arm late in the first half by Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey. He was replaced by Smith, who was making his first National Football League (NFL) appearance since a gruesome leg injury on Nov. 18, 2018 that required 17 separate surgeries to fix.

Smith completed 9 of 17 passes for 37 yards and was sacked six times for Washington (1-4). Allen was 9 of 13 for 74 yards before departing. Washington finished with 108 total yards of offense.

DOLPHINS 43, 49ERS 17
Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 350 yards and Miami erupted for 30 first-half points en route to a demolition of San Francisco at Santa Clara, Calif.

Fitzpatrick threw touchdown passes to Adam Shaheen, DeVante Parker and Preston Williams during his 14th career 350-yard game, his first since throwing for a career-best 419 against Cincinnati last December. Myles Gaskin added a 1-yard touchdown run for the Dolphins (2-3).

The loss was the second straight overall and third in a row at home for the 49ers (2-3), who benched quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo after an ineffective first half in his return from a high-ankle sprain.

BROWNS 32, COLTS 23
Baker Mayfield threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns, and host Cleveland’s defense hassled Indianapolis quarterback Philip Rivers into major mistakes as the Browns won their fourth straight.

Mayfield was 21 of 37 with two interceptions as Cleveland improved to (4-1) by complementing its league-best rushing attack with key passes, particularly when it scored on all four first-half possessions.

Meanwhile, Rivers completed 21 of 33 for 243 yards, but tossed two interceptions. One was a pick-six that Ronnie Harrison Jr. took 47 yards at the 12:15 mark of the third quarter for a 27-10 Cleveland lead. Rivers was also pressured into an intentional grounding foul in the end zone 16 seconds into the fourth quarter, giving the Browns a safety and a nine-point lead that the Colts (3-2) could not overcome.

RAVENS 27, BENGALS 3
Lamar Jackson passed for two touchdowns and the Baltimore defense repeatedly flustered rookie quarterback Joe Burrow as the Ravens cruised past visiting Cincinnati.

Mark Andrews and Marquise Brown caught touchdown passes from Jackson, who was 19-of-37 passing for 180 yards and one interception for the Ravens (4-1). Baltimore’s defense forced three turnovers, including Patrick Queen’s 53-yard fumble return touchdown, and tallied seven sacks.

Burrow, the No. 1 overall pick who entered with a rookie-record three consecutive 300-yard games, completed 19 of 30 passes for 183 yards with one interception in his fifth career start for the Bengals (1-3-1).

STEELERS 38, EAGLES 29
Rookie Chase Claypool had three scoring catches and ran for another touchdown as Pittsburgh stayed unbeaten with a win over visiting Philadelphia.

Pittsburgh, which built a 17-point lead in the third quarter, but didn’t seal it until Claypool’s fourth touchdown with 2:39 left, is 4-0 for the first time since 1979. Claypool had seven catches for 110 yards, Ben Roethlisberger was 27 of 34 for 239 yards and the three touchdowns.

For Philadelphia (1-3-1), Miles Sanders had two touchdown runs, and Greg Ward and Travis Fulgham (10 catches, 152 yards) each had a touchdown catch. Carson Wentz was 20 of 35 for 258 yards and two touchdowns against two interceptions.

PANTHERS 23, FALCONS 16
Teddy Bridgewater threw two touchdown passes in a big first half and it was enough as visiting Carolina won its third game in a row and kept Atlanta winless.

Bridgewater completed 27 of 37 passes for 313 yards — including an NFL season-high 261 yards in the first half — and Mike Davis rushed for 89 yards and caught a touchdown pass for the Panthers (3-2).

Matt Ryan threw for 226 yards, but had a costly fourth-quarter interception in the end zone for the Falcons (0-5). Calvin Ridley caught eight passes for 136 yards. Todd Gurley rushed for 121 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.

CARDINALS 30, JETS 10
Kyler Murray accounted for 411 total yards and two touchdowns to lead Arizona past winless New York in East Rutherford, NJ.

Murray’s 380 passing yards were a career high in his time with Arizona (3-2). DeAndre Hopkins was his top target, finishing with six catches for 131 yards.

Joe Flacco started in place of the injured Sam Darnold for the Jets (0-5). Flacco completed 18 of 33 passes for 195 yards and zero interceptions.

