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PHL sports body dealing with crisis as best as it can

THE coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is hitting the local sporting community hard and the latter is dealing with it as best as it can.

That was the assessment of Philippine Sports Commission chairman William “Butch” Ramirez as the fight against COVID-19 and the disease’s far-ranging impact rages on.

Speaking to PTV Sports on Monday in a phone patch interview, Mr. Ramirez said the highly contagious respiratory disease has messed up sporting affairs in the country big time, including those under the PSC’s watch.

From their budget to the training of the athletes to the conduct of their programs, the PSC is being made to adjust like in no other time in the past, said Mr. Ramirez.

The sporting body, its chairman said, gets its budget from two sources — the General Appropriations Act as approved by Congress and its mandated share from the earnings of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor).

But the PSC’s budget is set to be rendered limited with part of its share from the GAA to be rechanneled to the fight against containing COVID-19.

From the P900 million approved GAA budget this year, where the PSC gets money for the salary of its employees and other operating expenses, it has been reported that it is set to be slashed by more the 50%.

Compounding the PSC’s budget woes is the prospect of money coming from Pagcor being delayed, or worse stop coming in altogether, as casino operations remain shut because of the coronavirus, with the government prohibiting mass gatherings as part of mitigating measures.

Money from Pagcor goes to the National Sports Developmental Fund (NSDF) for the athletes and coaches for their training and preparation.

With concerns over the budget, the PSC has moved to cancel its scheduled events and programs till December, affecting activities like the Batang Pinoy, Philippine National Games, Indigenous Games and Women’s Games, among others.

Mr. Ramirez said they remain committed to providing allowances to the athletes as long as they have the money. But with the situation they are in, the PSC official said they may have to turn to contingency plans like an amelioration program for the athletes with rates recalibrated accordingly.

“We will continue to provide allowance as long as we have the budget. We will try to find a way to support them. If we cannot give them the normal allowance they get since funding is scarce, we will make adjustments so they can still be supported,” Mr. Ramirez said.

As to the salaries of regular employees of the PSC, Mr. Ramirez said it is taken care of as it falls under the GAA. However, those that are under contractual or job offers may face problems.

With regard to the training of athletes, Mr. Ramirez said they do not see things returning to normal as long as COVID-19 remains a concern and is still without a vaccine for its containment.

And in such a scenario, Mr. Ramirez said they are looking at tapping at digital platforms to ensure that training of athletes continues.

“Training will be adjusted. In partnership with the Philippine Olympic Committee and the national sports associations we will try to come up with a comprehensive program where coaches can go online and make virtual presentations for the athletes,” said Mr. Ramirez.

“Since 90% of our athletes are in their homes, this is a better way to go about it for now instead of them going to Manila and to their dormitories,” he added.

Mr. Ramirez went on to encourage the athletes and the sporting community to continue to be strong in these trying times and not to lose hope.

“We just have to accept what’s happening. Nobody wanted this to happen. It is all the fault of the coronavirus. We are trying the best we can and not to rely too much on the government and find ways to help ourselves. We just have to do our part and pray that all these things end at the soonest time. Let’s stay safe and healthy,” he said. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

NBA to soon allow teams to reopen training facilities

THE National Basketball Association announced Monday it will soon unveil rule changes that will allow teams to open their practice facilities for players to take part in treatment and limited workouts, so long as the city in which the facility is located permits it.

Numerous restrictions will still be in place for this limited opening of facilities, the league said in a statement. There also is no set date for when facilities can open, though “the league advised teams that it is targeting no earlier than Friday, May 8, as the commencement date for the new rules, and that it may push this timing back if developments warrant,” per the release.

Earlier reports said the league hoped to open practice facilities this Friday in states that were loosening stay-at-home restrictions, but that plan received pushback from the Atlanta Hawks.

Hawks general manager Travis Schlenk said the team will be closely monitoring the situation in Georgia before deciding when to reopen.

“We are going to wait and see what happens in the state over (a) couple weeks,” Schlenk told ESPN on Monday. “If there’s a positive response, we’ll slowly open up. If it’s a negative response, we’ll make sure our staff and players remain healthy.”

