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MVP named as Sports Tourism Personality of the Year — 2019

MANUEL V. Pangilinan’s moniker as MVP was made all the more accurate during the 4th Philippine Sports Tourism Awards after being recognized as the private sector’s Sports Tourism Personality of the Year for 2019.

The award cited MVP’s immense contributions to the sports tourism sector in the country. After serving as the first-ever president of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, Mr. Pangilinan went on to found the MVP Sports Foundation, which provided a good cross section of sports with the proper funding and training to produce world-class athletes.

Under his leadership, the country’s largest integrated telco PLDT and its wireless arm Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) were also able to deploy fixed and wireless networks in New Clark City as part of preparations for the country’s hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games. Aside from rolling out fiber infrastructure and cell sites, Smart also augmented its capacity and coverage in key areas around the NCC in anticipation of the heavy influx of crowds during the competition. PLDT and Smart were also the official telecom partners of the 2019 SEA Games.

In his acceptance speech presented by SBP Executive Director Sonny Barrios, MVP reflected the PSTA mission in upholding sports as a major pillar in Philippine tourism. “The unquantifiable benefits alone make strong case for investing in sports. But today, we are recognizing a more direct and tangible benefit — how sports could encourage tourism, and how it might eventually serve as a catalyst for economies, both local and national,” said Mr. Pangilinan.

While the absence of sports activities this year has left a dent on the sports tourism sector, various international sporting events in the country are already planned and laid out for the near future; with the goal of reigniting the spirit of sports and ramping up tourism. One such event is the highly anticipated FIBA World Cup. The Philippines, through the initiatives of Mr. Pangilinan will be hosting the international competition in 2023 alongside Japan and Indonesia. And, following the successful stint of Gilas Pilipinas in Bahrain last November, FIBA has recently announced that Clark in the Philippines will be one the host cities for the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers, with Doha in Qatar, Tokyo in Japan, and Manama in Bahrain.

“This award is not a culmination of the work we’ve rendered, but a mandate to push the envelope. Sports remains a high-potential investment for our country, and I consider it an honor to be able to continue supporting its development. We can improve our sporting landscape for the benefit of our athletes and, ultimately, for that of the greater Philippine nation,” he added.

The 4th Sports Tourism Awards, held in Clark Freeport,  was presented by Clark Development Corp. and Selrahco Management in collaboration with the Department of Tourism and the Philippines Sports Commission, and supported by Smart Communications, Coca Cola Beverages Philippines, Universal Robina Corp., and City of Mabalacat.

Other awardees in the 4th Philippine Sports Tourism Awards include People’s Television Network for News Coverage of the Year, New Clark City for Sports Venue of the Year, Dumaguete City for Sports Organizer of the Year (government), Sunrise Events, Inc. for Organizer of the Year (private), Tour de Cebu for Adventure Event of the Year, Philippine Airlines for Airline of the Year, Resorts World Manila for Charity Event of the Year, Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines for Event Sponsorship of the Year, The Mansion Boutique Hotel and Villas for Hotel of the Year, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority for Destination Marketing of the Year, Triathlon Association of the Philippines for Sports Association of the Year, TINMAN Ilocos Norte for Event of the Year (domestic), IRONMAN 70.3 as Event of the Year (international), Mayor Felipe Remollo for Sports Tourism Personality of the Year (government), and Clark Freeport Zone for Sports Tourism Destination of the Year.

Olympian Eumir Marcial faces US’ Andrew Whitfield today

OLYMPIAN Eumir Felix Marcial admits he is feeling some pressure a day before he makes his highly-anticipated ring return.

But the thought of winning his upcoming fight as a birthday gift to his promoter Manny Pacquiao is helping Marcial loosen up a bit.

The Zamboanga-native Marcial will face American Andrew Whitfield in a four-round battle Thursday morning (Manila time) which will be the Filipino Olympian’s first official professional bout to be held at the Shrine Exposition Center in Los Angeles, California.

“Dagdag motivation din ito kasi sakto pa na birthday ni Senator Manny d’yan sa Pilipinas habang lumalaban ako rito. Ito na muna siguro ang magandang regalo ko kay Senator habang nandito ako sa US,” said Marcial who travelled to the US last October to train under Freddie Roach.

Pacquiao will be turning 42 on Thursday, Dec. 17.

Last July, Marcial signed a promotional deal with Pacquiao’s MP Promotions after giving his assurance to the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) that he will still pursue his Olympic campaign, no matter what.

