THE National Water Resources Board (NWRB) on Thursday said there was ample water supply in Metro Manila despite lower water levels in Angat Dam.
Angat Dam had posted a steady decline in its water level, with a daily drop of about 20 centimeters amid the summer heat, board Executive Director Sevillo D. David, Jr. told DZBB radio.
The dam’s water level goes down by a meter in five to six days, he said.
The water level in Angat Dam was at 189.28 meters as of Thursday morning, 0.19 meter lower, according to the local weather bureau.
The dam has a minimum operating level of 180 meters and a normal level of 212 meters.
“The current level of Angat Dam is still normal despite its decline,” Mr. David said. “It is really expected to go down during the summer months.”
Mr. David said NWRB and the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System were closely monitoring the water situation in the dam.
He added that the weather bureau expects rains by the end of the month, which will raise the water level.
NWRB has increased the water allocation of Metro Manila’s two water concessionaires to 46 cubic meters since the government declared a public health emergency due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
“Water is used for sanitation and preventive measures such as handwashing during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mr. David said, adding that people should use water responsibly. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
WHETHER working from home has been a productivity and wellness-enhancing revelation or a burden to be shouldered with stoic resolve depends on your job, your home setup, and your personality. It may even depend on the day. But just as air travel changed beyond recognition after 9/11, traditional offices appear set to become safer, cleaner, and less pleasing environments too.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is preparing to unveil detailed guidance on Sunday for bringing Britain out of lockdown. Each employment sector will have to adapt in different ways but leaked drafts of his plans suggest that those of us who work in conventional offices will find they look and feel very different in the coronavirus era.
One noticeable change will be proximity to other workers; we’ll sit at least two meters (6.5 feet) apart. There will be no squeezing in the extra person at the lunch table or in a conference room. Forget hot desking. The use of printers and whiteboards will be frowned upon. Tape or paint will mark off lanes and close off desks to enforce distancing and spacing, even in elevators. Sanitizer stations will be everywhere. We’ll arrive and leave at staggered times, in single file, from separate entrances if possible.
Some will happily accept these curtailments in order to be back in the physical fray of office life, and out of their own kitchens and living rooms. For this group, there’s no substitute for face time with colleagues and the energy an office brings.
Others have found remote working saves time and energy on commuting, while it has the happy advantage of lessening your chances of infection. Many of these people feel it also provides fewer distractions and a better life balance without sacrificing productivity (although others have found all hope of balance or delineation between work and personal time has gone out the window).
The “WFH” fans will take a dim view of the brave new workplace. I can bounce between the opposing views depending on the day and task, but I probably lean toward thinking that a remote-working option balanced with plenty of office time is optimal. That seems confirmed by studies that show workers are happiest when they have some control over their environment.
A recent Gallup poll of at-home workers in the US found more than half wanted to continue to work remotely as much as possible, although the number dropped to 53% from 62% the longer their spell of remote working continued. Workers in finance, technology, media, insurance, and professional services were most likely to prefer remote working more than those in education, retail, construction, and transport.
What’s surprising is how positively managers view the experience, with more than half saying they’ll allow employees to work remotely more often. The result may be extra regional offices, less business travel, and more Zoom meetings.
There may be other benefits to the change. When we’re in the office, we may value our relationships with colleagues a bit more than in the days before COVID-19. Given that many women take career breaks because of their employer’s dogmatic rigidity on working practices rather than any desire for a long pause, a new flexibility may prove beneficial to women. It may help men become more engaged in parenting and home life.
In the UK, remote working has been increasing in recent years, although it still only applied to 5% of the country’s workforce before this period of lockdowns. That’s likely to change, given the range of jobs that can be done remotely and the government’s need to manage the flow of people using mass transit systems like London’s Tube.
If Britain follows a similar strategy to Ireland’s (announced last week) and responds to the growing pressure from business leaders to provide return dates, workers with very little contact in their offices could be back at work before the end of June, while others would return in the second half of July. But Johnson will probably ask those who can work from home to keep doing so. That would make sense. His “stay at home” message has been so successful that many Britons are reluctant to return to work environments.
Still, the reopening plans will also create confusion, and employers demanding clarity are unlikely to get it. As prescriptive as it sounds, the new guidance will still leave a lot up to interpretation, sprinkling in phrases such as “where possible.” Britain’s trade unions are already pressing for clearly mandated safety measures. Keir Starmer, leader of the opposition Labor Party, has criticized the consultation documents as too vague and he’s calling for a “national safety standard.”
I haven’t walked around the City of London since our team was sent home in March, but I picture miles of empty offices and deserted streets, normally the working home of some 522,000 professionals, who emerge from Underground stations each morning, fill gleaming buildings and patronize the local bars, gyms and restaurants. Worst of all is thinking of Bloomberg’s recently built, prize-winning headquarters standing largely empty. But just as people got used to new rules for flying after 9/11, I suspect we’ll be back to sharing space with colleagues eventually. It’s just going to be different.