RAIDER 40, CHIEFS 32
Derek Carr passed for 347 yards and three touchdowns, outdueling Patrick Mahomes as Las Vegas stunned previously undefeated Kansas City in Kansas City, Mo.

Josh Jacobs added 77 rushing yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns for the Raiders (3-2), who snapped a seven-game losing streak at Arrowhead Stadium. Carr fired three quick-strike touchdowns in the second quarter on passes of 59, 5 and 72 yards from Carr to Nelson Agholor, Darren Waller and rookie Henry Ruggs.

The loss snapped a 13-game winning streak for the Chiefs (4-1) that included last season’s Super Bowl run. Mahomes threw for 340 yards and two touchdowns, but was intercepted once — his first of the season — and completed just 22 of 43 passes.

TEXANS 30, JAGUARS 14
Deshaun Watson tossed three touchdowns, Ka’imi Fairbairn kicked three field goals and Houston defeated visiting Jacksonville for its first victory of the season and first under interim coach Romeo Crennel.

Watson passed for 359 yards and finally established a connection with receiver Brandin Cooks, who posted his first 100-yard game with the Texans (1-4). Cooks had eight catches for 161 yards plus a 28-yard touchdown on fourth down with 4:39 left that sealed it.

The Jaguars (1-4) lost their fourth straight game, hurt by two costly turnovers and two missed field goals by Stephen Hauschka. — Reuters

Rays pull out Game 1 victory over Astros in ALCS

MIKE ZUNINO plated the go-ahead run with a first-pitch single in the fifth inning and the Tampa Bay Rays’ bullpen produced another exceptional effort in a 2-1 victory over the Houston Astros Sunday in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series (ALCS) at Petco Park in San Diego.

The Rays grabbed a 1-0 series lead on the back of two timely hits and a pair of critical double plays, the latter coming with the bases loaded and one out in the top of the eighth inning.

Zunino drove home Willy Adames with his run-scoring single off Astros starter Framber Valdez (0-1), who surrendered his one-run lead an inning earlier when Randy Arozarena belted his fourth home run of this postseason. Arozarena drilled a 1-2 sinker 413 feet out to center field.

In the eighth, the Astros fashioned a threat against Rays left-hander Aaron Loup, with Kyle Tucker following free passes to Michael Brantley (hit by pitch) and Carlos Correa (walk) with a sharp single to left. Brantley advanced and held at third base, and Rays manager Kevin Cash followed by summoning right-hander Diego Castillo to face Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel.

Gurriel, 2-for-24 this postseason, chopped the first pitch from Castillo to second baseman Brandon Lowe, who fielded the grounder, stepped on second to erase Tucker and fired to first to retire Gurriel. Houston stranded 10 runners and finished 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

Leading 1-0 in the fourth, the Astros squandered an opportunity to build a cushion against Rays starter Blake Snell, who had 71 pitches on his ledger with no outs and two runners on before facing Tucker in that frame. On the first pitch of that at-bat, Tucker hit a line drive to Adames, who was shifted up the middle before making the catch and beating a retreating Alex Bregman to second. Snell loaded the bases later that inning but induced a fly out from Martin Maldonado.

Snell (1-0) labored through a 29-pitch first inning yet limited the damage to a Jose Altuve solo home run. He needed 105 pitches to complete five frames and recorded just two strikeouts after averaging 11.3 strikeouts per nine innings during the regular season. The Rays’ four-man bullpen held the line, allowing five baserunners while combining for four shutout innings of work.

Valdez posted eight strikeouts while allowing two runs on four hits and four walks in six innings. — Reuters

England surprises Belgium with 2-1 Nations League win at Wembley

LONDON — Marcus Rashford’s penalty and a deflected strike from Mason Mount helped England come from a goal down to overcome top-ranked Belgium 2-1 at Wembley on Sunday and climb above them in their UEFA Nations League group.

Romelu Lukaku opened the scoring for the visitors from the penalty spot in the 16th minute after being brought down by a lunging tackle from England’s Eric Dier. It was the Inter Milan striker’s 13th goal in his last 11 matches for his country.

The Belgians pressed forward, with Yannick Carrasco and Kevin de Bruyne finding space and time to create seven shots on goal to England’s two in the first half.