The Olympics already opened its doors to professional boxers starting in the 2016 Rio Games.

Marcial qualified to the Tokyo Games after winning the gold medal during the Asia-Oceania Olympic Qualifying Tournament last March in Amman, Jordan.

He has since been idle until he decided to sign up with MP Promotions, which immediately gave him a chance to train with Roach starting last October.

“Lahat ng ito, preparation para sa Olympics. Kahit na professional na itong laban ko, lahat ng kasama ko ngayon, si coach Freddie, coach Marvin (Somodio), coach Justin (Fortune), Sir (MPP President) Sean (Gibbons), ang nasa isip namin lahat ay Olympics,” said Marcial.

During the weigh-in one day before the fight, Marcial registered 162.4lbs while Whitfield came in at 165.8lbs. The contracted weight is 163lbs.

“The real key is to focus on the Olympics, but to get an experience to have a couple of four rounders, six rounders under his belt because all of the guys he is going to compete against (in the Olympics) are fighting in tournaments or turning pro,” Gibbons said.

Giannis Antetokounmpo signs 5-year, $228-M extension with Bucks

TWO-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo agreed to a five-year, $228.2-million supermax extension with the Milwaukee Bucks.

The 26-year-old forward announced the deal Tuesday on Twitter.

“This is my home, this is my city,” he posted. “I’m blessed to be able to be a part of the Milwaukee Bucks for the next five years. Let’s make these years count. The show goes on, let’s get it.”

The deal ends months of speculation about Antetokounmpo’s future. Most of the talk centered around whether Antetokounmpo would opt to enter free agency following hints in the offseason that he wanted to be paired with another superstar.

With an average annual value of $45.6 million, it is the largest contract in NBA history, according to The Athletic.

Washington Wizards guard Russell Westbrook signed a five-year, $206.8-million contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2018, with an annual average salary of $41.4 million (per Spotrac). Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry signed a five-year, $201.2-million extension in 2017.

Antetokounmpo’s agent, Alex Saratsis, confirmed the details of the contract with ESPN. It includes an opt-out after the fourth year.

Antetokounmpo won Defensive Player of the Year honors, along with his second straight MVP award in 2019-20. He posted career highs in scoring (29.5) and rebounding (11.4) and led the Bucks (56-17) to the best record in the Eastern Conference.

The four-time All-Star has career averages of 20.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.2 steals in 528 games (463 starts) with the Bucks. He was Milwaukee’s first-round pick (15th overall) in 2013. — Reuters

Southeast Asia COVID-19 vaccine tracker: who will get what, when

In the evolving race for COVID-19 vaccines, Indonesia has taken the apparent lead in Southeast Asia with the delivery of vaccines from China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd. this month.

Southeast Asia’s biggest and most populous economy has also announced multiple agreements to receive potential vaccines, as the nation fights the worst coronavirus outbreak in the region.

Yet when it comes to the Pfizer Inc.-BioNTech SE vaccine that has been bolstered by UK and US regulatory approvals, smaller but wealthier Singapore has the advantage—it expects the first shipments by the end of December.

Both countries are also involved in vaccine development and manufacturing, a testament to the variety of strategies employed across the region. Here’s how the region of more than 650 million people is dealing with differing fiscal, demographic, and distribution challenges in their vaccine strategies.

INDONESIA

Strategy

Indonesia needs about 246 million doses to vaccinate 107 million people aged 18 to 59 years old. The government will shoulder the cost of nearly 74 million doses.

• The world’s fourth most populous nation is banking on both Western and Chinese vaccines, ordering 125.5 million doses from Sinovac and 30 million from Novavax Inc., while developing 57.6 million of its own Merah Putih

• It’s seeking another 16 million from the global GAVI vaccine facility while talks are also on for 100 million from AstraZeneca Plc and Pfizer Inc. for possible supply

• Indonesia plans to be able to vaccinate 16 million people a month, with production seen as the main bottleneck instead of the logistics of getting the shots across thousands of islands.

Timeline

4Q 2020: Sinovac

• Indonesia received 1.2 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine earlier in December, with another 1.8 million shots to arrive next month

• Its drug regulator is running checks on the vaccine to issue emergency use authorization as soon as possible, after which it will begin vaccinating frontliners like health workers, police and military

• Sinovac will also ship raw material for 45 million doses to be manufactured by Indonesia’s PT Bio Farma by January. The state firm aims to produce 24 million doses a month.