“I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them,” said the character Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) in the finale of the NBC sitcom The Office. Don’t we all.
Wage rates, incentives, logistics key issues in balik probinsya program
SUPPORT services and infrastructure such as access roads in remote areas — like this new highway between Lanao del Norte and Bukidnon — are key components in attracting people and investors to the government’s Balik Probinsya program. — MANNYPIÑOL
THE Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) set off this week on a mission to start scouting for areas where the national government’s new program called balik probinsya — literally means back to the province — could be piloted.
Two provinces, Zamboanga del Norte and Lanao del Norte, immediately signed up.
MinDA Chair Emmanuel F. Piñol, in a post on his Facebook page where he journals the agency’s travels, said Zamboanga del Norte Governor Roberto Y. Uy committed an available land of at least 50 hectares where a resettlement area with agri-fisheries potential can be set up for local “families who are now among the informal urban dwellers in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu.”
In Lanao del Norte, local officials said the town of Kauswagan is “ready to accept the first 200 families who would like to come home… in a 5-hectare housing-with-livelihood activity.”
President Rodrigo R. Duterte signed on May 6 an executive order formalizing and setting out guidelines for the Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pagasa (BPBP) program, which was prompted by the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak, with most cases centered in the country’s highly-urbanized areas, especially the National Capital Region.
The program’s aim is to “reverse migration” by boosting economic opportunities in less urbanized and rural areas.
“(T)he uncontrolled upsurge of population in the NCR brings to the fore longstanding issues on the lack of viable and sustainable employment opportunities in the countryside, unbalanced regional development, and unequal distribution of wealth.
Mr. Piñol said following the Presidential order, MinDA will take the next step of holding workshops to prepare the localities “for the first returnees.”
But as these “model” pocket sites get off the ground, the success of a larger scale and sustainable balik probinsya scheme would need higher wage rates, incentives for investors, and an improved logistical system.
“Personally, I see this discriminatory wage rates (whose constitutionality could be challenged) as one of the reasons why many job seekers flock to the urban centers,” Mr. Piñol said.
Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry President John Carlo B. Tria told BusinessWorld any proposal “to raise wage rates can be studied further” while the concern on incentives can be addressed more quickly with the passage of the Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Rationalization Act (CITIRA).
Under CITIRA, which is still under congressional discussion, the Fiscal Incentives Review Board’s (FIRB) coverage will include private businesses apart from government-owned and controlled corporations.
With the FIRB’s expanded authority, Mr. Tria said, “incentives can be developed to achieve the intended purpose of bringing industry to regions other than existing industrial centers.”
“This is because, I believe current incentives such as those provided by PEZA (Philippine Economic Zone Authority) are generally applied to export oriented industries,” he added.
The business leader also said setting up key infrastructure facilities like cold storage and the improvement of seaports and airports are necessary complement production.
“These can all create the local employment that can drive the Balik Probinsya,” he said.
MinDA will present on Friday to the BPBP Council, chaired by Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea, several models for resettlement.
Among these are agriculture-based communities with irrigation and market linkage support from government, and processing centers with private investors tapping local workers and raw materials for the production of value-added commodities.
BILL
In a related development, Bohol Rep. Kristine Alexie B. Tutor, a member of the House of Representatives’ housing and urban development committee, filed on Wednesday a bill seeking to decongest the metropolitan areas.
“I have filed House Bill 6674 to directly respond to the urgent need for a Balik Probinsya program for the urban poor, especially those in Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, and Metro Davao. HB 6674 complements and dovetails with Executive Order (EO) 114 of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte also about Balik Probinsya,” she said in a statement Thursday.
HB 6674, if passed, will be known as the Balik Probinsya Public Housing and Relocation Act.
Under the proposed law, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) will be mandated to design and conduct surveys of urban poor households residing in informal settlements to gather “economic, social, and personal data necessary for implementing economic and social policies.”
The bill also tasks the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) to identify and designate Balik Probinsya Public Housing relocation sites to host migrating communities.
“The bill lays down the mandate to have ready employment for the beneficiaries, public housing, and the essential components of a functioning, thriving community. Jobs, education, electricity, water, and health services are mandated,” Ms. Tutor said.
For economic sustainability of the public housing communities, Ms. Tutor said the bill includes “mandates for ecozones and tourism enterprise zones as components of the commercial areas of the communities.”
Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) operating in Balik Probinsya Public Housing Communities will exempted from value-added taxes in their first three years of operation.
“The Balik Probinsya program is a medium term solution to the urban congestion and population density of Manila, Cebu, and Davao. I am hopeful that by Year 2022, the first Balik Probinsya public housing communities would have its first batches of residents settled in,” Ms. Tutor said. — Carmelito Q. FranciscoandGenshen L. Espedido
HOUSE of Representatives Minority Leader Bienvenido M. Abante, Jr. filed House Bill 6701 on Wednesday seeking the abolition of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) for its alleged “defiance” to Congress over the franchise of broadcast firm ABS-CBN Corp.