The NBA suspended play March 11 after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus. Whether or not the 2019–20 season will resume remains unknown. A week later, the league instructed teams to close their training and practice facilities.

The NBA also said in the release that for any team prohibited from making its facility available to players because of government restrictions, “the league will work with the team to identify alternatives.”

Any player participation that does occur would be voluntary by the player, and the following restrictions must be adhered to by all teams: no more than four players would be permitted at a facility at any one time; no head or assistant coaches could participate; group activity remains prohibited, including practices or scrimmages; and players remain prohibited from using non-team facilities such as public health clubs, fitness centers, or gyms. — Reuters

Formula One still faces a challenge with revised season plan

LONDON — Formula One plans to start its stalled season with two races behind closed doors in Austria in July before more of the same at Britain’s Silverstone circuit, insiders said on Monday.

If they go ahead as planned, it will be a first for a sport that has yet to see a circuit host two races in a single season or any grand prix without paying spectators since the championship started in 1950.

The bigger challenge will likely be stringing together a championship of up to 18 races from continent to continent in a world still wrestling with the COVID-19 pandemic and mass fatalities.

“We still have to work out many issues like the procedures for the teams and our other partners to enter and operate in each country,” Formula One chairman and chief executive Chase Carey recognized on Monday.

“All of our plans are obviously subject to change as we still have many issues to address and all of us are subject to the unknowns of the virus,” Carey said.

Ten races have been postponed or cancelled so far and the 10 teams and commercial rights holders Liberty Media are understandably keen on getting it going with television money and sponsorship at stake. The target of 15–18 races, down from an original record 22, looks an ambitious one in the light of travel restrictions, government bans on mass gatherings and popular opinion.

Races in Azerbaijan, Spain, the Netherlands, Vietnam, China and Canada are among those hoping to be rescheduled with Bahrain and Abu Dhabi set to be paired at the end of the season in December.

Races in Hungary, Belgium, Italy, Texas, Mexico, Brazil, Russia, Japan and Singapore also remain in play.

Monday’s announcement, coming after the French Grand Prix followed Monaco in cancelling, at least provided some grounds for hope. — Reuters

Rodman’s impact

“You got the great Michael Jordan, the great Scottie Pippen, the great Phil Jackson. But if you take me away from this team, do they still win a championship? I don’t think so.”

The quote is from basketball Hall-of-Famer Dennis Rodman in Episode 3 of the ESPN documentary The Last Dance. It is an assertion that has a lot of meat in it but in the end I believe would be hard to argue against.

Acquired by the Chicago Bulls in 1995 in a trade with the San Antonio Spurs, a lot of questions hovered around the arrival of Rodman in the Windy City.

It was not only a question of whether he fits in the system of the then-Bulls team looking to get back to the National Basketball Association summit.

Making things tricky was the fact that Rodman once played for the “hated” Detroit Pistons who made life tough and rough for Jordan and the Bulls when they were still trying to make their way up in the late 1980s.

Rodman and the “Bad Boys” of the Motor City pounded and bullied the Bulls no end and had the number of the latter for most of the time.

But while such pounding and roughhousing only made the Bulls stronger as they eventually made their way to the top of the NBA, still the animosity persisted among the personalities involved up to this point it turns out.

Then there was the Bulls getting a Rodman who by then had embraced “freedom” in all its forms. You had Rodman in varying hair colors, cross-dressing, piercing and tattoos in different parts of the body and other dramas along the way.

But once the 1995–96 NBA season got going and progressed, there was no denying that Rodman fitted and surely made the Bulls a winner.

And winning came in big ways, with him helping Chicago to the then-best all-time record of 72-10 in his first year with the team and winning a championship at the expense of the Seattle Supersonics.

He capped things off by being a big part of the team’s second three-peat in the ‘90s in 1998 with another finals series victory over the Utah Jazz.

Rodman’s great impact in his three years with the Bulls was definitely undeniable.

There were disruptions here and there from his part but when it came to buckling down and playing to win he was all in.

He did it the best way he knew how — rebounding and defense — which proved to be a great complement to the leadership and big-game mentality of Jordan, the all-around play of Pippen and the coaching genius of Jackson.

Many say Rodman completed the puzzle for Chicago to return to the top and I believe it is an apt description.

