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DoST makes 3D-printed face shields

THE Department of Science and Technology (DoST) has started producing 3D-printed face shield frames for health workers on the frontline battling a novel coronavirus that has sickened more than 700 and killed at least 45 people in the Philippines.

The agency has been printing the protective face gear round the clock since March 23, making 10 frames for every one-and-a-half hours, project head engineer Fred P. Liza said in a statement.

“It will protect the face whenever a patient coughs or sneezes,” he said.

DoST said it seeks to expand production and distribution of the frames, which it donates to the Philippine General Hospital.

Meanwhile, volunteers from the Engineering faculty of the University of Santo Tomas have also created face shield visors using six 3-D printers from DoST.

In a Facebook post, the university said the production of the protective visors was funded by its alumni association for the benefit of the health staff at UST Hospital, Red Cross and partner hospitals. — Adam J. Ang

Ayala, Araneta and Aboitiz groups provide more support to lockdown-hit sectors

THE Ayala, Araneta and Aboitiz families have expanded their assistance to those affected by the lockdown in Luzon and other parts of the country, while others have joined the roster of private firms providing support to frontliners and vulnerable sectors.

Ayala-led Manila Water Co., Inc. said on Friday that its foundation had deployed on March 25 drinking water and water dispensers to six Quezon City public hospitals for medical frontliners.

It said 280 units of 5-gallon bottled water with water dispensers had been deployed to Quirino Medical Memorial Center, Quezon City General Hospital, Veterans Memorial Medical Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, Philippine Heart Center, and East Avenue Medical Center to help their doctors, nurses and staff stay hydrated during the national health emergency.

“The situation of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus disease 2019) as it unfolds day by day is challenging at all levels,” Manila Water Foundation Executive Director Reginald M. Andal said in a statement.

“We are comforted that our healthcare frontliners are doing their best to take care of all of us, but they are putting their own lives at risk in the process. The least we can do is to provide their vital needs such as water. This is our expression of gratitude for their selfless service, dedication and courage for public health,” he added.

In a separate statement, Araneta City said it was set to launch its donation drive, together with the J. Amado Araneta Foundation (JAAF), to aid poor households in Metro Manila affected by the lockdown.

Araneta City said it had donated food packs to communities in Quezon City. Further, JAAF earlier pledged to donate test kits to support the Quezon City General Hospital in expediting the diagnosis of suspected cases of COVID-19.

Araneta City has also waived the rents of mall tenants who were affected by the lockdown, while their skeletal laborers were said to have been provided with assistance, such as hazard pay, food, and temporary accommodation.

“We are doing our part in helping end the threat of this disease. We recognize the resilience of the Filipino people, and we are confident that together, we can get through this challenge,” the company said.

Meanwhile, the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc., the corporate social responsibility arm of the Aboitiz family, has partnered with the Cebu City government and the Metropolitan Cebu Water District to launch a handwashing campaign as an intervention to fight the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are addressing something basic here yet proven to be the most effective way to prevent getting and spreading the virus. Unfortunately, there are some areas with low water supply and without clean handwashing facilities, this is why we are installing sinks with the support of the local government unit and the water district,” said Riella B. Guioguio, the Aboitiz foundation’s chief operating officer.

As of March 25, the foundation has already activated its humanitarian disaster preparedness and response team to serve as the conduit of local and international donations. The running total of this effort stands at P6 million, including grants.

Separately, McDonald’s Philippines through its charity arm has dedicated some of its restaurants to serve meals for frontline medical workers, volunteers, and affected communities during the enhanced community quarantine.

Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) on Friday said it had launched its latest project, McDo Kindness Kitchen, in McDonald’s branches in Quezon City, Las Piñas, Makati and even in Cebu, vowing to roll out 1,500 meals a day for their beneficiaries.

According to RMHC, partner companies, such as ABS-CBN Foundation, Coca- Cola, and Angkas, have helped in transporting and distributing meals, which were said to cost P50 per person.

The meal project was first launched at McDonald’s ABS-CBN branch on March 20, serving over 17,000 meals to different communities through its participation with ABS-CBN Foundation’s Pantawid ng Pag-ibig Program.

Earlier this month, the Ayala brothers rolled out a P2.4-billion emergency response package for employees and partners affected by the COVID-19 business disruptions.