PHILIPPINES

Strategy

The country wants to have at least 50 million vaccine shots next year to inoculate about a fourth of the population, the bulk of which will likely arrive by the end of 2021 or early 2022. Priority for vaccinations will be given to medical frontliners and workers in industries deemed critical, including low-income groups and those identified as at risk.

• The nation is eyeing 73.2 billion pesos ($1.5 billion) in vaccine purchases that it plans to fund with financing from multilateral agencies, state-owned banks and companies and bilateral sources, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez said.

Timeline

1Q 2021: Sinovac, Sputnik V

• Vaccinations could start as early as the first quarter of 2021 using Sinovac and Russia’s Sputnik V shots, according to vaccine czar Carlito Galvez

• He said the Philippines has informed the Chinese manufacturer it needs 25 million doses for 2021. Sinovac has pledged to ship supplies at least 60 days after a deal is signed, which the country aims to seal in December

• President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the nation’s Food and Drug Administration to allow emergency use of vaccines that have data from “adequate and well-known controlled trials,” cutting the approval process to three weeks from six months.

• Sinovac, Sputnik V are yet to receive the local FDA approval.

May 2021: AstraZeneca

• The country will receive as early as May 2.6 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines purchased by local companies which pooled about P800 million ($17 million) to buy 3 million shots.

MALAYSIA

Strategy

The country seeks to buy shots for 70% of its population, more than double the current 30% coverage, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said this month. It also plans to tap the COVAX facility to provide vaccines for 10% of the population while reaching out to 10 companies with vaccines that are at phase-III clinical trials.

• Malaysia will conduct its first COVID-19 vaccine trial in December as part of a government-to-government agreement with China

• It will be a phase-III trial on a vaccine candidate developed by the Institute of Medical Biology Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences

• Malaysia signed an MOU with China in October to be given priority access to COVID-19 vaccines that China develops.

Timeline

1Q 2021: Pfizer

• Pfizer will deliver to Malaysia one million doses in the first quarter of 2021, 1.7 million in the second, 5.8 million in the third and 4.3 million in the final three months of the year, Muhyiddin said late November.

• The agreement with Pfizer covers 12.8 million doses to vaccinate 6.4 million people and is contingent on the vaccine being approved by the US FDA and Malaysia’s regulator.

SINGAPORE

Strategy

The city-state has set aside roughly $750 million for vaccines, tapping the likes of Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc., Moderna Inc., Pfizer, and Sinovac for supplies. It estimates there will be enough doses for its population by the third quarter of 2021, and will be able to offer vaccinations for the entire population of more than 5 million by the end of next year.

• Frontliners, the elderly and vulnerable will be prioritized in the nation’s vaccination program

• It aims to vaccinate the entire adult population, though this will be voluntary

• Vaccines will be free for all Singaporeans and long-term residents

• NOTE: In addition to those listed below, Moderna has concluded an agreement with the Ministry of Health to supply the country with its mRNA-1273 vaccine

Timeline

4Q 2020: Pfizer

• Singapore will receive its first shipment of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine by end-December. The shots have been approved by the Health Sciences Authority.

Early 2021: Arcturus

• Arcturus and Singapore’s Economic Development Board have entered into a supply agreement for the right to buy the ARCT-021 vaccine

• Arcturus may ship the first batch of the COVID-19 vaccine it’s developing with local scientists early next year

• Results so far show that the vaccine could be effective as a single dose, the Straits Times reported, citing a professor who co-developed the vaccine with Arcturus.

THAILAND

Strategy

Thailand wants to inoculate about 50% of its population by next year. It plans to get 26 million doses from the World Health Organization-backed COVAX program, 26 million from AstraZeneca, and 13 million more from other sources, providing immunity to more than 30 million people. Not wanting to rely solely on inoculations from abroad, Thailand is also developing its own anti-coronavirus shot.

• An mRNA vaccine research project is set to start the first phase of clinical trials in April and the second phase in June. The vaccines may be available by end-2021 after receiving emergency-use authorization.

Timeline

Mid-2021: AstraZeneca

• Thailand has an advance agreement with AstraZeneca to secure COVID-19 vaccines, which are expected to be approved and produced by mid-2021, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha said

• Thailand may receive vaccine doses by mid-2021 and these are expected to be distributed from then

• Under agreement with AstraZeneca, Siam Bioscience will produce vaccines at its facilities, and Thailand will receive technology transfer

• Thailand will supply coronavirus vaccines at “reasonable prices” to Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam when it begins production, Mr. Prayuth said.