Would the Bulls have won all those championships in their second three-peat quest sans Rodman? With greatness abounding from that team it is not a stretch to say they could have found ways to win.

But still for that time a guy like Rodman and what he brings were solid to have. Good thing the Bulls found him and now they are more so a legend.

POSTSCRIPT. The good reception continued for The Last Dance as for the second week it posted solid average viewer numbers. In numbers shared by ESPN, Episodes 3 and 4 of the 10-part documentary which aired on Monday (Manila time) averaged 5.9 million viewers across ESPN and ESPN 2. Combined with the premiere episodes, which aired on April 20, the documentary series now represents the four most-viewed original content broadcasts on ESPN Networks since 2004 and is averaging 6 million viewers across its first four episodes. Episodes 5 and 6 of The Last Dance, which spotlights the last championship run of the Bulls in the 1990s, will air on May 4.

 

Michael Angelo S. Murillo has been a columnist since 2003. He is a BusinessWorld reporter covering the Sports beat.

msmurillo@bworldonline.com

Episodes 3 and 4

Monday’s release of the third and fourth episodes of The Last Dance has brought to the fore the intense rivalry between the Bulls and Pistons during the years spanning the late eighties and early nineties. While director Jason Hehir strives to show an unfiltered unveiling of the proceedings, there can be no mistaking the roles they play in the ESPN documentary series. And even from the vantage point of casual observers, the portrayals are to be expected. For one thing, principal protagonist Michael Jordan provides the clearest lens from which a significant part of the National Basketball Association’s history is seen. For another, the two sides have — through time, then as now — seen fit to embrace their predetermined colors.

Interestingly, the latest installments of The Last Dance shine the spotlight on Dennis Rodman, and how. He certainly cut a compelling figure, and not just because of his eccentricities. He proved vital — critical, to be more precise — to the Bulls’ second three-peat, but only after being integral to the hated Pistons en route to their first three-peat. That they accepted him despite their lingering bitterness towards what he hitherto represented speaks volumes of their singular commitment to success. Jordan even referred of him in glowing terms, arguing that he “is one of the smartest guys I played with. He understood defensive strategy with all the rotations, and he had no limits in terms of what he does.”

Which, in a nutshell, was why the Bulls put up with Rodman’s antics on and off the court. Among other things, The Last Dance documents his notorious “approved vacation” to Las Vegas in the middle of the 1997–98 season. Evidently, head coach Phil Jackson gave him the green light to succumb to his baser instincts for “48 hours.” Jordan, present in the meeting, expressed his reservations. “You let him go to Vegas, and we’re definitely not going to see him.” And, indeed, he went well over the time allotted, compelling the would-be regular season Most Valuable Player to pick him up from his apartment across the street from the United Center and compel him to finally report back to work.

Talk about load management. In any case, the time away did Rodman good. He picked up from where he left off, showing his commitment to the cause in his first practice back from his hiatus by taking Jackson’s “Indian drill” — a running workout in which players circle the gym, with the last in line getting to the front to dictate the pace, and so on — to extreme. Against Jordan‘s explicit wishes to “slow down to a f — in’ walk,” he proceeded to sprint, forcing the rest to follow. “It took us four laps to catch up.” For the record, the Bulls won the two games he was out of the lineup; they beat the Hornets at home by 31 and the Nets on the road by two.

Nonetheless, there can be no doubting who’s the star of The Last Dance. If there’s anything its third and fourth parts proved, it’s that Jordan has a very long memory. He remembers bits and pieces of information that give the series its singular sheen. And he’s especially biting when it comes to slights; for instance, he minces no words eviscerating the Pistons — and leader Isiah Thomas, in particular — for their unsportsmanlike decision to head straight to their locker room with still seven and change seconds left in the fourth and last game of the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals.

Considering Jordan’s famed competitiveness, his framing of the Pistons as figurative and literal “Bad Boys” is far from a surprise. And, conveniently, he forgot that he painted them as such on the eve of the fateful walkout. He called them “undeserving champions” and “bad for the game of basketball,” and his statements no doubt fueled their desire to deny him a formal passing of the torch. In any case, they paid for it with the backlash they received; only recently has the impact of their run of success been assessed with a more sympathetic eye. Meanwhile, Thomas lost out on a well-deserved spot on the Dream Team.