Aboitiz companies previously announced that they were providing assistance to customers during the lockdown through payment extension, waived rental fees and sustained operations for basic necessities. — Adam J. Ang

PSALM defers bills payment

THE Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) has given entities in the power sector more time to pay their bills as it announced on Friday a due date of up to 30 days from the end of the Luzon-wide lockdown period on April 14.

Those covered by the deferred payment are distribution utilities, independent power producer (IPP) administrators and collecting agencies of the universal charge (UC).

The move is done in compliance with the advisories earlier posted by the Department of Energy and the Energy Regulatory Commission, both of which called for the deferment of payments within the energy sector to ensure the unhampered supply of electricity during the enhanced community quarantine from March 15 to April 14 amid the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

The state-owned firm tasked to privatize the government’s power assets said the extension of payments is done without imposing any interest and penalties.

Yet, it noted that billings falling before March 15 should follow the corresponding due dates, otherwise, a failure to pay will be met with interest and penalties.

PSALM said that it would not allow the suspension or lowering of the minimum energy off-take or the so-called minimum charges by distribution utilities unless there would be a force majeure.

“The contracts require that the force majeure event must render it impossible for a party to fulfill its obligation, such as when its operations are totally paralyzed to receive the supply of energy, and not just a mere incapacity to consume the Contract Energy or inability to meet the Minimum Charges or off-take,” it said.

PSALM is also deferring the prompt payment discount for distribution utilities remitting their payments until April 29.

PSALM will be extending both capacity and energy payments of IPP administrators provided that IPPs would grant them the same extension period for the remittance of their payments to them.

“If the IPPs refuse to give an extension to PSALM, then PSALM is constrained not to give an extension to the IPPAs,” it added.

Similarly, PSALM’s obligations to the beneficiaries of universal charges are also extended by the same number of days of extension it granted the UC collecting entities.

This includes universal charges for missionary electrification, environmental charge for watershed rehabilitation and management, and stranded debts.

The firm is postponing the payments of its generating facilities to its fuel suppliers up to 30 days from April 15, as well.

PSALM said it was abiding by the DoE advisory, which clarified that only disputes regarding the settlement of any of the accounts payable to the agency falling within the quarantine period will be put on hold.

PSALM reminded distribution utilities and UC collecting entities they should remit any collections they could make within their original deadlines without awaiting the end of the extension period. This is to lessen the impact of the extension of the payments to power generation companies. — Adam J. Ang

SMC offers toll-free passage for doctors, nurses

SAN MIGUEL Corp. (SMC) on Friday said all of its expressways will be toll-free for medical practitioners battling the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

“The following toll roads will be free of toll for all health care professionals for the duration of the Enhanced Community Quarantine: STAR Tollway, South Luzon Expressway (SLEx), Skyway, NAIAx, and the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEx),” SMC said in a statement.

SMC President Ramon S. Ang said this is his company’s way of showing its appreciation and gratitude for doctors and nurses.

“Considering the sacrifices they make on a daily basis, this is a small gesture. But nevertheless, we hope it helps make life a bit easier for them, and remind them that what they do for us is deeply appreciated,” he said.

SMC said medical workers will need to get a special RFID sticker from SMC Tollways to avail of this privilege. They can also have their existing RFID sticker converted.

The government placed the entire Luzon under a month-long lockdown in a bid to contain the spread of the COVID-19, closing most private businesses and banning public transport. — Arjay L. Balinbin

ICTSI to consignees: withdraw your reefers

RAZON-led International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) on Friday appealed to its consignees to withdraw their reefers immediately.

“We have now come to a point where it is becoming impossible to operate in an efficient manner. On March 14, there were 22, 043 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of imports in the terminal. Today, there are 36,793 TEUs. Containers are simply not being removed from the terminal,” ICTSI said in its letter to consignees, shippers, and brokers or processors dated March 27.

It added: “We understand that it is unfeasible for some, and many businesses have been temporarily shutdown, but without the full support of everyone that is able to open, we will come to a point when efficient operations will no longer be possible.”

It also noted that from March 1 to March 26, there were 8,201 cleared containers sitting in the terminal. Most of these contain food.

ICTSI offered an option for businesses that are unable to take delivery at their own facilities.

“Please utilize our offsite facilities in Laguna, Bulacan, or Cavite. Special accommodations are available for anyone who utilizes these facilities,” it said.

The Transportation department said ICTSI has also appealed to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to facilitate the immediate approval of transfer or condemnation of a number of items through the Bureau of Customs.