“Contrary to its previous pronouncements, the NTC issued a Cease and Desist Order directing ABS-CBN to cease operations immediately. This brazen act of NTC is an open defiance and an insult to Congress. The NTC should be abolished and its functions and powers be transferred to the DICT (Department of Information and Communications Technology) where it can be better exercised and hopefully be more responsive to the needs of our changing times,” said Mr. Abante, who represents Manila’s 6th District, in the bill’s explanatory note.
The bill proposes to transfer all of NTC’s assets, contracts, and documents, including existing appropriations, to the DICT.
The DICT secretary will also be authorized to enter into sales through public bidding, negotiated sale, lease or any other form of divestment or transmission of rights over assets of the NTC. Proceeds of the sales will be remitted to the Bureau of Treasury.
NTC officials and employees who choose to leave government service will be given a severance package in addition to the separation and retirement benefits which they are entitled to, with the funds to be sourced from the proceeds of the sale of NTC assets.
NTC Deputy Commissioner Edgardo V. Cabarios did not immediately reply to requests for comment.
ABS-CBN, whose congressional franchise expired on May 4, stopped its broadcast operations on Tuesday night in compliance with the NTC order.
Meanwhile, 13 senators on Thursday asked the NTC to reconsider the cease and desist order issued against ABS-CBN.
Senator Risa N. Hontiveros-Baraquel on Thursday said a resolution is being finalized asking NTC to fulfill its commitment to grant a provisional authority to allow continued operation of the network pending franchise approval.
Ms. Baraquel cited NTC’s earlier statement made before a Senate hearing.
She added the Senate could also consider citing the NTC in contempt, just as the House committee on legislative franchises had warned.
“Sa House, sinabi niya (they said that’s) contemptible ‘yan. That could be a similar stand taken by us in the Senate.”
The resolution was signed by Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph G. Recto, Majority Leader Juan Miguel F. Zubiri, Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon, and Senators Francis N. Pangilinan, Juan Edgardo M. Angara, Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva, Ma. Lourdes Nancy S. Binay, Manuel M. Lapid, Sherwin T. Gatchalian, Emmanuel D. Pacquiao, Leila M. de Lima and Pia S. Cayetano.
Solicitor General Jose C. Calida filed a quo warranto petition in February on the network’s existing franchise, citing among others the violation of ownership requirement.
This prompted the Senate public services committee to conduct an inquiry, in which the media network was cleared of the alleged violations.
The chamber later passed a resolution allowing the NTC to authorize ABS-CBN’s continued operation.
The bill extending the franchise of ABS-CBN Corp. and its unit ABS-CBN Convergence, Inc. for another 25 years is pending at the committee level. — Genshen L. EspedidoandCharmaine A. Tadalan
Mall-wide sale banned under eased quarantine rules
SHOPPING malls are prohibited from holding bargain sale and other marketing events under the government’s general community quarantine (GCQ) policy to avoid the convergence of people in these enclosed areas given the continued threat of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmissions.
“Wala muna po tayong sales at saka mga marketing events na magdadahilan para magdagsaan ang tao (We will not have sales and marketing events that will draw crowds),” Palace Spokesperson Harry L. Roque said on Thursday.
The ban is part of the GCQ guidelines for malls and shopping areas released by the Department of Trade and Industry.
The GCQ generally allows the resumption of public transportation and reopening of more businesses and government offices.
Other measures that shopping malls must implement include strict social distancing and the deployment of dedicated personnel who will monitor normally dense areas such as escalators and where people need to line-up.
Foot traffic within the mall must also be limited to a maximum of one person for every two square meters. — Gillian M. Cortez
Save the Children calls attention to plight of young population amid outbreak
SAVE the Children Philippines called on the government and local health authorities not to overlook the needs of the young population amid the health crisis, noting that 424 children in the country have been infected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), nine of whom have died.
“No child should die from preventable causes,” said Save the Children Philippines Chief Executive Officer Alberto T. Muyot.
The local office of the international organization said other existing health-related concerns such as malnutrition makes Filipino children more vulnerable to the virus.
“Children who die from COVID-19 may have been suffering from acute malnutrition or wasting caused by hunger with complications such as pneumonia and dehydration due to diarrhea,” Mr. Muyot said.
Amado Pawaran, health and nutrition advisor of the organization, said proper nutrition is key to prevent malnutrition and micronutrient deficiency. This will also boost the immune system, which serves as protection against illnesses.
“The COVID-19 pandemic and the enhanced community quarantine did not only create a situation that posed challenges to the nutrition programs for severely malnourished children as operations of health centers have been disrupted, worse, it has resulted to the inability of families to meet their basic food requirements due to income losses,” he said.
The highest confirmed COVID-19 cases among children is in the 15-19 years old bracket with 154 cases. This is followed by children below four years old, according to Department of Health data, including the nine reported deaths. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas
US grants additional $5.9M fund for PHL COVID-19 fight
THE United States government on Thursday said it will provide another P298 million ($5.9 million) to the Philippines in aid of its efforts to address the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.