There is still more to come from The Last Dance, and, needless to say, from the Bulls-Pistons dynamic. Minds have been made up, though. When the best of the best speaks, it’s hard not to listen.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.

What does ‘flatten the curve’ mean?

By Aliyya Sawadjaan
Features Writer, The Philippine STAR

Authorities all over the globe are doing their best to curb the number of positive coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases and deaths. Quarantine and lockdown measures have been implemented, with the goal of “flattening the curve.” But what does it really mean?

This curve is what researchers refer to as the projected number of people who will contract COVID-19 over a period of time, a theoretical number used to model the virus’ spread.

In the graph, there are two curves — a steep one and a flatter one. The steep curve shows the spread of the virus and the infection rate at its most escalated state. The steep rise of the infection curve also has a steep fall — meaning, after the virus infects the majority of the people, the cases will begin to drop exponentially as well.

The flatter curve, on the other hand, assumes the same number of people getting infected but over a longer period of time or at a slower rate. The slower infection rate means a less stressed health-care system — with enough medical frontliners to attend to patients and adequate medical equipment and facilities.

UNDERSTANDING THE SPANISH FLU PANDEMIC

Experts keep using the Spanish Flu to show how to flatten the curve.

The H1N1 virus, which originated from birds, caused a global pandemic in the late 1910s. It was first identified in the US in the spring of 1918, but was dubbed as Spanish Flu because during the First World War, Spain was a neutral party and therefore could report on the severity of the pandemic.

It was the world’s last big pandemic caused by a respiratory-based virus and the third deadliest in the last millennium with 50 million casualties.

Since the world was in the middle of a war, medical facilities were stretched as hospitals had to treat the injured and attend to the casualties of war. Add to this, many doctors were also on the frontline. Another factor why the virus spread widely was because of poor hygiene, as people lived in difficult and crowded conditions.

There was no vaccine available, which is also the case for the COVID-19 now. There were no antibiotics to treat secondary infections. The only non-pharmaceutical responses available to control the spread of the flu were isolation, quarantine, limited public gatherings, and use of disinfectants.

DO THESE MEASURES WORK?

Yes. Studies have shown that social distancing (or physical distancing) is crucial to prevent viruses. Minimizing close contact with others reduces the chances of catching the virus and spreading it to the community.

In the Philippines, the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) has helped contain the spread of COVID-19, according to Dr. Edsel Maurice Salvana, director of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at the University of the Philippines – National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH).
In a Facebook post last April 18, Salvana said that with a little over 200 cases of COVID-19 daily, “there is little doubt the ECQ has succeeded in slowing down the spread of COVID-19 in the Philippines.”

“Even without ‘mass testing,’ the fact that we are measuring the severe/critical population on a daily basis gives us a good picture of the shape of the curve.”

Based on the data from the Department of Health (DOH), the number of cases had “gone from a three-day doubling time from March 28 to 31 (from 1,000 to 2,000, the tail end of the number of cases prior to ECQ since incubation time was up to 14 days) to a doubling time of 14 days (from 3,000 to 6,000 between April 4 and 18).”

But he also pointed out that “due to the extreme cost to the economy, the ECQ is not a sustainable intervention.” Nevertheless, it has bought time for health-care facilities to prepare and prevent an overwhelming surge of patients to the hospitals.

The potential for cases to surge is always there, but this will not be seen within two weeks after quarantine is lifted. This is because the first two weeks will be made up of cases acquired during the lockdown as incubation period is up to 14 days.

“This may lull us into a false sense of security if it stays low until there has been real harm done. Therefore, if ECQ is going to be modified, it needs to be done slowly and allow the data to catch up, so we know what is truly going on,” he suggested.

Making sense of COVID-19 cases and people’s responses

By Adrian Paul B. Conoza
Special Features Writer, BusinessWorld

Research firm mines insights from gathered local and global data

Aside from the number of cases, deaths, and recoveries, the activities and behavior changes of people have been tracked as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) spreads across the globe.

These statistics can altogether paint a big picture of the current global situation under the COVID-19 crisis, as Synergy Market Research + Strategic Consultancy has done in its recent COVID-19 Situation Report.