These include 7,000+ TEUs overstaying in the yard for more than 30 days and 5,400+ TEUs uncleared overstaying boxes.

It also said all cleared boxes that are more than 30-days old should have approvals facilitated for the transfer to external facilities without delay. — Arjay L. Balinbin

PHL to receive further $1.6-B from ADB

THE Asian Development Bank (ADB) said another funding package of at least $1.6 billion for the Philippines will be released in the coming weeks to help the government respond to the COVID-19 quarantine and to help affected industries.

In a statement Friday, the bank said the new funding package will consist of at least “three quick-disbursing, policy-based loans” worth $1.1 billion and another $500 million for disaster resilience financing.

“We will be ready with a large assistance package within weeks to help the government carry out a response with maximum impact,” ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa was quoted as saying in the statement.

The package will also include a “large, quick-disbursing loan” that can be used immediately upon approval, funding for cash transfers and procurement of additional emergency facilities and other equipment such as ventilators for the health department, it said.

“A new innovative facility will be launched within days to deliver food to the poor, with participation by the government and the private sector,” Mr. Asakawa said.

According to ADB, the additional funding will be drawn from the bank’s $6.5 billion initial package launched for its member-countries.

Earlier, the bank approved a $3 million grant for the Philippines to procure medical supplies. The ADB said the grant will fund a “new, modern laboratory with diagnostic equipment, testing kits, and supplies” for Jose Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital in San Fernando City, Pampanga. The laboratory can process 1,000 COVID-19 tests per day once established, it said.

“ADB is fully committed to supporting the Philippines’ efforts to overcome these unprecedented, extraordinary, and challenging times,” he added.

Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said the government plans to seek $1-2 billion worth of funding assistance from multilateral agencies to support the government’s increased spending to deal with the pandemic.

The World Bank has committed to provide a $100-million loan to the Philippines.

The government rolled out an initial P27.1-billion economic stimulus package to help distressed sectors while a recently-signed stimulus package law allows the government to realign as much as P275 billion from the national budget and make off-budget outlays for COVID-19 relief measures.

Fee waiver sought for containers stuck in port during quarantine

BW FILE PHOTO

LEGISLATORS have called on the government to waive storage, demurrage and detention fees for all containers that landed in the country while the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) is in effect.

Representative Ronnie L. Ong of Ang Probinsyano Partylist and Rep. Eric G. Yap of ACT-CIS Partylist said in a statement Friday that the ECQ has also damaged many industries that depend heavily on imports.

“The government also has to protect the import sector during these crucial times. Much of the things that we are using to survive this crisis are all imports,” Mr. Ong said.

According to the legislators, the continued imposition of storage, demurrage and detention charges on containers during the ECQ will raise the cost of goods including basic necessities.

They said that many containers now stuck in the ports are unclaimed and racking up fees for importers who continue to be charged storage, demurrage and detention fees by the Bureau of Customs (BoC) and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).

They said hundreds of unclaimed containers are at the various Philippine ports because most companies are not operational; no truck drivers and truck available; most streets in the National Capital Region are closed because of checkpoints; and the Manila International Container Port operation are suspended because two of its employees have been classified as Persons Under Investigation (PUI) pending confirmation of the disease.

The legislators said the continued imposition of fines and charges will make it difficult for most businesses to pay for and collect their containers when they are finally allowed to do so.

Importers could then pass on the extra charges to their customers, who will pass it on to consumers.

“Ultimately, it is the ordinary consumer who will suffer most because of these additional charges. The government must temporarily suspend the imposition of these extra fees to stop the sudden surge on the cost of imported commodities,” Mr. Yap said.

“Most businesses have been asked by the government to shoulder allowances, salaries or even advance the 13th month pay for their employees even if they are mostly out of business because of this COVID-19 crisis. It is just right that the government should also help them by waiving these fees,” Mr. Ong said. — Genshen L. Espedido

Asia casino traffic seen dropping 60-80% during outbreak

THE Asia-Pacific gaming industry is bracing for “negative cash flows” as casino visits drop as governments prohibit large crowds during the COVID-19 outbreak, according to S&P Gobal Ratings.

In a report Friday, S&P Gobal Ratings estimated casino visits could drop by 60-80% in the first half due to retricted movement, traffic flow and temporary closures of establishments ordered to contain the spread of the virus

“This is exacerbating weak consumer sentiment and leading to negative cash flows. Gaming equipment makers and lottery/betting operators are experiencing similar pain from the temporary closure of venues,” it said.