On top of this, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) will also partner with 18 hard-hit local government units for a more effective crisis management and response plan.
“This latest assistance builds on our long-standing relationships with local government units across the Philippines, and represents our continued commitment to our Filipino friends, partners, and allies in this time of crisis,” American Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim said in a statement on Thursday.
The US government earlier provided a $9.3 million funding, or around P472 million, which brings its total COVID-19 response assistance to $15.2 million, or over 768 million.
The additional grant will also be used in establishing public hand-washing facilities, and providing food supplies to local communities. It may also be used in support of local businesses affected by the lockdown.
“To assist with small and micro-enterprise recovery, USAID will facilitate access to credit and provide grants and skills training to heavily affected sectors and communities,” the embassy said.
The new tranche of financial assistance includes $875,000, or P44 million, from the US Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration for the International Committee of the Red Cross.
This amount will be used to acquire additional medical supplies and expanding hospital capacity, among others. — Charmaine A. Tadalan
P3.5M worth of overpriced instant noodles seized from online seller
THE government seized more than P3.5 million worth of overpriced instant noodles being sold online by a seller based in Las Piñas City.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) conducted the operation on April 30, arresting two people and recovering more than 6,000 boxes of Lucky Me noodle brand.
The instant noodles, classified as basic goods, were sold online for P9.50 each, above the government’s standard retail price set at P7.75.
DTI, in a press statement on Thursday, said the seized goods “are in the custody” of the SM Group of Companies’ Legal Department assistant vice president “who undertakes to fully cooperate” in the ongoing investigation.
DTI further clarified that “SM and the aforementioned Executive are not involved in the online resale of overpriced items of certain individuals.”
The DTI, along with the Agriculture and Health departments, released a joint memorandum on March 18 imposing a price freeze on basic necessities and prime commodities following the declaration of a state of public health emergency due to the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak.
Violators may face up to P2 million in fines or up to 15 years’ imprisonment.
“The utmost protection to the rights, welfare, and safety of consumers is very crucial, especially at this time,” DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said. — Jenina P. Ibañez
Media task force, NBI to probe slay of Dumaguete broadcaster
JUSTICE SECRETARY MENARDO I. GUEVARRA — PCOO.GOV.PH
JUSTICE Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra said he has instructed the Presidential Task Force on Media Security to probe the killing of a radio broadcaster in Dumaguete City, while the National Bureau of Investigation will assist or conduct a parallel investigation if necessary.
“We let the NBI step in whenever the PNP (Philippine National Police) faces a blank wall or when there is reasonable basis to believe that other law enforcers may be involved,” he told reporters in a mobile-phone message.
According to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, local broadcaster Rex Cornelio Pepino was gunned down May 5 “as he headed home with his wife after hosting his regular program.”
“It is alarming that Cornelio was the third journalist — all broadcasters — murdered (in the city) in as many years,” NUJP said.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called on the authorities to conduct “a swift and transparent investigation” on the killing of Mr. Pepino.
CPJ ranks the Philippines fifth in the Impunity Index in 2019, a report on killings of journalists and where perpetrators were unpunished. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas
With the government extending the enhanced community quarantine to May 15 in select regions, provinces, and cities, including Metro Manila to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, the Philippines is joining the worldwide trend of encouraging people to work from home (WFH) wherever feasible to intensify social distancing.
Research recently released by Lenovo shows that employees and businesses are adapting to work from home arrangements, with smart technologies having already enabled the rise of a global workforce that stays connected in a work-from-anywhere world.
“Our survey suggests that the employee experience was already changing before the pandemic hit,” said Michael Ngan, president and general manager of Lenovo Philippines. “For example, in the past 15 years, the number of those regularly working from home has grown 159% in the US and the same increase is happening in other markets. While our current situation is extraordinary, we are seeing a real willingness from workers to adapt and adopt flexible work arrangements. This confirms that corporate technology investments are paying off, as most people now feel productive at home and believe that the workforce will move more in this direction once the crisis has passed.”
The Lenovo study, which looked at employee attitudes towards WFH in China, Japan, Germany, Italy, and the US, found that a majority of employees (87%) felt at least somewhat ready to make the shift to WFH when required. Most had already been either encouraged (46%) or required (26%) to WFH as part of COVID-19 mitigation measures as these countries were among the most hardly hit by the pandemic. Furthermore, 77% expect that companies will either encourage or at least be more open to letting staff work remotely in the future.
Telecommuting in the Philippines
Even when the quarantine is lifted, the Philippine government is expecting reduced economic activity as a result of the public’s hesitation to engage. In addition, a pro-work from home stance has already been raised as a solution to traffic woes, particularly in the capital region of Metro Manila. The Telecommuting Act (R.A. 11165) was signed into law to allow employees to conduct work at home or remotely outside the workplace.
The move to telecommuting is also a welcome development to the nation’s rising gig economy which thrives on hiring employees on a flexible and freelance setup through online platforms. The Philippines currently ranks sixth in the world and is the fastest-growing market for the gig industry, revealing a 35% year over year growth in freelance earnings as reported in financial services company Payoneer’s 2019 Global Gig-Economy Index.
