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Construction starts on P40-million Benguet vegetable processing, packaging facility

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Wednesday that it started construction on a P40-million vegetable processing and packaging facility in La Trinidad, Benguet, which is intended to reduce waste from unsold crops.

In a statement, the DA said Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar led the groundbreaking for the Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Center (BAPTC) on Tuesday.

“The rationale of having this food processing facility, ayaw natin na mangyari muli na iyong excess ay matatapon lang (we don’t want to have another bumper crop that will have to be thrown away). We still want to convert (the harvest) to value-added products,” Mr. Dar, who is also the cabinet officer for regional development and security in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), said in a statement.

He added that the DA is planning to include a packaging unit within BAPTC.

“One objective would be to have a packaging innovation unit that would continue to promote and introduce packaging materials that are relevant in showcasing new technology and show it to the people,” Mr. Dar said.

The facility will complement the P20-million food processing facility at Benguet State University (BSU), according to DA-CAR regional executive director Cameron P. Odsey.

He said the BAPTC will focus on “initial processing activities,” which includes washing and trimming. Meanwhile, the BSU facility will handle more complicated processing activities like juicing.

In June, the DA announced the establishment of the BSU facility, following reports that farmers had to dump their harvest that went unsold during the quarantine. Mr. Dar said at the time that the BSU facility would serve as a training center for farmers interested in converting their produce into high-value products.

As of June, CAR accounted for 80% of the national supply of highland vegetables. — Angelica Y. Yang

IPOPHL in talks with Facebook to curb online sale of counterfeits

THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) said it is in talks with Facebook, Inc. to develop a process for policing counterfeit items being sold on the platform.

IPOPHL said online sales of counterfeit goods surged during the lockdown, with the office receiving 135 intellectual property violation reports in the first nine months, topping the total from the five years to 2019 by some 4%. Most of the complaints involved counterfeiting and piracy.

In a virtual interview on Dec. 11, IPOPHL Deputy Director General Teodoro C. Pascua said that major e-commerce platforms have been cooperating with IPOPHL to address intellectual property infringement, but the office also has to address sales from individuals on lesser-known platforms and social media.

“Facebook is accepting complaints. It will also help them populate an artificial intelligence (database). Every time that we complain that there are certain accounts violating their standard of conduct, then they will be able to close them down,” he said.

“Facebook apparently is open to discussing certain protocols with brand owners,” he added, noting that the platform could shut down the sale of counterfeit products by evaluating their likely genuineness from prices on offer.

IPOPHL has also started talks with financial technology platforms like GCash in relation to deterring IP violations.

“We have another meeting with advertisers (to) curtail sources of counterfeiting and piracy (by) disturbing their sources of income, which are advertisements and if they’re being paid through financial intermediaries — banks and payment centers — we will also neutralize it,” Mr. Pascua said.

He said that a pending agreement between brand owners and e-commerce platforms to take down infringing marketers and advertisements could kick in by next year.

IPOPHL, he added, also plans to extend its enforcement powers by the first quarter of 2021, which means that it could take down online posts by directly asking the National Telecommunications Commission.

IPOPHL Director General Rowel S. Barba, in the same interview, said that the 135 reported violations are a symptom of a bigger problem.

“We believe that the reports given to us are just part of the big picture,” he said, adding that the National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights must consolidate reports across various agencies. — Jenina P. Ibañez

Palay farmgate price improves 0.8% in first week of December

rice grains
PHILIPPINE STAR/KRIZ-JOHN ROSALES

THE average farmgate price of palay, or unmilled rice, rose 0.8% week on week to P15.97 per kilogram in the first week of December, with the price increasing 1.5% from a year earlier, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

In its weekly update on palay, rice, and corn prices, the PSA said the average wholesale price of well-milled rice fell 0.4% to P37.50, while the retail price fell 0.4% to P41.13.

The average wholesale price of regular-milled rice fell 0.5% to P33.46, while the retail price fell 0.4% to P36.29.

The farmgate price of yellow corn grain rose 0.9% week on week to P12.09.

The average wholesale price of yellow corn grain rose 0.2% to P19.58, while the retail price rose 0.5% to P24.59.

The farmgate price of white corn grain rose 0.5% week on week to P13.14.

The average wholesale price of white corn grain fell 0.9% to P16.13, while the retail price fell 1% to P24.99. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

State universities touted for startup incubator potential

STATE UNIVERSITIES must gear up to nurture more startups in the runup to “a more digital” economy, a senior legislator said on Wednesday.

Albay Representative Jose Maria Clemente S. Salceda said in a statement that Internet, laboratory, and entrepreneurial facilities within state universities and colleges must be improved to enable the incubation of startups.