Part of England’s struggle to make opportunities stemmed from manager Gareth Southgate fielding a five-man back line, and perhaps from his decision to leave midfielder Jack Grealish — man-of-the-match for his creative efforts in a midweek 3-0 friendly win over Wales — on the bench.

Nevertheless, when England won a corner late in the half, Belgium’s Thomas Meunier clumsily pulled down the hosts’ captain Jordan Henderson to concede a penalty.

Rashford converted from the spot to register his 11th goal in an England shirt.

England then picked up the pace in the second half and got their reward through Mount in the 64th minute with a shot that took a heavy deflection off the boot of Belgium defender Toby Alderweireld, looping over keeper Simon Mignolet into the far corner of the net.

“It doesn’t matter how they go in. I found myself with a bit of space in the box and only had one thing on my mind, to get the ball out of my body and shoot. A big deflection, but you’ll take them,” Mount told Sky Sports.

Despite Belgium pushing forward repeatedly, England kept their shape and ran the clock down to record a win that put them on seven points in the Nations League group to Belgium’s six.

“They made it tough for us. We were hanging in there at halftime, we got back into it at 1-1, and we knew we could regroup then, talk about the things we could do better, and fix the problems we were having,” Mount said.

“We’ve got the mentality, we’ve got the work ethic to get better and better and that’s the path we’re on.” — Reuters

Diabetes is also a matter of the heart

BusinessWorld Insights discussed link between type 2 diabetes and CVDs

The latest figures from the International Diabetes Federation show that 463 million adults are currently living with diabetes. Here in the Philippines, particularly, one in every 17 adults is found to be living with diabetes, with type 2 diabetes (T2D) contributing the most of these cases.

T2D, the most common type of diabetes, concerns more than just the pancreas for the inability to produce enough insulin. This type is often linked to cardiovascular diseases like heart failure, heart attacks, and strokes—making the disease a matter of the heart as well.

In time with the World Heart Day last September 29, BusinessWorld Insights held an informative talk with experts in the medical and pharmaceutical fronts about how T2D can be addressed to prevent heart problems.

Dr. Gilbert C. Vilela, vice-president of the Philippine Heart Association, pointed out that the effect of diabetes on the heart is very broad, mainly because the disease causes blocked arteries and is “directly toxic” to one’s heart.

“The heart is part of a tube system. The very first thing diabetes ruins are these tubes, the blood vessels,” Dr. Vilela said, adding that the disease can first inflame these vessels around the body and then block them.

He stressed, however, that the most disabling and most deadly effect of diabetes on someone’s heart is heart failure, wherein the blood cannot supply enough blood to the body.

For such reasons, the cardiologist continued, everyone should be aware that diabetes is a risk equivalent. “This means, if you have diabetes, most probably you have heart failure,” he said.

Dr. Michael Villa, vice-president of the Philippine Society of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, also finds that the factors that cause diabetes can also determine one’s heart health.

“If you have elevated blood sugar, you tend to have chronic complications as well, involving the big and small blood vessels,” he said.

According to Dr. Villa, the risk factors to the development of diabetes include a patient’s family history of diabetes, hypertension, heart problem, obesity, and high cholesterol, among others.

“If you have risk factors, signs, and symptoms of diabetes, get yourself tested with a fasting blood sugar or an oral glucose tolerant,” he advised.

Moreover, Dr. Vilela advised people with diabetes to directly ask their physicians about their risks of having complications such as heart attack and stroke.

The cardiologist added that a patient’s age, years of having diabetes, cholesterol level, creatinine level, kidney function, and lifestyles (e.g., smoking, exercise) will determine how high is his or her risk of suffering from the complications.

“You do not just go to your doctor and ask how high your blood sugar is. You ask how your entire blood sugar is affecting your whole body,” he added.

For Dr. Villa, there should be a team effort between patients and physicians when discussing about diabetes, with patients confidently consulting their doctors and doctors interrogating their patients on how well they are managing their blood sugar. “If this relationship is quite robust and successful, then they will be able to defeat diabetes,” he said.

Need for increased awareness

The forum also took a look into how research on diabetes has progressed. Dr. Villa noted that there is now a better understanding of the disease process, better medications, as well as new diagnostic technologies to fine-tune treatment plans in approaching elevated blood sugar.