Synergy’s situation report takes a glimpse on the attitudinal and behavioral responses of monitored consumers from selected countries and the potential impact of such responses to the spread or containment of cases in each country.

The report presents diverse data from various countries. Countries selected within Asia include Hong Kong, Japan, Philippines, Singapore, and South Korea. United States and European countries such as France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and United Kingdom were also selected.

The report compiled data gathered from various sources. Data from the Philippines were retrieved from the Department of Health (DoH) through the University of the Philippines’ COVID-19 Dashboard, while global data were retrieved from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health through the Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX) platform.

Additional data were also gathered from global public opinion and data company YouGov’s COVID-19 Behavior Tracker and the Google Mobility Report.

Growth in cases probed

First among the compiled data in Synergy’s report, it was shown that confirmed cases are still growing in Asian countries, with South Korea having the most number of cases among other selected countries.

The country was seen having a slow rise since early March and getting more than 10,000 confirmed cases by early April.

Confirmed cases in US and European countries, however, are significantly higher, with US crossing the 500,000 border early in April.

Furthermore, after more than 500 cases were reached, the non-Asian countries have much steeper increases in cases than Asian ones as the days progressed.

While South Korea’s cases draw an apparent curve in the graph, US’ cases indicate an imminent climb. This climb is also in contrast to the slow increases in the European countries.

In terms of the growth of new cases, US and Europe tally a significant growth rate as they still get thousands of new cases per day. US got a 23% growth rate; while the rest have a rate of less than 20%, with Italy getting the lowest (13%).

Growth in selected Asian countries, meanwhile, has apparently slowed down to a manageable level. Philippines, however, has a two-digit rate (12%) as a more widespread testing is being implemented.

Acting upon an ‘onset of fear’

Behavioral patterns were also shown in the report. As YouGov’s tracker revealed, the onset of fear in catching COVID-19 has likely been felt earlier in Asian countries than in US and Europe, even if it took long for these countries to reach beyond 500 cases.

The Philippines is seen in the data to have the highest increase in this “onset of fear”.

A “lack of fear”, however, was observed to have probably lead to the delayed government response of Western countries to the alarming situation.

From this observed “onset of fear”, the report turned to data showing behavioral changes.

From YouGov’s tracker, it was observed that the incidence of wearing masks have increased in most of the Asian countries prior to the outbreak of the disease. Hong Kong, Philippines, and Japan were tracked to have adapted to such measures before the pandemic.

Increases in the use of masks on US and Europe, on the other hand, were observed only after significant cases were being recorded.

The tracker has also observed increased incidences of working from home (WFH) in most of the selected countries. Philippines was seen adopting WFH much higher compared with the other countries.

Japan, on the other hand, was seen to apparently have maintained a work setup as close to “normal” as possible.

In terms of mobility, the Google Mobility Tracker shows Hong Kong, Singapore, and South Korea having average rates of mobility that are close to ‘normal’ (-27%, -15%, and 4%, respectively), which the report attributes to early intervention and case control measures.

Philippines, however, is among those with the lowest rates of mobility (-53%).

On the other hand, US and Germany still maintained significant public mobility (-28% and -13%, respectively) compared with other European countries who also tallied near to or less than the mobility rate of the Philippines.

“There are indications that those who have early onset of ‘fear’ in contracting COVID-19 could have influenced early intervention and adoption of safety measures such as wearing of masks and decreasing mobility,” Synergy observed in the report. “Such response may have, in turn, impacted on extent of spread or containment of cases in each country.”

Trends in cases a ‘litmus test’ for PHL

Whilst not included in the aforementioned sets of data, China’s incremental confirmed cases per day were compared to those in the Philippines in the report.

From China’s data, an increase was observed around 2.5 weeks after a lockdown was implemented, particularly in the Hubei province.

Forty days after, the number of daily cases decreased below 200. As this trend has remained, the lockdown was lifted a month after.

The Philippines, however, has recorded incremental cases that are still in the hundreds, with older age groups and males appearing to be more susceptible to the virus.