VIETNAM

Strategy

The country is working on developing vaccines and will work with suppliers when vaccines are available, according to a spokeswoman at the foreign affairs ministry.

• Vietnam is in talks with Pfizer and other medicine manufacturers in the US, UK, China and Russia on acquiring coronavirus shots, Tuoi Tre newspaper reported, citing health ministry officials

• Vietnam’s Nonogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology plans to start this month first-phase clinical trials of its coronavirus vaccine Nanocovax, with production in 2022 if tests are successful

• Two other Vietnamese vaccine manufacturers will start human trials for their coronavirus shots in February and March.

— Ian Sayson and Claire Jiao/Bloomberg

The office Christmas Zoom party: what to do, and what not to

Employers see office Christmas parties as an opportunity to improve employee morale, facilitate the development of relationships, and increase staff engagement, all of which lead to greater productivity and staff retention.

Whether you look forward to the Christmas party or see it as a seasonal obligation, that time of year is here again. Restrictions on social interactions mean that workplaces are turning to virtual Christmas parties as the trend of working remotely in 2020 continues.

The origins of the office Christmas party date back to Victorian times, with Charles Dickens and his tale of Scrooge encouraging employers to give food and days off to bring a little festive cheer. Nowadays, employers see office Christmas parties as an opportunity to improve employee morale, facilitate the development of relationships, and increase staff engagement, all of which lead to greater productivity and staff retention.

However, it could be that organizations are more interested in throwing an office bash than employees are in attending one. The risk of telling your manager that you don’t want to attend could be interpreted that you’re not a team player and that you aren’t committed to the organization. With the usual excuses like lack of transport and the absence of childcare difficult to feign, this year the Christmas party could be more difficult to avoid than ever. With that in mind, here are six tips that will help you think more positively about the office Christmas Zoom party.

1. Network

Evidence shows that it’s very rare to mix with new colleagues at an office party, but the new social norms of partying over Zoom—automatic “break out” rooms, for example—may just make this a bit more achievable. After all, sitting on Zoom for hours allows you to become familiar with faces that you wouldn’t normally spend time with.

Make a list of relationships that could be beneficial for you to build. Successful careers are often based on who you know, not what you know. The convenience of networking with senior managers over Zoom can be seen as an opportunity too good to miss. Despite the online platform, you could still find yourself talking to someone you’re desperate to impress.

2. Set realistic expectations

The true essence of a Christmas party is that you get to spend time with like-minded individuals with gossip and conversations happening spontaneously in toilets or smoking areas. Unfortunately, it is difficult to create spontaneity and informality using Zoom because the main room affords no privacy and simultaneous conversations are near impossible.

Instead, expect that this year, organized fun is likely to be the name of the game. Take a look at the vast array of virtual experiences on offer ranging from magic shows to cooking, pottery, and escape rooms, and hope for the best. It could be that the Christmas party will not turn out to be the tedious event you imagined.

3. Embrace technology

It used to be that the photocopying of body parts was the height of technological misfortune in the office. Then we all went online and a plethora of videos went viral of online conference meetings gone wrong.

The use of technology to host a Christmas party will always come with an element of risk—make sure you are muted. This year, the risk might come from that obligatory shot of the Zoom main room with everyone’s smiling faces shared on internal communications. Such images could be examined in detail by HR advisors and managers looking for evidence of organizational commitment.

4. Show the real you

Organizations have long talked about authenticity as the key to success. In fact, allowing people to be themselves at work has strong links to improved well-being. Seeing inside someone’s home, becoming acquainted with their children, partners and pets has become the norm. It’s an opportunity for everyone to show their “human side,” create a level playing field and talk to each other as real people.

For managers, it’s an excellent opportunity to hear gossip, opinions, and comments which you might not otherwise hear. For employees, it’s an opportunity to test the water informally and take the opportunity to raise that concern you’ve had for a while.

5. Don’t go if you really don’t want to

Employees do feel worried about how their attitudes are perceived by managers, so you may feel unsure about telling your boss you don’t want to attend. It’s understandable if you are worried about being labeled a party pooper, or gossiped about behind your back. But, feeling you should attend rather than wanting to attend could impact negatively on your well-being. Approach the decision by weighing up the pros and cons of going and not going. Make sure you do what’s right for you.

6. Keep it in perspective

Having a Christmas party to attend is a good sign. Christmas parties can be viewed as a sign of organizational prosperity and in previous times of austerity, they have been canceled or employees were asked to pay for themselves.