Dr. Vilela, meanwhile, noticed that studies discovered that more than blood sugar, cholesterol should be targeted among diabetes patients, especially for managing heart complications.

On the other hand, Cihan Serdar Kizilcik, vice-president and general manager of Novo Nordisk Philippines, shared his realistic outlook on the development of management and cure of diabetes.

While medications have progress and new products have brought good cardiovascular outcomes, Mr. Kizilcik noted, there is still much to be done in increasing the awareness about this disease in order to decrease its prevalence.

“If you decrease the prevalence of diabetes by 1%, this prevents 111 million people from getting type 2 diabetes,” the general manager also shared.

He finds, however, that the number of people getting diabetes increases fast that it will be the “next biggest problem after the pandemic”.

Observing this, the pharmaceutical executive highly encourages widespread education on diabetes and how it can be prevented.

“The way to go forward…is to turn more into education and awareness and taking more responsibility by working with all the stakeholders,” Mr. Kizilcik said, “This is not just a [patient] and physician problem. This is a huge [societal] and educational problem as well.”

Furthermore, this education should start in children by teaching them the value of maintaining a stable bodyweight, exercise, and regular check-up, among other practices. In addition, family members with diabetes should be constantly encouraged to continue their treatment and follow up on their appointments.

For Dr. Vilela, the change in mindset should start with the mothers, since they are ones mostly in charge of the groceries and care in the family. “We should bring down the frontline to the families and tell them that diabetes is definitely a heart disease. It starts with increase in the blood sugar, but it would end up breaking your or your loved one’s heart,” he added.

He also suggested that the government should enable more spaces for activity, such as basketball courts and parks.

Dr. Villa, meanwhile, stressed the need to be properly informed about diabetes and its proper treatment. “We don’t want fake news. So, get the right information from the right sources,” he said, recommending getting facts from medical professionals and health organizations.

He also noted that there are lifestyle-related factors that can be changed in order to prevent diabetes. “You stop smoking, have a healthy diet, and exercise. It will go a long, long way in preventing disease or even helping…lower the burden of the disease.”

Dr. Vilela agrees with lifestyle change, stressing that having diabetes is really up to individuals. “It’s time to dictate our trajectory. Take your health in your hands,” he encouraged.

Calls to mental health hotline have more than doubled

By Patricia B. Mirasol

The National Center for Mental Health’s hotline has received an average of 876 calls per month between March to August this year, up from the pre-pandemic average of 350, said Dr. Rodney Boncajes, a psychiatrist at the said hospital, in a recent mental health forum organized by J&J Philippines, Inc. 

Individuals have been responding to coronavirus stress in different ways, including panic, anxiety, and distress. There has also been an increase in the number of web searches for depression while under quarantine. 

The biggest problem, according to Dr. Amadeo Alinea Jr., president of the Philippine Psychiatric Association (PPA), is that isolation due to the lockdown has been counterproductive, especially among those suffering from mental health issues. “This isolation is not what we encouraged prior to this pandemic. We wanted (these individuals) to interact and go back to mainstream society.” 

INCREASING AWARENESS IS KEY
Addressing mental health challenges is a long-term journey, and an increase in awareness is key to decreasing the stigmatization around actively seeking help for it. Raghu Krishnan, J&J Philippines president and managing director, related several collaborations in Southeast Asia that aim to combat these challenges. Among these initiatives are Anino ng Kahapon, an indie film that decreases the stigma around schizophrenia and advocates for medication adherence. Another is the PESO (Patient’s Equity to Support “Out-of-pocket expense”) Value project that pushes for a pooling financial system to address the costs of treatment for mental health.

Part of the awareness drive is knowing where to get the appropriate intervention. Several hotlines offering mental health counseling are available to anyone who needs to talk things through. The PPA likewise launched Mind Matters, which offers free consultations for frontliners weighing against the mental strain of COVID-19’s demands. 

“It’s important not to pathologize everybody just because they feel depressed,” Dr. Alinea said, although those with symptoms that interfere with basic life functions such as working and socializing should seek professional help. 

ENCOURAGING HEALTHY HABITS
A silver lining of the pandemic is that it has encouraged wholesome behaviorial changes. More and more people are turning to gardening as a way to cope. There has also been a growing demand to sustain healthier eating habits and self-care practices. 