Mr. Salceda was marking the first anniversary of the effectivity of Republic Act No. 11377 or the Innovative Startup Act, which hopes to streamlining the procedural obstacles faced by emerging businesses.

“If you have good universities with the ecosystem to support new startups, you will be able to create new innovative businesses,” according to Mr. Salceda, who also chairs the House committee on ways and means.

He said the necessary elements within universities include “excellent mentoring… fast access to data, access to capital, and good support infrastructure.”

“Work in these areas are definitely among my top priorities as economic recovery co-chair in 2021. You can expect a flurry of reforms that we will pass in these areas.”

Mr. Salceda said the government has not been effective in creating so-called breakthrough enterprises because current law does not take advantage of universities as “concentrations of young, smart, and ambitious entrepreneurs.”

His office is eyeing Legazpi, Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, and Dumaguete “as cities where investment in creating start-ups from universities can be expanded.”

“Capital is starting to flow inwards. There are good STEM-based universities in these cities. These can be the country’s startup centers, and they will certainly help decongest Metro Manila. But we have to invest in the universities and the infrastructure of these cities,” Mr. Salceda said.

Mr. Salceda said he is considering amendments to RA 11377 to focus on positioning universities as “sandboxes” for startups. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

BFAR lifts red tide warning over Bataan, parts of Samar, Leyte

THE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has lifted the red tide warning that had been in force over the waters off Bataan, as well as parts of Western Samar such as Daram Island, Cambatutay, Irong-irong, Maqueda, and Villareal bays, and Leyte’s Carigara Bay.

In its 29th shellfish bulletin of 2020, BFAR declared that shellfish harvested in these areas are safe for human consumption.

It said however that specimens taken from Inner Malampaya Sound in Palawan have tested positive again for red tide contamination.

Inner Malampaya joins other areas for which red tide warnings remain raised, which include Honda and Puerto Princesa bays in Palawan; Milagros, Masbate; Sorsogon Bay, Sorsogon; Dauis and Tagbilaran City, Bohol; and Tambobo Bay, Negros Oriental.

Other areas that are still red-tide positive are Zumarraga, Western Samar; Calubian and Cancabato Bay, Leyte; the Biliran Islands; Guiuan, Eastern Samar; Balite Bay, Davao Oriental; Lianga Bay and Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur; and Dumanquillas Bay, Zamboanga del Sur.

The BFAR said all types of shellfish and Acetes sp. or alamang harvested from these areas are not safe for human consumption.

However, other marine species captured in these areas can be consumed by humans with proper handling.

“Fish, squid, shrimp, and crab are safe for human consumption provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking,” the BFAR said.

Red tide is the result of high concentrations of algae in the water.

Consuming contaminated shellfish can lead to paralytic shellfish poisoning, which affects the nervous system.

Typical symptoms of paralytic shellfish poisoning include headaches, dizziness, and nausea. Severe cases may include muscular paralysis and respiratory issues. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Philippines bans poultry imports from Poland

THE PHILIPPINES has temporarily banned poultry imports from Poland after an outbreak of the H5N8 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus was reported there.

In a memorandum order signed on Dec. 21, Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar suspended imports of domestic and wild birds and their products including meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen from Poland.

The ban also freezes the processing, evaluation, and issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances for these commodities.

According to Mr. Dar, the ban was implemented after Poland sent a report to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) dated Dec. 3, which confirmed the H5N8 outbreak in Mazowieckie.

“There is a need to prevent the entry of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus to protect the health of the local poultry population,” Mr. Dar said.

In a mobile phone message, Jesus C. Cham, president of the Meat Importers and Traders Association (MITA) said the new ban is unfortunate for the industry.

“There seem to be more outbreaks this year. Hopefully, the situation will improve in the coming spring and summer,” Mr. Cham said.

As of the end of November, the Philippines imported 1,589 metric tons (MT) of meat from Poland, according to the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI).

The total accounts for 0.19% of Philippine meat imports overall of 825,152 MT to that date.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) recently lifted its import ban on Brazil after it submitted the requested safety certifications and gave assurances of adequate precautions taken at processing plants to prevent contamination with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

In August, the DA banned the entry of Brazilian poultry after China found traces of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in chicken meat.

According to BAI data as of Nov. 30, Brazilian meat imports totaled 126,285 MT, or 15.3% of all meat imports to date.

“We are being overtaken by events. There is nothing we can do about it, but try to make the best of things. Supplies from Brazil will arrive by the end of February, onwards,” Mr. Cham said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

PCCI proposes public-private partnership for vaccine cold chain

THE PHILIPPINE Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) is proposing a public-private partnership to set up the nationwide cold chain that will be needed for the distribution of the coronavirus vaccines.