The country reached its highest increment cases recorded by the end of March, about two weeks after the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

The ‘spikes’ in such cases thereafter have slowly gone lower. But, as the fight against the virus continues, Synergy finds it is yet to be determined whether the preventive measures are effective.

“Learning from the China experience, an indicator of the effectiveness of the ECQ and other efforts to stem the tide of new cases is what this number will be on April 24 (40 days from ECQ),” the report read.

Data from DoH last April 24 tallied 211 new cases and the following day tallied a lower number of new cases (102). New cases spiked once more to 285 last April 26.

As of April 27, there are 198 new cases, including 10 deaths and 70 recoveries.

Meralco to the rescue: Provides conducive living quarters for TMC Frontliners

WHEN frontliners of The Medical City (TMC) were faced with the problem of finding a place to stay after their shifts were over, Meralco’s call came at an opportune time, offering them conducive living quarters at Meralco Center, complete with all the amenities to help them recharge for their next line of duty.

Prior to opening its doors, TMC frontliners were temporarily staying in TMC’s conference room, but unfortunately had to move out and were transferred to the TMC Rehabilitation Center gym. When the gym resumed operations, the frontliners had to move out again, leaving them no option but to seek for another place to stay close to TMC.

Recognizing the urgency of providing the TMC frontliners with a decent accommodation, Meralco readily reached out to TMC management, offering the company’s Multi-Purpose Hall (MPH) at the Meralco Fitness Center in Ortigas, just a 10-minute walk away from TMC, forits frontliners who had been living at the hospital since the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) was announced.

Initially, 32 TMC frontliners were welcomed by Meralco to stay in their MPH as long as they needed, providing them beddings, amenity kits, home-cooked hot meals four times per day, refrigerator, microwave, exercise equipment, shower and toilet facilities, internet access, 30 Smart SIM cards, including a TV with Netflix.

“These frontliners treat COVID-19 patients and we wanted to do our best to make them feel loved, cared-for, safe, and comfortable,” said Meralco President and CEO Atty. Ray C. Espinosa.

Through this initiative, Meralco continues to help address the frontliners’ problem in seeking conducive living quarters and faced difficulty in travelling to their homes due to the suspension of public transport during the ECQ period.

Kyla Buenafe, one of the TMC nurses currently staying in Meralco’s MPH, continues to be a light of hope in the war against the pandemic, calling on everyone to do their part in flattening the curve, as well.

Meralco is fulfilling its civic duty during this difficult and unprecedented time. Aside from ensuring reliable supply of electricity for everyone throughout this crisis, Meralco commits to keeping the lights on for those who work the hardest in the battle to fight against the dreaded pandemic.

You are the bearers of torches that give light to the dark corners of our country- not just mirrors passively reflecting the light of others” said Meralco chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan to his employees, as a testament to the company’s promise to serve and support the fight against the pandemic.

Globe names new Mynt CEO

Globe announced the appointment of Martha Sazon as new Chief Executive Officer of Mynt, operator of GCash, effective June 1, 2020, transitioning from her current role as Globe’s Senior Vice President and Head of Broadband Business. She succeeds Anthony Thomas who led the fintech company in the last three years.

Sazon joins Mynt with 12 years of leadership experience across various businesses in Globe such as Postpaid Mobile, Small and Medium Business, and Broadband Business.

“Inherent to her is the ability to pioneer and execute breakthroughs that led to significant and sustainable results, all anchored on addressing the most important customer needs such as the MySuperPlan, SME solutions-selling, and Home Prepaid Wifi and Streamwatch Xtreme Prepaid, while transforming operations through agile and digitalization,” said Ernest Cu, Globe President and CEO. “Martha, as a leader, is a clear embodiment of Mynt’s current state that is ready to take on the future, fired up for sustainable growth and armed with an evolved, progressive approach to customer experience.”

Mynt is poised for scale and Martha’s leadership experience in Globe is expected to help the company in re-shaping, championing and bringing to life Globe’s purpose in the fintech space towards a digital, financially-inclusive and cashless nation.

Meanwhile, Thomas will continue to serve as Advisor to the Mynt Board. “Mynt’s unwavering commitment in delivering world-class e-wallet services for the Filipinos, has brought the brand GCash to its undisputed leadership position in the Philippine Fintech space today. This achievement would not have been possible if not for the leadership of Anthony Thomas in the last three years,” said Cu.