With so many people on furlough, having been made redundant or facing financial hardship, having an office Christmas party is a sign that you’re better off than some. — The Conversation

Filinvest’s FDC Misamis is MisOr’s top real estate taxpayer

Filinvest’s power firm FDC Misamis Power Corporation (FDC Misamis) was hailed and honored anew by the Province of Misamis Oriental as its number one real estate taxpayer for the first three quarters of 2020 in an awarding ceremony held at the Capitol Grounds in Cagayan de Oro City on Monday, December 14, 2020.

The company has been MisOr’s top taxpayer since 2017. For this year, despite the challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic on its operations, the power firm still diligently paid its obligations remitting over Php 224 million in real property taxes to PHIVIDEC. Of the estimated total taxes paid, Php 51,396,381.30 went to the Province of Misamis Oriental.

Juan Eugenio L. Roxas, the firm’s President, and Chief Executive Officer expressed gratitude to the Provincial Government.

“This is the third year that we have been awarded as the number one taxpayer of the Province, and we are very honored to receive this award.  Paying taxes is our duty in the first place because we are doing business in this Province. It is not the obligation of the Province of Misamis Oriental to recognize us.”

“Such inspires us to pay not only the correct taxes but consistently to pay on time,” said Roxas.

Local officials noted that the taxes collected will fund multiple development programs beneficial to the Province’s citizens, like improving its education system amidst the new normal.

Governor Yevgeny “Bambi” Emano appreciates all taxpayers, even those small business owners, for their commitment to pay their dues, notwithstanding the losses brought about by restrictions during the imposition of community quarantine. However, Emano cited Filinvest and the Gotianun family for their kindness and sustained support to the local government.

Apart from the RPT, the power firm also remitted more than Php 29 million to its host communities under the Energy Regulations (ER) 1-94 Program of the Department of Energy (DOE).

ER 1-94 allows a community hosting an energy generating facility to have access to a financial benefit of one-centavo per kilowatt-hour (P0.01/kWh) of the total electricity sales. Proceeds are allocated to fund various development projects, including anti-COVID-19 initiatives.

As the country combats the coronavirus, the funds released by the power firm were instrumental in ensuring its neighboring communities’ health and safety.

FDC Misamis, a wholly-owned subsidiary of FDC Utilities, Inc., the utilities and infrastructure arm of the Filinvest Development Corporation, operates a 3x135MW circulating fluidized bed coal thermal plant at the PHIVIDEC Industrial Estate in Villanueva town.

The facility was inaugurated by President Rodrigo Duterte and has been vital in the Mindanao grid’s stability since its commercial operations in 2016.

FDC Misamis commits to remain true to its advocacy of developing sustainable communities while providing reliable, cost-effective electricity the region needs to reignite its economy.

“We will not stop by just settling our regulatory obligations; we will continue to be responsible citizens and help in whatever way we can. As they say, charity begins at home,” Roxas concluded.

Busiest US seaport, buried in imports, plucks out toys to load Santa’s sleigh

LOS ANGELES — Workers at the busiest US seaport are plucking containers of toys off ships and out of massive stacks of cargo swamping docks at the Southern California trade gateway to get holiday gifts under trees in time for Christmas.

“We’ve never had this much cargo,” Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, said on Tuesday, when the port announced that imports spiked 25% during the month of November.

With so much cargo flooding in ahead of Christmas, “we’re essentially in a triage situation,” said Mr. Seroka, who worked with a handful of toy makers to expedite toy shipments.

Imports to the Port of Los Angeles have been booming for more than five months as US businesses rebuild depleted inventories of everything from appliances to bicycles, stockpile personal protective equipment and other sought-after goods in a worsening pandemic, and prepare for the winter holiday selling season.

The surge in volume has created congestion that makes it harder for trucks and trains to quickly whisk containers away from the busiest gateway by volume for US trade with China. That then slows down inbound ships.

In November, 50 of the 88 vessels coming to the Port of Los Angeles waited on anchor for 2.5 days before being unloaded. So far in December, about 80% of arriving vessels are anchored for an average of four days, Mr. Seroka said.

Importers told Reuters the log jams are holding up their cargo for up to a month.

The Christmas season is the lifeblood of the toy industry, and the disruption is hitting that sector particularly hard.

“It’s the height of the season,” said Isaac Larian, chief executive of California-based MGA Entertainment.

“As of yesterday, we had 250 containers sitting at the port,” he said. Those boxes, containing LOL Surprise! and other MGA toys, had been delayed three to four weeks.