With the freedom to work anywhere, flexible schedules, the opportunity to prioritize work according to personal schedules, plus the ongoing pandemic, the gig economy in the Philippines is expected to see tremendous growth this year. All these reiterate the need for companies to invest in smarter mobile technologies designed to bolster employee productivity at home or outside the office.
Smarter technology, digital natives
Worldwide, the rapid adoption of WFH policies has been made possible by the increasing sophistication and affordability of smart mobile technology, which has enabled many employees to work when away from their desk.
Changing workforce demographics play a part too. The Millennials and Generation Z employees who make up nearly 60% of the workforce today grew up with video on demand, networked video games, and video communication platforms. These digital natives are driving the development and adoption of technology for remote working and collaboration.
The ‘race for talent’ has also put organizations under significant pressure to rethink their workspace, technology, and culture to attract and retain the best people. A 2018 Harvard Business School global study of 6,500 business leaders found that over 60% predicted that employee expectations for flexible working will significantly affect the future of work.
A human resources consulting firm recently revealed that a majority of employers are still hiring talent, despite the anticipated business impact from the coronavirus outbreak. In late February 2020, 44% of respondents said that they already offer remote working as an employee benefit to either all of their staff or select employees and functions.
“At a time when all companies need to navigate uncertainty and keep their business running, technology enables them to keep moving forward. Companies need to adjust now and ensure their employees have the video tools, technology, and training required to succeed today and in a future where more remote working may be the norm,” Mr. Ngan added.
Lenovo’s Tips for a Productive Remote Workforce
– Get the tech in place: The team will need the right technology for remote work. Laptops need to be easy to carry, seamlessly integrated with the corporate infrastructure, and installed with video conferencing technology and other collaboration tools. Accessories like noise-cancelling headphones and additional large monitor could also be essential for some workers.
– Hold a team meeting at the same time every day: When teams are working remotely, there’s nothing more important than ongoing communication. Going beyond official emails and work updates, a scheduled team meeting to discuss daily priorities will help everyone stay on track.
– Make video conferencing the new normal: Video conferencing and content-sharing tools keep employees connected across town or around the world and help them avoid feelings of isolation. Employees appreciate the engaging style of video, but they need to have the right technology and the confidence to use it.
– Keep a team chatroom open all day: A single open group chatroom will likely see more chatting than the video channel because it allows more casual shop talk, water-cooler chats, and late night ‘you had to be there’ jokes. Younger professionals will be especially comfortable in this medium, helping others to get on board.
Encourage flexible work schedules: As COVID-19 impacts schooling, childcare and other services, let your workforce know that you understand that they may be juggling work and home responsibilities in new and challenging ways.
LONG the home of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) through the ultra high frequency channel S+A, member schools of the collegiate league moved to show its support for media giant ABS-CBN following its forced shutdown of its broadcast operations early this week.
The schools issued their respective statements on the forced closure, lamenting the turn of events and how it was a big blow, among other things, to the flow of information especially during these trying times with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
“Filipinos need ABS-CBN now, especially now during these urgent times of the pandemic, when the information provided by our country’s broadcast journalists spells the difference between life and death for our citizens, most of whom still get their news from television and radio,” said Ateneo de Manila University president Fr. Jet Villarin, SJ in a statement.
“We urge our lawmakers to act post-haste to approve the ABS-CBN franchise and restore its broadcast,” he added.
It was a testament shared by the University of Santo Tomas, which described ABS-CBN as “a constant companion of Filipinos here and abroad.”
“The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas laments the order to stop ABS-CBN from continuing its broadcast operations, as it is a clear disservice to the Filipino people, in time of the pandemic, when information, delivered fast and wide, is key to saving lives,” UST’s statement read.
On the part of Far Eastern University, the school said the timing of the closure could not have come at the most inopportune of time, particularly how a large number of employees could lose their jobs.
“In the face of a public health crisis, the unemployment of the network’s employees aggravates their economic and health situations as well as those of their families. They need a government that understands their plight,” FEU’s statement read, referring to the 11,000 people that ABS-CBN employs.
It went on to urge the network to exhaust all legal actions to resolve its current predicament.
On Tuesday evening, ABS-CBN stopped operations of Channel 2, DZMM, MOR and other regional television and radio stations, in compliance with a National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) order.
The order was issued after the expiry of its legislative franchise on May 4.
As ABS-CBN shut its operations, S+A also ceased broadcast.
S+A has been home to the UAAP for 20 years. It also broadcast games of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, Premier Volleyball League and Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League as well as events of ONE Championship, among others.
For now, ABS-CBN officials said not thing is definitive yet as far as their sports broadcast is concerned but that they are exploring their options. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo
UFC 249, the return-to-action event by the Ultimate Fighting Championship after taking some time off because of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, will be aired over FOX Sports in the Philippines on Sunday, May 10.