“[Those experiencing quarantine fatigue] should practice self-kindness, avoid comparison, and take regular breaks,” advised Dr. Boncajes. He also suggested expressing one’s needs to avoid misunderstanding, and listening to others in the same boat to learn how others are coping. Finding a balance between online and physical activity, meanwhile, was recommended for children stuck at home.

There is no black and white for minimizing anxieties. Both doctors suggested finding enjoyable activities—whether they be related to nature, art, pets, or music—that can help effectively manage stress. Both also emphasized the importance of nurturing a good support network as a means of staving off anxiety.

SIDEBAR | The four D’s to help cope with anxiety

While it is always best to seek professional help for intense cases of anxiety, there are ways to manage everyday bouts of mental stress. Leanne Robers, psychologist and founder of She Loves Tech, a startup competition for women and tech, shared four D’s to cope with anxiety during “Mental Health of Tomorrow”, a workshop by coworking space WeWork on October 14.

Define the problem.
Clearly identifying the issue is the first step to addressing it. Sit and list down the biggest challenges in your life at the moment. Close your eyes and bring up their images in your head. Take note of what you are feeling, sensing, and thinking of while doing this activity.

Defuse emotions.
Bring down heightened emotions before they can start causing real harm. This can be done through calming activities such as meditation and prayer. Ms. Robers also recommends the butterfly hug, which uses bilateral stimulation or the rhythmic, alternate tapping of certain body parts “These are techniques that help us to integrate the emotional and the cognitive sides of our brain so that we can regulate our emotions better and use them to our advantage,” she said.

While doing the butterfly hug, imagine a real or imaginary place that brings you calm and joy. Clearly envision the sights, smells, and other sensations in that place. If negative memories or feelings come up, stop tapping, and resume only when they go away.

Focus is important in making the exercise effective. Clear your mind and space of any distractions. If you lose focus, note first if your anxiety levels went down and if yes, by how much. Then resume the activity.

Discern your thoughts.
Every person is plagued by what Ms. Robers calls ANTs, or automatic, negative thoughts. These are pervasive reactions or habits that reinforce ideas such as “I’m not good enough,” or “I failed and so I’m always going to fail”.

Develop an awareness of your ANTs in order to stop them just as soon as they start creeping up. Turn them instead into PETs, or positive, empowering thoughts. For example, if you didn’t do well in a certain project, think about the lessons and connections that you gained along the way.

“When we know what our ANTs are and [are] able to turn them into PETs, can we then start to say, ‘Okay, I’m not going to let this anxiety rule over me. I am going to start being and taking a positive and empowered stance on this,’” said Ms. Robers.

Develop yourself.
People often have a tendency to be held back by regrets. Envision the kind of person that you want to be instead. If you have a fear of public speaking, imagine yourself standing and speaking onstage. Imagine, too, how you want to look and feel. Try pairing this activity with bilateral stimulation to reinforce the positive images and feelings.

“You can choose the emotions that you seek to experience when you begin to envisage this future,” said Ms. Robers. — Mariel Alison L. Aguinaldo

Coronavirus has exposed global leadership crisis, Milken says

Over 70% of citizens around the globe say they are experiencing the lowest point in their nation’s history, according to a report. Photo of United Nations flags by Tom Page / CC BY-SA

The coronavirus pandemic has shown there’s a leadership deficit around the world, according to a survey which said more people trust companies over their governments to keep economies going during the crisis.

Over 70% of citizens around the globe say they are experiencing the lowest point in their nation’s history, while nearly two-thirds say their leaders are out of touch or “don’t really care what happens” to them, the Milken Institute and the Harris Poll said in a report. More than 29,000 people from 27 countries participated in the The Listening Project survey between February and October.

“While COVID-19 is a public health crisis, it has also been a contagion across many other socio-economic challenges and government institutions,” said John Gerzema, chief executive officer of the Harris Poll. “Maybe even more than the virus, our common crippling hardship is the lack of leadership being observed on the world stage.”

More than 1 million people have died from the coronavirus, with global infections exceeding 37 million, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The US, India, and Brazil are suffering the biggest casualties.