Mr. Seroka and others at the port have helped get a few containers out every day, Mr. Larian said. — Lisa Baertlein/Reuters 

Tom Cruise rants at Mission: Impossible crew in London over COVID safety

In expletive-filled remarks captured on audio tape obtained by The Sun, Tom Cruise yelled at the crew about lapses of social distancing and other rules that allow movies to be made during the coronavirus pandemic. Image via Eva Rinaldi / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

LOS ANGELES — Tom Cruise let rip over an apparent breach of COVID-19 safety protocols on the London set of the new Mission: Impossible movie, telling crew members they would be fired if they don’t obey the rules, Britain’s Sun newspaper reported on Tuesday.

In expletive-filled remarks captured on audio tape obtained by The Sun, the star and producer of the action film yelled at the crew about lapses of social distancing and other rules that allow movies to be made during the coronavirus pandemic.

A source close to the production said the tape was authentic. Mr. Cruise’s representative declined to comment.

“I’m on the phone with every fucking studio at night, insurance companies, producers, and they’re looking at us and using us to make their movies,” Mr. Cruise told the crew on the set.

“Do you understand the responsibility that you have? Because I will deal with your reason. And if you can’t be reasonable and I can’t deal with your logic, you’re fired,” he added, according to the tape.

The Sun did not say when the incident took place, but the filmmakers arrived in London in early December.

The seventh Mission: Impossible was one of the first movies to shut down production because of the coronavirus when it abandoned filming in Venice, Italy, in February.

Production resumed in September, with filming in Italy, Norway, and London. Mr. Cruise in July personally appealed to Norway’s prime minister to shoot parts of the film in Norway under modified quarantine rules.

The Paramount Pictures film is scheduled to be released in November 2021.

Mr. Cruise told the crew Hollywood was relying on movies like Mission: Impossible to keep the beleaguered industry going.

“We want the gold standard. They’re back there in Hollywood making movies right now because of us! Because they believe in us and what we’re doing,” he said, according to the audio tape.

Mission: Impossible is one of the biggest franchises in Hollywood, with 2018’s Mission: Impossible-Fallout taking more than $791 million at the worldwide box office. — Reuters

Record climate disasters in Asia-Pacific push millions to ‘breaking point’

KUALA LUMPUR — Asia-Pacific has faced a record number of climate-related disasters in 2020, affecting tens of millions of vulnerable people already hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Red Cross said on Wednesday.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said it had responded to 24 climate-linked crises this year in the world’s most disaster-prone region—up from 18 in 2019—including floods, typhoons, extreme cold, and drought.

“COVID-19 has of course aggravated these impacts, with a taste of the compound shocks we’re expecting in a changing climate,” Maarten van Aalst, director of the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

“The pandemic has not only complicated evacuations and disaster response, but also aggravates the economic impact of disasters, especially for the poorest people,” he added.

Southeast Asia was the IFRC’s busiest region in 2020, with 15 emergency responses to disasters including severe floods, storms, and landslides in the Philippines and Vietnam that affected more than 31 million people.

Jess Letch, the IFRC’s emergency operations manager, said the challenge had been to help communities with relief aid while also taking the steps needed to halt the spread of COVID-19.

Mary Joy Gonzales, a resilience project manager with CARE in the Philippines, said her aid agency had worked to provide additional shelter to enable social distancing after one person contracted COVID-19 in an evacuation center it was supporting.

Women have suffered a triple blow, she added, with the pandemic fuelling violence at home just as many lost their jobs and had to look after out-of-school children and elderly relatives while the country was pummelled by destructive storms.

The agency expected that such impacts “will get worse due to climate change,” she told journalists earlier this month.

“We have seen the trend in the past 10 years: typhoons have been becoming stronger and we have lost thousands of lives already,” she said.

Last year, more than 94 million people in the Asia-Pacific region were hit by climate-related disasters, with the area experiencing twice as many emergencies as the Americas or Africa, according to the IFRC’s latest World Disasters Report.

The total number of people affected in 2020 has not yet been released.

INCOMES SUFFER

Home to about 60% of the world’s population, the Asia-Pacific region has borne the brunt of climate disasters, with many people living in vulnerable conditions due to poverty and poor urban planning.

Mr. Van Aalst said countries had become better prepared and equipped to save lives but were still failing to protect the livelihoods of vulnerable communities struck by disasters.

He cited the example of Cyclone Amphan that battered India and Bangladesh in May. Mass evacuations before the storm made landfall prevented a large number of deaths.

But the impact on economic well-being was harsh, especially for the poorest, he noted, with total damages estimated at more than $13 billion.