In a statement on Wednesday, the country’s largest business group said a partnership with the government could entice more private sector investment in cold chain logistics.

“We need dedicated transport service and storage spaces to keep the integrity of the vaccines. These require massive investment and coordination, a herculean task that cannot be done by government alone,” PCCI President Benedicto V. Yujuico said.

PCCI noted that existing cold storage facilities around the country handle a variety of cargo like fish, meat, dairy, fruit, and vegetables, which could contaminate vaccines.

It added that these facilities could not handle the temperature requirement of some of the available vaccines for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The Pfizer vaccine, for example, needs to be stored at around -80°C to -60°C, while the Moderna vaccine requires a storage temperature of around -20°C.

“There are no facilities in the country that can handle -80°C. The lowest temperature our cold storage facilities can go down to is -20°C to 25°C. The same is true for refrigerated trucks,” Mr. Yujuico said.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario S. Vergeire has said that private sector partners could convert existing freezers for vaccines that need to be stored at -20°C. Two private suppliers also said they would set up freezers for vaccines that need to be stored at temperatures between -70°C and -80°C.

PCCI said for its part, is currently making an inventory of existing storage facilities and consulting with businesses involved in cold and supply chains, transport, and power generation.

PREPARATIONS
Napoleon L. Arevalo, director of the Health department’s Disease Prevention and Control Bureau, said talks with the private sector on supply chain management is part of the ongoing preparations for the vaccine distribution.

He said they will also start training health workers by the end of December for the immunization program.

Healthcare workers in hospitals will be among the priority sectors for vaccination.

“Kaya nga sinasabi natin na ang mga health workers kailangan natin mabakunahan agad-agad para hindi mag breakdown ang ating health system at patuloy ang ating mga serbisyo (That is why we have been saying that our health workers need to be vaccinated immediately to ensure that our health system will not break down and be able to continue providing service),” he said at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay on Wednesday.

The government will be prioritizing the vulnerable population in the vaccine distribution, including senior citizens and those working in closed settings such as the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) and other uniformed personnel will also be prioritized, he said.

A senator, on the hand, is urging the government to include public school teachers, non-teaching staff and school administrators in the vaccination priority list.

Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate committee on basic education, arts, and culture, said prioritizing teachers is a crucial step in ensuring the safety of school premises and in building confidence for the gradual resumption of face-to-face classes.

He cited that the country’s more than 900,000 teachers and non-teaching staff have been serving as frontliners to ensure learning continuity for more than 22 million students since the pandemic struck early this year.

The government is planning to immunize 20 million individuals yearly for the next three years.

It is also negotiating with Chinese drug maker Sinovac Biotech Ltd. for the supply of vaccines, which is targeted to be delivered in March 2021.

Secretary Carlito G. Galvez, Jr., the appointed vaccine czar, said in an online briefing on Monday that they are in talks with Serum Institute of India Ptv. Ltd. for the supply of 30 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine it is developing with US biotechnology company Novavax, Inc.

Mr. Galvez also said they will be meeting with AstraZeneca next week to sign a contract for 20 million doses.

The private sector, the government, and AstraZeneca last month secured a deal for 2.6 million doses.

Four other drug makers are applying for clinical trial, including Chinese firms Clover Biopharmaceuticals and Sinovac, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, and Russia’s Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology. — Jenina P. Ibañez, Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, and Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Experts warn of surge to 4,000 COVID-19 cases per day with the holidays

THE OCTA Research Team, which has been keeping track of the country’s coronavirus infection trend, warned the public to strictly observe health protocols to avoid a surge in cases of up to 4,000 per day with the activities during the Christmas and New Year holidays.

In a briefing on Wednesday, Guido David of the OCTA Research Team said the situation remains manageable and there is no need to resort to stricter quarantine rules. He said the critical level to watch out for is 3,000 to 4,000 cases in a day.

“If we have not reached that yet, we do not need to have a modified enhanced community quarantine and as much as possible, we want to avoid the stricter lockdown,” he said in Filipino.

 He noted that COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) cases recently spiked in the capital region Metro Manila along with the neighboring provinces of Rizal and Bulacan, a sign of the holiday surge that they warned about.

“We need to observe the whole region. Not only these local government units but the whole Metro Manila because we know Metro Manila is highly connected, it’s very interactive,” he said in a mix of Filipino and English.

People visiting their hometowns will also be going back to Metro Manila after the holidays, which could also contribute to the rise in COVID-19 cases.

“It is possible na (that) we might reach the 3,000 to 4,000 new cases per day,” said Mr. David.

The Department of Health (DoH) reported 1,196 coronavirus infections on Wednesday, bringing the total to 464,004.

The death toll rose by 27 to 9,048 while recoveries increased by 564 to 429,972, it said in a bulletin.