The world economy’s return to full health is likely to be longer and bumpier than initially predicted, according to the World Trade Organization and the International Monetary Fund. Many governments are using the COVID-19 pandemic as cover to silence dissent, curb press freedoms and disrupt elections, resulting in an erosion of democracy and human rights, the US-based Freedom House said earlier this month.

A STEEP COVID-19 CURVE
The project showed 61% of people globally agreed businesses had played a bigger role than authorities in “keeping my country running” during COVID-19, the Milken Institute and the Harris Poll said.

“Across all countries surveyed, companies are seen as more reliable and trustworthy than their governments and are given a new charge to speak out and solve socio-economic challenges,” they said.

Of the 12 countries surveyed in September, only three—China, Malaysia and India—were home to respondents who strongly backed their leaders’ measures to fight the pandemic. Fewer than one out of three people in the US strongly supported their country’s response.

At least two-thirds of respondents said the economic impact of the pandemic had a bigger effect on their lives than the coronavirus itself. In 2020, almost all economies on the planet will shrink, according to a World Bank forecast.

Around 69% of people feared losing their jobs, The Listening Project report found.

Global extreme poverty is expected to increase this year for the first time since the Asian financial crisis more than two decades ago, the World Bank said. — Ruth Carson/Bloomberg

Novel coronavirus can last 28 days on glass, currency, Australian study finds

Experiments done at 20, 30, and 40 degrees C showed the virus survived longer at cooler temperatures, longer on smooth surfaces than on complex surfaces such as cotton, and longer on paper banknotes than on plastic banknotes. Image via epSos.de / CC BY 2.0

MELBOURNE/SYDNEY — The virus that causes COVID-19 can survive on banknotes, glass, and stainless steel for up to 28 days, much longer than the flu virus, Australian researchers said on Monday, highlighting the need for cleaning and handwashing to combat the virus.

Findings from the study done by Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, appear to show that in a very controlled environment the virus remained infectious for longer than other studies have found.

CSIRO researchers found that at 20 degrees Celsius the SARS-COV-2 pathogen remained infectious for 28 days on smooth surfaces such as plastic banknotes and glass found on mobile phone screens. The study was published in Virology Journal.

By comparison, Influenza A virus has been found to survive on surfaces for 17 days.

“It really reinforces the importance of washing hands and sanitizing where possible and certainly wiping down surfaces that may be in contact with the virus,” said the study’s lead researcher Shane Riddell.

The study involved drying virus in an artificial mucus on a range of surfaces at concentrations similar to samples from COVID-19 patients and then recovering the virus over a month.

Experiments done at 20, 30, and 40 degrees C showed the virus survived longer at cooler temperatures, longer on smooth surfaces than on complex surfaces such as cotton, and longer on paper banknotes than on plastic banknotes.

“So heading into summer that’s certainly going to be an important factor that the virus won’t last as long in the warmer temperatures,” Mr. Riddell said, referring to the upcoming southern hemisphere summer.

All the experiments were done in the dark to remove the impact of ultraviolet light, as research has shown direct sunlight can kill the virus.

“So in the real world results would likely be shorter than what we were able to show,” Mr. Riddell told Reuters.

Researchers said given that proteins and fats in body fluids can also sharply increase virus survival times, their study may help explain the apparent persistence and spread of the virus in cool environments like meat-packing facilities.

Australia has fared much better than most other rich nations in combating COVID-19, with a total of about 27,000 infections and 898 deaths in a population of 25 million.

The epicenter of the country’s second wave of infection, Victoria state, reported 15 new cases on Monday, well shy of a target of less than five which the government has set for the easing of a hard lockdown in the state capital Melbourne.

New South Wales, the most populous state, reported six new cases on Monday, five of whom were returned travelers in quarantine. — Sonali Paul and Stefica Nicol Bikes/Reuters

MMC pandemic strategy highlights communicating facts, saluting healthcare workers

MVP hospital group’s learnings from COVID-19

The Makati Medical Center (MMC), one of the 17 Metro Pacific Group hospitals, recently shared their learnings in dealing with the pandemic during the early stages of lockdown in PLDT, MVP Group Annual Corporate Governance session. With more than 400 of the MVP Group’s Directors, Advisory Board members, key officers, and leaders streaming the three-hour virtual learning session, MMC Medical Director Dr. Saturnino Javier breaks down the challenges of the hospital group as the surge of cases tested the limits of their resources and the conditions of their healthcare workers.