Mynt is a leader in mobile financial services focused on accelerating financial inclusion through mobile money, micro-loans, and technology. As an affiliate of Globe, Ant Financial (affiliate of Jack Ma’s Alibaba), and Ayala, Mynt provides secure, accessible, and convenient fintech solutions to individuals, businesses, and organizations. It operates two fintech companies: GCash, a micropayment service that transforms the mobile phone into a virtual wallet, and Fuse, a tech-based lending company that enables Filipinos to get microloans to business loans. Mynt is part of the portfolio companies of 917Ventures, the largest corporate incubator in the Philippines wholly-owned by Globe.

Asian governments lead cryptocurrency legislation

Entering the second quarter of 2020, many Asian investors continue the widespread implementation of cryptocurrency into their portfolios. Thus, crypto markets have seen major influxes of new users. Coupled with widespread government acceptance of blockchain by means of new legislation as well as the development of blockchain powered fintech, cryptocurrency and blockchain are gaining a strong position in Asia.

When the People’s Republic of China outlawed the purchase of all cryptocurrencies in 2018, other Asian countries jumped on opportunities. Japan, for instance, began introducing legislation to ensure companies dealing in cryptocurrency are properly organized, incorporated and managed. Therefore, in 2019, the Japanese Congress passed the Payment Services Act and the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act. These laws require cryptocurrency exchanges to manage and hold their clients’ virtual assets differently than they do their cashflows and protect the rights of users against fraud while establishing derivative rules, respectively. Japan will begin to enforce these on May 1, 2020. Many within the industry see this legislation as a means to avoid future problems, foment mid to long term growth in cryptocurrency investment and technology while promoting Japan as a cryptocurrency haven. Currently, 23 cryptocurrency exchanges operate in Japan.

In Singapore, the state of cryptocurrency legislation and public perception of cryptocurrency is promising and interesting. Similar to Japan, the Singaporean government hopes to protect consumers by requiring cryptocurrency exchanges and payment providers to register with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. More interesting yet, Singaporeans themselves see blockchain skills as most the important skill for career development, according to a June 2019 LinkedIn survey. It should therefore not come as a surprise that investment in blockchain from both international and Singaporean sources accumulated to over USD 1billion in 2019.

In early April of 2020, Malaysia granted the first licenses to three firms allowing them to operate cryptocurrency exchanges; it should be noted that the government granted these licenses during the coronavirus crisis. Also, passing legislation applying to cryptocurrencies markets despite the presence of the coronavirus is the government of South Korea, which moved in March of 2020 to set regulations for cryptocurrencies exchanges and cryptocurrency itself. South Korea is a shining example of a country that has come to embrace cryptocurrency; the city of Seoul plans to unveil its own coin later in 2020 while implementing blockchain technology for public services and utilities, aiming to make Seoul Asia’s first smart city by 2022.

Blockchain has also gained acceptance from Asian fintech companies. Everex and Quoine (Singapore), use blockchain to facilitate speedy money transfers, Level01 (Hong Kong) allows customers to trade options, forex and other derivatives using blockchain technology, and in China, the Japanese financial giant Soft-Bank has teamed with Chinese fintech firm OneConnect to build a blockchain-based, uber-efficient logistics system for the Hong-Kong/Guangdong/Macau Greater Bay region.

The coronavirus ushered in a massive sell-off of bitcoin in mid-March, causing the price to dip below $4,000 per coin, but it currently sits at just around $7,000, indicating a recovery. Although this volatility could be a result of liquidity raising to cover margin calls, the experiences above demonstrate that governments are willing to embrace blockchain technologies even during times of crisis, a major boon to cryptocurrency markets. Most experts agree that the world economy will change as a result of the pandemic, presenting opportunities for blockchain technology.

Upskill with e-TESDA’s free courses while on quarantine

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is encouraging Filipinos to register and enroll in the online courses available on their platform e-TESDA or the TESDA Online Program.

The authority says taking advantage of this free opportunity allows workers to remain productive despite the mobility restrictions issued by the government to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.