Happening at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, UFC 249 will be headlined by the interim lightweight title clash between Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje. Co-headlining is the UFC bantamweight championship fight between reigning champion Henry Cejudo and challenger and former champ Dominick Cruz.
The event was originally set to take place on April 18 but was postponed because of COVID-19.
The Florida event will be one of the first to restart in the mainland United States, which is still in the thick of the fight against the highly contagious respiratory disease.
“I can’t wait to deliver some great fights for the fans,” UFC President Dana White said in a statement of their return. The UFC will follow the event up with two more cards on May 13 and May 16.
The UFC said the events will be closed to the public and will take place with only essential personnel in attendance.
Others in the main card of UFC 249 are heavyweight Francis Ngannou against Jairzinho Rozenstruik, featherweight Jeremy Stephens versus Calvin Kattar and heavyweight Greg Hardy vs. Yorgan de Castro.
Broadcast of the main card of UFC 249 begins at 10 a.m. — Michael Angelo S. Murillowith Reuters
NEW YORK — National Basketball Association teams are expected to get the go-ahead to reopen practice facilities for limited use as early as Friday, less than two months after the coronavirus outbreak forced the suspension of the season.
With head and assistant coaches barred and scrimmages forbidden, the workouts are unlikely to resemble business as usual for the NBA but would nonetheless be a step towards normalcy for a league whose season was upended in dramatic fashion in March.
Players will be required to wear face masks inside team facilities, “except during the period when they are engaged in physical activity,” according to a league memo.
Teams must also thoroughly disinfect any equipment used, from basketballs to weight-room equipment.
Modifications to stay-at-home orders could play a factor in which teams can resume workouts, with some US states reopening and others maintaining strict social distancing procedures.
The Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets are among those considering opening facilities right away, according to media reports, with Texas and Colorado stay-at-home orders having expired.
With much of the professional sports calendar on hold, many leagues across North America are considering whether and how their seasons could resume.
Major League Soccer returned to training on Wednesday with strict rules in place, while NASCAR plans to resume competition on May 17 without fans.
The NBA was among the first to see its season impacted by the coronavirus outbreak, with games called off at the last minute after a Utah Jazz player tested positive for the coronavirus in March. — Reuters
It’s easy to understand why Tom Thibodeau wants to coach again. He’s a hoops lifer — always has been, and always will be. It doesn’t matter that he was a relative flop in his last stop; he had dual roles with the Timberwolves, and he couldn’t even sniff mediocrity in both. He drafted poorly and made questionable deals as president of basketball operations, including that which had him shipping Zach LaVine, Lauri Markkanen, and Kris Dunn to the Bulls for what turned out to be a short rental of erstwhile favorite Jimmy Butler. More tellingly, he couldn’t coax any semblance of consistency on either end of the court from resident stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins and the rest of his roster as their head coach; his offensive and defensive predilections were anachronous to the prevailing pace-and-pace style of play.
All things considered, that he proved unable to live up to expectations with the Timberwolves may well be why he’s itching to get back to the hot seat. He certainly beats just about everybody else when it comes to the effort he puts into honing his craft. Even after he was unceremoniously dumped early last year, he remained in circulation; he kept in touch with peers and attended practices of other teams, and even went to the MIT Sloan Analytics Conference — seemingly not quite his cup of tea given his old-school habits — as a panelist last March. He just can’t stay away from the sport, and, at first glance, appears to want to change with the times.
That said, Thibodeau’s previous successes are why he continues to be at or near the top of lists of candidates to fill vacancies for bench tacticians. He’s said to be on the radar of the Rockets, Nets, and even Hawks and Bulls. Above all else, though, the Knicks seem most interested in hiring him, and not just because he has a close relationship with newly installed president Leon Rose. The latter, apart from formerly being with the Creative Artists Agency, which handles his affairs, figures he will bring a winning culture to the dysfunctional franchise. At the very least, he’ll certainly try to instill a nose-to-the-grindstone work ethic.
At this point, the choice seems to be Thibodeau’s to make, although the Knicks present the best risk-reward ratio on paper. Expectations won’t be as high as those of, say, the Rockets and Nets, who have established stars and can’t help but cast moist eyes on the hardware. Moreover, the fit is better; it’s a stretch to believe he won’t encounter difficulties integrating such mercurial figures as James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving into his my-way-or-the-highway system. In any case, he will need assistants more attuned to fostering smooth interpersonal ties and esprit de corps.
Thusly, conventional wisdom is on Thibodeau landing with the Knicks. Regardless of his decision, however, he needs to truly show a willingness to adjust to the times. Else, his wearing out his welcome sooner rather than later is an equally safe bet.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994.
Social distancing has become the norm for the general public these days– and unfortunately, it’s creating more than just physical distance. The lack of physical interaction among employees may create a strain in their relationships, thereby challenging the dynamics and productivity of organizations.
Fortunately, there are ways to compensate for this lack of contact. Angeli Recella, startup incubation manager for non-profit organization Makesense Philippines, shares five kinds of activities that your team can try.