After Cardinal Santos Hospital declared their first COVID-19 positive patient in March 6 and MMC two days after, the latter was quick to decide to suspend all mass gatherings in their hospitals including Eucharistic celebrations way ahead of the advice of the Archdiocese, and all other measures such as reducing some departments to their skeletal workforce, and closing doors of their doctors’ outpatient clinics.

“From the first patients of Cardinal and MMC, this immediately set into motion many of our pandemic response protocols which we last used many years back when we had SARS and MERSCOV,” recalls Dr. Javier, as he went on to share the hospitals’ initial actions to combat an emerging crisis for the healthcare sector.

In mitigating the impact of a pandemic, nothing is ever too much, too fast, or too soon. What others might think as an overkill reaction or an exaggerated response from its first COVID-19 case was only apt for the surge of cases the following days which eventually forced MMC to declare full capacity just two weeks after its initial response.“We reinforced and implemented strict prevention control protocols. We expanded bed capacities. We came out with infrastructure revisions and adjustments. We sought accreditation for a laboratory for COVID-19 testing. We enhanced our communication platforms, adapted teleconferencing, and telemedicine. We pursued collaborations but most of all we protected our healthcare workers. We also included stockpiling of materials, procurement, security precautions, and recruitment.”

With the extent of loss and fatigue that the COVID-19 pandemic has dealt the nation, the crisis really took its toll on the conditions of the hospitals and the welfare of the healthcare system. The rising statistics of new cases and death counts from the new waves of testing revealed the real status of the country against the virus.

Communication in times of crisis is most essential. It’s a crucial aspect in managing the pandemic as misinformation can easily spread with just a swipe of the screen or the flick of a finger making it imperative for the group to address any misinformation or disinformation going their way.

“It is worthwhile to remember that this COVID-19 pandemic is the first of its kind in the age of social media,” said Dr. Javier. “We had to come up with regular advisories and bulletins. Our messaging frameworks consisted of facts and truths. We presented the community with numbers in terms of recoveries, deaths, and admissions. We even offered salutes to healthcare workers not only from our own but even in other healthcare institutions.”

Dr. Javier recounts that despite the bad news overwhelming the country, triumphs, and wins against COVID-19, no matter how small, needed to be celebrated.

“We presented ugly news, we also presented bad news, but we punctuated this with good news capitalizing on these small pieces of information to drive home positive energies to our constituents.”

He mentions that the hospital celebrated the recoveries of their critically ill physicians, the hospital’s low fatality rate and their good patient recovery rate, the donations and support of generous souls, the support of the MVP group, and the individual and collective support of everyone in the medical community.

“We capitalized on every shred of hope and optimism that we could have. When needed, we also confronted false assumptions and fake news,” recalls Dr. Javier when the MMC was bombarded in social media. “We tried to communicate clearly and simply. We chose candor over charisma. We tried to revitalize resilience. And we tried to distill sense and meaning from chaos. Our messaging framework consisted of facts and truths, and we tried to present these with clarity, honesty, and transparency. We infused these with reassurance, empowered vigilance, positivity, and sense of control and purpose.”

Dr. Javier emphasized that the safety and lives of personnel and staff take precedence over revenues. An important aspect of managing the pandemic was supporting and taking care of their healthcare workers, making sure that transportation and accommodation were provided. Even for employees who had to be optionally admitted, despite the limited capacity, they made sure that they were taken cared for by their own hospital. They also provided for hazard allowances and risk exposure allowances, and psycho-social counseling helping them deal with the stress confronting their healthcare workers.

“We kept in mind that we did not want to transfer anyone to any other outside facility. We wanted to take care of our own,” he added.

They also put in place effective systems and various measures of managing COVID-19-related spaces to secure other functions of the hospitals from exposure to the virus such multiple layers of screening and questionnaires, enhanced decontamination and disinfection protocols, dedicated elevators, wards, and marked pathways. “The overarching considerations is that fear, among both patients and the healthcare professionals, are lessened by the institution of safety protocols for all.”