Without mentioning specific firms, S&P Gobal Ratings said balance sheets of all operaters will inevitably deteriorate this year, while “some companies may breach our downgrade triggers.”

“We expect profitability to fall faster than revenue for casino operators because of: (1) their minimum operating expenses; and (2) a faster decline in higher-margin mass market than for the “VIP” (or high-roller) segment,” the credit rater said.

“Ratings on CreditWatch reflect significant anticipated stress on revenue and cash flow over the next several months, or possibly longer, that could cause us to lower ratings over the near term, even if companies have a good level of leverage and liquidity cushion,” S&P added.

To mitigate the blow in profitability, it said issuers might preserve cash flow and rationalize operating costs, including reducing staff, forcing them to go on paid or unpaid leave, halt expensive non-essential events and save as much electricity as possible. Some have resorted to cutting management pay and have applied for relief from governments, including support to workers, postponement of tax payments and subsidies.

While a recovery after COVID-19 is expected, S&P said this might be gradual as “sentiment will likely remain weak.” If the pandemic is largely contained by June, its projections showed drop in revenue will be still be felt into the third quarter “at a milder pace, before flattening out in the fourth quarter.”

“Some cash could be lost forever. And this comes at a time when various operators in Asia-Pacific are entering a heightened period of capital expenditure (capex),” it said.

In the Philippines, operations of casinos and online gaming firms were among those suspended during the month-long lockdown on Luzon.

Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) Chairman and CEO Andrea D. Domingo has sought an exemption for three of its “high-earning” gaming operations.

These include junkets, e-junkets and Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) on a work-from-home basis.

Ms. Domingo said junkets and e-junkets only cater to foreign clients, are “segregated,” can be done via telephone while gaming areas are sanitized. She said POGOs can adopt work-from-home schemes like business process outsourcing (BPO) firms.

Luzon was placed under enhanced community quarantine until April 12, restricting movements to essential goods and personnel only. — Beatrice M. Laforga

Councils reactivated to monitor local food prices

GOVERNMENT agencies have reactivated a price coordination council to monitor prices of basic commodities in Metro Manila and other urban areas during the COVID-19 lockdown.

According to joint Memorandum Circular No. 77, Local Price Coordination Councils (LPCCs) were reactivated by the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and Department of Health (DoH), which will monitor prices of agricultural goods, processed products, and medicine.

“The reactivation of LPCCs was one of the measures approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) to monitor and forestall the excessive and unreasonable price spikes of agri-fishery commodities, processed products and medicines,” Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said.

The LPCCs also aid in the implementation of the suggested retail prices (SRPs) of basic food commodities, issue warnings, and apprehend violators, including Internet and social media sellers.

LPCCs is authorized by Republic Act (RA 7581) or the Price Act.

“Our aim is to protect consumers against undue price spikes as the nation is under a state of emergency due to the spread of COVID-19,” Mr. Dar said.

The DA reported that the average retail prices of selected agri-fishery commodities and domestically-grown and imported rice declined between March 9 and 21.

The average retail price of well-milled imported rice was P41 per kilogram, while regular-milled rice was P39.

The retail price of domestically-grown commercial rice varies from P40 per kg for well-milled and P31 per kilo for regular-milled.

“This week, we expect prices to start settling at reasonable and affordable levels as the transport of food and other cargoes, including the movement of farmers, fishers, food logistics providers, and food processing workers begin to improve, with the cooperation of the PNP and AFP, particularly barangay officials manning the enhanced community quarantine checkpoints,” Mr. Dar said.

Meanwhile, the DA and DTI caught vendors violating the SRP scheme at Farmers’ Market in Cubao, Quezon City Thursday.

DTI will send a “Notice of Violation” to the vendors, and if they fail to act accordingly within 48 hours upon receipt of the notice, their respective stalls will be closed.

Mr. Dar appealed to suppliers and retailers to keep prices of their goods within the SRP and comply with the rules set by the government.

“We currently impose an SRP for nine food commodities, and we are analyzing the price monitoring data we have collected for the entire country in the last three months to serve as (a) basis to expand the list, if warranted,” Mr. Dar said.