In Vietnam, CARE’s country director Le Kim Dung said the pandemic had made it harder to bounce back, particularly in rural areas, from widespread floods that had inundated many provinces hit by heavy rains and a series of typhoons since early October.

COVID-19 restrictions also prevented some farmers from selling their produce, while migrants in cities – many of them care workers or street traders – lost their jobs and could not send money back home to keep their families afloat, she added.

“People are used to storms and floods right across Asia, but this year has tested the resilience of tens of millions of people to breaking point,” said the IFRC’s Ms. Letch. — Beh Lih Yi/Thomson Reuters Foundation

One in four people globally may not get COVID-19 vaccines until 2022

ROME — Nearly one in four people may not get COVID-19 vaccines until at least 2022 because rich countries with less than 15% of the global population have reserved 51% of the doses of the most promising vaccines, researchers said on Tuesday.

Low- and middle-income countries—home to more than 85% of the world’s population—would have to share the remainder, said researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in the United States.

An effective response to the pandemic requires high-income countries “to share in an equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines across the world,” they wrote.

“The uncertainty over global access to COVID-19 vaccines traces not only to ongoing clinical testing, but also from the failure of governments and vaccine manufacturers to be more transparent and accountable over these arrangements,” they added.

As of Nov. 15, high-income nations had pre-ordered nearly 7.5 billion doses of vaccines from 13 manufacturers, the paper said.

This included Japan, Australia, and Canada who collectively have more than 1 billion doses but accounted for less than 1% of current novel coronavirus cases, it said.

Even if leading manufacturers’ vaccines reach their projected maximum production capacity, nearly 25% of the world’s population may not get the vaccines for another year or more, according to the paper.

The People’s Vaccine Alliance coalition last week said pharmaceutical companies should openly share their technology and intellectual property through the World Health Organization (WHO) so that more doses can be manufactured.

The John Hopkins researchers said WHO’s COVAX Facility could play a key role in ensuring fairer access to approved vaccines but it has only secured 500 million doses, far below its target of delivering at least 2 billion doses by the end of 2021.

Launched in April, the global pact aims to pool funds from wealthier countries and nonprofits to accelerate the development and manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines and distribute them equitably around the world.

It has so far secured half of the funding it needs and the United States and Russia—key players in vaccine development and manufacture—have not joined, the Johns Hopkins study said. — Thin Lei Win/Thomson Reuters Foundation

End the year on a high note with ASUS Business

The year 2020 has been one of the longest, most difficult years in recent history, especially for any struggling business. The world seems to be changing so rapidly that entrepreneurs and professionals who fail to adapt fast enough could be left behind.

Yet with everyone so busy trying to stay afloat these trying times, there is all the more reason to seek joy and celebration wherever you can find it. Especially for Filipinos, when the holiday season is a season for hope and new beginnings. Year 2020 does not have to end with uncertainty and doubt.

Knowing the importance of keeping the Filipino holiday spirit alive, ASUS, the leading electronics brand, in partnership with popular e-commerce platform Shopee, is launching its new “ASUS For Business Share 2020” promo, in which customers can win exciting prizes for the holiday season.

The prizes include an ASUS AiO 24, ASUS ExpertBook P1410, ASUS P1 Business Laptop, along with three ASUS ZenWifi routers.

Any purchase of ASUS business laptops, desktops, all-in-one PCs, Chromebooks, and Studiobooks in the ASUS Expert Series Official Store in Shopee from Jan. 1, 2020 to Dec. 31, 2020, is eligible to join the promo.

What’s more, customers who will purchase in the ASUS Expert Series Official Store in Shopee starting Nov. 25, 2020, up to Dec. 31, 2020, will be getting an ASUS Wifi Router (RT-AC1300UHP) worth P4,250 for free, to be delivered 14 working days upon receipt of purchased item/s.

All customers need to do is register at bit.ly/ASUSForBusinessShare2020 and fill out the form with their necessary details. But better hurry, because the registration is only open from Nov. 25, 2020 to Feb. 28, 2021.

After the registration, promo participants must also like and share publicly the “ASUS For Business Facebook Page” with the tags #ASUSBusiness #ASUSExpertBook #TrustTheExpert, and leave their thoughts about the brand’s Expert Series.

The raffle draw will happen on March 5, 2021, in presence of a DTI representative, and the results will be announced on March 15 via the ASUS For Business and ASUS Philippines Facebook pages. The winners will receive an email notification from ASUS Philippines (asuscommercialbusiness@gmail.com) in which the winning participants should reply within 7-10 working days.