There were 24,984 active cases, 81.8% of which were mild, 9.5% did not show symptoms, 5.5% were critical, 2.9% were severe, and 0.32% were moderate.

Quezon City reported the highest number of new infections at 123, followed by Rizal at 84, Manila at 74, Davao City at 54, and Batangas at 49.

The DoH said seven duplicates were removed from the total case count while seven recovered cases were reclassified as deaths. Eight laboratories failed to submit their data on Dec. 22, it said.

Around 6.2 million individuals have been tested for coronavirus in the country, the DoH said in its tracker website. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas and Gillian M. Cortez

MPTC, SMC expressways toll-free on Christmas, New Year

METRO Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) and San Miguel Corp. (SMC) on Wednesday said they would waive toll fees at their expressways for Christmas and New Year.

In an e-mailed statement, SMC said it would open all its expressways for free to all motorists from 10:00 p.m. on Dec. 24 to 6:00 a.m. on Dec. 25.

SMC operates the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road, Southern Luzon Expressway, Skyway, NAIA Expressway, and Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway.

“We are doing the same from 10:00 p.m. of Dec. 31 to 6:00 a.m. of Jan. 1,” SMC President and Chief Operating Officer Ramon S. Ang said.

MPTC — which operates North Luzon Expressway, Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, Cavite Expressway, and Cavite Laguna Expressway — said in an announcement posted on social media platforms that its roads would be toll-free from 10:00 p.m. of Dec. 24 to 6:00 a.m. of Dec. 25.

MPTC expressways would also be toll-free from 10:00 p.m. of Dec. 31 to 6:00 a.m. of Jan. 1.

MPTC is the tollways unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., one of the three key Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT, Inc.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Five Luzon routes for 440 provincial buses to open Dec. 24

FIVE routes in Luzon would be opened for service by 440 provincial public buses starting December 24, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) announced on Wednesday.

Separate routes from Baguio City to Mariveles and Olongapo would be opened, the agency said in a statement.

Routes from North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) to Baguio City, Laoag City, and Pagudpud would also be opened.

The LTFRB said roadworthy public buses with valid certificates of public convenience would be allowed to operate.

Public utility vehicles that have sought an extension of their expired certificates and have personal passenger insurance policy would also be allowed to provide service.

On Dec. 17, the agency announced 10 routes would be opened for more than 260 provincial point-to-point (P2P) buses that would travel outside Metro Manila starting Dec. 21. — Arjay L. Balinbin

8 Filipinos, 2 Chinese cargo ship crew rescued in South China Sea

EIGHT Filipinos and two Chinese were rescued by Hainan teams after abandoning their cargo ship that was tilting to one side in the South China Sea, the Chinese Embassy told reporters in a Viber message on Wednesday.

A representative from the embassy said the provincial maritime search and rescue center of Hainan in China received a report at 5 p.m. on Monday that the ship, registered in Sierra Leone, was listing in waters off the Spratly Islands while on its way from Vietnam to Malaysia with a load of 3,000 tons of rice.

The 10 crew members boarded a life raft following the captain’s order to abandon the ship, the report said. They were rescued Tuesday afternoon.

China’s Ministry of Transport and authorities in Hainan Province sent three ships to join the rescue operation after receiving the report, according to the embassy.

One of the crew members sustained a minor shoulder injury while the rest were in normal condition.

The rescued 10 are expected to arrive in Yantian Port in Shenzhen on Thursday.

“The successful rescue is a test of China’s ability to safeguard the navigation safety of international ships in the South China Sea. It fully demonstrates China’s commitment to rescue operations in the region,” Wu Pingsheng, an official of the rescue center in Hainan, said in a statement. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Senator wants bikers, joggers exempted from mandatory use of face shields

A SENATOR called on the government’s task force against the coronavirus to exempt bikers and joggers from the requirement of wearing face shields in all public spaces.

Senator Pia S. Cayetano said a shield could drastically impair one’s vision and perception of space, which may lead to accidents.

“As a cyclist on the road, I know how important it is to be fully aware of your surroundings,” she said in a statement on Wednesday.

Ms. Cayetano said she already asked the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases to consider her stand and recognize the role of exercise in promoting mental and physical health.

“I also ask the IATF to exempt joggers from the requirement when jogging in open spaces, provided they observe social distancing measures.”

The government has made it mandatory for the public to wear face masks and face shields at all times whenever they go outside of their homes in a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus during the holiday season.

Several local governments, however, have issued localized directives exempting bikers from wearing face shields. Among these are the cities of Pasig and Valenzuela in Metro Manila, and Iloilo.

The Department of Health (DoH) recently said it would consider exempting bikers from the policy because exercise requires increased oxygen intake. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

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