The updated price bulletins will be given to the LPCCs, retailers, suppliers, and market masters, which must be displayed at prominent areas in public markets. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Transport GOCCs make advance dividend payment of over P10-B

THE Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), and the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), made an advance dividend payment of more than P10 billion Friday.

In a statement, the Department of Transportation (DoTr) said PPA remitted over P4 billion while CAAP and MIAA handed over P3 billion each.

The funds will be used to support government iefforts to contain COVID-19 and other projects.

“Under the law, all Government Owned and Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) are mandated to remit in full their respective minimum dividends to the National Treasury on or before 15 May of each year,” the DoTr said.

Mr. Tugade said: “These remittances are the people’s money and we are giving it back at the soonest possible time when it is very much needed with urgency.”

“Napapanahon at nararapat lamang na pakinabangan ito ng mga taumbayan lalo sa panahon ng pagsubok na ito (It is appropriate for the people to benefit from these dividends during these challenging times),” he added.

The government has announced an initial P27.1 billion economic stimulus package to help sectors affected by COVID-19.

The government placed Luzon under a month-long lockdown in a bid to contain the spread of the disease, closing most private businesses and suspending public transport. — Arjay L. Balinbin

DoTr to continue reviewing transport project proposals during lockdown

TRANSPORTATION Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said the review of unsolicited proposals for all transport-related projects will continue during the COVID-19 quarantine.

The Department of Transportation (DoTr) said in a statement Friday that Mr. Tugade met with officials of various agencies Thursday to discuss the implementation of the newly-signed Republic Act 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, which allows President Rodrigo R. Duterte to realign budget savings to fund the COVID-19 containment effort.

At the meeting, Mr. Tugade also “directed all concerned offices, especially Legal Affairs and Planning, to continue coordination and review of relevant documents to ensure unhampered processes even during the enhanced Community Quarantine, and to ensure that the template of Clark Airport and Bohol-Panglao Airport is observed,” the DoTr said, referring to the process adopted for evalutaing unsolicited proposals for airport projects.

“This quarantine does not mean all pending tasks must also stop. Rather, take this opportunity to finish all pending assignments and tasks,” Mr. Tugade was quoted as saying.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat and Mr. Tugade signed a memorandum of agreement in January on behalf of the Department of Tourism and the DoTr to “intensify infrastructure development that will support the development and promotion of tourism circuits across the country.”

Under the agreement, both departments will prioritize airport development programs in support of tourism development, monitor the progress of airport projects in such areas, and explore, develop and increase the value proposition of destinations “for sustainable tourism through the productive utilization of airport assets and route development.”

Mr. Duterte last week announced a month-long Luzon lockdown in a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19, closing most private businesses and suspending public transport. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Lockdown threatens PUV modernization as lockdown squeezes operators

THE Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP), which is one of the main drivers of demand for commercial vehicles this year, faces “significant risks” of being delayed due to the lockdown on Luzon, Fitch Solutions said.

The automotive sector outlook for Southeast Asian countries published Friday by Fitch Solutions projected that passenger vehicle sales in the Philippines will contract this year “as waning sentiment linked to a deteriorating economic outlook weighs on demand for the segment.”

“As vehicle dealerships remain closed, and public transport services are unable to operate as part of the strict movement restrictions, transport operators will not be able to recoup lost revenue resulting in the country’s PUVMP facing significant risks of being delayed. This is a further risk to sales as the PUVMP was going to be one of the key drivers of commercial vehicle demand in 2020,” Fitch Solutions said.

Restrictions on movement and suspended business operations in Southeast Asia will “severely impact” this year’s vehicle sales, it added.

A separate Fitch Solutions outlook released Monday projected overall new-vehicle sales growth in the Philippines at 371,456 units, up 0.4% in 2020.

In 2019, vehicle sales rose 3.5% year-on-year to 369,941 units, according to the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) and the Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA). This represented a recovery from the 2018 industry slump, when sales fell 16% to 357,410 units.

The government placed Luzon under a month-long lockdown in a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19, closing most private businesses and banning public transport. Toyota Motor Philippines Corp., which manufactures cars in Laguna, suspended production until mid-April.

Fitch Solutions said passenger vehicle sales will fall 1% in 2020, but will grow by an annual average of 6.8% from 2020-2029 as incomes grow and car-ownership rates rise from a low base.

Commercial vehicle sales are expected to increase by 1% in 2020, but in this segment higher growth is projected up to 2029. — Arjay L. Balinbin

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