1. Weekly alignment
To help set goals and track past results, set a weekly alignment with your team. Before you start, put up a public Objective and Key Results (OKR) board for everyone’s awareness and appoint at least one OKR “shepherd” for the meetings. They will be accountable for making the meetings more efficient every time you hold them.
Your team can try holding quick meeting—composed of all updates without explanation—based on the Scrum method, especially if you’re already applying it. “They will just say, ‘This is what I’ve done, this is what has not moved, and this is what I need help in,’” said Recella.
She also suggests using EOS Worldwide’s GWC form, when delegating tasks. GWC stands for “Do they get it, do they want it, and do they have the capacity to do it.”
“This is a good time to nurture people and make sure that they grow within your culture and capacity,” Recella said. “And how I translate that is that if operations are on a halt, or if it’s slowing down right now, this is a good opportunity to upscale or rescale your employees.”
2. Online game nights
As they say, work hard, play hard—and that definitely doesn’t stop just because there isn’t any outside nightlife to enjoy after work with colleagues. Following this tradition, online game nights will help your team relax from work and get to know each other better.
Before every session, assign a game master who will pick a game—such as these which work well on video-calling apps—and organize the logistics. This includes setting the time, which Recella suggests to be around two hours sandwiched between operational work hours.
“Now more than ever, you cannot separate the individual from their work, because they’re literally working from their homes,” she said. “If you want to get to know each other, this is a really good time because it mixes the work and the personal life, and you see them in a very different context.”
3. Virtual coffee chats
In lieu of the “water cooler conversations” in a physical office, holding virtual coffee chats can help your team forge new work relationships. Choose two random employees who could be from different teams or departments, provide them with some discussion points, and leave them to chat for 45 minutes up to an hour. These sessions can be held twice a week or just every other week, depending on your team’s time and capacity.
As a manager, it’s also a good time to conduct a stay interview among your employees, which will help you find out why they’re still with your company. Recella suggests using EOS Worldwide’s Delegate and Elevate form. “This usually gives you a good gage on how well [your employees] align with not only their jobs but also the overall mission and vision of the company.”
4. Pre-meeting icebreakers
In case you can’t afford to hold virtual coffee chats, pre-meeting icebreakers are a great alternative to stay updated with the team. Before getting down to literal business, each team member will be given a minute to answer a question, which can be taken from websites such as this one.
“When you do this before you start the meeting, it reconnects you to the people that are actually behind that decision-making process,” said Recella.
It also helps iron out any conflicts between teammates. “I always remind people this: Conflicts are not bad. There are healthy conflicts, and most of the time, you really have to get through conflicts so that you can breed creativity and increase employee buy-in.”
5. Disconnect hours
These uncertain times have bred adverse effects on mental health and productivity, “[These are] usually because of information overload and something that is now being called ‘moral fatigue’: The usually relatively smaller decisions that we used to make before… now more of big decisions to make because of the context,” said Recella.
Because of these factors, it’s more important than ever before to set boundaries for work and personal life. She suggests mandating employees to disconnect from the internet for a few hours a day. “You can just watch TV, cook your own food, read, or bake… This is really just for you to have a clearer mind before you restart for work.”
By Argie C. Aguja Senior Features Writer, The Philippine STAR
A prediction paper released by a Singaporean university projects how long until COVID-19 reaches the last expected case in a particular country, including the Philippines
As the world struggles with the challenges posed by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a forecast released by the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) last April 29 aims to shed light on when the pandemic might end in some countries, even in the Philippines.
DATA-DRIVEN PREDICTIONS
Using an artificial intelligence (A.I.) algorithm to study and analyze the most recent available data on total confirmed cases, total deaths, new confirmed cases, new deaths and population figures, the SUTD has been able to project the infection curve and generate a best guess of probable dates on when it believes the coronavirus disease will “end” or reach the last expected case in a particular country.
The predictions provide three alternative estimates of end dates in the order of conservativeness:
– the date to reach 97% of total expected cases
– the date to reach 99% of total expected cases, and
– the date to reach the last expected case.
Here are the projections on some countries in Southeast Asia.
Singapore – The city state of Singapore has a 97% chance of seeing the virus end by May 9, 99% on May 15, and 100% by June 10.
Philippines – According to the AI algorithm, the Philippines is 97% likely to see the virus end by May 12, 99% by May 23, and might be 100% virus-free by July 8.
Indonesia – Indonesia is seen to have a 97% probability of the virus ending by May 26, 99% by June 7, and 100% by July 30.
Malaysia – According to data, the algorithm estimates that Malaysia has a 97% chance to see an end to the virus by May 6, 99% on May 19, and 100% on July 8.
Vietnam – Vietnam has a 97% chance of seeing the pandemic end in their country by April 18, 99% on April 29, and 100% by May 14.
Overall, the global projection believes that most of the world will be free from the pandemic on December 1. However optimistic as the predictions may seem, the forecast is still subject to change depending on a variety of factors like virus mutation, population movement, and government response to the crisis.