Despite the crisis, the group was able to come up with new services such as diagnostic packages, utilize their PCR capabilities for COVID-19 testing, and allowing MMC to join clinical trials with pharmaceutical companies. It was also able to explore and offer new services like Telepharmacy and Telepsychiatry, home care services such as laboratory testing, physical medicine, and rehabilitation.

“The opportunities for bouncing back have to be fully recognized and we have to sell the new normal to the patient clientele. On top of this, we have to manage fear and psycho-social stress. But in MMC, we still can count our blessings – the low-case fatality rate, the high clinical recovery rate, no casualty among doctors who are directly facing COVID-19 patients, and the majority of healthcare workers who acquired COVID-19 are either mild or asymptomatic. The supplies of PPE and ventilators remain adequate and our nursing care services continue to provide excellent quality service despite setbacks because of a dwindling workforce,” shared Dr. Javier.

In conclusion, despite the measures and protocols, Dr. Javier pointed out that the effects of this pandemic will live on in the ‘new normal’ and we must learn to live and co-exist with the virus, never letting our guards down.

7 out of 10 Filipinas have experienced online harassment — report

Mariel Alison L. Aguinaldo

Seven out of ten Filipinas have been victims of online harassment, according to The State of the World’s Girls Report 2020, a study by Plan International, a development and humanitarian organization for the advancement of children’s rights and equality for girls.

Most of them were harassed between 15 to 20 years of age. Girls with intersecting characteristics, meaning those that have a disability, belong to an ethnic minority, or identify as LGBTIQ+, are more prone to such attacks. However, 36% do not report these cases and choose to ignore their harasser.

“Although there are findings that they … become more resilient at protecting themselves as they experience the harassment, usually their responses would be to change their own behavior—increasing their privacy settings, or decreasing their social media engagement—instead of really tackling the harassment experience itself, which is quite harmful,” said Mona Mariano, country gender specialist for Plan International, during the report’s launch on October 11.

Globally, 58% percent of girls have experienced harassment on social media platforms. Of this percentage, 85% said that they experienced multiple types of harassment. This includes abusive and insulting language, purposeful embarrassment, body-shaming, and threats of sexual violence.

According to Plan International, online harassment falls under two categories. First, girls are harassed simply for being girls and being online. Most of these attacks constitute unauthorized acquisition and sharing of information; discrimination based on race, ethnicity, disability, and sexuality; and sexual objectification.

“I have a (female) friend, who often receives hate comments and whose posts were being talked about in other group chats regardless of what she posted or shared online. She was being attacked because of how she dresses and because she always puts make-up on,” reads a testimony from a 17-year-old Filipino respondent in the report.

Second, girls experience online harassment for being outspoken, with 47% saying that they have been attacked for expressing their opinions. This is especially apparent on gender equality issues such as abortion and street harassment.

As a result, 42% of girls experienced mental or emotional stress or a lowering of their self-esteem. Twenty-four percent have reported feeling physically unsafe. “Online harassment … is as frightening as face-to-face harassment. It actually limits their freedom to speak and to participate,” said Ms. Mariano.

Based on these findings, Plan International has drafted recommendations for the protection of girls from online harassment and punishment of their harassers. These include the updating of international frameworks on children’s rights and child protection to consider online harassment, the publication of data from social media companies in order for organizations to get the scope of the problem more accurately, and the enactment of laws that will hold harassers accountable for their actions.  

Various organizations in the country are also implementing and planning measures against violence against women. Maria Kristine Josefina G. Balmes, deputy executive director for operations at the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), shared how they helped push the Safe Spaces Act last year, which prescribes penalties for gender-based sexual harassment in physical and online spaces.

Genalyn Macalinao, policy lead of the CyberSecurity Bureau at the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), said that the agency aims to release a department order with provisions on child online protection for internet service providers and other stakeholders within the year.

With these efforts, Plan International hopes that the root of harassment, whether online or offline, will be eradicated.

“Girls and young women are not free to be online … online harassment is a continuation of the threats that are happening to girls and young women in many spaces, but only in a different space,” said Ms. Mariano.

The State of the World’s Girls Report is a series of annual reports by Plan International which examines the rights of girls across various stages in their lives. The 2020 study analyzed qualitative and quantitative data from 14,000 girls and young women in 31 countries across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia.

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