“We are enjoined to stay at home, as this is among the ways to prevent the spread of the virus,”TESDA chief Secretary Isidro Lapeña said. “We encourage those with available time to make good use of this period, while Metro Manila is under community quarantine. I invite the students and workers to try enrolling in our online classes.  This is offered for free.”

There are a total of 68 online courses on e-TESDA, which is also accessible through the TESDA app in Google Play and Apple Store. Among the offerings available are courses in Agriculture, Automotive, Electronics, Entrepreneurship, and Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration. There are also resources on Human Health/Health Care, Information and Communication Technology, Lifelong Learning Skills, Maritime, Social, Community Development and other services, Tourism, and Technical Vocational Education and Training.

There are no requirements to enroll apart from computer literacy and an Internet connection. Enrollees are required to pass the quizzes that accompany each course. A certificate of completion will be given to successful enrollees, but assessment tests that require one’s physical presence at the technical schools are required for those who also wish to receive a national certification.

“Once na mag-normalize ang sitwasyon, kailangan mo magtake ng assessment kasi kailangan ng physical presence para ma-assess nila yung paggamit mo ng equipment at kung ang skills ay kwalipikado na,” explained Lapeña.

(“Once the situation normalizes, you need to take an assessment (test). Physical presence is needed so that they can assess how you used the equipment, and if your skills are qualified enough.”)

The term “disruption” has been used countless times since the start of the pandemic to describe how Covid-19 has turned the world upside down. Workers whose jobs have been suspended can take heart and bide their time by taking free courses to improve their career prospects.

Facebook compiles platform-specific tools to fight the COVID-19 infodemic

As information on COVID-19 continues to saturate the social media channels we rely on for news around the current crisis, a secondary danger of misinformation and fake news are fueling an infodemic that could potentially be as damaging as COVID-19 itself.

In response, Facebook, the company managing many of these platforms, has compiled a list of tools to ensure the news and knowledge we share are reliable.

Below are several ways to quickly access accurate and timely updates on the COVID-19 situation in the Philippines and globally across Facebook’s family of apps.

Facebook

On the Facebook app, you can find the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Center featured at the top of your News Feed. It leads to the latest statistics and updates from the Department of Health (DOH), World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), with links to their verified Facebook pages.

The COVID-19 Information Center on Facebook also shares tips to handle staying at home, social distancing, how you can prevent spreading the virus, and what to do when you’re not feeling well. It even has a Community Help section to make it easier for people to post a request for help or offer help in their area.

People can opt in to follow the information center to get notifications and see real-time updates directly in their News Feed or find it bookmarked on the left side of their feed or when they tap on their mobile app.

In the coming weeks, Facebook will also start showing messages to people who have liked, reacted, or commented on harmful misinformation about COVID-19 that have since been removed from the platform. These messages will connect people to COVID-19 myths debunked by the WHO including those that Facebook removed for leading to imminent physical harm.

On Messenger, you can message KIRA the KontraCOVID Chatbot, brought to you by the Department of Health (DOH). When you chat with KIRA, you can get immediate responses to the most common questions about the virus, information on how to protect yourself and your loved ones against COVID-19, and even do a self-check of your symptoms to gauge your risk for COVID-19. You can search for the Department of Health on the Messenger app or go to the official DOH Page on Facebook and click the Messenger button to get started. 

Instagram

While scrolling through Instagram, you’ll find a notice at the top of your feed that directs you to credible resources from expert health organizations like the WHO and DOH. When searching for information and viewing hashtags related to COVID-19 on Instagram, resources from these health organizations are also put at the top to highlight them, making accurate information more accessible.

WhatsApp

If WhatsApp is your messaging app of choice, you can sign up to receive the WHO Health Alerts which provides daily reports, tips on how to prevent the spread of the disease, and answers to COVID-19 FAQs that you can easily share with your friends and family. Just send “Hi” to +41 79 893 18 92 on WhatsApp or follow this link. The same WHO Health Alerts are also available on Messenger.
With COVID-19 information available to you 24/7, it’s important to remember that accurate information can save lives. So it’s crucial for everyone to take that responsibility very seriously and ensure that we only share legit and verified info. Factual sharing is caring.

You can learn more about how Facebook is keeping people safe and informed about Coronavirus here.

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