The Singaporean study is refreshed with updated data from different countries to estimate the pandemic life cycle curves and provide theoretical ending dates, with codes provided by Milan Batista and data from Our World in Data. Because of the input of updated data, predictions are also expected to change as a result of variations in real-world scenarios over time. The whole projection can be viewed at https://ddi.sutd.edu.sg.
Disclaimer: Due to data limitations, not all countries are included in the analysis. It is strongly suggested to drop the earlier predictions for the countries no longer included due to the rapid changes in real-world scenarios. The list of countries reported will also vary daily depending on data.
MANILA – Philhealthcare, Inc. (PhilCare), one of the Philippines’ most preferred health maintenance organizations (HMOs), posted a net income of P130.6 million for the 12-month period that ended on December 31, 2019.
The amount is 20.9 percent or P22.6 million higher than the P108 million it earned in the same period in 2018.
Based on the company’s annual financial statement, the HMO’s revenues went up to P2.68 billion, 15.8% or P367 million higher than the previous year. Benefits, claims, and expenses also increased to P2.5 billion, 15.3% or P332 million year-on-year.
“We are really happy that our efforts in 2019 bore fruit, from the aggressive sales of our innovative products like our prepaid healthcards to the new partnerships we formed and the new sales channels that we have opened. All these have contributed significantly to the increase of our bottom line,” said PhilCare president and CEO Jaeger L. Tanco.
“I’m particularly proud that PhilCare has pioneered prepaid healthcards in the market. This was the result of our 1st Wellness Index done back in 2014. We learned back then a lot of Filipinos did not have access to healthcare coverage because they didn’t have corporate health benefits. We, then, decided to develop sachet-type products that are more accessible and affordable, and it truly made a difference,” he added.
Apart from prepaid cards, PhilCare is taking on new innovations by banking on technology that improve the way healthcare is delivered.
Among these is the DigiMed service, which is a form of medical teleconsult, which should make a more pronounced impact as the nation embraces the new normal.
The DigiMed service on the HeyPhil app has so far received around 1,500 digital consultations a month. It has also recently launched DigiMed PLUS, a web-based telemedicine application that allows members access to numerous specialists through video call.
“It is with great confidence that we assure our members, partners, and stakeholders that regardless of the present economic condition, PhilCare has remained resilient and we continue to be steadfast in our commitment to provide the quality of healthcare and service that we have been known to deliver,” Tanco said.
“PhilCare has always been a company that takes pride in being at the helm of innovation. As the nation gradually prepares itself for the new normal, we continue to gain momentum, seeking for opportune possibilities to leverage change to our advantage, as we dedicate ourselves in fulfilling our mission of making quality healthcare services available to every Filipino,” he added.
PhilhealthCare, Inc. (PhilCare) is among the top two most preferred HMOs in the country today. It distinguishes itself from other health maintenance organizations (HMO) in the Philippines by advocating wellness as a more holistic approach to health.
This is achieved through PhilCare’s sustainable health plans, PhilCare 360, and its technology-enabled customer experience. PhilCare offers a wide range of health care plans to serve the different requirements of individuals, group, and enterprise accounts.
PhilCare pioneered the country’s first Wellness Index in 2014. Based on the findings of that study, PhilCare introduced the very first prepaid health plans in the country. From prepaid to comprehensive coverage, PhilCare’s extensive line of products covers hospitalization, out-patient and emergency healthcare needs across a nationwide network of hospitals, clinics, and physicians.
PhilCare 360, on the other hand, provides members with updates about health information, preventive measures against diseases and illnesses, and lifestyle trends that promote health and wellness. Meanwhile, PhilCare’s tech-enabled customer service efforts involve their accessible website and e-commerce, their call center that’s available 24/7, and its HeyPhil App where members can ask queries and request for a Letter of Authorization (LOA).
PhilCare’s commitment to promote wellness among Filipinos makes it an essential pillar of Maestro Holdings, a grand concord of four of the biggest and respected financial companies in the Philippines. Under the Maestro’s baton, PhilCare joins four of the most recognizable names in their respective industries: PhilsFirst, the first domestic non-life insurance company in the country; PhilLife, one of the most trusted insurance providers in the Philippines; PhilPlans, one of the leading financial solutions companies providing pension, education, and memorial programs.
Singapore – The city state of Singapore has a 97% chance of seeing the virus end by May 9, 99% on May 15, and 100% by June 10.
Philippines – According to the AI algorithm, the Philippines is 97% likely to see the virus end by May 12, 99% by May 23, and might be 100% virus-free by July 8.
Indonesia – Indonesia is seen to have a 97% probability of the virus ending by May 26, 99% by June 7, and 100% by July 30.
Malaysia – According to data, the algorithm estimates that Malaysia has a 97% chance to see an end to the virus by May 6, 99% on May 19, and 100% on July 8.
Vietnam – Vietnam has a 97% chance of seeing the pandemic end in their country by April 18, 99% on April 29, and 100% by May 14.