Designed with the ever-shifting, ever-changing business landscape in mind, the ASUS Expert Series aims to blend the latest technologies with ASUS’s signature award-winning minimalist designs. The result are notebooks that are the lightest, yet toughest in the world, and desktop PCs with the greatest reliability and manageability.

As the business world continues to change further into 2021, keep you and your business on the cutting edge with the best tools and equipment from ASUS. Whatever the need, there is a perfect ExpertBook or ExpertCenter to fill it.

Visit ASUS Philippines and ASUS For Business Facebook page to learn, or click here to check out the products for ASUS Expert Series:

ASUS PH: https://www.facebook.com/ASUSph/
ASUS For Business: https://www.facebook.com/asusforbusinessph/
ASUS Business Website: https://www.asus.com/ph/Business/

Lower electricity rates this holiday season

Power rates down again in December 2020, Second lowest overall power rate since September 2017

The Manila Electric Company (MERALCO) announced today another downward adjustment of power rates as the overall rate for a typical household decreased by P0.0352 per kWh, from last month’s P8.5105 per kWh to P8.4753 per kWh this December.

This is equivalent to a decrease of around P7 in the total bill of residential customers consuming 200 kWh.

This month’s overall rate is also a net rate reduction of P1.3870 per kWh, equivalent to bill reduction of more than P277 for a 200 kWh household, since the start of the year.

This the second-lowest overall power rate in more than three years, or since September 2017.

Lower Generation Charge mainly brought about by lower Luzon grid demand

From P4.2018 per kWh in November, the generation charge decreased by P0.0502 per kWh to P4.1516 per kWh this December.  All sources of supply registered lower charges this month.

Meralco said there was a P0.1881 per kWh reduction in charges from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM).  The Luzon grid’s power supply situation improved in November following a drop in demand which decreased due to successive weather disturbances. From October 2020’s peak demand of 10,344 MW, November 2020 peak demand decreased to 9,886 MW. Also, due to the effects of Typhoon Ulysses, the WESM was suspended by ERC from November 12 to 13, 2020.

The cost of power from the Independent Power Producers (IPPs) also decreased by P0.2577 per kWh due to improved average plant dispatch and Peso appreciation.  Charges from Power Supply Agreements (PSAs) also went down by P0.0214 per kWh with the strengthening of the Peso against the US Dollar.

WESM, IPPs, and PSAs accounted for 9%, 39%, and 52% of MERALCO’s energy requirements, respectively.

Movements in Other Charges

Transmission charge for residential customers registered a slight reduction of P0.0044 per kWh due to lower Power Delivery and Ancillary Service Charges. Meanwhile, taxes and other charges registered a net increase of P0.0194 per kWh.

Collection of the Universal Charge-Environmental Charge amounting to P0.0025 per kWh remains suspended, as directed by the ERC.

MERALCO’s distribution, supply, and metering charges, meanwhile, have remained unchanged for 65 months, after these registered reductions in July 2015. MERALCO reiterated that it does not earn from the pass-through charges, such as the generation and transmission charges. Payment for the generation charge goes to the power suppliers, while payment for the transmission charge goes to the NGCP. Taxes and other public policy charges like the Universal Charges and the FIT-All are remitted to the government.

MERALCO continues to serve during General Community Quarantine (GCQ) 

Customers may visit their nearest Meralco Business Center, which will continue to open its doors during the GCQ and accept service applications, payments, and other transactions.

Strict safety measures continue to be implemented, like the “No Mask, No Entry” rule, Social Distancing, and Temperature Check. Frontliners are available and ready but strictly follow Social Distancing guidelines. Visitors can rest assured that these front liners have passed the rapid COVID-19 testing authorized by the Pasig City Health Office. There are also acrylic barriers set up in the Meralco branches to protect both the customer and the frontliner.

But, for maximum safety and convenience, Meralco still encourages customers to use Meralco Online to transact from the safety of their homes. Multiple options for transactions have also been offered by the distribution utility, including the Meralco Mobile App via https://onelink.to/meralcomobile, Meralco Online via www.Meralco.com.ph, and the Meralco authorized payment channels at bit.ly/MeralcoPaymentPartners.

For more information and concerns, customers may visit MERALCO’s website at www.MERALCO.com.ph, its social media accounts, Twitter @MERALCO, and Facebook at www.facebook.com/MERALCO or may also call the MERALCO Hotline at 16211.

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